PARCC Reading Vocabulary 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the sentence "The drought left the soil parched and cracked," what does "parched" most nearly mean?
- Extremely dry (Correct answer)
- Richly fertile
- Slightly damp
- Newly plowed
Correct answer: Extremely dry
"Parched" means dried out from lack of water, matching the drought context.
Question 2: Which word is the best antonym for "abundant"?
- Plentiful
- Scarce (Correct answer)
- Generous
- Ample
Correct answer: Scarce
"Scarce" means in short supply, the opposite of "abundant."
Question 3: Read: "Her tone was so cordial that everyone felt welcome." What does "cordial" mean here?
- Cold and distant
- Warm and friendly (Correct answer)
- Loud and rude
- Quiet and shy
Correct answer: Warm and friendly
"Cordial" describes a warm, friendly manner that makes people feel welcome.
Question 4: The prefix "re-" in the word "rebuild" means:
- Not
- Before
- Again (Correct answer)
- Against
Correct answer: Again
The prefix "re-" means "again," so "rebuild" means to build again.
Question 5: Which word best completes the sentence: "The detective examined every ____ before drawing a conclusion"?
- clue (Correct answer)
- cloud
- claim
- clamp
Correct answer: clue
A detective examines "clues" to solve a case.
Question 6: In "a fragile vase," the word "fragile" means:
- Heavy
- Colorful
- Easily broken (Correct answer)
- Expensive
Correct answer: Easily broken
"Fragile" means delicate and easily broken.
Question 7: What is the meaning of the root "aud" in words like "audio" and "audience"?
- See
- Hear (Correct answer)
- Write
- Move
Correct answer: Hear
The root "aud" means "hear," as in audio and audience.
PARCC Reading Vocabulary 2
In the sentence "The drought left the soil parched and cracked," what does "parched" most nearly mean?