Question

read this passage from the article: the common pigeon has exceptional navigational skills. pigeons manage to find their way home even when theyre in unfamiliar places. which is the closest antonym for the word exceptional? a. ordinary b. unusual c. unfamiliar d. official

Explanation:

To find the antonym of "exceptional", we first understand the meaning of "exceptional" which is "unusual, outstanding, or not ordinary". An antonym would be a word with the opposite meaning.

• Option A: "ordinary" means normal or usual, which is the opposite of "exceptional" (since "exceptional" implies being out of the ordinary).
• Option B: "unusual" is similar in meaning to "exceptional" (both imply something not common), so it's a synonym, not an antonym.
• Option C: "unfamiliar" refers to not knowing or recognizing something, which is unrelated to the meaning of "exceptional".
• Option D: "official" refers to something related to an authority or formal position, which has no relation to "exceptional".

So the word with the opposite meaning (antonym) of "exceptional" is "ordinary".

Answer:

A. ordinary