Read the passages and answer the items based on them. You are required to select your answers based on the content of the passage and opinion of the author only. Post colonial cultural analysis has been concerned with the elaboration of theoretical structures that contest the previous dominant western ways of seeing things. A simple analogy would be with feminism, which has involved a comparable kind of project : there was a time when any book you might read, any speech you might hear, any film that you saw, was always told from the point of view of male. The woman was there, but she was always an object, never a subject. From what you would read, or the films you would see, the woman was always the one who was looked at. She was never the observing eye. For centuries it was assumed that women were less intelligent than men and that they did not merit the same degree of education. They were not allowed a vote in the political system. By the same token, any kind of knowledge developed by women was regarded as non-serious, trivial, gossip or alternatively as knowledge that had been discredited by science, such as superstition or traditional practices of childbirth or healing. All these attitudes were part of a larger system in which women were dominated, exploited, and physically abused by men. Slowly, but increasingly, from the end of 18thcentury, feminists began to contest this situation. The more they contested it, the more it became increasingly obvious that these attitudes extended into the whole of the culture; social relations, politics, law, medicine, the arts, popular and academic knowledge.
Which word in the passage is opposite of ‘contrast’ ?
Analogy
Understanding the Question: Finding the Opposite Word
The question asks us to identify a word from the passage that has the opposite meaning of 'contrast'. To answer this, we first need to understand what 'contrast' means and then look for a word in the text that conveys the opposite idea.
'Contrast' generally means to show the differences between two or more things, or the state of being different.
We need to examine the options provided and see how they are used in the passage to determine which word best represents the opposite of showing differences.
Analyzing the Options in the Passage Context
Let's look at each option and its usage or meaning based on the provided text:
- Contestations: The passage uses the verb 'contest' ("feminists began to contest this situation"). To contest something means to challenge it or argue against it. This involves highlighting differences or disagreements. Therefore, 'contestations' (the act of contesting) is related to showing differences, not the opposite.
- Trivial: The passage mentions "knowledge developed by women was regarded as non-serious, trivial, gossip". 'Trivial' means of little value or importance. This word is related to significance, not the relationship between different things. It is not the opposite of 'contrast'.
- Discredited: The passage states, "knowledge that had been discredited by science". To discredit something means to harm its good reputation or make people stop believing it. This is related to credibility, not the relationship of difference or similarity between things. It is not the opposite of 'contrast'.
- Analogy: The passage states, "A simple analogy would be with feminism, which has involved a comparable kind of project". An analogy is a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification. The passage explicitly calls it a "comparable kind of project". Comparing something to something else as an analogy highlights similarities or points of comparison, not differences. Therefore, 'analogy' represents similarity or likeness, which is the opposite of showing differences (contrast).
Determining the Opposite of Contrast
Based on the analysis, 'contrast' emphasizes differences, while 'analogy' (as used in the passage) highlights comparability or similarity between two things (post-colonial cultural analysis and feminism). Therefore, 'analogy' functions as the opposite concept to 'contrast' in this context.
The word from the passage that is the opposite of 'contrast' is 'Analogy'.
Revision Table: Key Terms
| Term | Meaning (General) | Meaning in Passage Context | Relationship to 'Contrast' |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast | Show differences | Implied comparison of different viewpoints | Base term |
| Contestations | Act of disputing | Challenging dominant views | Similar (highlights difference/disagreement) |
| Trivial | Of little importance | Describing disregarded knowledge | Unrelated |
| Discredited | Having lost credibility | Describing knowledge deemed false | Unrelated |
| Analogy | Comparison highlighting similarity | Comparing two similar types of projects (post-colonial and feminist) | Opposite (highlights similarity) |
Additional Information: Antonyms and Context
When looking for the opposite of a word, we are essentially looking for its antonym. However, it's crucial to consider the context in which the word is used in the passage. In this specific passage, 'contrast' implies highlighting how different viewpoints or systems are from each other (e.g., Western vs. post-colonial, male vs. female perspective). 'Analogy' is used to show how two seemingly different fields (post-colonial analysis and feminism) are comparable because they undertake a similar project of challenging dominant perspectives. Thus, within this narrative structure, 'analogy' serves to show likeness or similarity, which is the conceptual opposite of showing difference or contrast.
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'?
