NBT Academic Literacy: Vocabulary in Context 4

Question 1

Read the following passage excerpt and answer the question.

"The committee's decision to *expunge* the contentious clauses from the final report was seen by critics as a capitulation to political pressure, though proponents argued it was a necessary act of *curation* to ensure the document's viability."

As used in this passage, 'expunge' most precisely means:

Accepted Answer

To permanently erase or remove something completely from a record

Answer

'Expunge' means to obliterate or remove completely, as if erasing from a record. The context reinforces this — critics viewed removal of the clauses as suppression (capitulation), while supporters framed it as necessary elimination for the document to survive. Options B and C imply partial or temporary changes, which contradicts the finality implied by the word. Option D introduces concealment, which is not the same as removal.

Question 2

Read the following passage excerpt and answer the question.

"Her prose style was often described as *lapidary* — each sentence polished to a high sheen, with not a syllable wasted, yet somehow retaining an organic warmth that prevented the writing from feeling cold or *hermetic*."

In this context, 'hermetic' most nearly means:

Accepted Answer

Airtight and impenetrable, closed off from outside influence or accessibility

Answer

'Hermetic' derives from the idea of an airtight seal (hermetically sealed) and metaphorically means sealed off, inaccessible, or self-enclosed. Here it contrasts with 'organic warmth' — the writing avoids being coldly sealed away from the reader. Option B (esoteric/scholarly) is a related but distinct concept. Options C and D capture aspects of coldness but miss the specific sense of inaccessibility that 'hermetic' carries.

Question 3

Read the following passage excerpt and answer the question.

"The scientist's findings were met with *opprobrium* from her peers, not because the methodology was flawed, but because the conclusions *militated* against decades of accepted consensus in the field."

Which of the following best captures the meaning of 'militated' as used here?

Accepted Answer

Actively worked against or were in strong opposition to

Answer

'Militate against' means to be a powerful factor working in opposition to something — it implies active force, not passive contradiction. The sentence makes clear the conclusions were in direct conflict with consensus. Option C introduces a temporal/gradual element not present in 'militate.' Option B implies neutrality or insufficiency, which contradicts the strong reaction ('opprobrium') the findings provoked. Option D introduces a legal dimension not supported by the context.

Question 4

Read the following passage excerpt and answer the question.

"In his later essays, the philosopher adopted an increasingly *aporetic* stance, refusing to resolve the tensions he identified and instead *foregrounding* the irreducible complexity of moral questions as a philosophical end in itself."

As used here, 'aporetic' most accurately describes a mode of inquiry that:

Accepted Answer

Deliberately dwells in a state of irresolution and acknowledged uncertainty

Answer

'Aporetic' derives from the Greek 'aporia,' meaning a state of puzzlement or impasse with no clear resolution. An aporetic stance is one that remains in — and even values — irresolution. The passage confirms this: he refused to resolve tensions and treated complexity as 'an end in itself.' Option B describes Cartesian doubt, which aims toward certainty — the opposite of dwelling in irresolution. Option D contradicts the passage's explicit statement that he refused to resolve tensions.

Question 5

Read the following passage excerpt and answer the question.

"The documentary's *tendentious* framing of events drew criticism from historians who felt the director had *elided* crucial context in order to construct a more emotionally compelling but ultimately reductive narrative."

In this passage, 'elided' most precisely means:

Accepted Answer

Omitted or glossed over, leaving out with the effect of distorting the whole

Answer

'Elide' means to omit or suppress, particularly in a way that distorts. It is stronger than 'cut for clarity' — it implies the omission serves a purpose (here, to make a more 'emotionally compelling' narrative). Option B (falsification) is too strong — eliding is about leaving out, not fabricating. Option C suggests the omission was neutral and editorial. Option D (merging) reverses the meaning — eliding removes, it does not combine.

(NBT) National Benchmark Test Practice Test

(NBT) National Benchmark Test Practice Test

NBT Academic Literacy: Vocabulary in Context 4