Topic: Word Meaning, Subject: English Grammar (ইংরেজি গ্রামার)

Best Answer Explained in Below-:

The word "hardly" is an adverb commonly used in English to convey a sense of rarity or infrequency in an action. In the context of the sentence, "My friend hardly works in the afternoon," it suggests that the friend does not engage in work activities very often during that time.

Option A, "almost never," accurately captures this meaning. When someone 'hardly' does something, it implies that their participation is minimal or negligible, aligning closely with the notion of almost never doing the activity.

On the other hand, the other options do not fit the context. Option B, "always," contradicts the intended meaning, as it indicates frequent and consistent action. Option C, "seriously," does not relate to the frequency of the action but rather to the manner in which it is done. Lastly, Option D, "carefully," again addresses the quality of work rather than its frequency and does not align with what "hardly" implies.

Thus, the choice of "almost never" as the meaning of "hardly" is clearly supported by both the definition of the word and the structure of the sentence in question.