Card 0 of 20
Select the answer choice that best completes the blank.
He was beaten so badly that he knew there was no way he could __________ the result of the race.
The answer that makes the most sense is "contest," to dispute.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
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.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Select the answer choice that best completes the blank.
Bob's mother furiously __________ him when she saw that he already torn holes in his new jeans.
The answer that makes the most sense is "excoriate," to scold with biting harshness.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Select the answer choice that best completes the blank.
The seasoned surgeon has __________ himself with all sorts of anatomical problems.
The answer that makes the most sense is "habituated," to become accustomed or familiarize.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The king __________ the throne after his infidelity to the country became public, allowing his son to ascend the throne.
"Abdicate" means give up royal power. Since the king had created a scandal with his infidelity or disloyalty, he would likely given up the crown. “Beatify” means make extremely happy or make a saint, “descend” means lower, and “tarnish” means _lessen in value—_none of which logically answer the question.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The new law was an effort to __________ certain hunting practices, but many outdoorsman believe the new prohibitions could not be enforced.
The law’s effort, as mentioned in the second part of the sentence, is to prohibit certain actions. Of the given answer choices, only “proscribe” is a synonym for prohibit.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The professor’s lectures had a tendency to __________, often taking on topics that bore little relation to his initial subject.
The professor’s habit of discussing topics not related to his subject shows he wanders around various topics. Of the answer choices, only “meander” is a synonym for wander.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The problematic employees were __________ from their less angry coworkers on a separate floor of the building.
The separate floor which houses the problematic employees means that they were taken away and kept apart from their coworker. "Quarantined" means precisely this, therefore it is the correct answer choice.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Thanks to his years of experience, the scientist felt confident he could __________ from his findings and claim new theories.
While all the answers make some sense in the sentence, only “extrapolate” has the correct sense of making further claims than the evidence shows precisely. In this case, going through each word for the best fit is the appropriate method to get the answer.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The activists, hoping to generate popular support, __________ their pamphlets throughout the community.
"Disseminate" means spread widely. Activists, intent on building popular support, would likely wish to spread their message widely throughout a community.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Benjamin __________ about his new girlfriend; his excessive enthusiasm was grating.
"Rhapsodized" means engaged in excessive and enthusiastic praise of someone or something. The speaker finds this excessive enthusiasm quite annoying.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
His previous sloppy work led his professor to ___________ his reports more thoroughly.
The sloppy element of the work indicates the professor needs to review more carefully the work of the student. “Dismiss,” “inoculate,” and “anticipate” do not have the appropriate sense of review, while "contemplate" does not convey enough seriousness to the sentence.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
While her grandchildren often used their cell phones at the table, she __________ such behavior.
The structure of the sentence indicates that the grandmother did not like her grandchildren's behavior. Look for an answer that means dislike or even hate. Of the answer choices, only "abhorred" has the appropriate meaning.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The nonprofit's work focused on ___________ people in emerging democracies, but questions remained about its effectiveness.
The best clue for the answer lies in the word "democracies," as "enfranchising" means enabling voting rights. Another clue is the fact that the other four answer choices all indicate some sense of hurting people; identifying synonyms among answer choices is a good way to eliminate some choices.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Not wanting to see a rival succeed, he sought to __________ every promotion opportunity she received.
The key word in the sentence is "rival." With rival in mind, look for a word that would indicate a sense of harm or impairment. Of the answer choices, only "hamper" has the appropriate meaning.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Her lifelong love of cars began with a trip to an automotive museum as a young girl, which __________ her passion at a young age.
The museum trip started and encouraged her love of cars. "Kindled," literally meaning started a fire, but here used metaphorically to mean ignited an interest, is the only answer choice that appropriately completes the sentence.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
When all the calculations were finally done, it was revealed the broker had __________ his clients out of millions in a Ponzi scheme.
Even if Ponzi scheme, a fraudulent investment scam, is an unfamiliar term, the tone and structure of the sentence indicate the broker did something illegal or dishonest. Look for an answer choice that indicates cheating or defrauding, which is the very definition of "bilked."
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Her mother had little idea that her lax rules about computer use _________ the acts of open rebellion the teenager performed.
The teenager's rebellious acts and her mother's unawareness both indicate the computer is somehow helping the teenager's rebellion. "Engendered," which means caused or enabled, is the only answer choice which indicates help, while all the other choices indicate an active harm.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
His unease with sports became quite evident when he __________ every time a ball was thrown his way.
The fact he was uncomfortable with sports is a good clue that having a ball thrown his way was something he hated. The correct choice needs to have a negative connotation. Of all the answer choices, only "cowered," which means recoiled or shrunk away in fear, has the appropriate negative sense.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The chef was praised for his generous use of spices, with one reviewer noting how he __________ the flavor of even the most bland items.
Because the chef is praised by reviewers, he is doing something to help the flavor of his food. Find the answer choice that means "help" or "improve," which is enhanced. You can also rule out "harmed" and "negated," as they give the same meaning to the sentence.
Compare your answer with the correct one above