Question

Choose the word which can be substituted for the given words/sentence:
A person who is reserved in talks
A. Reticent
B. Silent
C. Mendicant
D. Garrulous

Answer 1

Hint: As the question is stated, it actually asks the one-word adjective form of a category of persons. By mentioning here “A person who is reserved in talks” here, a distinct behavioural trait or category is depicted. In terms of Grammar, if we could have the appropriate vocabulary to describe such persons, we would regard them as ‘adjective’ for such persons.

Complete answer:
1. First we have to see each option and try to reveal the meanings of these words in order to see if they are found similar with such meaning. Here we have found all of those adjectives. We have to find out which adjective best describes the similar behavioural trait in human beings.
2. The meaning of ‘reticent’ applies to someone who does not want to reveal his own personal thought or feeling readily.
3. The word ‘silent’ depicts the phase when nothing is uttered. When the human being remains shut and does not speak anything.
4. The ‘mendicant’ depicts the beggar. It might show some hermits who practices spiritualism and for his or her livelihood, he or she depends only on that meagre amount of food what they receive as alms from society.
5. The word ‘garrulous’ means such a person who is excessively talkative.
6. From all of these meanings as stated above, we can derive that the word ‘reticent’ is most appropriate and apt for such a person who “is reserved in talks”. Thus, option A is the correct answer.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘A'.

Note: You can note here the meaning of ‘silent’ is also close to the question sentence. But you can notice further that the word ‘silent’ is a state where the humans remain calm and do not speak. It does not mean at all that he or she has that sort of behavioural trait in their character as they are “reserved in talks” or they are ‘reticent’.