Section: Text Completion (1014)

1. Just as different people can have very different personalities, so too can petseven those of the
same species and breed possess varied _______.
a) Initiations (start)
b) Implementations (accomplishment)
c) Aptitudes (inherent ability or power or skill)
d) Rationalizations (making reasonable)
e) Temperaments (usual mood)
2. Frustrated by her husbands lack of ____ (i) ____, Lisa tried to motivate him to ____(ii)____ for
greater things.
1
2
Initiative (willingness to get things done)
Mitigate (to make soft or better)
Lassitude (a feeling of lack of interest or energy)
Invigorate (give life or energy to)
Eloquence (powerful and fluent talk)
Strive (to make great effort or try vigorously)
3. At the edges of the universe astronomers have discovered ____(i)____ objects called quasars, which
have given scientists the first direct____(ii)____ of the existence of stars in distant galaxies.
1
2
remote
Corroboration (confirmation that the fact is true)
Paranormal (supernatural)
Distortion (deformation)
Viscous (sticky)
Intuition (feeling that something is true)
4. If one were asked who transmitted the first radio broadcast of the human voice, one might guess the
_______ inventor Guglielmo Marconi, but in fact the feat was accomplished by the much less wellknown Reginald Fessenden.
a) Infamous
b) Renowned
c) Contingent (conditional or used to describe when something can occur only when something else does first)
d) Cogent (powerfully persuasive)
e) Insistent (demanding attention)
5. The difference in economic terms between a bond and a note is still observed by the United States
Treasury, but in other markets the _____(i)_____ the two terms has become unimportant and the
two words are used _____(ii)_____.
1
2
Distinction between
Statistically
Similarity of
interchangeably
Usefulness of
differentially
6. Now known as Administrative Professionals Day, Secretaries Day was created in 1952 by Harry F.
Klemfuss,a public relations professional who _______ the value and significance (importance) of
administrative assistants in order to attract more women to the profession.
a) Proscribed (command against, forbid)
b) Touted (to promote or publicize or praise strongly)
c) Refuted (to deny a claim or an allegation)
d) Undermined (weaken by removing underlying support)
e) Admonished (to give advice or warning to avoid something)

7. When editing manuscripts, literary scholars must remain acutely aware of textual ____(i)____; the
differences among extant (existing) versions of the same workresulting from printing errors, editing
demands, or constant revisionsoften make it ____(ii)____ for scholars to publish truly
____(iii)____ texts.
1
2
3
conformities Pejorative (negative or insulting)
Cosmetic(superficial)
anomalies
Daunting (intimidating or discouraging)
innovative
congruities
banal
Authoritative (definitive or trustworthy)
8. With a similar contrast between a partly cloudy sky and a dark street, the cover of the recent rock
CD _______ a famous surrealist painting from the early 1900s.
a) Admires
b) Obfuscates ( make obscure or unclear)
c) Evokes (call forth or remind-feelings, emotions etc)
d) Disenchants (disappoint, free from enchantments)
e) Sanctions
9. Although John F. Kennedy was known for his carefree flag football games, Gerald Ford should be
_______ as our football president: He turned down offers to play for two National Football League
teams in order to pursue a career in public service.
a) Relegated (demote)
b) Abrogated (revoke or cancel)
c) Annulled (cancel or avoid)
d) Criticized
e) Apotheosized (adore or glorify or deify)
10. Though many _______ endlessly praised his work, Dan often wished for some honest criticism.
a) Sycophants (flatterer or yes- man)
b) Pedants (a person who pays too much attention to book knowledge)
c) Benefactors
d) Adversaries
e) Mavericks (nonconformist and independent person)
11. The losing game show contestant experienced a strange mix of ____(i)_____ and ____(ii)____;
although she was disappointed that she didnt win the million dollar prize, she was still
____(iii)____ about returning to her normal life
1
Despondency(feeling
hopeless)
Fruition(fulfillment)
Decisiveness

2
Ambivalence(mixed feeling)

3
Confounded(confused)

Elation(feeling of joy)
Equivocation(ambiguousness)

Euphoric(happy)
Overwrought(deeply agitated)

12. The magazine article from 1956 decrying(disapprove or criticize) the ____(i)____ of
sequels and remakes flooding the nations movie theaters that summer ____(ii)____ the
claim that such derivative films are a uniquely 21st-century phenomenon.
1
2
Dearth(shortage)
Underscored(underline, emphasize)
quality
Belied(misrepresent or hide the truth)
Glut(overabundance or oversupply)
predicted

13. Although considerable _____(i)_____ resources had already been expended on the new drug,
development had to be halted due to adverse effects during human testing; once hailed as a
kind of _____(ii)_____ that could be used to treat numerous physical and mental ailments, the
drug will likely be remembered only as a financial albatross that bankrupted its developers.
1
2
Assiduous(diligent)
Sinecure(an office that involves minimal duties)
Pecuniary(monetary, financial)
Mendicant(beggar)
Wholesome(healthy)
Panacea(cure-all)
14. Sheila would often _______ about her boyfriends habits, but everyone could tell that her seemingly
bitter complaints were mostly facetious (funny or not serious).
a) Waffle(talk foolishly or without purpose)
b) Rail(to complain, criticize severely)
c) Dissemble(pretend)
d) Grieve(to feel sorrow)
e) Mince(chop or cut into small pieces)
15. Although the stress tests given to European banks are supposed to reassure ____(i)____ investors by
distinguishing the reliable financial institutions from the more ____(ii)____ ones, the lack of candor
from those reporting has made the test results ____(iii)____.
1
2
3
Prolix(verbose)
Precarious(insecure or unsafe)
monetary
Cantankerous(irritable)
Staunch(steadfast)
Suspect
timorous
venerated
sound
16. Carey and Skylars constant bickering (quarrel) dismayed (disappointment) their mother, who had
grown weary of their _______.
a) Squabbles (bickering, a quarrel about petty points)
b) Laudations (praise)
c) Affectations (pretense or faking)
d) Procrastinations(delaying an action for latter time)
e) Humor
17. The Mayor was so _______ by the long trial that, despite his eventual acquittal, he admitted his
failing health and declined to run for reelection.
a) Distraught(overwrought, agitated)
b) Exonerated(free from charge, acquit)
c) Inspired
d) Debilitated (to make weak)
e) Vindicated (acquit, justify, exculpate, absolve)
18. Despite her hearing loss and ____(i)____ painful arthritis, Maj was a pleasant and surprisingly
____(ii)____ dog.
1
2
mildly
Enervated (lacking strength or debilitated)
Chronically(characterized by the long suffering, agile
opposite to acute)
sympathetically
acute
19. While any bird egg will suffice (be sufficient) for the tradition of egg decorating, those with
_______ shells are preferred, so as to prevent breaking when their contents are hollowed.
a) Tenuous(very thin)
b) Pristine(immaculately clean and unused)
c) Permeable

d) Resilient(recover readily from adversity)

e) Obtuse(thick)
20. Hand-cuffing the two ____(i)____ men stopped the ____(ii)____ violence, but did nothing to
cease(stop) the volley of ____(iii)____ they continued to yell at each other.
1
2
3
Prevaricating(lying)
Corporeal(bodily)
Epithets(abusive word or insult)
Moiling(working hard)
Rhetorical(relating to using
blows
language effectively)
Belligerent(aggressive)
Histrionic(perfect for the stage) Projectiles(weapon)
21. Though she willingly admitted that the ____(i)____ town was scenically beautiful, Christine could
not help but feel it was ____(ii)____ backwater compared to her previous home in the city.
1
2
Sprawling (spreading out in different directions)
A cultural
Desolate (separated, deserted)
An attractive
Bucolic (rural and pleasant)
A picaresque (adventure)
22. The Roman Empires military and political _______ was often challenged by the smaller but
ambitious Persians, who for centuries fought wars, intended to usurp(to seize by force) Romes
dominion.
a) Heterodoxy (unorthodox belief)
b) Methodology
c) Hegemony (dominance)
d) Impotence (powerlessness)
e) Timorousness (fearfulness)
23. The chairmans ____(i)____ comments about the environmental disaster caused people to grow
even angrier at the company, ____(ii)____ a situation that was already ____(iii)____.
1
2
3
Compassionate (sympathetic)
Edifying (helping to understand) Parlous(perilous, dangerous or fraught with danger)
Glib (fluent, often in deceptive way) Exacerbating (making worse) Inured (accustomed, habituated)
Solicitous (showing or feeling
Mollifying (mitigating)
Compliant (obedient, submissive)
worry, concerned)

24. Allowing distinguished figures to ____(i)____ on their experiences, lives and wisdom learned, the
memoir genre has given us such significant works as Ulysses S. Grants Personal Memoirs, an
interesting, well-written account of his days as a general and a president. At the opposite end of the
spectrum, the genre also provides an outlet for anyone who wants to share any ____(ii)____
experience, as evidenced by the ____(iii)____ release of a fly-by-night (temporary) internet
celebritys memoir next month.
1
Extemporize(improvise, perform

Apocryphal

Laudable

Petty (small and of little importance)

Eccentric

Laughable
Impending (imminent)

without preparation)

Expatiate(elaborate in order to clear up)

Exagitate( to stir up or agitate)

25. Although Fathers Day, first celebrated in 1908, is now an honored tradition in the United States, it
did not always enjoy such _____(i)_____; rather, unofficial _____(ii)_____ from prominent figures
such as Woodrow Wilson and William Jennings Bryan were required before Americans embraced
the holiday.
1
Decorum
Ennui (tiredness and boredom)
Esteem

2
Opprobrium (infamy or dishonor)
Accolades (honor, praise)
hyperbole

26. Some conservative theologians subscribe to the belief of Biblical ____(i)____ as far as the Scripture
never being wrong when it comes to revealing God, his vision, and his news to humanity. However,
other literalist Christians believe the ____(ii)____ refers to the Bible being without error in every
way, including matters of chronology, history, biology, sociology, politics, et cetera.
1
Inerrancy
Fallacy
Interpretation

2
Centurion
Erudition (profound scholarly knowledge)
doctrine

27. When he was alive, the magnate was described as arrogant, bitterly critical, and ____(i)____.
Nevertheless, the speaker, who was often the victim of his legendary ____(ii)____, was able to find
____(iii)____ things to say about him.
1
2
3
Efficacious Diatribes (an angry speech that strongly criticizes a person or thing)
magnanimous
Bellicose
Encomiums
Imperious (arrogant)
Chastened
Eulogies
Vindictive
28. When the mother _____(i)_____ the disruptive (troubled) child, she did not expect his siblings to
encourage malevolent behavior; rather, she anticipated that the children would mock and
_____(ii)_____ their troublesome brother and through this punishment, he would refrain from
harassing others.
1
2
Touted
Deride (ridicule)
Calumniated (defame, to lie to tarnish(stain) someone elses
Laud
reputation)

Pilloried (punish, criticize violently)

Renege (fail to keep promise, go back on)

29. Many city-dwellers have a _______ of knowledge about their food sources: indeed, a number of
people have never even seen a live chicken or cow.
a) Pith (central idea or essence of something)
b) Dross (waste)
c) Surfeit (excess)
d) Dirge (requiem)
e)
Dearth (shortage)
30. Most fans dismissed the press release detailing the comedians ill health as a hoax (trick), as she had
frequently _______ her audience by feigning (belie or pretend) a physical ailment as part of her stage
routine.
a) Reconnoitered (explore)
b) Hoodwinked (to cheat or to trick)
c) Lambasted (censure severely)
d) Vitiated (demoralize or debase)
e) Derided (catcall, mock at in scorn or contempt)

31. An aloe plant may be an excellent choice for those who are interested in gardening but keep busy
schedules; aloes easily _______ without frequent watering or careful maintenance.
a) Facilitate
b) Ingest (consume or absorb)
c) Consume
d) Flourish
e) Advance
32. Howards friends recognize that his nervous ____(i)____ on meeting strangers belies an underlying
gregariousness (sociability) , while new acquaintances often ____(ii)____ perceive him as churlish
(rude).

1
Chatter
Silences
Banter (joking)

2
Falsely
Accurately
quickly

33. The artist, who specialized in _______ scenes, eagerly sat down to paint his favorite landscapea
peaceful pasture (ground with grass) filled with hills and valleys.
a) Halcyon (calm and peaceful)
b) perennial
c) Bucolic (pastoral)
d) Eclectic
e) Quiescent (quiet and sluggish)
34. Her performance review noted that Jill suffers from a lack of ____(i)____, and often makes insulting
remarks despite her best efforts to be polite; worse, the review went on to point out that it happens
regularly, even though she has no intention of ____(ii)____ anyone.
1
2
Candor (frankness)
Exacerbating (making worse or aggravating)
Tact (polite, perception)
lauding
Deference (respect)
Denigrating (belittling)
35. The administration had nothing but contempt (hatred) for the ultimate Frisbee team and frequently
spoke _______ of it.
a) Didactically (pedagogically)
b) Affably
c) Jocularly
d) Morosely (with depressed, opposite to cheerfully)
e) Disdainfully (with hatred)
36. By disclosing and explaining the details of her personal finances before they could be used against
her, the council member ____(i)____ her opponents attacks during the campaign. Rather than
waiting to react to the inevitable criticism should her opponent find something questionable, her
campaign manager thought this strategy would be more ____(ii)____.
1
Prefigured
Decried (express strong disapproval of)
Precluded (prevent something from happening)

2
Enigmatic
Pragmatic
dogmatic

37. Lindsay, cognizant of the effects of second-hand smoke but hesitant to inconvenience her party
guests, _______, as she was unsure whether to ask people to smoke outside during the party.
a) Dissembled
b) Vacillated (be undecided about anything)
c) Equivocated (be deliberately ambiguous in order to mislead)
d) Disparaged
e) Concurred
38. The literary agent took ____(i)____ at the statement that slush piles are nothing but ____(ii)____;
he argued that several major authors, including Stephenie Meyer, Judith Guest, and even Anne
Frank, were discovered in such piles of unsolicited (not asked for), soon-to-be-rejected manuscripts.
1
2
Gratification (satisfaction) Requisitions (request)
Accession
Dross (worthless)
Umbrage (offence)
Compendium (collection)
39. While some academics applaud the modernist movement in many universities to treat history and
fiction as inherently related fields, there remains a vocal group of traditional historians and literary
critics who _____(i)_____ such _____(ii)_____ worldview and insist that the _____(iii)_____
nature of the two disciplines must be inviolate (protected).
1
2
3
Venerate
a dogmatic
Separate
Deride
An axiomatic (evident without proof) Logical
Celebrate
A heretical (heterodox)
intertwined
40. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were one of the first major American novels to be written in
_______ voice, using the unaffected language of the common person describing everyday events.
a) An erudite (having or showing profound knowledge, learned)
b) A reticent (reserved and silent)
c) An urbane (polished, refined, sophisticated)
d) A quotidian (everyday ordinary, mundane)
e) A quixotic (romantic but impractical)
41. The question of when, if ever, history can be considered ____(i)____ is contentious, to say the least.
One could argue, for example, that any evaluation of the 180-year-old presidency of Andrew
Jackson would likely be ____(ii)____ the controversies that define evaluations of more
contemporaneous political leaders, and yet a plethora of passionately held views continues to
polarize. The ____(iii)____ of any one judgment is perhaps the one certainty surrounding the issue.
1
2
3
Apolitical
Characteristics of
Objectivity
Tendentious
Free from
Mellifluousness
Unexpurgated
Mired in
subjectivity

42. The ____(i)____ state of the citys public schools certainly demands immediate attention, but it is
important that our remedies be thoughtful and comprehensive. While appropriate measures of
teacher performance and subsequent accountability will undoubtedly play a vital role in revitalizing
our schools, it would be ____(ii)____ the many other factors at play, factors as widely divergent as
the systems deteriorating physical capital and students home lives. Even the most talented teachers
are challenged, for example, to ____(iii)____ of an unstable or abusive home environment on a
students ability to learn.
1
Execrable (worst and hateful)
Tendentious (biased)
Transient

2
An error to neglect
A solution to ignore
A panacea to solve

3
Terminate the ability
Mitigate the effects
Exacerbate the influence

43. With his relentless energy but equally diminutive (small) attention span, Garlin _____(i)_____ his
talents on several potentially exciting but uncompleted projects, much to the dismay of his friends
who, while venerating his enthusiasm,____(ii)____ his unfocused nature.
1
Squandered (spend wastefully)
Evinced (to express clearly)
Burnished

2
Impugned (challenge as wrong)
Parried (impede or block the movement of)
Defalcated (embezzle)

44. The origins of La Tomatina, an annual Spanish event in which participants hurl overripe tomatoes at
one another for up to two hours, are _______, with possible theories including a friendly food fight
and a volley (hit) aimed at a bad musician.
a) Esoteric
b) Ephemeral
c) Apposite (appropriate)
d) Nebulous (vague)
e) Ubiquitous
45. The _______ group in the adjoining room made it difficult for students taking the mid-term
examination to concentrate.
a) Obstreperous (noisily aggressive)
b) Quiescent
c) Rapacious (greedy or voracious)
d) Enervated (lethargic)
e) Antagonistic (aggressive)

46. Susan _______ the theater; she bought tickets for all the shows put on by the local drama group.
a) Abhorred
b) Cherished
c) Owned
d) Loathed
e) Managed

47. The so-called thieves cant was a ____(i)____ language created by thieves, beggars, and swindlers
in England in the 1530s to allow them to communicate without the authorities knowing what was
going on. Although the cant was widely used by criminal subcultures five hundred years ago, it is
now mostly ____(ii)____, found only in literature and fantasy role-playing games.
1
Clandestine (secret)
Bourgeois (middle class)
Sacrilegious (disrespectful towards something sacred)

2
Obsolete
Pervasive
Contemporary

48. Currently _______ in philately (stamp collector), Roger decided to pursue his new hobby because he
had already become an expert numismatist (coin collector).
a) A dilettante (amateur)
b) A philanderer
c) A mentor (guru)
d) A specialist
e) An eccentric
49. While the ____(i)____ structures of Lego projects are often impressive, its the internal
____(ii)____ such as flower pots, sink fixtures, and working windows that make them truly magical.
1
2
August (honorable)
Minutiae (a small detail)
External
Stratagems (a scheme or clever plot)
Incidental (minor)
Proboscises (long nose)
50. Prior to taking on the new invader, the defending army had engaged in arduous (toilsome) combat; it
is likely that the _______ resulting from waging two battles in two days played a part in its
subsequent defeat.
a) Bellicosity
b) Pugnacity
c) Pacification
d) Enervation
e) Aggravation
51. Often considered one of the best films in cinematic history, Breakfast at Tiffanys faced several
____(i)____ during production. The films star, Audrey Hepburn, almost refused the part, afraid it
would ____(ii)____ her pristine (perfect) image; further, the film faced intense scrutiny (investigation)
from censors, and the director had to make several compromises to ____(iii)____ them.
1
2
3
Complications
augment
Assuage
Harbingers (indication for something) Tarnish (stain)
Refute
Advancements
Peruse (read carefully)
discomfort

52. The ____(i)____ of medieval papal (issued by the pope) power was the pontificate (pope) of Innocent III,
whose immense (huge) personal prestige cowed monarchs from the powerful Philip II Augustus of
France to the ____(ii)____ John of England, who earned such derisive (mocking) epithets (nick name) as
Lackland and Softsword. Even before Innocents tenure, though, the involvement of Pope
Henry IV in the Investiture Conflict had begun to hint at the tension between spiritual and
____(iii)____ leadership that would eventually boil over in the Protestant Reformation.
1
2
3
Zenith
Feckless (incompetent, inept)
Archaic (dated)
Perigee
Intemperate
Temporal (worldly)
Antipathy
Resplendent (stunning)
Consecrated (holy)
53. Ironically, the myth of Martin Van Burens _________ was due largely to circumstances that had
little to do with Van Buren himself; in reality, of all the U.S. presidents since Andrew Jackson, Van
Buren exceeded the average in education, intellect, and experience.
a) Profundity
b) Stoicism
c) Mediocrity (ordinariness or averageness)
d) Aptitude
e) Malleability
54. Some argue that profiting from terrible suffering by publishing photographic books about natural
disasters is shameless _____(i)_____, but perhaps the practice has the _____(ii)_____ effect of
helping us to appreciate the humanity of people living far way.
1
Presumptuous (arrogant)
Idolatrous (blindly devoted)
Profiteering (making unreasonable profit, exploitation)

2
Salutary (beneficial, esp. to health)
Specious (plausible but false)
Sedulous (assiduous)

55. While she may have answered him truthfullyin the strictest sense of the wordit became clear to
Sergei after the incident that Sheryl had actually been trying to _______.
a) Vituperate (vilify, spread negative information about)
b) Obfuscate (make obscure to hide the truth)
c) Illuminate (make brighter, light up)
d) Covert
e) Desiccate (dry out)
56. Certainly a roundabout narrative, the bookmuch like the others in the authors pseudoautobiographical seriesproved to be unpopular among those who preferred ________ to
loquaciousness (talkativeness).
a) Succinctness (terseness)
b) Enlargement
c) Garrulousness (loquaciousness)
d) Gregariousness
e) Perspicacity (sharpness)

57. During training to handle ____(i)____ arguments, the students on the debate team practiced
techniques for quickly coming up with remarks that were ____(ii)____ even when they might know
very little about the topic and would have only a few minutes to prepare.

1
Spurious
Extemporaneous
Contentious

2
Sanctimonious (hypocritically pious)
Germane (relevant)
seditious (instigative to rebellion)

58. Although they stood with the congressman in a tenuous (weak) display of solidarity (unity), the
incensed (angry) commissioners could not conceal their _______.
a) Camaraderie (friendship and loyalty)
b) Rancor (bitter anger or resentment)
c) Adulation (hypocritical praise)
d) Facetiousness (playful humor)
e) Hubris (excessive pride or confidence)
59. The ____(i)____ with which the second-string quarterback managed to turn the tide of the game
shocked even those who were familiar with his skills. Previously, he was more infamous for his
deceitful ____(ii)____ of the field than for anything he had accomplished with a ball in his hand, but
his immediate impact on the decisive game is likely to turn some of his erstwhile (former) doubters
into ____(iii)____ fans.
1
2
3
Indolence (torpor)
Petulance
Recumbent (lying down for comfort)
Alacrity
Chicanery
Ardent
Probity
Recidivism (going back to a previous Fetid (rotten, rank, smelly, stinking)
behavior, especially criminal behavior)

60. The magazine article was ____(i)____ about the police commissioners accomplishments. Although
some lawyers groups argued against the appropriateness of his tactics, the double-digit drop in the
crime rate since his appointment suggests that all the journalists praise was ____(ii)____.
1
Effusive (over enthusiastic)
Tentative
Bombastic (pompous)

2
Specious
Presumptuous
Apposite (appropriate)

61. Rich found the chance shift in the path of the storm ____(i)____, as he was hoping to use the excuse
of heavy weather to ____(ii)____ more much needed time. With the deadline ____(iii)____ and his
credibility on the line, he will have to find a way to get the presentation done .
1
2
3
Hilarious
Deplete
deferred
Disappointing
Garner (gather or gain)
Nigh (near)
Successful
Refuse
audacious
62. The defense attorneys _______ closing statement was not enough to sway the jurors in his clients
favor; stirring (exciting strong feeling) words could not conceal the defendants evident guilt.
a) Deceptive
b) Eloquent
c) Lengthy
d) Crafty
e) Impromptu

63. A recent Harris Poll indicated that many professions have seen a decline in their ____(i)____over
the past several years; teaching, in contrast, has ____(ii)____ more respect over the same time
period.

1
Ranks
Prestige
Fortunes

2
Reflected
Squandered (waste)
Reaped (win, get, gather, acquire)

64. In 1770s colonial New England, Puritans _______ the celebration of Christmas, which they
considered to be an odious reminder of the Popes tyranny.
a) Placated
b) Extolled
c) Circumscribed (limited)
d) tempered
e) repudiated (refuse to acknowledge, cast off, abandon)
65. The ____(i)____ lining of an eggshell is ____(ii)____, and this is the reason using salt water to boil
an egg can make the egg taste salty. For the same reason, it is important not to store eggs in the
refrigerator with uncovered, strong-smelling food items since the scents can ____(iii)____ the egg,
causing it to taste bad.
1
2
3
Impermeable
Permeate
Yolk (the yellow spherical part of an
egg that is surrounded by the
albumen)

Membrane (a pliable tissue)

Albumen (egg white)

Flexible
Porous

Addle (mix up, become rotten)

infect

66. Many dog owners treat their pets too _______, forgetting that canines (k-9, doglike) have evolved in
competitive environments in which emotional coddling (treat with excessive indulgence) was a sign of
weakness.
a) Aggressively
b) Quixotically (unrealistically)
c) Fortuitously
d) indulgently
e) belligerently
67. As part of Marina Abramovis groundbreaking exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New
York City, the artist herself logged (cut lumber) 700 hours over the course of 3 months in a small chair.
Visitors were invited to sit across from the performance artists stolid countenance, for whatever
____(i)____ they desired, the ____(ii)____ sitting for only a few moments and the bold sitting for
several hours; the visitors thus became ____(iii)____ components of the piece, wittingly or
unwittingly.
1
2
3
Motive
Irresolute (cowardly)
Integral
Tenure(period of time to hold a
Boorish (rude)
Culpable (blameworthy)
office)

Approbation

Genial (amiable)

Nascent (beginning)

68.

Repulsed by _______ employees, the executive informed his staff that he preferred

constructive criticism to calculated flattery.

a) Natty (marked by up-to-datedness in dress and manners)
b) Profligate (wasteful)
c) Rapacious (greedy)
d) Sententious (concise, pithy)
e) Obsequious (flattering, fawning)

69. Students may consider modernist works such as James Joyces Finnegans Wake to be more
_______ than Victorian prose: Victorian narratives are linear and predictable, while Joyces tortuous
plots are fragmented and fickle (unpredictable), and they confound (puzzle, amaze, confuse) the reader.
a) Banal
b) Recondite
c) Elegiac (sad, mournful)
d) Mundane
e) Panegyric (highly complimentary)
70. It struck Professor Steele as _____(i)_____ that the eighteenth-century Bavarians devoted such
effort to building houses of worship because at the same time, the rest of Europes religious fervor
was _____(ii)_____, while movements such as nihilism gained steam.
1
Felicitous (fortunate, lucky)
Anomalous
Querulous

2
Weltering (roll over)
Forswearing (abnegate, reject)
Dissipating (disperse)

71. Ancient generals, lacking modern technologies such as radio and satellite communication, often
found that one of the most significant challenges in warfare was accurate _______ of the myriad
(countless) of changes on the battlefield or in the campaign.
a) fortifications
b) adulterations
c) appraisal (assessment)
d) accretion
e) adumbration (prediction)
72. In psychological literature, the sleeper effect refers to the phenomenon in which a persuasive
message from a trustworthy source loses _______ over time, while the efficacy of a message from a
less credible source simultaneously increases.
a) preciseness
b) erudition
c) evasiveness (vagueness)
d) control
e) cogency (validity, relevance)
73. Pundits do not believe that the sporadic (irregular) calls for her ouster (The state of being ejected, forced out)
outcries spurred by both her unusual lifestyle and social policieshave compelled the monarch to
seriously consider _______.
a) abnegation
b) vacillation
c) castigation
d) asceticism (self-restraint)
e) misanthropy

74. For some time, scientists refused to believe that Earths continents are made of moving tectonic
plates. Physicists, who could not devise a theory to explain the now-accepted process, rejected the
theory outright, as did geologists, who were far too ____(i)____ in their thinking, thereby
____(ii)____ the advancement of science for a time.
1
2
Officious (meddling, interfering)
Checking
Assiduous
Limning (a drawing of the outlines of forms or objects)
Dogmatic

Asseverating (asserting, saying)

75. E.L. Doctorow argues that the role of artists in the 21st century is to provide a reminder that even in
____(i)____world, one thing is ____(ii)____: America will always be a nation of ____(iii)____ free
expression.
1
2
3
An Arcadian (pastoral)
Egregious (very bad)
Unfettered (unrestricted)
An idiosyncratic
Autonomous
Circumscribed (restricted)
A volatile
Immutable (undeniable, absolute,
Jingoistic (fanatically patriotic)
unchangeable)

76. Dolly Madison, the wife of President James Madison, was known especially for her _______,
remaining calm even as the British invaded Washington D.C. during the War of 1812.
impracticality

cynicism (distrust)
equanimity (calmness)
zeal

malevolence (wishing ill to others)

77. Seth was extremely _______, and did not enjoy activities that required effort to meet new people.
extroverted
introverted (timid, shy)
gregarious

lackluster (jaded)

jaded (exhausted)
78. Though Denises colleagues occasionally took the distant look on her face to mean that she was
____(i)___, she was actually thoroughly ____(ii)____ of what was happening in the office at all
times.
1
2
truant (absent without permission)
insensible
oblivious (do not notice, unaware, forgetful)
sedulous (diligent)
fetching (attractive, eye-catching)
cognizant (aware)
79. Some religious leaders have declared inaction on environmental issues to be _______, because it
may now be considered a sin to pollute the earth.
fathomable

splenetic (irritable)
iniquitous (sinful)

diaphanous (so thin as to transmit light)

dilatory (slow)

80. Because he ate high-calorie snacks while riding the exercise bike, Julie ridiculed DeRays workout
(exercise) philosophy as _______.

fatuous (foolish, stupid, meaningless)

pithy (terse)
indolent (lazy)
hackneyed

precarious (uncertain)
81. Marty could not help but view the glass as half-empty: for example, when the economy turned
around (improve dramatically) and jobs began to ____(i)____,Marty insisted to all who would listen that
the good news would be quite transient, that another recession was ____(ii)____, and that those who
doubted him would later appreciate his unwillingness to celebrate.
1

proliferate
aggrandize
pique (to make someone angry /stimulate or excite)

superfluous (abundant)
imminent
odious

82. The recent convert, still a _______ with respect to the rites of her church, did not yet feel
completely comfortable in her new faith.
pilgrim

iconoclast (one who challenges traditional establishments)

ascetic (one who practices self-denial as a spiritual discipline)

tyro (novice)
poseur (a person who habitually pretends to be something he is not)
83. Veeder claims that the very notion (fanciful idea) of the existence of synonyms is____(i)____, as words
depend on ____(ii)____, connotation, and linguistic and cultural context for their ____(iii)____
meanings.
1
veracious
fallacious
maladaptive (do not show

2
denotation (indication)
cogitation (hard thinking or study)
mastication (chewing)

3
subjective
distinct
interchangeable

welcome to changes)

84. Politicians tendency to ____(i)____ their own virtues by demeaning their opponents is
____(ii)____: what if voters forget the name of the candidate and remember only that of his
adversary?
1
2
enfeeble (make weak)
injudicious (unwise)
tout (to praise, advertize positively to show off)
ostentatious
democratize
apt (appropriate)
85. Video game enthusiasts know that, while the astounding advances in technological innovation might
increase the level of fun of the gaming experience, such a result is by no means (definitely not)_______.
desultory (purposeless, aimless)
endemic (widespread, or in specific region or people)
salient (main)

ineluctable (inevitable)
seminal (fundamental, original)

86. Middlemarch author George Eliot reportedly (according to report) bemoaned the dearth of ____(i)____
women, of which her well-educated main character, Dorothea, was a ____(ii)____. Therefore, Eliot
scholars have long debated the authors meaning in marrying Dorothea to the elderly preacher
Casaubon and having him exploit his bride for ____(iii)____ needs.
1
2
3
captious (tending to find fault to
paradigm
menial
everything)

erudite (scolarly, learned)

venal (corrupt, bribable)

misogynist (does not like women)

chimera (imagination)

clerical
nebulous (fuzzy, indistinct)

87. Dismissed by the establishment, professing (an open avowal of some belief) nothing but disdain for the
canon (priest), and yet beloved by his followers who trumpet (pronounce, state) his _______ opinions,
the raffish (carefree, devil-may-care) pundit is laughing all the way to the bank.

iconoclastic (challenging the establishments)

blithe (carefree and happy)

inveterate (habitual)

meretricious (showy and deceptive)

metriless
88. The 1966 opening of the relatively expansive Grace Memorial Bridge signaled a ____(i)____
improvement in highway safety in the low country of South Carolina; the old bridge had been
____(ii)____ narrow, creating a ____(iii)____ driving experience for traders and tourists alike.
1
2
3
prodigious (so great in size or
insufficiently
malodorous
force)

subsidiary (secondary)
radiant (bright)

meagerly (insufficiently)
precariously (insecurely)

cantankerous (irritable)
perilous (fraught in danger)

89. Sarah Grands short story, The Tenor and the Boy was a ____(i)____ account of her popular novel
The Heavenly Twins, for it was published years before the novel was completed. Unlike the novels
characters, who were drawn in rich detail, the short story contained mere ____(ii)____ caricatures.
1
2
fallow (unploughed, unplowed)
fractious (easily irritable)
parochial (narrowly restricted in outlook)
dynamic
nascent (emergent, emerging)
unbedizened (unadorned)
90. One might sometimes wonder whether some of the stories passed down through generations are
veritable or ____(i)___; whether the heroes had such endless mettle or were, in their hearts,
occasionally ____(ii)____; and whether the denizens (habitant) of the times described were really so
____(ii)____, or were perhaps tinged with a bit of guile.
1
2
3
heretical (heterodox)
pusillanimous (cowardly)
halcyon (calm)
jejune (uninteresting and
arrant (utter, complete)
ingenuous
insignificant)

apocryphal

insouciant (nonchalant, unconcerned)

piquant (savory, tasty)

91. Although his latest project was relatively _______ little more than a few basic plot points
scribbled (write carelessly) on a napkinthe veteran screenwriter easily sold the story to a major
Hollywood studio.
undeveloped
polished
convoluted
prosaic
tortuous
92. Despite being located in hot and sunny California, San Francisco is famous for its _______ weather,
engendered by the confluence of two different meteorological systems in the Bay Area.
stimulating
adverse

balmy (mild)
appealing
duplicitous (two-faced)
93. Possessing few natural resources upon its newly-granted independence in 1863, Singapore remained
economically _______ until an influx of industrialization and foreign investment took hold there.
powerful
prosperous
solvent
fortuitous (accidental)
dubious
94. Wealth and technology wrought (shaped) by industrialization gave nations in the northern
hemisphere strategic ____(i)____. This included sophisticated weaponry that could easily
overpower the more ____(ii)____ arms held by the countries of the southern hemisphere.
1
2
adoration
intricate
advantage
perilous
consequence
rudimentary
95. Even though legislators claimed the Contagious Diseases Acts strengthened the nation, social
purists (pedant) argued the Acts _______ the nations moral growth by encouraging licentious
behavior.
advanced
ameliorate
hampered
supplanted (replace)
enhanced
96. The new lecture halls _______ design reflected the architects minimalist (simple and modest)
influences.
posh (elegant and fashionable)
intricate
unadorned

refulgent (radiant)
grandiose (big but unnecessary)
97. Bentham provided the conceptual model for modern prisons, though not the actual structural model.
In Benthams ____(i)____, a central watchtower provided a ____(ii)____ view of all subjects under
surveillance (observation) , theoretically allowing the guard to observe all of their actions; the tower,
however, was structured in such a way that the subjects being observed could not see the guard.

This meant that the prisoners were forced to assume that they were being ____(iii)___, even when
the guard was of-duty, allowing prison administrators to be economical in their employment of
guards.
1
schematic (model, plan)
epitome (abstract, prcis, outline)
quintessence (epitome)

2
constricted (thin, slight)
panoramic (wide ranging view)
salubrious

3
castigated
scrutinized (examined closely)
exonerated

98. The grave accusations made by the plaintiff were almost entirely _____(i)_____ the testimony of
two witnesses. Therefore, when the court _____(ii)_____ the credentials (proof) of those witnesses,
the plaintiffs case disintegrated, and the relevant claims were shown to be _____(iii)_____.
1
2
3
subservient to
vindicated
facetious
isolated from
repudiated (reject)
unerring (correct)
dependent on
debated
specious
99. Modern tennis fans have come to realize that, although, quantum technological leaps in racquet
technology have lead to _______ increases in the speed and power with which players can hit the
ball, this has not necessarily lead to a more entertaining game.
innocuous
halcyon
malleable
commensurate (proportionate)
tractable
100.
Many Major League Baseball relief pitchers choose an electrifying theme song to play as
they take the mound; the song _______ their fans and instills fear in their opponents.
eviscerates (take away a vital part of something)
enervates
assuages

innervates (stimulate to action)

pervades
101.
Emmet Ray, a fictional jazz guitarist in Woody Allens film Sweet and Lowdown, is a
paradoxical character; while he displays sophisticated musical artistry, his personality is typically
_______.
petulant
elegant
audacious

maladroit (clumsy)
multi-faceted
102.

The editorial, though intended to ____(i)____ the current administration, inadvertently

____(ii)____ several claims made against the regime suggested as a preferable alternative,
effectively ____(iii)____ any plans for a change in leadership.
1
2
3
impugn (challenge as false)
attenuated (to make or become weaker) politicizing (change, alter)
bolster (support and strengthen)
substantiated (to give support to a
metamorphosing (transform)
(accidently)

claim)

venerate

benighted (darken)

castrating

(weaken)

103.
Humans have a natural affinity for Vervet monkeys; in both their habits and their
personalities, they remind us of the essential humanity of non-human creatures. Vervet monkeys,
like most humans, are ____(i)____, conducting most of their activities during the day. Their
____(ii)____ behavior and desire for company shows us that humans are not the only species that
values ____(iii)____.
1
2
3
quotidian (mundane)
collaborative (accomplished by
litheness (flexibility)
working together, cooperative)

circadian
diurnal (opp. nocturnal)

gregarious
egregious (bad or intolerable)

camaraderie (friendship, company)

fatuity (folly, foolishness)

104.
A mathematician should not automatically reject theorems that might at first seem witless
or juvenile; advanced degrees are not a license for ____(i)___, nor do they ____(ii)____ arrogance
or egotism.
1
2
haughtiness (snobbishness, consider oneself as better
sanction
than anyone)

puerility (childishness)
substantiation (validation, confirmation)

dispel (disperse)
cultivate (promote)

105.
Bettelheims ____(i)____ of Hansel and Gretel is thorough and well-researched, but
ultimately not compelling due to his ____(ii)____ focus, which is severely constricted by his narrow
worldview.
1
2
incantation (magic spell made of words)
parochial
exegesis (interpretation)
sweeping (wide, broad)
relish (enjoyment)
jaundiced (unenthusiastic, jaded)