Context Clues

1. When asked about her relationship with Bob, Laurie gave a

LACONIC response: "Bob's history."
A. angry B. brief C. ironic D. amicable

2. I was shocked by Juan's VITRIOLIC remarks about his parents.

He said that they were selfish, self-centered morons with the
personality of a dial tone.
A. humorous B. ironic C. harsh D. sorrowful
3. No matter how hard the young mother CAJOLED her child,
offering her a pet kitten and calling her "darling," the little girl
refused to eat her spinach.
A. argued with B. laughed at C. pleaded with D. coerce

4. In trying to convince the officer not to give him a ticket,

Michael--always a SYCOPHANT--praised the officer and the local
police department.
A. a liar C. a person who tries to win favor through flattery.
B. a paragon D. a person who causes or speeds up a process.
5. Annie admired her ginkgo tree which seems FESTOONED
with Spanish moss.
A. burdened C. decayed
B. glimmered D. decorated

6. "She wanted to share the relief that BUOYED her like a

giant inner tube on a turbulent river." Carolyn Hart
A. lifted B. sank C. calmed
7."What to do? Should she try to persuade Rachel to let her
in? Or should she leave Rachel in peace? Everyone needed an
INVIOLATE place." Carolyn Hart
A. colorful B. safe C. immaculate

8. "Sometimes a word of love could BANISH sadness as

easily as sun spilling into a dark room transforms gloom to
brightness." Carolyn Hart
A. permit B. drive away C. enhance
9. Laura's MAGENTA wedding dress was shocking. Who
ever heard of a bride wearing vivid purplish red?
A. lovely B. unusual C. vivid purplish red

10.Tom appeared AVERSE to every suggestion. He found

something wrong with all of them.
A. against B. inspired C. suspicious
Patterns of Organization
Choose the dominant pattern for the sentences below.
1.In 1707, an 8.6-magnitude earthquake occurred near Honshu. Last
Wednesday, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Honshu. On
Thursday, the same area was hit by a 6.3-magnitude quake, and on Friday, an
8.9 quake hit.

A. simple listing B. time order C. classification D. contrast

2.The 8.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Japan last week caused a
tsunami.
A. simple listing C. classification
B. time order D. cause and effect
3.      The tsunami flooded towns, swamped rice paddies,
destroyed houses, and swept bystanders out to sea.
A. compare/contrast C. classification
B. time order D. cause and effect

4.      “Tsunamis are a series of long ocean waves that can last
five to 15 minutes.” (CNN World, March 12, 2011)
A.time order C. classification
B. definition D. contrast.
5.      The quake that hit Japan last week “was of similar strength to
the 2004 earthquake in Indonesia. . . . The tsunami that it sent out
was roughly comparable in terms of size.” (CNN World, March 12,
2011)
A. time order C. comparison
B. definition D. contrast 
6.      The quake moved Japan’s coast eight feet and shifted the
earth’s axis. (CNN World, March 12, 2011)
A. time order C. cause and effect
B. comparison D. classification
7. Tsunami alerts were issued in Hawaii, California, Canada,
and Chili.
A. simple listing C. classification
B. time order D. comparison

8. There are three basic types of elastic waves.

A. comparison C. classification
B. contrast D. definition 
9. Slinky and Ruby were different in a number of ways but
especially in temperament.
A. comparison C. simple listing
B. contrast D. classification
 
10.To fight my cold, I have tried Tylenol, Nyquil, salt water,
and rest.
A.comparison C. simple listing
B. contrast D. classification