Though the new pharmaceutical regime was intended to be beneficial, its actual effect was ____________ , a result the medical community ____________ .
Answer(s): D
Consider the first blank. The word though indicates that the drug was intended to be beneficial but ultimately was not. Do any of the answer choices mean not beneficial? (A), (D), and E. do. How would the medical community respond to a bad result? Ostensibly they would think that a bad result was bad. That eliminates A. and (E). This leaves (D).
The life of the lightening bug is ____________ to human eyes: They live only twenty-four hours.
Answer(s): B
A life that only lasts 24 hours is what in comparison to a normal human life? It is short. Which of the answer choices contains the notion of shortness in its meaning? (B), ephemeral, does.
The kangaroo species ____________ in the new environment where there was an abundant supply of food and a(n) ____________ of predators.
Answer(s): E
What is a species likely to do in an environment? It either grows in number or diminishes in number. Each of the first words, except in (B), could mean one of those things. Eliminate (B). When you discover that there is an abundance of food, you know that the first word will suggest that the kangaroos increased in numbers. Eliminate A. and (D). Now you need the second part of the sentence. To grow in numbers, the kangaroos will need an absence or near absence of predators. Eliminate (C). You are left with (E).
With her speech, the politician attempted to ____________ the fears of the ____________ citizens.
Answer(s): C
The best clue in this sentence is "fears." Citizens with fears can only be concerned or alarmed. That leaves B. and (C). It's not particularly logical to say that a speech is designed to ignore something. On the other hand, it is common to use assuage with fears. The best answer is C.
The fencing champion was ____________ with her rapier, but in most other sports she was rather ____________.
Answer(s): A
Let's attack the first blank. If the female is a fencing champion then she must be skillful with her rapier (her sword). Which of the first answer choices matches skillful? Choices (A), (B), and E. do. C. is possible but not likely. As for the second blank, the conjunction but indicates that her skillfulness in fencing is in contrast to her lack of skill in other sports. Which of the remaining second answer choices matches with this pre-guess? Only awkward, choice (A), does.
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