Comprehension:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.
As I crossed the stream and began climbing the hill, the grunting and chattering increased, as though the langurs were trying to warn me of some hidden danger. A shower of pebbles came rattling down the steep hillside, and I looked up to see a sinewy orange-gold leopard poised on a rock about 20 feet above me.
It was not looking towards me, but had its head thrust attentively forward in the direction of the ravine. It must have sensed my presence though, because slowly it turned its head to look down at me. It seemed a little puzzled at my presence there; when, to give myself courage, I clapped my hands sharply, the leopard sprang away into the thickets, making no sound as it melted into the shadows.
I had disturbed the animal in its quest for food. But a little later I heard the cry of a barking deer as it fled through the forest; the hunt was still on.
The leopard, like other members of the cat family, is nearing extinction in India, and I was surprised to find one so close to Mussoorie. Probably deforestation had driven the deer into this green valley; the leopard, naturally, had followed.
It was some weeks before I saw the leopard again, although I was often made aware of its presence. A dry, rasping cough sometimes gave it away. At times, I felt almost certain I was being followed.
The word ‘sinewy’ in the given sentence means:
I looked up to see a sinewy orange-gold leopard poised on a rock about 20 feet above me.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → brawny
- Sinewy means lean, strong and muscular, with firm muscles and tendons (sinews). The leopard on the rock was strong and powerfully built.
Example: The farmer's sinewy arms lifted the heavy sack. - Brawny means physically strong with big muscles. Both words describe a strong, muscular body, so brawny is the closest meaning of sinewy among the options.
Example: Two brawny men carried the piano upstairs.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: small — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: small refers to size; sinewy describes strength and muscle, not size.
Example: The small kitten hid under the bed.
Option 3: young — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: young refers to age; nothing in "sinewy" tells the leopard's age.
Example: The young deer stayed close to its mother.
Option 4: skinny — Incorrect. Wrong meaning: skinny means very thin, in a weak or unattractive way; sinewy means lean but strong and muscular.
Example: The skinny stray dog looked hungry.