Question

ien words in context
in the space provided, write the letter of the meaning closest to that of each boldfaced word. use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each words meaning.
1 berate
(bi - rāt)
-verb
● nicks mother often berates him. and when she isnt yelling at him, she ignores him.
● vanessa can accept reasonable criticism, but she was upset when her boss berated her loudly in front of everyone else in the office.
__ berate means
a. to disappoint.
b. to neglect.
c. to scold angrily.
2 estrange
(ē - strān)
-verb
● my cousins recent moodiness has estranged some of his old friends.
● after his divorce, gavin didnt want to estrange his children, so he called and visited them often.
__ estrange means
a. to frighten.
b. to drive away.
c. to dislike.
3 euphoric
(yōō - fōrik)
-adjective
● i was euphoric when i received my grades. to my amazement and joy, they were all as and bs.
● nikki is euphoric today, and its easy to see why shes in such high spirits.
shes just gotten the lead role in our schools production of beauty and the beast.
__ euphoric means
a. very happy.
b. boastful.
c. sentimental.
4 impetuous
(im - pĕchōō - əs)
-adjective
● whenever i make an impetuous purchase, i end up being dissatisfied: the shoes arent comfortable, the shirt is the wrong color, the jacket costs too much. from now on, i intend to think more carefully before i buy.
● children tend to be impetuous and often dont think about the consequences of their actions. for instance, theyll throw snowballs at passing cars without worrying about possibly causing an accident.
__ impetuous means
a. impulsive.
b. considerate.
c. imaginative.
5 infallible
(in - fālə - bəl)
-adjective
● computers arent infallible. if you put the wrong data into a computer, youll get wrong answers.
● a sign over my sisters desk reads, \im infallible. i never make mistakes.\
__ infallible means
a. perfect.
b. imperfect.
c. everywhere.
6 maudlin
(mŏdlin)
-adjective
● the verses in greeting cards are often far too sentimental. i prefer humor to such maudlin messages.
● the authors of maudlin soap operas must feel that they havent done their job unless viewers are crying by the end of each show.
__ maudlin means
a. short.
b. comical.
c. overly emotional.

Explanation:

1. In the examples, "berate" is used in the context of angry scolding, like Nick's mother scolding him and a boss scolding an employee.
2. "Estrange" is shown as actions that drive away friends or family, like moodiness driving away old - friends and a divorced person trying not to drive away their children.
3. "Euphoric" is associated with extreme happiness, as seen when getting good grades or getting a lead role in a play.
4. "Impetuous" is related to acting without thinking, like making hasty purchases and children's thought - less actions.
5. "Infallible" means without mistakes, as computers are not infallible when wrong data is input and a sign claims to be infallible (never making mistakes).
6. "Maudlin" is about being overly emotional, as in overly sentimental greeting - card verses and soap operas aiming to make viewers cry.

Answer:

1. C. to scold angrily.
2. B. to drive away.
3. A. very happy.
4. A. impulsive.
5. A. perfect.
6. C. overly emotional.