It is only natural to feel nervous when you first take the stage but you soon become …

Analyze the question: The underlined word isn't shown in the text you gave. The sentence is "It is only natural to feel nervous when you first take the stage but you soon become ....." The underlined word is almost certainly nervous, since the gap describes how you feel after the nervousness passes. So we need the word that is closest in meaning to the opposite of "nervous" and also fits the gap grammatically and logically.

Concept: "Nervous" means anxious, uneasy, or agitated. Its opposite is calm, relaxed, or self-controlled. The word must also fit the sentence: "you soon become ____."

Checking each option:

• A. balanced – This means stable or evenly proportioned. It can describe a person's mind, but it isn't a direct opposite of "nervous."
• B. peaceful – This describes a place or situation, or a quiet mood. It is not usually said of a person's state on stage.
• C. normal – This only means ordinary. It doesn't express the absence of nervousness.
• D. composed – This means calm, self-possessed, and in control of your feelings. It is the direct opposite of "nervous" and fits well: "you soon become composed."

Answer: D. composed

Tip: In opposite-meaning questions, first identify the underlined word's exact sense. Then test each option in the gap. "Composed" is a standard antonym of nervous, agitated, and flustered, so remember the pair nervous ↔ composed.