[Vocabulary] intellectual or intelligent

[eeshu]

"For some highly ___________ working women, home represents chore obligations."

A. intelligent
B. intellectual
C. intelligible
D. intellect

In my opinion, the statement is trying to imply that highly-educated women do not generally fancy a family life. Therefore I would say B (intellectual) is the best answer. But one of my friends suggests that A (intelligent) is a more likely candidate in that it frequently collocates with the adverb "highly".

Can anyone tell me which option best completes the statement above? And please explain.

 

[emsr2d2]

Please tell us where you found that exercise - we need the source and the author.

 

[eeshu]

In my test paper today.

 

[Tarheel]

What was your answer?

 

[eeshu]

What was your answer?

As I said in my first post, my answer is "intellectual".

 

[SoothingDave]

"Highly intellectual" doesn't work right. One is usually either intellectual or not.

 

[Tarheel]

As I said in my first post, my answer was "intellectual".

Only "intelligent" works for me.

 

[jutfrank]

It's a terrible question because whichever the word, the thought is misconceived. A person's attitude towards her home-life obligations has no correlation to her level of intelligence or intellectuality.

The second question of whether intellectuality can be viewed as gradable is a moot point, though I'd probably argue that it can, in that somebody who is highly intellectual has a great intellectual capacity.

If I were absolutely forced to admit a correlation between either intelligence or intellectuality and attitude to household chores, I'd go for the latter.

 

[Tdol]

I agree- it's a complete mess of a question.

 

[eeshu]

I agree- it's a complete mess of a question.

Can I draw from you all that this test question is badly designed?

 

[Tdol]

Yes.