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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The __________ texture of the airline pillow irritated Angela’s face and made her long flight all the more vexatious.
You are looking for an adjective that would describe how a pillow might irritate someone’s face and make their flight "vexatious," or unpleasant. "Abrasive" means rough, coarse, or harsh, so is the only answer choice that fits the context of the sentence.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Thomas’ bookshelves were __________ with works of literature, especially his many beloved detective novels.
You are looking for an adjective that would describe Thomas’ “many” books on a bookshelf. Since "replete" means full, it is the only answer choice that fits the context of the sentence.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Do not take for granted the time you have, asserts the playwright; life is more __________ than you think.
The playwright suggests that you should appreciate the time you have because life is fleeting. "Ephemeral" best completes the sentence because it means short-lived.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
A workshop full of stately, handcrafted furniture was a testament to how __________ Wilson was at woodworking.
The sentence is describing how Wilson has made many pieces of “stately, handcrafted furniture.” You can infer that he is therefore "skilled" at woodworking, which is exactly what "adroit" means and why that is the best answer choice.
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The recent transformation of the television show into season-long narratives has allowed television writers to tell more complex and __________ stories.
The key word in the above sentence is “complex,” and its use with “and” tells you to look for a synonym of “complex.” Of the four answer choices, only "multifaceted" is a synonym for “complex.”
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The art student frequently saw his own work in a __________ vein, breaking the previously established patterns set forth by his instructor.
The art student perceives himself to be an innovator, pushing against the boundaries of his instructor’s advice. Only one of the answer choices, “progressive,” indicates a desire to go further than his instructor desires.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Flanders was often seen as __________ by his colleagues because of his habit of offering to help with any task his employer undertook.
The first sentence indicates Flanders’ colleagues are annoyed by him. “Welcoming” and “careful” both have too many positive connotations to be the correct answer. Flanders’ offers of help could be "productive," but are certainly an attempt to flatter his boss, which is the definition of “sycophantic.”
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Robert Burns is considered the __________ Scottish poet, as his work is famous throughout Scotland and is seen to embody Scottish culture.
The second half of the sentence indicates that Robert Burns is held in high regard, so "quintissential" is the best answer choice.
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Fred frequently looked back __________ on his time in the military, viewing it as the “glory days” that he could never recover.
Fred’s view of his past “glory days” indicates the positive feelings towards the military Fred holds, ruling out "angrily" and "despairingly." "Thoughtfully" does not work because of the simple manner in which Fred regards his military experience.
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His demeanor was often considered ___________ due to his aloof manner and biting comments.
Both “aloof manner” and “biting comments” tell us that the word we are looking for needs to indicate something poor about the subject’s personality. Only one word, “haughty,” carries such a meaning.
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Her fashion sense was considered quite __________, as it gave the impression she had not updated her wardrobe in years.
The inability of the woman to update her wardrobe indicates she is old-fashioned. This is the exact meaning of “antiquated,” making it the best fit for this sentence.
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George’s __________ nature became obvious when Martha’s small flub made him fly off the handle.
“Irascible” means quick to anger. This is the only choice that describes a person who reacts violently to a small “flub” or mistake.
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Harris’s friends were worried by the ___________ poems he often wrote.
“Lugubrious” means overly gloomy or sad. It is the only choice that would make friends worry.
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Critics dismissed the new TV show as “unoriginal” and “a __________ re-tread of every show of its kind we've seen in the last few years.”
The TV show is described as "unoriginal," and "banal" is the only synonym for that here. It means unoriginal and uninspiring.
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Always needing a spotlessly clean working space, the man was __________ in dusting and organizing his office.
The man is obviously not "carefree," and there's nothing to show he is "apprehensive," "impartial," or "feeble." "Fastidious" makes the most sense.
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The __________ piece of jewelry shone brighter than any other in the store, but was fake and actually close to worthless.
The answer needs to mean “showy, but not actually as good as it appears on the surface." "Ostentatious" means this.
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The __________ girl sat in the back and rarely spoke up in class, afraid to draw attention to herself.
The girl is obviously shy and afraid, which means she is "diffident."
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As a newcomer to the subject, the student had to persevere and make sense of the __________ writings he found in his research.
The writings seem to be complicated and obscure, and thus hard to get through for a newcomer. This is the meaning of "erudite."
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Fill in the blanks with the best answer.
The politician continued to be _________ during the court hearings; the judge was unable to extract a clear answer from him.
"Evasive" is the state of evading, to escape, or, in this context, to avoid questioning. The second part of the sentence gives a clear hint that the politician refraining from giving clear and candid answers to the judge's questions. As "equivocal" is a synonym of "evasive," "unequivocal" is the opposite of the correct word.
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Fill in the blank with the best answer.
The cellist delivered a(n) _________ performance which demonstrated none of the passion and improvisation she was once known for.
"Perfunctory" describes something superficially or hastily performed. In this context, the cellist, normally a passionate and improvising player, has a performance which is the opposite—either it's bad, boring, or rushed. No words adequately match with bad or boring, so rushed works.
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