Context Clues Quiz

Nepotism is commonplace where I work: the boss’s daughter is vice-president of the company, her husband runs the order department, and their son has just started working in the warehouse.

What does the underlined word mean?

• good managerial practice

• arguments among employees

• favoritism to relatives

• confusion among management

Because the professor’s explanation was nebulous, several of the students asked him to make himself clear.

What does the underlined word mean?

• vague

• fascinating

• boring

• brief

I would not just be glad if I won the lottery; I’d be ecstatic. Ecstatic means ________.

• overjoyed
• Upset

• worried

• hostile

Nature has endowed hummingbirds with the ability to fly backward. Endowed means ______.

• provided
• accidentally

• eagerly

• revoked

Opponents of the death penalty say it has never actually deterred anyone from committing murder. Deterred means _________.

.

• discouraged

• caused

• forced

• encouraged

Around the age of two or three, small children like to badger their parents with endless questions beginning with the word “why.” Which of the following words is an antonym for badger?

.

• pester

• annoy

• please

• bother

While it’s often not feasible to work full-time while going to school, it may be practical to hold down a part-time job. A synonym for feasible is _______.

.

• possible

• impossible

• unable

• unreasonable

It’s amazing that my neighbors always appear immaculate, yet their apartment is often quite dirty. Pick the antonym for immaculate.

.

• neat

• spotless

• exquisite

• filthy

Doctors should alleviate the pain of terminally ill patients so that their final days are as comfortable as possible. Alleviate means ______.

• ease

• create

• increase

• intensify

When rain and sunshine are simultaneous, the rain is often described as a sun shower. Simultaneous means ________.

• concurrent

• different

• divided

• separate