Concept:The word
affluence means great wealth or abundance of money, so its opposite should describe extreme financial lack.
Explanation:The underlined word
affluence refers to having a great deal of money and material resources.
We need a word that means the direct opposite and also fits naturally in the sentence: "many people prefer affluence to..."
Option A,
scarcity, means shortage of supply, but it is more general and not specifically about being poor.
Option B,
thrift, means careful use of money, which is not opposite in meaning to affluence.
Option C,
waste, is about careless spending and has no direct contrast with affluence.
Option D,
poverty, exactly means the state of being extremely poor, which is the true opposite of affluence.
Thus, the sentence becomes: "It is obvious that many people prefer affluence to poverty."
Answer:D. poverty