| Question | Answers |
| A joke that is coarse and indecent in language can be described as: | ribald |
| Which of the following might be another word for anecdote? | vignette |
| The opposite of upright is: | supine |
| An assistant or helper might be referred to as an: | adjunct |
| In sentence 1, bellwether means: | indicator |
| If a finish is not a fait accompli (sentence 2), a team’s fortune can be: | reversed |
| An effete (sentence 3) performance is lacking in: | energy |
| In sentence 3, chimerical means: | impossible |
| Which of the following words could be used to replace caterwauling (sentence 6)? | howling |
| In sentence 6, raillery means: | teasing |
Have you decided to learn English? Of course, you made the right choice, because English is the main language of international communication.
Most likely, you have already encountered the main problem in learning English – a huge number of textbooks, courses on the market, most of which – a waste of time and money. And if you add to that the self-study and complete lack of basic knowledge of the language, it all puts a person in a deadlock and he loses the desire to learn English. And desire is the main key to the successful learning of any foreign language.
Martin Luther King Jr. appealed to his countrymen to abandon the (noisome, hidebound) stereotypes of racism and rise to a new level of understanding
hidebound
Financial analysts carefully watch the performance of certain stock, which they regard as (bellwethers, vignettes) for indications of economic trends
bellwethers
How can you expect a prompt response from an agency that is bogged down in a veritable (morass, liturgy) of unnecessary red tape?
morass
by late imperial times, centuries of soft living had turned the once hardy Romans into an (oblivious, effete) and indolent people
effete
we have lived to see the acceptance and enactment of reform programs that, when first proposed, were dismissed as absolutely (chimerical, oblivious)
chimerical
the great historian Edward Gibbon sought to explain how and why the (proselytizing, liturgical) efforts of the early Christian church met with such extraordinary success
proselytizing
a policy of (quasi, laissez-faire) economics makes sense in a textbook, but certain governmental regulations and oversight are necessary in a mixed economy
laissez-faire
overly sensitive to any suggestion of ridicule, young Rogers seemed to be hurt even by a friend’s good-natured (raillery, proselytes)
raillery
the lyrics of the song, presented as though they were devastating wit, were in my opinion no more than a coarse and (supine, ribald) jest
ribald
they have confronted us not with a theoretical possibility but a(n) (adjunct, fait accompli); now we must decide what to do about it
fait accompli
he is so (ribald, hidebound) in his political views that he won’t even listen to opinions that differ from his own
hidebound
her unfailing courtesy to others is not a mere (adjunct, morass) of her personality; it reflects the essential values and standards by which she lives
adjunct
failure to stand up for your rights is not being “prudent” or “moderate”; it is the behavior of a (poltroon, bellwether)
poltroon
almost incredibly, a formidable resistance movement had been organized by people who we had always associated with (supine, noisome) submission to authority
supine
i am willing to listen to any reasonable grievances you may have, but this constant (caterwauling, hierarchy) about trivia has exhausted my patience
caterwauling
a superintendent is at the head of the (hierarchy, vignette) of educators responsible for the schooling of our children and young people
hierarchy
with penetrating insight and a marvelous ear for dialogue, the author gave us in a few words an unforgettable (adjunct, vignette) of a confused but hopeful teen
vignette
after a brief period of popularity, their cheap and vulgar novels lost their appeal and sank into well-deserved (proselyte, oblivion)
oblivion
as i listened to the talk of those unlettered people, suffused with love and reverence, i felt that their simple words were a (raillery, liturgy) worthy of respect
liturgy
although the old senator o longer holds any public office, her fame and prestige are so great that she is still regarded as a (quasi, hidebound) public figure
quasi
the (adjunct, supine) form of the sculpted figure suggests that the artist is interested in revealing and drawing attention to life’s peaceful moments
supine
(ribald, noisome) vapors from the manufacturing plant contributed to the overwhelming public outrage concerning disposal of waste in the community
noisome
as the family set up their tent, a distant (caterwauling, poltroon) of an unseen and mysterious creature sent the children running for the comfort of their parents’ arms
caterwauling
a lauded short story writer and novelist, Hemingway was far from (effete, ribald), as he also thrived in such endeavors as bullfighting, hunting, and skiing
effete
hiking in the woods, we came upon an expansive and impassable (caterwaul, morass)
morass
synonym-fanciful
chimerical
synonym-coward
poltroon
synonym-banter
raillery
synonym-foul
noisome
synonym-wail
caterwaul
synonym-bawdy
ribald
synonym-semi
quasi
synonym-irreversible situation
fait accompli
synonym-ceremony
liturgy
synonym-pecking order
hierarchy
antonym-derision
raillery
antonym-pleasant
noisome
antonym- informal proceedings
liturgy
antonym- whimper
caterwaul
antonym- hero
poltroon
a handful if self-appointed “leaders” served as the _____ who induced the mob to surge through the barriers
bellwethers
ever since she learned of the failure of her project, she has been mired in a(n) ______ of disappointment and self-recrimination
morass
the use of english rather than traditional languages in religious ceremonies is evidence of efforts to modernize and revitalize the ______ of various denominations
liturgies
advocates of equal rights maintain that we must reject the _____ prejudices that bar the physically impaired from many occupations
hidebound
the rigid king dismissed as a mere _____ anyone who refused to join in his crusade against the forces of evil
poltroon
polluted by the spill from a nearby chemical plant, the once beautiful lake had become a foul pool, _____ and hideous
noisome
she used talent, charm, energy, and determination to fight her way up the corporate ______ until she attained the highest position in the company
hierarchy
as late as the 17th century, researchers called “alchemists” devoted their lives to the pursuit of _______ schemes for turning iron into gold
chimerical
the baby-sitter had a ______ manner about him, so the children got to stay up late when he was in charge
laissez-faire
as a rule, i am not particularly proud or competitive , but i cannot be ____ to the fact that you have deliberately insulted me
oblivious
their youthful enthusiasm for literature had degenerated over the years into a(n) _____ preoccupation with quibbling criticism and minor details
effete
failure in itself is no disgrace, but the _____ acceptance of failure certainly is
supine
i detected an undertone of hostility and ridicule in the remarks, which were ostensibly no more than good-natured ______
raillery
if you think that the literature of earlier ages was always staid and proper, take a look at some of the _____ stories in Decameron, written more than 600 years ago
ribald
taking advantage of the young man’s naive idealism, the sought to make a(n) ______ to serve in their revolutionary plans
proselyte
the local parents association has on many occasions served as a willing ____ to the administration and staff of our school
adjunct
i think that the critic was a little harsh when he observed that the band’s lead vocalist didn’t sing as much as ______
caterwaul
the newspaper published my Aunt Alice’s series of charming _____ -brief sketches of the town she grew up in
vignettes
I regret fred’s resignation as much as anyone, bu i think that we must regard it as a(n) _____ and find someone to take his place
fait accompli
as the simthsonian is only partly under the control of the US government, it is considered a(n) _____ governmental institution
quasi
to be supine is to be
a. recumbent
b. upright
c. anxious
d. alluring
a. recumbent
b. upright
c. anxious
d. alluring
a recumbent
someone who is effete is
a. coarse
b. obedient
c. debilitated
d. accomplished
a. coarse
b. obedient
c. debilitated
d. accomplished
c. debilitated
a poltroon is NOT
a. agitated
b. confident
c. neurotic
d. cowardly
a. agitated
b. confident
c. neurotic
d. cowardly
b. confident
a vignette is a
a. map
b. kind of boat
c. depiction
d. good-humored joke
a. map
b. kind of boat
c. depiction
d. good-humored joke
c. depiction
raillery is
a. antagonism
b. storytelling
c. justification
d. joshing
a. antagonism
b. storytelling
c. justification
d. joshing
d. joshing
A handful of self-appointed “leaders” served as the ___ who induced the mob to surge through the barriers.
bellwethers
Ever since she learned of the failure of her project, she has mired in a(n) ___ of disappointment and self-recrimination.
morass
The use of English rather than traditional languages in religious ceremonies is evidence of efforts to modernize and revitalize the ___ of various denominations.
liturgies
Advocates of equal rights maintain that we must reject the ___ prejudices that bar the physically impaired from many occupations.
hidebound
The rigid king dismissed as a mere ___ anyone who refused to join in his crusade against the forces of evil.
poltroon
Polluted by the spill from a nearby chemical plant, the once beautiful lake had become a foul pool, ___ and hideous.
noisome
She used her talent, charm, energy, and determination to fight her way up the corporate ___ until she attained the highest position in the company.
hierarchy
As late as the seventeenth century, researchers called “alchemists” devoted their lives to the pursuit of ___ schemes for turning iron into gold.
chimerical
The baby-sitter had a ___manner about him, so the children got to stay up late when he was in charge.
laissez-faire
As a rule, I am not a particularly proud or combative person, but I cannot be ___ to the fact that you have deliberately insulted me.
oblivious
Their youthful enthusiasm for literature had degenerated over the years into a(n) ___ preoccupation with quibbling criticism and minor details.
effete
Failure in itself is no disgrace, but the ___ acceptance of failure certainly is.
supine
I detected an undertone of hostility and ridicule in the remarks, which were ostensibly no more than good- natured ___.
raillery
adjunct
something added to something else as helpful or useful, but not essential
bellwether
the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; an indicator of trends
caterwaul
to howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel
chimerical
absurd, wildly fantastic, impossible
effete
lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out
fait accompli
an accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact, or action
hidebound
narrow-minded and rigid
hierarchy
any system of things or people arranged one above another in order of rank, wealth, class.. etc.
liturgy
a religious service or rite
mirage
illusion
morass
a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand
noisome
offensive or disgusting
oblivious
forgetful; unaware
poltroon
a base coward
proselyte
a covert; a disciple
quasi
resembling but not actually being; semi
raillery
good-humored ridicule; persiflage
ribald
irreverently mocking; vulgar
supine
lying flat on one’s back; lethargic, apathetic, passive
vignette
a short description or sketch