Chapter 17

Question 1

provincial

Answer 1

adj.

1. Of or relating to a province.
2. Of or characteristic of people from the provinces; not fashionable or sophisticated
3. Limited in perspective; narrow and self-centered.

Question 2

specious

Answer 2

adj.

1. Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious: a specious argument.
2. Deceptively appealing

Question 3

venial

Answer 3

adj.

Easily excused or forgiven; pardonable: a venial offense.

Question 4

coddle

Answer 4

v.

1. To cook in water just below the boiling point: coddle eggs.
2. To treat indulgently; baby; pamper.

Question 5

innocuous

Answer 5

adj.

1. Having no adverse effect; harmless.
2. Not likely to offend or provoke to strong emotion; insipid.

Question 6

peerless

Answer 6

adj.

Being such as to have no match; incomparable.

Question 7

veracity

Answer 7

v.

1. Adherence to the truth; truthfulness.
2. Conformity to fact or truth; accuracy: a report of doubtful veracity.
3. A true statement: the stern veracities of science

Question 8

ascetic

Answer 8

adj.
Relating to, characteristic of, or leading a life of self-discipline and self-denial, especially for spiritual improvement; severely simple; without luxuries

Question 9

fortuitous

Answer 9

adj.

1. Happening by accident or chance.
2. Resulting in good fortune; lucky.

Question 10

pejorative

Answer 10

adj.

Disparaging; belittling: pejorative connotation

Question 11

puerile

Answer 11

adj.

Immature, especially in being silly or trivial; childish.

Question 12

verbose

Answer 12

adj.

Using or containing a great and usually an excessive number of words; wordy.

Question 13

assiduous

Answer 13

adj.
Showing or characterized by persistent attention or untiring application; diligent; thorough: an assiduous worker who strove for perfection; did assiduous research before writing the book.

Question 14

cogent

Answer 14

adj.

Appealing to the intellect or powers of reasoning; convincing: a cogent argument.

Question 15

inscrutable

Answer 15

adj.

Difficult to understand or interpret; impenetrable.

Question 16

mettle

Answer 16

n.
The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve: a race that tested the best runners’ mettle.

Question 17

pellucid

Answer 17

adj.

1. Admitting the passage of light; transparent or translucent.
2. Transparently clear in style or meaning: pellucid prose.

Question 18

punctilious

Answer 18

adj.

1. Strictly attentive to minute details of form in action or conduct; meticulous.
2. Precise; scrupulous.

Question 19

spurious

Answer 19

adj.

1. Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine: spurious poems attributed to Shakespeare.
2. Not trustworthy; dubious or fallacious: spurious reasoning; a spurious justification.

Question 20

assuage

Answer 20

v.

1. To make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe; relieve: assuage her grief.
2. To satisfy or appease (e.g. hunger or thirst).
3. To appease or calm: assuaged his critics.

Question 21

cogitate

Answer 21

v.

To take careful thought or think carefully about; ponder.

Question 22

insentient

Answer 22

adj.

Devoid of sensation or consciousness; inanimate.

Question 23

milieu

Answer 23

n.

An environment or a setting.

Question 24

purloin

Answer 24

v.

To steal, especially in a stealthy way.

Question 25

astute

Answer 25

adj.

Having or showing shrewdness and discernment, especially with respect to one’s own concerns; perceptive; sharp-witted.