impending() A. in the near future B. crowded and noisy C. festive D. inevitable

Let's break this down.

The word "impending" means about to happen, especially something significant or threatening, often in the near future.
Example: "impending doom" or "impending storm."

Looking at the options:

A. in the near future → This is close, but "impending" usually implies something looming (often negative), not just neutral near-future. But in vocabulary tests, this is frequently the match because the core meaning is "about to happen soon."

B. crowded and noisy → This describes something like "busy" or "hectic," not related to impending.

C. festive → Means cheerful and celebratory, unrelated.

D. inevitable → Means unavoidable, which is related in some contexts but not the same as "soon to happen." Something can be inevitable but far off in time, while impending is specifically soon.

Given typical vocabulary test answer patterns, A is the best match for the primary definition of "impending."

Answer: A. in the near future