Question

directions: circle the letter of the best meaning for the underlined word as it is used in context.

1. my brother said, \i just freed myself from a very loquacious history professor. all he seemed to want was an audience.\

a. pretentious
b. grouchy
c. talkative
d. worried

1. there is no doubt that the idea of living in such a benign climate was appealing. the islanders seemed to keep their vitality and live longer than europeans.

a. tropical
b. gentle
c. terrible
d. favorable

1. it is difficult to imagine a surfeit of talent in one individual, yet leonard bernstein simply does not have the time to make complete use of his talent as conductor, performer, writer, and lecturer.

a. excess
b. variety
c. superiority
d. lack

1. there is a large demand all over the united states for plants indigenous to the desert. many people in arizona have made a good business of growing and selling cacti and other local plants.

a. native
b. necessary
c. foreign
d. alien

1. after the romans left, a millennium and a half passed before people again lived in such comfort. churchill wrote, \from the year 400 until the year 1900 no one had central heating and very few had hot baths.\

a. a decade
b. many years
c. 1000 years
d. a century

1. many years before, caesar’s men had tried and failed to invade britain. no doubt this contributed to the xenophobia of romans. they were cautious about strangers who entered their country.

a. honesty
b. fear of foreigners
c. kindliness
d. stubbornness

1. such are the vicissitudes of history. nothing remains the same. three hundred years of peace ended in darkness and confusion.

a. evils
b. mistakes
c. changes
d. rules

Explanation:

1. "Loquacious" means talkative as the professor just wanted an audience.
2. "Benign" in the context of climate means gentle or favorable as it is appealing and makes people live longer.
3. "Surfeit" means an excess, as Bernstein has so much talent he can't fully use it.
4. "Indigenous" means native, referring to plants native to the desert.
5. "Millennium" means 1000 years.
6. "Xenophobia" is the fear of foreigners, as Romans were cautious of strangers entering their country.
7. "Vicissitudes" means changes, as history is full of things not remaining the same.

Answer:

1. c. Talkative
2. b. gentle
3. a. excess
4. a. native
5. c. 1000 years
6. b. fear of foreigners
7. c. changes