For the first blank, we're looking for a word that means growing, so we can eliminate the answer choices that start with "waning," "wilting," and "antediluvian." Considering the remaining choices, we're looking for a word for the second blank that means dry or dead. Since "arable" means able to be cultivated, we can eliminate that choice in favor of "desiccated," which means dried out. The correct answer choice is "burgeoning . . . desiccated." 

The sentence indicates that the man's look was angry. The only words that might fit that are "baleful" and "irate." "Sidereal" means having to do with the stars and is nonsensical here; "solicitous" means caring or inquiring; and "avaricious" means greedy. The second word has to describe darkness in a cave, which makes it impossible for the two people to see each other's faces. "Inchoate" means unformed or undeveloped, so it's not a word one would use to describe darkness. "Stygian" refers to a complete and unfathomable darkness like that thought to exist over the river Styx in mythology, so the answer is "baleful . . . stygian."

Since we can infer that the little girl did take cookies out of the cookie jar but insists that she didn't, we're looking for an adjective for the first blank that has something to do with lying. "Disingenuous" (not candid or sincere) and "mendacious" (not telling the truth) could each work. For the second blank, we need to pick between "contrite" (penitent and guilty) and "stolid" (showing little emotion). "Contrite" makes the most sense as an adjective describing the little girl's expression, since if she had a stolid expression, her parents might not have figured out she took cookies from the jar; so, the answer is "mendacious . . . contrite."

We can tell that the twins have very different personalities, so for the first blank, we are looking for an adjective that means distinct or different. "Discordant" and "disparate" are each possible choices. For the second blank, we need a word that means something like "eager." Choosing between "exigent" (demanding) and "voracious" (very hungry or eager to do something), we can pick "disparate . . . voracious" as the correct answer.

Because of the phrase "on the contrary" in the sentence and the information that follows it, the first blank needs to reflect the opposite idea of Harold leaving on time and running the entire way to the party. "Dilatory" (delaying), "tarrying" (delaying leaving somewhere), and "enervated" (drained of energy) all seem like possible options. This leaves us to choose from "sinuous," "garrulous," and "spurious" for the second blank, which needs to describe the path's zigzagging and indirect nature. Since "sinuous" means curvy or meandering, "dilatory . . . sinuous" is the correct answer.

For the first blank, we need a word that reflects how much money the young movie star is spending. "Prodigal" (spending money wastefully) and "pecunious" (wealthy) both work. To pick between "indigent" (poor) and "vituperated" (blamed using intense language) for the second blank, we need to consider how the young movie star's fortunes change as he becomes indebted. "Indigent" is the better choice, so "prodigal . . . indigent" is the correct answer.

Do not be tricked by "desire" into thinking that "avaricous" is an acceptable value for the first blank. Many of the other answers are far from the mark. The clear sense of the sentence indicates that the first blank addresses the prosecutor's zeal and devotion to the case. (This could make some answers tempting, such as "untiring" or "devoted"); however, the case for "zealous" is strengthened by the meaning of "exculpatory," namely, removing the guilt from one, which fulfills the sense of the second blank describing the evidence that led to proof of the young man's innocence.

For the first blank, we need a word that describes the sister who "chose to nap on the couch all day." Either "torpid" (which means lethargic) or "languid" (opposed to physical exertion) could work. This leaves us with two options for the second blank—"intransigent" and "ebullient." We need a word that describes Melanie's excitement about the trip to the park; since "intransigent" means stubbornly clinging to one's views and "ebullient" means happy and energetic, the correct answer is "torpid . . . ebullient."

We can tell from the sentence's structure that the two words are likely to be a pair of antonyms, since the first blank has to do with "Elaborate weddings" and the second clause tells us that "modern couples simply do not prioritize . . . glamorous ceremoies." Of the provided answer choices, only "obsolete . . . commonplace" makes sense in the sentence, so it is the correct answer.

The first blank emphasizes the oldness of the method, so the only answer that makes sense is "obsolete." The second blank implies that the effects are bad in some way, which is described by "deleterious." "Boorish" would be used to describe a person, not “effects."