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A
Jim definitely paid attention to detail since he jotted down even
the obscure points. Painstaking means taking pains over
something, paying attention to what you’re doing. Jim carefully outlined
the chapter to do well on the exam.
B & C Incorrect Jokingly and playfully do not
correspond to painstakingly.
D. Incorrect. Jim could not have done what he had done at a great
pace or rapidly.
E. Incorrect. If Jim had done it superficially or in a trivial manner,
he could not have noted everything so carefully.
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E
You can predict that the first blank will be negative (because Mr.
Kurtz acted hastily). Constraints are boundaries or limitations.
A. Incorrect. accepted is a positive response. The
sentence requires a negative response.
B. Incorrect. Although given might work for the second blank, "Embraced"
is a positive response and does not belong in the first blank..
C. Incorrect. The second word makes no sense.
D. Incorrect.
-
B
As Marylin was unsure of her English skills, she was likely to be
reticent (shy and restrained) when asked to speak.
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A
If no trace of building remains, it has been obliterated (destroyed
completely).
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A
Bill was reluctant to show the man to be a fraud, so he attacked or
criticized the weaker points of his theory. Denouncing is to
criticize or to speak harshly of. To debunk is to disprove
of something.
B, C & D Incorrect. The first words fit well;
the second ones do not. To castigate is to criticize or punish.
E. Incorrect. this word was used on answer choice D, not answer choice
E.
-
E
Assume that the analysis of the report is negative because those who
discount it (attach no importance to it, ignore it) are optimistic
or positive. The anything but implies a negative such that
the first blank must be positive. (This is definitely confusing. You
have to read a sentence this convoluted or twisting and turning a
few times until you are clear what is expected.)
A. Incorrect. As explained above the first blank
cannot be negative so the choice can be eliminated.
B. Incorrect. What would a gloomy trap have to do with a report ?
Sanguinary means bloodthirsty; a coach tries to get his football players
in a sanguinary state of mind before they take the field.
C. Incorrect. If the second word is positive the choice can be eliminated
D. Incorrect. Trivial means minor which may satisfy the
meaning required to fit the first blank,but the second word does not
make grammatical sense.
