Set 4

Question 1

ADULTERATE (uh DUL tuh rayt)

Answer 1

v. to contaminate; to make impure

We discovered that the town’s drinking water had radioactive waste in it; we discovered, in other words, that it had been adulterated.

Question 2

ADVERSE (ad VURS)

Answer 2

adj. unfavorable; antagonistic

We had to play our soccer match under adverse conditions: It was snowing, and only three members of our team had bothered to show up.

Question 3

AESTHETIC (es THET ik)

Answer 3

adj. having to do with artistic beauty; artistic

Our art professor had a highly developed aesthetic sense; he found things to admire in paintings that, to us, looked like garbage.

Question 4

AFFABLE (AF uh bul)

Answer 4

adj. easy to talk to; friendly

Susan was an affable girl; she could strike up a pleasant conversation with almost anyone.

Question 5

AFFECTATION (af ek TAY shun)

Answer 5

n. unnatural or artificial behavior, usually intended to impress

Becky’s English accent is an affectation. She spent only a week in England, and that was several years ago.

Question 6

AFFINITY (uh FIN uh tee)

Answer 6

n. sympathy; attraction; kinship; similarity

Ducks have an affinity for water; that is, they like to be in it.

Question 7

AFFLUENT (AF loo unt)

Answer 7

adj. rich; prosperous

A person can be affluent; all it takes is money. A country can be affluent, too, if it’s full of affluent people.

Question 8

AGENDA (uh JEN duh)

Answer 8

n. program; the things to be done

What’s on the agenda for the board meeting? A little gossip, then lunch.