Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 20.1, Chapter 20.2, Chapter 19.2, Chapter 19.1, Chapter 17.2, Chapter 17.1, Chapter 18.1, Chapter 18.2
The school was racially ___________
98% of students were ethnically white.
contrarian
A _______ always acts in a way that goes against the standard or conventional way of doing things.
hardy
A _______ character is needed by a soldier during wartime.
titanic
A ________ struggle broke out in the political party after no clear leader emerged.
waiver
A ________ was required from the government before the historical documents could be removed from the country.
feasibility
A _________ study still needs to be completed in order to check whether the shopping mall will make money.
tentative
A __________ agreement was reached between the striking workers and management; however, the agreement would not be finalized until the following week.
precedent
A __________ was created when the judge accepted that cell-phone evidence should, now and in future, be admissible in court.
emanated
A beautiful scent ___________ from the flower's petals.
captivating
A beautiful sunset is always a _________ sight.
ethereal
A butterfly's wings are _________ and easily broken.
serenity
A calm, _________ descended on the city at night as people went home to relax with their families.
maxim
A commonly known ________ is - you reap what you sow.
perpetrated
A crime was __________ when the thief stole the money.
distorted
A grimace of pain _________ his face.
skepticism
A healthy dose of ________ is needed when you trade stocks because there is so much bad advice around.
restraint
A healthy dose of __________ is necessary when you work in customer service and have to deal with many angry people.
exemplifies
A neat and tidy home _________ a caring attitude.
differentiate
A polygraph test is roughly able to ___________ truth from lies.
permeable
A sponge is _________ and readily absorbs water.
prudence
A submarine commander needs __________ when making decisions because one wrong move can usher in disaster.
conferring
After ________ with the Board, the CEO announced his resignation from the company.
prolonged
After a _________ absence due to illness, the girl returned to school.
restrained
After being arrested, the criminal was ________ with handcuffs.
strutted
After doing so well in the exam, the student arrogantly ________ down the corridor with his head held high.
endorsement
After his powerful _____________ from the Senator, the presidential candidate felt sure he would win the state.
empirical
After living in the area for many years, he had an ________ understanding of what the weather was likely to be each day.
hardy
After living in the wilderness for many years, the man looked ______ and ready for any situation he would encounter.
detached
After returning from the war, the soldier was _______ and emotionless.
accolades
After running the fastest 400m in history, the athlete rightfully received numerous ________.
saturated
After spilling the drink on himself, his clothes were totally _________.
implicated
After the investigation, the Senator confessed and ___________ numerous other politicians in what had happened.
anarchy
After the revolution in Libya there was complete _____________.
opaque
After the shower had run for a few minutes, the steam from the hot water made the glass of ________.
rhetoric
All we have from the opposition political party is empty promises and useless __________.
aspired
Although she came from a poor family, she _______ to greatness.
superficial
Although the storm was severe, the house suffered only ___________ damage.
plethora
Although there were a _________ of students involved in the cheating incident, no-one was ultimately disciplined.
intervention
America's _________ in Iraq has created a disaster in the Middle East.
avid
An ______ follower of baseball, the man spent hours on weekends watching every possible game he could.
inherent
An _________ characteristic of most entrepreneurs is their willpower and tenacity.
anomaly
An _________ was noted in the data and was closely examined in order to ascertain why it differed from the norm.
anomalous
An __________ aspect of the data worried scientists, who then decided to recheck their measurements.
compendium
An encyclopedia is a ___________ of entries covering everything from aardvarks to xylophones.
incidence
An increase in the __________ of alcohol related assaults has meant that the police have increased the number of patrols in the area.
boycott
An international ____________ was imposed on the country because of its human rights record.
coincidence
By _________, as the robber was leaving the bank he bumped into a policeman.
degrade
By attacking the enemy army repeatedly, the General hoped to _______ the strength of the enemy force.
intimidating
Changing schools can be an _________ experience for many students.
comparable
Cola and Pepsi are soft drinks that are easily ________ due to their similarities.
inclusive
Colleges are trying to become more ________ and are actively trying to recruit students who add diversity to their campuses.
jargon
Computer programming _________ was used by the two technicians to communicate with each other.
inverted
Direct address in a text should be indicated by using __________ commas.
obsess
Do not ________ about arriving on time but rather make sure that you leave early.
perpetrate
Do not _________ a crime or you will have a criminal record.
energize
Drinking an energy drink is supposed to ________ you.
depleted
Due to the severe drought, the water in the dams was severely ________ .
censors
During wartime, the government often ________ news to protect important information and keep morale high.
disparity
Economists explain the _________ in wages between workers in a society by examining the value assigned to each worker's "product."
beneficial
Exercising and drinking lots of water are agreed to be _________ for people.
trivial
Failing your exams is no _______ matter - it is very important!
boon
Finding oil in the region has been a real ______ to the country's economy.
intrinsic
Flowers have an _________beauty that has long been admired by poets.
commodity
Food __________ prices can vary dramatically depending on weather conditions and natural disasters.
ideology
Free-market capitalism is the ________ that dominates most western democracies.
vantage
From my _________ point I could see the entire city stretched out below me.
confrontation
Further _____________ between the countries was avoided after the United Nations got involved.
contingent
Getting into college is often ________ on getting good grades in school and having a decent SAT score.
constituent
Glass is a _________ part of all older televisions.
commodities
Gold and platinum are considered the two most valuable _________.
rued
He ______ not having studied for the test after receiving a terrible grade.
justified
He _______ his poor behavior by revealing that he had previously suffered from a mental illness.
reacted
He ________ quickly and caught the ball with ease.
equated
He ________ the feeling he had after the victory of his team, to how he felt when he won the lottery.
instructed
He ________ the students to make sure they completed the homework before 5pm tomorrow.
fabricated
He _________ a shelter for himself in the wilderness by using branches and leaves.
prudently
He _________ decided to go home early to sleep because he had an exam early the next morning.
restrained
He _________ himself from responding to the insult the protester hurled at him.
waived
He _________ his right to see his children after the divorce, giving full custody to his wife.
vigorously
He _________ shook the tree in an attempt to dislodge the ripe apples.
detached
He _________ the trailer from his car.
devised
He __________ a cunning strategy to overcome the problem he faced.
exemplifies
He __________ hard work: he stays in his office till late at night and even works on weekends.
justified
He __________ his lack of work progress by explaining how busy he had been with helping his wife and their newborn.
depressed
He __________ the button for calling the air-stewardess.
underscored
He __________ the seriousness of his point by making everyone in the room look at him when he stated it.
persisted
He ___________ in asking the girl to go to the dance with him, until she finally agreed.
restraint
He acted with _________ and didn't get angry when the woman attacked him verbally.
mocked
He always treated everyone with respect and never ________ anyone.
mural
He asked that a ________ be painted at the doorway of the restaurant.
norm
He bucked the ________ when he decided to wear short pants rather than longs pants, as everyone else did.
contradicted
He claimed to be a nice person but this was _________ by the bad way he treated his staff.
mused
He continually ________over whether he had made the right decision to marry the woman.
ingenious
He found an _________ use for the leftover grape juice that they had - he left it to ferment and made it into alcohol.
confounding
He found mathematics an extremely _________ subject and as such could never get an "A" in the class.
impaired
He had _________ hearing and so had to wear a hearing-aid.
ample
He had _________ time to correct his behavior after receiving a number of warnings.
bland
He had a _______ clothing style, which meant that he was not popular with girls.
rational
He had a ________, rather than emotional answer to the question.
singular
He had a _________ obsession: to be the first man on Mars.
immune
He had a tough character and was _________ to the insults his opponents directed at him.
opaque
He had an ________ character and nobody was ever quite sure what his true intentions were.
inhibitions
He had no ________ and would try anything.
eclectic
He has an _________ taste in music that consists of rock, rap, R&B, and hip-hop.
conviction
He has substantial _________ that he is right and will fight with anyone who disagrees with him.
renegade
He hated teamwork and was considered a __________ worker who preferred doing things his own way.
distinction
He holds the ________ of being the first man to climb Mount Everest.
motivated
He is ________ by a strong desire to make a fortune and as such works long hours.
notorious
He is a _________ drug-dealer who has been to prison many times.
paradox
He is a true ________: he seems to never study but does extremely well in exams.
avid
He is an ______ singer and spends hours every day perfecting his musical talents.
integral
He is an _________ member of the team and without his presence the team would lose every game.
prone
He is an accident _________ child and often has bruises and cuts on his body from where he has fallen.
differentiate
He is color-blind and so is unable to ___________ between red and green.
exemplary
He is known as an _________ student and many teachers cite him as one of the best students they have ever taught.
forthcoming
He is known for his ___________ and direct manner; he puts everyone at ease when he is in the room.
devious
He is not to be trusted as he can be ____________.
paragon
He is often cited as a __________ of good work ethic by his supervisors.
prone
He lay _______ on the floor and watched TV.
oblique
He made an __________ reference to how she needed to work harder; it was subtle but she understood what he was saying.
obliquely
He never directly criticized people but often spoke _________.
coincided
He planned to take his annual leave from the company so it _______ with his son's birthday.
latent
He seemed to have a ________ talent for art; although, he never found out for sure because he worked as an accountant.
precedent
He set a __________ for other managers to follow by making himself available to his employees at all times of the day.
unprecedented
He set a new world record with his _________ time of 8 seconds in the 100m.
neutral
He stated that he was _________ on whether the club should visit the beach or mountains for their club trip.
nostalgically
He thought back to when he was in high school and ___________ recalled his first girlfriend.
amplify
He used the loudhailer to ________ his voice.
maximize
He wanted to ________ his chances of winning the lottery and so bought as many tickets as possible.
susceptible
He was ________ to getting sick and so always wore a coat whenever the temperature fell.
obsessed
He was ________ with getting revenge on his opponent.
fluent
He was _________ in the role that office politics plays in deciding promotions and firings.
resigned
He was _________ to his fate and didn't argue when the police finally arrived at his house to arrest him.
galvanized
He was ___________ into rushing to help the woman by the hysteria in her voice.
maxim
He was a firm believer in the _________ that hard work delivers substantial rewards.
subordinates
He was a gentle and mild person, especially with his _________.
proponent
He was a passionate ________ of free college education for all.
betrays
He was a terrible poker player because his face always __________ the quality of his cards.
acclaimed
He was an _________ musician and always played to sold out audiences.
vanguard
He was at the __________ of his company's efforts to become more creative and flexible, and was given substantial responsibility by the CEO.
censored
He was careful in what he said, and often ________ himself in the hopes of not offending others.
inferring
He was clearly _______ that she was not able to do the job properly; although, he never directly said it.
imbalanced
He was considered mentally ___________ and was ordered to see a psychiatrist
surpassed
He was happily surprised when his score _________ what he had expected to get.
minimalist
He was known as a ________ artist and never used much color or other devices in his paintings.
culinary
He was known for his impressive ________ skills and would often cook for all his friends.
nonetheless
He works hard; ___________, he can be disruptive in class.
linger
He would not ________ at work after the end of the business day, but would instead rush out to catch the subway.
hampered
Heavy rains __________ the progress of the wagons, as the roads had turned to thick mud.
affinity
Her ________ for luxury brands caused her to build up a huge credit card debt.
exemplary
Her _________ handling of the negotiations was widely praised.
veneer
Her face had an icy _________ to it, which meant people avoided talking to her.
latent
His ______ desire was to escape his boring 9-5 job and sail off to a tropic island in the South-Pacific.
satirical
His ________ portrayal of the difficulties experienced by people looking for jobs was widely applauded as hysterically funny and accurate.
aspiration
His ________ was to get a job at a top company and marry a rich, beautiful woman.
submissive
His _________ nature meant that he was often abused by more assertive people.
apprentice
His _________ worked closely with him and watched carefully as he did his job.
straightforward
His _____________ manner was a nice surprise for the employees after years of having to deal with a boss who could never be trusted.
implicit
His agreement was _________: although he never directly stated it, his body language showed that he agreed.
straightforward
His answer was __________ and there could be no doubt as to its meaning.
provisional
His appointment to the position of school principal was ________: it would only be finalized after he signed a contract.
endure
His boss' personality was very difficult for the employee to _________ .
arbitrary
His choice of clothing seemed ________ - no one was able to figure out why he chose a particular
discernment
His clear _________ when it came to judging good or bad wines meant that Walter Phillips was a popular judge of quality wines.
saturated
His clothing was __________ with chemicals after the accident in the laboratory.
waned
His confidence ______ as his GPA continued to fall during the school year.
transient
His depression was always _________; in a couple of days he was always grinning broadly again.
pristine
His desk was always _________ and completely organized - not a pen, pencil, or piece of paper was out of place.
augmented
His eyesight was _________ by a new pair of glasses, enabling him to see a lot more clearly.
maliciousness
His harsh words betrayed the ________ inside his heart.
revoked
His leave from the army was ________ after a major international crisis occurred.
empirically
His mind worked _________; he needed to see something in order to believe and understand it.
contingent
His parole was _________ on him reporting to his parole officer at least weekly.
ancillary
His presence at the disciplinary hearing was not ________ - it was crucial for him to be physically present.
illuminating
His presentation was highly ___________ and clearly explained why the phenomenon was occurring.
amplified
His problems were ________ by the fact that he was unemployed and homeless.
fraudulent
His resume was completely __________ and contained jobs that were completely fake.
rhetorical
His speech was long and full of well-chosen ________ appeals.
itinerary
His travel ________ included stops in London, Berlin, and Rome.
analogous
Historians saw the relationship between the king and his subjects as ___________ to that of a father and his children.
rued
Hitler was said to have _______ invading Russia during the Second World War.
assembled
I _________ the chair by following the instructions provided.
affinity
I have an _________ for chocolate that has led me to put on a lot of weight.
energized
If I am able to have a rest, I will feel ___________ and ready to work again.
heed
If the child had heard the sound, he paid no ________, and just continued to play with his toys.
diverge
If you _________ from the main path, you could get lost and be in trouble.
heeded
If you had _________ my warning, you would not have gotten into trouble.
ratifying
In _________ the agreement, the King promised to abide by its rules and procedures.
severed
In a horrific accident, the man's legs were completely _________ below the knee.
prolong
In an attempt to _________ his holiday, the employee faked having an illness to get more days off work.
stringent
In order to achieve the best results, athletes had to follow a _____________ dieting routine.
bestowed
It is a great honor to have a medal __________ on you by the Queen of England.
cliché
It is an old ________ to say "a woman's place is in the home".
disperse
It is important to __________ seeds over a wide area so that the resulting crops don't bump into each other.
justify
It is impossible to _________ racism: it is never appropriate.
intermittently
It rained ____________ throughout the day.
evident
It was ________, even to people who weren't paying attention, that the president's speech was terrible.
feasible
It was _________ to create a plan to send a man to the moon based on previous successes with sending men into space.
ingenious
It was an __________ invention that enabled the workers to complete their jobs a lot faster.
negligence
It was determined that the car was caused by driver ________ and not mechanical failure.
rectified
It was important that the wrongdoing was _________ to set the record straight.
subpoenaed
Joseph was _________ in the case of the massive fraud that took place in his company.
intrinsic
Kindhearted people have an _______ desire to help others with their problems
paramount
Loyalty to the CEO was of __________ importance in the company.
distort
Many hidden factors may ________ the results of the study.
subsidiary
Microsoft has many smaller _________ companies that supply it with employees and niche products.
conceded
Mitt Romney ________ that he had lost the election to Barack Obama.
manipulated
No-one likes to feel _________; everyone wants to believe he or she reached a decision alone.
ideology
North Korea follows a communist ________.
stereotypes
People often need to overcome __________ when they meet people of different cultures for the first time.
biased
People who are unable to see both sides of an issue are said to be _______.
provincial
People with a _________ way of acting are often considered to be unsophisticated and simple.
revoked
Permission for the band to use the park for shooting a music video was _________ when it was discovered they wanted to make fires.
betrayed
Poland has been _______ many times in its long and turbulent history by its neighbors.
boon
Radar was a _________ to the British during the battle of Britain, as it helped them quickly locate enemy aircraft.
adversary
South Korea faces its _________, North Korea, across the DMZ.
finite
Space is not _________; it goes on for infinity.
covert
Spying is a __________ art.
impairment
Stuttering is a type of speaking ___________.
superseded
The 2016 model of the car was ___________ by the new 2017 model.
viable
The CEO demanded a _________plan from his managers that would allow the product to be released quickly.
successor
The CEO's _________ acted quickly to change the firm into a more effective organization.
relics
The Egyptian pyramids are __________ of ancient construction work from thousands of years ago.
esteemed
The Emperor is deeply ________ by the Japanese people.
trivial
The King judged that the issue was _________ and let his ministers leave without discussing it.
craven
The King left the battle in a ________ abdication of his duty.
confer
The King ordered everyone out of the room, for he wished to _______ with his closest advisers.
unified
The King won an incredible victory and _________ the two kingdoms into one.
successor
The King's ________, Prince William, would ascend to the throne when his father died.
paradoxical
The King's __________ behavior toward his subjects confused many; he often ordered people executed for minor offences but at the same time was also extremely generous and kind.
reputable
The New York Times is a very ________ news source.
concurred
The President ___________ with the assessment of the minister, and told the Generals present to prepare the troops for war.
reputable
The President demanded his advisors only provide him information from highly _______ sources.
distinction
The Prime Minister made no ________ between nations harboring terrorists and those actively supporting such groups.
gravity
The Principal told the parents the ________ of what their son had done; he faced almost certain expulsion from the school.
proponent
The Senator strongly supported the new pipeline and was probably its main _________ .
convened
The UN General Assembly ________ in order to discuss the refugee crisis.
awe
The ______ the woman felt when she cradled her baby in her arms could not be matched by anything.
lethal
The _______ dose of poison killed the man after he mistakenly drank it.
sage
The _______ lived in the deep mountains and many people visited him to receive his counseling.
viability
The _______ of climbing the mountain was the reason the climbing club held a meeting; they needed to figure out what tools they would need to make it possible.
cessation
The _______ of hostilities between the siblings brought a measure of peace to the family.
relics
The _______ of the French Revolution were stored in the museum.
pores
The _______ on our skin allow us to sweat.
notion
The _______ that democracy is the best form of government is widespread.
humane
The _______ way the soldier treated the enemy prisoner was surprising after the brutal fighting.
fraud
The ________ committed by the accountant was so serious that the police were asked to investigate.
remnants
The ________ of Napoleon's once great army shuffled back home after suffering a major defeat in Russia.
convergence
The ________ of technology and the human desire for conquest has led to the creation of numerous deadly weapons.
incidence
The ________ of teenage pregnancies in the country has fallen due to effective education.
notoriety
The ________ of the corrupt mayor was known even in towns many miles away.
efficacy
The ________ of the drug was still unknown and so further testing would be required.
severity
The ________ of the illness was assessed by the doctor.
constraints
The ________ on your future, if you don't attend college, are many.
incumbent
The ________ senator is fighting a tough race in this election to retain his seat.
craven
The ________ soldier crept away from the enemy lines, leaving his comrades to fight for themselves.
esteem
The ________ the voters felt for the President was illustrated by the landslide win he managed to secure in the election.
narrative
The _________ behind Washington's life always focuses on his love of freedom and democracy.
forthcoming
The _________ book promises to be a bestseller: people are already pre-ordering it.
imbalance
The _________ created by the way the cargo was loaded onto the ship caused it to capsize.
degradation
The _________ faced by Native Americans in America is a shameful part of history.
predominant
The _________ feeling among the students was that he was an amazing, inspiring teacher.
beneficiaries
The _________ in his will were listed as his children and wife.
susceptibility
The _________ of children to being influenced by television is a well-known concern of many parents.
ubiquity
The _________ of drugs in the city led the mayor to seriously question whether his police commissioner was doing his job properly.
contingent
The _________ of foreign election observers entered the country just before that year's presidential elections.
efficacy
The _________ of memorizing vocabulary in order to improve your SAT score is well known.
proliferation
The _________ of nuclear weapons has been a paramount concern of the UN since the first nuclear tests.
dissolution
The _________ of the company left many workers unemployed.
severity
The _________ of the economic slump was judged to be moderate, as the unemployment rate had only increased slightly.
gravity
The _________ of the situation for the defenders was made clear when a messenger explained the sheer size of the attacking army.
discrete
The _________ parts of the pipeline were each checked in order to figure out where the problem had come from.
pervasive
The _________ problem in the community was unemployment.
intermittent
The _________ shouts of the crowd only added to the excitement of the World Cup Final.
instructor
The _________ was famous for giving harsh grades.
migrants
The _________ were all searching for a better life for their children when they left their war-torn country.
motives
The __________ for the attack were never discovered and they remains a mystery to this day.
fluctuation
The __________ in his exam grades was of great concern to the teacher.
cumbersome
The __________ load was difficult to carry.
proximity
The __________ of the hotel to the bomb blast meant that many tourists were injured in the explosion.
justification
The __________ offered by the President for why he decided to veto the Bill was rejected by the voters.
mural
The __________ on the wall showed a ship in full sail.
chaotic
The __________ scenes in the street after the bomb exploded were vividly described by the reporter.
cessation
The ___________ of gunfire gave the people a chance to safely move to another area.
respiration
The ___________ system in the body is managed by the lungs.
sect
The ___________ would meet at full moon to perform religious rituals.
finite
The amount of food the UN could provide the refugees was _______ and so they had to ration it.
artifact
The ancient Egyptian _______ was recovered at the archeological dig.
unearthed
The archaeologist _______ a number of valuable relics at the archeological dig.
colonial
The architecture in Brazil was _________ in nature and showed the country's Portuguese influence.
artifact
The architecture of the building is an _________ from the time when the country was a Spanish colony.
subordinate
The army general advised his ___________ officers of their duties in battle.
augmented
The army's size was _________ by the arrival of its allies from the north.
discern
The artist was able to _________ small differences between colors and used this ability to create amazing art pieces.
cumbersome
The astronaut found the space suit __________ and difficult to walk in.
hamper
The attorney demanded that the police stop trying to _______ his efforts to get information relating to his client.
elucidate
The attorney was able to ________ , in plain language, the court proceedings to the elderly couple.
conceived
The baby was _________ during the honeymoon trip.
propagated
The bacteria __________ in the dish and were ready to be studied.
problematic
The bad behavior of the students made the situation __________ for the teachers.
repertoire
The band has a __________ of songs it plays at every concert.
pervasive
The belief that you can take the SAT without studying for it is, unfortunately, __________.
intangible
The benefits of studying are, unfortunately, not immediately obvious and remain ________ until a test happens.
prologue
The book's ________ was written by the author's close friend and explained the history behind the book's writing.
inadvertent
The bookkeeper made an ___________ error by paying the employee for the same work twice.
adversary
The boxing champion taunted his _________ just before the title fight.
inadvertently
The boy _________ hurt the girl when he dropped the hammer on her foot.
nurtured
The boy __________ the newly born piglets and provided for all their needs.
notion
The boy had a ________ that the girl would go to the dance with him, but he would not know for sure until he had asked her.
apprenticeship
The boy joined the company under an ____________; he would learn how to do his job from knowledgeable seniors.
alleviate
The boy offered to carry the wood to ________ the old man's burden.
preceded
The boy was __________ by his older brother into the world.
demolished
The building was _________ by the construction workers using explosives and heavy machinery.
discrete
The cake was cut into ________ parts before being divided among the students.
veneer
The car had a shiny ________ that made it stick out wherever it went.
parodied
The cartoonist _________ the President's large nose and propensity to lie by drawing him as Pinocchio in his comic strips.
arbitrary
The cat always acted in an ________ manner and would do whatever it wanted.
indigenous
The cheetah is a large cat that is ________ to Africa.
badgered
The child _________ his Mom for a new toy until eventually she agreed to buy it for him.
compendium
The children took a __________ of games on holiday with them, so that they had a variety of games to play.
adjacent
The cinema is _______ to the carwash.
utopia
The civil war and general chaos in the country meant that it was regarded as the antithesis of a ________.
transient
The clouds proved to be _________ , and soon the sun returned.
parodied
The comedian ________ the way the politician spoke with wildly exaggerated gestures.
satire
The comedian's sharp ________ often poked fun at the ruling elite in the country.
disposed
The company ________ of one its subsidiaries by selling it to international investors.
subsidiary
The company decided to close its ________ company as it was running at a loss.
hierarchical
The company followed a ________ system of management and junior employees had to closely follow the orders of their seniors.
disclaimer
The company issued a _________ with its products that stated that all warranties would be invalid if the product was opened.
perpetually
The company seemed _________ in debt and people wondered why it never went completely bankrupt.
stipulated
The contract _________ what each of the two partners was required to do.
jargon
The contract was drawn up using legal _________ that very few people could understand.
authoritarian
The country excelled once democracy replaced the ________ power of autocracy.
ferment
The country is in a state of upheaval and political ___________.
dominated
The country was ________ by ethnic Chinese, who made up over 90% of the population.
linger
The couple was happy to _________ a little while on the beach and enjoy the beautiful sunset.
pastoral
The cows and sheep grazing in the meadow made for a ___________ scene.
sinister
The darkened house looked __________ in the windy, moonless night.
frantically
The deer ________ tried to escape the cheetah.
constrained
The dictator was ________ from executing the activists by the threat of revolution if he did so.
authoritarian
The dictator was very __________ and would accept no dissent.
dissolution
The divorce papers proved that the ___________ of their marriage was a reality.
conceded
The doctor ________ he had made a mistake in his diagnosis and sincerely apologized to the patient.
enumerated
The doctor _________ the bones the boy had broken in his bicycle accident.
provisionally
The doctor ____________ approved the patient's request to leave hospital - on the understanding that if his condition worsened he would return immediately.
affixed
The document had a map _________ to the back of it.
consumed
The dog __________ an entire can of dog food.
confounded
The driver of the car was ________ by the many streets in the city.
recession
The economy is in a deep _________, which is causing a disastrous decrease in incomes.
carped
The employee constantly _________ on about working conditions in the company and was eventually fired.
coincided
The end of the Cold War __________ with the fall of the Berlin Wall.
severed
The engineer __________ the connection between the computer and the machine after he noticed the computer had a virus
betray
The escaped prisoner begged me not to ___________ him to the police.
glossy
The expensive magazine had many __________ photos of the film stars.
conviction
The father demanded his son argue with more __________ instead of letting others push him around.
plethora
The fields of sunflowers created a ___________ of yellow as far as the eye could see.
authenticated
The fingerprint scanner __________ his identity and the door opened for him.
emanated
The fire ________ warmth and made the room feel cozy.
climaxed
The fireworks festival ________ with over 200 rockets being launched simultaneously.
titanic
The force of a hurricane can be described as ________.
superseded
The fountain pen was _________ by the ballpoint pen in 1937.
inclusive
The friends were not ________ at all; they didn't invite outsiders to their gatherings.
marshalled
The general _________ his forces and prepared to attack at dawn.
affirmed
The general's leadership was _________ by all the senior commanders present at the meeting; they promised to follow him anywhere.
epic
The general's victory in the battle was akin to an _________ , such was the magnitude and completeness of his victory.
detached
The girl felt worried about her relationship after her boyfriend began acting in a ________ manner.
eclectic
The girl's fashion could be described as ________- she wore a variety of clothing styles in the same outfit.
babbled
The girls ________ on excitedly about their holiday.
jabbered
The girls were frightened and _________ in a nonsensical way.
levied
The government ________ heavy fines on the companies for the excessive pollution they created.
subsidy
The government provided a ________, in the form of financial support, to the rice farmers.
fermented
The grapes had __________ and the juice had turned into alcohol.
evident
The growing homelessness problem being experienced by the city is ________ when you visit the downtown area.
exhaustive
The guide outlined the history of the tomb in __________ detail.
incline
The hill had a gentle _______ that was no challenge for the cyclists.
bestowed
The honor was ________ on him at the award ceremony
tense
The hostage drama was a _________ and difficult situation.
accommodated
The hotel _________ the guest by providing him with a free breakfast at no extra cost.
renovate
The house was falling apart and so the family hired a company to ______ it and make it look like new.
eroded
The humiliation he suffered ________ his self-confidence.
bustle
The hustle and _____ of city life was difficult to get used to after the quiet of the countryside.
predecessor
The incoming Mayor's ________ congratulated him for winning the election and promised to assist him in any way possible.
preceded
The infantry attack was _______ by an intense artillery bombardment.
serenity
The island is famed for its quiet _________ and so many travelers have visited it.
unearthed
The journalist __________ documents proving that the president had been involved in illegal activities.
tedious
The journey was made _________ by the lack of interesting scenery.
concurred
The judge _________ with the lawyer's assessment that the question asked by the opposing attorney was unfair.
shackled
The judge said he could not reduce the sentence for the boy, even though he wanted to, because he was ________ by legislation that required him to impose a minimum sentence of 10 years.
biased
The judge was believed to be ________ against the defendant and was widely criticised for his lack of impartiality.
paragon
The kind priest was seen as a ________ of goodness by his parishioners.
appended
The lawyer _________ one further clause to the contract after being urged to do so by his client.
contended
The lawyer ___________ that his client had never even been to the crime scene and therefore could not have committed the crime.
confine
The lawyer asked the jury to _________ their attention to the current case and disregard the criminal's prior history of violent crime.
conceive
The lawyer could not _________ of any way that she could lose the case - she was that confident.
cease
The lawyer demanded that his client ______ trying to contact the victim.
disclaimer
The lawyer stated that his advice came with a ________ attached: his advice was only valid for the next 30 days.
contrary
The lawyer was criticized for acting in a manner _________ to the interests of his client.
superficial
The likeness between the twins was _________- on close inspection big differences between them could be seen.
recurrent
The little girl had ________ dreams about swimming in a beautiful sea.
vantage
The lookout post gave a good _________ point over all activity happening in the valley below.
frantically
The man _________ called the emergency services after his son was involved in a serious accident.
implicated
The man _________ his accomplices in the robbery that had happened a week before.
maliciously
The man __________ attacked his rival in the street and was quickly arrested.
lamented
The man __________ the missed chance and always wondered how his life would have been different if he had grasped it.
asylum
The man fled the country after being accused of espionage and applied for _______ in the UK.
passive
The man was ________ and just meekly accepted orders from anyone without taking the initiative himself.
indicted
The man was arrested and ___________ for the attack on the old woman.
asylum
The man was committed to an ________ after his mental breakdown.
sage
The man was known for his _______-like wisdom and many people asked him for advice.
forthcoming
The man was not _________ with the police and so they decided to investigate him further.
fugitive
The man was was a __________ from justice after escaping from the prison.
awe
The man watched in _____ as the leopard crept up on its unsuspecting prey.
resigned
The manager __________ from the company when the massive losses were revealed.
discrepancy
The manager decided to speak to the company accountant after a ________ was discovered in the company accounts.
affirmation
The manager's ________ allowed the project to proceed immediately.
disseminated
The media _________ the news of the president's death as quickly as it could.
ethereal
The mist was _________ and everyone knew once the sun started to shine it would disappear.
volatile
The mixture of chemicals was _______ and so was treated with considerable care.
strutted
The model _________ down the runway, loving the fact that he was the centre of attention.
nurtured
The mother ________ her son's interest in art by buying all the art supplies he wanted.
implicit
The movement of missiles toward the border was an ________ threat that conveyed how dangerous the situation was becoming.
expedited
The negotiator ________ the process of reaching an agreement by using all of her experience and skills.
promulgated
The new law was __________ and made it an offense to insult the president.
proximity
The new restaurant was perfectly placed, as it was located in __________ to a number of tourist attractions.
disclosed
The newspaper ________ the large amount of corruption that was occurring in the governing party.
fabrication
The newspaper story was a complete _________ and so the man took steps to sue the newspaper's publisher.
proliferated
The number of assaults in the area has __________ since a number of new bars opened.
renovated
The old castle was _________ and then the family moved in.
passively
The old dog sat in the corner ________ watching the family.
thrifty
The old lady never spent money on unnecessary good and services and was always _______ and careful with her money.
thriftier
The older generation is definitely _________ than the younger generation.
surpassed
The outside temperature ________ one hundred degrees and so everyone needed to use their air conditioners.
expeditiously
The package containing the important document was ___________ sent via DHL.
bland
The pasta sauce was __________ and tasteless.
recurrent
The patient became very weak after ________ attacks of asthma.
tense
The patient was _______ and uneasy before going into the operating theatre for the operation.
alleviate
The patient was given medicine to ___________ his pain.
respiration
The patient's _________ gradually stabilized as he fought off the lung infection.
depicted
The picture ________ a scene from the battle and was famous for its intricate attention to detail.
troughs
The pigs eagerly ate eagerly from their feeding _________ .
affixed
The placard was ________ to the wall so that all the employees were able to read it.
musings
The poet's _________ continued late into the night, much to the enjoyment of the assembled audience.
discrepancy
The police noticed a _________ in the man's statement about where he was on the night of the crime and decided to re-interview him.
subpoena
The police served the woman with a __________ in order to compel her to testify.
inhibit
The police tried desperately to __________ the spread of drugs in the city.
pored
The policeman ________ over all the evidence he had collected during the course of the investigation.
presumed
The policeman ________ that the boy was telling the truth but wanted to check the security cameras in the store to be sure.
profoundly
The policewoman was _______ shocked when she heard about the vicious crimes the man had committed.
turbulent
The political climate in the country was very ________ and conditions seemed ripe for revolution.
dominated
The political party _________ the government after winning 65% of the vote.
fabricated
The politician __________ a story about where he was on the day his mistress died, but nobody believed him.
manipulated
The politician skillfully ___________ the news media in order to get maximum coverage for himself.
pivoted
The politician wanted to get off the topic as soon as possible and so he _________ to a less controversial issue.
purged
The president _______ the company of lazy employees.
underscored
The president _________ her fear of the terrorists obtaining weapons by directing that all intelligence agencies focus on the issue.
endorsed
The president _________ the candidate and helped him campaign for office.
convened
The president ___________ a meeting of his closest advisers.
reiterated
The president of the country ___________ his support for the embattled minister.
acclaim
The president received wide ________ for his decision to respect a court ruling against him; he was a true democrat.
evocative
The president, in the lead up to the invasion of Europe, made a highly _________ speech that lifted the morale of the soldiers.
conceived
The press conference and the announcement of the hosts for the next Olympic Games were supposed to occur ___________.
endured
The prisoner _______ years of imprisonment in solitary confinement before finally being released.
confined
The prisoner was _________ to a tiny cell for 18 hours a day.
shackles
The prisoner was placed in __________ so that he could not escape.
inherent
The problems _______ in his approach to studying were obvious to all his teachers.
coincidence
The professor felt it was no ________ that as the amount of carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere increased, so did the average global temperature.
distillation
The purity of Whisky can be improved through a complex _________ process.
displaced
The reigning boxing champion was _________ by the challenger in an epic title fight.
disperse
The riotous crowd was ordered to ________ , failing which the police would use teargas.
diverged
The road __________ and split into two small lanes.
perennial
The school has a _________ problem with graffiti and so students are not allowed to carry art supplies around with them.
permeable
The scientist explained that a frog's skin is ___________ - allowing water to pass through its skin.
accolades
The scientist received a number of __________ for his groundbreaking paper.
skeptical
The scientist was _________ of the findings of his colleague and asked him to explain his conclusion one more time.
illuminated
The searchlights _________ the enemy bomber in the inky blackness of the sky.
disclosed
The secret agent ________ his identity to the police after he decided to defect.
autonomously
The secret police in the country acted completely __________ and did not report to anyone.
inclined
The sheriff was ________ to believe the woman's story after he reviewed security footage from the store, which showed her stealing nothing.
terrestrial
The signal received was definitely not from a __________ source and so many people suspected aliens may have been involved.
captivated
The singer ________ the audience with his smooth, silky voice,
evoked
The singer, taking off his shirt, ________ crazed screams from his adoring fans.
renegade
The soldier left the army and joined the __________ forces opposing the government.
waned
The storm __________ in strength, and it seemed like there might be good weather soon.
artisans
The street markets enabled the arts and crafts of __________ to be displayed and shown to potential buyers.
boycott
The striking workers said they would ________ the business until better wages were offered.
displaced
The strong wind ________ the sign that had been hanging outside the shop for years.
mocking
The student bullied the new student by _________ the clothing she wore.
profound
The student showed a ________ understanding of poetry and was complimented on his analysis by the teacher.
inconsistent
The student's ________ effort in the class made his teacher angry because he demanded consistent effort from all his students.
contention
The student's _________ that homework was of no benefit to students was rejected by the teacher.
conversed
The students _________ happily about what they had done during their vacations
exhaustive
The study was _________ and covered every possible reason for why the problem had occurred.
galvanized
The surface of the table was __________ with a protective coating of zinc.
avert
The talks failed to ________ the rail strike.
deterred
The teacher ________ the students from cheating in the exam by promising that anyone caught cheating would receive a grade of zero.
intervened
The teacher _________ in the argument between the students in an attempt to calm things down.
enumerated
The teacher __________ the ways students could get good grades in her class.
elucidated
The teacher ___________ the correct way to solve the problem through the use of diagrams.
collaborate
The teacher divided the class into groups and told the students to _______ on a project.
reiterate
The teacher had to ________ the method for solving the question in order to help the student.
volatile
The teacher is ________ and often loses his temper when students talk too much.
attain
The teacher strongly desires to ________ the position of principal in the near future.
accommodate
The teacher tried to _______ the request of students that they receive no homework on weekends.
rectify
The teacher was able to point out where the pupil was wrong and _______ the problem.
compensated
The teacher was well ____________ for working on the weekend.
rant
The teacher went on a 20 minute ________after her students did terribly in the test.
devious
The thieves' getaway driver took a _________ route so as to confuse the police.
ratified
The treaty was _________ by all countries at the conference and would now become international law.
assembled
The troops were ________ on the parade ground in the early morning for PT.
compress
The truck collected the garbage and then used a hydraulic press to _________ it to make it more manageable.
converged
The two armies __________ on the city and an intense battle began.
collaborated
The two singers __________ on an album and were widely praised for how skillfully they combined their talents.
vied
The two smartest students in the school _______ for the valedictorian award.
stereotype
There is a _________ about people from that island that many people, incorrectly, believe.
distinction
There is a __________ between being proud of your achievements and openly boasting.
disparity
There is a major ________ between the living situations of people in the country: some are ultra rich, while others live in total poverty.
overlap
There is often an ________ between adult criminal behavior and a tough childhood.
stringent
There should be ______ fines imposed on air pollution caused by factories.
chaos
There was _______ after the leader of the political party was assassinated.
predominant
There was a _________ idea among voters that the President needed to be removed from office.
turbulence
There was a lot of air __________ which made the flight bumpy and unstable.
inconsistency
There was an __________ between the stories of the witnesses and so the police decided to interview them both again.
confrontation
There was an epic __________ between the school bully and a much smaller student on the playground, and the bully ended up in tears!
jabbering
There was so much ___________ going on in the room that we could not hear what the lecturer was saying.
sinister
There was something ________ about the way the man stayed well hidden in the shadows.
anecdotes
There were many short ________ about his life during the memorial service.
pristine
There were no people living on the island and so its beaches were completely ________.
perennials
These trees are __________ and as such do not lose their leaves in Fall or Winter.
distill
They managed to __________ a small quantity of hydrogen from the water they had collected.
wary
Those who have been mistreated are often __________ of strangers.
migrated
Thousands of people left the countryside and _________ to the city.
purged
Through the father's forgiveness, the son was __________ of the guilt he had felt for a long time.
concurrently
Thunder and lightning occurred _________ as the storm raged.
compensate
To __________ for her lack of intelligence, the girl worked extremely hard in class.
anecdote
To end his speech, he told a humorous __________ about when he fell into the dam.
emulate
Tobacco advertising is forbidden because it can lead young people to _______ what they see.
perpetuity
Uncle David opened a scholarship for underprivileged children that was meant to provide for these children's education in __________.
caption
Under the picture was a _______ that explained who the three men in the picture were.
anomalous
Unfortunately, hardworking students in the school are _________, rather than the norm.
ubiquitous
Warning signs about the dangers of bears were _________ in the national park.
dispose
We _______ of our trash by putting it into bags and leaving it outside.
authenticate
When logging on to an internet banking site, you need to ________ your identity by entering a password.
beneficiary
When you make a cash transfer at a bank, you need to specify who the __________ is.
Nocturnal
_________ animals have night vision.
Ranting
_________ at her subordinates, the CEO demanded everyone work twice as hard as before.
Negligence
_________ is never acceptable when you are a surgeon in a hospital.
Covert
_________ operations, which the foreign government would deny if they were discovered, were carried out in an attempt to overthrow the dictator.
Propagating
__________ among the sick, the virus spread rapidly in the hospital.
Homogeneity
__________ of thought is not something universities want in their student bodies.
Badgering
__________ people in order to sell merchandise is not a polite way of making sales.
Disseminating
__________ propaganda was common in Nazi Germany.
Equating
__________ the feeling one has when a sports team loses to feelings of bereavement is a gross exaggeration.
Invert
__________ the pie so that the base is shown at the top.
Artisans
___________ are especially well-represented in the construction industry.
Intangible
___________ assets, like brand recognition and customer goodwill toward a company, are difficult to measure.
Persistent
___________ effort will gain long term reward.
Agility
___________ is important for athletes doing gymnastics.
Marshalling
____________ all the facts at his disposal, the lawyer prepared to argue the case before the court.
distinction
a discrimination between things as different and distinct
contingent
a gathering of persons representative of some larger group
stereotype
a generalization
trough
a narrow depression (as in the earth or between ocean waves or in the ocean bed)
shackle
a restraint that confines or restricts freedom
maxim
a saying that is widely accepted as true
coincidence
a striking or unlikely combination of events
anomalous
abnormal; deviating from the general or common order or type
authoritarian
absolutist; having complete power
intangible
abstract; impossible to feel or touch
plethora
abundance; extreme excess
resigned
accept sadly (often with 'to')
inadvertent
accidental; happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
indict
accuse; accuse formally of a crime
nocturnal
active at night; belonging to or active during the night
bustle
activity; move or cause to move energetically or busily
augment
add, increase; enlarge or increase in size
append
add; add to the very end
compensate
adjust for; makeup for
concede
admit to something
proponent
advocate; a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea
perpetual
ageless; continuing forever or indefinitely
ferment
agitate; a state of agitation or turbulent change or development
affirm
agree; establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
homogeneous
alike; all of the same or similar kind or nature
awe
amaze; an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
gale
an extremely strong wind
pore
any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)
paradox
apparent contradiction; (logic) a statement that contradicts itself
contention
argument; a point asserted as part of an argument
presume
assume; take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
forthcoming
at ease in talking to others
affix
attach; attach to
affinity
attraction
ratify
authorize; approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation
avert
avoid; prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
accolade
award; a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
cumbersome
awkward; difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight
ethereal
delicate; characterized by lightness and insubstantiality
disclaim
deny or create an exception
contingent
depending on
demolition
destruction; an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something
contradict
differ with; be opposed to
imbalance
difference or instability; a lack of balance or state of disequilibrium
discrepancy
difference; a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
disparity
difference; inequality or difference in some respect
inconsistency
difference; variance
unearth
dig up; bring to light
wane
diminish; grow smaller
dissent
disagree; withhold agreement
detach
disconnect; cause to become detached or separated; take off
deter
discourage; try to prevent; show opposition to
confer
discuss; have a conference in order to talk something over
discern
distinguish; detect with the senses
differentiate
distinguish; mark as different
frantic
distressed; excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion
turbulence
disturbance; unstable flow of a liquid or gas
vertigo
dizziness; a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall
eclectic
drawn from many different sources
avid
eager
terrestrial
earthly; of or relating to or inhabiting the land as opposed to the sea or air
thrifty
economical; careful and diligent in the use of resources
efficacy
effectiveness; capacity or power to produce a desired effect
detached
emotionally distant
underscore
emphasize; give extra weight to (a communication)
perennial
enduring; lasting three seasons or more
vigor
energy; forceful exertion
intrinsic
essential; belonging to a thing by its very nature
paramount
essential; having superior power and influence
ubiquitous
ever present; being present everywhere at once
elicit
evoke; call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
pore (over)
examine closely
surpass
exceed
integral
existing as an essential part of a whole
amplify
expand; increase in size, volume or significance
proliferation
expansion; growth by the rapid multiplication of parts
forthcoming
expected; upcoming
caption
explanatory tests (usually regarding a visual image)
prolong
extend; lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer
fraudulent
fake; intended to deceive
pervasive
far reaching; spreading or spread throughout
captivate
fascinate; cause to hold attention
trough
feed box
saturate
fill completely, soak; infuse or fill completely
subsidy
financial aid; a grant paid by a government to an enterprise that benefits the public
renovate
fix up; restore to a previous or better condition
nostalgia
fond remembrance of the past; longing for something past
nurture
foster; help develop, help grow
intimidate
frighten; make timid or fearful
accumulate
gather; get or gather together
bestow
give or present
forgo
give up; do without or cease to hold or adhere to
waive
give up; do without or cease to hold or adhere to
resign
give up; leave (a job, post, or position) voluntarily
commodity
goods; articles of commerce
malicious
hateful
inclined
have a tendency or disposition to do or be something (often with 'to')
reputable
having a good reputation
prone
having a tendency
epic
heroic poem; a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
asylum
hiding place; a shelter from danger or hardship
climax
high point
infer
hint at indirectly
implicit
hinted; implied though not directly expressed
constrain
hold back; hold back
restrain
hold back; keep under control; keep in check
straightforward
honest; free from ambiguity
aspire
hope; have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
nonetheless
however; despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession)
titanic
huge; of great force or power
parody
humorous imitation; a composition that imitates somebody's style, usually in a humorous way
notion
idea; a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
notorious
ill famed; known widely and usually unfavorably
emulate
imitate or copy; strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
censor
ban or limit (often in terms of publication or speech)
superficial
basic and lacking depth
exemplify
be an excellent example; be characteristic of
concur
be in agreement
conceive
become pregnant
tedious
boring; so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
levy
impose (often in terms of a fine or tax)
latent
inactive; potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
inherent
included; existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
inclusive
including and open to difference
oblique
indirect
manipulate
influence or control shrewdly or deviously
intervene
interrupt; get involved, so as to alter an action, or through force or threat of force
prologue
introduction; an introduction to a play
implicate
involve, entangle; bring into intimate and incriminating connection
intermittent
irregular; stopping and starting at irregular intervals
badger
bother; annoy persistently
diverge
branch off; move or draw apart
betray
break the trust
respiration
breathing
propagate
breed; transmit from one generation to the next
disseminate
broadcast or spread widely
humane
kind
chaotic
lacking order or organization
anarchy
lawlessness; state of lawless disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)
vanguard
leading position; the leading units moving at the head of an army
apprenticeship
learning a job; the position of apprentice
subpoena
legal summons
illuminate
light up; make lighter or brighter
confine
limit; place limits on (extent or access)
finite
limited; bounded or limited in size
rational
logical; consistent with or based on or using reason
depress
lower someone's spirits; make downhearted
prone
lying down
maximize
make as great as possible
illuminate
make easier to understand
mock
make fun of; treat with contempt
promulgate
make known; state or announce
accommodate
make room for; to be agreeable or acceptable to
compress
make smaller by or as if by pressing
impair
make worse or less effective
denote
mean; signify
convene
meet; meet formally
satire
mockery; witty language used to convey insults or scorn
exemplary
model; worthy of imitation
converge
move toward a meeting point
displace
move; cause to move, usually with force or pressure
migrate
move; move from one country or region to another and settle there
indigenous
native; originating where it is found
proximity
nearness; the property of being close together
unprecedented
new; having no precedent; novel
adjacent
next to
skeptical
non believing
passive
not active; lacking in energy or will
opaque
not transparent or translucent
perceive
notice; to become aware of through the senses
evident
obvious
coincide
occur at the same time or in the same place; go with, fall together
precede
occur earlier; be earlier in time
anomaly
odd item; deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
predecessor
one who precedes you in time (as in holding a position or office)
adversary
opponent; someone who offers opposition
contrary
opposite to; very opposed in nature or character or purpose
hierarchy
order based on seniority
marshal
organize
compensate
paid
utopia
paradise; ideally perfect state, especially in its social and political and moral aspects
heed
pay attention to; listen to
paragon
perfection; an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept
muse
person or thing providing inspiration
devise
plan
ample
plentiful; more than enough in size or scope or capacity
vantage
point from which one sees; place or situation affording a comprehensive view
glossy
polished; shiny
viable
possible or achievable
permeable
possible to fill or pass through; allowing fluids or gases to pass or through
feasible
possible; capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are
empirical
practical; derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
acclaim
praise vociferously
problematic
presenting difficulty; open to doubt or debate
commemorate
preserve in memory; mark by some ceremony or observation
precedent
prior example; an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
distill
purify; remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate
depress
push down
assemble
put together; create by putting components or members together
agile
quick; moving quickly and lightly; flexible
arbitrary
random; based on individual preference or impulse
attain
reach; to gain with effort
motive
reason
justification
reason; something that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary
renegade
rebel; break with established customs
beneficiary
recipient; the recipient of funds or other benefits
distinction
recognition; honor
boycott
refuse to do business with; refuse to sponsor
rue
regret; feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
culinary
related to cooking; of or relating to or used in cooking
colonial
related to foreign settlements; of or relating to or characteristic of or inhabiting a colony
alleviate
relieve; provide physical relief from
sect
religious order; a subdivision of a larger religious group
linger
remain; remain present although waning or gradually dying
remnant
remaining item; a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists
purge
removal; oust politically
reiterate
repeat; to say, state, or perform again
recurrent
repeating; recurring again and again
supersede
replace; take the place or move into the position of
successor
replacement; a person who follows next in order
esteem
respect; the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded)
react
respond; show a response or a reaction to something
hamper
restrain; prevent the progress or free movement of
inhibit
restrict; to put down by force or authority
betray
reveal unintentionally
disclose
reveal; make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few
invert
reverse; make upside down
stringent
rigorous; demanding strict attention to rules and procedures
dominate
rule; be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance
pastoral
rural
provincial
rural or countryside
expedite
rush; speed up the progress of; facilitate
artifact
saved item
relic
saved item; an antique that has survived from the distant past
disperse
scatter; distribute loosely
devious
scheming; misleading
rant
scolding or critical speech
subsidiary
secondary; lower in importance
covert
secret
autonomous
self-governing; (of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces
discrete
separate; constituting a separate entity or part
dissolution
separation; separation into component parts
gravity
seriousness
severity
seriousness; used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
depict
show
justify
show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
comparable
similar; able to be compared or worthy of comparison
analogous
similar; similar or equivalent in some respects
likewise
similarly; in like or similar manner
concurrent
simultaneous; occurring or operating at the same time
artisan
skilled person; a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
incline
slope
minimal
smallest; the least possible
fugitive
someone not wanting to be caught; person avoiding arrest
boon
something beneficial
rhetoric
sophistication in speaking; using language effectively to please or persuade
stipulate
specify; specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement
norm
standard; a standard or model or pattern regarded as typical
galvanize
stimulate or strengthen
energize
stimulate; cause to be alert and energetic
cease
stop; put an end to a state or an activity
cessation
stopping
narrative
story; a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events
anecdote
story; short account of an incident (especially a biographical one)
conviction
strong belief; an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
hardy
strong or tough; having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
subordinate
subsidiary or below the main authority
endure
suffer; put up with something or somebody unpleasant
ancillary
supplementary and not critical; furnishing added support
endorse
support; approve of
revoke
take back or cancel
jabber
talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
bland
tasteless; lacking taste or flavor or tang
instruct
teach or direct; impart skills or knowledge to
jargon
technical language; a characteristic language of a particular group
recount
tell; narrate or give a detailed account of
transient
temporary; one who stays for only a short time
restraint
the act of controlling
incidence
the relative frequency of occurrence of something
obsess
think about something constantly
conceive
think of
muse
think over; reflect deeply on a subject
exhaustive
thorough; performed comprehensively and completely
sinister
threatening; threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
dispose
throw away; give, sell, or transfer to another
tense
tighten; under pressure.
fabricate
to lie
itinerary
travel plan; an established line of travel or access
immune
unaffected; a person who is immune to a particular infection
tentative
under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
bias
unfair opinion; a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation
trivial
unimportant; (informal) small and of little importance
singular
unique; unusual or striking
unify
unite; become one
consume
use
deplete
use up
beneficial
useful; promoting or enhancing well-being
authenticate
validate; establish the authenticity of something
ideology
value system; an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
strut
walk pompously; to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
mural
wall painting; a painting that is applied to a wall surface
distort
warp; make false by mutilation or addition
erode
wear away; become ground down or deteriorate
sage
wise; a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom
secular
worldly or non-religious
susceptible
yielding readily to or capable of accepting
serenity
calm; a disposition free from stress or emotion
volatile
capable of exploding; liable to lead to sudden change or violence
prudent
careful; careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment
wary
careful; marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
negligence
carelessness; failure to act with the prudence that a reasonable person would exercise
converse
carry on a conversation
pivot
change direction
fluctuate
change; cause to fluctuate or move in a wavelike pattern
degradation
changing to a lower state (a less respected state)
babble
chat; utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way
elucidate
clarify; make clear and (more) comprehensible
pristine
clean; completely free from dirt or contamination
ingenious
clever; showing inventiveness and skill
overlap
coincide with partially or wholly
repertoire
collection; a collection of works that an artist or company can perform
compendium
collection; a publication containing a variety of works
emanate
come from; proceed or issue forth, as from a source
fluency
command of language or skill; powerful and effective language
perpetrate
commit; perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
predominant
common; most frequent or common
cliché
commonplace; a trite or obvious remark
vie
compete; compete for something
carp
complain; raise trivial objections
lament
complaint; express grief verbally
submissive
compliant; willing to submit to orders or wishes of others
constituent
component; one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up
infer
conclude; reason by deduction; establish by deduction
provisional
conditional; under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
confrontation
conflict; a bold challenge
confound
confuse; be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
equate
consider equal; consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous
fabricate
construct; put together out of artificial or natural components
persist
continue without stopping
collaborate
cooperate; work together on a common enterprise of project
rectify
correct
recount
count again
enumerate
count or list; specify individually
veneer
covering; surface layer
craven
coward; lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
incumbent
current holder of an office; the official who holds an office
sever
cut; set or keep apart
lethal
deadly; of an instrument of certain death
recession
decline; the state of the economy declines
profound
deep; showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
epic
"Hercules" is an ______ that features a hero achieving great things.
bustled
People _______ around the shop's entrance in order to be first in line.
vanguard
At the ________ of the army were the tanks and other heavily armored units.
climax
At the ___________ of the movie, the hero surprisingly returns from the dead and defeats the villain.
prologue
As a ________ to the main attack, the artillery unleashed a heavy bombardment.
vertigo
As he looked down from the high cliff, the man felt a sense of ______.
forgo
As he was on diet, he decided to ________ eating a snack.
overlapped
As our time living in the city luckily_______ , we often met and had dinners together.
utopia
As the country improved its economic and political situation, more and more people started to regard it as a ________.
troughs
As the waves got bigger in the ocean, so the __________ between them also increased in size.
unify
Barack Obama is known for his desire to ______ disparate communities.
nocturnal
Bats are _________ creatures and can only be seen at night.
wary
Be ______ of talking to strange people.
gale
Before the hurricane arrived, a massive ______ started to blow.
dissent
Being allowed to express ________ with your rulers is a critical part of democracy.
denote
Emoticons are small images meant to ________ certain emotions or feelings.
humane
Even though the dictator maintained complete control of the country, he was still _________ and kind to the citizens.
commemorate
Every year on 11 November we _____________ those who died in the First and Second World Wars.
vigor
In spite of his age, the man displayed great health and __________.
integral
In studying Economics, it is ________ for students to understand basic microeconomic theory.
vie
In the World Cup, Brazil and Germany usually ____ for top honors in the competition.
compress
In the case of a serious injury, paramedics are told to apply bandages and _________ the wound to stop blood loss.
depleted
Large scale fishing of the seas has _____________ global stocks of fish.
secular
Most western democracies are ________: church and state are separated and do not mix.
likewise
My sister Sarah hates green beans, and I, ________, do not like the vegetable.
deterred
Nelson Mandela refused to be _________ from fighting against oppression.
denoted
On maps, mountains are ________ by triangles and numbers that give their heights in meters.
accumulated
Over time, the amount of problems in the company ________ and finally it collapsed and went bankrupt.
dissented
Parliament ________ with the Prime Minister and refused to give him authorization to go to war.
averted
She ________ her eyes while the doctor dressed the wounds.
lamented
She ________ the fact that her son never wanted to study and instead just played games all day.
attained
She _________ a very high rank in the air force through her diligence and persistence.
tentatively
She __________ agreed to meet him on Sunday afternoon but would only confirm once she had checked her schedule.
perceived
She __________ his meaning even though he was being very indirect and not obvious.
inferred
She __________ that what her boyfriend had just said was unacceptable by letting out a massive sigh.
forgo
She decided to _______ going to Europe in order to try and save some money.
depressed
She felt _________ after getting the news that she failed to get the job.
anomaly
She is a real _______ in the class: everyone studies extremely hard except her.
inclined
She was _________ to donate money to the organization working to help refugees after watching the harrowing documentary.
muse
She was his _________ , and the poet wrote hundreds of poems based on her inspiration.
fluency
Should you wish to work in Spain, you should try and gain __________ in Spanish.
perceive
Since his eyes were not good, it was difficult for him to ________ objects far away.
autonomous
Singapore is an __________, self-governing country that does not rely on anyone for support.
norm
Sleeping in class was more the ______ than the exception because the math teacher was so boring.
presumed
Suspects are __________ to be innocent until they have been found guilty by a court of law.
neutral
Switzerland is a well-known ________ nation that does not get involved in conflicts or take sides.
babble
Talk slowly and clearly and do not _______ otherwise no-one will be able to understand what you are saying.
clichés
The use of ________ in his speech made it come across as boring and insincere.
commemorated
The victory was _____________ by a large parade through the city.
paramount
The village chief was the ________ ruler in the area.
tedious
The walk was ________ and offered no respite from the dry and barren landscape.
remnants
The walls of the house were the only ________ of the once great home after the massive fire.
unprecedented
The way the student spoke to the school principal was _________ in its rudeness and soon afterwards he was expelled.
depicting
The wealthy patron paid the artist to paint a picture ________ him riding his favorite horse.
erode
The wind and rain caused the soil to __________.
ceased
The wind suddenly ________ as the eye of the hurricane passed over the house.
accumulated
The windows in the house had never been washed, and the dirt of years had ____________ on them.
recounted
The witness ___________ what had happened during the robbery.
ancillary
The witness's statement, although not critical to the case, added other important __________ details.
provincial
The woman had a ________ attitude to life and still thought that she was living in the country, rather than a modern metropolis.
contradictions
The woman lived a life of __________: she railed against the evils of capitalism, but was the daughter of the city's richest man.
prone
The woman was known to be _______ to telling fancifully exaggerated stories.
submissive
The woman was timid and __________, never offering resistance.
ample
The wrestler's ________ size intimidated all of his opponents.
intimidated
The wrestler's massive size _________ his opponent.
emulated
The young boy _________ his hero by pulling his shirt over his head when he scored a goal.
glossy
The young girl had thick, ________ hair.
agile
The young man was very __________ and climbed the tree with great ease.
fluctuate
Trade on the stock market will __________ from year to year.
Carping
________ is a very unfortunate habit among high school students.
detach
You can ________ your laptop from its power cable for many hours due to the presence of a battery.
infer
You could ______ the meaning of the word by looking at the context.
immunized
You should be ____________ against flu every year.
stipulate
You should clearly __________ the rules of any game so that it is fair to all.
problematic
Your life will be ________ if you are deceitful.
neutral
objective and impartial; having no personal preference
