PRACTICE TEST 14.7 Vocabulary and Language Skills Quiz

After months of speculation, the company finally decided to __________ its controversial merger plans.

• Backpedal on

• Hammer out

• Hinge on

• Gloss over

The team captain encouraged us to __________ our socks and give it one final push before the match.

• Pick out

• Tie up

• Pull up

• Lift off

The professor's lecture was full of __________ arguments that confused rather than enlightened the audience.

• Spurious

• Cogent

• Trenchant

• Lucid

The candidate's speech was a masterclass in political __________, cleverly avoiding any concrete promises.

• Directness

• Equivocation

• Veracity

• Coherence

The new intern showed great __________, quickly adapting to the high-pressure environment of the newsroom.

• Ineptitude

• Malice

• Aplomb

• Disdain

When his proposal was rejected, he didn't argue - he simply __________ it on the chin and moved on.

• Took

• Bit

• Faced

• Placed

The manager issued a stern warning, hoping to __________ any future breaches of protocol.

• Instigate

• Preclude

• Exacerbate

• Forego

Her explanation was so __________ that even the most complex theories became accessible.

• Obtuse

• Recondite

• Pellucid

• Elliptical

He regarded the awards ceremony as a mere __________, caring little for public recognition.

• Vindication

• Formality

• Extravaganza

• Anomaly

With a(n) __________ glance, she conveyed all her disapproval without saying a single word.

• Penetrating

• Indifferent

• Diffident

• Fleeting