English: Word Usage Questions Set 5
Direction: In each of the following questions, a word has been used in sentences in four different ways. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence in which the usage of the word is INCORRECT or INAPPROPRIATE.
- affable
A) Although he looks great, I won’t approach him because I do not believe he is very affable.
B) I would describe Santa Claus as a big affable man who gives toys to children.
C) At times you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, reserved.
D) If you try and be affable, you can be sure of the fact that your life would be enriched by a lot of good people.
E) All are correct.
- poseur
A) This box is geared to poseurs rather than serious students of chocolate.
B) That’s when He Who Had Previously Been a Poseur became cool.
C) The replicate work of the poseur was proved fake by the art critic.
D) My rich uncle is a poseur who constantly boasts about his possessions.
E) All are correct.
- shard
A) A sharp shard of shrapnel pierced the soldier’s armor and caused a deep wound.
B) A shard of glass punctures her neck and Nadia is killed.
C) Hannah dragged her down as fiery shards sailed over them.
D) A horcrux is created when a soul-shard split from a murderer’s soul is infused into an object.
E) All are correct.
- Lambaste
A) The Government was severely lambasted by the opposition on this issue.
B) The coach lambasted the team for its poor play.
C) As the director started to lambaste the cast for the hundredth time, several of the lead actors walked out.
D) Her mother had to lambaste her for not following her instructions.
E) All are correct.
- dote on
A) The excessive delicacy of his constitution, not doted on appetite, exacted some unusual indulgences.
B) I would dote on my girlfriend by catering to her every whim.
C) We were looking for a babysitter who would dote on our children as much as we would.
D) My grandmother loves to dote on her grandchildren and sends us many gifts.
E) All are correct.
- sadastic
A) Victor continued with a sadistic chuckle, I am going to tell you where she is; first some ground rules.
B) Fear fluttered through her, and her gaze flew to Kris, whom she trusted little more than his sadistic brother.
C) There they might live in peace and safety while all the country round was overrun by rude and sadistic men.
D) Even without some sadistic creature’s name around her neck, things would never be the same.
E) All are correct.
- abstruse
A) It has been truly said that such optimism is an abtruse relative pessimism.
B) Some of the classic novels are too abstruse for beginning readers to understand.
C) While I could understand a little of the contract, the majority of the legal text was abstruse to me.
D) When my uncle talks too fast, he can be quite abstruse.
E) All are correct.
- connoisseur
A) If you are a beer connoisseur, you will enjoy a tour of our local brewery.
B) Louis is a connoisseur of fine art and rarely misses an exhibit at the art museum
C) To become a connoisseur at anything that you do is something that one needs to strive for.
D) Because the psychologist talks to many individuals, she considers herself to be a connoisseur of people and their relationships.
E) All are correct.
- ail
A) I will take very good care of him, and not let him fall and ail himself.
B) To cure what ails us, Graham would rekindle those fires.
C) Healing himself also allows McPherson to learn what ails this country
D) Laughter is good medicine for what ails you at work.
E) All are correct
- beguile
A) It is unbeknown to me why I must beguile such force.
B) Some hydrangeas beguile us with color changes that keep us guessing.
C) Gordon says of the Hollywood mélange that beguiles him so.
D) Her understanding of its people and their place never fails to beguile.
E) All are correct.