Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is an analogy question where the first word is a descriptive adjective that characterizes the second word, which is a noun. The adjective describes a pleasing aesthetic quality.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Define the relationship in the stem pair: GRACEFUL: MOVEMENT. "Graceful" is a positive quality that describes "movement." It refers to a pleasing elegance or beauty of motion. The relationship is "X is a pleasing aesthetic quality of Y."
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Let's test this relationship with the options:
- (A) Is euphonious a pleasing aesthetic quality of sound? Yes, "euphonious" literally means pleasing to the ear. This is a perfect match.
- (B) Is forbidding a pleasing quality of a countenance (facial expression)? No, "forbidding" means unfriendly or threatening, which is a negative quality.
- (C) Is ephemeral a pleasing quality of duration? "Ephemeral" means lasting for a very short time. It is a neutral descriptor of duration, not an aesthetic quality.
- (D) Is melodramatic a pleasing quality of emotion? No, "melodramatic" means exaggerated and overemotional, which is generally considered a negative quality.
- (E) Is vibrant a pleasing quality of color? "Vibrant" means bright and striking. It is a quality of color and often positive, but "euphonious" for sound is a more precise parallel to "graceful" for movement, as both describe a specific type of aesthetic harmony.
Step 4: Final Answer:
Both "graceful" and "euphonious" describe a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing quality of a sensory experience (movement and sound, respectively), making EUPHONIOUS: SOUND the best match.