ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)Word Knowledge (WK)Hard
The ancient philosopher's arguments were so <b>recondite</b> that only a handful of his most dedicated students could grasp them.
- AObscure
- BCommon
- CClear
- DSimple
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Obscure
Recondite means (of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse. The context 'only a handful of his most dedicated students could grasp them' indicates difficulty and obscurity. 'Obscure' is a direct synonym.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Common means occurring, found, or done often; prevalent, which is an antonym in the sense of being widely understood.
- C. Clear means easy to perceive, understand, or interpret, which is an antonym.
- D. Simple means easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty, which is an antonym.
Recondite
(Of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse.
- Implies a high level of complexity or specialization.
- Often used for academic or intellectual topics.
- Suggests difficulty in understanding for most people.
Memory trick: Recondite knowledge is 're' (back) and 'condite' (hidden), like a 'secret code'.