The most direct clue in this sentence is the word "self-gratification." Apparently, Laura's husband believes that she is only buying chocolate for the sake of her own selfish desires. Likely, he thinks that she is spending too much on chocolates. The only word that matches well, therefore, is "exorbitant," which describes too large of an amount of money. Something that is decadent is self-indulgent, so the word "decadent" works well for the first blank, as Laura apparently did not think that her preferences were self-indulgent, even if her husband did think so.

The first blank is clearly a contrast to the word "humbler."  We do not know if the young man was arrogant in his goals. That kind of negative character judgment is not indicated by the sentence's clues. It is fair to say that he was bold in his hopes. Thus, the word "audacious" is a good option, for it indicates someone who is willing to undertake bold risks. It seems that he also intended to stick to his convictions and intentions. Thus, he was "resolute" in them. (Think of this as meaning that he had firmly resolved to fulfill them.)

For these two blanks, we are looking for a pair of synonyms. This pair of words should be antonyms to "benevolently." The word "benevolently," as well as the related "benevolent," come from two roots with which you are certainly familiar. The introductory "bene-" comes from the Latin for well (as in "well done"). It is found in words like "benefit" and "benediction." The "-volent" portion comes from voluntas, meaning "the will." Thus, to be benevolent is to be good willed. Thus, we are looking for a pair of words that generally mean "unkind." The word "vituperative" means "insulting or abusive."   Scathing means very critical (often implying that it is quite nasty).

The second blank in this sentence is probably the easier of the two blanks to figure out. Then, after filling it in, you can guess the first blank rather easily. The second blank clearly is something like "sturdy." Thus, the word "robust" works very well as an option. This is far better than "weighty" and "broad," for neither of these words necessarily indicate sturdiness. Now, the first blank is the opposite of "sturdy." For this, "frangible" is excellent. It means able to be broken. It comes from the Latin frangere, meaning to break. This same root is related to the English word "fracture."

For this question, it is best to stay very close to the meanings expressed in the sentence. Apparently the rumors deal with sexual matters. Whenever something is described as being "salacious," it indicates a focus on such things, often implying that the people who are discussing them are actually quite interested in them as well. For the second blank, the option "obscene" works as a relatively acceptable synonym for "salacious." Although better options might be chosen, among those given, this is the most applicable and, hence, your only option.

It might be tempting to pick “demotic” to describe shocking clothing since it is similar to the word “demon,” but “demotic” actually means ordinary or popular. “Aberrant” means abnormal. “Scandalous” means shameful or shocking. Together, these form the correct answer.

“Notorious” means famous, but not in a good way. “Igneous” means volcanic. “Proverbial” refers to a saying that is well known. If someone is “abstemious,” they exercise restraint in eating and drinking. “Proverbial . . . abstemious” is the correct answer.

The sentence implies that Todd acted in a "laid back" manner about the bomb—acting like there was no danger whatsoever. Whenever someone is "nonchalant", he or she appears relaxed and without any concerns. The device itself was dangerous, actually ready to explode, even though Todd acted like it was not potentially explosive. Thus, it is fair to say that the device is volatile.

“Bucolic” describes ideal country living and thus doesn’t pair well with “sickly.” “Contrite” means feeling remorse. “Fallow” means left unplowed and unseeded, and “florid” means healthy red or flowery. This leaves us with “diseased . . . acarpous” as the correct answer.

“As it is” indicates a shift, and therefore the two blanks are going to describe someone quite different than the “affluent and privileged.” “Accessible” means capable of being comprehended. “Indigent” means extremely poor, unlike “indignant,” which means that you’re angry. “Accessible . . . indigent” is the correct answer.