- Because she practiced the piano every day for hours, Maria's technical skill became quite ______.
Answer: proficient
The correct answer is 'proficient,' which means skilled and competent. The cause, practicing 'every day for hours,' leads to the effect of becoming skilled. 'Hesitant' means tentative or unsure, which is the opposite of what practice achieves. 'Adequate' means only satisfactory, which is too weak for the amount of practice described. 'Audible' means able to be heard, which relates to sound but not the level of skill.
- The documentary offered a ______ look at the lives of city firefighters, showing their challenges and successes without hiding the difficulties.
Answer: candid
The correct answer is 'candid,' which means truthful and straightforward. The phrase 'showing their challenges and successes without hiding the difficulties' indicates an honest and complete portrayal. 'Fictional' means not real. 'Biased' means unfairly one-sided. 'Flattering' means portraying something in an overly favorable way, which contradicts 'without hiding the difficulties.'
- The two research teams decided to ______ on the project in order to share their resources and knowledge.
Answer: collaborate
The correct answer is 'collaborate,' which means to work jointly on an activity. The goal 'to share their resources and knowledge' is a definition of collaboration. 'Compete' is the opposite. 'Withdraw' means to pull out of the project. 'Disagree' is an obstacle to working together, not a way to do it.
- The scientist had to ______ her hypothesis after new data proved her initial ideas were incorrect.
Answer: revise
The correct answer is 'revise,' which means to re-examine and make alterations to something. The fact that 'new data proved her initial ideas were incorrect' necessitates a change. 'Confirm' is the opposite of what the new data did. 'Publish' would be inappropriate for an incorrect hypothesis. 'Propose' means to put forward an idea for the first time, but she already had one.
- Before finalizing the agreement, both parties took a day to ______ the terms of the contract.
Answer: contemplate
The correct answer is 'contemplate,' which means to think deeply about something. The context 'Before finalizing the agreement' suggests a period of thought and reflection is necessary. 'Implement' means to put into effect, which happens after finalizing. 'Announce' means to make public, also happening after. 'Abandon' means to give up on, which is a possible but not the intended outcome of a review.
- Her argument was not very ______ because she failed to provide any facts or evidence for support.
Answer: persuasive
The correct answer is 'persuasive,' which means good at convincing someone to do or believe something. An argument without facts or evidence is unlikely to convince anyone. 'Emotional,' 'lengthy' (long), or 'original' (new) could be true, but they do not directly relate to the specific weakness mentioned (lack of evidence).
- The evidence presented in court was so ______ that the jury quickly reached a guilty verdict.
Answer: compelling
The correct answer is 'compelling,' which means powerfully convincing. The effect, that 'the jury quickly reached a guilty verdict,' indicates that the evidence was very strong. 'Minimal,' 'irrelevant,' and 'questionable' all describe weak evidence and would lead to the opposite outcome.
- To avoid any misunderstanding, the manager tried to ______ the new company policy for her team members.
Answer: clarify
The correct answer is 'clarify,' which means to make something less confusing and more comprehensible. The goal 'to avoid any misunderstanding' directly points to this action. 'Dispute' means to argue against. 'Invent' means to create. 'Conceal' means to hide. None of these alternatives fit the stated purpose.
- The new employee was so ______ that she finished all her tasks early and consistently asked for more responsibilities.
Answer: diligent
The correct answer is 'diligent,' which means having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work. The description of her work habits directly illustrates this quality. 'Casual' means relaxed and unconcerned. 'Passive' means accepting what happens without active response. 'Resistant' means offering opposition. All three are contrary to the sentence's meaning.
- Despite the project's many setbacks, the team remained ______ and continued to work hard toward their goal.
Answer: optimistic
The correct answer is 'optimistic,' which means hopeful and confident about the future. The word 'Despite' indicates a contrast. Even with setbacks, the team 'continued to work hard,' which suggests a positive attitude. 'Frustrated' is a plausible feeling due to setbacks, but it doesn't fit with the positive action of continuing to work hard. 'Indifferent' means not caring, and 'confused' means unable to think clearly; neither fits the context.
- After weeks of dry weather, the town's water supply became dangerously ______.
Answer: scarce
The correct answer is 'scarce,' which means insufficient for the demand. 'Weeks of dry weather' would logically lead to a shortage of water. 'Abundant' means plentiful, which is the opposite. 'Purified' means clean, which is unrelated to the quantity. 'Constant' means unchanging, which contradicts the idea of the supply becoming low.
- The loud construction work next door began to ______ the peace and quiet of the library.
Answer: disrupt
The correct answer is 'disrupt,' which means to interrupt an event, activity, or process by causing a disturbance. Loud noise would interrupt the 'peace and quiet.' 'Enhance' means to improve, which is the opposite. 'Establish' means to set up. 'Harmonize' means to go well with, which is also the opposite.
- Even though he was nervous, the presenter tried to appear ______ as he delivered his speech to the large audience.
Answer: composed
The correct answer is 'composed,' which means calm and in control of one's feelings. The phrase 'Even though he was nervous' sets up a contrast, indicating he was trying to appear the opposite of nervous. 'Agitated' means troubled or nervous, which is what he was, not what he was trying to appear. 'Concealed' means hidden, which doesn't describe an appearance. 'Transparent' means open and honest, which would involve showing his nervousness.
- The new chef was very ______; his skills allowed him to prepare French, Italian, and Japanese cuisine with equal expertise.
Answer: versatile
The correct answer is 'versatile,' which means able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities. The list of different cuisines the chef can prepare demonstrates this quality. 'Specific' is the opposite, suggesting a narrow focus. 'Cautious' means careful, and 'traditional' means following long-established customs; neither word captures the idea of having a wide range of skills.
- The old computer was so slow and couldn't run new programs, so the company decided it was ______ and needed to be replaced.
Answer: obsolete
The correct answer is 'obsolete,' which means out-of-date or no longer produced or used. The context that the computer was 'slow and couldn't run new programs' supports this meaning. 'Durable' means long-lasting, which may be true but isn't why it was replaced. 'Essential' means absolutely necessary, which is the opposite of the situation. 'Efficient' means working well without waste, which is the opposite of 'slow.'
- The delicious smell of freshly baked cookies soon ______ the entire first floor of the house.
Answer: permeated
The correct answer is 'permeated,' which means to spread throughout something. The context 'the entire first floor' indicates the smell filled the whole space. 'Originated from' describes where the smell started (the kitchen), not how it spread. 'Vanished from' is the opposite. 'Condensed in' means it became more concentrated in one spot, which is also the opposite of spreading out.
- He was ______ to lend his friend more money, primarily because the previous loan had never been paid back.
Answer: reluctant
The correct answer is 'reluctant,' which means unwilling and hesitant. The reason given, 'the previous loan had never been paid back,' explains this unwillingness. 'Eager' is the opposite of reluctant. 'Prepared' means ready, which doesn't convey an emotional state. 'Obligated' means required or bound, which is not suggested by the context.
- It is highly ______ for students to review their notes regularly instead of studying only before an exam.
Answer: advantageous
The correct answer is 'advantageous,' which means creating favorable circumstances that increase the chances of success; beneficial. Regular review is a well-known effective study habit. 'Pointless' means having no serious purpose. 'Prohibited' means forbidden. 'Unconventional' means not based on what is generally done, which is untrue for this study method.
- The politician gave a(n) ______ answer to the reporter's question, avoiding the main issue entirely.
Answer: evasive
The correct answer is 'evasive,' which means tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding indirectly. The phrase 'avoiding the main issue entirely' defines this word. 'Direct,' 'comprehensive' (complete), and 'sincere' (honest) are all opposite in meaning to the action described.
- The company president made a ______ decision to give all employees a bonus, which was a complete surprise to everyone.
Answer: spontaneous
The correct answer is 'spontaneous,' which means occurring as a result of a sudden inner impulse and without premeditation. The clue 'was a complete surprise to everyone' supports this meaning. 'Calculated' and 'predictable' are antonyms of 'spontaneous.' 'Mandatory' means required, which would not be a surprise.
