Good qualities alleviate poverty whereas bad ones … it.

Analyze the question

You need a word that (1) is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word "alleviate" and (2) correctly fills the gap in the sentence: "Good qualities alleviate poverty whereas bad ones ___ it."

Explain the concept

• Alleviate means to make something less severe, to reduce or lessen it (e.g. alleviate pain, alleviate suffering).
• The opposite is a word meaning to make something worse or more severe. That word is aggravate.
• The word "whereas" signals contrast. Good qualities reduce poverty, so bad qualities should do the reverse and make it worse.

Step-by-step solution

Check each option:

• A. Prolong means to make something last longer. It does not mean "make worse," so it is not a true opposite of alleviate.
• B. Activate means to set something in motion. It doesn't fit the sentence's meaning.
• C. Aggravate means to make worse or more serious. It is the direct opposite of alleviate, and "bad ones aggravate it" fits the sentence well.
• D. Provoke means to incite or cause a reaction (like anger). We don't normally say "provoke poverty" in this sense, and it isn't the opposite of alleviate.

Completed sentence: Good qualities alleviate poverty whereas bad ones aggravate it.

Tip

For opposites questions, first define the underlined word in simple terms (alleviate = make less bad), then look for the option meaning make more bad. Memorize common pairs:

• alleviate ↔ aggravate
• increase ↔ diminish
• expand ↔ contract

Also, the word "whereas" is a clue that the answer must contrast with the first part of the sentence.