NDA (II) 2018 General Ability Test · Question 9 of 146

Correct — C, 'obstinate'. 'As stubborn as a mule' describes a person who will not be shifted from a position, and 'obstinate' is the standard one-word equivalent of that.

• (a)observant — Means quick to notice things; it shares only its opening syllable with the answer.
• (b)obnoxious — Means highly offensive — a judgement about manners, not about refusing to move.
• (d)corpulent — Means fat or bulky, a remark about the body rather than about temperament.

'Stubborn' and 'obstinate' both describe a refusal to change one's mind or one's course.

Three of the four choices open with 'ob-', which is what earns this item its marks: the eye is drawn to the shape of a word before the mind reaches its meaning. Carry the simile with you into the options. A mule that will not budge is unmovable — it is not offensive, and it is not watchful.

• 'As stubborn as a mule' is a fixed English simile.
• 'Obstinate' and 'obdurate' both describe an unyielding person, the second adding hardness of heart.
• 'Obnoxious' now means offensive, though its older sense was closer to 'exposed to harm'.

• Choosing by the shared 'ob-' opening.
• Taking 'obnoxious' as a general-purpose negative word.

Asked as a synonym item on a word inside a simile.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Complete the simile — as cool as a ______.

  • (a)cucumber
  • (b)carrot
  • (c)cabbage
  • (d)cherry

  Answer(a) cucumber — the fixed simile is 'as cool as a cucumber'.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which word is nearest in meaning to 'headstrong'?

  • (a)clever
  • (b)wilful
  • (c)healthy
  • (d)generous

  Answer(b) wilful — a headstrong person insists on having his own way.