Context Sentence Reading Flashcards
This deck improves the ability to recognize meaning through context. This is the essential skill to doing well on the sentence completion portion of Critical Reading.
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
nadir
Without a doubt, the nadir of his life occurred when his drug addiction caused in rapid succession the loss of his business, his marriage, and almost, from an overdose, his life.
nadir - rock bottom, lowest point
clues - lost his business, his marriage, and almost died
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
ubiquitous
Once, cellular phones were a rare thing, but now they are so ubiquitous one can find them in the hands of many 10 year-olds.
ubiquitous - widespread, seen everywhere
clues - Once rare, now (opposite of rare)
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
vacillate
Lauren could barely stand the way Joe vacillated about the logo and slogan, because she was convinced that the marketing window was closing.
vacillated - hesitation from indecision, not making up one’s mind
clues - “barely stand” so it’s a frustrating behavior, “marketing window” indicates time being wasted
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
quagmire
Commentators suggested that going to Iraq would be a new quagmire like Vietnam was for America in the 1970s.
quagmire - swampy, like quicksand, sticky situation
clues - the Vietnam War, just like the Iraq War was a situation that was hard to get out of
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
umbrage
Many in the room took immediate umbrage at his condescending tone, though I’m not sure he meant to insult anyone.
(to take..at) umbrage - to feel slighted, put down
clues - his tone was condescending and insulting
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
zenith
Having just won an Oscar, with offers on the table for movies that paid really well and gave her a chance to work with the best directors, she was at the zenith of her career.
zenith - highest point
clues - she had just won an Oscar and had great career opportunities
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
aberration
Since he had been undefeated in his first fifteen matches, his recent loss could have been either an aberration or the beginning of a downward trend in his boxing career.
aberration - change, unusual deviation from the norm
clues - his loss was either a departure from his typical record or the start of a long term decline
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
abide
Early in his career, Paul Robeson was willing to abide the degrading treatment he received because of his skin color, but eventually he rebelled against the injustice of it.
abide - put up with, stay with
clues - initially he accepted it but eventually he rebelled against it
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
abject
Having survived the earthquake, but being reduced to abject poverty and inadequate shelter, the poor of Port-au-Prince endured the pelting rain of the hurricane.
abject - pitiful state
clues - the poor people suffered poverty, had no shelter, and were exposed to terrible weather conditions
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
cajole
Though Augustus was very shy, Constance was enough determined, sweet, and clever to cajole him into finally asking her out on a date.
cajole - persuade, coax
clues - Constance was able to convince Augustus to ask her out despite his shyness
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
callous
When Darcy recites his story about keeping Bingley from seeing Jane in London without feeling a moment’s guilt, Elizabeth is convinced she had never met a more callous man.
callous - hard
clues - Darcy felt no guilt, so he was heartless, hardened
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
candor
Used to politicians who rarely answered personal questions, the audience at the debate was impressed by the candor of the candidate as he spoke about his divorce.
candor - openness
clues - politician spoke about his divorce to strangers, audience impressed
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
debauch
On Pleasure Island, the environment of indulging in every sensual delight works to debauch the boys until they transform into donkeys.
debauch - to corrupt the innocence of
clues - indulging in empty pleasure
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
effulgent
The beauty of the effulgent sunset on this island paradise made the vacationers never want to leave.
effulgent - radiant, shiny
clues - sunset, beauty
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
egregious
Most of the parents considered the food fight in the cafeteria misguided and foolish, but the administration considered it as egregious as drug possession or gang activity, or at least it carried an identical punishment.
egregious - shockingly bad
clues - punished by school like drug possession, parents see it as just foolish
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
facile
Changing the company logo was just a facile strategy for the image problem was much more complicated.
facile - shallow, addressing only the surface
clues - just a facile strategy, problem was much more complicated
facile can also mean easy or simple, simplistic
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
impecunious
Among Squire Allworthy’s friends is the impecunious Dr. Blifil, a master of all subjects of study except the one that could provide that scholarly gentleman a living wage.
impecunious - poor
clues - doesn’t earn a living wage
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
laconic
The psychiatrist noted the lack of animation in the patient’s face and his laconic responses and concurred with the diagnosis of depression.
laconic - short in speech (negative)
clues - lack of animation, depression
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
mawkish
When a writer undertakes the story of a dying child, he or she needs to use a light touch about it, or it can easily become mawkish.
mawkish - overly sentimental
clues - dying child, light touch
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
obfuscate
Harold had so little understanding of the basics of modern physics that the professor’s attempts to explain the phenomenon merely obfuscated it more.
obfuscate - make harder to understand, render unintelligible
clues - so little understanding, attempts to explain modern physics
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
maxim
Polonius’ speech to Laertes is replete with maxims which the father hopes will guide his son while at college, but he also sends a spy after him to Paris, just to make sure.
maxim - wise old saying, rule of thumb
clues - speech, guide his son
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
oblique
Instead of going straight to the car as he was told, the little boy took the most oblique route to it.
oblique - diverging from direct course, not straight
clues - instead, going straight
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
palette
Picasso rarely used a wide palette for his paintings; he most often limited his colors to a very controlled range.
palette - range of color
clues - limited his colors, range
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
palliate
Although nothing cures HIV as of yet, there are drug therapies that palliate the condition and slow the onset of AIDS.
palliate - make better, make less severe, improve
clues - Although nothing cures, slow the onset
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
panacea
The snake oil salesman, peddling his bogus panacea to everyone who had a medical complaint of any kind, claimed it worked on everything.
panacea - cure all, universal curitive
clues - “snake oil”, worked on everything
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
paramount
The president considered securing the nuclear arsenal paramount in the days following the fall of the empire.
paramount - of highest importance, imperative
clues - president, nuclear arsenal
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
pariah
The being created by Dr. Frankenstein is made a pariah and suffers from solitude for which he resents his creator.
pariah - outcast
clues - Frankenstein, suffers from solitude
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
parsimony
Most rich people practice parsimony, for the best way to make money is to not spend it.
parsimony - frugality, stinginess
clues - not spending (money)
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
reconcile
After the Theory of Relativity, Einstein worked the rest of his career to reconcile it with quantum mechanics.
reconcile - make consistent
clues - Theory of Relativity, with quantum mechanics
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
tantamount
Some of the deceptive practices of mortgage lending before the housing crash were tantamount to stealing.
tantamount - roughly equivalent
clues - deceptive practices, stealing
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
abrogate
Critics of the Patriot Act said that it gave the government the power to abrogate certain rights against unwarranted searches.
abrogate - abolish, take away
clues - critics, government, certain rights
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
defile
The protestors are attempting to defile the temple by smearing blood on the lectern.
defile - stain, taint, ruin the sanctity or purity of
clues - temple, smearing blood
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
impetuous
As a young man, Ming often got in trouble from his impetuous behavior, so, as a man, he learned to think before he acted.
impetuous - rash, hasty
clues - got in trouble, think before he acted.
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
impinge
The sudden storm impinged upon the planned picnic, and the family settled for an afternoon in the bowling alley.
impinge - impact, affect
clues - sudden storm, picnic
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
impertinent
Teresa was a sweet well-mannered girl, but she could get as impertinent as an unchecked brat if she missed regular meals.
impertinent - rude, unruly
clues - was well-mannered, unchecked brat
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
impervious
Despite the frigid waters, the whale maintains its core temperature due to its layers of impervious blubber.
impervious - impenetrable, stuff can’t get into it or through it
clues - maintains core temperature in the arctic, blubber
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
negligent
Though not intentionally responsible for harming her children, Deb’s negligent habits like leaving them unattended in the bathtub caused a tragedy.
negligent - careless, neglecting, not watchful
clues - not intentionally, leaving unattended in the bath
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
quell
Four policemen were acquitted of beating Rodney King, and six days of rioting ensued that the authorities could not quell.
quell - control, diffuse, reduce confrontation
clues - riots
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
sanguine
Finishing first in her class from the prestigious university, she had good reason to be sanguine entering the job market.
sanguine - cheery, optimistic
clues - first, prestigious
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
accolade
The documentary earned several awards, but such accolades were not as important to the director as seeing the issue addressed that was raised by his film.
accolades - high praise, special distinction
clues - earned awards
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
caustic
The cobra can spit caustic venom so corrosive that a trace amount for only a few seconds brings permanent eye damage.
caustic - acidic, bitter
clues - corrosive, permanent eye damage
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
cavort
The parents bantered around the barbeque while the children cavorted on the trampoline.
cavort - jump around, boisterously and physically active
clues - children on tampoline
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
deliberate
The accused took the gun with him, so the prosecutor considered the killing deliberate, despite the witnesses who said the victim started the altercation.
deliberate - by choice, planned, not accidental
clues - accused took gun, victim, despite, altercation
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
goad
Max goaded Palmer into trying to reach the green in one, but Palmer lost his golfball in the lake.
goad - coaxed, urged, manipulated
clues, - into trying for the green
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
largess
Oprah’s largess to her audience became the stuff of legend when she gave away 276 cars to start her 22nd season.
largess - generosity in a lavish way
clues - when, gave away, 276 cars
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
pejoratives
The burned-out teacher began to refer to her students as “germbags”, “urchins”, “dead from the neck up”, and other clever pejoratives.
pejoratives - uncomplimentary or insulting phrases
clues - burned-out, germbags, urchins, dead from neck up, and,
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
querulous
She hoped the boy she raised would be emotionally strong and well behaved, but was shocked to find him a querulous brat.
querulous - whiny, complaining
clues - emotionally strong, well-behaved, but
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
rebuke
Cecilia is a delicate little girl who cries at the slightest rebuke from her teacher.
rebuke - scolding, criticism, correction
clues - delicate, cries at, slightest
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
scintillate
In the spotlight and rhinestone glory, the Vegas singer scintillated before the dazzled audience of housewives.
scintillated - sparkling, shimmering
clues - spotlight, rhinestones, dazzled
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
behemoth
Post-Panamax ships are the largest class of commercial ship ever, and these behemoths are so denominated because they don’t fit in the Panama Canal.
behemoth - monstrously large and powerful
clues - largest ship, don’t fit in Panama Canal
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
demure
She felt out of place in a demure pleated mid-calf skirt among young women wearing daring minis and micros that revealed the whole leg.
demure - modest, reserved, quiet
clues - pleated mid-calf skirt vs. minis and micros
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
obstinate
Thorin Oakenshield is obstinate enough to ignore all the claims of justice and gratitude owed to the men of Dale, as long as the Elves remain with them.
obstinate - very stubborn, unable to change one’s mind about a decision
clues - ignore claims of justice and gratitude owed
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
permeate
Beaver skin hats were all the rage in Europe because rainwater wouldn’t permeate the material.
permeate - saturate, get soggy, allow into, go throughout
clues - all the rage, rainwater
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
pernicious
The pernicious effect of the race riot not only left physical damage, but scarred the community for a generation.
pernicious - extemely harmful, destructive
clues - damage, scarred, for a generation
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
redoubtable
Brom Bones, the redoubtable champion of the village of Sleepy Hollow, is not the kind of man who would cry “quits”.
redoubtable - formidable, really hard to challenge or beat
clues - champion, not kind of man who quits
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
tenuous
On Little Round Top, the colonel realized how tenuous the position was and ordered his men to hold their ground to the last man.
tenuous - having little substance or strength, barely holding on
clues - colonel, hold ground, to last man
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
vehement
Tom vehemently denied the accusation that he had betrayed his comrades during the battle, but as the questioning continued grew too overwhelmed to speak.
vehemently - intensely emotional or forceful
clues - denied accusation, too overwhelmed
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
venerate
The ceremony celebrated and venerated the performers who first made Broadway famous.
venerate - to show respect or honor
clues - celebrate and, first made Broadway famous
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
bequeath
In his last will, Morgan bequeathed a generous donation to the medical university for research into a polio vaccine.
bequeathed - give away after dead
clues - last will, donation, for medical research
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
emulate
Douglass Wilkins, an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas, had a long career emulating the King of Rock-n-Roll.
emulate - copy, mimic, act like
clues - impersonator
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
haughty
Though most of the people in the Kirsten’s town were fiercely proud of her, some were shocked to see how haughty fame and fortune had made the once sweet and demure little girl.
haughty - disdainfully proud, conceited
clues - proud, once sweet girl
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
legerdemain
Using identical briefcases, a diversion, and a little legerdemain, the two spies, like a magician and his faithful assistant, got the documents out of the secure area.
legerdemain - deceptive motion, slight-of-hand, (like magic)
clues - identical briefcases, (switch cases), spies, documents
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
perusal
The Hollywood producer couldn’t read all the scripts that were submitted to him, so he had a staff of six people who handled the perusal of prospective material.
perusal - read through carefully, review
clues - couldn’t read, so, of material
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
remiss
The disgusted parent pointed out how remiss the curriculum had been in all goals related to English grammar.
remiss - negligent, failing to look after something
clues - disgusted, goals
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
seminal
Though perhaps not a household name, Oliver Bolokitten wrote a seminal work that influenced the development of dystopian fiction.
seminal - orignal, important, creating a field, movement, or style
clues - influenced the development of dystopian fiction
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
toady
Every influential Hollywood producer has at least one sniveling toady ready to butter him up with “hurrahs” at any full sentence stop.
toady - one who flatters in hopes of getting something, sychophant, suck-up
clues - sniveling, butter him up, hurrahs
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
affable
Will Rogers, always charming and affable, maintained that he never met a man that he didn’t like
affable - likeable, friendly, amiable
clues - charming, never met a man he didn’t like
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
affinity
Skipper and Brick shared an affinity for each other that Maggie found threatening to her marriage.
affinity - immediate closeness, spontaneous bond
clues - shared, threatening to her marriage
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
affront
Ready to react to the slightest affront, Hugo was on a hair-trigger at school after the online posting.
affront - insult
clues - ready to react, hair-trigger, online posting
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
bereft
Though she inherited millions of dollars, she couldn’t help feeling poor, because she was bereft of the company of her dear father.
bereft - devoid of, sad at missing someone, lost, forlorn
clues - company of dear father
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
coalesce
Surrounding the head, the blood pool horrifyingly coalesced into a message warning Diana and Bert not to enter the crypt.
coalesce - come into form, fuse together as a whole
clues - blood, message
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
collateral
He didn’t realize that the divorce would have the collateral effect of keeping him single afterward, since making the support payments left him no money for entertaining anyone new.
collateral - secondary and unintended
clues - divorce, keeping him single
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
derivative
The rap producer’s sampling of two iconic albums to create his mash was not only derivative but decidely a case of double trademark infringement.
derivative - copied or adapted from others
clues: sampling, mash, trademark infringement
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
despondent
After failing a test for which Robin had studied so hard, the despondent AP Calculus student decided it was no use studying anymore for that class.
despondent - completely hopeless, depressed
clues - after, failing a test, studied so hard, no use
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
engender
The family camping trips engendered a spirit of togetherness and harmony as well as a love and respect for nature.
engender - to bring about, create, make be, generate
clues - family camping, togetherness and harmony, love and respect nature
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
enigmatic
Until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799, much of Egyptian hieroglyphs were completely enigmatic.
enigmatic - puzzling, impossible to solve or understand
clues - until, Rosette Stone, hieroglyphs
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
flagrant
The flagrant dumping of barrels of dioxin near a waterway that fed into the Ohio River led to one of the most important pieces of environmental legislation in Congress.
flagrant - offensive, really crossing the line of what should be done
clues - dumping barrels of dioxin, legislation
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
hedonist
Hugh Hefner launched Playboy Magazine and opened a new era of hedonistic pursuit in post-war American society.
hedonist - attentive to sensual pleasures
clues - Hugh Hefner, Playboy Magazine
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
indigenous
With foreign trade often come “stow-away” species that become introduced to native ecosystems and can threaten or destroy indigenous organisms.
indigenous - originating in a region
clues - With foreign, “stow-away”, introduced
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
indignation
When a less-qualified man was hired for the position, Regina felt indignation for the manager she had served for six years.
indignation - anger at unjust or unfair treatment or cirumstance
clues - when less-qualified man hired, served for six years
What does the underlined word mean in this context?
lethargic
Brad suffered from a lethargic feeling that turned out to be a serious condition in his heart valve that required surgery.
llethargic - super tired, inactive, apathetic
clues - serious condition in his hear valve