CLAST Vocabulary and Language Usage

Question 1

Which word most nearly means 'ephemeral' as used in the sentence: 'The morning frost was ephemeral, disappearing before noon'?

Accepted Answer

Transient

Answer

'Ephemeral' means lasting for a very short time, making 'transient' the closest synonym.

Question 2

Select the word that best completes the sentence: 'The professor's lecture was so _______ that students struggled to grasp the key concepts.'

Accepted Answer

Convoluted

Answer

'Convoluted' means excessively complex and difficult to understand, which explains why students struggled.

Question 3

In the sentence 'The senator's speech was filled with bombastic claims,' 'bombastic' most likely means:

Accepted Answer

High-sounding but unsubstantiated

Answer

'Bombastic' describes language that is inflated and pompous but lacking substance.

Question 4

Which sentence uses the word 'infer' correctly?

Accepted Answer

She could infer from his smile that he was pleased.

Answer

'Infer' means to deduce or conclude from evidence, so drawing a conclusion from a smile is the correct usage.

Question 5

The word 'ameliorate' in the phrase 'steps taken to ameliorate the situation' most closely means:

Accepted Answer

Improve

Answer

'Ameliorate' means to make something bad or unsatisfactory better, so 'improve' is the correct answer.

CLAST - College Level Academic Skills Test Practice Test