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.

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. 

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.

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."

The correct word must be synonymous with both "belligerent" and "aggressive." Only "contentious" means wanting to fight.

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.

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.

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.

Mark’s cynicism is most likely displayed in his thoughts about the state of (and relative hopefulness for) other humans; therefore, the best word is “misanthrope.” This is derived from two Greek roots. The prefix, “mis-,” has many usages implying wrong, lacking, and other such words (e.g. “mistake,” “mistreat,” “misunderstand”). The second part is derived from anthropos, which means human person, and has related English derivatives in words like “anthropology” and “philanthropist.” Our word therefore means one lacking in respect for human beings or even, more strongly, one who hates humankind.

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.