Which word describes something that is harmful or dangerous to living beings?

• A. Engender
• B. Censure
• C. Exemplary
• D. Noxious

Answer: (D)

The main concept being tested is identifying a word that describes something harmful or dangerous to living beings. Noxious refers to something physically harmful or poisonous, often causing illness or injury, and is commonly used for toxic substances, fumes, or environmental hazards. It directly conveys health risk to living beings, which makes it the best fit here. For example, noxious gas can irritate the lungs and be dangerous to breathe. The other options don’t capture health risk: engender means to cause or bring about something, not necessarily harmful; censure means to express strong disapproval, not related to health danger; exemplary means serving as a model of excellence, which is the opposite of harmful. So noxious is the correct choice.