English

The word "kowtow" means to act in an excessively subservient or deferential manner. Its antonym is "snub," which means to ignore or reject someone disdainfully, representing the opposite behavior.

The word "brazen" means bold and without shame. Its antonym is "bashful," which means shy or easily embarrassed, making option A the correct opposite. The other options do not convey the opposite meaning of brazen.

The word 'matutinal' means 'pertaining to the morning.' Its antonym is 'crepuscular,' which refers to twilight or dusk, the opposite time of day. Therefore, option B is correct.

The adjective 'similar' is conventionally followed by the preposition 'to' in standard English usage. The phrase 'problems similar to yours' is the correct and idiomatic form. Using 'with' after 'similar' is not standard and sounds ungrammatical. Therefore, the correct preposition to complete the sentence 'I have had problems similar ____ ____ ____ ____ yours.' is 'to'.

The word "spurious" means false or not genuine. Therefore, its antonym is "genuine," which means real or authentic, making option D the correct answer.

The word "peer" means a person who is equal to another in abilities, qualifications, age, or social status. "Fellow" is a synonym as it also refers to a person in the same position or group. The other options do not share this meaning.

The correct preposition to use with 'weak' in this context is 'in', as in 'weak in grammar', which means lacking skill or proficiency in grammar.

The word "encroach" means to intrude or trespass on someone else's territory or rights, making "trespass" the correct synonym. The other options do not convey the same meaning.

The correct phrase is 'if you intend to catch the next train,' where 'intend' is the simple present verb used in conditional sentences to express intention. The other options are grammatically incorrect in this context.

The word "prevalent" means widespread or commonly occurring. Among the options, "widespread" is the correct synonym, while "wind," "servile," and "rare" do not share this meaning.

The sentence is in the past tense, so the passive voice must also be in the past tense. 'Held' is the correct past participle of 'hold,' making option D correct. Other options either use incorrect verb forms or tenses.

In reported speech, the present perfect 'did not commit' changes to past perfect 'had not committed', and 'this crime' changes to 'that crime' to reflect the shift in time and perspective. Option C correctly applies these changes.

The correct phrase is 'You needn’t eat if you don’t feel like it,' meaning it is not necessary to eat if you don't want to. Option D 'don’t have' is incomplete and grammatically incorrect in this context.

The word "castigate" means to reprimand or punish someone severely, so "punish" is the correct synonym. The other options do not match the meaning of "castigate."

In the sentence 'He called me last night,' the word 'me' functions as the object of the verb 'called,' making it an object pronoun.

The word 'pall' as a verb means to become dull or lose interest or appeal, often due to excess. Synonyms include 'satiate,' 'cloy,' and 'surfeit.' Among the given options, 'light,' 'satiate,' 'carry,' and 'horror,' the closest synonym to 'pall' in the sense of losing interest or becoming dull is 'satiate.' However, since 'satiate' is an option, it is the best synonym here. 'Horror' is not a synonym of 'pall.' The original correct answer 'D' (horror) is incorrect. The best synonym from the options is 'B' (satiate).

The correct verb to describe an increase in prices is 'rising.' 'Raising' is transitive and requires an object, 'growing' is less commonly used with prices, and 'lifting' is not appropriate in this context.

The correct preposition to use with 'insist' when referring to an opinion is 'on'. The phrase 'insist on his opinion' is grammatically correct and commonly used.

The antonym of "famous" is "obscure," which means not well known or not famous. The other options do not directly oppose the meaning of "famous."

The passive voice of 'The teacher may punish you' is 'You may be punished by the teacher,' which correctly retains the modal verb 'may' and changes the verb to the passive form 'be punished.'

The correct preposition to complete the phrase 'He is responsible ____ the president' is 'to', indicating accountability or obligation towards the president.

The sentence 'He was being chased by the dogs' is in the past continuous passive voice. Its active voice equivalent is 'The dogs were chasing him,' which is option D, correctly reflecting the past continuous tense in active form.

The word "peaked" can mean looking pale or sickly, often due to illness or fatigue. The best antonym for "peaked" in this context is "ruddy," which means having a healthy red color, indicating good health. Among the options, "ruddy" is the most accurate antonym. "Tired" is not an antonym, and the other options do not relate to the meaning of "peaked." Therefore, the correct answer is D, "ruddy."

The word "sundry" means various or diverse, so the synonym "various" is the correct choice among the options provided.

The phrase 'used to' when followed by 'be' (as in 'He is used to') requires a gerund (verb+ing) to indicate habituation. Therefore, 'playing' is the correct form after 'used to'.