2 020 E SSENTIALS

CHOICES SENTENCES

V OCABULARY D RILL B

Directions: Select the CHOICE (on the left) that best fits a SENTENCE (on the right). Note: each CHOICE can only be used once.

A. callow B. candid C. capacious D. capricious E. captious

1) Though the house was _____ , it could not accommodate the large, extended family. 2) Fate is a _____ creature; its shifts are as unpredictable as a temperamental child. 3) The _____ fellow was but a mere lad in the ways of the world. 4) Because his responses were so _____ , the candidate attracted voters in want of plain-spoken politicians. 5) Cantankerous and _____ , the grumpy old man complained about everything.

A. camaraderie B. caricature C. catharsis D. chagrin E. chicanery
6) Though the army provided a _____ she had never felt before, the young soldier still acted like a loner. 7) To his _____ , the indolent student garnered the lowest SAT score in the nation. 8) The confession became a _____ for the criminal, who had repressed his guilt for years. 9) Falling behind in the polls, the candidate resorted to attack ads and political _____ to win the election. 10) The thin-skinned politician did not take kindly to the political _____s that mocked his bald head.

A. charlatan B. chauvinist C. clairvoyant D. confederate E. connoisseur
11) As a _____ of fine art, she was expected to articulate the virtues of the painting. 12) Because he aided and abetted in the murder, the man was a _____ of the murderer. 13) Considered a _____ of the stock market, she predicts market trends long before any one else. 14) Considered a _____ , she cannot be relied on to give an impartial opinion about her country. 15) Though exposed as nothing more than a _____ , the so-called expert on foreign affairs was still able to

convince many that he had more than limited knowledge on the subject.

A. capitulate B. carp C. censor D. censure E. champion
16) Because of security concerns, the militarys policy is to _____ letters that soldiers send home. 17) The ACLU, a foe of censorship, _____ the rights of those who opposed the militarys policy. 18) All the irate customer wanted to do was to _____ even after the store offered a refund and an apology. 19) After months of intense negotiations, management relented and _____ to the unions demands. 20) The disgraced senator was formally _____ by his colleagues for his gross negligence while in office.

A. chimerical B. churlish C. circuitous D. circumspect E. clandestine
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21) The dangers are real and imminent, not _____ and remote. 22) Though the groups _____ meetings raised suspicions, a federal investigation could not uncover any

wrongdoing by the group.

23) Fearful of critical backlash, the writer was _____ not to offend anyone in his new book. 24) Because a direct ascent was impossible, the pioneers had to follow a _____ path around the mountain. 25) Her _____ behavior became insufferable and eventually caused everyone on facebook to defriend her.

CHOICES

SENTENCES

A. cloying B. cogent C. cognitive D. complacent E. complaisant

26) Naturally reticent and _____ , the student did all she could not to speak out of turn or obtrusively. 27) Even though the attorney made a _____ argument in front of the jury, he could not get an acquittal for

his client.
28) Because the last game was a complete rout, the winning team was _____ about defeating the same team

in the rematch.
29) The concussion was severe enough to impair his sense of balance and his _____ abilities. 30) Despite the _____ dialogue, the romantic melodrama offered a plot that was anything but saccharine.

A. compulsive B. compulsory C. concrete

D. condescending

31) Since it needed for a standing army at full strength at all times, the country forced everyone who

turned 17 to perform four years of _____ military service.

32) The _____ gambler has avoided going near any casino because his addiction is too strong to avoid. 33) The police had to let the suspect go because they lacked any _____ evidence of his guilt. 34) Seed teachers only act _____ because they are superior to their students; otherwise, they behave quite

modestly at social events.

35) The rat-infested, damp, ramshackle building was hardly _____ to healthy living.

E. conducive

A. conjure B. connive C. consecrate D. consign E. consolidate

36) Deemed unfit to be a mother, she was ordered to _____ her parental rights over to the state. 37) The government had _____d with intelligence agencies to conduct illegal wiretapping. 38) A consummate raconteur, she effortlessly used words that could _____ up the most remarkable images

in her audiences minds.

39) The once bitter enemies became allies to _____ their power in order to defend their land from the

invading hordes.
40) The once bitter enemies became allies to _____ the site designated for the new cathedral.

A. clemency B. collusion C. conflagration D. confluence E. consensus

41) Even though the _____ spread rapidly and destroyed huge tracts of forest land, the ranger viewed such

fires as a necessary occurrence in the cycle of nature.

42) The _____ of cultures promoted mutual understanding and led to some eradication of racism. 43) In _____ with arms dealers, the government illegally provided weapons to the embattled rebel forces of

its enemy.
44) Though the candidate had a _____ of support from the delegates, he did not have the popular vote of the

constituents.
45) The penitent convict sought _____ from the judge who was known to render very lenient sentences.

A. coddle B. coerce C. complement D. concede E. confound

46) Since the confession was _____d by the police during their interrogation, it was ruled inadmissible. 47) The success of the company _____d the experts who expected that it would flounder during the

recession.
48) His libretto _____s the opera so well that most people are inclined to remember the lyrics more than the

music.
49) Surprisingly, the child so ____d by his parents grew up to be independent and resourceful. 50) Though his poll numbers were very low, the candidate refused to _____ defeat.
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CHOICES

SENTENCES

A. consternation B. conundrum C. convention D. corollary E. correlation

51) An unfortunate _____ of the recent city budget cuts will be the ensuing massive layoffs. 52) As I watched the con and the nun play on the same drum, I stood puzzled and dismayed at the _____ . 53) The conundrum caused others to stop and stare, and I could tell from their disconcerted expressions

that they felt the same _____ I did.

54) Though a con and a nun playing music together may go against social _____ , it shouldnt have caused

our consternation.
55) After all, there are stranger _____s than that between a con and a nun.

A. contemptible B. contemptuous C. contrite D. contrived E. convivial
56) Though the party was _____ and festive, there was an undercurrent of gloom and defeatism among the

partygoers.

57) The UCLA students rant against minorities was both bigoted and _____ . 58) Although the students apology was _____ , many felt it did not express enough remorse. 59) Those who doubted the sincerity of the students compunction could only glare _____ly at the student. 60) Others believed that the students apology was not _____ but genuine.

A. constitute B. construe C. contend D. converge E. countermand
61) Before her theory could be proven, the scientist had to _____ with a community of scientists who

disagreed with her findings.

62) The instructor reiterated the same lesson many times to ensure his words would be _____d correctly. 63) Though single parents _____ a large proportion of the poor, that does not mean every single parent is

poor.
64) Thousands of protestors _____d on City Hall demanding the mayor act quickly on the issue. 65) Because the general would frequently _____ his orders, the major felt that his authority was being

undermined by the general.

A. covert B. covet C. crass D. craven E. convoluted
66) Since the penalty for insurgency is so severe, the dissidents had to conduct their meetings _____ly in

remote locations.
67) It is _____ to scratch ones ass in English class, but its fine to dine on red wine. 68) Young readers are so often inhibited by Shakespearean plays because they find the language of

Shakespeare too _____ to understand.

69) A _____d prize for writers, the National Book Award is awarded to one book in each of four categories. 70) Many considered him a coward for his _____ abdication of moral duty.

A. corporeal B. corpulent C. credible D. credulous E. cryptic
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71) The mans _____ appetites were easy to satiate, whereas his spiritual needs could never be met. 72) Though she texted messages too _____ for anyone else, her closest friend understood their meanings. 73) He was so _____ that he actually believed his friends when they told him that the word gullible is not

in the dictionary.
74) Even though, by definition, the weight loss camp serves _____ clients, it will enroll even the svelte if they

seek to shed only a few pounds.

75) Since she had nothing to gain from lying, the police deemed her a _____ witness.

CHOICES

SENTENCES

A. culpable B. cumbersome C. curative D. cursory E. cynical

76) Always the skeptic, she let out a _____ laugh when the mayor promised to rid the city of crime. 77) The _____ piano was too unwieldy for inexperienced people to move from the penthouse apartment. 78) Though it may seem as if she only gave a _____ glance at the file, she had memorized everything

contained in it .
79) He was not legally _____ for any wrongdoing; nonetheless, he felt answerable for his inactions, which

led to the disaster.

80) Because the herbs possess _____ properties, many learned to disregard their bitter taste and pungent

odor when adding them to their food.

A. conviction B. coup C. crescendo D. criterion E. cynosure

81) Convincing the retired novelist to write one more book was a major _____ for not only the literary agent

but also the publishing house.

82) The senator was not a man of high moral _____ : his vote could be bought with a campaign contribution. 83) Their misery reached a _____ when their worst fears were realized. 84) As the bride gracefully walked down the aisle, she became the _____ of everyone in the church. 85) A high SAT score is not the only _____ for admission into a very competitive college: a prospective

applicant will need a high GPA, solid extracurriculars, and a convincing reason to be accepted.

A. dapper B. decorous C. deferential D. defunct E. deleterious

86) Though the housing market is not _____ , it has been moribund for years. 87) Societal propriety dictates that one maintain a _____ manner at all times. 88) Even though the inveterate drinker knew the _____ effects of excessive alcohol consumption, he

continued inebriating himself.

89) One criterion of a five-star hotel is the _____ treatment it gives to its guests. 90) Knowing the importance of making a good first impression, the scruffy college senior looked

uncharacteristically _____ for his first job interview.

A. daunt B. debunk C. delineate D. delude E. deluge

91) The employee manual circumscribed all activity: it ____s what to do and what not to do in great detail. 92) Incredulous voters feel that politicians _____ the public with inaccurate information and false promises. 93) The prodigy was _____d with application forms from colleges seeking to enhance their academic

reputations.
94) The MythBusters delight millions of people with each program in which they either corroborate or _____

a popular cultural myth or urban legend.

95) Unlike more fearful students, he was not _____ed by rigors and challenges of the accelerated program.

A. deliberation B. demagogue C. denizen D. depravity E. deprivation

96) He was the worst kind of firebranda _____ who used peoples fear and prejudice to rise in power. 97) She suffered the ill effects of sleep _____ : mental incoherence, persistent forgetfulness, and foul temper. 98) A civilized society should not forget the _____ of its past; instead, it should use the past as a reminder of

how far it has advanced morally.

99) Monumental decisions require long and careful _____ , not short and perfunctory discussions. 100) The original _____s of the ancient site must have been farmers, because we found an abundance of

farming implements during the archeological dig.

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