Mastering Vocabulary: A Lexical Challenge

What does the word "windfall" mean?

• A sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune or personal gain

• A type of windstorm

• A fall caused by the wind

• A type of tree that grows in windy areas

To "expedite" something means to:

• Make it more complicated

• Delay it

• Speed up its process or progress

• Export it

If someone has a "stentorian" voice, how does it sound?

• Quiet and soothing

• Loud and powerful

• High-pitched and squeaky

• Melodic and musical

"Ardor" is best defined as:

• Indifference

• Enthusiasm or passion

• A type of bird

• Coldness

To "forswear" something means to:

• Swear falsely; commit perjury

• Promise to give up or do without something

• Wear unusual clothing

• Predict the future

The word "noisome" most nearly means:

• Noisy

• Harmful

• Disgusting or offensive, especially in smell

• New and unusual

"Schadenfreude" is a feeling of:

• Joy in someone else's success

• Pleasure derived from another person's misfortune

• Fear of shadows

• Confusion in chaotic situations

To "besmirch" someone's reputation means to:

• Clean and polish

• Praise or compliment

• Damage or tarnish

• Ignore or overlook

An "insolvent" person or company is:

• Solving problems efficiently

• Unable to pay debts owed

• Insolent or disrespectful

• Very wealthy

A "parvenu" is someone who:

• Has recently gained wealth or status but is not accepted by others in that class

• Is skilled in multiple languages

• Is of noble birth and long-standing social position

• Lives a life of poverty and simplicity