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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Napoleon’s __________ that he would conquer all of Europe confirmed his __________ nature.
The structure of the sentence indicates that the first word is a noun and the second word is an adjective that describes Napoleon’s nature. Moreover, the second word is “confirm\[ing\]” or supporting the first one. A "promulgation" is an announcemen t, and Napoleon’s claim that he will take over all of Europe would confirm his "headstrong" or stubborn and willful nature.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
While bald eagles most commonly build their __________ in the branches of tall trees near freshwater lakes and rivers, the __________ effects of human activities, such as logging, have resulted in habitat loss.
An "aerie" is a nest or habitat built high above the ground. "Deleterious" means harmful, often in a subtle way. As eagles live in trees, it makes sense that logging can have a negative effect on their habitats.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The __________ Taj Mahal is a tourist destination that draws over 2 million visitors a year. While many people are under the misconception that it is a residence for royalty, it is actually a __________.
To be "palatial" means to resemble a palace, often in size. The Taj Mahal only resembles a palace, and is in fact a "mausoleum," or a building that houses tombs.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Because no one understood his works at the time, the author was considered an enigmatic figure. Decades later, when his works were rediscovered __________, readers began to appreciate his wit and verbal __________.
Since decades have passed when his works are rediscovered, the only answer for the second blank that makes sense is "posthumously," after his death. Acumen means sharpness and skill, and the author is now thought of as a good and sharp writer.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Judging by the weeping __________ on his forearm, the young man’s claim to have been beaten by the protestors seems ___________.
The first blank is "lacerations," because, of the choices, only lacerations weep on the forearm. The second blank is "credible" because the lacerations support the young man’s claim to have been beaten.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The bombastic dictator’s __________ from the podium whipped the __________ mob into a frenzy; they were willing to attack the object of his hatred.
A "bombastic" dictator (that is, an arrogant dictator) is not likely to cower or be servile; neither is "tardiness" likely to whip a mob into a frenzy. A "harangue," or noisy attacking speech, is very likely to rouse a mob, but only if that mob is comprised of gullible people. Gullible people are typically not "incredulous," "skeptical," or "objective." The second blank is therefore "credulous."
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The old man was known by all to be a . He spent little on himself and was particularly with the needs and wants of his family.
A number of these answers are meant to be traps, though not all for the same reason. Clearly a matter of money is involved, so one might want to call the old man a "scrooge" but this fails not only because of its colloquial tone but also because "nasty" doesn't fit. "Pecuniary" tries to catch one who has a good vocabulary but is not appropriate at all in this context. He might have been a "rake" but certainly couldn't be effusive with his family's needs. The answer with "troglodyte" doesn't make sense. "Miser . . . parsimonious" fits perfectly.
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Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.
From the time of her birth, the girl had been __________, always disobeying the __________ of her elders.
The sense of the first term is that the girl is to be described as stubborn or disobedient (as is clear from the rest of the sentence). The second blank appears to indicate some sort of suggestions or (better) commands given her by her elders. To this end, "refractory . . . injunctions" fits best. Probably the most tempting answers are "unflinching . . . sagacity" and "willful . . . insights." The latter only fits closely enough for "willful." In the case of the former, process of elimination will show that "refractory . . . injunctions" is a closer fit. Always remember the importance of eliminating answers so you can make this kind of intelligent decision.
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Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.
For over a decade, Charles worked __________ as the steward of the large household, seeming to see little positive outcome in the affairs he oversaw; however, his many efforts did finally come to __________ after these long years of devoted service.
Clearly Charles is continuing to work in the house, though he is not seeing much in the way of outcomes. Note also that there is an opposition in the second sentence, triggered by the word "however." Clearly, things turned around and there must have been some positive outcome. This allows us to eliminate "nothing" immediately, and although many of the others are tempting, only "fruition" captures the sense of a positive outcome occuring. Likewise, "assiduously" works well in the first blank, for Charles continued to work as steward in a devoted manner (so it would seem), in spite of many years of little success.
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One could call the small town rather , for most of its inhabitants knew little more than the saws and repeated for generations by others who had not left the same locality.
The sense of the sentence is that the people do not leave the area often and rarely receive new insights from outside their precincts. Saws are more than tools used in the shop—they are also proverbs. Hence, don't be tempted by the amusing "hammers." Although "lessons" might be tempting, Lilliputian (from Gulliver's travels) means trivial or small (often taken physically). Perhaps one could consider the town to be Lilliputian, but "insular" would be better—and "maxims" particularly matches well with "saws." "Insular" is derived from the Latin word for island, indicating isolation.
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The notoriously boss often seemed like he loved talking to his employees, while many other times he dismissed them with short answers and seemed like a
.
The boss switches between vastly different personalities, so he is volatile or mercurial. When he is dismissing them with short answers, he is being a "misanthrope," not a "dolt," which implies he is stupid, or a "hypochondriac," which means he is paranoid about his health.
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Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.
The young street fighter’s attitude matched his demeanor in the fighting ring; it was quite __________ and could leave cutting psychological wounds as damaging as any physical __________.
Do not be tempted by "bombastic . . . trauma" or "fanatical . . . blow." The key thing to note is the similarity of the fighter's demeanor in and out of the ring. The word "pugnacious" comes from the Latin pugnare, "to fight." Someone who is "pugnacious" is quick to argue or has the appearance of a fighter. A related word is "pugilist," which means a boxer.
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The text's meaning was so __________ that no __________ could make it truly understandable.
The "text's meaning" is difficult to understand, even with some effort, as represented in the second blank. "Obscure," meaning difficult to understand, and "exegesis," meaning a lengthy analysis and interpretation, form the correct answer.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Although the politican contested the claims as pure __________, the journalist guaranteed they were __________.
The word "although" offers a clue that the words that go in the blanks are opposing words; "calumny" (a misrepresentation meaning to harm one's reputation) and "indubitable" (too evident to be doubted) are the best fit.
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Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.
Sarah tried to attract Jason’s attention with flattery and other __________, but his façade of disinterest remained __________.
The first word has to be a synonym for "flattery." "Gaffes" are mistakes, "opprobriums" are criticisms, and "libations" are drinks; only "compliments" and "blandishments" might fit. The second word has to indicate that Jason is not responding to the flattery; his face remains unchanged. "Recondite" means obscure or arcane, while "imperturbable" means unable to be disturbed. "Blandishments . . . imperturbable" is the best answer.
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The scientists benefitted from the formal structure provided by the __________ lead researcher; they performed their work with great __________.
The phrase "formal structure" is a clue to the first word. "Pedantic" is the correct option, meaning overly concerned with formal rules and details. As the scientists benefitted from this, they performed their work well—so "alacrity," meaning liveliness or eagerness, works here.
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Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.
Suzy thought Kevin would prove to be __________, but she discovered instead that his behavior was such a model of __________ that he could never be considered a spendthrift.
The sentence is about Kevin's perceived spending habits. Suzy expects something about him, but discovers the opposite to be true, where the truth is "he could never be considered a spendthrift." This indicates that she expected him to be wasteful but found that expectation to be wrong, so the two words have to be opposites, with the first meaning something like wasteful, and the second meaning something like careful or thrifty.
The only two words that mean something like wasteful are "profligate" and "prodigal." "Abstemious" is more like the opposite of wasteful; it means abstaining from vices. "Perfidious" means evil or dangerous, and "salubrious" means beneficial or fortunate, so those are out.
The second word needs to mean the opposite of spendthrift. "Piety" is the quality of being religious and says nothing about a person's spending habits, so the correct answer is "prodigal . . . frugality."
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Claire’s __________ of the cold was understandable since it was directly __________ to her love of the summer heat.
Antipathy—a natural, basic or habitual repugnance, aversion.
Antithetical—directly opposed and contrasted, opposite.
Claire hates the cold, but loves the heat.
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Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.
Reactions to the novelist’s most recent work are surprisingly polarized; if a review is not a(n) __________ celebrating the work's modern elements, it is a __________ critique perceiving the same elements as blatant flaws.
Since the reviews of the novelist's work are polarized, we should expect opposites; for the first blank, we'll need a positive noun because it "celebrates" aspects of the work, and for the second blank, we'll need a negative adjective describing the opposing critiques.
Since "complaint" and "diatribe" are negative words, we can eliminate these answers, as well as "eulogy," which is specifically a speech or writing in praise of someone who has recently died. We're left with "encomium" and "panegyric," both of which refer to written works of praise and fit in the sentence's first blank. Of the remaining choices' second words, "caustic," meaning highly critical, works in the second blank, while "deferent" does not, because it has a positive meaning of respectful. So, the correct answer is "panegyric . . . caustic."
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Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Despite the __________ of wolves in the woods—there were less than a dozen left of the hundreds that had originally roamed there—the locals believed that they were constantly surrounded by large numbers of __________ beasts that wanted nothing but to devour everyone in town.
For the first blank, we are looking for a noun that emphasizes how few wolves are left, so "lack" and "paucity" are both possible answers. For the second blank, we need an adjective that describes how the locals believe the wolves want "to devour everyone in town." In choosing between "fell" (ferocious and deadly) and "sordid" (morally distasteful), "fell" is the better choice, so the answer is "paucity . . . fell."
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