Read the following sentences and try to choose the
best definition for the italicized word by searching for
context clues in the sentence.
1. The designer window treatments in her house,
installed 17 years ago, were outmoded.
a. unnecessary
b. pointless
c. out-of-date
d. worthless
2. Although the professor’s lectures were regarded
by many as so wearisome that they regularly put
students to sleep, he ignored all criticism and
refused to make any changes.
a. modest
b. unpleasant
c. boring
d. objectionable
3. The baseball player’s malice toward the referee
was revealed in his spiteful remarks to the media,
which almost ruined the referee’s career.
a. vindictive
b. crazy
c. rude
d. unpleasant
4. Although Zachary is much too inexperienced
for the managerial position, he is a willful
young man and obdurately refuses to withdraw
his application.
a. foolishly
b. reluctantly
c. constantly
d. stubbornly
5. His neighbor’s superficial remarks trivialized the
property line dispute and infuriated Malcolm.
a. enraged
b. petty
c. insulting
d. misleading
6. When Katya refused to lie to her parents about
where she was spending the night, she was completely
ostracized by her usually loyal friends,
who had never shunned her before.
a. excluded
b. hurt
c. cheered
d. helped
7. Her fashion sense was usually described as flamboyant,
but on the night of the party, Tanya’s outfit
was uncharacteristically modest.
a. impeccable
b. showy
c. sloppy
d. unassuming
8. Mr. Powers was so gullible that he believed even
the most outlandish excuses of his insincere
employees.
a. intelligent
b. naïve
c. dishonest
d. critical
9. You cannot become a certified teacher without
completing the prerequisite student teaching
assignment.
a. required
b. optional
c. preferred
d. advisable
–VOCABULARY–
2
10. Charles, aware of his susceptibility to gum disease,
is diligent about flossing.
a. uncomfortable
b. excited
c. thorough
d. ambivalent
11. Even though she’d read her supervisor’s memo
four or five times, she still found his rambling
message ambiguous.
a. profound
b. inspiring
c. ridiculous
d. unclear
12. Excited about winning the award,Marcia walked
up to the podium and delivered an animated
acceptance speech.
a. abbreviated
b. courteous
c. reserved
d. lively
13. The intermittent rain soaked the garden many
different times during the day.
a. protracted
b. periodic
c. incredulous
d. light
14. In order to get their votes in the next election, the
senator responded to all the complaints of her
constituents in a diplomatic manner.
a. tactful
b. dismissive
c. delaying
d. elaborate
15. After several small brushfires at the campground,
officials felt the need to augment the rules pertaining
to campfires.
a. criticize
b. retract
c. consider
d. expand
16. As soon as the details of the election were released
to the media, the newspaper was inundated with
calls—far too many to be handled effectively.
a. provided
b. bothered
c. rewarded
d. flooded
17. The Marion Police Department’s policy of
aggressively recruiting women officers is
unmatched, unique in every way.
a. rigorous
b. admirable
c. unparalleled
d. remarkable
18. When people heard that timid Bob had taken up
skydiving, they were incredulous.
a. fearful
b. outraged
c. convinced
d. disbelieving
19. The technical department enthusiastically hired
Ms. Long because she was proficient in the use
of computers.
a. sincere
b. adequate
c. competent
d. skilled
–VOCABULARY–
3
20. Even under tremendous public pressure, the planning
committee would not commit itself wholeheartedly
to the proposal and gave only tentative
approval to the waterfront development plan.
a. provisional
b. ambiguous
c. unnecessary
d. total
21. Regarding the need for more free refreshments,
the group’s opinion was enthusiastic and
unanimous.
a. divided
b. uniform
c. adamant
d. spirited
22. Since the townspeople were so dissatisfied,
various methods to alleviate the situation
were debated.
a. ease
b. tolerate
c. clarify
d. intensify
23. The assistant was fast becoming an indispensable
member of the department, so they had no
choice but to offer him a higher salary to stay on.
a. determined
b. experienced
c. essential
d. creative
24. The attorney wanted to expedite the process,
because her client was becoming impatient.
a. accelerate
b. evaluate
c. reverse
d. justify
25. The suspect gave a plausible explanation for his
presence at the scene, so the police decided to
look elsewhere for the perpetrator of the crime.
a. unbelievable
b. credible
c. insufficient
d. apologetic
26. He based his conclusion on what he inferred
from the evidence, not on what he actually
observed.
a. predicted
b. imagined
c. surmised
d. implied
27. The neighborhood-watch group presented its
ultimatum at the town board meeting: Repave
the streets or prepare for protests.
a. earnest plea
b. formal petition
c. solemn promise
d. non-negotiable demand
28. The editor of the newspaper needed to be sure
the article presented the right information, so his
review was meticulous.
a. delicate
b. painstaking
c. superficial
d. objective
29. The general public didn’t care about the trial and
was apathetic about the verdict.
a. enraged
b. indifferent
c. suspicious
d. saddened
–VOCABULARY–
4
30. The doctors were pleased that their theory had
been fortified by the new research.
a. reinforced
b. altered
c. disputed
d. developed
31. The captain often delegated responsibility to his
subordinates, so as to have time to do the important
tasks himself.
a. analyzed
b. respected
c. criticized
d. assigned
32. The news about toxic waste dumping aroused the
anger of the many listeners of a news broadcast.
a. informed
b. appeased
c. provoked
d. deceived
33. The spokesperson must articulate the philosophy
of an entire company so that outsiders can
understand it completely.
a. trust
b. refine
c. verify
d. express
34. The new shipping and receiving building is an
expansive facility, large enough to meet our
growing needs.
a. obsolete
b. meager
c. spacious
d. costly
35. The attorneys were now certain they could not
win the case, because the ruling had proved to be
so detrimental to their argument.
a. decisive
b. harmful
c. worthless
d. advantageous
36. My brother drives us crazy by crooning in the
shower.
a. hooting
b. bellowing
c. crying
d. shouting
37. The emotional fallout from a natural disaster can
adversely affect the residents in a community for
years.
a. conflict
b. issues
c. relationship
d. consequences
38. The air in the rainforest was humid, making the
heat seem even more smothering than before.
a. hot
b. damp
c. hazy
d. volatile
39. The balloon, loose from its string, rose up into
the sky, a shiny purple sphere.
a. circle
b. globe
c. ovoid
d. nodule
–VOCABULARY–
5
40. After the storm caused raw sewage to seep into
the ground water, the Water Department had to
take measures to decontaminate the city’s water
supply.
a. refine
b. revive
c. freshen
d. purify
41. The mayor tailored his speech to suit the crowd
of homeless people gathered outside his office.
a. intoned
b. expanded
c. altered
d. shortened
42. The volcano lays dormant now, but we feel sure it
will erupt again within the year.
a. inactive
b. slack
c. elevated
d. inattentive
43. Because of his disregard for the king’s laws, the
prince was punished by being banished from the
kingdom.
a. apart
b. kidnapped
c. exiled
d. spirited
44. I relinquished my place in line to go back and talk
with my friend Diane.
a. defended
b. yielded
c. delayed
d. remanded
45. I wrote in my journal every day, hoping in the
future to author a book about my trip to Paris.
a. notebook
b. chapbook
c. diary
d. ledger
46. The thief jostled me in a crowd and was thus able
to pick my pocket.
a. mugged
b. bumped
c. assailed
d. hindered
47. While we traveled in Italy, we stayed in an inexpensive
hostel.
a. inn
b. compound
c. home
d. four-star hotel
48. My friend asked me to lie for her, but that is
against my philosophy.
a. principles
b. regulations
c. personality
d. introspection
–VOCABULARY–
6
Choose the best vocabulary word for questions 49–51.
49. We had no idea who the special guest speaker
would be, because the organizers of the event
were so _____________________.
a. animated
b. secretive
c. talented
d. emotional
50. When Carson suddenly quit his job, he didn’t
even __________ how difficult it might be to
find a new one.
a. endorse
b. require
c. consider
d. alter
51. Maggie was the most talented tennis player at her
school, even though she’d never had the
___________________ to take formal lessons.
a. opportunity
b. compassion
c. arrogance
d. marketability
Questions 52 and 53 are based on the following
paragraph.
Rhesus monkeys use facial expressions to communicate
with each other and to enforce social
order. For example, the “fear grimace,” although
it looks ferocious, is actually given by a
__________ monkey who is intimidated by a
__________ member of the group.
52. What is the meaning of the underlined word grimace
as it is used in the passage?
a. wrinkle
b. contortion
c. shriek
d. simper
53. Which pair of words, if inserted into the blanks
in sequence, makes the most sense in the context
of the passage?
a. calm . . . aggressive
b. dominant . . . subordinate
c. confident . . . fearless
d. subordinate . . . dominant
–VOCABULARY–
7
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