Words out of context: in each of the following groups, select the item that best expresses the meaning of
the italicized word at the left and place the letter on the scantron sheet.
fickle
a. respectful
b. changeable
c. modest
d. idle
b. prudent
c. vain
d. gross
b. steal
c. frustrate
d. laugh at
b. lavish
c. sneer at
d. waver
b. observe
c. alarm
d. prevent
flagrant
a. quiet
flaunt
a. show off
flout
a. cover up
forestall
a. emphasize
Words out of Context: In each of the following groups, select the item that best expresses the meaning of
the numbered word at the left and place the letter on the scantron.
illicit
a. illiterate
b. illustrious
c. illegible
d. illogical
e. illegal
b. spotless
c. timeless
d. shameless
e. pointless
b. viewpoint
c. mistake
d. deadlock
e. tunnel
b. constant
c. implied
d. legitimate
e. modest
b. puzzle
c. frighten
d. bore
e. elate
immaculate
a. harmless
impasse
a. solution
implicit
a. villainous
incense
a. enrage
Words identification: in each of the following groups, select the item that best expresses the meaning of
the numbered word and place the letter on your scantron sheet.
kudos
a. lawsuit
b. glory
c. agency
d. calumny
e. inheritance
b. intelligible
c. eager
d. profitable
e. average
b. advantage
c. environment
d. commencement
b. slander
c. famine
d. chaos
e. disaster
b. unrewarding
c. energetic
d. obligatory
e. lethargic
lucrative
a. daily
liability
a. refuge
e. drawback
libel
a. murder
lackadaisical
a. obscure
Words in phrases: in each of the following groups, select the item that best expresses the meaning of the
italicized word in the introductory phrase and place the letter on the scantron.
at a nominal cost to the consumer
a. guaranteed
b. token
c. sizable
d. fair
b. sensible
c. odd
d. interesting
mundane pursuits
a. commonplace
for purely mercenary reasons
a. practical
b. monetary
c. social
d. personal
c. countless
d. colorful
c. uses
d. problems
the myriad leaves on an oak
a. edible
b. uniform
nuances of tone and shading
a. subtleties
b. theories
Word expressions: In each of the following, select the item that best expresses the meaning of the word
in italics and place the letter on the scantron sheet.
jeopardize one’s chances of success
a. insure
b. endanger
c. calculate
d. doubt
e. enhance
c. novel
d. painful
e. prudent
c. denounce
d. report
e. improve
d. problematic
e. dangerous
d. knotty
e. temporary
a judicious choice of words
a. surprising
b. silly
inveigh against injustice
a. champion
b. ignore
an ingenious scheme to make money
a. clever
b. unworkable
c. costly
full of inherent problems and defects
a. built-in
b. minor
c. unexpected
Words in phrases: in each of the following groups, select the item that best expresses the meaning of the
italicized word in the introductory word and place the letter on your scantron sheet.
gratuitous criticisms
a. perceptive
b. unexpected
c. mindless
d. uncalled-for
b. outgoing
c. beautiful
d. obese
b. significant
c. horrible
d. minor
b. written
c. brief
d. draining
b. winked
c. scowled
d. laughed
a very gregarious young lady
a. erudite
the gruesome details
a. vague
a grueling test
a. surprise
grimaced in reply
a. nodded
Completing the sentence: Provide the correct vocabulary word to complete the following sentences using
the word bank below, and place the letter on your scantron sheet.
a. Litigation
b. gaping
c. goad
d. lush
e. lucid
Her prose is as ________ and direct as mine is muddled and digressive.
Fortunately, we were able to avoid a great deal of costly ___________ by settling the dispute out of court.
Deteriorating climatic conditions eventually transformed what had been a __________ tropical paradise
into a barren and inhospitable wasteland.
Fear and confusion may ______________________ a perfectly rational person into behaving in a most
irrational way.
It made me dizzy to lean over the edge of the precipice and peer down into the ___________ abyss below.
Completing the sentence: Provide the correct vocabulary word to complete the following sentences using
the word bank below, and place the letter on your scantron sheet.
a. Nostalgia
b. morass
c. nepotism
d. negligible
e. nomadic
“Twenty-five dollars may be a __________ amount of money to you,” I replied, “but it’s sizable to me.”
I chose the _________ life of a traveling salesperson simply because I felt too tied down by a nine-to-five
office job.
Trying to work my way through the __________ of complicated paperwork involved in the project was like
trying to swim through shark-infested custard.
Understandably, many of those who suffered through the hard economic times of the 1930’s don’t remember
that particular era with much ________.
“The appointment of your son to the job may have been based solely on merit,” I told the mayor, “but your
critics will surely see it as ___________.
Completing the sentence: Provide the correct vocabulary word to complete the following sentences using
the word bank below, and place the letter on your scantron sheet.
a. Exodus
b. gullible
c. fabricate
d. harbinger
e. fallacy
In my family, opening day at the ballpark, not the advent of warmer weather, is the
________________________ of summer.
“Your conclusion isn’t valid,” I remarked, “because the argument leading up to it contains an obvious
_____________.
Fortunately, we were able to __________________ a replacement for the missing article from a few
short press preleases and some government statistics.
The blatant anti-Semitism of the Nazi regime was wholly responsible for the tremendous
_______________ of Jews from Germany in the 1930’s.
Only a thoroughly ___________________ person would be taken in by the absurd claims of some TV
commercials.
Completing the sentence: Provide the correct vocabulary word to complete the following sentences using
the word bank below, and place the letter on your scantron sheet.
a. finesse
b. filching
c. fluctuate
d. frugal
e. formidable
Prices for consumer goods __________ in accordance with the ups and downs of the economy.
Though the young boxer doesn’t look particularly impressive in his street clothes, he is a
______________opponent once he’s in the ring.
I admire someone who can handle a delicate social situation with tact and ____________.
She is a _________ homemaker who delights in comparison shopping and bargain hunting.
Someone who starts off __________ pennies may end up stealing millions.