Question

exercise ii—sentence completion
complete the sentence in a way that shows you understand the meaning of the
italicized vocabulary word.

1. people knew that jimmy practiced nihilism when he...
2. todds parents did not hide their chagrin after their son...
3. heidis friends did not want to hear her gloat about...
4. shards of broken taillights littered the highway after...
5. the crowd knew that the impotent boxer would not be able to...
6. when dave submitted a term paper that required emendations, the teacher...
7. mary scolded bert for wasting money on useless baubles, such as...
8. ashley was suspended for wearing a diaphanous shirt to...
9. the mall is a labyrinth, so check the map or you will...
10. vicky caused a maelstrom of panic when she told everyone that...
11. chrissie is the antithesis of ben, because she is friendly to strangers whi he...
12. the largest impediment to crossing the river is...
13. your dinner will taste bland if you do not...
14. the team must change its effete strategy if...
15. the soldier endured bestial treatment after...

Explanation:

Each completion is crafted to clearly demonstrate understanding of the italicized vocabulary word:

1. Nihilism: Rejection of all moral/religious principles
2. Chagrin: Distress at failure/disappointment
3. Gloat: Boast triumphantly about one's success
4. Shards: Broken, sharp pieces of an object
5. Impotent: Lacking power/ability to act effectively
6. Emendations: Corrections/improvements to a text
7. Baubles: Cheap, showy, useless decorative items
8. Diaphanous: Translucent and light, almost see-through
9. Labyrinth: A complex, confusing maze-like structure
10. Maelstrom: A chaotic, turbulent situation
11. Antithesis: A direct opposite of something
12. Impediment: Something that obstructs progress
13. Bland: Lacking strong flavor or character
14. Effete: Weak, ineffective, no longer functional
15. Bestial: Cruel, inhumane, animal-like treatment

Answer:

1. rejected all moral principles and refused to follow social rules
2. failed his final exam for the third time
3. winning the national scholarship for the second year in a row
4. a multi-car pileup during rush hour
5. land a single jab on his opponent
6. marked every grammatical error and factual mistake in red pen
7. plastic diamond keychains and glittery costume jewelry
8. school because it was nearly see-through
9. get lost trying to find the food court
10. the building's fire alarm was a false alarm
11. is cold and hostile to anyone he doesn't know
12. a fast-moving, debris-choked current
13. add salt, pepper, or other flavorful spices
14. they want to win any remaining games this season
15. he was captured by enemy forces