– VOCABULARY –

The answers to this section begin on page 131. 5. His neighbor’s superficial remarks trivialized the
property line dispute and infuriated Malcolm.
Read the following sentences and try to choose the
a. enraged
best definition for the italicized word by searching for
b. petty
context clues in the sentence.
c. insulting
d. misleading
1. The designer window treatments in her house,
installed 17 years ago, were outmoded.
6. When Katya refused to lie to her parents about
a. unnecessary
where she was spending the night, she was com-
b. pointless
pletely ostracized by her usually loyal friends,
c. out-of-date
who had never shunned her before.
d. worthless
a. excluded
b. hurt
2. Although the professor’s lectures were regarded
c. cheered
by many as so wearisome that they regularly put
d. helped
students to sleep, he ignored all criticism and
refused to make any changes.
7. Her fashion sense was usually described as flam-
a. modest
boyant, but on the night of the party, Tanya’s out-
b. unpleasant
fit was uncharacteristically modest.
c. boring
a. impeccable
d. objectionable
b. showy
c. sloppy
3. The baseball player’s malice toward the referee
d. unassuming
was revealed in his spiteful remarks to the media,
which almost ruined the referee’s career.
8. Mr. Powers was so gullible that he believed even
a. vindictive
the most outlandish excuses of his insincere
b. crazy
employees.
c. rude
a. intelligent
d. unpleasant
b. naïve
c. dishonest
4. Although Zachary is much too inexperienced
d. critical
for the managerial position, he is a willful
young man and obdurately refuses to withdraw
9. You cannot become a certified teacher without
his application.
completing the prerequisite student teaching
a. foolishly
assignment.
b. reluctantly
a. required
c. constantly
b. optional
d. stubbornly
c. preferred
d. advisable

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 – VOCABULARY –

10. Charles, aware of his susceptibility to gum dis- 15. After several small brushfires at the campground,
ease, is diligent about flossing. officials felt the need to augment the rules per-
a. uncomfortable taining to campfires.
b. excited a. criticize
c. thorough b. retract
d. ambivalent c. consider
d. expand
11. Even though she’d read her supervisor’s memo
four or five times, she still found his rambling 16. As soon as the details of the election were released
message ambiguous. to the media, the newspaper was inundated with
a. profound calls—far too many to be handled effectively.
b. inspiring a. provided
c. ridiculous b. bothered
d. unclear c. rewarded
d. flooded
12. Excited about winning the award, Marcia walked
up to the podium and delivered an animated 17. The Marion Police Department’s policy of
acceptance speech. aggressively recruiting women officers is
a. abbreviated unmatched, unique in every way.
b. courteous a. rigorous
c. reserved b. admirable
d. lively c. unparalleled
d. remarkable
13. The intermittent rain soaked the garden many
different times during the day. 18. When people heard that timid Bob had taken up
a. protracted skydiving, they were incredulous.
b. periodic a. fearful
c. incredulous b. outraged
d. light c. convinced
d. disbelieving
14. In order to get their votes in the next election, the
senator responded to all the complaints of her 19. The technical department enthusiastically hired
constituents in a diplomatic manner. Ms. Long because she was proficient in the use
a. tactful of computers.
b. dismissive a. sincere
c. delaying b. adequate
d. elaborate c. competent
d. skilled

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 – VOCABULARY –

20. Even under tremendous public pressure, the plan- 25. The suspect gave a plausible explanation for his
ning committee would not commit itself whole- presence at the scene, so the police decided to
heartedly to the proposal and gave only tentative look elsewhere for the perpetrator of the crime.
approval to the waterfront development plan. a. unbelievable
a. provisional b. credible
b. ambiguous c. insufficient
c. unnecessary d. apologetic
d. total
26. He based his conclusion on what he inferred
21. Regarding the need for more free refreshments, from the evidence, not on what he actually
the group’s opinion was enthusiastic and observed.
unanimous. a. predicted
a. divided b. imagined
b. uniform c. surmised
c. adamant d. implied
d. spirited
27. The neighborhood-watch group presented its
22. Since the townspeople were so dissatisfied, ultimatum at the town board meeting: Repave
various methods to alleviate the situation the streets or prepare for protests.
were debated. a. earnest plea
a. ease b. formal petition
b. tolerate c. solemn promise
c. clarify d. non-negotiable demand
d. intensify
28. The editor of the newspaper needed to be sure
23. The assistant was fast becoming an indispensable the article presented the right information, so his
member of the department, so they had no review was meticulous.
choice but to offer him a higher salary to stay on. a. delicate
a. determined b. painstaking
b. experienced c. superficial
c. essential d. objective
d. creative
29. The general public didn’t care about the trial and
24. The attorney wanted to expedite the process, was apathetic about the verdict.
because her client was becoming impatient. a. enraged
a. accelerate b. indifferent
b. evaluate c. suspicious
c. reverse d. saddened
d. justify

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 – VOCABULARY –

30. The doctors were pleased that their theory had 35. The attorneys were now certain they could not
been fortified by the new research. win the case, because the ruling had proved to be
a. reinforced so detrimental to their argument.
b. altered a. decisive
c. disputed b. harmful
d. developed c. worthless
d. advantageous
31. The captain often delegated responsibility to his
subordinates, so as to have time to do the impor- 36. My brother drives us crazy by crooning in the
tant tasks himself. shower.
a. analyzed a. hooting
b. respected b. bellowing
c. criticized c. crying
d. assigned d. shouting

32. The news about toxic waste dumping aroused the 37. The emotional fallout from a natural disaster can
anger of the many listeners of a news broadcast. adversely affect the residents in a community for
a. informed years.
b. appeased a. conflict
c. provoked b. issues
d. deceived c. relationship
d. consequences
33. The spokesperson must articulate the philosophy
of an entire company so that outsiders can 38. The air in the rainforest was humid, making the
understand it completely. heat seem even more smothering than before.
a. trust a. hot
b. refine b. damp
c. verify c. hazy
d. express d. volatile

34. The new shipping and receiving building is an 39. The balloon, loose from its string, rose up into
expansive facility, large enough to meet our the sky, a shiny purple sphere.
growing needs. a. circle
a. obsolete b. globe
b. meager c. ovoid
c. spacious d. nodule
d. costly

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 – VOCABULARY –

40. After the storm caused raw sewage to seep into 45. I wrote in my journal every day, hoping in the
the ground water, the Water Department had to future to author a book about my trip to Paris.
take measures to decontaminate the city’s water a. notebook
supply. b. chapbook
a. refine c. diary
b. revive d. ledger
c. freshen
d. purify 46. The thief jostled me in a crowd and was thus able
to pick my pocket.
41. The mayor tailored his speech to suit the crowd a. mugged
of homeless people gathered outside his office. b. bumped
a. intoned c. assailed
b. expanded d. hindered
c. altered
d. shortened 47. While we traveled in Italy, we stayed in an inex-
pensive hostel.
42. The volcano lays dormant now, but we feel sure it a. inn
will erupt again within the year. b. compound
a. inactive c. home
b. slack d. four-star hotel
c. elevated
d. inattentive 48. My friend asked me to lie for her, but that is
against my philosophy.
43. Because of his disregard for the king’s laws, the a. principles
prince was punished by being banished from the b. regulations
kingdom. c. personality
a. apart d. introspection
b. kidnapped
c. exiled
d. spirited

44. I relinquished my place in line to go back and talk

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 – VOCABULARY –

Choose the best vocabulary word for questions 49–51. Questions 52 and 53 are based on the following
paragraph.
49. We had no idea who the special guest speaker
would be, because the organizers of the event Rhesus monkeys use facial expressions to com-
were so _____________________. municate with each other and to enforce social
a. animated order. For example, the “fear grimace,” although
b. secretive it looks ferocious, is actually given by a
c. talented __________ monkey who is intimidated by a
d. emotional __________ member of the group.

50. When Carson suddenly quit his job, he didn’t 52. What is the meaning of the underlined word gri-
even __________ how difficult it might be to mace as it is used in the passage?
find a new one. a. wrinkle
a. endorse b. contortion
b. require c. shriek
c. consider d. simper
d. alter
53. Which pair of words, if inserted into the blanks
51. Maggie was the most talented tennis player at her in sequence, makes the most sense in the context
school, even though she’d never had the of the passage?
___________________ to take formal lessons. a. calm . . . aggressive
a. opportunity b. dominant . . . subordinate
b. compassion c. confident . . . fearless
c. arrogance d. subordinate . . . dominant
d. marketability

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 – VOCABULARY –

Questions 54 and 55 are based on the following Questions 57, 58, and 59 are based on the following
paragraph. paragraph.

In prolonged space flight, besides the obvious The Sami are an indigenous people living in the
hazards of meteors, rocky debris, and radiation, northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and
astronauts will have to deal with muscle atrophy Russia’s Kola peninsula. Originally, the Sami reli-
brought on by weightlessness; therefore, when gion was animistic; that is, for them, nature and
they return to Earth, they face a protracted period natural objects had a conscious life, a spirit.
of weight-training to rebuild their strength. Therefore, one was expected to move quietly in
the wilderness and avoid making a disturbance
54. What is the most likely meaning of the under- out of courtesy to these spirits. Ghengis Khan is
lined word debris as it is used in this passage? said to have declared that the Sami were one peo-
a. fragments ple he would never try to fight again. Because the
b. decay Sami were not warriors and did not believe in war,
c. bacteria they simply disappeared in times of conflict. They
d. alien life were known as “peaceful retreaters.”

55. The underlined word atrophy, as used in the 57. Based on the tone of the passage, which of the
paragraph, most nearly means following words best describes the author’s atti-
a. pain. tude toward the Sami people?
b. wasting. a. admiring
c. weakening. b. pitying
d. cramping. c. contemptuous
d. patronizing
Question 56 is based on the following paragraph.
58. The closest meaning of the underlined word ani-
Most of the women in the orchestra wore con- mistic, as it is used in the passage, is
ventional black skirts and white shirts during a. the irrational belief in supernatural beings.
concerts and had their hair neatly pulled back. b. the belief that animals and plants have souls.
Robin, with her brightly colored clothing and c. the belief that animals are gods.
unusual hairstyles, was considered quite eccentric. d. the primitive belief that people can be reincar-
nated as animals.
56. What is the meaning of the underlined word
eccentric as it is used in the sentence? 59. What is the meaning of the underlined word
a. unconventional courtesy as it is used in the passage?
b. joyful a. timidity
c. unreliable b. caution
d. proud c. respect
d. fear

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