Week 31

Question 1

heresy

It is not a heresy to our democratic beliefs to state that pressure groups play an important part in our lives.

Answer 1

unbelief; dissent; lack of faith

Question 2

prudent

The prudent person will choose between cogent and specious propaganda efforts.

Answer 2

wise; cautious

Question 3

ostensible

Propaganda has the ostensible purpose of informing the public.

Answer 3

outward; pretended; seeming

Question 4

fervid

The most fervid propagandists use methods that must be examined by the thoughtful citizen.

Answer 4

intense; enthusiastic; passionate

Question 5

spurious

It won’t be very easy to distinguish the spurious from the true facts.

Answer 5

false; counterfeit; specious

Question 6

[IDM] to give one the cold shoulder

She was so piqued at his uncouth behaviour, she gave him the cold shoulder for over a week.

Answer 6

to disregard; to ignore

Question 7

propagate

It is intrinsic that individuals and groups have the inherent right to propagate ideas.

Answer 7

produce; multiply; spread

Question 8

anomaly

We do not look upon an idea different from ours as an anomaly.

Answer 8

irregularity; abnormality

Question 9

innocuous

We permit only innocuous or congenial beliefs.

Answer 9

harmless; mild; innocent

Question 10

surfeit

In a country of competing pressures we are accosted by a surfeit of propaganda that tends to overwhelm us.

Answer 10

excess; superabundance

Question 11

milieu

We live in a milieu of ubiquitous bombardment from countless propagandists.

Answer 11

environment; setting

Question 12

[IDM] without rhyme or reason

Without rhyme or reason the pennant-winning baseball team decided to jettison its manager.

Answer 12

making no sense

Question 13

strident

Ideas are presented in more strident tones in order to overcome the increased competition.

Answer 13

shrill; harsh; rough

Question 14

concomitant

The concomitant situation is one in which the individual retreats into a state of lassitude.

Answer 14

accompanying; attending

Question 15

lassitude

The concomitant situation is one in which the individual retreats into a state of lassitude.

Answer 15

weariness; fatigue

Question 16

deleterious

It has the deleterious result of reducing its power upon the individuals or groups.

Answer 16

bad; harmful

Question 17

efficacy

It has the deleterious result of reducing its efficacy upon the individuals or groups.

Answer 17

power to produce an effect

Question 18

[IDM] swan song

The ex-champion said that if he lost this fight it would be his swan song.

Answer 18

final; last

Swan are said to sing before they die.

Question 19

dissent

Those who dissent from the official line may do so only in a clandestine manner.

Answer 19

differ; disagree; protest

Question 20

ferment

Where there is no open ferment of ideas, the possibility of discerning the true from the spurious is attenuated.

Answer 20

uproar; agitation; turmoil

Question 21

attenuated

Where there is no open ferment of ideas, the possibility of discerning the true from the spurious is attenuated.

Answer 21

weakened; thinned; decreased

Question 22

arbiter

In a democracy, the inevitable arbiter of what propaganda is to be permitted is the people.

Answer 22

judge

Question 23

incumbent

It is incumbent upon each citizen to choose between competing propagandas.

Answer 23

morally required

Question 24

[IDM] to get the sack

Despite the fact that he was so obsequious toward the boss, he got the sack because he was lethargic about doing his job.

Answer 24

to be discharged or fired