Second Chapter

Question 1

causeway

Answer 1

a raised path, especially across a wet area

Question 2

stern

Answer 2

severe, or showing disapproval:
a stern look/warning/voice
She is her own sternest critic.
Journalists received a stern warning not to go anywhere near the battleship.

Question 3

vanguard

Answer 3

the part of an army or navy that leads an attack on an enemy

Question 4

holdfast

Answer 4

a firm grip.
a staple or clamp securing an object to a wall or other surface.

Question 5

meekly

Answer 5

quiet, gentle, and not willing to argue or express your opinions in a forceful way:
She seemed so very meek and mild.

Question 6

portcullis

Answer 6

a strong gate made of bars with points at the bottom that hangs above the entrance to a castle and in the past was brought down to the ground in order to close the entrance against enemies

Question 7

breeches

Answer 7

trousers that do not cover the whole of the leg:
riding breeches
a pair of breeches

Question 8

blunt

Answer 8

C2
A blunt pencil, knife, etc. is not sharp and therefore not able to write, cut, etc. well.

Question 9

fidelity

Answer 9

honest or lasting support, or loyalty, especially to a sexual partner:
marital fidelity Somerset Maugham’s comedy of marital fidelity, “The Constant Wife”
sexual fidelity How important do you think sexual fidelity is in a marriage?

Question 10

wager

Answer 10

an amount of money that you risk in the hope of winning more, by trying to guess something uncertain, or the agreement that you make to take this risk:
She put a cash wager of £50 on the race.
He tried to eat 50 hard-boiled eggs, for a wager.

Question 11

foster

Answer 11

to take care of a child, usually for a limited time, without being the child’s legal parent:
foster a child Would you consider fostering a child?

Question 12

haggling

Answer 12

the act of arguing about the price of something in an attempt to make the seller reduce it:
haggling over/about
haggling between sb/sth and sb/sth Haggling between the company and investors over valuations will continue until the price is announced.

Question 13

consent

Answer 13

permission or agreement:
They can’t publish your name without your consent.
give consent Your parents must give consent for you to go on the trip.
give your consent Patients must be informed of the risks of the surgery and give their informed consent.
You can only come on the trip if you have your parents’ written consent.

Question 14

pestilent

Answer 14

relating to or causing very serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people:
Smallpox is clearly the worst of the pestilential diseases.
In the story, a pestilential fog envelops every population centre in the country.

Question 15

heed

Answer 15

to pay attention to something, especially advice or a warning:
heed advice/a warning The airline has been criticized for failing to heed advice/warnings about lack of safety routines.
Perhaps they should have heeded their own advice.

Question 16

pledge

Answer 16

a serious or formal promise, especially one to give money or to be a friend, or something that you give as a sign that you will keep a promise:
[ + to infinitive ] All the candidates have given/made pledges not to raise taxes if they are elected.
Thousands of people made pledges (= promised to give money) to the charity campaign.
I give you this ring as a pledge of my everlasting love for you.

Question 17

wither

Answer 17

(to cause) to become weak and dry and decay:
Grass had withered in the fields.

Question 18

flee

Answer 18

to escape by running away, especially because of danger or fear:
flee from She fled from the room in tears.
flee to In order to escape capture, he fled to the mountains.