1. There is no doubt that
Larry is a genuine ------- :
he excels at telling stories
that fascinate his
listeners.
(A) braggart
(B) dilettante
(C) pilferer
(D) prevaricator
(E) raconteur
2. Because King Philip's desire
to make Spain the dominant
power in sixteenth-century
Europe ran counter to
Queen Elizabeth's
insistence on autonomy for
England, ------- was -------.
(A) reconciliation . .
assured
(B) warfare . . avoidable
(C) ruination . . impossible
(D) conflict . . inevitable
(E) diplomacy . . simple
3. Choose the word or set of words that,
when inserted in the sentence, best fits
the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
His ------- prior experience
notwithstanding, David was judged
by the hiring manager to be -------
the job.
A. illustrious . . entitled to
B. limited . . qualified for
C. applicable . . assured of
D. useful . . overqualified for
E. irrelevant . . perplexed by
4. Choose the word or set of
words that, when inserted in
the sentence, best fits the
meaning of the sentence as a
whole.
The ------- of Queen Elizabeth I
impressed her contemporaries:
she seemed to know what
dignitaries and foreign leaders
were thinking.
(A) symbiosis
(B) malevolence
(C) punctiliousness
(D) consternation
(E) perspicacity
Editor's Notes
Answer: E. The structure of this sentence indicates that the words after the colon define or directly clarify what came before. The phrase "he excels at telling stories that fascinate his listeners" serves to define the missing word. Choice (E), "raconteur," is the only word that describes someone who excels at storytelling.
Answer: D. The word "because" indicates that the information in the first part of the sentence (the part before the comma) explains the reason for the situation described in the second part. The first part states that what King Philip wanted (domination for Spain) "ran counter to" what Queen Elizabeth wanted (independence for England). Choice (D) logically completes the sentence: Given that there was such a fundamental disagreement between the two monarchs, "conflict" would likely be "inevitable," or unavoidable.
Answer: Choice (B) is correct. It makes sense to say that despite his “limited”—but apparently applicable—experience, the hiring manager feels that David is “qualified for” the job, or competent to undertake it.
Answer: E. Keep in mind that the words after the colon will explain or exemplify the first part of the sentence. This means that the missing term describes someone who “seemed to know what dignitaries and foreign leaders were thinking.” Such a person is said to have great “perspicacity,” or perception. “symbiosis” means cooperation; “malevolence” means wickedness (“mal” means bad); “punctiliousness” means precision; and “consternation” means shocked dismay or worry
