Lesson 1

Question 1

Replete (adj.)

Answer 1

Syn: filled

The football game was replete with excitement and great plays.

Question 2

Eminent (adj.)

Answer 2

Syn: outstanding; famous

The eminent author received the noble prize.

Question 3

Steeped (adj.)

Answer 3

Syn: saturated; soaked

My cousin is so steeped in schoolwork.

Question 4

Voracious (adj.)

Answer 4

Syn: hungry; greedy

I have a voracious appetite

Question 5

Indiscriminate (adj.)

Answer 5

Syn: haphazard; random

Modern warfare often results in the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians.

Question 6

To eat humble pie (idiom)

Answer 6

Apologies

She said yesterday that she hoped he would be eating humble pie.

Question 7

Prognosticate (vi.) (vt.)

Answer 7

Syn: forewarn; forecast

The mayor refused to prognosticate as to his margin of victory in the election.

Question 8

Automaton (n.)

Answer 8

Syn: a mechanical “person”; a robot

The time is approaching when human workers may be replaced by automatons.

Question 9

Matron (n.)

Answer 9

Syn: lady

A clever salesman will always ask a matron if her mother is at home.

Question 10

Abound (vi.)

Answer 10

Syn: be plentiful

The western plains used to abound with bison

Question 11

Technology (n.)

Answer 11

Syn: branch of knowledge dealing with engineering

Man may be freed from backbreaking labor by the products of scientific technology

Question 12

A pig in a poke (idiom)

Answer 12

An item you purchase without having seen

• The order turned out to be a pig in a poke.

Question 13

Compound (vt.)

Answer 13

Syn: add to; increase

• His gloom was now compounded by the failing on his geometry test.

Question 14

Annals (n.)

Answer 14

Syn: historical records

• The annals of sports are replete with the names of great black athletes.

Question 15

Paradox (n.)

Answer 15

Syn: inconsistency

• One of the great paradoxes of American life …

Question 16

Tinge (n.)

Answer 16

Syn: trace, small amount of

• A tinge of garlic is all that’s necessary in most recipes.

Question 17

Realm (n.)

Answer 17

Syn: kingdom

• The cruel king would not allow the prince to enter his realm.

Question 18

A flash in the pan (idiom)

Answer 18

a star today, a flop tomorrow

• The rookie hit many home runs in spring training, but once the season began he proved to be a flash in the pan.

Question 19

Drudgery (n.)

Answer 19

Syn: hard work

• She does her homework on Fridays to save herself from the drudgery of having to do it during the weekend.

Question 20

Badger (vt.)

Answer 20

Syn: pester; annoy; nag

• The teacher continually badger the pupil for the missing assignments.

Question 21

Perceive (vt.)

Answer 21

Syn: know; understand; become aware of

• The eminent scientist perceives difficulties in putting the invention into practice.

Question 22

Implore (vt.)

Answer 22

Syn: ask; beg for assistance

• The sick child’s mother implored the doctor to come immediately.

Question 23

Interminable (adj.)

Answer 23

Syn: unending

• I listened to the boring lecture for what seemed an interminable fifty minutes.

Question 24

To pour oil on troubled waters (idiom)

Answer 24

To make peace to calm someone down

• When I tried to pour oil on troubled water, the angry husband and his wife began to attack me.