Vocabulary Word Usage 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'literally' mean (correctly used)?
- Figuratively
- In a strict, exact sense without exaggeration (Correct answer)
- Very much
- Approximately
Correct answer: In a strict, exact sense without exaggeration
Literally means exactly as stated, without exaggeration or metaphor. 'The house literally burned down' means it actually caught fire.
Question 2: What is the difference between 'who' and 'whom'?
- Whom is outdated
- Who is used as a subject; whom is used as an object (Correct answer)
- They are identical
- Who is formal; whom is informal
Correct answer: Who is used as a subject; whom is used as an object
Who replaces he/she/they (subjects): 'Who called?' Whom replaces him/her/them (objects): 'To whom did you speak?'
Question 3: What does 'irony' mean?
- Something funny
- A contrast between expectation and reality, or saying the opposite of what you mean (Correct answer)
- A metal
- Anger
Correct answer: A contrast between expectation and reality, or saying the opposite of what you mean
Irony is when the actual meaning or outcome is opposite to what is expected or stated. A fire station burning down is ironic.
Question 4: What is the difference between 'empathy' and 'sympathy'?
- They mean the same thing
- Empathy is understanding someone's feelings by sharing them; sympathy is feeling sorry for someone from the outside (Correct answer)
- Empathy is stronger
- Sympathy requires personal experience
Correct answer: Empathy is understanding someone's feelings by sharing them; sympathy is feeling sorry for someone from the outside
Empathy involves putting yourself in someone else's shoes and sharing their emotional experience. Sympathy is feeling compassion from a distance.
Question 5: What does 'implicit' mean?
- Clearly stated
- Implied or understood without being directly stated (Correct answer)
- Impossible
- Unimportant
Correct answer: Implied or understood without being directly stated
Implicit information is suggested rather than explicitly stated. An implicit agreement is understood but not written down.
Question 6: What does 'infer' mean?
- To state clearly
- To conclude or deduce from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements (Correct answer)
- To refuse
- To inform
Correct answer: To conclude or deduce from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements
To infer is to draw a conclusion based on available evidence and reasoning, as opposed to being told something directly.
Vocabulary Word Usage 2
What does 'literally' mean (correctly used)?