Spelling and Vocabulary Success Practice Test (page 2)

Spelling and Vocabulary Success Practice

Spelling

Choose the word that is spelled correctly.

1. 1. disinterrested
   2. dissinterested
   3. disinterested
   4. disintirested
2. 1. belligerent
   2. belligarent
   3. belligerrent
   4. beligerent
3. 1. diffident
   2. difident
   3. diffidant
   4. difidant
4. 1. contraban
   2. contriband
   3. conttraban
   4. contraband
5. 1. omnishint
   2. omniscient
   3. onmscient
   4. omniscint

Choose the word that is misspelled.

6. 1. mutable
   2. hedonism
   3. dicotomy
   4. simian
7. 1. snaffu
   2. laser
   3. jaunty
   4. dolorous
8. 1. guffaw
   2. extricate
   3. anomaly
   4. idealogy
9. 1. synthisis
   2. deferment
   3. bigotry
   4. larceny
10. 1. biodegradable
    2. phillanthropy
    3. protracted
    4. malevolent

Sentence Completion

Write the word from Group 1 that best fits in the blank. You can check your answers at the end of the posttest.

Group 1

11. It is not a simple matter to _____ a body from a grave; a judge has to deem that there is a very good reason for it.
12. I am generally a happy person, but during winter, I always experience a feeling of _____.
13. Her story is not _____ because she would have had to be in two places at once.
14. The author's _____ body of work was impressive to the novice writer, who hadn't even published one book.
15. After the power failed, we realized the situation had grown _____ and that we would need someone to come to our aid.

Write the word from Group 2 that best fits in the blank. You can check your answers at the end of the posttest.

Group 2

16. Some people like to _____ in their seats as they watch a scary movie, but I'd rather be rapt by a good love story. It's very frustrating when Derek handwrites his memos, as they are completely _____.
17. It's very frustrating when Derek handwrites his memos, as they are completely _____.
18. I always call the airlines to _____ that my flight is leaving on time before I leave for the airport.
19. Selfishness is not a very desirable _____ , so I tried to make sure that my children understood the importance of sharing.
20. Ben was _____ to headaches, so he kept some medication with him at all times.

Answers

Spelling

1. c. disinterested
2. a. belligerent
3. a. diffident
4. d. contraband
5. b. omniscient
6. c. Dicotomy should be spelled dichotomy.
7. a. Snaffu should be spelled snafu.
8. d. Idealogy should be spelled ideology.
9. a. Synthisis should be spelled synthesis.
10. b. Phillanthropy should be spelled philanthropy.

Sentence Completion

11. exhume. Exhume means remove from a grave.
12. malaise. A malaise is a vague feeling of illness.
13. plausible. Plausible means seemingly true and acceptable.
14. prodigious. Prodigious means very large or numerous.
15. dire. Dire means urgent or threatening.
16. cower. Cower means tremble in fear.
17. illegible. Illegible means not able to be easily read.
18. verify. Verify means to establish the truth of something.
19. attribute. An attribute is a special quality or characteristic.
20. prone. Prone means having a tendency toward something.

Choosing the Right Word

21. arbitration. Arbitration is the process by which disputes are settled by a third party, in order to end fruitless negotiations.
22. FAQ. FAQ means Frequently Asked Questions, which is where one would find the answer one sought. ASAP is As Soon As Possible.
23. jargon. Jargon is the specialized vocabulary of an industry or interest group.
24. pragmatism. Pragmatism is the belief in, and emphasis on, the practical, possible, and useful.
25. snafu. Snafu means situation normal all fouled up.
26. guffaw. A guffaw is a loud burst of laughter.
27. lien. A lien is a charge against property for the satisfaction of a debt imposed by the courts.
28. encryption. Encryption refers to the technology term for translating information into secret code.
29. relevant. Relevant means having a bearing on or a connection to the matter at hand.
30. personification. Personification is a literary device in which inanimate objects are given human qualities.

Synonyms

31. b. expand. Minimize means to make smaller or decrease in size.
32. d. ignorance. Rancor is hatred, ill will, or dislike of something or someone.
33. b. introduce. Recapitulate means to summarize, go back over, or review.
34. a. parting. Rendezvous means a meeting, engagement, or appointment.
35. c. tired. Flippant means too casual, rude, or disrespectful.
36. d. cautious. Puerile means childish, silly, or immature.
37. b. replication. Archetype means model, example, or standard.
38. a. occasional. Relentless means unstoppable, harsh, or continuing.
39. c. ruin. Purge means to cleanse, eliminate, or empty.
40. d. ancient. Cryptic means hidden, secret, or ambiguous.

Antonyms

41. illegible. Illegible means not easily read, the opposite of the words listed.
42. purloin. Purloin means to steal, the opposite of the words listed.
43. hyperbole. Hyperbole means exaggerated speech or writing, the opposite of the words listed.
44. conspicuous. Conspicuous means highly visible, the opposite of the words listed.
45. vivacious. Vivacious means full of spirit and lively, the opposite of the words listed.
46. nepotism. Nepotism is the hiring and promoting of friends or family members, the opposite of the words listed.
47. fluctuate. Fluctuate means to change or vary, the opposite of the words listed.
48. naïve. Naïve means innocent, simple, and lacking knowledge of the world, the opposite of the words listed.
49. altruism. Altruism is the unselfish concern for the welfare of others, the opposite of the words listed.
50. mediocre. Mediocre means average, the opposite of the words listed.

Word Pairs

51. A
52. S
53. S
54. A
55. A
56. S
57. S
58. A
59. A
60. S

Denotation and Connotation

61. Exorbitant carries a negative connotation, implying excessive behavior, and is often associated with showy and ostentatious displays of wealth. Copious carries a positive connotation, since it means abundant and plentiful and is often associated with generosity.
62. Puerile carries a negative connotation and is often used to condemn or criticize. Naïve usually carries a neutral connotation; it can be used to objectively describe someone or an idea, or it can be used with a negative connotation to criticize someone who was expected to have known something they did not know. Facetious carries a positive connotation, and it is used to describe playful, joking behavior, or to excuse an offensive remark, as in "I was just being facetious."
63. Loquacious carries a neutral connotation, as it means talkative, an attribute that could be either positive or negative depending on the speaker's own subjective view. Garrulous, however, carries a negative connotation, as it means overly talkative and chattering about unimportant things.
64. Both of these words carry positive connotations. Gregarious means sociable, and jaunty means confident and presenting a sharp appearance.
65. Collusion carries a negative connotation and is used to identify fraudulent or deceitful business conspiracies. Consortium carries a neutral connotation, as it simply means a coming together of two or more businesses for a specific purpose, and there is no implication that this purpose is either honest or deceitful.
66. Resolute carries a neutral connotation and does not indicate whether the firmness of purpose indicated is directed toward a positive or negative end. Tenacious carries a slightly negative connotation and is often used to criticize negative stubbornness. Relentless also usually carries a negative connotation and is used to describe persistent efforts or assaults that are unwelcome.
67. Entrepreneur carries a positive connotation, and identifies someone who takes on the challenge and risk of starting his or her own business. Empiric has a negative connotation because it identifies someone who, though he or she also shows initiative, begins a practice such as law or medicine without the proper training and experience, assuming they will learn on the job.
68. Furtive has a negative connotation, as it means done in a sly, stealthy, underhanded manner. Cryptic has a neutral connotation and means secret or hidden, but with no implied ill will. Incognito has a positive connotation, because although it means disguised, it is rarely used to describe negative characters and often carries a connotation of good-hearted mischief or adventure.
69. Audible carries a neutral connotation and simply means able to be heard. Resonant carries a positive connotation, as it describes sounds that are rich, full, and vibrant.
70. Aficionado carries a positive connotation, as it means a person who likes, knows about, and is devoted to a particular activity or thing. It is rarely used with any negative connotations, but rather is most often used as a compliment. Partisan has a negative connotation because it means strongly in favor of one view or political party, usually with the connotation of blindly following the party line and not considering an issue on its own or in terms of the bigger picture.
71. Provocative carries a negative connotation, like its root word provoke. Provocative means exciting emotion in a negative way and likely to stir up action or cause a riot. Litigious carries a negative connotation also, and is used to describe something that is disputed and needs to be settled in court. The negative connotation arises from most people's dislike of going to court, and the hassle and expense involved.
72. Both of these words have strong negative connotations. Bane means the source of continued annoyance or exasperation, or the cause of ruin or death. Antipathy means a revulsion or strong dislike of something.
73. Audacious carries a negative connotation. Though it means fearless, adventurous, and daring, it usually means recklessly so. Flippant also carries a negative connotation, as it is used to describe disrespectful levity or casualness.
74. Feisty carries a negative connotation, as it means full of spirit, but in a quarrelsome way. Vivacious carries a positive connotation because it means lively and full of spirit and is used as a compliment.
75. Relevant carries a positive connotation. It means related to, or concerning, the subject at hand, and implies that there is other material that is not relevant and therefore does not matter. Tangential carries a neutral or negative connotation, and describes something that is slightly related to the subject at hand. Non sequitur carries a negative connotation because a non sequitur is a statement that has no relation to the one before it and therefore is not a good conversation piece or argument.