The Circle 237-245

He rummaged through the jumble of papers on his desk.

• feeling or expressing great happiness or triumph

• an untidy and confused mixture of things, feelings, or ideas

• solid waste from animals, especially horses, that is spread on the land in order to make plants grow well

• a tropical forest in which trees and plants grow very closely together

Answer explanation

p237:

"There was a rumor that Project 9 engineers had figured out a way to replace the random jumble of our nighttime dreaming with organized thinking and real-life problem solving."

I was impressed by the ingenuity and energy of the contestants.

• the quality of being friendly and pleasant

• without any doubt or possibility of being changed

• the quality or fact of being variable

• the ability to think of clever new ways of doing something

Answer explanation

Aging is an inexorable process.

Which one is NOT a synonym of the adjective "inexorable"?

• unstoppable

• invaluable

• persistent

• inevitable

• unceasing

Answer explanation

inexorable (adj): continuing without any possibility of being stopped

p238:

"The main development was the rapid proliferation of other elected leaders. It was an inexorable progression."

She was so frank, asking the questions she would have asked behind closed doors, that it made for riveting, even inspiring viewing.

• honest and sincere

• persistent and compelling

• untruthful, deceiving

• dedicated and committed

Answer explanation

honest, sincere, and telling the truth, even when this might be awkward or make other people uncomfortable


to be perfectly frank

To be perfectly frank with you, I don't think she's the person for the job.

It is important to recognize that not all deviant acts are criminal, and that not all criminal acts are universally regarded as deviant.

• not willing to accept criticism or disapproval

• caring about and respectful of others

• often arguing or wanting to argue

• differing from the accepted standard

Answer explanation

p240:

"Every time someone started shouting about the supposed monopoly of the Circle, or the Circle’s unfair monetization of the personal data of its users, or some other paranoid and demonstrably false claim, soon enough it was revealed that person was a criminal or a deviant of the highest order."

1st meaning: the usefulness of something, especially in a practical way

2nd meaning: a service that is used by the public, such as an electricity or gas supply

Answer explanation

p237:

The utility of the project was not immediately clear, but the Wise Men had a sense of humor about it.

Which one is NOT a synonym of the word "impede"?

• avoid

• prevent

• facilitate

• hinder

• obstruct

Answer explanation

impede (v):

to make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something

The Circle devotees, who already felt royal to the company and enthralled by its mystique, now felt closer, felt part of an open and welcoming world.

Which one is NOT a synonym of the word "enthralled"?

• fascinated

• enchanted

• outraged

• captivated

Answer explanation

enthrall (v):
to keep someone completely interested:

The baseball game completely enthralled the crowd.
The audience was enthralled for two hours by a sparkling, dramatic performance.
They listened enthralled to what he was saying.

A spokesman said the Bishop was a man of unimpeachable integrity and character.

• (of the accounts of a business) not having been officially checked

• of such a high standard of honesty and moral goodness that it cannot be doubted or criticized

• very different to before, or changed very much, and therefore not able to be recognized

• not worried about being criticized or embarrassed

Answer explanation

p240:

"Who but a fringe character would try to impede the unimpeachable improvement of the world?"

Which one is NOT a synonym of the word "spearhead"?

• obey

• pioneer

• head

• lead

Answer explanation

p242:

That very morning, a message from a college friend, Tania Schwartz, came through, pleading for help with an initiative her brother was spearheading.