NDA (II) 2018 General Ability Test · Question 8 of 146

Correct — B, 'shy'. 'Timid' describes somebody easily frightened and short of confidence, and of the four choices only 'shy' names that quality.

• (a)courageous — The opposite of timid — a synonym item asks for the same meaning, not the reverse.
• (c)clever — A comment on intelligence, about which timidity says nothing.
• (d)dull — Means slow or uninteresting, which is a different quality altogether.

'Timid' means lacking courage or confidence, easily alarmed; 'shy' overlaps with it in the sense of holding back in company.

This one is over in seconds if the word is known, and the guard against carelessness is the placing of 'courageous' at the head of the list. Synonym and antonym sets are printed in the same style in this paper, so the instruction above the question decides which way to read the options.

• 'Timid' comes from the Latin timere, to fear; 'timorous' is its close relative.
• The noun formed from 'timid' is 'timidity'.
• Bold, daring and intrepid are the everyday opposites of 'timid'.

• Reading the item as an antonym item and choosing 'courageous'.
• Treating 'dull' as a general negative word that will fit anywhere.

Asked as a synonym item on a single underlined adjective.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which word is nearest in meaning to 'diffident'?

  • (a)different
  • (b)lacking confidence
  • (c)difficult
  • (d)indifferent

  Answer(b) lacking confidence — a diffident person hangs back from self-assertion.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which word is opposite in meaning to 'timid'?

  • (a)shy
  • (b)meek
  • (c)bold
  • (d)nervous

  Answer(c) bold — the other three all keep the sense of holding back.