English Vocabulary Quiz

Which of the following are real English words? (Select all that apply)

• chagrin

• juggernaut

• baksheesh

• umbrage

• plethora

As she stared at the chipped teacup, passed down from her grandmother, Hana smiled. Its cracks traced years of clumsy hands and warm memories. It was imperfect, yet beautiful in a way that pristine, store-bought things could never be. This was wabi-sabi, she thought — the charm of the flawed, the comfort in timeworn edges.

What does wabi-sabi most likely mean?

• Sentimental attachment to broken things

• Deep appreciation of beauty in imperfection

• Restoring items to original state

• Art of perfection and symmetry

After we finally made it to the front of the customs line, the officer subtly extended his hand, palm up. Our guide whispered, “Just a little baksheesh, it’s expected here.” Moments later, we were waved through, no questions asked.

• Official stamp

• A customary tip

• Traditional greeting

• Formal complaint

What began as a small campaign to raise awareness became a juggernaut within weeks. The message spread like wildfire — across schools, offices, news networks. It gathered such speed and force that even its founders were overwhelmed, watching it dominate the national conversation.

What does juggernaut most likely mean?

• An out-of-control message

• A complex bureaucracy

• An unstoppable force

• A fragile movement

The report was bursting with statistics: bar graphs, pie charts, trend lines. “You’ve got a plethora of data here,” the manager said. “Maybe narrow it down a bit — it’s starting to feel like a numbers jungle.”

Which word is an antonym to plethora based on the context above?

• Scarcity

• Excess

• Abundance

• Highlight

Elliot’s speech was going well — until the slideshow displayed a personal meme his brother had snuck in. The audience erupted with laughter, and Elliot stood frozen, his face flushed as he clenched his jaw and lowered his gaze. His chagrin was undeniable.

Based on the context, what does chagrin mean — and what type of word is it?

• Anger — noun

• Distress — noun

• Regretted - verb

• Calm — adjective

Even though the professor made the comment in jest—as he often did, being in the habit of sprinkling jokes throughout his lectures, several students took umbrage, interpreting it as a critique of their work ethic. The class discussion quickly turned defensive.

Which of the following could best replace umbrage in this sentence without changing its meaning?

• Suspicion

• Offense

• Excitement

• Disappointment