[ VOCABULARY ]

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1. abstemious: (a) not self-indulgent (b) not selfconfident (c) not selfish (d) not trustworthy.
2. bellyache: (a) complain noisily (b) suffer
silently (c) work hardly (d) argue loudly.
3. carcinogenic: (a) causing traffic jam (b) causing
cancer (c) causing injury (d) causing confusion.
4. doff:
(a) wear
(b)
remove
(c) regret
(d) report.
5. execrably: (a) mildly (b) greedily (c) bravely
(d) unpleasantly.
6. feign: (a) provoke (b) interfere (c) govern
(d) pretend.
7. gravitas: (a) absurdity (b) dignity (c) rigidity
(d) eagerness.
8. hyphenated: (a) joined (b) rewarded (c) separated
(d) wounded.
9. ingenious: (a) clever (b) simple (c) complex
(d) dirty.
10. kinetic: (a) static
(b) sincere
(c) obedient
(d) moving.
11. morph: (a) turn hostile (b) change statement
(c) change differently (d) change smoothly.
12. nugget: (a) valuable fact (b) worthless advice
(c) strong support (d) slow walker.
13. obiter dicta: (a) critics view (b) sale target
(c) judges opinion (d) dead end.
14. peccadillo: (a) tragedy (b) minor fault (c) fatal
injury (d) senseless remark.
15. quibble: (a) o b j e c t i o n (b) a p p r e c i a t i o n
(c) invitation (d) departure.
16. scruffy: (a) polite (b) regular (c) injurious
(d) dirty.
17. tweak: (a) help (b) swear (c) tear (d) twist.
18. uncouth: (a) i l l - m a n n e r e d (b) ill-at-ease
(c) humble (d) unwell.
19. venal: (a) respectable (b) corrupt (c) horrible
(d) grateful.
20. yank: (a) pull (b) push (c) sacrifice (d) unfurl.
ANSWERS
1. abstemious: (a) not self-indulgent.
T.S. Eliot, the most publicly abstemious and
spiritual of artists was referring to a pub in his poem
USK.
2. bellyache: (a) complain noisily or persistently.
Some supporters of the minister have been
bellyaching the slow pace of economic development.
3. carcinogenic: (b) causing cancer.
We carry statutory warnings on cigarette packets
but allow junk food MNCs to get away with stuff that is
as just as carcinogenic.

4. doff: (b) remove.

After doffing off her police uniform she blasted
police officers for inefficiency.
5. execrably: (d) unpleasantly.
No individual or party should be allowed to
behave execrably at a public place.
6. feign: (d) pretend.
The smuggler had feigned the fall and never
jumped into the well at all.
7. gravitas: (b) dignity.
The clear notes of classical music lent gravitas to
the occasion.
8. hyphenated: (c) separated.
A lot of an immigrants energy goes into fighting
his hyphenated existence.
9. ingenious: (a) clever.
He was one of the most ingenious architects of
terror in modern history.
10. kinetic: (a) moving.
His short stories are variable and kinetic.
11. morph: (d) change smoothly.
She morphs into the various images he chooses
for her.
12. nugget: (a) valuable fact.
He has rare nuggets of information and
recollection or the national song Vande Mataram.
13. obiter dicta: (c) judges opinion.
Given the partys elation over the latest obiter
dicta of Supreme Court, there is little doubt it will
utilise it during the election campaign.
14. peccadillo: (b) minor fault.
The novel is a candid account of the intriguing
peccadilloes of a white investment banker.
15. quibble: (b) objection, criticism.
Such quibbles aside, the contents of the book are
absorbing.
16. scruffy: (d) dirty.
He seemed a regular guy and a lot less scruffy
that he had looked in his regular dispatches for the TV
New Channel.
17. tweak: (d) twist, pull.
He tweaked his ear playfully.
18. uncouth: (a) rough, awkward, ill-mannered.
His uncouth behaviour in the meeting was condemned by one and all.
19. venal: (b) corrupt, bribable.
The system of governance in India has become
shamefully incompetent, corrupt and venal.
20. yank: (a) pull.
Parents across Bengal are ready to yank children
out of schools and induct into chess training.

 April 2008

The Competition Master.

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