5 ACET SIMULATED EXAM 5

Section 5
Vocabulary
Proficiency
Time — 5 minutes
25 Questions

The Vocabulary Proficiency aims to measure your ability to understand the

Read the directions carefully and study the given example before answering.

Directions: Each of the sentences has an underlined word or phrase. Choose the one
word or phrase that best keeps the meaning of the original sentence if it is substituted
for the underlined word or phrase. Shade the corresponding letter of your answer on
the answer sheet.

Example: Pipes may be painted to keep them from getting oxidized.

Answer: A B C D

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5 ACET SIMULATED EXAM 5

221. What follows is an absurd, sometimes whimsical adventure as the two trade in
their club tickets for a flight to Jerusalem.
A. unpredictable C. risky
B. odd D. amusing

222. The company, having reached its nadir, is desperate for a merger.
A. exteriority C. superficies
B. base D. bottom

223. Once the official realized that he would soon be unable to ask for himself if he
asked on behalf of all who begged of him, he became chary of using his
influence.
A. economical C. abstracted
B. cautious D. perfunctory

224. The day’s ride had exhausted her already dwindled energy, and the night had
truly enervated her.
A. animated C. drained
B. mobilized D. demoralized

225. Although Meagan does not personally like Lindsay, she doesn’t have the habit
of spreading a calumny about her enemy.
A. slander C. vituperation
B. aspersion D. censure

226. Because the cult leader’s brainwashing was so monolithic, it took months for
the man to break free of the programming.
A. giant C. immutable
B. despotic D. immense

227. Her face could register the gamut of human emotions without ever fully
revealing her inner nature.
A. incongruity C. range
B. horizon D. expanse

228. While eating a particularly cheesy mozzarella stick, the elderly woman choked
on the cheese, lost her ability to breathe, and collapsed in an episode of
syncope.
A. incessant talk C. scornful behavior
B. loss of consciousness D. deafening silence

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229. Since Mark disliked the racist beliefs of many of his fraternity brothers, he
decided to secede from the fraternity and move into one of the campus
dormitories.
A. break C. disappear
B. escape D. withdraw

230. The blogger does not write in an orotund style because he wants his articles to
appeal to the general public.
A. rich C. sonorous
B. haughty D. aureate

231. George’s performances always illustrate the panache one would expect from a
man who has been acting for over forty years.
A. flair C. partiality
B. penchant D. ingenuity

232. His primary avocation was paleontology, an interest he had lovingly nurtured
since childhood.
A. bailiwick C. trade
B. specialty D. hobby

233. While Rick is very intelligent, he would be more likable if he were not so
bumptious about his educational background.
A. modest C. positive
B. pompous D. malapert

234. The rain drenched me because I did not have an umbrella or any other type of
bulwark to protect me from the downpour.
A. rampart C. umbrage
B. apnea D. shield

235. He had a reputation of being an ornery individual and the epitome of the loud,
aggressive drill instructor, but each and every one of his recruits would forever
utter his name with respect.
A. ignoble C. cantankerous
B. abject D. pitiable

236. If Gina looked in a few fashion magazines, she would realize her hairstyle is an
antediluvian one that went out of style in the 1970s.
A. flamboyant C. antiquated
B. notorious D. prevailing

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5 ACET SIMULATED EXAM 5

237. The psychologist suggested I write a letter to my deceased mother in order to

238. We do not watch conservative news shows because they are tendentious in their
attempts to negate liberal politicians.
A. partisan C. intransigent
B. warped D. biased

239. After the terrorist attacks, the government established a domestic security
agency to help avert future tragedies.
A. obviate C. anticipate
B. preclude D. interpose

240. The insults acted to debilitate him, leaving him sitting and wondering what he
could have done differently.
A. enervate C. invigorate
B. assuage D. extenuate

241. When something goes wrong in the government, it is usually up to our elected
officials to exculpate themselves so that their constituents will continue to
support them.
A. exonerate C. indict
B. incriminate D. denounce

242. Criticizing his opponent’s argument as vacuous, the lawyer asked the judge to
dismiss the case.
A. scanty C. asinine
B. inscrutable D. tenebrous

243. If the board members had not engaged in so much palaver during the meeting,
we might have gotten at least one resolution passed.
A. cessation C. tumult
B. agitation D. prattle

244. The insensate simpleton decided to put his hand on the electric fence even
though there was a sign that made it obvious he shouldn’t.
A. callous C. languid
B. ludicrous D. feeble

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245. The new system has a lot of nice features, but it will still flummox newcomers
and frustrate veterans with its limitations.
A. obstruct C. perplex
B. terrify D. flop

STOP
If you finish before the time is called, you may check your work on this section.
Do not turn to any other section in the test.

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