TOEFL Vocabulary & Word Usage 3

Question 1

Which sentence uses the word "mitigate" correctly in an academic context?

Accepted Answer

Planting coastal mangroves can mitigate the impact of storm surges on vulnerable communities.

Answer

Scientists mitigated the discovery of a new species in the rainforest.

Answer

The study mitigated that climate change was primarily human-caused.

Answer

The professor mitigated her lecture by adding more examples.

Question 2

Which word correctly fills the blank: "The philosopher's argument, while intellectually stimulating, was ultimately ________ because it relied on premises that could not be empirically tested."

Accepted Answer

Unfalsifiable

Answer

Irrefutable

Answer

Paradoxical

Answer

Rudimentary

Question 3

In academic writing, which sentence correctly uses "infer" and "imply"?

Accepted Answer

The author implies that urbanization causes pollution; readers can infer this from the statistics provided.

Answer

The data infers that population growth has slowed; the author implies her conclusion carefully.

Answer

The author infers a connection between pollution and urbanization; the readers imply this.

Answer

Data can imply conclusions, and authors can also imply the same conclusions.

Question 4

Select the word that best completes the sentence in an academic context: "The results were ________, as they varied significantly across different experimental conditions, making it difficult to draw conclusions."

Accepted Answer

Inconclusive

Answer

Consistent

Answer

Anomalous

Answer

Definitive

Question 5

Choose the correct academic phrase to complete: "The study ________ a causal link between exercise frequency and cognitive performance in older adults."

Accepted Answer

Established

Answer

Thought about

Answer

Talked about

Answer

Looked at

Question 6

Which sentence contains a word usage error typical of non-native English speakers?

Accepted Answer

The scientists made an experiment to test the hypothesis.

Answer

The professor emphasized the importance of critical thinking in academic settings.

Answer

The research demonstrates a significant correlation between the two variables.

Answer

The author argues that environmental regulations benefit long-term economic growth.