Question

FLIMSY : STURDY

• A. prognosis : diagnosis
• B. gauche : eloquent
• C. flippant : earnest
• D. drizzle : downpour

Hint:

In analogy questions, first decide the relation (synonym, antonym, degree, cause-effect) before comparing with the options.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Relationship in the given pair.
"Flimsy" means weak or fragile, while "sturdy" means strong or solid. They are antonyms. 

Step 2: Check each option.
- (a) "Prognosis" (prediction of disease outcome) and "diagnosis" (identification of disease) are related terms, but not opposites.
- (b) "Gauche" (awkward, clumsy) and "eloquent" (fluent, expressive) are somewhat contrasting, but not perfect antonyms.
- (c) "Flippant" (casual, unserious) and "earnest" (serious, sincere) are exact opposites, just like flimsy vs. sturdy. 

Step 3: Conclusion.
Option (c) best represents the antonym relationship. \[ \Rightarrow \boxed{(c)} \]

Answer 2

A useful check for analogies is to build a bridge sentence that connects the two given words, then see which option's pair fits the same sentence. Here: "Something flimsy has none of the strength that something sturdy has," a pair of direct opposites in quality.

1. Option 1 (prognosis : diagnosis): "A prognosis has none of the strength a diagnosis has" makes no sense; these are two related medical terms, not opposites.
2. Option 2 (gauche : eloquent): "Something gauche has none of the polish something eloquent has" is closer, but "gauche" (socially awkward) and "eloquent" (well-spoken) are not as precisely opposite as the original pair.
3. Option 3 (flippant : earnest): "Someone flippant has none of the seriousness someone earnest has" fits the bridge sentence perfectly; flimsy/sturdy and flippant/earnest are both clean, direct-opposite pairs.
4. Option 4 (drizzle : downpour): These differ only in intensity of the same phenomenon (rain), not in opposite qualities.

Only option 3 mirrors the same direct-opposite relationship as flimsy and sturdy.

Hence, the correct answer is flippant : earnest.