When we console someone, we attempt to give them comfort, hoping to lessen some fear or sadness.  This is the opposite of perturbing that person, which would mean to irritate, annoy, or otherwise unsettle him or her.  This means that the analogy needs to have an antonym for “lucid.”  The word “lucid,” while being related to light, means “being clear and / or understandable.”  For instance, one could say, “The argument was completely lucid, making sense without much additional explanation at all.”  (The sense of light that is implied is that the argument “lets the light of the conclusion shine without being dimmed”).  The best antonym for this would be “unintelligible,” which means the exact opposite of such lucid clarity.

Clearly the words deny and affirm are opposites. When we deny an accusation, we refuse to admit that it is true at all. In contrast, an affirmation is a statement that something is indeed the case. Thus, the analogy is one of antonyms. The opposite of “accept” is “reject.” Though a rather simple answer, it is still the best option.

The word “expose” means “to place outside,” implying that something is put “out in the light,” no longer hidden. This is the opposite of concealing something, which means to hide it, keeping it from detection or notice. Thus, the analogy requires a word opposed to “advance.” Among the options, only one implies some notion of “going backward,” namely “retreat.” All of the other options are either indirectly related to “retreat” (as in one being a coward for retreating), perhaps a type of “financial advance” (as a loan might be called), or relatively unrelated. The only antonym is “retreat.”

When one detests something, he or she greatly hates that thing. Thus the two words are antonyms, meaning that the analogy requires an antonym for “dawdle.” Although the word is a bit informal, it means “to be slow or inefficient.” Options like “saunter” and “amble” perhaps describe ways of dawdling. They do not, however, provide an antonym.  Though the word “hurry” is very simple, it is the best option for this question.

When something is intriguing, it spurs interest and certainly is not boring. One would say, “The topic was so intriguing that Peter could not help but be enthused with trying to consider ever aspect of it.” Thus, this analogy is one of antonyms. The word “jovial” means “cheerful” or “friendly.” All of the wrong answers are meant to trick you into choosing a synonym. The only antonym among those provided is “unfriendly.”

The word “charitable” can mean merely “kindly” but also can describe activities of giving money to helpful causes. Someone who is described as being charitable is likely not to be stingy, which means “cheap” or “unwilling to spend money.” Thus, the analogy could fairly be understood as one of antonyms. The best option for an antonym for “improve” is the relatively simple “decline.” None of the other options has a meaning directly opposed to “improve.”

The word “fidelity” comes from the Latin for “faith” or “faithfulness.” The United States Marines’ motto is “Semper Fidelis,” meaning, “Always Faithful.” Thus, fidelity is means “faithfulness,” and “disloyalty” is an antonym to this. The word “augment” means “to increase.” The word “auction” is actually related to this word. This should make sense, for in an auction the prices increase. (The “g” and hard “c” sounds are very close and sometimes become interchanged). The only acceptable antonym among the potential answers is “decrease,” which is indeed the opposite of “increase.”

Destitution is a state of extreme poverty, so a person living in destitution could be said to be in the state of lacking wealth. Something “frigid” is very cold, thus being best described as lacking any heat. This is the best option among those provided.

A fickle person is someone who frequently changes from one thing to another relatively rapidly. For instance, a “fickle friend” changes friends very regularly. Such a person lacks constancy in relationships, being unable to sustain a constant, lasting bond with anyone. The analogy thus could be rewritten as, “As a fickle person lacks constancy, so does something that is displeasing lack X.” Something that is displeasing does not give pleasure and thus could be said to lack delight, which is the best answer among those provided.

Someone who is discourteous does not show respect or consideration for others. Thus, the analogy could be rewritten, “As someone who is discourteous lacks respect, so does someone who is unobliging lack X.” Someone who is “obliging” is helpful or willing to do a helpful or kind act.  In contrast, an “unobliging” person is someone who is unwilling to be helpful. Thus such a person could be said to be lacking in “helpfulness.”