Read the sentence carefully and select the most appropriate meaning of the highlighted part.
"He was publicly scorned due to his predilection for luxurious items."

Explanation of the Correct Answer:
· The word "predilection" means "a strong preference or special liking for something."
· In the given sentence, the person is scorned (criticized) because of their strong liking for luxurious items.
Other options:
· (b) "dreamy meditation" → Incorrect because "predilection" does not relate to meditation or dreaming.
· (c) "observant nature" → Incorrect because "predilection" does not mean being observant.
· (d) "extreme indifference" → Incorrect because "predilection" means liking something, while "indifference" means lack of interest (opposite meaning).
Thus, the correct answer is (a) "special liking."