Vocabulary Workshop Level D Unit 11 Completing the sentence

"I'm not afraid of anyone!" the boy piped up bravely, but we noticed that his voice ______ as he said it.

quavered

The child _______ in fear and disgust as the harmless water snake slithered over the floor.

recoiled

Now that the storm has damaged the crops, it's up to us to work twice as hard to _____ our losses.

recoup

The telltale ______ of gas reminded us that someone had left a burner open on the stove.

reek

How often have we heard candidates for public office promise that they will be tough and ______ in fighting organized crime!

relentless

As it wound its way through the desert, the mighty river became a mere _____ that travelers could easily wade across.

rivulet

Since you worked so long and hard for the money you earned, its doubly foolish to ______ it on things you don't really want or need.

squander

In a passage that a composer had marked __________, every note should sound like the quick thrust of a knife.

staccato

What we need is not a lot of new legislation, but tough enforcement of the _______ already on the books.

statutes

In saying that "_______ is the soul of wit," Shakespeare was reminding comedians to keep their jokes short and snappy.

brevity

Leaders are judged by how well they _______ themselves in times of crisis.

comport

Since you are charged for every word you use in a telegram, it pays to be as __________ as possible.

concise

The assertive heroines portrayed in many TV programs are a far cry from the ________ young ladies depicted in the nineteenth century novels.

demure

Economists will tell you that inflation results in an increase in the supply of money and the _______ in its value.

depreciation

Despite the creature comforts we now enjoy, I feel that the quality of life has somehow _________ in recent years.

deteriorated

The witnesses have testified at great length, but how much really valuable information have they _______ to the investigation committee?

divulged

A(n) _________ public opinion, said Jefferson, is essential to a democratic society.

enlightened

A president will often try to _________ the defeat of a legislative program by appealing for the public's support on TV.

forestall

To the district attorney's dismay, the witness _________ all the facts and misled the jury.

garbled

The program featured a debate between ________ of gun control and critics of legislation restricting ownership of firearms.

proponents