Verbal Analogy — Opposites and Incompatibilities ‘Indolence’ (meaning habitual laziness) is related to ‘Work’ as a negative or incompatible state. In the same manner, ‘Taciturn’ (habitually silent) is related to which action or behavior?

Introduction / Context:
Verbal analogy questions test whether you can recognize the relationship between two words and then transfer that same relationship to a new pair. Here, ‘‘Indolence’’ is mapped to ‘‘Work’’ as something incompatible or naturally opposed. We must apply the same lens to ‘‘Taciturn’’ and select the action that a taciturn person typically avoids or does not do freely.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Indolence = habitual laziness; opposed to productive work.
• Taciturn = reserved or habitually silent; speaks little.
• The relationship in the first pair is one of opposition/incompatibility, not merely category or function.

Concept / Approach:
Identify the semantic link: ‘‘Indolence’’ is to ‘‘Work’’ as a negative tendency toward the activity. For the second pair, ‘‘Taciturn’’ should be paired with the action that is most directly at odds with taciturn behavior. That action is ‘‘Speak.’’

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Map the first pair: indolence → not wanting to work.2) Seek an analogous opposition for ‘‘Taciturn’’ → not inclined to speak.3) Among the options (Cheat, Act, Speak, Observe), only ‘‘Speak’’ is the core action that taciturn people typically avoid.4) Therefore, the correct choice preserves the same incompatibility pattern.

Verification / Alternative check:
Replace the words in a sentence: ‘‘A taciturn person rarely likes to speak,’’ just as ‘‘An indolent person rarely likes to work.’’ The parallel holds neatly.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Cheat: Ethical behavior vs dishonesty is unrelated to taciturnity.
• Act: Acting or doing is not the primary opposite of being taciturn.
• Observe: Observing is silent attention, not opposed to taciturn behavior.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing category relations (e.g., person:action generally) with the required ‘‘incompatibility’’ relation. Also, overthinking ‘‘Act’’ as an opposite of silence; the key is ‘‘speaking’’ specifically, not general activity.

Final Answer:
Speak