Lesson 2

Question 1

Laconic (adj.)

Answer 1

Syn: silent; pithy

• His speech is always rambling, but this time I found it brief and laconic.

Question 2

Accost (vt.)

Answer 2

Syn: to approach; speak to

• If a surly panhandler should accost you, keep on walking.

Question 3

Reticent (adj.)

Answer 3

Syn: silent

• Even under repeated questioning, the witness remained reticent.

Question 4

Throng (n.)

Answer 4

Syn: crowd

• A howling throng of teenage girls surrounded the rap artists.

Question 5

Intrepid (adj.)

Answer 5

Syn: brave; courageous

• The corporal received the silver star for his intrepid deeds in combat.

Question 6

The sword of Damocles (idiom)

Answer 6

Any imminent danger

• He always complained that there was a sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

Question 7

Hapless (adj.)

Answer 7

Syn: unfortunate; unlucky

• The hapless contest winner was unable to locate the lucky ticket.

Question 8

Irate (adj.)

Answer 8

Syn: angry; incensed

• My uncle was irate when the drunken driver swerved in front of us.

Question 9

Furtive (adj.)

Answer 9

Syn: secret; stealthy

• In a furtive manner she removed her shoes and tiptoed up to her room.

Question 10

Plethora (n.)

Answer 10

Syn: excess; over abundance

• When the teacher asked why the homework had not been done, he was greeted by a plethora of incredible alibis.

Question 11

Felon (n.)

Answer 11

Syn: criminal

• Since the boss learned that bob associated with a known felon, he fired him.

Question 12

Pyrrhic victory (idiom)

Answer 12

An expensive conquest

• In heavy fighting the troops managed to recapture the hill but could only be considered a Pyrrhic victory.

Question 13

Vigilante (adj.)

Answer 13

Syn: watchful

• The shootings at columbine high school made educators much more vigilant.

Question 14

Adroit (adj.)

Answer 14

Syn: skillful

• My nephew is quite adroit at making model airplanes.

Question 15

Fabricate (vt.)

Answer 15

Syn: construct; build

• Most fishermen can fabricate a story about the size of the one that got away.

Question 16

Pretext (n.)

Answer 16

Syn: an excuse

• Her pretext of being tired did not fool us for an instant.

Question 17

Gesticulate (vi.)

Answer 17

Syn: gesture

• I often marvel as I watch the traffic officer gesticulate at the onrushing cars.

Question 18

A wet blanket (idiom)

Answer 18

One who spoils a fun

• Every one wanted the party to go on, but Ronnie, the wet blanket, decided to go home to bed.

Question 19

Rudimentary (adj.)

Answer 19

Syn: basic; elementary

• Since my grasp of algebra is rudimentary, I can not solve the problem.

Question 20

Cajole (vt.)

Answer 20

Syn: coax

• The parakeet refused to be cajoled into entering her cage.

Question 21

Enhance (vt.)

Answer 21

Syn: intensify; heighten

• It will enhance your enjoyment of an opera if you know what the plot is about in advance.

Question 22

Nuance (n.)

Answer 22

Syn: slight variations in meaning

• In reading the satires of Jonathan swift, one must be vigilant in order to catch each nuance.

Question 23

Avid (adj.)

Answer 23

Syn: eager

• Bill Clinton is an avid reader of mystery stories.

Question 24

to beard the lion in his den

Answer 24

Defy an opponent in his home

-Having decided to beard the lion, I stormed into the manager’s office to ask for a raise.