SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

PART 1: SYNONYMS
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that
is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions.
1. I just want to stay at home and watch TV and take it easy.
A. sleep B. sit down C. eat D. relax
2. The meteorologist says on TV that it is supposed to rain all day tomorrow.
A. astronomer B. TV anchor
C. TV weatherman D. fortune teller
3. In the end, her neighbor decided to speak his mind.
A. say exactly what he thought B. say a few words
C. have a chat D. are given the right to
4. When I mention the party, he was all ears.
A. partially deaf B. listening attentively
C. listening neglectfully D. deaf
5. The notice should be put in the most conspicuous place so that all students can be well-
informed.
A. easily seen B. suspicious C. popular D. beautiful
6. I prefer to talk to people face to face, rather than to talk on the phone.
A. facing them B. in person C. looking at them D. seeing them.
7. The tiny irrigation channels were everywhere and along some of them the water was
running.
A. flushing out with water B. washing out with water
C. supplying water D. cleaning with water
8. For a decade, Barzilai has studied centenarians, looking for genes that contribute to
longevity.
A. who are vegetarians B. who want to be fruitarians
C. who are extraordinary D. who live to be 100 or older
9. As children, we were very close, but as we grew up, we just drift apart.
A. not as friendly as before B. not as serious as before
C. not as sympathetic as before D. not as childlike as before
10. Computers are recent accomplishments in our time.
A. structures B. achievements C. calculations D. documents
11. In many countries, people who are jobless get unemployment benefit.
A. dole B. pension C. fee D. scholarship
12. John has a thorough knowledge of the history of arts.
A. practical B. scientific C. complete D. wonderful
13. It’s vital that our children’s handwriting should be legible.
A. needing B. compulsory C. essential D. obliged
14. When you cross the stress, be careful and be on the alert for the bus.
A. look for B. watch out for C. search for D. watch for
15. I was on the point of calling you when your telegram arrived.
A. not ready to call B. about to call
C. around to call D. starting to call
16. Aside from its reproduction on the one-dollar bill, the reverse of the Great Seal of the
United States had hardly been used.
A. Except for B. Since C. As a result of D. in addition to
17. The opposition party dismissed the government’s proposal out of hand.
A. without thinking B. with some hesitation
C. without further consideration D. with reluctance
18. Do your parents hold with your smoking?
A. like B. object to C. approve of D. dislike
19. Really bright comets, which scare some people, occur only a few times each century.
A. attract B. frighten C. affect D. excite
20. When the fire got out of control, firemen tried their best to extinguish it.
A. put off B. put down C. put away D. put out
21. the differences between British and American English are comparatively small.
A. relatively B. extremely C. Surprisingly D. straightly
22. The design of wildlife refuges is still a matter of considerable controversy.
A. significance B. debate C. urgency D. concern
23. Do you have enough people on hand to help us move our stuff into the house.
A. nearby B. indisposed C. available D. confident
24. She left school and immediately started to make her own way without help from her
family.
A. find her living B. try her living C. hold her living D. earn her living
25. The white blood cell count in one’s body many fluctuate by 50 percent during a day.
A. undulate B. multiply C. diminish D. vary
26. The emergence of supersonic travel opened new horizons for the military, tourism,
and commerce.
A. appearance B. urgency C. profitability D. simplicity
27. In the United States, elementary education is compulsory nationwide, with state
governments having no say in the issue.
A. perfunctory B. desirable C. rational D. mandatory
28. He resembles his father in appearance very much.
A. looks after B. names after C. takes after D. calls after
29. Yes, we went away on holiday last week, but it rained day in day out.
A. every single day B. every other day
C. every second day D. every two days
30. Yes, I agree, but at the same time, it’s not the end of the world.
A. worth worrying about B. worth talking about
C. worth looking at D. worth speaking about.
31. I should be grateful if you would let me keep myself to myself.
A. be quite B. be private C. be lonely D. be special
32. The government is subsidizing the ship building industry.
A. ending B. creating C. aiding D. improving
33. The new air conditioner was installed yesterday.
A. inspected thoroughly B. put in position
C. well repaired D. delivered to the customer.
34. Elephants will become extinct if man continues killing them.
A. die out B. die down C. die of D. die away
35. The price of gasoline fluctuates daily.
A. spins out of control B. runs faster
C. changes frequently D. disappears
36. A funhouse mirror can really distort your image!
A. deform B. disappear C. repeat D. extend
37. The teacher offered bonus points as an incentive to completing the homework.
A. a goal B. a stimulus to action
C. a deterrent D. a valuable thing
38. The twentieth century saw a rapid rise in life expectance due to improvements in
public health, nutrition and medicine.
A. span B. anticipation C. expectation D. prospect
39. The ring is a circle without a break, i.e. without the end or the beginning. It is eternal.
Eternal things are immutable and indestructible.
A. finite B. immortal C. temporary D. impermanent
40. Take out our contract and say goodbye to costly repair bills.
A. in great expense B. of great value
C. at reasonable price D. in great detriment
41. Later, a wine reception will be followed by a concert before guests tuck into a
banquet.
A. an enormous breakfast B. a formal conference
C. an informal party D. a formal party
42. Three great stretches of sandy deserts almost circle the center of Australia.
A. dunes B. valleys C. lands D. areas
43. Those companies were closed due to some seriously financial problems.
A. taken off B. put away C. wiped out D. gone over
44. Educators have made great strides in recent years in combating the ignorance of the
nation’s young about AIDS.
A. unawareness B. fearlessness C. arrogance D. indoctrination
45. Salt has been used for centuries as a method of preserving foods.
A. displaying B. cooking C. conserving D. seasoning
46. Chicken pox results in an eruption on the skin and can leave permanent marks on the
skin in some cases.
A. rash B. hole C. erosion D. division
47. Only aggressive species of small animal life are likely to survive in the rough waters
near shallow coral reefs.
A. marine B. strong C. a few D. passive
48. Efforts to revive the large mammal were fruitless.
A. encourage B. eliminate C. resuscitate D. move
49. The goalkeeper can also be ejected for twenty seconds if a major foul is committed.
A. advanced B. sprinted C. played D. excluded
50. I will not stand for your bad attitude any longer.
A. like B. tolerate C. mean D. care
PART 2: ANTONYMS
Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that
is OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions.
1. Their migration may be postponed if fog, clouds, or rain hides the stars.
A. cancelled B. spoiled C. continued D. endangered
2. You need to dress neatly and elegantly for the interview. The first impression in very
important.
A. formally B. shabbily C. untidy D. comfortably
3. Why are you being so arrogant?
A. snooty B. humble C. cunning D. naïve
4. His policies were beneficial to the economy as a whole.
A. harmless B. crude C. detrimental D. innocent
5. Which of these is the opposite of straight?
A. beautiful B. crooked C. definite D. self-conscious
6. There are substantial differences between the two species.
A. amazing B. slight C. considerable D. difficult to explain.
7. The club was dissolved after a few years.
A. disbanded B. assisted C. perpetuated D. established
8. The kids persisted with their soccer game even though recess was over.
A. continued in spite of resistance B. stopped
C. insisted on D. resisted
9. An orange is analogous to a clementine, another type of citrus fruit.
A. different from B. similar C. the same as D. deceptive
10. In fact, most shops can get great publicity that will drive customers to their door
absolutely free of charge.
A. public attention B. popularization C. privacy D. reputation
11. Advanced students need to be aware of the important of collocation.
A. of high level B. of great important
C. of low level D. of steady progress
12. His physical condition was not an impediment to his career as a violinist.
A. hindrance B. obstruction C. furtherance D. setback
13. The ship went down although strenuous efforts were made to save it.
A. exhausting B. forceful C. energetic D. half-hearted
14. Names of people in the book were change to preserve anonymity.
A. cover B. conserve C. presume D. reveal
15. Primary education in the United States is compulsory.
A. selective B. optional C. required D. free of charge
16. Strongly advocating healthy foods, Jane doesn’t eat any chocolate.
A. denying B. supporting C. advising D. impugning
17. Unless the two signatures are identical, the bank won’t honor the check.
A. similar B. different C. fake D. genuine
18. Henry has bought a temporary job in a factory.
A. eternal B. genuine C. permanent D. satisfactory
19. Mr. Smith’s new neighbors appear to be very friendly
A. amicable B. inapplicable C. hostile D. futile
20. These techniques to stop desert expansion are just temporary
A. parallel B. constant C. permanent D. deliberate
21. During the five-decade history, the Asian Games have been advancing an all aspects.
A. holding to B. holding back C. holding at D. holding by
22. She decided to remain celibate and devote her life to helping the homeless and
orphans
A. single B. married C. separated D. divorced
th
23. On November 25 , 1872, something dreadful happened on board of the brigantine
Mary Celeste, causing all crew members to hastily abandon the ship.
A. stay on B. take care of C. hold on D. save for
24. The motorist felt that the ticket for infraction was unwarranted.
A. conscientious B. justified C. inadvertent D. inevitable
25. Phosphorus is used in paints for highway signs and markers because it is luminous at
night.
A. adequate B. attractive C. bright D. dim
26. A cut in the budget put 10 percent of the state employees’ jobs in jeopardy.
A. danger B. range C. perspective D. safety
27. One by one, the stars appeared in the sky.
A. broke out B. blossomed C. vanished D. performed
28. Pure water is often a fairly rare commodity that requires significant energy to produce.
A. Contaminated B. Clean C. Unadulterated D. Flawless
29. The loss of his journals had caused him even more sorrow than his retirement from the
military six years earlier.
A. joy B. sympathy C. grief D. comfort
30. Travel insurance is sometimes mistaken for temporary health insurance, but the two
are actually different.
A. mutable B. transitory C. passing D. permanent
31. I said thanks for the opportunity to talk and for the interview that was courteous, in
my opinion.
A. meaningless B. clumsy C. rude D. awkward.
32. Teachers are still getting used to the latest upheavals in the education system.
A. alternations B. stagnation C. disruptions D. inappropriateness
33. His disappointment in the World Championships provided the necessary impetus to
give everything for this final race.
A. pressure B. inducement C. hurdle D. incentive
34. Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the great composers in the history of music.
A. outstanding B. influential C. reliable D. unknown
35. Inadequate supply of oxygen to the blood can cause death within minutes.
A. Sufficient B. Rich C. Nonexistent D. Useful
36. I’ll have to whisper to you, otherwise he will hear.
A. shout B. say C. talk D. whitle
37. Unless you water your indoor plants regularly and give them the necessary vitamins,
you can expect them to look healthy.
A. outdoor B. front-door C. door D. side-door
38. I cannot understand why she did that, it really doesn’t add up.
A. doesn’t calculate B. is easy to understand
C. doesn’t make sense D. makes the wrong addition
39. As a newspaper reporter, she always wanted to get information at first hand.
A. directly B. indirectly C. slowly D. easily
40. The consequences of the typhoon were disastrous due to the lack of precautionary
measures.
A. physical B. damaging C. beneficial D. severe
41. He was refused to admission to ANZ Banking Group because of having a dragon
tattoo on his left hand.
A. granted B. acquiesced C. denied D. appealed
42. In big cities, animals should be kept under control.
A. out of order B. out of discipline
C. out of hand D. out of dispute
43. The company is very successful in releasing a new customer driven product, which
contains no artificial colors.
A. artful B. false C. natural D. factitious
44. Although the smell is repulsive to people, it attracts flies and other insects, which the
carnivorous plant then feeds upon.
A. loathsome B. normal C. offensive D. attractive
45. In many countries, military service is obligatory.
A. encouraged B. compulsory C. voluntary D. mandatory
46. We ought to keep these proposals secret from the chairman for the time being.
A. frequented B. lively C. revealed D. accessible
47. Now, when so many frogs were killed, there were more and more insects.
A. lesser and lesser B. fewer and fewer
C. lesser and fewer D. less and less
48. Certain courses are compulsory; others are optional.
A. voluntary B. free C. pressure D. mandatory
49. One often expends far more energy in marathon run than expected.
A. exhausts B. consumes C. spends D. reserves
50. We left New York when I was six, so my recollections of it are rather faint.
A. clear B. explicable C. ambiguous D. unintelligible