Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

The desert climate was __________.

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

There was a strong sense of __________ among Sarah, Leslie and Rebecca. They have been friends since Kindergarten. 

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

When the winner of the school elections was announce, a huge crowd of students __________ in the auditorium. 

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

Many people were frightened at the news of the __________ effects of the newly discovered virus. 

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

After spending hours in the summer heat with nothing to drink, Joe felt extremely __________.

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

There was a strong __________ bond between Jake and Mark; many said the two were like brothers.

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

The politician __________ his former statements about the new policy, after realizing that his original stance was unfavorable with voters.

Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

The oil from the cupcake __________ its thin paper lining.

Adapted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)

The ghost on hearing this set up another cry and clanked its chain so hideously in the dead silence of the night that the police has been justified in indicting it for a nuisance.

"Oh! captive, bound, and double-ironed," cried the phantom, "not to know that ages of incessant labor, by immortal creatures, for, this earth must pass into eternity before the good of which it is susceptible is all developed! Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness! Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunities misused! Yet such was I. Oh, such was I."

"But you were always a good man of business, Jacob" faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.

"Business!" cried the Ghost wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive position of my business!"

Which of the following could replace the underlined words "comprehensive position" while retaining the phrase's original meaning in context?

Adapted from The Autobiography of John Adams (ed. 1856)

Not long after this, the three greatest measures of all were carried. Three committees were appointed, one for preparing a declaration of independence, another for reporting a plan of a treaty to be proposed to France, and a third to digest a system of articles of confederation to be proposed to the States. I was appointed on the committee of independence and on that for preparing the form of a treaty with France. On the committee of confederation Mr. Samuel Adams was appointed. The committee of independence were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. Mr. Jefferson had been now about a year a member of Congress, but had attended his duty in the house a very small part of the time, and, when there, had never spoken in public. During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together. It will naturally be inquired how it happened that he was appointed on a committee of such importance. There were more reasons than one. Mr. Jefferson had the reputation of a masterly pen; he had been chosen a delegate in Virginia, in consequence of a very handsome public paper which he had written for the House of Burgesses, which had given him the character of a fine writer. Another reason was, that Mr. Richard Henry Lee was not beloved by the most of his colleagues from Virginia, and Mr. Jefferson was set up to rival and supplant him. This could be done only by the pen, for Mr. Jefferson could stand no competition with him or any one else in elocution and public debate.

Which of the following words would best replace the word “stand” in the last sentence?