Choose the word which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold…

Explanation:

The word arduous means "involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring." Therefore the most similar word among the options is "difficult."

• pleasurable — means giving pleasure or enjoyment; this is essentially the opposite of "arduous."

• different — means not the same; it does not convey effort or tiredness and is unrelated to the meaning of "arduous."

• difficult — means hard to do or requiring much effort; this matches the meaning of "arduous."

• hazardous — means dangerous or risky; it emphasizes danger rather than the effort implied by "arduous."

Example: "Climbing the steep trail was arduous — it was difficult and left us exhausted."