#2 Choosing the Right Word

Question 1

Because I was not even born when The Beatles were at the height of their popularity, their albums do not fill me with (duplicity, nostalgia).

Answer 1

nostalgia

Question 2

It was rude of you to (retrogress, grimace) so obviously when the speaker mispronounced words and made grammatical errors.

Answer 2

grimace

Question 3

Though it may appear rather ordinary to the casual reader, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is to me the (impetus, quintessence) of eloquence.

Answer 3

quintessence

Question 4

Some civil engineers believe that someday it may be (feasible, averse) to derive a large part of our energy directly from the sun.

Answer 4

feasible

Question 5

Providing a powerful defense force for our nation does not mean that we are taking a (belligerent, meticulous) attitude, toward any other nation.

Answer 5

belligerent

Question 6

Though the peace talks began with an exchange of lofty sentiments, they soon (grimaced, retrogressed) into petty squabbling and backbiting.

Answer 6

retrogressed

Question 7

(Extolling, Scrutinizing) other people’s achievements is fine, but it is no substitute for doing something remarkable of you own.

Answer 7

extolling

Question 8

Anyone who is (averse, cursory) to having a girls’ hockey team in our school doesn’t know what’s been happening in recent years with women’s sports.

Answer 8

averse

Question 9

News of famine in various parts of the world has given added (nostalgia, impetus) to the drive to increase food production.

Answer 9

impetus

Question 10

It made me very uncomfortable to see the suspicion with which the wary customs officer (scrutinized, extolled) my passport.

Answer 10

scrutinized

Question 11

After shouting at each other rather angrily, the participants in the roundtable discussion calmed down and parted (feasibly, amicably).

Answer 11

amicably

Question 12

When I saw my sister land in a tree on her first parachute jump, my interest in learning to skydive became decidedly (tepid, adroit)

Answer 12

tepid

Question 13

The lawyer’s (adroit, belligerent) questioning slowly but surely revealed the weakness in his opponent’s case.

Answer 13

adroit

Question 14

Carelessness in even minor details may (extol, jeopardize) the success of a major theatrical production.

Answer 14

jeopardize

Question 15

Do you think you are being fair in passing judgment on my poem after such a (cursory, benevolent) reading?

Answer 15

cursory

Question 16

His parents tried to encourage an interest in literature, music, and art, but he seemed (amicable, impervious) to such influences.

Answer 16

impervious

Question 17

The nightmare that continues to haunt all thoughtful people is a nuclear (jeopardy, holocaust) in which our civilization might be destroyed.

Answer 17

holocaust

Question 18

In the Sherlock Holmes stories, we read of the evil Professor Moriarty, whose (duplicity, quintessence) was almost a match for Holmes’s genius.

Answer 18

duplicity

Question 19

On the morning of the picnic, the sky was gray and overcast, but suddenly the sun came out and smiled on us (benevolently, adroitly).

Answer 19

benevolently

Question 20

I knew you would be (impervious, meticulous) in the caring for my plants, but I did not expect you to water them with a medicine dropper.

Answer 20

meticulous

Question 21

After the dictator walked out of the peace talks, the visiting diplomats tried to carry on (amicable, belligerent) negotiations between the two nations.

Answer 21

amicable

Question 22

Many people become (nostalgic, meticulous) when they watch black and white movies and old serial reruns on television.

Answer 22

nostalgic

Question 23

How many people actually enjoy drinking (impetus, tepid) milk before bedtime even though it is highly recommended to ease digestion?

Answer 23

tepid

Question 24

(Impervious, Duplicitous) to everything except a rare radioactive isotope found deep in the earth, the superhero battled the giant aliens to save the world.

Answer 24

impervious

Question 25

Those who are (adroit, averse) to seafood may enjoy the many other menu options.

Answer 25

averse