EC4

Question 1

abstruse

(adj) difficult to understand; obscure.

abstusely (adv)
abstruseness (noun)

Answer 1

The Riemann Hypothesis, one of the 23 unsolved mathematical problems, is so abstruse that even the greatest mathematical minds of the past century have failed to solve it.

Question 2

adverse

(adj) preventing success or development; harmful;

adverseness (noun)

Answer 2

After successfully reaching the North Pole, Umberto Nobile encountered such adverse weather conditions that the airship Italia crashed, forcing him and his crew to struggle for survival.

Question 3

deference

(n) polite submission and respect.
In deference to sb

deferential (adj)

Answer 3

In deference to the retiring professor’s decades of service, the faculty unanimously voted to name the lecture hall after her.

Question 4

edify

(v) to instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually.

edifier (noun)

Answer 4

A Catholic priest’s sermon should edify his parishioners, inspiring them to uphold moral values and strengthen their faith.

Question 5

lampoon

(v) to publicly criticize (someone or something) by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm.

lampoonery (noun)

Answer 5

Although SNL skits have been widely accused of political bias, they are well-known for their satirical sketches in which they lampoon political figures.

Question 6

unprecedented

unprecedentedly (adv)
unprecedentedness (noun)

Answer 6

The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented global lockdowns, transforming daily life and the economy, in ways never seen before.

Question 7

abridged

(adj) (of a piece of writing) having been shortened.

Abridge (verb)
Abridgement (noun)

Answer 7

Abridged versions of literary classics, such as Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, provide a great solution for readers who lack the time to read lengthy novels.

Question 8

malleable

(adj) easily influenced; pliable.

Malleability (noun)

Answer 8

Language is highly malleable, constantly shaped by the idiosyncrasies of its speakers, foreign influences, and evolving cultural trends

Question 9

tantamount

(adj) equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as.

Answer 9

In many industries, committing a serious breach of contract is tantamount to immediate termination, as it violates the fundamental terms of employment.

Question 10

nebulous

(adj) (of a concept) vague or ill-defined.

nebulousness (noun)
nebulously (adv)

Answer 10

Matt Walsh’s documentary What Is a Woman? sparked intense debate among conservatives and liberals over whether gender is a well-defined concept or a nebulous one.