unit 8 Flashcards

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1
Q

asylum (noun)

A

an institution for the care of children, elderly people, etc.; a place of safety

Some refugees are political fugitives who have fled their homeland to seek ______ in another country.

SYNONYMS: sanatorium, sanctuary

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2
Q

console (verb) (noun)

A

(v.) to comfort
A neighbor tried to ______ the sobbing child whose cat had wandered away.

SYNONYMS: solace, alleviate
ANTONYMS: distress, aggravate, bother, vex, torment

(n.) the keyboard of an organ; a control panel for an electrical or mechanical device

The _______ of the large church organ had an assortment of keys, knobs, and pedals.

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3
Q

dwindle (verb)

A

to lessen, diminish

During the coldest weeks of winter, the pile of firewood slowly ______ until there were no logs left.

SYNONYMS: decrease, shrink, fade, peter out
ANTONYMS: increase, enlarge, swell, proliferate

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4
Q

flippant (adjective)

A

lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy

Parents and other adults are often upset by a teenager’s ______ responses.

SYNONYMS: frivolous, impudent, impertinent, insolent
ANTONYMS: serious, respectful, deferential, obsequious

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5
Q

liability (noun)

A

a debt; something disadvantageous

A limited attention span is his biggest ______ as a student.

SYNONYMS: difficulty, impediment
ANTONYMS: advantage, asset

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6
Q

pugnacious (adjective)

A

quarrelsome, fond of fighting

The fox terrier is a particularly _______ breed of dog known for its aggressive behavior.

SYNONYMS: combative, belligerent
ANTONYMS: peace-loving, friendly, amicable, congenial

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7
Q

realm (noun)

A

a kingdom; a region or field of study

While astronomy falls within the ______ of science, astrology does not.

SYNONYMS: domain, duchy, bailiwick, jurisdiction

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8
Q

rejuvenate (verb)

A

to make young again; to make like new

A few minutes of conversation with my best friend helped to ______ my flagging spirits.

SYNONYM: renew
ANTONYMS: wear out, exhaust, enervate, debilitate

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9
Q

sterling (adjective)

A

genuine, excellent; made of silver of standard fineness

The reviewer noted the young actor’s ______ performance in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

SYNONYMS: first-rate, outstanding, worthy, pure
ANTONYMS: shoddy, second-rate, sham

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10
Q

warp (verb) (noun)

A

(v.) to twist out of shape

The carpenter explained that humidity caused the kitchen door to ______.

SYNONYMS: bend, distort, misshape
ANTONYMS: straighten, unbend, rectify

(n.) an abnormality

Criminal behavior often shows a striking lack of judgment or a ______ in thinking.

SYNONYM: irregularity

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11
Q

assurance (noun)

A

a pledge; freedom from doubt, self-confidence

The airport was built with the ______ that all the people displaced by its construction would be fairly compensated.

SYNONYMS: promise, sureness, poise, self-possession
ANTONYMS: uncertainty, doubt, insecurity

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12
Q

dilate (verb)

A

to make or become larger or wider; to expand upon

The ophthalmologist said she would _____ the pupil before examining the injured eye.

SYNONYMS: enlarge, expand, prolong
ANTONYMS: compress, constrict

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13
Q

dross (noun)

A

refuse, waste products

The ______ from the manufacturing process turned out to be highly toxic.

SYNONYMS: trash, detritus, dregs, scum

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14
Q

immunity (noun)

A

resistance to disease; freedom from some charge or obligation

Most babies are vaccinated so that they develop an ______ to measles.

SYNONYM: exemption
ANTONYMS: vulnerability, exposure

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15
Q

institute (verb) (noun)

A

to establish, set up

Congress has been reluctant to ______ new guidelines for campaign spending.

SYNONYMS: found, bring about
ANTONYMS: terminate, discontinue, demolish, raze

organization that promotes learning
After graduating from high school, I plan to attend an accredited ______ of technology.

SYNONYM: academy

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16
Q

preposterous (adjective)

A

ridiculous, senseless

The theory that Stonehenge was constructed by alien life-forms is utterly _______.
SYNONYMS: nonsensical, absurd, incredible
ANTONYMS: sensible, reasonable, realistic, plausible

17
Q

rabid (adjective)

A

furious, violently intense, unreasonably extreme; mad; infected with rabies

Police arrived in force to quell the riot set off by _______ soccer fans.

SYNONYMS: zealous, raving, infuriated, berserk
ANTONYMS: moderate, blasé, indifferent

18
Q

remunerate (verb)

A

to reward, pay, reimburse

The couple promised to _______ the artist handsomely for a portrait of their child.

SYNONYMS: satisfy, profit, benefit

19
Q

sparse (adjective)

A

meager, scant; scattered

Unlike its neighboring metropolis, the area has quite a ______ population.

SYNONYMS: thin, scanty, few and far between
ANTONYMS: plentiful, abundant, profuse, teeming

20
Q

venture (noun) (verb)

A

(n.) a risky or daring undertaking

An overseas voyage was a daunting and dangerous ______ during the Age of Exploration.

SYNONYM: gamble

(v.) to expose to danger; to dare
It takes courage to _______ out into unknown territory.

SYNONYMS: try, chance, undertake
ANTONYMS: withdraw, retire, shrink from, shy away