The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is catastrophe.
This analogy is based on a relationship of degree and intensity. To find the correct answer, we must first identify the relationship between the words in the first pair, “disagreement” and “argument,” and then apply that same relationship to the second pair, which starts with “mishap.”
The first part of the analogy, “disagreement is to argument,” shows a progression of severity. A disagreement is a difference of opinion. It can be a minor and relatively calm situation. An argument, on the other hand, is an escalated form of a disagreement. It is typically more intense, more formal, and often involves heated emotions and a direct confrontation. In essence, an argument is a bigger, more serious disagreement. The relationship is one of a lesser degree leading to a greater degree.
Following this pattern, we must find a word that represents a more severe or escalated version of a “mishap.” A mishap is a minor unlucky accident or a small piece of bad luck. For example, spilling a drink or missing your bus stop by one station would be considered a mishap. We are looking for a word that signifies a major, large scale unfortunate event.
Let’s evaluate the given options. “Unlucky” is an adjective that describes a mishap; it is not an escalated event itself. “Encounter” is a meeting, which does not fit the context of an accident’s severity. “Fortune” implies good luck, which is the direct opposite of a mishap.
The word “catastrophe” perfectly fits the established relationship. A catastrophe is a widespread disaster, a sudden event that causes immense damage, destruction, and suffering. It is a large scale, serious version of an unlucky event. Therefore, just as a disagreement is a less intense version of an argument, a mishap is a less intense version of a catastrophe.
