Direct Hits 1 Core Vocabulary I

Question 1

ambivalent

Answer 1

having mixed or opposing feelings at the same time

Question 2

anomalous

Answer 2

atypical, full of anomalies

Question 3

sarcastic, sardonic, snide

Answer 3

mocking; derisive; taunting; stinging

Question 4

dearth, paucity

Answer 4

a scarcity or shortage of something

Question 5

wry, droll

Answer 5

dry; humorous with a clever twist and a touch of irony

Question 6

unconventional, unorthodox

Answer 6

not ordinary or typical; characterized by avoiding customary conventions and behaviors

Question 7

meticulous, painstaking, fastidious

Answer 7

extremely careful; very exacting

Question 8

audacious

Answer 8

fearlessly, often recklessly daring; very bold

Question 9

indifferent, apathetic

Answer 9

marked by a lack of interest or concern; nonchalant

Question 10

diffident, self-effacing

Answer 10

hesitant due to a lack of self-confidence; unassertive; shy; retiring

Question 11

pragmatic

Answer 11

practical; sensible; not idealistic or romantic

Question 12

evocation

Answer 12

an imaginative re-creation of something; a calling forth

Question 13

recalcitrant

Answer 13

stubbornly resistant and defiant; obstinate; obdurate; refractory; disobedient

Question 14

clandestine, surreptitious

Answer 14

secret; covert; not open; not aboveboard

Question 15

affable, amiable, genial, gregarious

Answer 15

agreeable; marked by a pleasing personality; warm and friendly

Question 16

austere

Answer 16

having no adornment or ornamentation; bare; not ornate

Question 17

austerity

Answer 17

great self-denial, economy, discipline; lack of adornment

Question 18

altruism

Answer 18

unselfish concern for the welfare of others

Question 19

ambiguity

Answer 19

the quality or state of having more than one possible meaning; doubtful; equivocal, ambiguous—unclear; uncertain; open to more than one interpretation; not definitive; dubious

Question 20

ambiguous

Answer 20

unclear; uncertain; open to more than one interpretation; not definitive; dubious

Question 21

upbraid, reproach, castigate

Answer 21

to express disapproval; to scold; to rebuke; to censure

Question 22

nostalgia

Answer 22

a wistful, sentimental longing for a place or time in the past

Question 23

conjecture

Answer 23

an inference based upon guesswork; a supposition

Question 24

gaffe

Answer 24

a blunder; a faux pas; a clumsy social or diplomatic error

Question 25

impasse

Answer 25

a deadlock; stalemate; failure to reach an agreement

Question 26

anachronism

Answer 26

the false assignment of an event, person, scene, or language to a time when the event, person, scene, or word did not exist

Question 27

belie

Answer 27

to contradict; to prove false; used of appearances that are misrepresentative

Question 28

mitigate, mollify, assuage, alleviate

Answer 28

to relieve; to lessen; to ease

Question 29

covet

Answer 29

to strongly desire; to crave

Question 30

covetous

Answer 30

grasping, eager to obtain something; avaricious

Question 31

antithesis

Answer 31

the direct or exact opposite; extreme contrast; antipode

Question 32

antithetical

Answer 32

exactly opposite; antipodal

Question 33

prototype

Answer 33

an original model; an initial design

Question 34

aloof

Answer 34

detached; distant physically or emotionally; reserved; standing near but apart

Question 35

trite, hackneyed, banal, platitudinous, insipid

Answer 35

unoriginal; commonplace; overused; clichéd

Question 36

antecedent

Answer 36

a preceding event; a forerunner; a precursor

Question 37

plausible

Answer 37

believable; credible

Question 38

implausible

Answer 38

unbelievable; incredible

Question 39

prudent

Answer 39

careful; cautious; sensible

Question 40

aesthetic

Answer 40

relating to the nature of beauty, art, and taste; having a sense of what is beautiful, attractive, or pleasing

Question 41

paradox

Answer 41

a seemingly contradictory statement that nonetheless expresses a truth

Question 42

enigmatic, inscrutable

Answer 42

mysterious; puzzling; unfathomable; baffling

Question 43

acquiesce

Answer 43

to comply; to agree; to give in

Question 44

naïve, gullible

Answer 44

unaffectedly simple; lacking worldly expertise; overly credulous; unsophisticated; immature; inexperienced; ingenuous

Question 45

autonomy

Answer 45

independence; self-governance

Question 46

autonomous

Answer 46

self-governing; acting independently, or having the freedom to do so; not controlled by others;

Question 47

futile

Answer 47

doomed to failure; completely useless; in vain

Question 48

endemic

Answer 48

indigenous

Question 49

ubiquitous, prevalent

Answer 49

characterized by being everywhere; omnipresent; widespread; pervasive

Question 50

pandemic

Answer 50

an epidemic that is geographically widespread and affects a large proportion of the population

Question 51

fortitude

Answer 51

strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with courage