Wordly Wise Book 7 Lesson 8 Review Exercise

acrid

Smoke filled the workroom, making it impossible to see. The _______ air made breathing difficult, if not impossible.

thronged

The elevator offered the quickest means of escape. Desperate women _____ the hallway as they tried to crowd into it.

smoldering

The fire that broke out could have been put out if caught early. Unfortunately, no one noticed it while it was just ________.

impediment

The locked doors were the main ____ to the women's escape. The owners of the company left only one workroom door unlocked.

hurtling

In just seconds, the fire was raging out of control. The women came _______ from the workroom, gasping for air and looking for a means of escape.

casualties

One hundred and forty-five people died in the fires. All of the _______ were women.

initiated

The city fire department recognized the need to improve its methods. Sadly, the new practices were _____ too late to save the victims of the fire.

stringent

The city inspectors had also failed to do a thorough job. Had more _____ inspections been conducted, the tragedy might have been prevented.

headlong

The city needed to consider carefully the lessons learned from the fire. A _____ rush to solve the problem could make things worse.

coped

The company's owners were worried that women would slip outside for a short break. They _______ with the issue poorly- by locking the doors.

inevitable

The devastation showed that the city's fire fighting methods were not adequate. Some people believed that such a tragedy was _____.

negligent

The official inquiry cam to a surprising conclusion. It was reported that the employers of the women who died had not been _____.

irate

The people of New York had believed the fire department could handle anything. They were _____ when they discovered what had happened.

congested

The stairs, elevator, and fire escape provided the only means to get out. The fire escape became so ____ that it collapsed under the weight.

lax

There were rules in place to ensure safety in the workplace. Unfortunately, enforcement of these rules was ______.