Vocabulary 6/7

Question 1

tenuous

Answer 1

flimsy /strong

ex: the ~ link between interest rates and investment

Question 2

slipshod

Answer 2

sloppy /neat

ex: he had caused many problems with his ~ management

Question 3

sap

Answer 3

weaken /strengthen

ex: our energy is being ~ed by bureaucrats and politicians

Question 4

regimented

Answer 4

strictly controlled /unstructured

Question 5

prolonged

Answer 5

drawn-out /abbreviated

ex: the region suffered a ~ drought

Question 6

pervasive

Answer 6

spread throughout /limited

ex: ageism is ~ and entrenched in our society

Question 7

nebulous

Answer 7

cloudy /clear

ex: ~ concepts like quality of life

Question 8

irascible

Answer 8

irritable /even-tempered

ex: their rebukes got progressively more ~

Question 9

insolent

Answer 9

rude /polite

ex: she hated the insolent tone of his voice

Question 10

iconoclast

Answer 10

criticizing or attacking cherished beliefs or institutions.

“an iconoclastic filmmaker who has pushed the boundaries with every film he’s made”

Question 11

grievous

Answer 11

painful /pleasant

ex: his death was a ~ blow

Question 12

frenzied

Answer 12

out of control /calm

ex a ~ attack

Question 13

embellished

Answer 13

ornamented /plain

ex: blue silk ~ with golden embroidery

Question 14

dexterous

Answer 14

skillful /inept

ex: ~ playing

Question 15

cynical

Answer 15

distrustful /believing

ex: her ~ attitude

Question 16

censure

Answer 16

formally disapprove /endorse

“the company was heavily censured by inspectors from the Department of Trade”

Question 17

cacophony

Answer 17

harsh sound /harmony

ex: a ~ of deafening alarm bells

Question 18

avert

Answer 18

prevent /allow

ex: she ~ed her eyes during the more violent scenes

Question 19

prosaic

Answer 19

ordinary /exceptional

ex: ~ language cannot convey the experience