Vocabulary Meaning Quiz

What does the word “thrilling” in the phrase “a thrilling and very readable hymn of praise” most likely mean?

• Horrifying

• Exciting

• Unusual

• Dramatic

In the context of the passage, the word “aspiration” most nearly means:

• Breathing

• Hope or ambition

• Wealth

• Disappointment

The word “resistance” in “this idea has had more than two hundred years of resistance” is closest in meaning to:

• Avoidance

• Opposition

• Refusal

• Isolation

In the sentence “the writer Henry David Thoreau retreated to the wilderness…”, the word “retreated” most likely means:

• Hid

• Ran away

• Withdrew

• Surrendered

The word “solitary” in “to live the solitary, simple life” is closest in meaning to:

• Boring

• Passive

• Calm

• Alone

In the phrase “slum-infested city of Paris”, what does “infested” suggest?

• Covered with beauty

• Decorated

• Overrun

• Damaged

The term “at a stroke” in “could be achieved at a stroke” is best interpreted as:

• After a long effort

• After debate

• Suddenly or all at once

• Accidentally

What is the meaning of “stop-start progression” in the sentence “Glaeser has a brilliant account of the stop-start progression of New York”?

• Constant motion

• Successful planning

• Irregular development

• Gradual destruction

What does the word “invigorate” most likely mean in “they also invigorate the economy”?

• Disrupt

• Question

• Simplify

In the phrase “with unreasonable planning regulations”, the word “unreasonable” most nearly means:

• Unknown

• Excessive or unfair

• Incomplete

• Unwritten