TOEFL Academic Vocabulary in Context Questions and Answers

Question 1

Read the sentence: 'While some critics argue that the new policy will stifle innovation, proponents of the legislation insist that it will create a more stable and predictable economic environment.' In this context, the word 'proponents' is closest in meaning to:

Accepted Answer

advocates

Answer

creators

Answer

analysts

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opponents

Question 2

Read the sentence: 'The acceptance of plate tectonics in geology was a true paradigm shift, as it fundamentally altered the framework through which scientists understood the Earth's structure and processes.' The phrase 'paradigm shift' refers to a:

Accepted Answer

fundamental change in core concepts

Answer

minor correction to a theory

Answer

gradual evolution of ideas

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temporary disagreement among experts

Question 3

A sociologist wants to study the effects of social media use on teenage self-esteem. Instead of relying on existing theories alone, she designs a survey to collect data directly from hundreds of teenagers and then analyzes their responses. The sociologist's method of collecting and analyzing data is an example of gathering what kind of evidence?

Accepted Answer

Empirical

Answer

Hypothetical

Answer

Anecdotal

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Theoretical

Question 4

Which of the following words best fits in the blank? 'The archaeologist's discovery of the ancient manuscript was ________; it happened by pure chance while she was searching for something else entirely.'

Accepted Answer

serendipitous

Answer

systematic

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deliberate

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consequential

Question 5

Read the sentence: 'One of the primary goals of the academic conference is to disseminate new research findings to a wider audience of scholars and practitioners.' Which of the following words could best replace 'disseminate' without changing the sentence's meaning?

Accepted Answer

Spread

Answer

Debate

Answer

Validate

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Conceal

Question 6

Read the sentence: 'In the late 1980s, the field of artificial intelligence was still in its nascent stages, with limited computing power and theoretical frameworks that were just beginning to be explored.' The use of the word 'nascent' implies that the field of artificial intelligence at the time was:

Accepted Answer

new and just beginning to develop

Answer

widely misunderstood and criticized

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declining in popularity

Answer

fully developed and mature