DEARTH: PAUCITY

The correct pair is "scarcity: shortage."

Explanation:

• "Dearth" and "paucity" both mean a lack or scarcity of something. They are synonyms. Therefore, the correct pair should also consist of synonyms.

• "Huge: empty" - These words are not synonyms. "Huge" refers to size, while "empty" refers to the absence of contents.

• "Scarcity: shortage" - These words are synonyms. Both refer to a lack or insufficiency of something, similar to "dearth" and "paucity."

• "Punctual: late" - These words are antonyms. "Punctual" means on time, while "late" means delayed or not on time.

• "Large: shut" - These words are unrelated. "Large" refers to size, while "shut" refers to the state of being closed.

Therefore, "scarcity: shortage" is the pair that best matches the relationship in "DEARTH: PAUCITY."