The implication in this sentence is that quite a few people at least have abilities in subjects to a decent degree, even if not one that is superlative. When someone has “competency” in something, he or she is said to have an adequate amount of skill, at least enough to be able to do the task. It is indirectly related to words like “compete,” “competitor,” and “petition.” All of these words come from Latin roots meaning “to seek,” (implied by the “-pet-” portion of the word).

The sentence implies that the writing was the best of such work. To be “superlative,” literally means “to be carried over” or (more properly in English usage) “the highest degree (of something).” In grammar, the superlative is the “-est” form of a word (e.g. hottest, nicest, heaviest), meaning “the most . . .” The word itself comes from the prefix “super-”, meaning “over,” and the base “-lat-”, which comes from the Latin for “to carry.” The word “translate,” has this same base, literally meaning “to carry over from one place to another.”

The implication in our sentence is that Paco had become “not cheerful.” While that might lead one to be introverted, or perhaps even reflective, it is most directly opposed by a “dour” temperament. A dour person is strictly speaking stern or severe, though often the word is used to imply a certain gloominess as well. It is in this last sense that it is being used here.

When someone is resolute, he or she is determined and unwavering. In contrast to this, Patricia must be said to be regularly changing. Hence, the best description of her attitude would be that of being “fickle,” which means “frequently changing.”

The contrast here is between “tactile undertakings” and “abstract thoughts.” You must look for something match the “abstract” nature of the thoughts, particularly considering how something abstract could be considered opposed to something “tactile” (i.e. something that can be touched or felt); therefore, while options like “detached,” “distant,” or “removed” might seem appropriate, the best answer is “ethereal” which implies an almost spiritual or incorporeal and intangible distance from earthly—indeed, tangible—things.

The historian is contrasting the “profound and fruitful reality” of the Middle Ages with what he must take to be the less fruitful nature of modernity. The best option is therefore “impoverished,” which implies a loss of “fruitfulness,” “productivity,” or more generally “strength or vitality.” The other options do not directly capture this notion of a loss of vigor.

The contrast here is between being potentially deadly and healthy (or at least “not deadly”). Note, it is not a contrast between “clean and unclean” or “clean and dirty.” The word “innocuous” means “not harmful.” Being derived from the Latin for “harmful,” it is related to English words like “inoculate” and “noxious.” The “in-” prefix here means “not.”

The key thing to note in this sentence is that Todd’s father would rarely deny his requests. Therefore, the best option for the needed word is “lenient,” which means “permissive” or sometimes “forgiving.” Here, it is the first meaning that fits best. The word comes from the Latin for “mild or gentle” and is found in other English words like “leniency” and “lenitude.” (The latter, rather strange, word means “the characteristic of being lenient.” We could speak of “the lenitude of Todd’s father.”).

The contrast here is between obscurity and clarity. When something or someone is “lucid,” he or she is able to express ideas or thoughts in a clear manner. The word actually comes from base words for “light,” which are found in English relatives like “lucent,” “translucent,” and even “Lucifer” (the so-called “light bearing angel” who later fell from grace, according to Christian tradition).

The key word in this sentence is “ridiculous,” which helps to give a sense to what Paula must have thought about the other strange aspects of her brother’s appearance. When something is “ridiculous,” it is not only strange but even more literally is “amusing” or “laughable.” (The word “ridicule” is related to “ridiculous,” both coming from the Latin for “to laugh.”) The word “ludicrous” often means “ridiculous.” It is derived from Latin roots for “to play” or “game.” A “prelude” is a piece of music “played” (in the general, non-game sense) before (“pre-”) the main concert piece.