Understanding the Sentence and the Underlined Word

The original sentence is: "He is in debt due to his judicious tastes and habits."

The sentence states that the person is "in debt". Being in debt means owing money. People usually get into debt when they spend more money than they earn or can afford.

The underlined word is "judicious". Let's understand its meaning:

• Judicious: Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense; sensible.

If someone has "judicious tastes and habits," it means they are sensible and use good judgment, especially regarding money. Sensible financial habits usually lead to saving money, not getting into debt.

Therefore, the word "judicious" doesn't logically fit in the sentence as the reason for being "in debt". The sentence structure suggests that the tastes and habits described by the underlined word are the cause of the debt. We need to find a word that describes habits that lead to owing money.

Analyzing the Options for Substitution

Let's look at the provided options and their meanings to find the most appropriate substitute for "judicious" in this context:

1. Affluent: Having a great deal of money; wealthy.
2. Frugal: Sparing or economical with regard to money or food; thrifty.
3. Extravagant: Lacking restraint in spending money or using resources; costing a lot more money than the person can afford.
4. Moderate: Average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree; not extreme.

Now let's consider how each option fits into the sentence "He is in debt due to his _____ tastes and habits":

• Affluent tastes and habits: Affluent means wealthy. While wealthy people might have expensive tastes, being affluent itself doesn't necessarily cause debt. It describes their financial state, not the habits that lead to debt.
• Frugal tastes and habits: Frugal means economical or thrifty. Frugal habits lead to saving money and avoiding debt. This is the opposite of what's needed to explain being in debt.
• Extravagant tastes and habits: Extravagant means spending money freely or recklessly, being excessively expensive. Extravagant habits directly lead to spending more than one can afford, resulting in debt. This fits the context perfectly.
• Moderate tastes and habits: Moderate means average or not extreme. Moderate spending habits usually imply living within one's means, which does not typically lead to significant debt.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Substitute

Based on the analysis, "extravagant" is the word that best describes tastes and habits that would cause someone to be "in debt". It directly relates excessive spending to the consequence of owing money.

Substituting "extravagant" for "judicious" makes the sentence logical: "He is in debt due to his extravagant tastes and habits." This sentence clearly explains that his excessive spending and expensive preferences are the reason he owes money.

Therefore, "extravagant" is the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment.

Revision Table: Key Terms

Additional Information: Understanding Financial Habits

Understanding different financial habits can help explain why people get into debt or manage money well. Here are a few types of financial habits:

• Frugal Habits: These involve being careful with money, seeking value, saving, and avoiding unnecessary spending. People with frugal habits often build savings and avoid debt.
• Judicious/Prudent Habits: These involve making sensible financial decisions based on good judgment. This includes budgeting, saving, investing wisely, and avoiding risky spending. Similar to frugal, these habits generally prevent debt.
• Extravagant Habits: These involve spending excessively, often on luxury items or experiences that are beyond one's means. This lack of restraint in spending is a primary cause of consumer debt.
• Moderate Habits: These involve spending and saving in a balanced way, generally living within one's income without being overly thrifty or wasteful.

The sentence highlights the contrast between what "judicious" means (sensible, preventing debt) and the outcome (being "in debt"). Substituting "judicious" with "extravagant" provides a logical cause-and-effect relationship that fits the reality of how people accumulate "debt".