Vocabulary Unit 1 Set B

Question 1

Adage

Answer 1

(N.) A proverb, wise saying

One way to begin an informal speech or an oral report is to quote an old adage.

Question 2

Citadel

Answer 2

(N.) A fortress that overlooks and protects a city; any strong or commanding place
A medieval citadel once guarded the capital city of the Greek island of Rhodes.

Question 3

Decree

Answer 3

(N.) An order having the force of law; (V.) to issue such an order; to command firmly or forcefully
Caesar Augustus issued a decree that all the world would be taxed.
Why does nature always seem to decree nasty weather for our annual family picnic?

Question 4

Discordant

Answer 4

(Adj.) Disagreeable in sound, jarring; lacking in harmony

Their little spat struck a discordant note in our otherwise happy family get together.

Question 5

Evolve

Answer 5

(V.) To develop gradually; to rise to a higher level

Authors hope that their notes, descriptions, and character sketches will evolve into a book.

Question 6

Hover

Answer 6

(V.) To float or hang suspended over; to move back and forth uncertainly over or around
A large group of vultures hovered in the air above the wounded animal.

Question 7

Preclude

Answer 7

(V.) To make impossible, prevent, shut out

Three wrong answers will preclude any contestants from entering the quiz show’s final round.

Question 8

Rubble

Answer 8

(N.) Broken stone or bricks; ruins

Bulldozers and wrecking balls soon reduced the damaged building to a heap of smoking rubble.

Question 9

Servile

Answer 9

(Adj.) Of or relating to a slave; behaving like or suitable for a slave or a servant, menial; lacking spirit or independence, abjectly submissive
Most serious performers prefer constructive criticism to servile flattery.

Question 10

Wrangle

Answer 10

(V.) To quarrel or argue in a noisy, angry way; to obtain by argument; to herd; (N.) a noisy quarrel
My brother and sister always wrangle over whose turn it is to take out the trash.
The customer got into a nasty wrangle with the shopkeeper.