choose the option nearly opposite in meaning to the word(s) underlined James found the photocopied material invaluable while preparing for the examination

Analyze the question The underlined word is "invaluable" (the question text doesn't show the underline, but it is clearly the key word). We need the word that is nearly opposite in meaning.

Explain the concept Be careful with the prefix in-. Normally in- makes a word negative (e.g., incapable), but "invaluable" is an exception. It does not mean "not valuable". It means extremely valuable, so valuable that its worth can't be measured. Many students fall into this trap.

• Invaluable = priceless, extremely useful, of great worth
• Its opposite = worthless, useless, of no value

Step-by-step solution

1. Meaning in the sentence: James found the photocopied material extremely useful while preparing for the exam.
2. Now check each option: • A. Valuable: similar in meaning (a synonym), so wrong • B. Worthwhile: similar in meaning, so wrong • C. Worthless: having no value, the opposite, so correct • D. Important: similar in meaning, so wrong
3. Only worthless is opposite to invaluable.

Answer: C. Worthless

Exam tip Watch out for "tricky negatives" like invaluable, priceless, flammable/inflammable. They look like they should mean "not valuable", but the meaning goes the other way. In opposite-meaning questions, first find the meaning of the word, then eliminate the options that are synonyms. Three of the four options here were synonyms, which makes the answer easy to spot once you know that.