Practice Questions
Bank updating
Concept Explanation
Vocabulary items test whether you know a word’s meaning in context or can pick the best word for a blank. Placement papers favour common academic words, not obscure dictionary entries.
Skills to practice
- Context clues (contrast, cause, example nearby)
- Prefix / suffix hints (un-, re-, -tion, -able)
- Collocations (strong tea, heavy rain — not “powerful tea”)
How to solve fast
- Read the full sentence; predict your own word before looking at options.
- Drop options that change the sentence meaning or grammar.
- When two words seem close, check tone (formal vs informal).
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Q1 EasyThe contract includes a ___ clause allowing either party to exit with notice.ExplanationA termination clause covers lawful ending of the agreement.
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Q2 EasyHer ___ reply ended the gossip before it spread.ExplanationTerse means brief and to the point.
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Q3 EasyInvestors seek ___ returns without reckless risk.ExplanationPrudent describes careful, sensible financial choices.
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Q4 EasyThe keynote was ___; even beginners grasped the main points.ExplanationLucid means clear and easy to follow.
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Q5 EasyWe need ___ evidence, not rumours, before we act.ExplanationCredible evidence is believable and trustworthy.
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Q6 EasyThe mentor offered ___ feedback without discouraging the team.ExplanationConstructive feedback aims to improve performance.
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Q7 EasyHis ___ habits—late nights and skipped meals—worried his friends.ExplanationErratic means irregular and unpredictable.
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Q8 EasyThe new policy aims to ___ waste in the cafeteria.ExplanationCurtail means to reduce or cut back.
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Q9 EasyThe lawyer gave a ___ summary of the case.ExplanationConcise means short yet complete.
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Q10 EasyShe maintained a ___ smile despite the bad news.ExplanationComposed describes calm self-control.
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Q11 EasyHer estimate was ___; the final cost differed by less than one percent.ExplanationPrecise means exact and accurate.
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Q12 EasyThe new workflow should ___ delays caused by repeated approvals.ExplanationEliminate means to remove completely.
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Q13 EasyHis ___ nature made him volunteer for every campus event.ExplanationEnthusiastic fits eager participation.
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Q14 EasyThe journalist refused to ___ sources who asked for anonymity.ExplanationReveal fits naming people the reporter protected.
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Q15 MediumAlthough the device is old, it remains ___ because replacement parts are easy to find.ExplanationServiceable means usable and capable of doing its job.
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Q16 MediumThe auditor asked for a ___ record showing every change to the account.ExplanationA traceable record allows each change to be followed and verified.
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Q17 MediumThe instructions were so ___ that two teams interpreted them differently.ExplanationAmbiguous wording allows more than one reading.
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Q18 MediumAfter the scandal, the minister chose to ___ rather than deny the facts.ExplanationResign fits stepping down after public blame.
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Q19 MediumThe witness gave a ___ account that matched the CCTV timeline.ExplanationConsistent means agreeing with other evidence.
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Q20 MediumRain may ___ the flooding, so drains were cleared early.ExplanationMitigate means to make less severe.
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Q21 MediumHis ___ refusal to compromise stalled the negotiation for weeks.ExplanationStubborn refusal shows unwillingness to yield.
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Q22 MediumThe committee remained ___ and requested more evidence before deciding.ExplanationImpartial decision-makers avoid favouring either side.
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Q23 MediumThe novel’s theme is ___; it avoids naming a single hero or villain.ExplanationNuanced themes show subtle shades rather than extremes.
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Q24 MediumBudget cuts will ___ several training programmes this year.ExplanationEliminate fits removing programmes for lack of funds.
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Q25 MediumThe CEO’s ___ apology failed to restore trust among employees.ExplanationHalf-hearted suggests little genuine remorse.
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Q26 MediumA ___ reader notices tone as well as facts in a report.ExplanationDiscerning means able to judge quality and nuance.
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Q27 MediumThe medicine is not a cure, but it can ___ the patient’s pain.ExplanationAlleviate means to ease or relieve.
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Q28 MediumHis explanation sounded ___ until the missing invoice was discovered.ExplanationPlausible means apparently reasonable or believable.
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Q29 MediumThe coach gave a ___ warning: improve attendance or leave the team.ExplanationStern describes a strict and serious manner.
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Q30 MediumAfter years of rivalry, the firms signed a ___ pact to share patents.ExplanationTentative suggests cautious, not yet fully settled.
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Q31 MediumThe word “gregarious” best describes someone who is:ExplanationGregarious people seek social contact.
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Q32 MediumThe board found the proposal ___ and approved funding the same day.ExplanationCompelling means persuasive and convincing.
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Q33 MediumWithout rest, fatigue will ___ your concentration during the exam.ExplanationImpair means to weaken or damage.
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Q34 MediumThe engineer proposed a ___ fix that could be completed within the small budget.ExplanationFeasible means practical and possible to carry out.
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Q35 HardChoose the word that means “to spread gradually through every part”:ExplanationPermeate means to spread through or be present throughout something.
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Q36 HardIn the sentence “His alibi proved ___ under cross-examination,” the best word is:ExplanationUntenable means cannot be defended; the alibi collapsed.
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Q37 HardThe two datasets look similar but rest on ___ assumptions.ExplanationDisparate means fundamentally different.
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Q38 HardShe is ___ about hygiene; even a speck of dust bothers her.ExplanationFastidious describes excessive attention to cleanliness.
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Q39 HardThe critic dismissed the plot as ___; every twist felt borrowed.ExplanationHackneyed means overused and lacking originality.
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Q40 HardChoose the word that means “present everywhere”:ExplanationUbiquitous means existing or seeming to exist everywhere.