Mastering Vocab Skills -- C. 2 -- Words in Context

Rose lost her job as a receptionist because she was so BRUSQUE with people who called. The office replaced her with someone who spoke more pollitely.

• a. blunt

• b. admirablec. silly

The surgeon's voice was DISPASSIONATE when she told the patient's family that the operation had failed, but despite her calm tone, her eyes looked very sad.

• a. unreasonable

• b. unemotional

• c. disturbing

The teacher could hardly be described as EFFERVESCENT. He droned on about the world economy in a dreary voice, never looking up from his notes.

• a. hard-working

• b. nervous

• c. lively

When Mona and her friend Jim get together, they are INDEFATIGABLE talkers. They chat endlessly and tirelessly about everything.

• a. easily tired

• b. never getting tired

• c. depressed

Moliere's play The MISANTHROPE is about a man named Alceste who is enraged and disgusted by his fellow humans. To put it briefly, Alceste hates everyone.

• a. an antisocial person

• b. a criminal

• c. a lunatic

After his owner died, the once cheerful dog became MOROSE, spending his days curled up at the foot of his owner's bed.

• a. confused

• b. frantic

• c. glooomy

Trying to create an impression of NONCHALANCE despite his nervousness, Hollis strolled to the speaker's stand, smiling and whistling a little tune.

• a. uneasiness

• b. lack of concern

• c. lack of awareness

In the wonderful kid's book Charlotte's Web, Charlotte, the spider, dies, but several of her PROGENY stay to befriend Charlotte's beloved Wilbur, the pig.

• a. enemies

• b. leaders

• c. offspring

My dog's reaction to getting his yearly shots is hardly STOIC. It takes the vet and two assistants to hold him down, and he howls as if he's being torn to pieces.

• a. emotional

• b. showing no distress

• c. planned

Beagles are VORACIOUS eaters -- their owners say they will eat anything that's not nailed down -- so they tend to become fat unless they get enough exercise.

• a. greedy

• b. small

• c. unconcerned