Vocabulary Tests , Test Nine

Vocabulary Tests

Test Nine

1 - ]Read the brief description of the people and places below . Then choose the word or phrase that correctly completes the sentence . Write the letter for your choice on the answer line .

Charles C. Boycott was an English land agent in Ireland in the 1800s . When he refused to lower his rents , people decided to have nothing to do with him . Nowadays , if you boycott certain countries or business , you -----------------

1 . ( A ) accept them without reservation

     ( B ) refuse to deal with them

     ( C ) praise them openly

     ( D ) ask for favor                                               1 . ---------------------

The Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem was an institution for the mentally ill in London . It was a noisy , confusing place . The name of the hospital was commonly shortened to Bedlam . Now bedlam has come to mean -------------

2 . ( A ) medicine

     ( B ) a noisy , confusing place

     ( C ) religious devotion

     ( D ) a suburb of London                                    2 . ---------------------

 According to the Bible , Mary Magdalene was a reformed sinner . Artists often pictured her crying uncontrollably for her sins . From her name we get the word maudlin , which means ---------------

3 . ( A ) a Biblical scholar

     ( B ) highly religious

     ( C ) a fool

     ( D ) tearful and sentimental                               3 . ---------------------

According to Greek mythology , the goddess Nemesis avenged all injustices . Her justice was swift and certain . Today , when people meet their nemesis , they encounter------------

4 . ( A ) a beautiful goddess

      ( B ) a Greek storyteller

      ( C ) a foe who cannot be beaten

      ( D ) a heroic fictional character                           4 . --------------------

Don Quixote , a character in novel by Miguel de Cervantes , saw himself as a romantic knight . But he frequently rescued women who did not need rescuing and mistook windmills for evil giants . So when we call someone quixotic  , we mean he or she is ----------  

5 . ( A ) sincere , but foolish

     ( B ) a modern warrior

     ( C ) the main character in a story

     ( D ) a person with poor eyesight                             5 . -----------------------

Franz Mesmer was an 18^th-century doctor who used hypnotic techniques to cause sleep-like reactions in his patients . Before long , the term mesmerize  came to mean ----------------

6 . ( A ) to entertain

     ( B ) to hold spellbound

     ( C ) to create imaginary people and place

     ( D ) to prescribe unusual medicine                         6 . ---------------------

Samuel Maverick was a rancher , but unlike other ranchers , he never branded his cattle . So naturally , when ranchers saw unbranded cattle roaming the range , they called them “mavericks” . Today , a maverick is also ---------------

7 . ( A ) a person who does not follow the rules

     ( B ) a gambler

     ( C ) someone who loses his belongings

     ( D ) an unfenced area                                                7 . --------------------

Hercules is a character from Greek mythology who gained immortality by performing twelve tasks requiring remarkable strength . Now , when a task is called herculean , it is thought to be ------------

8 . ( A ) fascinating

     ( B ) immortal

     ( C ) imported from Greece

     ( D ) unusually difficult                                                8 . --------------------

According to a popular Greek story . Procrustes invited people to lie in his bed . If they were too short for the bed , he stretched them to fit the bed . If they were too tall for the bed , he cutoff their feet . Now someone who is procrustean will ------------------

9 . ( A ) ignore differences between individuals

     ( B ) protect innocent people

     ( C ) sleep on the floor

     ( D ) respect someone’s personal needs                       9 . --------------------

Mentor was a trusted friend of the mythical Greek hero Odysseus . He was also the teacher of Odysseus’s son and the manager of the house when Odysseus was gone . If a person is call your mentor  , he or she is -------------

10 . ( A ) a great hero

       ( B ) a trusted friend or advisor

       ( C ) someone who loves children

       ( D ) an identical twin                                                 10 . ---------------

Answer Key

1 . B 2 . B 3 . D 4 . C 5 . A 6 . B 7 . A 8 . D 9  A 10 . B

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2 - ] Each question below includes a word in capital letters , followed by four words or phrases . Choose the word or phrase that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word in capital letters . Consider all choices before deciding on your answer . Write the letter for your answer on the line provided .

1 . GLIB ( A ) famous  ( B ) thoughtful

( C ) dull  ( D ) ugly                                       1 . ----------------

2 . EVICT ( A ) welcome  ( B ) eject

( C ) resist  ( D ) acknowledge                        2 . ----------------

3 . ELOQUENT ( A ) silent  ( B ) ineffective

( C ) ugly  ( D ) fancy                                     3 . ----------------

4 . INDIFFERENT ( A ) strange  ( B ) concerned

( C ) same  ( D ) careless                                 4 . ----------------

5 . CONCISE ( A ) wordy  ( B ) concentrated

( C ) clever  ( D ) convincing                           5 . ---------------

6 . INVINCIBLE ( A ) unconquered  ( B ) obvious

( C ) transparent  ( D ) defeated                      6 . ---------------

7 . GARRULOUS ( A ) dangerous  ( B ) talkative

( C ) quiet  ( D ) bright and colorful               7 . -------------------

8 . TRITE ( A ) commonplace  ( B ) famous

( C ) important  ( D ) stuffy                             8 . -------------------

9 .HISTRIONIC ( A ) sincere  ( B ) historic

( C ) cheerful   ( D ) forgettable                        9 . ------------------

10 . EVINCE  ( A ) cause  ( B ) combine

( C ) recall  ( D ) hide                                        10 . -----------------

11 . FEROCITY  ( A ) savagery  ( B ) kindness

( C ) generosity  ( D ) metallic                           11 . -----------------

12 . ANGUISH  ( A ) poverty  ( B ) calm

( C ) delight  ( D ) straight                                 12 . ----------------

13 . BELLIGERENT  ( A ) peaceful  ( B ) noisy

( C ) threatening  ( D ) patient                           13 . ---------------

14 . SUCCINCT  ( A ) wasteful  ( B ) vague

( C ) failure ( D ) comfortable                            14 . ---------------

15 . EFFUSIVE ( A ) emotional  ( B ) sealed

( C ) wasteful  ( D ) calm                                     15 . ---------------

Answer Key

1`. B 2 . A 3 . B 4 . B 5 . A 6 . D 7 . C . 8 . C 9 . A 10 . D 11. B 12 . C 13 . A 14 . B 15 . D

3 - ] Match the definition in Column B with the word in Column A . Write the letter for your choice on the answer line .

   Column A                   Column B

1 . incisive                    a . a slow , difficult journey      1 . ---------------

2 . verbosity                 b . a trick                                   2 . --------------   

3 . annihilation            c . a false show of courage        3 . --------------

4 . ruse                         d . total destruction                   4 . --------------

5 . bravado                  e . wordiness                              5 . --------------

6 . harangue                f . an appeal or request             6 . --------------

7 . petition                   g . sharp and keen                     7 . --------------

8. laconic                     h . the murder of an entire        8 .----------------

                                     people , race , or cultural group 

9 . genocide                  I brief and to the point              9 . --------------

10 . trek                        j a long , loud speech               10 . --------------

Answer Key

1. g 2 . e 3 . d 4 . b 5. c 6 . j 7 . f 8 . I 9 . h 10 . a