Vocabulary Units 4 & 5

We were fascinated by the ____ scene on the floor of the stock exchange as brokers struggled to keep up with sudden price changes.

• mordant

• frenetic

The affairs of our city are in such ___ that the state may have to intervene to restore some semblance of order.

• disarray

• flotsam

We were able to ___ only a few shreds of useful information from his long, pretentious speech.

• consummate

• glean

I noticed with approval that his ___ remarks were intended to deflate the pompous and unmask the hypocritical.

• pecuniary

• mordant

A born leader is someone who can rise to the ____ of any crisis that he or she may be confronted with.

• incumbents

• exigencies

All that I needed to ___ the most important deal of my career was her signature on the dotted line.

• consummate

• nettle

Recent polls confirm a widespread ___ in small business owners' abilities to secure bank loans at reasonable rates.

• atrophy

• nettle

Although most of the diners' comments were favorable, several ____ about the soggy salads dismayed the chef.

• grouses

• concords

I have always regarded our schools and colleges as citadels of learning and ___ against ignorance and superstition.

• bastions

• stratagems

The only way we'll really be able to increase productivity is to offer our employees a few solid ____ incentives to work harder.

• frenetic

• pecuniary