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Select the answer choice that best completes the blank.
Don't __________ yourself with understanding every detail; it is more important to see the big picture.
The answer that makes the most sense is "encumber," to burden.
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Before you drink the water from that dirty river, you need to filter it and treat it with certain chemicals; only then will it be __________.
"Potable" means suitable for drinking.
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“Don’t you think that assigning five hours of homework a night is a bit too __________?” the concerned parent asked the teacher.
"Onerous" means burdensome.
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“It wasn’t very nice or __________ to tell that other little girl that you thought she was boring,” Ann said to her daughter.
"Tactful" means skillful at not offending others.
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Ever since Jean Paul and I broke up, everyone tells me the same __________ phrase: there are always more fish in the sea.
"Hackneyed" means clichéd, or worn out by overuse.
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Marisol had only a(n) __________ understanding of how to fix and maintain her car, and so she took an automobile repair class.
"Superficial" means shallow, or lacking depth.
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Geoffrey maintained a(n) __________ tone in the letter he sent the journalist, despite his anger at the libelous comments the journalist made.
The correct answer is "urbane." The key word in this sentence is “despite,” indicating that the tone employed in Geoffrey’s letter was unexpected for the circumstance and quite the opposite of angry. Therefore, "urbane" (most closely synonymous with polite) is the best answer. "Equivocating" does not mean angry, but is not the best answer. "Condescending" and "boorish" are both tones that closely resemble anger and "furious" means angry, so none of these answer choices is correct either.
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The best part of being in the wilderness is how __________ it feels; it’s such a nice contrast to the stressful hustle and bustle of the city.
The correct answer is "placid." There are two hints in this sentence: the first is the word “best” indicating that the missing word will have a positive connotation (thus eliminating "noxious" and "replete"). The second key to this sentence is that the wilderness is contrasted to stress and motion, indicating that the wilderness is more calm and quiet. "Jocular" means neither "calm" nor "quiet."
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The farmers bought more fertilizer for their fields this year, but the harvest was __________ due to an unexpected increase in pests.
The word “but” will turn the direction of this sentence after the first clause. The phrase “due to an unexpected increase in pests” is another important clue. This tells us that the harvest was below expectations due to a negative circumstance. Therefore the correct answer is meager. Note: catastrophic is too strong a negative word in this case.
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Although the detective sought diligently for clues and pondered intensely over the mysteries of the case, he was dismayed that the solution continued to __________ him.
The word “elude” means to escape or to avoid (in this case, the detective’s understanding). The word “although” contrasts the detective’s diligent efforts and his inability to solve the case. The only choice that makes sense is "elude." Beware of "incriminate" and "suspect," which were given to lead the test-taker astray. These words are related to the industry of detective work, but do not have the right meaning for the blank.
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The incumbent’s continual double-talk and __________ on important issues precipitated his defeat in the elections due to a loss of public trust.
The correct answer is “vacillation,” which means indecision or wavering. Thus, the incumbent’s double-talk and vacillation on important issues "precipitated" (or accelerated) his defeat in the elections. Notice the conjunction “and” connects the phrase “continual double-talk” with the missing word. From this, we know that the missing word has a negative connotation. "Fortitude," perspicacity," and "perseverance" each have a positive meaning, and thus can be eliminated when solving this question.
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When the real documents came to light, the university realized its collection was mostly __________.
The university's collection is now suspect because of the discovery of real documents. The way the sentence is framed indicates the correct answer is an antonym of "real." "Counterfeit," meaning fake or inauthentic, is the only antonym of real among the answer choices.
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His __________ demeanor betrayed his inner fury at being laid off.
The key word in this sentence is "betrayed," which indicates that the man's demeanor was at odds with his inner fury. The correct answer will therefore have a sense of calm or quiet, the very definition of "placid."
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The office was expecting an easygoing new boss, so the employees were surprised to find that their new manager had an extremely __________ manner.
The structure of the sentence, and the employees' surprise, indicates the new manager was not easygoing. The correct answer choice will be the one that is an antonym of "easygoing." "Abrasive," meaning harsh and coarse, is the only such answer choice.
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The coach was a polarizing figure, as some saw his speeches as powerful motivational tools, while others saw them as nasty ___________.
All of the answer choices are a type of speech, but the contrast in the sentence with "motivational tools" and the adjective "nasty" leads to an answer choice with a negative tone. "Harangues," which indicates loud, aggressive attacks, fits the rest of the sentence best in context.
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The student was gifted, but his academic progress was often __________ by his misbehavior in class.
The structure of the sentence, with two clauses separated by the word "but," tells you that the student struggled even though he should not have. The correct answer choice will be one that effectively means to cancel out his academic progress. "Nullified," meaning neutralize or make unimportant, is the best answer choice.
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The plaintiff's frequent backtracking on the witness stand made him a less than __________ witness.
While the plaintiff's backtracking makes him look bad, the sentence is structured in a way that makes the correct answer need to mean "truthful" or "believable." Therefore, rule out "frivolous," "underhanded," and "conniving" immediately. "Credible," which means believable, is the choice that works best in the sentence.
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The writer was often criticized for using __________ language and avoiding academic jargon or technical language.
The writer's avoidance of jargon and technical language is contrasted with the answer choice. Look for the answer that is an antonym to "technical" or "academic." "Colloquial," meaning informal and local and referring to language, is the best answer choice.
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Though he contested the legality of the winner's campaign methods, the gracious candidate was __________ in defeat.
The correct answer is "magnanimous," meaning noble or courageous. The contextual clues of the sentence imply that the reaction was positive by the words "gracious" and "despite." This makes "magnanimous" the logical choice to finish the sentence.
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In comparison to his rather __________ brother, Jonathan was particularly talkative and indeed droning.
The key is that Jonathan is not like his brother; therefore, he is not talkative. While this might be described as “understated,” the most direct choice would be “taciturn.” This word means to be silent or reserved in speech. It is derived from the Latin tacere (and related words), which means to be silent or leave unmentioned. A related English word is “tacit.”
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