Meaning in Context
The excitement surrounding the new amusement park was transient. Within a few weeks, attendance had returned to normal.
What does transient most nearly mean?
A. expensive
B. temporary
C. unexpected
D. widespread
B - temporary
The scientist followed a __________ process, recording each measurement carefully and completing the same steps in the same order.
A. arbitrary
B. methodical
C. transient
D. oblique
B — methodical
Which word is closest in meaning to obscure?
A. unclear
B. obvious
C. profitable
D. organized
A - unclear
The microphone was designed to amplify the singer's voice, making it easier for the audience to hear her.
What does amplify most nearly mean?
A. weaken
B. increase
C. imitate
D. record
B - increase
The instructions were explicit: students were told exactly which pages to read and when the assignment was due.
What does explicit most nearly mean?
A. clearly stated
B. secretly suggested
C. difficult to follow
D. frequently changed
Although the team lost several important games, the players remained resilient and continued practicing every afternoon.
What does resilient most nearly mean?
A. able to recover
B. unwilling to compete
C. easily distracted
D. naturally talented
A - able to recover
The two computer programs are __________, so students can easily transfer files from one program to the other.
A. compatible
B. obscure
C. inane
D. provisional
A — compatible
Which word is closest in meaning to unequivocal?
A. uncertain
B. indirect
C. unmistakable
D. temporary
C - unmistakable
The young painter tried to imitate Van Gogh's style by using similar colors and brushstrokes.
What does imitate most nearly mean?
A. criticize
B. copy
C. invent
D. simplify
B - copy
The committee reached a provisional agreement, but members emphasized that the decision could still change after further discussion.
What does provisional most nearly mean?
A. permanent
B. temporary or conditional
C. unanimous
D. controversial
B - temporary or conditional
The teacher's decision to assign the groups seemed arbitrary; she offered no explanation for why certain students were placed together.
What does arbitrary most nearly mean?
A. based on careful research
B. based on personal choice rather than a clear reason
C. required by school policy
D. supported by evidence
B - based on personal choice rather than reason
Rather than criticize the author's argument directly, the reviewer made an __________ reference to its weaknesses.
A. explicit
B. lucrative
C. oblique
D. homogeneous
C — oblique
Which word is closest in meaning to lucrative?
A. profitable
B. accidental
C. complicated
D. ordinary
A - profitable
For her research project, Elena had to compile information from twenty different articles into one document.
What does compile most nearly mean?
A. organize or collect
B. eliminate
C. question
D. publish
A - organize or collect
Although the job required long hours, it was extremely lucrative, allowing the employee to earn far more than she had expected.
What does lucrative most nearly mean?
A. demanding
B. profitable
C. temporary
D. unpredictable
B - profitable
The website claimed that drinking a certain tea could make people lose ten pounds overnight, but the claim was based on spurious evidence.
What does spurious most nearly mean?
A. convincing
B. scientific
C. false or unreliable
D. incomplete
The company offered Maya a __________ position for six months while it determined whether it could afford to hire her permanently.
A. provisional
B. unequivocal
C. meticulous
D. spurious
A — provisional
Which word is closest in meaning to inane?
A. intelligent
B. foolish
C. temporary
D. detailed
The neighborhood was relatively homogeneous, with most residents sharing similar occupations, incomes, and lifestyles.
What does homogeneous most nearly mean?
A. diverse
B. similar or alike
C. competitive
D. isolated
B - similar or alike
The professor's article discusses an obscure eighteenth-century poet whose work is rarely studied today.
What does obscure most nearly mean?
A. famous
B. controversial
C. little-known
D. influential
C - little known
The museum display was criticized for being anachronistic because it showed a medieval knight carrying a modern smartphone.
What does anachronistic most nearly mean?
A. historically out of place
B. unusually expensive
C. difficult to understand
D. extremely rare
A - Historically out of place
The accountant was so __________ that she noticed a one-cent error in a report containing thousands of numbers.
A. inadvertent
B. lucrative
C. meticulous
D. obscure
C — meticulous
Which word is closest in meaning to eschew?
A. imitate
B. increase
C. avoid
D. collect
c - avoid
Liam's comment was inadvertent; he had not intended to offend anyone and immediately apologized.
What does inadvertent most nearly mean?
A. carefully planned
B. intentional
C. accidental
D. dishonest
C - accidental
When asked whether he supported the proposal, the mayor gave an unequivocal response: "Yes. I support it completely."
What does unequivocal most nearly mean?
A. hesitant
B. indirect
C. ambiguous
D. completely clear
D - completely clear