NJSLA Vocabulary in Context 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the excerpt, a scientist is described as 'meticulous in her record-keeping, double-checking every measurement.' What does meticulous mean?
- careless
- showing great attention to detail (Correct answer)
- quick and efficient
- overly confident
Correct answer: showing great attention to detail
Meticulous means very careful and precise, paying great attention to detail.
Question 2: The author writes: 'His ostentatious display of wealth — gold watches, designer suits — made his coworkers uncomfortable.' What does ostentatious mean?
- modest and understated
- showy and designed to impress (Correct answer)
- accidental
- appropriate
Correct answer: showy and designed to impress
Ostentatious means characterized by a vulgar or pretentious display intended to impress others.
Question 3: In a historical text, the author describes a famine that 'decimated the population of the region.' In modern usage, what does decimated most likely mean?
- slightly reduced
- severely reduced or destroyed a large portion of (Correct answer)
- completely eliminated
- doubled
Correct answer: severely reduced or destroyed a large portion of
In modern usage, decimated means severely reduced in number or strength.
Question 4: Read this line from a story: 'She was pragmatic about the situation, focusing on what could be done rather than lamenting what was lost.' What does pragmatic mean?
- emotional and reactive
- practical and focused on results (Correct answer)
- idealistic and dreamy
- angry and resentful
Correct answer: practical and focused on results
Pragmatic means dealing with things sensibly and realistically based on practical considerations.
Question 5: A passage uses the word 'ambivalent' in this sentence: 'She felt ambivalent about moving away — excited for the new opportunity but sad to leave her home.' What does ambivalent mean?
- completely certain
- having mixed feelings (Correct answer)
- deeply opposed
- indifferent
Correct answer: having mixed feelings
Ambivalent means having mixed or contradictory feelings about something.
Question 6: In the text, a character is called 'pedantic' by her colleagues because she 'constantly corrected minor grammatical errors in casual conversation.' What does pedantic mean?
- overly focused on minor rules or details (Correct answer)
- extremely creative
- generously helpful
- deeply knowledgeable
Correct answer: overly focused on minor rules or details
Pedantic means excessively concerned with minor details or rules, especially in teaching.
Question 7: The passage describes a settlement reached after 'protracted negotiations lasting over two years.' What does protracted mean?
- sudden
- secret
- lasting longer than expected (Correct answer)
- productive
Correct answer: lasting longer than expected
Protracted means lasting for a long time or longer than expected.
NJSLA Vocabulary in Context 5
In the excerpt, a scientist is described as 'meticulous in her record-keeping, double-checking every measurement.' What does meticulous mean?