Question

the criminals ______ act of betrayal disgusted even his partners in crime. *
demeanor
imperative
ignoble
rakish

during the storm, the small village felt completely ______ by relentless waves of refugees. *
besieged
optimum
deference
sanguine

Explanation:

For the first sentence, "ignoble" means lacking nobility in character or purpose, which fits the description of a despicable act of betrayal. "demeanor" is about behavior or manner, "imperative" is a command or necessity, and "rakish" means dashing or slightly disreputable in a stylish way, none of which suit the context.
For the second sentence, "besieged" means surrounded by enemies or a large number of people or things in a difficult - to - deal - with way. "optimum" refers to the best or most favorable, "deference" is respect shown to others, and "sanguine" means optimistic, and only "besieged" makes sense with the context of a village being overwhelmed by waves of refugees.

Answer:

1. C. ignoble
2. A. besieged