Synonyms Questions and Answers

Answer: A

The synonym of 'glad' that completes the sentence is 'happy'. 'I am glad that you are happy' reads naturally, and 'happy' has the same sense of being pleased. 'Pleasing' describes what gives pleasure, not a person's feeling, 'joyous' is a stronger word and is not the keyed choice, and 'laugh' is a verb or noun and cannot follow 'you are'. So 'happy' is correct.

Answer: B

The key gives 'fair'. 'Honest and fair' is a common pairing of character traits, and 'fair' is a synonym of 'honest' in the sense of acting justly. 'Unfair' is the opposite of the sense wanted, 'truthfulness' is a noun that does not fit with 'honest' as an adjective in the sentence, and 'truly' is an adverb that cannot take the place of a trait. So 'fair' is the choice that fits.

Honest and fair is a pair of adjectives, so the blank needs an adjective in parallel with honest. Truthfulness is a noun and repeats the sense of honest.

Answer: A

The phrase 'the highest point' means the top or peak, and the word for the highest point reached by a person or a thing is the zenith. 'Horizon' is the line where the earth and sky seem to meet, 'nadir' is the lowest point, which is the opposite, and 'paradise' means a place of perfect happiness. Only zenith can replace the italicised phrase and keep the sense. The answer is zenith, option A.

Answer: D

Headstrong is the synonym of wilful. A wilful person is determined to do what he or she wants, even against advice, which is what headstrong means. Willing means ready to do something, hopeful means expecting something good, and light-headed means dizzy or frivolous, so none of these matches wilful. Wilful means deliberately determined to have one's own way, even in spite of advice or authority. Headstrong has the same sense of being obstinate and self-willed, while willing means ready and cooperative, which is almost the opposite.

Answer: B

Invaluable means so valuable that its value cannot be estimated, which is the sense of priceless. Pure, cheap and expansive do not carry this sense: pure means free from mixture, cheap means low in price, which is nearly the opposite, and expansive describes something wide or generous in manner. The word 'invaluable' is also often mistaken for its opposite, valueless, but it does not mean that. The answer is Priceless, option (B).

Answer: C

The synonym of 'contemporary' that fits the blank is 'modern'. In the sentence 'Their house has been furnished in a modern style', contemporary means belonging to the present time, and so does modern.

'Dated' means old-fashioned, which is the opposite of contemporary. 'Cliched' means overused and unoriginal, and 'muted' means toned down or subdued in colour or sound. Neither of these is a synonym of contemporary, so the third option is correct.

Answer: C

The synonym is Planned.

'Intended' means planned. The sentence says they had no plans to offer holidays in Europe.

'Invented', 'toured' and 'visited' do not mean the same as 'intended'.

Intended and planned both mean that something was meant to be done. The sentence says they had no plans to do so, which supports the choice. 'Invented' means created, and 'toured' and 'visited' mean travelled, which do not suit the sentence.

Answer: B

The synonym is Beguile.

To hoodwink is to deceive or trick, and to beguile is to deceive or charm. 'Wink' is a blink, and 'unveil' and 'uncover' mean the opposite, to reveal.

So only beguile is close in meaning.

The word 'hoodwink' means to trick or deceive someone. 'Beguile' can mean to charm or deceive, and in this sense they are close. 'Unveil' and 'uncover' mean the reverse, to reveal, so they are antonyms rather than synonyms.

Answer: B

The word that can replace 'myopic' is shortsighted.

Myopic literally means near-sighted; used figuratively, as here, it means lacking foresight. The sentence confirms this sense: the decision gave up long-term stability for short-term gains, which is exactly what a shortsighted decision does.

Visionary means the opposite, showing foresight. Progressive (favouring reform) and innovative (introducing new ideas) are positive qualities that do not fit a decision criticised for sacrificing the long term.

Answer: A

The word is Accelerate.

Expedite, hasten and hurry all mean to make something happen or move faster. Accelerate, to increase speed, belongs to the same group: 'the new process will accelerate approvals'.

Retard means the opposite, to slow down or delay. Provide means to supply or make available, and disable means to make something unable to work; neither has anything to do with speed.