Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Scrub : Polish
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This logical reasoning question asks you to pick the pair of words which is differently related from the others. All the options are verb pairs describing actions, often where one action is weaker or milder and the other is a stronger or more intense version. The task is to spot the one pair that does not follow the same intensity pattern.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The first three given pairs and the last added pair all strongly suggest a \"degree\" or \"intensity\" relationship. In each of those, the first word describes a mild, light or less intense version of an action or event, and the second word describes a much stronger, more intense or severe form of the same basic thing. The odd pair would be the one where the two words are related in some other way, for example, as two different actions rather than as mild and strong versions of the same action.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider \"Flurry : Blizzard\". A flurry is a light or brief snowfall, while a blizzard is a very heavy, severe snowstorm. Thus, a blizzard can be seen as an intense form of a flurry.Step 2: Look at \"Moisten : Drench\". To moisten something is to make it slightly wet, while to drench something is to soak it completely. Again, the second word expresses a stronger degree of the same general action.Step 3: Examine \"Prick : Stab\". A prick is a very small, shallow piercing, while a stab is a deep or forceful thrust with something sharp. Stab is a much more severe version of the basic action described by prick.Step 4: Check \"Drizzle : Downpour\". A drizzle is very light rain, while a downpour is very heavy rain. The intensity clearly increases from the first word to the second.Step 5: Now analyse \"Scrub : Polish\". Scrub means to rub hard, usually with a brush or cloth, in order to remove dirt. Polish means to rub in order to make something smooth and shiny.Step 6: Scrubbing and polishing are both cleaning or surface treatments, but polishing is not simply a more intense version of scrubbing. They are related but different actions, often performed at different stages (scrub first to clean, polish later to shine).Step 7: Therefore, Scrub : Polish is the only pair which does not show a clear mild-to-intense relationship of the same phenomenon. It is differently related from the others.
Verification / Alternative check:
One way to verify is to rewrite the pairs as \"small X\" versus \"large X\". Flurry is a small snowstorm and blizzard is a large snowstorm. Moisten is to make a little wet and drench is to make very wet. Prick is a small wound, stab is a serious wound. Drizzle is light rain, downpour is heavy rain. For Scrub and Polish, you cannot naturally say that polish is just a stronger scrub; instead, it is a separate action used for a different purpose, which confirms that the pairing is of a different type.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
All other options show a clear minor-major or light-heavy relationship within the same domain. In each case, the second word is essentially the same phenomenon but intensified. Because they follow the same pattern, they cannot be the odd pair. Only the pair Scrub : Polish represents two related but distinct processes rather than degrees of the same one.
Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes learners focus only on whether the words are connected at all and overlook the special type of connection. It is not enough that the two words be vaguely related; you must look for a consistent pattern across all the options. Paying attention to whether the second word could be described as a stronger form of the first is the key to this question.
Final Answer:
The pair which is differently related from the others is Scrub : Polish.
Discussion & Comments