Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. Lack of moral values, character-building incentives and good cultural values accounts for the present crisis prevalent in Indian scenario. Today, we find that even the persons in the most powerful positions have become an accomplice of a corrupt culture even though they are well-educated and well-reputed for their scholarship. The tragedy is this that even after independence, Indian society could not lay down the foundations strong enough to evolve an effective leadership which could give a new direction to the people. The perennial fact still remains that no system of government can be successful until strong emphasis is placed on moral values in the society. It can be done through creating a proper climate—an environment where these values can grow fully and are not stifled in the cruel grasp of corruption.
Select the most appropriate ANTONYM for the following word: PREVALENT
Rare
Understanding the Antonym of PREVALENT
The question asks for the most appropriate antonym for the word "PREVALENT" based on the provided passage. An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word.
Analyzing the Word PREVALENT in the Passage Context
The passage states: "Lack of moral values, character-building incentives and good cultural values accounts for the present crisis prevalent in Indian scenario."
In this sentence, "prevalent" describes the "present crisis". This suggests that the crisis is widespread, common, or occurring frequently in the Indian scenario.
Defining PREVALENT
The word 'prevalent' means widespread in a particular area or at a particular time, or generally accepted or practiced.
Examining the Options
Let's look at the given options and determine their meanings:
- Common: This word means occurring, found, or done often; prevalent. This is a synonym of prevalent.
- Rare: This word means not occurring or found or done often; unusual. This is the opposite of common or widespread.
- Nonvalent: This term is typically used in chemistry to describe an element with a valence of zero. It is not relevant to the meaning of prevalent.
- Pervasive: This word means spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people. This is a synonym of prevalent.
Identifying the Antonym
Based on the meanings, "Common" and "Pervasive" are synonyms of "PREVALENT". "Nonvalent" is unrelated. The word with the opposite meaning to "PREVALENT" (widespread, common) is "Rare" (uncommon, infrequent).
Therefore, the most appropriate antonym for PREVALENT is Rare.
Revision Table: Analyzing PREVALENT Antonyms
| Word | Meaning | Relationship to PREVALENT |
|---|---|---|
| PREVALENT | Widespread, common | Original word |
| Common | Widespread, occurring often | Synonym |
| Rare | Not common, infrequent | Antonym |
| Nonvalent | Relating to chemical valence of zero | Unrelated |
| Pervasive | Spreading widely | Synonym |
Additional Information on Antonyms
Antonyms are important for expanding vocabulary and understanding nuances in language. Finding the correct antonym often depends on the context in which the word is used. In this case, understanding that 'prevalent' means widespread in the given context helps identify 'rare' as the opposite.
- Antonyms can be exact opposites or simply have contrasting meanings.
- Some words can have multiple antonyms depending on the specific sense in which they are used.
- Prefixes like 'un-', 'dis-', 'non-', 'in-', 'im-', 'a-' can often form antonyms (e.g., happy – unhappy, agree – disagree, moral – immoral). However, this is not always the case, and some antonyms are completely different words, like prevalent – rare.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
