English: Word Usage Questions Set 8

Directions (1-10): In each of the following questions one sentence is given with a word in bold, choose the most similar meaning of that word and mark it as your answer.

1. Sententious: The angry politician responded to the media’s question with a sententious remark that made him come across as a jerk.
   A) diffuse
   B) wordy
   C) garrulous
   D) laconic
   E) prolix
   
   View Answer

     Option D
   Explanation:
   Sententious(adj): given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.
   
2. Propitiate: By doing his community service without incident, Harry hoped to quickly propitiate his sentence.
   A) agitate
   B) placate
   C) annoy
   D) discomfort
   E) irk
   
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     Option B
   
3. Feckless: The police were able to make an arrest because the feckless burglar had left his wallet at the scene of the robbery.
   A) inefficient
   B) effectual
   C) supportive
   D) profitable
   E) helpful
   
   View Answer

     Option A
   Explanation:
   Feckless: lacking initiative or strength of character
   
4. Tendentious: As I read the tendentious book review, it was obvious the reviewer had a personal issue with the author.
   A) impartial
   B) horizontal
   C) just
   D) arbitrary
   E) partisan
   
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     Option E
   Explanation:
   Tendentious= exhibiting a certain prejudice towards a subject
   
5. Limpid: Bill would not drink the water in his glass because it was not limpid and could have contained all kinds of substances.
   A) angry
   B) cloudy
   C) stressful
   D) transparent
   E) hazy
   
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     Option D
   Explanation:
   Limpid: see-through; clear
   
6. Ephemeral: Because the circus is in town for an ephemeral amount of time, you better go there soon before it is too late.
   A) perpetual
   D) ceaseless
   C) constant
   D) enduring
   E) transitory
   
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     Option E
   Explanation:
   Ephemeral (adj). – short-lived
   
7. Capricious: Since he started taking the medication, Henry has been less capricious
   A) erratic
   B) stedfast
   C) settle
   D) staid
   E) equable
   
   View Answer

     Option A
   Explanation:
   Capricious (adj.) – unpredictable, whimsical
   
8. Magnanimous : When looking at all the sports, it is easy to see that boxing is the least magnanimous to the loser.
   A) nigardly
   B) narcissistic
   C) stingy
   D) generous
   E) ignoble
   
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     Option D
   Explanation:
   Magnanimous (adj.) – big-hearted; generous
   
9. Enervate: The alcohol appeared to enervate Jason’s ability to focus at work.
   A) debilitate
   B) invigorate
   C) animate
   D) bolster
   E) fortify
   
   View Answer

     Option A
   Explanation:
   Enervate (v.) – to weaken; drain the energy from
   
10. Crumble : Instead of showing his mother his paper, the boy chose to crumble it up.
    A) accomplish
    B) surge
    C) rot
    D) advance
    E) assist
    
    View Answer

      Option C
    Explanation:
    Crumble – to cause something to fall apart and break into many small pieces