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Test your basic knowledge |
Complete Advanced Sentences
Start Test
Study First
Subjects
:
english
,
grammar
Instructions:
Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can
study here
.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.
This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A pragmatic politician - he was guided more by what was _____ than by what was right.
discrepancy
rebuttal
expedient
impeccable
2. Because a _____ examination of the ruins indicates the possibility of arson - we believe the insurance agency should undertake a more thorough investigation of the fire's cause.
metaphor
cursory
equivocal
predilection
3. The special prosecutor determined that the attorney general - though inept - had not intentionally set out to _____ the progress of the investigation.
gregarious
oblivion
impede
altruistic
4. No wonder Ted doesn't think straight! His mind is so cluttered with _____ information that he can't concentrate on the essentials.
extraneous
inherent
brevity
zealot
5. Though Glenn was devout - he was no _____; he never tried to force his beliefs on friends.
divergent
condone
zealot
skeptic
6. Because she was a firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy - Miss Post _____ the modern tendency to address new acquaintances by their first names.
reprimand
capricious
deprecate
extol
7. The bottle of wine I brought to Sharon's party was certainly _____: how was I to know that Sharon owned a winery?
incite
refute
superficial
redundant
8. The reviewers praised the new restaurant's _____ selection of dishes - which ranged from Asian stir fries to French ragouts and stews.
conciliatory
satirical
eclectic
benign
9. The governor's appointment of his brother-in-law to the State Supreme Court was a _____ violation of the state laws against nepotism.
skeptic
flagrant
decorum
impede
10. The architect realized that her design for the new school had to be in _____ with the local building code.
compliance
flagrant
altruistic
rebuttal
11. Noticing the _____ glance the customer gave the diamond bracelet on the counter - the clerk wondered whether he had a potential shoplifter in the store.
undermine
furtive
preclude
redundant
12. Disappointed in love - Miss Emily became a _____; she shut herself away in her empty mansion and refused to see another living soul.
recluse
satirical
gravity
hierarchy
13. Don't bore your audience with excess verbiage; be _____.
presumptuous
compliance
succinct
profound
14. When the boys first met their new stepmother - they felt some _____ - but eventually they lost that initial awkwardness and talked with her comfortably.
constraint
digression
adversary
ostentatious
15. I am a _____ about the proposed new health plan; I want some proof that it will work.
laconic
coercion
frivolous
skeptic
16. To win his audience - the speaker used every _____ trick in the book.
rhetorical
verbose
austere
altruistic
17. A born storyteller - my father loved to _____ anecdotes about his early years in New York.
recount
soporific
transient
abstract
18. Youth's beauty is _____; it quickly fades with age.
impede
transient
laconic
ambiguous
19. We made an _____ choice to eat at the first restaurant we saw.
arbitrary
coercion
impede
lavish
20. Rumors of police corruption led the mayor to _____ an investigation into the department's activities.
disdain
instigate
flagrant
rhetorical
21. When Amanda said to the ticket scalper - 'One hundred bucks? What do you want - a pound of flesh?' she was making an _____ to Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.
pragmatic
quandary
reprimand
allusion
22. My Uncle Henry can out-talk any three people I know. he is the most _____ man in Cayuga County.
relegate
garrulous
gravity
mollify
23. Bobby was such a _____ eater that he would eat a sandwich only if his mother first cut off every scrap of crust.
fastidious
substantiate
debilitate
enhance
24. Denying that she advocated total _____ - Katya maintained she wished only to change our government - not to destroy it utterly.
quandary
whimsical
opportunist
anarchy
25. At evening block inspection - the recruits' bunk room - washroom - and gear come under the inspecting officer's close _____.
aesthetic
scrutiny
dogmatic
ambivalence
26. Since both interpretations seemed possible - the judge could not decide which way to interpret a particularly _____ passage in the law.
derivative
ambiguous
lethargic
flagrant
27. Paradoxically - _____ reasoning does not always produce incorrect results; even though your logic may be flawed - the conclusion you reach may still be correct.
interpid
fallacious
taciturn
resolution
28. There's no point to what you're saying. Why are you bothering to make such _____ remarks?
immutable
impeccable
inane
recluse
29. At the protest rally - the students cheered the strikers and booed the dean with equal _____.
equivocal
extricate
fervor
vacillate
30. His coarse - hard-bitten exterior _____ his inner sensitivity.
belie
assumption
austere
aesthetic
31. Although her early poetry was clearly _____ in nature - the critics thought she had promise and eventually would find her own voice.
criterion
derivative
presumptuous
adversary
32. Using only a few descriptive phrases - Austen manages to _____ the character of Mr. Collins so deftly that we can predict his every move.
delineate
buttress
austere
fallacious
33. Historically - traders and missionaries often proved themselves to be _____ explorers - bravely venturing into new territories despite the dangers involved.
prudent
quandary
turbulent
interpid
34. Although her _____ smile and gentle bearing made Miss Marple seem to be a sweet little old lady - in reality she was a tough-minded - shrewd observer of human nature.
adulation
benign
turbulent
oblivion
35. Is an old-fashioned hairstyle an apt _____ for being out of step with the times and in need of change?
instigate
decorum
metaphor
recount
36. Although Georgia O'Keeffe painted subjects over the years - she had a definite _____ for painting flowers.
predilection
preclude
compliance
eulogy
37. In class - she tried to stay alert and listen to the professor - but the stuffy room made her _____; she felt as if she were about to nod off.
lethargic
compliance
disdain
impede
38. Tourists are urged not to _____ the sanctity of holy places by wearing immodest garb.
dismiss
laconic
profane
impair
39. Because Carmen believed in Juan's fidelity - she _____ the notion that he might be having an affair.
capricious
anarchy
belie
dismiss
40. Compared to Jo - who was perfectly ready to chat with anyone about anything - Beth was _____ about what she considered personal matters.
specious
reticent
superfluous
detachment
41. My editors must assume I'm a _____ writer; they expect me to revise six books this year.
discrepancy
prolific
malicious
taciturn
42. An occasional glass of wine with dinner is relatively _____ and should have no ill effect on you.
innocuous
impede
sporadic
fastidious
43. When you place a phone call from an airplane - _____ is essential; you are charged for every minute.
brevity
fastidious
debunk
malicious
44. The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up his case - sure that she could answer his arguments in her _____.
elusive
rebuttal
incongruous
fallacious
45. Acetone is an extremely _____ liquid: it vaporizes instantly.
erudite
peripheral
equivocal
volatile
46. Because the student body at their daughter's prep school was so _____ - they decided to send her to a school that offered greater cultural diversity.
affirmation
insipid
apathy
homogeneous
47. Every time Ermengarde made a mistake in class - she was terrified that she would receive a harsh _____ from Miss Minchin.
induce
advocate
reprimand
superfluous
48. Cool - calm - and collected - James Bond shows remarkable _____ in the face of danger.
garrulous
nonchalance
resolution
nurture
49. Though Widow Douglas had hopes of reforming Huck - Miss Watson considered him _____ and swore he would come to no good end.
exemplary
feasible
discerning
incorrigible
50. At commencement - the dean praised Ellen for her _____ behavior as class president.
immutable
austere
exemplary
subside