Even if you do not know all of the wrong answers’ meanings, first notice that the word “espouse” likely reminds you of the word “spouse,” meaning “husband or wife.” The word “espouse” means “to support or adopt a given position or belief.” To “espouse” an idea is somewhat (metaphorically) like getting married to it. You certainly know “deny” is different from that. To “recant” something is to say that you no longer believe it. The word literally means “to sing in a different way.” We might say, “Now that you recant your position, you are singing a different tune, aren’t you?”  To disavow something is to deny that you have responsibility for that thing or that you support it. To repudiate a position is to deny it, often desiring to be free of any association with it whatsoever. 

All of the related, incorrect options pertain to something that “gets in the way.” The word “impede” means “to delay or hinder with some obstacle.” The word comes from the Latin word for foot (found in “pedal” and “pedestrian”). Based on this root, “impede” literally means “on the foot”—as though you were to place a stone on someone’s foot, thus “impeding” his or her motion. To “hamper” the progress of something is to impede it. An “obstruction” is something that is placed in the way of something else. “Prevent” obviously is related to these other words. In contrast, “to assist” is to help, which is quite the opposite of all the other impediments and obstructions!

These words are all very closely related, even the one differing word. Note, however that the wrong answers all necessarily indicate singing. Chanting is not merely something that happens at a football game. It comes originally from the Latin for “to sing,” and it is found in words like “cantata” as well as “incant,” which itself basically means “to chant.” An “incantation”—so often associated with magic for most people—is originally derived from this kind of chanting by which the supposedly magical words would be sung. “Cantillate” is clearly related to these as well, basically meaning “to chant” or “to intone,” implying that such singing is perhaps done in a religious context. To “recite” something merely means to repeat it, generally from memory. Sometimes, a “recitation” could be sung or chanted, but we would likely have to add a description to make clear that it was being sung, for the word “recite” does not necessarily indicate such chanting.

The group of wrong, related words all indicate some kind of action of combining things. To “fuse” two or more things is to blend or combine them into a single entity. A welder is someone who fuses metals together with heat. Just as a dating “couple” is a set of two “joined people,” the word “couple” can more generally mean to combine. Splicing is the process of joining strands (wire, rope, etc.) together at a single point of connection. In contrast, to “sever” something is to cut it apart or divide it.

All of the related words here have to do with improving something or making it better. The word “perfect” can be used as a verb to describe the process of “bringing something to perfection.” It thus describes such an ongoing action as “improving.” To “ameliorate” something literally means to bring it to a better state. The “a-” prefix here is related to the “ad-” (meaning to or toward) found in words like “advance.” The “melior” portion comes from the Latin word for better. When we "refine" something, we purify it (thus improving its quality). Only the word “produce” does not signify improvement.

Each of the related words is concerned with some way of trying to make something else intelligible. To “construe” is to interpret something. Generally, the word is used in the sense of interpreting something in one way as opposed to another, as in, “He construed her words to mean that she hated all vegetables, so he never bought anything but red meat for dinner.” To decipher something is to decode it—a type of attempting to make something that was hidden now understandable. The word “disregard” really has nothing at all to do with the other meanings, for it merely means “to ignore.”

All five verbs are used when communicating with someone else. "Talking," "writing," "shouting," and "typing" are ways to communicate your ideas to someone else. "Listening" is used when someone else is communicating with you.

"Acquaint" means to introduce. You could become acquainted with your best friend's cousin. You could acquaint yourself with the fire drill procedures in your school. "Improvise," "extemporize," and "ad lib" all mean to spontaneously create. You might extemporize an oral book report you forgot to write for class.

"Adjust" means to alter or move. You might adjust your class schedule so that all of your most difficult classes aren't on the same day. "Mutilate," "mangle," "deform," and "cripple" all are more intense versions of "injure."  Someone might "mutilate" a tree by ripping off many of its branches.

If you "analyze" or "examine" something, you are inspecting it in detail, not just on the surface. If you "deduce" something, you are making a conclusion. This also requires inspection at a deeper level.  To "differentiate," you must be able to look at multiple items and determine their similarities and differences. (Much like you are doing now!) All of these words indicate a deep examination or inspection of something. The word "commit" can mean to carry out. For example: He "committed" a crime. It can also mean to pledge oneself. For example: He "committed" himself to performing in the play. Neither of these meanings requires examining or inspecting.