"Harbinger" means something that signals the approach of a person. "Vegetation" refers to plants or crops. "Proposal" means plan or a suggestion. "Tactic" is a strategy or plan. "Probability" means the chance or likelihood of something occuring.

Contempt means “feeling that something or someone has no worth or deserves no respect.” For example, one could say, “Thomas showed contempt for all of his neighbors, for he thought they were leeches on society, providing nothing for the common good or even for themselves.” The word “disdain” is related to “dignity,” but the “dis-” prefix implies the opposite of root that is related to dignity. Therefore, expressions of “disdain” are the opposite of expressions of worth.

"Windfall' is a noun that is defined as "an unexpected, unearned, or sudden gain or advantage" or "a piece of unexpected good fortune, typically one that involves receiving a large amount of money." While "trip" may sound like a potentially correct answer because "windfall" is created from a combination of the words "wind" and "fall," "windfall" does not mean "to knock something over with wind" or have anything to do with falling, so neither "blow over" nor "trip" can be the correct answer. "Jackpot," a noun meaning "a large cash prize in a game or lottery, esp. one that accumulates until it is won," is the closest synonym to "windfall" amongst the listed answer choices, so it is the correct answer.

Since "apex" is a noun that means "the top or highest part of something, especially one forming a point," we need to pick out another noun that means "top." While "foremost" means "most prominent in rank, importance, or position," it is an adjective, and not a noun - it describes something at the top, not the top itself, so it can't be the right answer. "Pinnacle," however, means "a high, pointed piece of rock" or "the most successful point; the culmination," and since it is closest in meaning to "apex," it is the right answer.

Eminence often refers to royalty, and means dominance or superiority—in this case, "prestige," which also means superiority or power, is the best synonym.

"Vim" is a noun defined as "robust energy and enthusiasm." So, "boredom" cannot be the correct answer because it is an antonym of "vim." "Energy" is the closest synonym to "vim" amongst the listed answer choices, so "energy" is the correct answer.

A "blunder” is a mistake that is often foolish. For this reason, we often imply a number of other secondary meanings when we use the term. For instance, we think of things like “a blundering fool.” While this is fine, the general point is that a blunder is a mistake; therefore, the best option here is “error.”

"Kerfuffle" is a noun and is another word for a disagreement or fight. The best choice here is "disagreement" because it shares the same meaning. Considering the other choices, the word "ignition" means the act of setting something on fire or the act of starting an engine. "Fluff" means light, soft particles, and "ruin," when used as a noun, means a state of decay or disrepair.

The word "rite" is a noun that means a ceremonial act. "Ceremony" is the best choice because it is related to the word rite, meaning a formal observance. Considering the other choices, "wrong" is an adjective that means not correct, "correct" means true, and "same" means identical.

A "schtick" (also spelled "shtick") is a routine or act done to gain a laugh or draw attention to oneself. The best choice here is "act," since it is a part of the definition of "schtick." Considering the other choices, "staff" means a group of people charged with carrying out the work of a particular establishment or a rod used to support one's weight when walking, "stream" means a flowing body of water or liquid, "insult" means a statement that offends, and "prologue" means a distinct introductory section in a literary work.