Direction : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :

Antarctica is a continent of stunning contradictions. To look at photographs of its towering blue icebergs and playful penguins, one might think it is a peaceful winter wonderland. However, to actually stand on its surface is to face the most hostile climate on the planet. In this frozen land, breathtaking beauty and deadly cold exist in perfect balance. While it holds most of the world’s fresh water in its beautiful glaciers, its freezing winds and blinding snowstorms can kill an unprotected human in minutes. Unlike the Arctic, which has native populations who have adapted to the cold, Antarctica has no permanent human residents. It is a pristine wilderness that tolerates visitors but refuses to be conquered.

The word “hostile” as used in the passage most nearly means :