Introduction / Context:
"Amuse" denotes causing laughter, pleasure, or light entertainment. To select an antonym, we should reverse the emotional valence to a clearly negative state caused by the same stimulus (the story), not merely a different arousal level or a surprise reaction. This ensures we are contrasting affect in a principled way.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Target verb: amused (caused enjoyment).
- Context: children's reaction to a story.
- We need the best opposite in terms of emotional outcome.
Concept / Approach:
The most direct antonym of "amused" in an emotional-polarity sense is "saddened" (caused sorrow). "Frightened" changes the emotion to fear; "astonished" changes it to surprise; "jolted" suggests shock. "Bored" indicates low arousal and lack of interest; while sometimes contrasted with "amused," it is not a pure polarity flip. In evaluative tests, "saddened" is the strongest antonym because it reverses positive to negative affect.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Identify the valence: amused = positive affect.2) Choose an opposite with negative affect caused by the same stimulus.3) "Saddened" reverses enjoyment to unhappiness.4) Eliminate fear/shock/surprise and low-arousal neutrality.
Verification / Alternative check:
Flip the sentence: "The story … saddened children in the class" reads as a clear emotional opposite of amusement, confirming the choice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
frightened: Fear rather than negative sadness; not a direct opposite.jolted: Sudden shock; not affective polarity.astonished: Surprise; neutral valence.bored: Low arousal; not a strict antonym of delight.
Common Pitfalls:
Picking "bored" because it often co-occurs with "amused." In rigorous antonym tasks, we seek clear polarity reversal, which "saddened" provides.
Final Answer:
saddened
Discussion & Comments