Verbal - "Closest Meaning"

In these questions find one word from each group that are closest in meaning. Mark these words in the answers.
(boring standard special)
(normal different nice)

The question clearly states that you are required to find two words that are closest in meaning. It is important to read the question and understand what you are being asked to do. There is a similar question type that asks you to find two words that are most opposite in meaning, so be careful.
On the answer sheet you are given six words in two groups of three.
There are nine possible answers, but only some of these will appear as possible answers:
1 boring normal
2 boring different
3 boring nice
4 standard normal
5 standard different
6 standard nice
7 special normal
8 special different
9 special nice

Depending on your vocabulary skills it is possible to eliminate a number of options immediately. Those that are obviously not closest in meaning: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7. This leaves you with options 4, 8 and 9.
4. standard normal
8. special different
9. special nice

Many students answer this question type incorrectly by looking at word association rather than comparing word meanings. If something is “special” it can be “different” If something is “special” it can be “nice”
But, the words “special” and “different”, and the words “special” and “nice”, are not as close in meaning to “standard” and “normal”, because the words “standard” and “normal” are similar in meaning.
So the correct answer to the example is standard / normal.