Choose the best meaning for the underlined word as it is used in context:

There is no doubt that the idea of living in such a benign climate was appealing. The islanders seemed to keep their vitality and live longer than Europeans.

Choose the best meaning for the underlined word as it is used in context:

It is difficult to imagine a surfeit of talent in one individual, yet Leonard Bernstein simply does not have the time to make complete use of his talent as conductor, performer, writer, and lecturer.

Choose the best meaning for the underlined word as it is used in context:

There is a large demand all over the United States for plants indigenous to the desert. Many people in Arizona have made a good business of growing and selling cacti and other local plants.

Choose the best meaning for the underlined word as it is used in context:

After the Romans left, a millennium and a half passed before people again lived in such comfort. Churchill wrote, “From the year 400 until the year 1900 no one had central heating and very few had hot baths.”

Many years before, Caesar’s men had tried and failed to invade Britain. No doubt this contributed to the xenophobia of the Romans. They were cautious about strangers who entered their country.

Such are the vicissitudes of history. Nothing remains the same. Three hundred years of peace ended in darkness and confusion.

The purpose of the psychiatrist is to mitigate the suffering of the patient.

We knew he couldn’t hold out much longer because he had been doomed from the beginning. One night he met his ineluctable fate.

A combination of fog and industrial smoke, called smog, has vitiated the air in and around many big cities.

His lucid lectures, along with his clearly presented explanations, made him a popular professor.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

Their vociferous chatter made me wish I had ear plugs.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

He was so impudent to his mother that I would have punished him if he talked to me that way.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

The Russians are skillful at sending cryptic messages, open to many interpretations. Our State Department spends days puzzling over their meanings.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

The Great Flood of Noah’s day was caused by incessant rain that fell for 40 days and nights.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

The students who arrived late told the teacher an implausible story about stopping to watch a UFO.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

After spending three weeks in a hospital room with only the TV to entertain me, I had a surfeit of daytime TV programming.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

The prisoners liberated from the Nazi death camp were so emaciated that they looked like skeletons.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

Bob decided to be prudent and call ahead for reservations, instead of just showing up.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

The ambiguity of Joe’s directions made it almost impossible to find his house.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

The job candidate’s background was impeccable – good references and many years of experience, so it puzzles me why the company did not give her the job.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.

The tranquilized grizzly bear was lethargic enough for the scientists to safely examine his teeth and tattoo his ears.

A synonym for the underlined word would be _____.