GRE^® Verbal Practice | Sentence Equivalence Q14

This sentence equivalence question focuses on words equivalents that describe concepts that are not easily understood. Try the question without looking at the answer explanation. If you face difficulty in arriving at the correct answer, take help from the detailed explanation provided below.

Question 14: Even a century after its discovery, Quantum Theory remains a/an __________ subject and only a few have managed to really understand it.

1. arcane
2. lucid
3. transparent
4. inane
5. enigmatic
6. exacting

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Explanatory Answer

Meanings for the words given in this question are provided in the table. Before going through the detailed explanation, check whether you are able to arrive at the answer after knowing meanings for the words.

S No.	Word	Meaning
1	arcane	known only to a few people
2	lucid	clear and transparent. Easy to understand
3	transparent	clear. Easy to understand
4	inane	insignificant. Empty
5	enigmatic	mysterious
6	exacting	requiring precision and attention to detail

The key word here is “even”. It has been a century since the Quantum Theory was discovered. One would expect that it is a well-known theory by now. But the word “even” indicates that this is not the case. Even a century after it was discovered, only a few people understand it. This means that Quantum Theory is not a very commonly understood theory. Answers A and E describe the Quantum Theory perfectly in this context.

Choices A & E are the correct answers.