Vocab Level A Unit 5 Choosing the Right Word

pacify

"It's your job to help (*pacify, fray*) the conquered area," the general said, "not to add fuel to an already explosive situation."

bungled

After the way you (*bungled, blustered*) the job of arranging the class trip, I can never again trust you with anything important.

fidelity

Although I don't agree with all her ideas, I must admire her unshakable (*fidelity, synopsis*) to them.

smug

Each time she answered a question correctly, she rewarded herself with a (*smug, ravenous*) little smile of self-congratulation.

inhabitants

Have you ever wondered if there is life on other planets and, if so, what the (*frays, inhabitants*) might look like?

acute

His (*headstrong, acute*) analysis of the housing problem in our town gave us a clear idea of what we would have to overcome.

headstrong

I keep telling you things for your own good, but you're just too (*eerie, headstrong*) to listen.

synopsis

If you read no more than a(n) (*inhabitants, synopsis*) of the plot of any one of Shakespeare's plays, you will get very little idea of what it is all about.

setback

Maris' illness, after she had been chosen for the leading role in the class show, was a serious (*setback, commentary*) to our plans.

refute

My lawyer prepared to (*bungle, refute*) the outrageous accusations against me.

eerie

One the camping trip out West, some of the children were frightened when they first heard the (*smug, eerie*) howls of coyotes at night.

tarry

Since it had seemed that winter would (*tarry, pacify*) forever, we were all heartily glad when it finally quit dragging its heels and departed.

acute

The bloodhound's (*numb, acute*) sense of smell led the trackers to the bank robber's hideout in record time

ravenous

The character Scrooge in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol starts out as as a(n) (*acute, ravenous*) miser, but he undergoes a great change of heart.

commentary

The fact that so many people are still living in poverty is indeed a sad (*fidelity, commentary*) on our civilization.

refuted

The idea that ost people usually behave in a calm and reasonable way is (*refuted, numbed*) by all the facts of history.

ravenous

The lost hikers, having endured several days in the blistering sun, became discouraged after sighting (*headstrong, ravenous*) vultures circling overhead.

facets

The strength of this book lies in the author's ability to describe and explain different (*setbacks, facets*) of human experience.

numbed

The victims of the disaster were so (*numbed, tarried*) by the scope of the tragedy that they scarcely showed any emotion at all.

frayed

There is so much wear and tear on the ropes in this pulley system that they become (*frayed, refuted*) in only a few days.

inhabitants

We cannot assume that all the people one sees on the streets of a large city are actually (facets, inhabitants) of the place.

duration

We know that we are going through a period of economic instability, but there is no way of telling what its (*duration, remorse*) will be.

remorse

When I realized how deeply I had hurt my dear friend with my careless insult, I suffered a terrible pang of (*remorse, duration*).

duration

When the plane encountered turbulence, we had to remain seated with our seat belts fastened for the (*duration, synopsis*) of the flight.

blustering

With a winter storm (*blustering, bungling*) outside, what could be more welcome than a warm room, a good meal, and my favorite TV program?