TEST YOURSELF (VOCAB CATEGORY)

You can find the answers at the bottom of the page:
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c.out-of-date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 wearisomethat 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 spitefulremarks 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 obduratelyrefuses to withdraw
his application.
a.foolishly
b.reluctantly
c.constantly
d.stubbornly
5.His neighbor’s superficialremarks 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 ostracizedby 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 gulliblethat 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 prerequisitestudent teaching
assignment.
a.required
b.optional
c.preferred
d.advisable
–VOCABULARY–

10.Charles, aware of his susceptiblity 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 intermittentrain 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 diplomaticmanner.
a.tactful
b.dismissive
c.delaying
d.elaborate
15.After several small brushfires at the campground,
officials felt the need to augmentthe 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 inundatedwith
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,uniquein 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 proficientin the use
of computers.
a.sincere
b.adequate
c.competent
d.skilled
–VOCABULARY
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 alleviatethe 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 expeditethe process,
because her client was becoming impatient.
a.accelerate
b.evaluate
c.reverse
d.justify
25.The suspect gave a plausibleexplanation 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
ultimatumat 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 apatheticabout the verdict.
a.enraged
b.indifferent
c.suspicious
d.saddened
–VOCABULARY–
30.The doctors were pleased that their theory had
been fortifiedby the new research.
a.reinforced
b.altered
c.disputed
d.developed

ANSWER KEY:
SECTION 1 Vocabulary
1. c. To b e outmodedis to be old-fashioned or out-ofdate. The designer window treatments may also
be unnecessary, pointless, or even worthless.
However, the key to the meaning is the context—that is, the phrase installed 17 years ago.
2. c. Something that is wearisome is tiresome or
boring.The key to the meaning here is the
phrase they regularly put students to sleep.
3. a. To b e spitefulis to be vengeful or vindictive.
The keys here are the word maliceand the
phrase almost ruined the referee’s career.
4. d. When something is done obdurately, it is
done in an inflexible or intractable manner,
or stubbornly. The key here are the words
willful young man.
5. b. A superficial remark is insignificant and
shallow, or petty. The key here is the word
trivialized.
6. a. To b e ostracizedis to be banished or excluded.
The key here is the phrase usually loyal
friends, who had never shunned her before.
7. b. Something that is flamboyantis flashy or
showy. The keys here are the words usually
described as flamboyantand but…uncharacteristically modest.
8. b. To b e gullible means to be easy to fool or
naïve. The keys here are the words outlandish
excusesand insincere employees.
9. a. A prerequisiteis something that is necessary
or required. The fact that you can’t become a
certified teacher without completing the student teaching assignment means that it is
required. The other choices do not imply a
hard and fast rule.
10.c. To b e diligent is to be painstaking or thorough.
11.d. To b e ambiguousis to be vague or unclear.
12.d. Something that is animated is energetic
or lively.
13.b. When something is intermittent,it is periodic
or starts and stops at intervals.
14.a. To b e diplomaticis to be sensitive in dealing
with others or tactful.
15. d. To augmentsomething is to add to or expand
it. Although choice c,consider, is not out of
131
SADRA RAYANEH SHOMAL
the question, since officials are responding to
several fires that have already occurred, it is
more likely that they will do something more
pronounced and definitive than just considering the existing rules.
16.d. To b e inundatedis to be overwhelmed
or flooded.
17.c. To b e uniqueis to be one of a kind or
unparalleled.
18.d. When one isincredulous, one is skeptical
or disbelieving.
19.d. When one is proficientat something, one is
an expert or is skilledat it.
20.a. When something is tentative,it is of an
uncertain or provisional nature.
21.b. When a group’s opinion is unanimous, it is
in accord or uniform.
22.a. To alleviatesomething is to make it more
bearable or to easeit.
23.c. To b e indispensableis to be necessary or
essential.
24.a. To expedite a process is to hurry it up or
accelerateit.
25.b. If something is plausible, it is believable
or credible.
26.c. To infer something is to surmise it or deduce
it from the evidence.
27.d. An ultimatumis a final statement of terms or
non-negotiable demand.
28.b. To b e meticulousis to be extremely careful
or painstaking.
29.b. To b e apatheticis to show little or no interest
or to be indifferent.
30.a. To be fortified is to be strengthened or
reinforced.