"Provoke" means to annoy. "Annoy" is the best choice as it is a part of the definition of "provoke". Though related, "invoke" is a different word which means to call.

"Flabbergast" is a verb that means astonish, so we need to pick out an answer choice that is a verb that means something like astonish. So, "expect" cannot be the correct answer, because if you expect something to happen, it cannot be a surprise, and we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "surprise." "Astound," however, is an verb that means shock or surprise, and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "flabbergast," "astound" is the correct answer.

"Petrify" is a verb that can mean either acutely frighten or slowly change something into stone. While "adore" and "terrify" both describe actions that have to do with emotions people feel, "adore" means love and venerate. Because "adore" does not mean the same thing that "petrify" does, it cannot be the correct answer. "Terrify," however, is a verb that means cause to be very afraid, and because "terrify" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "petrify," "terrify" is the correct answer.

The word "cherish" means have love for or treat as dear. The best choice is "adore" as it shares the same defintion as "cherish." Considering the other choices, "rich" means having wealth or great possessions, "kingly" means resembling or befitting a king, and "magnificent" means extraordinary.

The word "exasperate" means irritate, annoy,or madden extremely; therefore, "infuriate" is the word that most closely matches the definition of "exasperate." "Soothe," which means make calm, is an opposite of "exasperate," and therefore incorrect. "Exonerate," which means absolve or find somebody innocent of wrongdoing, and "extend," which means stretch or make longer, are unrelated to the definition of "exasperate" and therefore also incorrect.

"Loathe" means feel disgusted by someone or something or intensely dislike someone or something. "Despise" is the word that most closely matches this definition. "Adore" is the opposite of "loathe," and "loiter," which means linger, and "refuse" are both unrelated to the definition.

"Provoke" means to anger, to enrage, or to incite. "Aggravate," which means to annoy or to make worse, is the correct answer because its meaning is most similar to that of "provoke."

Incorrect answers:

"Postpone" means to put off to a later time, as in the sentence, "I will be late for our meeting at 3:00, so can we postpone it to 4:00?"

"Facilitate" means to make easier, as in the sentence, "The teacher moved closer to the school to facilitate her commute."

"Reinforce" means to make stronger, as in the sentence, "The wooden railway is falling apart so we need to reinforce it with steel."

When you "resent" someone or something, you greatly "dislike" that person or thing. "mail" means to send a letter or package through a postal service from one location to another; "approve" means agree; and "decipher" means to unlock meaning.

"Entice" means attract. "Tempt" is the best choice because it also means attract. Considering the other choices, "repel" is an antonym of "entice" and means to drive away.

"Despise" means abhor or hate something. "Hate" means to have an intensely strong dislike for something. Given the similarities between these two words, they are synonyms, and "hate" is the correct answer.