This set of words is comprised of four that indicate some kind of quick action. “Rapid” and “swift” are rather common words. “Brisk” is likewise somewhat common, meaning “fast or energetic.” Sometimes, you might speak of a “brisk pace” at which something moves when it is being done quickly. Something is called “expeditious” when it is done with speed or efficiency. An “expedition” is a trip with a purpose. Something “expeditious” sets out for its purposed goal and attempts to attain it with great devotion. In contrast to these “plodding” means “slow and unexciting.”

The word “quixotic” is taken from the literary character “Don Quixote,” who was very idealistic and naïve. It means “idealistic or romantic (in the sense of being dreamy or idealistic).” All of the other words have some relation to such “dreaminess.” While someone who has such an outlook might be joyous, the word “joyous” indicates a different type of attitude. Thus, it is different from the rest of the group.

Although all of these words pertain to some negative state of affairs, all leading to or implying some physical defect, note that “drowsy” primarily means that someone is tired. While such a person might be tired because they are weak, the word does not necessarily indicate such a state of frailty or feebleness. Note that all of the other words do pertain to some kind of weakness, thus making them all more related to each other than is the word “drowsy” to them.

Note that the four related words all pertain to being sick or ill. Someone “ailing” is in poor health. Likewise, a “diseased” person is far from being healthy. While someone who has a “delicate constitution” might easily become sick, it does not mean that he or she actually is—right now—sick. It merely indicates that something is fragile or, with regard to illness, prone to becoming ill.

In order to see the connection among the wrong answers, it is worthwhile to consider the general meaning of “effeminate.” The word means “having female characteristics,” often implying “non-masculinity.” While we should wish to be sensitive to stereotypes, the general usage of English still associates “masculinity”—that is, “manliness”—with physical strength. The word “virile” very closely means “strong like a man,” for it comes from the Latin “vir,” which means “man.” While the other two words (“vigorous” and “brawny”) primarily signify strength and energy, given the inclusion of “effeminate” in our group of words, they are more related to the others than is “effeminate.”

The set of four related words all have something to do with difficult work. Drudgery is dull and difficult work. To “toil” at something is to work without ceasing with a great expenditure of energy. Something is “laborious” when it requires much labor—when it is very difficult, that is. A “grueling task” is one that requires much effort and is tiring. A person is called “industrious” if he or she is hard working; however, the word emphasizes diligence and does not have the same negative tones as do the other options.

While all of these words indicate something negative, bad, or difficult, they do not do so to the same degree. All of the words are all relatively familiar, so you should not have a vocabulary issue. What is necessary is to know that the word “severe” means “very intense,” almost always implying that it is something that is intensely bad. This is a much stronger sense of trouble / badness than the other options and thus is differentiated from them.

Note that all of the wrong options indicate the state of being famous or well known. The word “eminent” means “famous” and is related to “eminence,” which does not merely indicate fame but likewise is used to describe a location that rises above its surrounding area. Although “celebrated” might seem to be different (implying some sort of celebration), it actually means “renowned,” that is, “well known.” The word “paltry” greatly differs from all of these other options, for it means “meager or trivial.”

You likely know the words “concise” and “succinct,” which mean “short spoken” or merely “brief.” These clearly are opposed to “wordy.” Still, it helps to be sure regarding the other words. “Laconic” is an adjective describing someone who uses few words. Likewise, “pithy” describes something that is brief, though often implying that is a very strong and emphatic kind of brevity. “A pithy remark” is one that is short, “cutting directly to the point.”

The words “wordy” and “talkative” are clearly similar, indicating that someone speaks a lot. The word “verbose” is related to the word “verb,” which is taken from the Latin for “word.” “Verbose” is used to describe someone who uses many (often too many) words when he or she communicates. Someone is called “voluble” when he or she speaks without ceasing. In contrast to all of these, “taciturn” describes someone who does not say much in speech. The word “tacit” means “understood without being said explicitly.” A “tacit agreement” is one that is presumed without having the details “spelled out.”