Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Transcendent
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
One word substitution questions test your ability to replace long descriptive phrases with precise single words. The phrase given here is "Beyond or above the range of normal or physical human experience". You must find the word that captures the idea of surpassing ordinary limits or being above regular human experience, often in a spiritual or extraordinary sense.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The word that fits this definition is "Transcendent". Transcendent describes something that goes beyond ordinary limits, surpasses normal human experience, or is of a higher, often spiritual, nature. The other options either refer to ordinary, worldly, or vulgar qualities, which are the exact opposite of what the phrase describes. The strategy is to match the key ideas "beyond", "above", and "normal human experience" with a word you know from philosophy, religion, or advanced English usage.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
Try using the options in context. "He had a transcendent experience while meditating" suggests an experience beyond ordinary sensation, which fits perfectly. If you try "mundane experience" or "earthly experience", you immediately get the idea of normal, everyday events, which contradicts the given phrase. "Ribald" and "coarse" obviously do not describe something elevated or beyond physical limits. This context test confirms that transcendent is the correct substitution.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mundane and earthly both refer to ordinary, worldly matters, which are within the usual range of human experience, not beyond it. Ribald and coarse describe rough or vulgar language and behaviour, which again are part of common human life and often associated with low taste rather than elevated, other worldly experience. None of these capture the special, surpassing nature suggested by the phrase. Only transcendent implies going beyond the normal boundary of physical or human limits.
Common Pitfalls:
Students may be tempted by words they have seen more often, such as mundane or earthly, and may misread the question as asking for something related to human experience instead of beyond it. It is important to focus on key directional words like "above", "beyond", and "range of normal". Whenever such words appear, look for options that imply surpassing, exceeding, or going beyond, such as transcendent, supernatural, or extraordinary, depending on the exact question.
Final Answer:
The best one word substitute for the given phrase is "Transcendent", so the correct answer is Transcendent.
Discussion & Comments