In the sentence, "The curator meticulously arranged the ancient artifacts, ensuring each piece was displayed with an almost fastidious attention to detail," what does the word "fastidious" most nearly imply?

✓ Correct Answer: Option C

The context clues 'meticulously arranged' and 'attention to detail' suggest a meaning related to extreme carefulness and precision, making 'precise and demanding' the best fit for 'fastidious'.