Vocab Lesson 11

Question 1

Epistle

Answer 1

A letter or literary composition in letter form (Ex: Brian spent years writing lengthy, unsent epistles to his old girlfriend.)

Question 2

Avid

Answer 2

Enthusiastic; extremely interested (Ex: Dori was such an avid reader that I had a hard time recommending a title she had not yet read)

Question 3

Gadfly

Answer 3

An irritating and persistent person (Ex: I tried to lose Judy, an obnoxious gadfly, in the crowd, but she stuck to me with unbearable closeness)

Question 4

Humility

Answer 4

Absence of vanity; humbleness (Ex: Even though Jo is a celebrated author, she’s the picture of humility and never brags)

Question 5

Dolorous

Answer 5

Exhibiting sorrow or pain (Ex: The song was so dolorous that Dolores found it difficult not to cry)

Question 6

Gargantuan

Answer 6

Of huge or extraordinary size and power (Ex: Milltown’s players were gargantuan compared with the small guys on our team)

Question 7

Arduous

Answer 7

Difficult; requiring much effort (Ex: Refinishing the old bookcase proved an arduous task, but the results were well worth it)

Question 8

Affable

Answer 8

Friendly; agreeable; easy to talk to (Ex: The affable old man never lacked for visitors)

Question 9

Grandiloquent

Answer 9

Pompous or high-flown in speech (Ex: Marcus gets grandiloquent when speaking of theatre, assuming no one knows as much or has as refined a taste as he has)

Question 10

Agrarian

Answer 10

Concerning farms, farmers, or the use of land (Ex: The economy of the agrarian nation depended on good crop yields)

Question 11

Grimace

Answer 11

A facial expression of fear, disapproval, or pain (Ex: Amanda gave a grimace when Mrs. Hind assigned nine pages of algebra homework)

Question 12

Harangue

Answer 12

A long, strongly expressed speech or lecture (Ex: My wife delivered a lengthy harangue this morning in an effort to get me to quit smoking)

Question 13

Formidable

Answer 13

Arousing fear or awe (Ex: When the hulking, 250-lb man stepped into the ring, Oscar knew that he had to face a formidable opponent)

Question 14

Sycophant

Answer 14

A flatterer; one who fawns on others in order to gain favor (Ex: Teri was such a sycophant that she laughed loudly at her supervisor’s awful jokes)

Question 15

Explicit

Answer 15

Clearly and openly stated; leaving nothing to the imagination (Ex: Mom’s instructions were explicit: Do not leave the house for any reason)