The judge declared the two accused guilty.

Analyze the question: The question asks for the word opposite in meaning (an antonym) to the underlined word. The underlined part isn't marked in the text you sent, but the sentence is "The judge declared the two accused guilty," so the word being tested is almost certainly guilty.

Explain the concept: An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning. In legal English:

• Guilty means having committed a crime or offence.
• Innocent means not having committed a crime, or being free from blame.

Step-by-step solution:

1. rude means impolite. It has no link to guilt or crime, so it is not the opposite.
2. innocent means not guilty. This is the direct opposite of "guilty".
3. flawed means having a defect or imperfection. It is not related to legal guilt.
4. convicted means declared guilty by a court. It is a synonym of guilty in this context, not an opposite.

Answer: B. innocent

Tip: In antonym questions, watch out for option D here. "Convicted" is closely related to "guilty", and examiners often include a synonym as a distractor. Always ask yourself: "Is this the same meaning or the opposite?" before you choose.