Before painting the mural, our team created a [draft] to share with the principal. Using chalk and light pencil lines, we sketched the main shapes and planned where each color would go. We knew the first version would change after feedback, so we kept the lines loose and erased anything that felt too detailed. Only after everyone approved did we start the final painting.

As used in the passage, what does draft most nearly mean?

The theater critic praised the lead actor for bringing [nuance] to a role that is often played too broadly. Instead of shouting, she lets a subtle shift in tone and posture convey frustration. A tight jaw replaces a scowl; a pause replaces a slammed door. Those small choices make the character feel recognizably human, the critic wrote, turning a flat scene into a layered one. While the plot remains the same, the performance adds shades of meaning that signal uncertainty and tenderness beneath the anger.

Which phrase helps the reader understand the meaning of nuance?

A museum curator prepared an exhibit tracing the [chronology] of communication technologies. Starting with clay tablets, the display moved to hand-written manuscripts, then printed books, telegraphs, radios, and finally smartphones. Each case included dates and a brief note about what changed next. Visitors followed the sequence like a timeline, noticing how innovations often overlapped and built on earlier ideas. They could compare which inventions appeared earlier and which arrived later, seeing the order unfold across centuries.

As used in the passage, what does [chronology] most nearly mean?

Before the volcano's last eruption, scientists noticed subtle tremors and a sharp rise in sulfur dioxide. These changes were not the explosion itself but early warnings. In their field notes, they called each sign a [precursor], a clue that an event was on its way. The team compared satellite images that showed swelling on the mountain's flank, further evidence of pressure building beneath the surface. Because similar signals had appeared days before past eruptions, the researchers advised nearby communities to prepare, explaining that a [precursor] doesn't guarantee an eruption, but often comes just beforehand.

As used in the passage, what does precursor most nearly mean?

In the lab, we rubbed a plastic rod with a wool cloth and then brought it near tiny paper scraps. The rod became [charged], and the bits of paper jumped toward it and clung as if magnetized. Our teacher explained that rubbing transferred electrons, creating an imbalance that could attract neutral objects. To test the effect, we tried a glass rod instead and saw the same pull. When we touched the rod to a metal faucet, the attraction disappeared, and the paper stopped leaping.

As used in the passage, what does charged most nearly mean?

During our field trip to the canyon, we followed a narrow path that hugged the rock face. To our right yawned a [precipitous] cliff, its walls dropping hundreds of feet to the river below. The guide told us to keep three points of contact and to avoid looking over the edge, because the sudden drop could make you dizzy. Even the wind seemed to push us toward the safer, inner side of the trail. We moved slowly, testing each foothold before taking the next step.

As used in the passage, what does precipitous most nearly mean?

Residents near the rail line complained that nighttime trains rattled their windows. To [mitigate] the disturbance, the city tested several solutions: installing rubber pads beneath the tracks, enforcing slower speeds through the neighborhood, and erecting sound barriers along the curve. Engineers measured vibration levels before and after each change to see whether the shaking decreased. While nothing could eliminate the noise entirely, the combined steps made the late-night rumble far less disruptive. One neighbor said she could finally fall asleep without earplugs, evidence that even small reductions in vibration and volume improved the overall quality of life.

As used in the passage, what does mitigate most nearly mean?

Jada's lab report was [meticulous]. Before turning it in, she measured each sample twice, labeled every diagram neatly, and recorded even tiny changes in temperature. When her partner suggested they could finish faster by skipping steps, Jada shook her head and checked the instructions again. The final document was clean, organized, and thorough, with data tables that matched her observations.

Which phrase helps the reader understand the meaning of meticulous?

In the 1800s, leaders in one region announced their intention to [secede] from the union, believing their interests were no longer represented. Newspapers debated whether a state could legally leave the nation and form an independent government. Critics warned that if the state broke away, trade would be disrupted and defense would be weaker. Supporters insisted that separating was the only way to protect their way of life.

As used in the passage, what does secede most nearly mean?

In science class, Mia measured a rock's [volume] by placing it into a graduated beaker filled halfway with water. She recorded the water level before and after the rock went in, then subtracted to find how much water the rock displaced. Although the classroom grew noisy during the lab, her partner reminded her that they were not measuring how loud anything was. The data table helped them compare the sizes of several irregular samples. This method worked even when the objects weren't cube-shaped.

Which phrase helps the reader understand the meaning of [volume]?