"Proximity" means simply nearness to something. Here, we are given contextual clues that tell us that their restaurant choice had something to do with their apartment. All the answers would be reasons to choose the place, but "proximity" is the only one that has to do with their apartment.

We know that the actor missed some direction telling him to enter the scene, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "signal." While "summons" might seem like the correct answer, "cue" fits the context of the sentence better; while "summons" means "an authoritative or urgent call to someone to be present or to do something" or "an order to appear before a judge or magistrate, or the writ containing it," "cue" means "a thing said or done that serves as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or performance." Because "cue" best fits the theatrical context of the sentence, "cue" is the correct answer.

The contrast expressed in this sentence is between the apple and the coffee shop, which is apparently behind the apple (as implied by “portrayed behind it \[the apple\]”). When something sits “in front” of other things so as to be very visible, it is said to be in the “foreground,” literally the “front ground” of the image, view, or painting.

The sentence does not say anything about changes in Theodore’s diet. We do not know if his protein intake was reduced or if it always was this low. The only thing that is known is that he was always sick because of insufficient nourishment; therefore, the best word is “paucity,” which means scarce amounts. It is derived from the Latin for few, which can be found in the related Spanish expression “un poco,” meaning a little.

The man's direct, offensive speech is placed in contrast with the correct answer choice. Look for the word that is the best antonym for "direct" or "offensive." "Nuance," indicating subtlety or a fine meaning, is the closest antonym among the answer choices.

"Coldness," in an emotional sense, is synonymous with a lack of empathy, pity, or compassion.

The construction of this sentence implies that the Mongolian Empire is scarcely remembered because of some quality attributable to it. Predictability means happening in an expected way; petulance means ill-temper or sulkiness; transmission means the act of broadcasting something; enforcement means to compel obedience. Of these four possible answer choices predictability is the only word that could possibly fit, brevity is however a much neater fit. Brevity refers to how brief an event is. The briefness of Mongolian hegemony (hegemony means regional dominance) is a logical reason why it would be scarcely remembered today.

The implication in this sentence is that the summer heat had modified Mary’s body temperature extremely (clearly by increasing it). Since she needed to cool herself, it is arguable that her condition was one of “hyperthermia.” The “hyper-” prefix means “beyond or above,” as when one is “hyperactive,” he or she is “beyond” being merely active. The “-thermia” portion is related to other English “temperature” words like “thermal,” “geothermal,” and “hypothermia.”

The red sky is a warning or a sign, so we need a word that fits the definition of something that could be considered a warning. "Harbinger" is the only answer choice that fits.

A “raconteur” is a narrator or storyteller.