- The marathon runner was almost at the finish line when he tripped. This means he ______ the race.
Answer: did not complete
The word 'almost' indicates that an action was very close to happening but ultimately did not. Tripping 'almost at the finish line' means he did not cross it and therefore did not complete the race. 'Won' is the opposite. 'Finished slowly' and 'came in second place' both incorrectly assume that he finished.
- If a plan is described as not unfeasible, it means the plan is considered to be ______.
Answer: possible
The phrase 'not unfeasible' is a double negative. 'Unfeasible' means not possible or practical. Therefore, 'not unfeasible' means that it is possible. 'Impossible' is the opposite of the correct meaning. 'Guaranteed' is too strong; possible does not mean certain. 'Unlikely' is incorrect because the phrase suggests possibility, not improbability.
- Given the dark clouds, it is unlikely that we will have a sunny day.
Answer: not probable
'Unlikely' means something is not likely or not probable to happen, but it is still possible. 'Not probable' is the best synonym. 'Impossible' and 'certainly not' are too strong. 'Guaranteed' is the opposite.
- We had scarcely arrived at the park when it began to rain.
Answer: Immediately after we arrived
'Scarcely' means 'only just' or 'almost not'. In this time-based context, 'scarcely arrived when...' means the second event happened immediately after the first. 'A long time after' is the opposite. 'Just before' misinterprets the sequence. 'Because' implies a cause-and-effect relationship that isn't stated.
- My uncle rarely travels, which suggests he ______ enjoys leaving home.
Answer: seldom
'Rarely' means 'not often'. 'Seldom' is a synonym for rarely. The fact that he rarely travels suggests he seldom enjoys leaving home. 'Probably' and 'certainly' do not fit the meaning. 'Frequently' is the opposite of rarely.
- She explained that her comment wasn't a criticism, but merely an observation.
Answer: just
'Merely' is a modifier used to mean 'only' or 'just', and it often minimizes the importance of what is being described. It is used here to contrast a simple observation with a more serious criticism. 'Significant' and 'harsh' are opposite in meaning. 'Secret' is irrelevant.
- The entire apartment was clean ______ a single dusty corner behind the sofa.
Answer: except for
The sentence describes a general state (clean) and then introduces one thing that does not fit that state (a dusty corner). 'Except for' is used to introduce such an exception. 'Including' would mean the dusty corner was part of the cleanliness, which is contradictory. 'Because of' and 'similar to' do not make sense in this context.
- The notice stated, "Authorized personnel only." This means that individuals without authorization are ______.
Answer: not permitted to enter
The modifier 'only' restricts an activity or access to a specific group. In this case, only authorized personnel can enter, which means everyone else is 'not permitted to enter'. The other options suggest some level of permission, which is incorrect.
- The team won the championship, though not without a few lucky moments.
Answer: they did have some luck
The phrase 'not without' is a double negative that means 'with'. So, 'not without a few lucky moments' means 'with a few lucky moments'. Therefore, they did have some luck. 'They had no luck' is a direct misreading. The other options overstate the role of luck.
- Far from confirming the rumors, the company's statement made the situation even more confusing.
Answer: Instead of confirming
The phrase 'far from' indicates that the opposite of what was expected happened. Instead of confirming the rumors, the statement did something else (made things more confusing). 'Instead of confirming' captures this meaning perfectly. The other choices incorrectly suggest that the statement did confirm the rumors to some degree.
- Despite the storm, the old bridge remained surprisingly ______ by the strong winds.
Answer: unaffected
The prefix 'un-' creates a negative. 'Unaffected' means not affected or changed. The context 'remained surprisingly' suggests the bridge resisted the winds, making 'unaffected' the correct choice. 'Destroyed,' 'weakened,' and 'unstable' are all things one might expect to happen in a storm, which contradicts the word 'surprisingly'.
- Because he is a very private person, the famous actor hardly ever gives interviews.
Answer: very rarely
The phrase 'hardly ever' means 'almost never' or 'very rarely'. It implies that while it's possible he gives an interview, it is an extremely infrequent event. 'Very rarely' is the best match. 'Never' is too absolute. 'Very frequently' is the opposite. 'Only on special occasions' is a possible reason but 'very rarely' is a better definition of the phrase itself.
- Since the factory closed, the town is no longer a major center for manufacturing.
Answer: used to be
The phrase 'no longer' indicates that a situation that was true in the past has changed and is not true now. Therefore, the town 'used to be' a major center. 'Never was' and 'still is' contradict the meaning. 'Will soon be' is a prediction about the future, not a description of the past.
- The government agency handles all non-military matters related to national security.
Answer: civilian or administrative
The prefix 'non-' means 'not'. 'Non-military' means matters that are not related to the armed forces. These are often called 'civilian or administrative' matters. The other options incorrectly include the military in the agency's responsibilities.
- By the end of the day, virtually all of the tickets for the concert had been sold.
Answer: nearly all
'Virtually' is a modifier that means 'almost' or 'nearly'. Therefore, 'virtually all' means 'nearly all'. It implies that maybe a very small number were left, but the vast majority were sold. The other options misinterpret the meaning of 'virtually'.
- The movie was anything but boring; in fact, it was full of action and suspense.
Answer: the opposite of boring
The phrase 'anything but' is an idiom that means 'not at all' or 'the opposite of'. Therefore, the movie was the opposite of boring, which means it was exciting. The other options incorrectly suggest the movie had some level of boredom.
- The sound from the street was so faint it was barely audible.
Answer: just barely heard
'Barely' means 'only just' or 'by the smallest amount'. 'Barely audible' means the sound could be heard, but with great difficulty. 'Completely silent' is incorrect because the sound was audible. 'Very loud and clear' is the opposite. 'Unpleasant' describes the quality, not the volume.
- The student's excuse for missing the exam was deemed incredible by the professor.
Answer: difficult to believe
The prefix 'in-' often means 'not'. 'Incredible' means not credible, or difficult to believe. While it can also mean 'amazing', in the context of an excuse, it implies skepticism. 'Very believable' and 'somewhat reasonable' are opposite in meaning. 'Quite amazing' is a possible but less likely meaning in this context.
- Her complete ______ for the rules of the game meant she was quickly disqualified.
Answer: disregard
The prefix 'dis-' can mean 'lack of' or 'the opposite of'. 'Disregard' means a lack of regard or attention. This fits the context of being disqualified for not following rules. 'Understanding,' 'enthusiasm,' and 'preference' do not explain why someone would be disqualified.
