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We regret to inform you that, after only a single day of employment, Paul Williamsonbergfriend has been _________________ his position with the company.
The best answer here both correctly uses the idiomatic construction "terminated from" (not "to" or "for"), while aligning with the tone of the sentence. Since the speaker "regrets to inform" about the news, we know that the news is bad.
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All of the packages _______________ shipped out successfully, so our clients will receive them tomorrow.
"Have been" is correct because the fact that the clients will receive the packages tomorrow implies that the packages were shipped successfully. Furthermore, "have been" is grammatically correct with the subject (the packages).
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Fortunately, over the past 12 months, the popularity of our product has __________ steadily.
"Risen" is the correct choice, because the sentence says that the events are fortunate, which means that they are good. In this case, the only good outcome is for the popularity of the product to rise.
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Our goal is to come up with a new advertising campaign that will help _________ some of the damage done by the lawsuit. Hopefully it will help our product to regain popularity.
If the lawsuit did damage to the product's popularity, and the goal of the new advertising campaign is to increase the product's popularity again, the lawsuit aims to "counteract" the damage done by the lawsuit.
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The seminars that our employees are required to attend present the newest advances in our field. We require attendance because we like our employees to stay ____________ the latest ideas.
Employees are required to attend these seminars because the company wants them to know about the latest ideas. In other words, the company wants them to stay "up to date on" the latest ideas.
"On top to" is almost correct. The phrase "on top of" would be correct in this sentence, but because "on top to" is not the proper phrase, the only correct answer is "up to date on."
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Many companies discourage working from home; ________, we encourage it if you feel it will make you more productive.
"However" is the missing word that links the two parts of the sentence. It is correct because the idea of the first clause (most companies discourage working from home) is the opposite of the idea of the second clause (we encourage it if you feel it will make you more productive). In other words, "however" implies that even though most companies discourage working from home, this company still encourages it.
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Choose the word that best completes this sentence.
Although Mary was sociable and talkative, her daughter was rather _________________.
The correct answer is "shy." We know that the blank space should be a word with the opposite meaning as "sociable and talkative" because of the word "although," which suggests a contrast, or opposite. The words "fun-loving," "disobedient," and "unhappy" do not have the opposite meaning of "sociable and talkative," so they are incorrect choices.
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Choose the word that correctly completes this sentence.
The _______________ was situated on a large plot of land in a rural county. From it, the sound of roosters crowing could be heard.
The best choice is the word "farm." The context clues that help us with this question include the words "rural", "roosters", and "large plot of land". These clues, when placed together, lend themselves most closely to a farm--not a factory, school, or shop.
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Choose the word that best completes this sentence
Despite his stylish clothing and __________ car, in reality, Stephen was actually struggling to pay his bills and was deeply in debt.
The correct answer is "luxury." This question presents a contrast, as we can tell from the words "despite" and "actually," and so we need to find a word that suggests an opposite. Stephen's clothes and car are at odds with his lack of finances, and so the best choice is "luxury" because having a luxurious car means that it is expensive. Practical, and dilapidated would all mean that his car was either a responsible choice or very cheap, whereas casual is not a good descriptive word for a car.
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Choose the word that best completes this sentence
Puppies are very needy when they are first born; similarly, kittens are quite _____________ as well.
The correct answer is "dependent." We know we are looking for a word similar in meaning to "quite needy" because the sentence has signaled that we are reading a comparison with the word, "similarly." "Dependent" means requiring the help of something or someone else, which makes sense in this context. "Independent" has the opposite meaning of "quite needy", and "fierce" or "clever" would imply that the kittens are more independent as well, while also not being good synonyms with the phrase "quite needy."
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Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
He was failing his math class because he __________ studied.
The correct answer is "never;" meaning at no time. This sentence presents a cause and effect, as we know from the word "because." If someone "usually," "sometimes," or "always" studied, the effect would probably be passing a class. If someone never studied, on the other hand, it is likely that he or she would could fail. For that reason, "never" is the best choice.
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Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
The author was _______________ as shown by her many best-sellers and crowded book tours.
The correct answer is "popular." We can tell that this is the correct answer because of the clues that say the author has "best-sellers" and "crowded book tours," phrases that show that the author is liked by many. "Inventive" is not the best choice because it means creative, which does not necessarily create fans. "Traditional" and "intelligent" likewise are not qualities that describe someone who is liked and admired by many. For that reason, the best choice is "popular."
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Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
Although Rhode Island is the smallest state in America, it holds a very ________________ place in the history of the nation.
The best choice is "notable" We know that we are looking for a contrast word because of the word "although" that begins the sentence. "Although Rhode Island is small, it is notable, or important," is a contrast that makes sense. "Minor" and "meaningless" both mean that it is unimportant--the opposite of the meaning we are searching for. "Historical" is not the best choice because it would be repetitive in this sentence ("historical place in the history"). That is why the best choice is "notable."
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At three o’clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had not yet returned. The landlady ____________ me that he had left the house shortly after eight o’clock in the morning. I sat down beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, however long he might be.
Adapted from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)
The landlady ____________ me that he had left the house shortly after eight o’clock in the morning.
The correct answer is "informed." This is because the sentence uses the past tense, and so the verb must also be in past tense. Neither "inform" nor "informing" are in past tense. The word "asked" is in past tense, but it does not make sense in this sentence, since the landlady is giving the speaker information, not asking him a question.
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Without a map, it was hard to _________ the best route to take.
Without a map, it's hard to figure out which route to take. The word that best replaces "figure out" is determine.
Though define and determine are close in meaning, to define something means to establish its definition or meaning, while determine means more to reach a conclusion or make a choice.
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Jean-Paul was a mountain guide; his _________ were useful to the group.
Expertise is a plural noun meaning skills or knowledge. It is the only choice that fits both grammatically and logically.
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It was a tough hike that would take the whole day. They needed to be sure they had enough __________.
Both the difficulty and duration of the hike indicate that the group will need to have supplies with them. Used as a noun, provisions is a synonym for supplies.
Though the word looks similar, proviso has a very different meaning: it denotes a modification or clause in a contract.
Though prerequisite also connotes preparation, it means a specific qualification one needs to have in order to be allowed to enrol in something. For example, you might say that a specific wilderness safety training course was a prerequisite to join a hiking group.
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They planned to __________ the mountain before 2:00pm in order to leave themselves plenty of time to hike back down.
Used as a verb, to summit means to reach the top of something. Because the second half of the sentence lets you know the group is going back down the mountain, this is the only answer that fits.
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There were cougars on the mountain. Jean-Paul stressed the importance of remaining _________.
Vigilant is an adjective meaning aware and attentive; vigilante is a noun meaning someone who takes the law into their own hands (like most comic book superheroes, for example).
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There was a fork in the hiking trail; the group stopped at the point where the trail __________.
From the first sentence, you know there is a fork in the road. To diverge means to extend in different directions. Although the other words sound similar, none of them has a similar meaning.
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