“Pragmatic” is an adjective that means sensible and prudent while “idealistic” is an adjective that means unrealistic in one's goals. So, “pragmatic” and “idealistic” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “dolorous is to ecstatic” and “serene is to calm” might both look like a potentially correct answer, “serene” is an adjective that means peaceful, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “calm.” So, “serene is to calm” cannot be the correct answer. “Dolorous,” however, is an adjective that means sorrowful, while “ecstatic” is an adjective that can mean extremely happy. Because “dolorous” is an antonym of “ecstatic” just as “pragmatic” is an antonym of “idealistic,” “dolorous is to ecstatic” is the correct answer.

The word “dominant” describes someone who is in control or in command over others. The answer choice that most resembles this definition is “leading.”

"Adept" means "adroit." 'Peachy" means fine, and "leery' means cautious. "Magnanimous" means generous. "Dire" means urgent.

"Pious" and "devout" both mean having a devotion to a god or gods.

"Execrable" means detestable or very bad.

The adjective "distended" means enlarged due to pressure, swollen, bloated. Additionally, "leery" means wary, cautious and careful; "enthralled" means captivated by, deeply interested in and attracted to; "abstruse" means esoteric, arcane, hard to understand; "emaciated" means extremely skinny, very thin and skeletal.

Sustained means continuous or ongoing.

The adjective "esoteric" means understood by only a small number of people, arcane and privileged knowledge. The correct answer is therefore "arcane." Additionally, "ingenuous" means naive, easily misled by others; "truculent" means aggressive, quick to anger, eager to fight; "torpid" means inactive, sluggish, lacking energy; "pervasive" means spread throughout.

"Decree" can function either as a noun or an verb. As a noun, a "decree" is a law or rule made by an authority; as an verb, it means to create such a law or rule and put it into effect. While "imperial" may seem like a good answer choice because someone who is imperial may issue decrees, "imperial" is not a synonym of "decree," so we should skip it. Of the listed answer choices, "command" is the closest synonym; it can similarly act as a noun or verb and means either an order issued by an authority or to issue such an order.

"Punctilious" means "meticulous," fastidious, or paying very close and careful attention to detail. "Ferocious" is a synonym for "fierce," and "stolid" is a synonym for "calm" and "impassive." "Truculent" means aggressive, belligerent. "Optimistic," of course, is an antonym for "pessimistic."