NECO 2008 English Language · Question 36

My principal gives his candid opinion on every issue brought before him.

Question

Choose from the options lettered A - E the one that is nearest in meaning to the word underlined. My principal gives his candid opinion on every issue brought before him.

In the original paper part of this question is underlined. The underline isn't shown here: see the explanation below.

A.complete
B.fatherly
C.frank
D.honest
E.vague

Answer: C. frank

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The underlined word is candid. We need the word closest in meaning to it in the sentence: "My principal gives his candid opinion on every issue brought before him."

Explain the concept: Candid (adjective) means open, straightforward, and truthful in expressing one's views, even when the truth may be unpleasant. Its closest synonyms are frank, outspoken, and forthright.

Step-by-step solution:

A. complete: This means whole or entire. A candid opinion is not necessarily a complete one, so it is wrong.
B. fatherly: This means like a father. It has nothing to do with candour, so it is wrong.
C. frank: This means open and direct in speech. It matches candid almost exactly, so it is correct.
D. honest: This is close, but honesty is about truthfulness in general. Candid and frank stress openness and directness in speaking. Honest is a good distractor, but frank is the nearer match.
E. vague: This means unclear, the opposite of candid, so it is wrong.

Tip: Link candid with frank by thinking "speaking openly, with no hiding." Be careful in "nearest in meaning" questions. When two options both seem right, such as honest and frank, choose the one that captures the specific shade of meaning. Here that is directness in speech.

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