Vocabulary Unit 9
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Completing the Sentence
From the four items given, identify the letter of the word that best completes each of the following sentences.
____
1. An “attractive nuisance” is a potentially harmful object that could lure children to explore it; by law, you are
_____ if some ill befalls a child due to an attractive nuisance on your property.
a. dilatory
b. astute
c. nebulous
d. culpable
____
2. The local tough seemed to take command when he intimidated the meek in the neighborhood, yet he proved
to be _____ in a true crisis.
a. egregious
b. irresolute
c. torpid
d. nebulous
____
3. Some people _____ because they honestly cannot make up their minds, while others speak vaguely because
they wish to mislead.
a. recapitulate
b. resuscitate
c. abate
d. equivocate
____
4. Lifeguards are trained to _____ victims of respiratory distress until emergency medical personnel arrive on
the scene.
a. recapitulate
b. equivocate
c. abate
d. resuscitate
____
5. We thought the executive’s new mansion was _____ in the extreme; obviously, he hoped that an ostentatious
display of wealth would impress his guests.
a. culpable
b. astute
c. slovenly
d. pretentious
____
6. In an essay, Yoshiko Uchida tells the story of Mr. Shozo Shimada, one of the first Japanese American
millionaires, and how, in a bitter reversal, he was reduced to _____ by the stock market crash and the Great
Depression.
a. anathema
b. supposition
c. novice
d. penury
____
7. The _____ was that she was traveling to visit relatives, but when she failed to turn up there, we wondered
where she had really gone.
a. penury
b. supposition
c. adulation
d. avarice
____
8. As a(n) _____ at skiing, Marcos thought it wise to stick to the beginner trails, which were marked with a
green circle.
a. supposition
b. novice
c. anathema
d. avarice
____
9. In his famous exposé about the disadvantaged immigrants in New York City’s tenements, Jacob Riis wrote,
“_____ and poverty are wedded everywhere to dirt and disease. . . .”
a. supposition
b. adulation
c. penury
d. anathema
____ 10. No amount of encouragement, support, self-confidence, or preparation could _____ her irrational fear of
public speaking.
a. recapitulate
b. equivocate
c. abate
d. resuscitate
____ 11. After six hours of sitting in the car, my legs felt sluggish and _____, and I had difficulty walking.
a. pretentious
b. torpid
c. slovenly
d. dilatory
____ 12. Last week, astronomers at the observatory announced the discovery of small bodies of dark _____ matter with
highly unusual properties.
a. irresolute
b. dilatory
c. torpid
d. nebulous
____ 13. Patrick certainly seems to have a(n) _____ approach to doing his homework; he scarcely ever hands in his
assignments on time.
a. pretentious
b. astute
c. dilatory
d. egregious
____ 14. All meat products, even the sight of greasy hamburgers, are _____ to my strictly vegetarian friend Joy.
a. supposition
b. penury
c. anathema
d. adulation
____ 15. In his work as a radical political propagandist, the charismatic leader became champion of one faction and
_____ to the others.
a. supposition
b. anathema
c. penury
d. adulation
____ 16. For a brief period, Toby was energetic in his support for the new project, but his enthusiasm seemed _____,
melting away after the first few days.
a. evanescent
b. pretentious
c. astute
d. culpable
____ 17. The _____ patient was unable to decide whether to continue the treatment plan recommended by his doctor.
a. irresolute
b. astute
c. slovenly
d. pretentious
____ 18. Every year at the Academy Awards, the stars enjoy the _____ of their adoring fans as they enter the theater
for the ceremony.
a. adulation
b. supposition
c. avarice
d. penury
____ 19. The cutthroat reputations of the Borgias made that family’s name synonymous with treachery and _____.
a. penury
b. adulation
c. avarice
d. novices
____ 20. Most _____ who take up the bagpipes are quite shocked to find out how difficult it is to develop the stamina
and control needed to master this ancient instrument.
a. recapitulations
b. resuscitations
c. suppositions
d. novices
____ 21. Although the house looked _____ and poorly maintained, the prospective buyer was enthusiastic about the
property’s location.
a. nebulous
b. pretentious
c. slovenly
d. astute
____ 22. The saying “blood is thicker than water” reflects the belief that connections we make with strangers or
outsiders are weaker and more _____ than the links we form with blood relations.
a. evanescent
b. astute
c. egregious
d. torpid
____ 23. On the _____ that it would rain on Thursday, the Adamses canceled their plans to go to the beach; in fact,
however, the weather turned out to be sunny and warm.
a. penury
b. anathema
c. adulation
d. supposition
____ 24. She was so _____ in making her reservations for the ski trip that when she got around to it there were no
rooms available at the lodge.
a. slovenly
b. dilatory
c. egregious
d. pretentious
____ 25. She was known as a “Teflon candidate” for, no matter how _____ the charges against her may have been, no
negative publicity ever stuck.
a. astute
b. torpid
c. culpable
d. egregious
____ 26. “If you examine his track record carefully,” the senator observed, “I think you’ll find that his financial
dealings have hardly been as _____ as he claims.”
a. nebulous
b. dilatory
c. pretentious
d. astute
____ 27. The art gallery opened with a(n) _____ exhibit of second-rate paintings by renowned celebrities who earned
their fame in every field but art.
a. culpable
b. pretentious
c. astute
d. slovenly
____ 28. Yuri’s _____ explanation of the new chemical process left us with many unanswered questions, and we were
surprised and upset by his vagueness.
a. torpid
b. nebulous
c. culpable
d. astute
____ 29. The game show host always takes a moment after returning from a station break to _____ the standings of the
players.
a. recapitulate
b. equivocate
c. resuscitate
d. abate
____ 30. Sensing that the company spokesperson was _____, the reporters at the press conference asked numerous
follow-up questions about the oil spill.
a.
b.
c.
d.
equivocating
recapitulating
abating
resuscitating
____ 31. The whale shark is a large but _____ fish that does not attack humans, even when provoked; rather, the
passive creature feeds on plankton, small fish, and crustaceans.
a. egregious
b. torpid
c. nebulous
d. slovenly
____ 32. Just when the party was at its lowest ebb, the band broke into a set of irresistibly lively dance tunes that _____
the drowsy guests.
a. equivocated
b. recapitulated
c. abated
d. resuscitated
____ 33. After the hurricane, many critics felt that elected officials were _____ because they acted too slowly to
organize relief efforts.
a. nebulous
b. pretentious
c. astute
d. culpable
____ 34. “Who could ever tell from this _____ studio,” remarked the tour guide, “that a brilliant artist created
masterpieces of sublime beauty here amidst such chaos?”
a. dilatory
b. nebulous
c. slovenly
d. evanescent
____ 35. The dictator sent photographs of public events in which groups appeared to express deep _____ of him; but
these events were staged using actors and digital editing.
a. adulation
b. anathema
c. supposition
d. avarice
____ 36. No one in the room spoke to the child until his temper tantrum _____ and he stopped shouting and crying.
a. resuscitated
b. recapitulated
c. abated
d. equivocated
____ 37. As chairperson of the committee, Maria was _____ enough to realize that she had to guide the members to a
consensus before the final report was drafted.
a. dilatory
b. culpable
c. torpid
d. astute
____ 38. In The Miser, a comedy by the French dramatist Molière, the main character is a man of such _____ that he
even rations his breathing, afraid that he will waste too much air!
a. adulation
b. anathema
c. supposition
d. avarice
____ 39. At the end of the class, the professor _____ the objectives of the lesson and reviewed what the students should
have learned.
a. recapitulated
b. abated
c. equivocated
d. resuscitated
____ 40. The forecasters committed a(n) _____ mistake when they predicted that the hurricane would shift course and
move out to sea, when, instead, it made straight for the coastline and caused millions of dollars worth of
damage.
a. pretentious
b. torpid
c. astute
d. egregious
Definition
In each of the following groups, identify the letter of the word that corresponds to the definition given.
____ 41. done for show, striving to make a big impression
a. pretentious
b. dilatory
c. irresolute
d. slovenly
____ 42. something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence
a. avarice
b. supposition
c. anathema
d. penury
____ 43. to review a series of facts
a. abate
b. resuscitate
c. recapitulate
d. equivocate
____ 44. inactive, sluggish, dull
a. nebulous
b. torpid
c. irresolute
d. astute
____ 45. vanishing, soon passing away
a. pretentious
b. evanescent
c. astute
d. dilatory
____ 46. one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience
a. adulation
b. avarice
c. penury
d. novice
____ 47. unable to make up one’s mind, hesitating
a. culpable
b. egregious
c. irresolute
d. nebulous
____ 48. conspicuous, standing out from the mass (used particularly in an unfavorable sense)
a. irresolute
b. egregious
c. torpid
d. culpable
____ 49. an object of intense dislike
a. supposition
b. novice
c. anathema
d. avarice
____ 50. extreme poverty
a. penury
b. adulation
c. supposition
d. avarice
____ 51. a greedy desire, particularly for wealth
a. avarice
b. supposition
c. adulation
d. novice
____ 52. cloudlike, resembling a cloud
a. nebulous
b. torpid
c. astute
d. pretentious
____ 53. to make less in amount, degree, etc.
a. recapitulate
b. resuscitate
c. abate
d. equivocate
____ 54. deserving blame, worthy of condemnation
a. culpable
b. nebulous
c. slovenly
d. evanescent
____ 55. not on time, not prompt
a. dilatory
b. evanescent
c. pretentious
d. egregious
____ 56. to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence
a. resuscitate
b. equivocate
c. abate
d. recapitulate
____ 57. shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom
a. astute
b. egregious
c. torpid
d. evanescent
____ 58. untidy, dirty, careless
a. egregious
b. torpid
c. slovenly
d. dilatory
____ 59. to speak or act in a way that allows more than one interpretation
a. resuscitate
b. abate
c. recapitulate
d. equivocate
____ 60. praise or flattery that is excessive
a. avarice
b. novice
c. adulation
d. penury
Vocabulary Unit 9
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
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D
culpable
B
irresolute
D
equivocate
D
resuscitate
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pretentious
D
penury
B
supposition
B
novice
C
penury
C
abate
B
torpid
D
nebulous
C
dilatory
C
anathema
B
anathema
A
evanescent
A
irresolute
A
adulation
C
avarice
D
novice
C
slovenly
A
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OBJ: completing the sentence
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OBJ: completing the sentence
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evanescent
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supposition
B
dilatory
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egregious
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astute
B
pretentious
B
nebulous
A
recapitulate
A
equivocate
B
torpid
D
resuscitate
D
culpable
C
slovenly
A
adulation
C
abate
D
astute
D
avarice
A
recapitulate
D
egregious
A
Option A
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C
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OBJ: completing the sentence
OBJ: completing the sentence
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OBJ: definition
KEY: pretentious
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: supposition
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: recapitulate
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: torpid
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: evanescent
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: novice
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C
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Option A
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Option A
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: irresolute
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: egregious
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: anathema
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: penury
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: avarice
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: nebulous
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: abate
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: culpable
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: dilatory
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: resuscitate
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: astute
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: slovenly
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: equivocate
PTS: 1
OBJ: definition
KEY: adulation