In the following sentence, there is one underlined word and one gap. From the list of words lettered A to D…

Analyze the question: The sentence uses "but," which signals a contrast. "Stingy" is the underlined word, so we need the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning and also fits the gap: "Michael is stingy but his brother is ___."

Concept: An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning.

• Stingy means unwilling to spend or give; miserly, mean with money.
• The direct opposite is someone who gives freely and willingly, which is generous.

Checking each option:

• A. generous: Gives freely and spends without holding back. This is the exact opposite of stingy. ✔
• B. kind: Being caring and gentle. A stingy person can still be kind in other ways, and kindness is not specifically about giving or spending. It is not a direct opposite.
• C. humane: Showing compassion, especially toward suffering. This has nothing to do with money or giving.
• D. hospitable: Welcoming to guests. This is related, but it is about entertaining visitors, not about spending or giving in general.

Answer: A. generous. It is the only option that directly opposes "stingy" and makes the sentence read correctly: "Michael is stingy but his brother is generous."

Tip: For antonym questions, ask "What is the exact opposite quality?" and not merely "What is a good quality?" Several options may be positive words (kind, humane, hospitable), but only one matches the specific idea of the underlined word. Here the idea is giving or spending, so the answer is generous. Also remember related pairs: stingy ↔ generous, miserly ↔ liberal, frugal ↔ extravagant.