Select the synonym of the noun banquet meaning a large formal meal with many people.

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question asks for a synonym of the noun banquet. A banquet is a large formal meal, often with many guests and several courses, arranged for a celebration, ceremony, or official event. Examinations use such words to test familiarity with terms related to social life, culture, and hospitality.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Target word: banquet.
• Options: fast, feast, voracity, gluttony.
• Exactly one option must match the meaning of a grand or special meal.
• The context is social gatherings or celebrations involving food.

Concept / Approach:
A synonym is a word with a similar meaning. The word feast refers to a large and special meal, often associated with celebrations and holidays. This is very close to banquet. Fast means a period of time when a person does not eat, which is almost the opposite in terms of behaviour. Voracity refers to great hunger or eagerness to eat, and gluttony indicates the habit of eating too much. Those two words describe attitudes or habits, not the meal itself. Therefore, feast is the only option that matches banquet as an event involving a large formal meal.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the meaning of banquet as a grand meal with many guests. Step 2: Examine option a, fast. This is a period of intentional abstention from food, the opposite of a rich meal. Step 3: Examine option b, feast. This is a large meal, often celebratory, very close in meaning to banquet. Step 4: Examine option c, voracity. This means extreme desire to eat a lot, a quality of hunger rather than an event. Step 5: Examine option d, gluttony. This denotes a vice or habit of over eating, not the formal meal itself. Step 6: Decide that feast is the correct synonym.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider example sentences. We attended a royal banquet in the palace can naturally be rephrased as We attended a royal feast in the palace. The meaning remains nearly the same. However, We attended a royal fast or We attended a royal voracity make no sense. Similarly, gluttony refers to a person s behaviour and would not be used to name a ceremonial meal. Comparing these examples confirms that feast is the best synonym for banquet in this context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
fast: Denotes not eating, which is contrary to the idea of a rich, extensive meal.
voracity: Describes strong hunger or eagerness to eat, a personal trait rather than a gathering or event.
gluttony: A negative trait referring to habitual over eating, not a type of meal.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse words related to food and eating without distinguishing between events, habits, and internal states. To avoid such mistakes, it helps to group vocabulary by function: some words name events (banquet, feast, picnic), some describe behaviour (gluttony, moderation), and some describe internal states (hunger, voracity). Recognising these categories makes synonym questions much easier to handle in timed exams.

Final Answer:
The correct synonym of banquet is feast, so option b is correct.