it would be easiest if I gave up

[diamondcutter]

There were times when I felt like it would be easiest if I gave up.

Source: http://www.1010jiajiao.com/czyy/shi...ial classes．This girl created her own future．

I'd like to ask two questions.
1. Is “it would be easiest if...” a sentence pattern?

2. Does “easiest” here mean “extremely easy”?

 

[emsr2d2]

2. Does “easiest” here mean “extremely easy”?

What does the suffix -est usually indicate?

 

[diamondcutter]

The suffix -est usually indicates the superlative of adjectives or adverbs. But I‘ve learned that the definite article is needed before the the superlative of adjectives and it can be omitted before the superlative of adverbs. In this sentence, “easiest” is an adjective. I have also learned that when an adjective ends with -est and there’s no the definite article before it, it’s not the superlative form but just means extremely so and so. That’s why the word “easiest” here puzzled me. What I've learned is most likely wrong. Do you mean the definite article before the superlative of adjectives can also be omitted? And do you mean the original sentence mean this?
There were times when I felt like it would be the easiest thing if I gave up.

 

[diamondcutter]

Would you please answer my questions in #3?

 

[jutfrank]

And do you mean the original sentence mean this?
There were times when I felt like it would be the easiest thing if I gave up.

Basically, yes. There are two options:

Option 1: give up
Option 2: carry on

Option 1 is the easiest option.

 

[diamondcutter]

I don’t quite understand why the superlative is used if there are only two options. Would you do more explanation for me?

 

[5jj]

When there are clearly only two options, I would use 'easier'.