Day 1

Question 1

barren

Answer 1

1 land or soil that is barren has no plants growing on it
Thousands of years ago the surface was barren desert.
2 old-fashioned unable to produce children or baby animals - used of a woman or of female animals [= infertile; ≠ fertile]
3 a tree or plant that is barren does not produce fruit or seeds
4 used to describe something that does not look interesting or attractive:
The sports hall was a rather barren concrete building.
5 used to describe a period of time during which you do not achieve anything or get any useful results:

Question 2

neutrality

Answer 2

the state of not supporting either side of the argument

Question 3

condone

Answer 3

vt.

to accept or forgive behaviour that most people think is morally wrong:

Question 4

halt

Answer 4

1 [transitive] to prevent someone or something from continuing - used especially in news reports [= stop]:
The government has failed to halt economic decline.
2 [intransitive] to stop moving:

Question 5

unflattering

Answer 5

making someone look or seem bad or unattractive (less attractive than it really is):

Question 6

laudatory

Answer 6

formal

expressing praise:

Question 7

oblique

Answer 7

1 not expressed in a direct way [= indirect]:
an oblique reference to his drinking problem
2 not looking, pointing etc directly at something:
an oblique glance

Question 8

allusion

Answer 8

something said or written that mentions a subject, person etc indirectly
The committee made no allusion to the former President in its report.

Question 9

eulogy

Answer 9

a speech or piece of writing in which you praise someone or something very much, especially at a funeral

Question 10

perfunctorily

Answer 10

a perfunctory action is done quickly, and is only done because people expect it [fml]

Question 11

squalid

Answer 11

1 very dirty and unpleasant because of a lack of care or money
How can anyone live in such squalid conditions?
a tiny squalid apartment

Question 12

bellicose

Answer 12

behaving in a way that is likely to start an argument or fight [= aggressive] [fml]

Question 13

sanguine

Answer 13

happy and hopeful about the future [= optimistic] [fml]

Question 14

trite

Answer 14

a trite remark, idea etc is boring, not new, and insincere

Question 15

delineate

Answer 15

1. to describe or draw something carefully so that people can understand it [fml]
2. to make the borders between two areas very clear:

Question 16

emphatically

Answer 16

expressing an opinion, idea etc in a clear, strong way to show its importance