Language Proficiency Vocabulary 4

Question 1

Which word best describes someone who speaks in a roundabout way, avoiding the main point?

Accepted Answer

Circuitous

Answer

Circuitous means taking a long, indirect route — in speech, it means avoiding the direct point.

Question 2

The prefix 'mal-' in words like 'malfunction' and 'malevolent' means:

Accepted Answer

Bad or wrongly

Answer

The Latin prefix 'mal-' means bad, wrong, or ill, giving negative meaning to the root word.

Question 3

Choose the word that means 'to officially prohibit or ban something':

Accepted Answer

Proscribe

Answer

Proscribe means to officially forbid or prohibit something, while 'sanction' can mean either approve or penalize.

Question 4

A 'pyrrhic victory' refers to:

Accepted Answer

A victory won at too great a cost

Answer

A pyrrhic victory is one where the winner suffers such severe losses that the win is essentially meaningless.

Question 5

Which sentence uses the word 'enervate' correctly?

Accepted Answer

The long illness enervated him, leaving him weak.

Answer

Enervate means to weaken or drain of energy — it is often confused with 'energize,' its opposite.

Language Proficiency Practice Test