Select the opposite of the word given in bold. The crooked and muddy roads to…

Correct answer: straight

• Why "crooked" and "straight" are opposites: "crooked" describes something that is bent, twisted, or not in a straight line. "Straight" means not bent or twisted, so it is the opposite when describing the shape of roads.

• Why "twisted" is not correct: "Twisted" means bent or spiraled and is a synonym of "crooked", not an antonym.

• Why "devious" is not correct: "Devious" refers to dishonest or indirect behaviour and does not describe shape; it is unrelated to the intended opposite of "crooked" here.

• Why "bended" is not correct: "Bended" is an uncommon/archaic form related to "bend" (more commonly "bent") and means bent — so it aligns with "crooked" rather than being its opposite.

Example: The straight road was easy to drive; the crooked road had many sharp turns.