ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)Word Knowledge (WK)Hard
The alchemist's quest to turn lead into gold was considered <b>chimerical</b> by his contemporaries. What does 'chimerical' imply about the quest?
- AEthically questionable
- BPractical and achievable
- CWildly fanciful and unrealistic
- DHighly scientific
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Wildly fanciful and unrealistic
The context of alchemy, which historically failed to achieve such transformations, suggests the quest was impossible. 'Chimerical' means hoped for but impossible to achieve; wildly fanciful, directly matching 'wildly fanciful and unrealistic'. It refers to a chimera, a mythical creature composed of parts of various animals, symbolizing something imaginary or unreal.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Ethically questionable might be true of some alchemy, but 'chimerical' specifically refers to its unreality.
- B. Practical and achievable is the opposite of chimerical, given the context.
- D. Highly scientific doesn't fit a quest that is inherently impossible in its stated goal.
Chimerical
Hoped for but impossible to achieve; wildly fanciful.
- Derived from the Chimera, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature in Greek mythology.
- Implies an idea that is purely imaginary and lacks basis in reality.
- Synonyms: imaginary, mythical, fantastical, illusory.
Memory trick: A 'chimera' is a creature that's 'chimerical'—unreal and imagined.