VOCABULARY [R - Z] - APTITUDE

Chapter 9: VOCABULARY

Q

quack :: charlatan; impostor

quadruped :: four-footed animal

quaff :: drink with relish

quagmire :: bog; marsh

quail :: cower; lose heart

qualms :: misgivings

quandary :: dilemma

quarantine :: isolation of person or ship to prevent spread of infection

quay :: dock; landing place

queasy :: easily nauseated; squeamish

quell :: put down; quiet

querulous :: fretful; whining

qui vie :: wide awake; expectant

quibble :: equivocate; play on words

quiescent :: at rest; dormant

quietude :: tranquillity

quintessence :: purest and highest embodiment

quip :: taunt

quirk :: startling twist; caprice

quixotic :: idealistic but impractical

quizzical :: bantering; comical; humorously serious

quorum :: number of mem

R

rabid :: like a fanatic; furious

ragamuffin :: person wearing tattered clothes

ramification :: branching out; subdivision

ramify :: divide into branches or subdivisions

ramp :: slope; inclined plane

rampant :: rearing up on hind legs; unrestrained

rampart :: defensive mound of earth

rancid :: having the odor of stale fat

rancor :: bitterness; hatred

rant :: rave; speak bombastically

rapacious :: excessively grasping; plundering

rapprochement :: reconciliation

rarefied :: made less dense of a gas

ratiocination :: reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises

rationalization :: bringing into conformity with reason

rationalize :: reason; justify an improper act

raucous :: harsh and shrill

ravage :: plunder; despoil

ravening :: rapacious; seeking prey

ravenous :: extremely hungry

raze :: destroy completely

reactionary :: recoiling from progress; retrograde

realm :: kingdom; sphere

rebate :: discount

recalcitrant :: obstinately stubborn

recant :: repudiate; withdraw previous statement

recapitulate :: summarize

recession :: withdrawal; retreat

recherché :: choice, sought after; rare

recidivism :: habitual return to crime

recipient :: receiver

reciprocal :: mutual; exchangeable; interacting

reciprocate :: repay in kind

recluse :: hermit

reconcile :: make friendly after quarrel; correct inconsistencies

recondite :: abstruse; profound; secret

reconnaissance :: survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering

recourse :: resorting to help when in trouble

recreant :: coward; betrayer of faith

recrimination :: countercharges

recrudescence :: reopening of a wound or sore

rectify :: correct

rectitude :: uprightness

recumbent :: reclining; lying down completely or in part

recuperate :: recover

recurrent :: occurring again and again

recusant :: person who refuses to comply

redolent :: fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor

redoubtable :: formidable; causing fear

redress :: remedy; compensation

redundant :: superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious

reek :: emit odor

refection :: slight refreshment

refectory :: dinning hall

refraction :: bending of a ray of light

refractory :: stubborn; unmanageable

refulgent :: radiant

refurbish :: renovate; make bright by polishing

refutation :: disproof of opponents' arguments

regal :: royal

regale :: entertain

regatta :: boat or yacht race

regeneration :: spiritual rebirth

regime :: method or system of government

regimen :: prescribed diet and habits

rehabilitate :: restore to proper condition

reimburse :: repay

reiterate :: repeat

rejuvenate :: make young again

relegate :: banish; consign to inferior position

relevancy :: pertinence; reference to the case in hand

relinquish :: abandon

relish :: savor; enjoy

remediable :: reparable

remedial :: curative; corrective

reminiscence :: recollection

remiss :: negligent

remnant :: remainder

remonstrate :: protest

remove from a grave

remunerative :: compensating; rewarding

rend :: split; tear apart

render :: deliver; provide; represent

rendezvous :: meeting place

rendition :: translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc.

renegade :: deserter; apostate

renounce :: abandon; discontinue; disown; repudiate

renovate :: restore to good condition; renew

renunciation :: giving up; renouncing

reparable :: capable of being repaired

reparation :: amends; compensation

repartee :: clever reply

repellent :: driving away; unattractive

repercussion :: rebound; reverberation; reaction

repertoire :: list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to presen

replenish :: fill up again

replete :: filled to capacity; abundantly supplied

replica :: copy

repository :: storehouse

reprehensible :: deserving blame

reprieve :: temporary stay

reprimand :: reprove severely

reprisal :: retaliation

reprobate :: person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency

reprobation :: severe disapproval

reprove :: censure; rebuke

repudiate :: disown; disavow

repugnance :: loathing

requiem :: mass for the dead; dirge

requisite :: necessary requirement

requite :: repay; revenge

rescind :: cancel

rescission :: abrogation; annulment

residue :: remainder; balance

resilient :: elastic; having the power of springing back

resonant :: echoing; resounding; possessing resonance

respite :: delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest

resplendent :: brilliant; lustrous

restitution :: reparation; indemnification

restive :: unmanageable; fretting under control

resurgent :: rising again after defeat, etc.

resuscitate :: revive

retaliate :: repay in kind usually for bad treatment

retentive :: holding; having a good memory

reticence :: reserve; uncommunicativeness; inclination to be silent

reticulated :: covered with a network; having the appearance of a mesh

retinue :: following; attendants

retraction :: withdrawal

retribution :: vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses

retrieve :: recover; find and bring in

retroactive :: of a law which dates back to a period before its enactment

retrograde :: going backwards; degenerating

revelry :: boisterous merrymaking

reverberate :: echo; resound

reverie :: daydream; musing

revile :: slander; vilify

revulsion :: sudden violent change of feeling; reaction

rhetoric :: art of effective communication; insincere language

rheumy :: pertaining to a discharge from nose and eyes

ribald :: wanton; profane

rife :: abundant; current

rift :: opening; break

rigor :: severity

rime :: white frost

risible :: inclined to laugh; ludicrous

risqué :: verging upon the improper; off-color

roan :: brown mixed with gray or white

robust :: vigorous; strong

rococo :: ornate; highly decorated

rood :: crucifix

roseate :: rosy; optimistic

rossify :: change or harden into bone

rostrum :: platform for speech-making; pulpit

rote :: repetition

rotunda :: circular building or hall covered with a dome

rotundity :: roundness; sonorousness of speech

rubble :: fragments

rubicund :: having a healthy reddish color; ruddy; florid

ruddy :: reddish; healthy-looking

rudimentary :: not developed; elementary

rueful :: regretful; sorrowful; dejected

ruminate :: chew the cud; ponder

rummage :: ransack; thoroughly search

ruse :: trick; stratagem

rustic :: pertaining to country people; uncouth

rusticate :: banish to the country; dwell in the country

ruthless :: pitiless

S

sacerdotal :: priestly

sacrilegious :: desecrating; profane

sacrosanct :: most sacred; inviolable

sadistic :: inclined to cruelty

saffron :: orange-colored; colored like the autumn crocus

saga :: Scandinavian myth; any legend

sagacious :: keen; shrewd; having insight

salient :: prominent

saline :: salty

sallow :: yellowish; sickly in color

saltatory :: relating to leaping

salubrious :: healthful

salutary :: tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome

salvage :: rescue from loss

salver :: tray

sanctimonious :: displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness

sangfroid :: coolness in a trying situation

sanguinary :: bloody

sanguine :: cheerful; hopeful

sapid :: savory; tasty; relishable

sapient :: wise; shrewd

sarcasm to expose folly, vice, etc.

sarcophagus :: stone coffin, often highly decorated

sardonic :: disdainful; sarcastic; cynical

sartorial :: pertaining to tailors

sate :: satisfy to the full; cloy

satellite :: small body revolving around a larger one

satiate :: surfeit; satisfy fully

satiety :: condition of being crammed full; glutted state; repletion

satire :: use of ridicule, irony, or

satrap :: petty ruler working for a

saturate :: soak

saturnine :: gloomy

satyr :: half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysos

saunter :: stroll slowly

savant :: scholar

savoir faire :: tact; poise; sophistication

savor :: have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality

scarify :: make slight incisions in; scratch

scavenger :: collector and disposer of refuse; animal that devours carrion

schism :: division; split

scintilla :: shred; least bit

scintillate :: sparkle; flash

sciolism :: quackery; superficial information

scion :: offspring

scourge :: lash; whip; severe punishment

screed :: long, tiresome harangue

scrupulous :: conscientious; extremely thorough

scullion :: menial kitchen worker

scurrilous :: obscene; indecent

scuttle :: sink

sebaceous :: oily; fatty

secession :: withdrawal

secular :: worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal

sedate :: composed; grave

sedentary :: requiring sitting

sedulous :: diligent

seethe :: be disturbed; boil

seine :: net for catching fish

semblance :: outward appearance; guise

senescence :: state of growing old

senility :: old age; feeblemindedness of old age

sensual :: devoted to the pleasures of the senses; carnal; voluptuous

sensuous :: pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses

sententious :: terse; concise; aphoristic

septic :: putrid; producing putrefaction

sepulcher :: tomb

sequacious :: eager to follow; ductile

sequester :: retire from public life; segregate; seclude

seraph :: high-ranking, six-winged angel

serendipity :: gift for finding valuable things not searched for

serenity :: calmness; placidity

serrated :: having a saw-toothed edge

serried :: standing shoulder to shoulder; crowded

servile :: slavish; cringing

serving good food

severance :: division; partition; separation

shackle :: chain; fetter

shambles :: slaughterhouse; scene of carnage

sheaf :: bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together

sheathe :: place into a case

sherbet :: flavored dessert ice

shibboleth :: watchword; slogan

shimmer :: glimmer intermittently

shoal :: shallow place

shoddy :: sham; not genuine; inferior

sibylline :: prophetic; oracular

sidereal :: relating to the stars

silt :: sediment deposited by running water

simian :: monkeylike

simile :: comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as

similitude :: similitude; using comparisons such as similes, etc.

simpering :: smirking

simulate :: feign

sinecure :: well-paid position with little responsibility

sinister :: evil

sinuous :: winding; bending in and out; not morally honest

sirocco :: warm, sultry wind blown Africa to southern Europe

skeptic :: doubter

skimp :: provide scantily; live very economically

skittish :: lively; frisky

skulk :: move furtively and secretly

slake :: quench; sate

slander :: defamation; utterance o false and malicious statements

slattern :: untidy or slovenly person

sleazy :: flimsy; unsubstantial

sleight :: dexterity

slither :: slip or slide

sloth :: laziness

slough :: cast off

slovenly :: untidy; careless in work habits

sluggard :: lazy person

sluice :: artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water

smattering :: slight knowledge

sobriety :: soberness

sobriquet :: nickname

sojourn :: temporary stay

solace :: comfort in trouble

solecism :: construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically

solicitous :: worried; concerned

soliloquy :: talking to oneself

solstice :: point at which the sun is farthest from the equator

solvent :: able to pay all debts

somatic :: pertaining to the body; physical

something different

somnambulist :: sleepwalker

somnolent :: half asleep

sonorous :: resonant

sophist :: teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning

sophistication :: artificiality; unnaturalness; act of employing sophistry in reasoning

sophomoric :: immature; shallow

soporific :: sleep producer

soupcon :: suggestion; hint; taste

spangle :: small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation

spasmodic :: fitful; periodic

spate :: sudden flood

spatial :: relating to space

spatula :: broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing

spawn :: lay eggs

specious :: seemingly reasonable but incorrect

spectral :: ghostly

spectrum :: colored band produced when beam of light passes through a prism

splenetic :: spiteful; irritable; peevish

spoliation :: pillaging; depredation

spoonerism :: accidental transposition of sounds in successive words

sporadic :: occurring irregularly

sportive :: playful

spume :: froth; foam

spurious :: false; counterfeit

squalid :: dirty; neglected; poor

squander :: waste

staccato :: played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound

stagnant :: motionless; stale; dull

staid :: sober; sedate

stalemate :: deadlock

stalwart :: strong, brawny; steadfast

stamina :: strength; staying power

stanch :: check flow of blood

statement or solemn declaration

statute :: law

statutory :: created by statute or legislative action

stein :: beer mug

stellar :: pertaining to the stars

stentorian :: extremely loud

stereotyped :: fixed and unvarying representation

stertorous :: having a snoring sound

stigma :: token of disgrace; brand

stigmatize :: brand; mark as wicked

stilted :: bombastic; inflated

stint :: supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work

stipend :: pay for services

stoic :: person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain

stolid :: dull; impassive

stratagem :: deceptive scheme

stratum :: layer of earth's surface; layer of society

striated :: marked with parallel bands

stricture :: critical comments; severe and adverse criticism

strident :: loud and harsh

stringent :: binding; rigid

structure and development of words

stultify :: cause to appear foolish or inconsistent

stupor :: state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness

stymie :: present an obstacle; stump

suave :: smooth; bland

suavity :: urbanity; polish

sub rosa :: in strict confidence; privately

subaltern :: subordinate

subjective :: occurring or taking place within the subject; unreal

subjugate :: conquer; bring under control

sublimate :: refine; purify

sublime :: exalted; noble; uplifting

subliminal :: below the threshold

subsequent :: following; later

subservient :: behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious

subsidiary :: subordinate; secondary

subsidy :: direct financial aid by government, etc.

subsistence :: existence; means of support; livelihood

substantiate :: verify; support

substantive :: essential; pertaining to the substance

subterfuge :: pretense; evasion

subtlety :: nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy

subversive :: tending to overthrow or ruin

succinct :: brief; terse; compact

succor :: aid; assistance; relief

succulent :: juicy; full of richness

sudorific :: pertaining to perspiration

suffuse :: spread over

sully :: tarnish; soil

sultry :: sweltering

summation :: act of finding the total; summary

sumptuary :: limiting or regulating expenditures

sumptuous :: lavish; rich

sunder :: separate; part

sundry :: various; several

superannuated :: retired on pension because of age

supercilious :: contemptuous; haughty

superficial :: trivial; shallow

superfluity :: excess; overabundance

superimpose :: place over something else

superior despot

supernal :: heavenly; celestial

supernumerary :: person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra

supersede :: cause to be set aside; replace

supine :: lying on back

supple :: flexible; pliant

suppliant :: entreating; beseeching

supplicate :: petition humbly; pray to grant a favor

supposititious :: assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical

suppurate :: create pus

surcease :: cessation

surface

surfeit :: cloy; overfeed

surly :: rude; cross

surmise :: guess

surreptitious :: secret

surveillance :: watching; guarding

sustenance :: means of support, food, nourishment

suture :: stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision

swathe :: wrap around; bandage

swelter :: be oppressed by heat

sycophantic :: servilely flattering

syllogism :: logical formula utilizing a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion

sylvan :: pertaining to the woods; rustic

symmetry :: arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity

synchronous :: similarly timed; simultaneous with

synthesis :: combining parts into a whole

synthetic :: artificial; resulting from synthesis

T

tacit :: understood; not put into words

taciturn :: habitually silent; talking little

tactile :: pertaining to the organs or sense of touch

tainted :: contaminated; corrupt

talisman :: charm

talon :: claw of bird

tantalize :: tease; torture with disappointment

tantamount :: equal

tantrum :: fit of petulance; caprice

tarantula :: venomous spider

tarn :: small mountain lake

tatterdemalion :: ragged fellow

taut :: tight; ready

tautological :: needlessly repetitious

tautology :: unnecessary repetition; pleonasm

tawdry :: cheap and gaudy

tedium :: boredom; weariness

teleology :: doctrine of final causes

temerarious :: rash

temerity :: boldness; rashness

tempo :: speed of music

temporal :: not lasting forever; limited by time; secular

temporize :: avoid committing oneself; gain time

tenacious :: holding fast

tenacity :: firmness; persistency; adhesiveness

tendentious :: having an aim; designed to further a cause

tenebrous :: dark; gloomy

tenet :: doctrine; dogma

tentative :: provisional; experimental

tenuous :: thin; rare; slim

tenure :: holding of an office; time during which such an office is held

tepid :: lukewarm

tergiversation :: evasion; fickleness

termagant :: shrew; scolding, brawling woman

terminology :: terms used in a science or art

terminus :: last stop of railroad

terrapin :: American marsh tortoise

terrestrial :: on the earth

terse :: concise; abrupt; pithy

tertiary :: third

tessellated :: inlaid; mosaic

testator :: maker of a will

testy :: irritable; short-tempered

tether :: tie with a rope

thaumaturgist :: miracle worker; magician

theocracy :: government of a community by religious leaders

theosophy :: wisdom in divine things

therapeutic :: curative

thermal :: pertaining to heat

thought; gloomy

thrall :: slave; bondage

threnody :: song of lamentation; dirge

throes :: violent anguish

throttle :: strangle

thwart :: baffle; frustrate

thyme :: aromatic plant used for seasoning

timbre :: quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument

timidity :: lack of self-confidence or courage

timorous :: fearful; demonstrating fear

tipple :: drink alcoholic beverages frequently

tirade :: extended scolding; denunciation

titanic :: gigantic

tithe :: tax of one-tenth

titillate :: tickle

titular :: nominal holding of title without obligations

to sore and inflamed portions of the body

toady :: flatter for favors

tocsin :: alarm bell

toga :: Roman outer robe

tome :: large volume

tonsure :: shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious orders

topography :: physical features of a region

torpid :: dormant; dull; lethargic

torso :: trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk

tortilla :: flat cake made of cornmeal, etc.

tortuous :: winding; full of curves

touchstone :: stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion

touchy :: sensitive; irascible

toxic :: poisonous

tract :: pamphlet; a region of indefinite size

tractable :: docile

traduce :: expose to slander

trajectory :: path taken by a projectile

tranquillity :: calmness; peace

transcend :: exceed; surpass

transcribe :: copy

transgression :: violation of a law; sin

transient :: fleeting; quickly passing away; staying for a short time

transition :: going from one state of action to another

translucent :: partly transparent

transmute :: change; convert to

transparent :: permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected

transpire :: exhale; become known; happen

traumatic :: pertaining to an injury caused by violence

travail :: painful labor

traverse :: go through or across

travesty :: comical parody; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous

treacle :: syrup obtained in refining sugar

treatise :: article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly

trek :: travel; migrate

tremor :: trembling; slight quiver

tremulous :: trembling; wavering

trenchant :: cutting; keen

trencherman :: good eater

trepidation :: fear; trembling agitation

tribulation :: distress; suffering

tribunal :: court of justice

tribute :: tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect

trident :: three-pronged spear

trilogy :: group of three works

triolet :: eight-line stanza

trite :: hackneyed; commonplace

troglodyte :: cave dweller

trope :: figure of speech

troth :: pledge of good faith especially in betrothal

truckle :: curry favor; act in an obsequious way

truculent :: aggressive; savage

truism :: self-evident truth

trumpery :: objects that are showy, valueless, deceptive

truncate :: cut the top off

tryst :: meeting

tumbrel :: a farm tipcart

tumid :: swollen; pompous; bombastic

tundra :: rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America

turbid :: muddy; having the sediment disturbed

turbulence :: state of violent agitation

tureen :: deep table dish for holding soup

turgid :: swollen; distended

turnkey :: jailer

turpitude :: depravity

tutelage :: guardianship; training

tutelary :: protective; pertaining to a guardianship

tyro :: beginner; novice

U

ubiquitous :: being everywhere; omnipresent

ukase :: official decree, usually Russian

ulterior :: situated beyond; unstated

ultimate :: final; not susceptible to further analysis

ultimatum :: last demand; warning

umbrage :: resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult

unanimity :: complete agreement

unassuaged :: unsatisfied; not soothed

unassuming :: modest

unbridled :: violent

uncanny :: strange; mysterious

unconscionable :: unscrupulous; excessive

uncouth :: outlandish; clumsy; boorish

unction :: the act of anointing with oil

unctuous :: oily; bland; insincerely suave

undulate :: move with a wave like motion

unearth :: dig up

unearthly :: not earthly; weird

unequivocal :: plain; obvious

unfaltering :: steadfast

unfeigned :: genuine; real

ungainly :: awkward

unguent :: ointment

unilateral :: one-sided

unimpeachable :: blameless and exemplary

unique :: without an equal; single in kind

unison :: unity of pitch; complete accord

unkempt :: disheveled; with uncared for appearance

unmitigated :: harsh; severe; not lightened

unruly :: disobedient; lawless

unseemly :: unbecoming; indecent

unsullied :: untarnished

untenable :: unsupportable

untoward :: unfortunate; annoying

unwitting :: unintentional; not knowing

unwonted :: unaccustomed

upbraid :: scold; reproach

urbane :: suave; refined; elegant

ursine :: bearlike; pertaining to a bear

usufruct :: right of enjoying things belonging to another

usurpation :: act of seizing power and rank of another

usury :: lending money at illegal rates of interest

utopia :: imaginary land with perfect social and political system

uxorious :: excessively devoted to one's wife

V

vacillation :: fluctuation; wavering

vacuous :: empty; inane

vagary :: caprice; whim

vainglorious :: boastful; excessively conceited

valance :: short drapery hanging above window frame

valedictory :: pertaining to farewell

valetudinarian :: invalid

validate :: confirm; ratify

vampire :: ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living

vanguard :: forerunners; advance forces

vantage :: position giving an advantage

vapid :: insipid; inane

variegated :: many-colored

vassal :: in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord

vaunted :: boasted; bragged; highly publicized

veer :: change in direction

vegetate :: live in a monotonous way

vehement :: impetuous; with marked vigor

vellum :: parchment

venal :: capable of being bribed

vendetta :: feud; private warfare

veneer :: thin layer; cover

venerable :: deserving high respect

venerate :: revere

venial :: forgivable; trivial

vent :: a small opening; outlet

vent :: express; utter

ventral :: abdominal

venturous :: daring

veracious :: truthful

verbatim :: word for word

verbiage :: pompous array of words

verbose :: wordy

verdant :: green; fresh

verdigris :: a green coating on copper which has been exposed to the weather

verity :: truth; reality

vermicular :: pertaining to a worm

vernal :: pertaining to spring

versatile :: having many talents; capable of working in many fields

vertex :: summit

vertiginous :: giddy; causing dizziness

vertigo :: dizziness

vestige :: trace; remains

viable :: capable of maintaining life

viand :: food

vicarious :: acting as a substitute; done by a deputy

vicissitude :: change of fortune

victuals :: food

vie :: contend; compete

vigilance :: watchfulness

vilify :: slander

vindicate :: clear of charges

vindictive :: revengeful

viper :: poisonous snake

virago :: shrew

virile :: manly

virtuoso :: highly skilled artist

virulent :: extremely poisonous

virus :: disease communicator

visage :: face; appearance

viscid :: sticky; adhesive

viscous :: sticky; gluey

visionary :: produced by imagination;

vitiate :: spoil the effect of; make inoperative

vitreous :: pertaining to or resembling glass

vitriolic :: corrosive; sarcastic

vituperative :: abusive; scolding

vivacious :: animated; gay

vivisection :: act of dissecting living animals

vociferous :: clamorous; noisy

vogue :: popular fashion

volatile :: evaporating rapidly; lighthearted; mercurial

volition :: act of making a conscious choice

voluble :: fluent; glib

voluptuous :: gratifying the senses

voracious :: ravenous

votary :: follower of a cult

vouchsafe :: grant condescendingly; guarantee

vying :: contending

W

waggish :: mischievous; humorous; tricky

waive :: give up temporarily; yield

wan :: having a pale or sickly color; pallid

wane :: grow gradually smaller

wanton :: unruly; unchaste; excessive

warranty :: guarantee; assurance by seller

wary :: very cautious

wastrel :: profligate

welkin :: sky

welter :: wallow

wheedle :: cajole; coax; deceive by flattery

whet :: sharpen; stimulate

whimsical :: capricious; fanciful; quaint

whit :: smallest speck

whorl :: ring of leaves around stem; ring

wily :: cunning; artful

winsome :: agreeable; gracious; engaging

witless :: foolish; idiotic

witticism :: witty saying; facetious remark

wizardry :: sorcery; magic

wizened :: withered; shriveled

wont :: custom; habitual procedure

worldly :: engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual

wraith :: ghost; phantom of a living person

wreak :: inflict

wrest :: pull away; take by violence

Y

yeoman :: man owning small estate; middle-class farmer

yokel :: country bumpkin

Z

zealot :: fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal

zenith :: point directly overhead in the sky; summit

zephyr :: gentle breeze; west wind

Read and Answer

A part of each sentence given below has been underlined. You have to select the option that best replaces the underlined part.

Q.British Airspace has been focusing on building European links.

concentrating on creating European links
pursuing ways of building European connectivity
stressing on building European links
focusing on forging European links

Ans.d

Q.The appetite of banks for funds was lost under the onslaught of the slowdown, corporates refused to borrow even as bank deposits flourished.

bank deposits flourished
bank deposits swelled
bank deposits were enhanced
bank deposits flummoxed

Ans.b

Q.The 8th-century revival of Byzantine learning is an inexplicable phenomenon, and its economic and military precursors have yet to be discovered

a phenomenon yet to be discovered
a phenomenon incompletely explained
an inexplicable phenomenon
an unidentifiable phenomenon

Ans.c

Q.The management can still hire freely but cannot scold freely.

cannot scold at will
cannot give umbrage
cannot take decisions to scold
cannot scold willfully

Ans.a

Q.Many people mistake familiarity for a vulgar style, and suppose that to write without affectation is to write at random speed

is to write at random
is to write randomly
is to write fast
is to do speed writing

Ans.a

Read and Answer

Fill in the blanks of the following sentences using the most appropriate word or words from among the options given for each.

Q.Football evokes a ___ response in India compared to cricket, that almost ___ the nation.

tepid ... boiling
lukewarm ... electrifies
turbid ... fascinating
apocryphal ... genuinely fascinates

Ans.b

Q.Social studies, science matters of health and safety, the very atmosphere of the classroom — these areas are few of the ___ for the ___ of proper emotional reactions.

things ... growth
fertile areas ... basis
fertile fields ... inculcation
important areas ... formation

Ans.d

Q.When children become more experienced with words as visual symbols, they find that they can gain meaning without making ___ sounds.

aural
audible
vocal
intelligible

Ans.b

Q.Learning is more efficient when it is ___. It is less efficient when it is ___.

fast ... slow
rapid ... turtle-slow
tedious ... like a joy ride
fun ... drudgery

Ans.d

Q.To a greater or lesser degree all the civilized countries of the world are made up of a small class of rulers ___ and of a large class of subjects ___.

formed by a small minority ... who are uncivilized
powerfully corrupt ... pointless crusaders
corrupted by too much power ... corrupted by too much passive obedience
who are ruled ... who ruled

Ans.c

Q.Simple arithmetic tells us that there is more ___ than ___.

imitation ... innovation
improvisation ... improvement
impracticality ... knowledge
improbability ... probability

Ans.a

Q.As a step towards protesting against the spiralling prices, the farmers have decided to stage a picket in an effort to ___.

show their virility
make themselves heard
curb the prices
topple the government

Ans.b

Q.Science is a sort of news agency comparable ___ to other news agencies.

principally
in principle
in principal
in spirit and form

Ans.b

Q.Most political leaders acquire their position by causing a large number of people to believe that these leaders are ___ by altruistic desires

actuated
convinced
categorised
led

Ans.a

Q.Everyone will admit that swindling one's fellow beings is a necessary practice; upon it is based the really sound commercial success formula — ___

sell what you cannot buy back
buy what you will sell to another at a higher price
buy cheap and sell dear
sell what you can, do not buy from a competitor

Ans.c

Read and answer

Arrange sentences A, B, C and D between sentences 1 and 6 to form a logical sequence of six sentences

Q.1. Buddhism is a way to salvation.
A. But Buddhism is more severely analytical.
B. In the Christian tradition there is also a concern for the fate of human society conceived as a whole, rather than merely as a sum or network of individuals.
C. Salvation is a property, or achievement of individuals.
D. Not only does it dissolve society into individuals, the individual in turn is dissolved into component parts and instants, a stream of events.
6. In modern terminology, Buddhist doctrine is reductionist.

ABDC
CBAD
BDAC
ABCD

Ans.b

Q.1. The problem of improving Indian agriculture is both a sociological and an administrative one.
A. It also appears that there is a direct relationship between the size of a state and development.
B. The issues of Indian development, and the problem of India's agricultural sector, will remain with us long into the next century.
C. Without improving Indian agriculture, no liberalisation and delicensing will be able to help India.
D. At the end of the day, there has to be a ferment and movement of life and action in the vast segment of rural India.
6. When it starts marching, India will fly.

DABC
CDBA
ACDB
ABCD

Ans.d

Q.1. Good literary magazines have always been good because of their editors.
A. Furthermore, to edit by committee, as it were, would prevent any magazine from finding its own identity.
B. The more quirky and idiosyncratic they have been, the better the magazine is, at least as a general rule.
C. But the number of editors one can have for a magazine should also be determined by the number of contributions to it.
D. To have four editors for an issue that contains only seven contributions, it is a bit silly to start with.
6. However, in spite of this anomaly, the magazine does acquire merit in its attempt to give a comprehensive view of the Indian literary scene as it is today

ABCD
BCDA
ABDC
CBAD

Ans.b

Q.1. It is the success story of the Indian expatriate in the US which today hogs much of the media coverage in India.
A. East and West, the twain have met quite comfortably in their person, thank you.
B. Especially in its more recent romancing — the-NRI phase.
C. Seldom does the price of getting there — more like not getting there — or what's going on behind those sunny smiles get so much media hype.
D. Well groomed, with their perfect Colgate smiles, and hair in place, they appear the picture of confidence which comes from having arrived.
6. The festival of feature films and documentaries made by Americans of Indian descent being screened this fortnight, goes a long way in filling those gaps.

ACBD
DABC
BDAC
ABCD

Ans.c

Q.1. A market for Indian art has existed ever since the international art scene sprang to life.
A. But interest in architectural conceits is an unanticipated fallout of the Festivals of India of
the '80s, which were designed to increase exports of Indian crafts. B. Simultaneously, the Indian elite discarded their synthetic sarees and kitsch plastic furniture and a market came into being.
C. Western dealers, unhappy in a market afflicted by violent price fluctuations and unpredictable profit margins, began to look East, and found cheap antiques with irresistible appeal.
D. The fortunes of the Delhi supremos, the Jew Town dealers in Cochin and myriad others around the country were made.
6. A chain of command was established, from the local contacts to the provincial dealers and up to the big boys, who entertain the Italians and the French, cutting deals worth lakhs in warehouses worth crores

ABCD
DCAB
CBAD
CABD

Ans.c

Read and answer

In each of the following questions, a paragraph has been split into four parts. You have to rearrange these parts to form a coherent paragraph.

Q.A. He was carrying his jacket and walked with his head thrown back.
B. As Annette neared the lamp she saw a figure walking slowly.
C. For a while Michael walked on and she followed 20 paces behind.
D. With a mixture of terror and triumph of recognition she slackened her pace.

ABCD
BADC
BCDA
ACBD

Ans.b

Q.A. However, the real challenge today is in unlearning, which is much harder.
B. But the new world of business behaves differently from the world in which we grew up.
C. Learning is important for both people and organisations.
D. Each of us has a 'mental model' that we've used over the years to make sense.

CADB
BDAC
CDAB
ACBD

Ans.a

Q.A. There was nothing quite like a heavy downpour of rain to make life worthwhile.
B. We reached the field, soaked to the skin, and surrounded it.
C. The wet, as far as he was concerned, was ideal.
D. There, sure enough, stood Claudius, looking like a debauched Roman emperor under a shower.

DCBA
BDCA
BADC
BACD

Ans.b

Q.A. Alex had never been happy with his Indian origins.
B. He set about rectifying this grave injustice by making his house in his own image of a country manor.
C. Fate had been unfair to him; if he had had his wish, he would have been a count or an Earl on some English estate, or a medieval monarch in a chateau in France.
(D) This illusion of misplaced grandeur, his wife felt, would be Alex's undoing.

ACDB
ABDC
ACBD
CABD

Ans.c

Q.A. The influence is reflected the most in beaded evening wear.
B. Increasingly, the influence of India's colours and cuts can be seen on western styles.
C. And even as Nehru jackets and Jodhpurs remain staples of the fashion world, designers such as Armani and McFadden have turned to the sleek silhouette of the churidar this year.
D. Indian hot pink, paprika and saffron continue to be popular colours, year in and year out

BADC
ABCD
BCAD
DABC

Ans.a

Q.A. Such a national policy will surely divide and never unite the people.
B. In fact, it suits the purpose of the politicians; they can drag the people into submission by appealing to them in the name of religion.
C. In order to inculcate the unquestioning belief they condemn the other states, which do not follow their religion.
D. The emergence of the theocratic states, where all types of crimes are committed in the name of religion, has revived the religion of the Middle Ages.

ABCD
DBCA
DBAC
CDAB

Ans.b

Q.A. His left-hand concealed a blackjack, his right-hand groped for the torch in his pocket.
B. The meeting was scheduled for 9 o'clock, and his watch showed the time to be a quarter to nine.
C. The man lurked in the corner, away from the glare of light.
D. His heart thumped in his chest, sweat beads formed themselves on his forehead, his mouth was dry.

CABD
BDAC
BADC
ABCD

Ans.a

Q.A. The director walked into the room and took a look around the class.
B. Mitch wanted to scream — the illogicality of the entire scene struck him dumb.
C. The managers stared at him with the look of fear that no democratic country should tolerate in its people.
D. He walked out of the room — it was his irrevocable protest against an insensible and insensitive situation.

ACBD
BDAC
BCAD
ABCD

Ans.a

Q.A. The establishment of the Third Reich influenced events in American history by starting a chain of events which culminated in war between Germany and the United States.
B. The Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1936 prohibited trade with any belligerents or loans to them.
C. While speaking out against Hitler's atrocities, the American people generally favoured isolationist policies and neutrality.
D. The complete destruction of democracy, the persecution of Jews, the war on religion, the cruelty and barbarism of the allies, caused great indignation in this country and brought on fear of another World War.

ABCD
CBDA
CDBA
ADCB

Ans.d

Q.A. An essay which appeals chiefly to the intellect is Francis Bacon's Of Studies.
B. His careful tripartite division of studies expressed succinctly in aphoristic prose demands the complete attention of the mind of the reader.
C. He considers studies as they should be; for pleasure, for self-improvement, for business.
D. He considers the evils of excess study: laziness, affectation, and preciosity.

DCBA
ABCD
CDBA
ACBD

Ans.b

Q.A. By reasoning we mean the mental process of drawing an inference from two or more statements or going from the inference to the statements, which yield that inference.
B. So logical reasoning covers those types of questions, which imply drawing an inference from the problems.
C. Logic means, if we take its original meaning, the science of valid reasoning.
D. Clearly, for understanding arguments and for drawing the inference correctly, it is necessary that we should understand the statements first.

ACBD
CABD
ABCD
DBCA

Ans.b

Read and answer

In each question, the main statement is followed by four sentences. Select the pair of sentences that relates logically to the given statement.

Q.Either Sita is sick or she is careless.
A. Sita is not sick. B. Sita is not careless.
C. Sita is sick. D. Sita is careless.

Ans.b

Q.Ram gets a swollen nose whenever he eats hamburgers.
A. Ram gets a swollen nose. B. Ram does not eat hamburgers.
C. Ram does not get a swollen nose. D. Ram eats hamburgers.

Ans.d

Q.Either the employees have no confidence in the management or they are hostile by nature.
A. They are not hostile by nature. B. They are hostile by nature.
C. They have confidence in the management. D. They have no confidence in the management.

Ans.b

Q.Whenever Ram reads late into the night, his father beats him.
A. His father does not beat Ram. B. Ram reads late into the night.
C. Ram reads early in the morning. D. Ram's father beats him in the morning.

CD
BD
AB
None of these

Ans.d

Q.All irresponsible parents shout if their children do not cavort.
A. All irresponsible parents do not shout. B. Children cavort.
C. Children do not cavort. D. All irresponsible parents shout.

AB
BA
CA
All of these

Ans.a

Read and Answer

For the word given at the top of each table, match the dictionary definitions on the left (A, B, C, D) with their corresponding usage on the right (E, F, G, H). Out of the four possibilities given in the boxes below the table, select the one that has all the definitions and their usages correctly matched.

Q. Exceed

Ans . A

Q. Infer

Ans . D

Q. Mellow

Ans . C

Q. Relief

Ans . B

Q. Purge

Ans . D

Read and Answer

Directions for questions : The sentences given in each question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Each sentence is labelled with a letter. Choose the most logical order of sentences from among the given choices to construct a coherent paragraph

Q. A. Although there are large regional variations, it is not infrequent to find a large number of people sitting here and there and doing nothing.
B. Once in office, they receive friends and relatives who feel free to call any time without prior appointment.
C. While working, one is struck by the slow and clumsy actions and reactions, indifferent attitudes, procedure rather than outcome orientation, and the lack of consideration for others.
D. Even those who are employed often come late to the office and leave early unless they are forced to be punctual.
E. Work is not intrinsically valued in India.
F. Quite often people visit ailing friends and relatives or go out of their way to help them in their personal matters even during office hours.

ECADBF
EADCFB
EADBFC
ABFCBE

Ans . C

Q. A. But in the industrial era destroying the enemy’s productive capacity means bombing the factories which are located in the cities.
B. So in the agrarian era, if you need to destroy the enemy’s productive capacity, what you want to do is burn his fields, or if you’re really vicious, salt them.
C. Now in the information era, destroying the enemy’s productive capacity means destroying the information infrastructure.
D. How do you do battle with your enemy?
E. The idea is to destroy the enemy’s productive capacity, and depending upon the economic foundation, that productive capacity is different in each case.
F. With regard to defence, the purpose of the military is to defend the nation and be prepared to do battle with its enemy.

FDEBAC
FCABED
DEBACF
DFEBAC

Ans . A

Q. A. Michael Hofman, a poet and translator, accepts this sorry fact without approval or complaint.
B. But thanklessness and impossibility do not daunt him.
C. He acknowledges too — in fact, he returns to the point often — that best translators of poetry always fail at some level.
D. Hofman feels passionately about his work and this is clear from his writings.
E. In terms of the gap between worth and rewards, translators come somewhere near nurses and street-cleaners.

EACDB
ADEBC
EACBD
DCEAB

Ans . C

Q. A. Passivity is not, of course, universal.
B. In areas where there are no lords or laws, or in frontier zones where all men go armed, the attitude of the peasantry may well be different.
C. So indeed it may be on the fringe of the unsubmissive.
D. However, for most of the soil-bound peasants the problem is not whether to be normally passive or active, but when to pass from one state to another.
E. This depends on an assessment of the political situation

BEDAC
CDABE
EDBAC
ABCDE

Ans . D

Q. A. The situations in which violence occurs and the nature of that violence tends to be clearly defined at least in theory, as in the proverbial Irishman’s question: “Is this a private fight or can anyone join in?”
B. So the actual risk to outsiders, though no doubt higher than our societies, is calculable.
C. Probably the only uncontrolled applications of force are those of social superiors to social inferiors and even here there are probably some rules.
D. However, binding the obligation to kill, members of feuding families engaged in mutual massacre will be genuinely appalled if by some mischance a bystander or outsider is killed.

DABC
ACDB
CBAD
DBAC

Ans . A

READ AND ANSWER

In each of the following sentences, parts of the sentence are left blank. Beneath each sentence, four different ways of completing the sentence are indicated. Choose the best alternative from among the four.

Q. But ___ are now regularly written not just for tools, but well-established practices, organisations and institutions, not all of which seem to be ___ away.

reports ... withering
stories ... trading
books ... dying
obituaries ... fading

Ans . D

Q. The Darwin who ___ is most remarkable for the way in which he ___ the attributes of the world class thinker and head of the household

comes ... figures
arises ... adds
emerges ... combines
appeared ... combines

Ans . C

Q. Since her face was free of ___ there was no way to ___ if she appreciated what had happened.

make-up ... realise
expression ... ascertain
emotion ... diagnose
scars ... understand

Ans . B

Q. In this context, the ___ of the British labour movement is particularly ___.

affair ... weird
activity ... moving
experience ... significant
atmosphere ... gloomy

Ans . C

Q. Indian intellectuals may boast, if they are so inclined, of being ___ to the most elitist among the intellectual ___ of the world.

subordinate ... traditions
heirs ... cliques
ancestors ... societies
heir ... traditions

Ans . D

For each of the words below, a contextual usage is provided. Pick the word from the alternatives given that is most inappropriate in the given context.

Q. Specious: A specious argument is not simply a false one but one that has the ring of truth.

Deceitful
Fallacious
Credible
Deceptive

Ans . C

Q. Obviate: The new mass transit system may obviate the need for the use of personal cars

Prevent
Forestall
Preclude
Bolster

Ans . D

Q. Disuse: Some words fall into disuse as technology makes objects obsolete

Prevalent
Discarded
Obliterated
Unfashionable

Ans . A

Q. Parsimonious: The evidence was constructed from very parsimonious scraps of information

Frugal
Penurious
Thrifty
Altruistic

Ans . D

Q. Facetious: When I suggested that war is a method of controlling population, my father remarked that I was being facetious.

Jovian
Jovial
Jocular
Joking

Ans . A

upscfever.com

Chapter 9: VOCABULARY

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z

Read and Answer

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Read and Answer

Read and Answer

READ AND ANSWER

For each of the words below, a contextual usage is provided. Pick the word from the alternatives given that is most inappropriate in the given context.

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