WAEC 2018 English Language · Question 35

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

Question

In the following sentence, there is an underlined word and one gap. From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentence. Though at first it appeared an insignificant idea, it turned out to be quite _________

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

A.outstanding
B.successful
C.remarkable
D.interesting

Answer: C. remarkable

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question

The question asks for a word that is (1) opposite in meaning to the underlined word, "insignificant", and (2) fits the gap in the sentence: "Though at first it appeared an insignificant idea, it turned out to be quite ___."

Concept

"Insignificant" means unimportant, trivial, or not worth noticing. Its opposites are words like significant, important, notable, remarkable, and outstanding. The word "though" signals contrast: the idea seemed unimportant at first but turned out to be the reverse.

Step-by-step

A. outstanding: means exceptionally good or prominent. It is a strong opposite of "insignificant" in terms of importance, but "quite outstanding" is a bit unusual because "outstanding" is an absolute, non-gradable adjective.
B. successful: this describes the outcome, not importance. An idea can be insignificant yet successful, so it is not a true antonym.
C. remarkable: means worthy of notice or striking. It is the opposite of something that goes unnoticed or is trivial, and "quite remarkable" is a very natural collocation.
D. interesting: its opposite would be "boring", not "insignificant".

So the contest is between A and C. "Remarkable" is gradable, so it works naturally with "quite", and it directly contrasts with something unremarkable or trivial.

Answer: C. remarkable

Tip: For antonym-plus-gap questions, first find the meaning of the underlined word, then eliminate options that are not true opposites (such as "successful" and "interesting"). Finally, test the remaining options in the sentence. Words like "quite" often work best with gradable adjectives such as "remarkable".

AI can make mistakes. Report anything that looks wrong.