‘After’ and ‘before’ are converse relational terms: if event X is after event…
2023
‘After’ and ‘before’ are converse relational terms: if event X is after event Y, event Y is before event X. Choose the pair that has the same relationship.
After : Before
Answer: D. Successor : Predecessor — ConceptConverse relational terms describe the same relation from opposite viewpoints. If one term expresses a relation from X to Y, its converse expresses…
- A.
First : Second
- B.
Present : Past
- C.
Contemporary : Historic
- D.
Successor : Predecessor
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Correct answer: D
Concept
Converse relational terms describe the same relation from opposite viewpoints. If one term expresses a relation from X to Y, its converse expresses that relation from Y to X.
Application
In “After : Before,” if event X is after event Y, event Y is before event X.
Likewise, if person X is person Y’s successor, person Y is person X’s predecessor.
Thus, “Successor : Predecessor” preserves the same converse relation in the same order.
Contrast and cross-check
“First : Second” lists ordinal positions in forward order; the two words are not converse descriptions of one relation.
“Present : Past” names time periods relative to now; the words do not reverse one relation between two entities.
“Contemporary : Historic” gives descriptive time categories rather than converse relational terms.
“Successor : Predecessor” passes the converse check: if X is Y’s successor, Y is X’s predecessor.
Therefore, the matching pair is “Successor : Predecessor.”