🇬🇧 Advanced English Vocabulary Quiz

The article was so esoteric that only specialists could follow it. What does esoteric mean?

• Intended for or understood by a small, specialized group
• Based on widely shared evidence
• Written in an entertaining style
• Concerned with everyday events

Her laconic reply contained only two words. What does laconic mean?

• Angry and insulting
• Using very few words
• Carefully researched
• Difficult to understand

The report used jargon to obfuscate the simple facts. What does obfuscate mean?

• Repeat
• Support with evidence
• Make unclear or difficult to understand
• Summarize briefly

Rather than speculate, the engineer took a pragmatic approach and tested the repair. What does pragmatic mean?

• Practical and focused on what works
• Theoretical and abstract
• Hasty and careless
• Idealistic and unrealistic

Planting trees may mitigate the effects of extreme heat. What does mitigate mean?

• Measure precisely
• Make less severe
• Bring about suddenly
• Hide completely

Delays in the shipment could exacerbate the shortage. What does exacerbate mean?

• Explain
• Predict
• Make worse
• Prevent

He gave the safety checklist a perfunctory glance and missed a warning. What does perfunctory mean?

• Done with little care or interest
• Thorough and detailed
• Unexpected but welcome
• Based on expert advice

Smartphones are ubiquitous in many parts of the world. What does ubiquitous mean?

• Expensive to maintain
• Present or found almost everywhere
• Recently invented
• Used only by specialists

The excitement around the brief trend proved ephemeral. What does ephemeral mean?

• Difficult to predict
• Widely admired
• Lasting a short time
• Likely to return

She felt ambivalent about moving: excited for the new job but sad to leave. What does ambivalent mean?

• Having mixed or conflicting feelings
• Being completely indifferent
• Feeling certain and confident
• Showing strong disapproval

The cabin's austere interior had plain walls and almost no decoration. What does austere mean here?

• Bright and colorful
• Plain and without comfort or luxury
• Old-fashioned but ornate
• Crowded and disorderly

The committee corroborated her account with two independent records. What does corroborated mean?

• Questioned repeatedly
• Summarized briefly
• Confirmed with supporting evidence
• Dismissed as unlikely

After a cursory inspection, the mechanic noticed no obvious damage. What does cursory mean?

• Quick and not thorough
• Careful and systematic
• Unbiased and independent
• Repeated many times

The witness gave an equivocal answer that could be taken in two ways. What does equivocal mean?

• Direct and confident
• Ambiguous or uncertain
• Accurate and detailed
• Openly hostile

The fastidious editor checked every comma and spacing choice. What does fastidious mean?

• Easily distracted
• Willing to compromise
• Very attentive to detail
• Quick to form opinions

The essay's incisive analysis identified the flaw in the argument. What does incisive mean?

• Clear, sharp, and insightful
• Long but unfocused
• Harsh without evidence
• Cautious and indirect

The mediator made a judicious choice after weighing both sides. What does judicious mean?

• Popular with everyone
• Showing good judgment
• Made without discussion
• Based mainly on emotion

The ostensible reason for the visit was to discuss the budget. What does ostensible mean?

• Most important
• Unexpected
• Appearing or stated to be true
• Impossible to verify

The policy had a pervasive effect across the entire organization. What does pervasive mean?

• Spread throughout
• Short-lived
• Hard to notice
• Limited to one department

It was prudent to save a copy before updating the file. What does prudent mean?

• Unusually generous
• Wise and careful
• Bold and risky
• Strictly required