English Vocabulary (UK) Test 2015

1. Which is not what it seems to be?

Answers:

• illusion

• allusion

2. Which is the best definition for "recidivist"?

Answers:

• one who divides

• one who reoffends

• one who doesn't listen

• one who writes poetry

3. Which is the best definition for  "feign"?

Answers:

• a young animal

• pretend

• gladly

• greedy

4. The new edition conflates the original text with scholarly commentary. "Conflates" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• confuses

• caresses

• combines

• collapses

5. Her oleaginous attitude toward the owner contrasted sharply with her typical manner. "Oleaginous" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• irritating

• imitative

• insulting

• ingratiating

6. Which of the following is a synonym for "shave"?

Answers:

• pear

• (None of these)

• pare

• pair

7. Which is most commonly used as a verb?

Answers:

• effect

• affect

8. The tedious presentation was filled with superfluous information. "Superfluous" most nearly means:

Answers:

• excessive

• extravagant

• unintelligible

• detailed

9. The youngsters' argot was incomprehensible to the rest of us. "Argot" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• secret language

• technological proficiency

• small animal

• angry rebelliousness

10. Which is the best definition for "dotage"?

Answers:

• garden

• competence

• old age

• academic work

11. Which of the following is an antonym to "spendthrift"?

Answers:

• profligate

• censor

• yeoman

• miser

12. Bringing up religion at the party would have been impolitic. "Impolitic" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• unethical

• amusing

• unwise

• disinterested

13. Which is the best definition for "ossify"?

Answers:

• to become inflexible

• to earn more

• to be aggravated

• to grow taller

14. Which is the best definition for "propitiate"?

Answers:

• appease

• anchor

• appear

• anger

15. Choose the best word to complete the following sentence: His friend was ______ after a long night at the bar.

Answers:

• inebriated

• elongated

• obsfucated

16. Which of the following is the best definition of opulent?

Answers:

• rich

• beautiful

• omnipotent

• wonderful

17. Which of the following is an antonym to "acquit"?

Answers:

• concord

• dissent

• digress

• convict

18. Which means "relating to the ears"?

Answers:

• oral

• verbal

• aural

19. Which of the following is a synonym for "before"?

Answers:

• air

• err

• heir

• ere

20. Which is the best definition for "emollient"?

Answers:

• an eraser

• a piece of furniture

• a container

• a cream or lotion

21. Galileo was forced to recant his heliocentric theory. "Recant" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• loudly shout

• quietly recast

• angrily defend

• publicly renounce

22. Which of the following is an antonym to "diminish"?

Answers:

• harm

• increase

• reduce

• lessen

23. He disdained doing his math homework. "Disdained" most nearly means:

Answers:

• disavowed

• enjoyed

• ignored

• disliked

24. Choose the best word to complete the following sentence: The woman just started playing chess, so she was a true ________.

Answers:

• sage

• seer

• novice

• expert

25. Leonardo da Vinci was the quintessential polymath. "Polymath" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• someone with great artistic talent

• someone with a rebellious attitude

• someone born in Europe

• someone knowledgeable in many areas

26. Which is the best definition for "concatenate"?

Answers:

• agree

• join together

• snip

• hasten

27. Which does an artist use?

Answers:

• palette

• pallet

• palate

28. Which means "against the rules"?

Answers:

• illicit

• elicit

29. Which of the following is a synonym for "praise"?

Answers:

• confirmation

• conformation

• acclimation

• acclamation

30. Which means "to determine the value of"?

Answers:

• apprise

• appraise

31. Which is the middle number in a set (half the values are above and half are below)?

Answers:

• mode

• mean

• median

32. Which properly completes this sentence: "She gave the dog ____ bone"?

Answers:

• it's

• its

33. Which is used to tie up a package?

Answers:

• chord

• cord

34. Which kind of person is unable to believe something?

Answers:

• Time's Up!

• incredulous

• incredible

35. Which is a baby deer?

Answers:

• faun

• fawn

36. Which of the following is the best definition of amicable?

Answers:

• disorderly

• boring

• amusing

• friendly

37. Which of the following is a synonym for "change"?

Answers:

• alter

• ascent

• assent

• altar

38. The embattled politician was granted asylum in a nearby country. "Asylum" most nearly means:

Answers:

• refuge

• office

• victory

• funding

39. Choose the best word to complete the following sentence: The _____ woman used her wealth to help others.

Answers:

• malevolent

• benevolent

• seruptitious

• swift

40. The side dish was a mélange of runner beans and carrots. "Mélange" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• disaster

• bowl

• mixture

• cornucopia

41. Which means "morally wrong"?

Answers:

• immoral

• amoral

42. Whose keys are they? ____ keys.

Answers:

• They're

• There

• Their

43. He poured the soup into a tureen. "Tureen" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• a dustbin

• a large bowl

• a type of bread

• a type of spoon

44. The professor gave the student sagacious advice. "Sagacious" most nearly means:

Answers:

• wise

• whimsical

• mysterious

45. Who would you go to for relationship advice?

Answers:

• counsellor

• councillor

46. Where might you have left your keys?

Answers:

• they're

• their

• there

47. Which means "relating to the weather"?

Answers:

• climactic

• climatic

48. ____ not leaving without their keys, are they?

Answers:

• There

• They're

• Their

49. Which means "not including"?

Answers:

• accept

• except

50. We dove in search of starfish and other echinoderms. "Echinoderms" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• spiny sea creatures

• octopi

• sponges

• sunken treasure

51. Which of the following is an antonym to "discord"?

Answers:

• dissuade

• dissonance

• disagreement

• concord

52. Which type of person is likely to believe something uncritically?

Answers:

• credulous

• credible

53. Wilde spawned a multitude of epigones, but no true successor. "Epigones" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• soldiers

• enemies

• followers

• patrons

54. My car has a flat ______.

Answers:

• tier

• tyre

• tyr

• tire

55. Which of the following is the best definition of venerable?

Answers:

• valuable

• inevitable

• respected

• varied

56. Which of the following might contain a liquid?

Answers:

• (None of these)

• phial

• file

• faille

57. Which is the best definition for "perfidy"?

Answers:

• ancient artifacts

• disloyal acts

• obnoxious smells

• devalued currency

58. The apartment was on the seamy side of town. "Seamy" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• obdurate

• disreputable

• warm

• hand-sewn

59. Which of the following is an antonym to "ample"?

Answers:

• copious

• meagre

• buxom

• mitre

60. Which of the following is the best definition of "thrifty"?

Answers:

• opulent

• intrusive

• frugal

• terrible

61. Father was kind but parsimonious. "Parsimonious" most nearly means ....

Answers:

• angry

• ungenerous

• amoral

• disabled

62. Which might describe the weather?

Answers:

• adverse

• averse

63. Which means "to mark out offending material"?

Answers:

• censor

• censure

• sanction

64. The boss showed his sagacity in naming Ellen as his successor. "Sagacity" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• opportunity

• influence

• wisdom

• pugnacity

65. Choose the best word to complete the following sentence: The man _____ to his problems, but did not explicitly describe them.

Answers:

• eluded

• alluded

• diluted

66. Which of the following is an antonym to "compulsory"?

Answers:

• mandatory

• implicit

• voluntary

• required

67. The boss would only adumbrate next year's strategy. "Adumbrate" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• describe partially

• conceal completely

• discuss publicly

• confess abashedly

68. Which is the best definition for "antediluvian"?

Answers:

• ancient

• arctic

• anatomical

• angular

69. Which of the following is a synonym for "dam"?

Answers:

• wear

• weir

• where

• ware

70. Which kind of person can keep a secret?

Answers:

• discreet

• discrete

71. We'd rarely seen such a tenebrous day. "Tenebrous" most nearly means ....

Answers:

• gloomy

• scandalous

• busy

• celebratory

72. He had no patience for a caitiff soldier. "Caitiff" most nearly means ....

Answers:

• insolent

• ingenious

• cowardly

• lame

73. Which of the following means "bring up for discussion"?

Answers:

• breech

• brooch

• breach

• broach

74. Which is the best definition for "irascible"?

Answers:

• easy to anger

• difficult to understand

• hard to grow

• complicated to explain

75. Which of the following is a geographic feature?

Answers:

• (None of these)

• bite

• bight

• byte

76. Which of the following is an antonym to "steadfast"?

Answers:

• fickle

• loyal

• staunch

• evocative

77. Which of the following is a tool?

Answers:

• ought

• aught

• auger

• augur

78. Which of the following would measure the size of a diamond?

Answers:

• caret

• carrot

• karat

• carat

79. Which of the following is an antonym to "barren"?

Answers:

• listless

• sere

• fecund

• anodyne

80. Which of the following is an editing mark?

Answers:

• karat

• carat

• caret

• carrot

81. Which of the following is a synonym for "carried"?

Answers:

• bourn

• borne

• born

• bourne

82. Which of the following is a type of fabric?

Answers:

• file

• (None of these)

• phial

• faille

83. Which of the following is used in a religious ritual?

Answers:

• censer

• censor

• sensor

• (None of these)

84. Wolves roam on the taiga. "Taiga" most nearly means ....

Answers:

• African plains

• subarctic forest

• uninhabited wasteland

• northern desert

85. The first step is to solve for the abscissa. "Abscissa" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• meniscus

• hypothesis

• x-coordinate

• truth

86. Which is the best definition for "laconic"?

Answers:

• sparing with words

• extraordinarily relaxed

• reminiscent of water

• loosely fitting

87. Which of the following is an antonym to "boon"?

Answers:

• favor

• bane

• asset

• bairn

88. Which is the best definition for "saturnine"?

Answers:

• jovial, jolly

• gaseous

• expansive

• serious, gloomy

89. A practitioner of law is referred to as a _________ in British English.

Answers:

• notary

• lawyer

• attorney

• barrister

90. I love to go on road trips. But I prefer to ride pillion on the _______.

Answers:

• bike

• car

• motorcycle

• motorbike

91. Legerdemain is the key element in a magician's bag of tricks. "Legerdemain" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• rabbits

• misdirection

• sleight of hand

• illusion

92. Which is the best definition for "fatuous"?

Answers:

• unpleasant, unkind

• malodorous

• obese

• silly, incorrect

93. Which is the best definition for "deracinate"?

Answers:

• argue against

• uproot

• disenfranchise

• quarrel

94. Which is the best definition for "inchoate"?

Answers:

• overly complicated

• slightly crooked

• somewhat softened

• partially formed

95. Which is the best definition for "impecunious"?

Answers:

• philanthropic

• pretentious

• presumptuous

• penniless

96. Which of the following is an antonym to "attenuate"?

Answers:

• lessen

• enhance

• abdicate

• sicken

97. Which of the following is the best definition of circuitous?

Answers:

• insoluble

• round

• indirect

• circular

98. Which is the best definition for "tyro"?

Answers:

• priest

• slob

• tyrant

• beginner

99. The baby is crying. May be she needs a _______ change.

Answers:

• nanny

• nappy

• diaper

• climate

100. Which is the best definition for "enervate"?

Answers:

• to energize

• to amplify

• to weaken

• to infuriate

101. Which is the best definition for "sedulous"?

Answers:

• careful, effortful

• lustful

• murky

• treasonous

102. Which is the edge of a road or sidewalk?

Answers:

• kerb

• curb

103. What do you call an instance of turning something aside from its course?

Answers:

• Diversion

• Redirect

• Detour

• Deviate

104. Shakespeare's sobriquet is "the Bard." "Sobriquet" most nearly means ...

Answers:

• epigraph

• epigram

• epithet

• epitaph

105. Which is the best definition for "ingenuous"?

Answers:

• soft, weak

• brilliant, creative

• old, elderly

• trusting, naive

106. Which of the following is a synonym for "stream"?

Answers:

• bourne

• bourn

• borne

• born