Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Yearning
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of one-word substitutes in English vocabulary. Examinations for general English often ask candidates to replace a long descriptive phrase with a single precise word. Here the phrase is “a feeling of intense longing for something”, and the task is to identify the word that naturally and accurately captures this emotional state.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The phrase describes a strong, deep, and persistent longing.
- The options contain four emotional or attitudinal words and one correct one.
- The correct word must match the idea of intense desire rather than indifference or satisfaction.
- Ordinary dictionary meanings of the words are assumed.
Concept / Approach:
To solve one-word substitute questions, a candidate should focus on the core idea expressed by the phrase. The key idea here is strong desire and emotional pull toward something that is not yet attained. The word “yearning” in English refers to a powerful, often emotional, desire for something, sometimes mixed with sadness because the object of desire is far away or difficult to reach. The other options either represent the opposite idea, such as lack of interest, or describe a state where desire has already been satisfied. Matching the emotional tone and direction of desire is the main technique.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the core meaning of the phrase: a deep, intense, and continuing desire for something.
Step 2: Consider option “Yearning”. This word means a powerful, persistent desire or longing for something, which corresponds very closely to the phrase.
Step 3: Consider “Apathy”. This means lack of interest or concern, which is almost the opposite of intense longing.
Step 4: Consider “Satiety”. This refers to being completely satisfied, especially with food or desire, so that no further wish remains. It describes a state after desire has been fulfilled, not the desire itself.
Step 5: Consider “Gratification”. This is the pleasure or satisfaction gained when a desire is fulfilled. Again, it is about fulfillment rather than longing.
Step 6: Consider “Detachment”. This implies emotional distance or lack of involvement, which does not match the idea of intense longing.
Step 7: Since only “Yearning” captures the exact sense of intense longing, it is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification method is to attempt to substitute each option into a sample sentence. For example, “He felt a deep yearning for his homeland” sounds natural, whereas “He felt deep apathy for his homeland” reverses the meaning. “He felt complete satiety for his homeland” or “He felt gratification for his homeland” sound unnatural and do not convey longing. Thus, substituting the options into realistic sentences confirms that “Yearning” is the only choice that fits the phrase correctly.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Apathy: Means lack of feeling or interest, which is the opposite of a strong longing.
Satiety: Indicates a state of being fully satisfied, usually after fulfilling a desire, not the presence of desire itself.
Gratification: Refers to the pleasure of having a desire fulfilled, which comes after longing, not during it.
Detachment: Suggests emotional distance and lack of involvement, which conflicts with the emotional closeness implied by intense longing.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse words related to desire and satisfaction. They may mistakenly select “Gratification” or “Satiety” because these words often appear in similar contexts. However, those words refer to what happens after desire is fulfilled, while the phrase in the question clearly focuses on the inner feeling before anything happens. Another common mistake is to pick words only because they “sound sophisticated” without checking their actual meanings in a reliable dictionary or through examples.
Final Answer:
The one-word substitute that best expresses “a feeling of intense longing for something” is Yearning.
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