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

"Mitigate" means to lessen or moderate the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something. In Option B, mangroves lessen the harmful impact of storm surges—correct usage. Option A misuses it (you don't "mitigate" a discovery); C confuses it with "demonstrated"; D uses it incorrectly as a synonym for "improved."

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

"Unfalsifiable" means impossible to prove false through empirical testing—a key critique in philosophy of science. An argument based on untestable premises is unfalsifiable. "Irrefutable" would mean it cannot be refuted (positive); "paradoxical" implies self-contradiction; "rudimentary" means basic or undeveloped.

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

"Imply" means to suggest something without stating it directly (speakers/writers imply); "infer" means to derive a conclusion from evidence (readers/listeners infer). Authors imply; readers infer. Option B correctly uses both: the author implies, and readers can infer from the data.

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

"Inconclusive" means not leading to a clear conclusion—precisely what is described when results "vary significantly" and conclusions are "difficult to draw." "Consistent" and "definitive" would imply clear, reliable results; "anomalous" suggests results are unusual relative to expectations but doesn't specifically mean they prevent conclusions.

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

"Established" is the formal academic word meaning to prove or demonstrate something definitively. Academic studies "establish," "demonstrate," "reveal," or "confirm" findings. "Thought about," "talked about," and "looked at" are all informal and inappropriate for academic writing about research conclusions.

TOEFL Practice Test

TOEFL Practice Test

TOEFL Vocabulary & Word Usage 3