The verb "to join" can be used to describe the action of entering a group. For instance, when someone "joins a book club," he or she becomes a member of that group. This meaning of "to join," however, is based on the more basic meaning—to connect. Thus, you can say, "He joined together the two sticks using glue."

When something is decent, it is "okay" or even respectable.  Sometimes, we use this to describe someone's personality: "He was a decent man."   This means that he was a good man—or at least good enough and honest.  Sometimes, we can use the word to mean "enough" or "an adequate amount."  For example, you could say, "He ate a decent amount of food."  This means that he ate an acceptable amount of food.  It isn't too much, though it is definitely not too little.

Do not be tricked by a question like this! When someone is "kind," he or she is likely nice and helpful. However, this does not mean that he or she is happy or "bubbly." You can be kind without being overly happy. This question is using "kind" in the sense of meaning a particular category. Thus, we say, "Chocolate is a kind of candy." This could also be said, "Chocolate is a type of candy."

The word "leak" can have several meanings (though they are related). Whenever a substance "leaks," it oozes out from its container. Thus, you can have leaky pipe, a leaky tire, or even a leaky bottle of shampoo. The word can also be used in the sense of "leaking a secret." This is the way that the word is being used in this question. None of the options pertain to leaking physical substances. The word "divulge" means "to tell information that should have been kept secret." It is like the information leaked out from its secrecy!

The word "severe" can be used either to describe a personality trait or to describe something more general. A person is "severe" when he or she is harsh, mean, or strict. A thing or event is "severe" when it is terrible, painful, or very strong. Thus, a severe storm is a very strong storm. The only option that expresses one of these meanings is "intense." Whenever a storm is very strong, it is intense.

The word "ground" can have multiple meanings. Yes, it can mean the physical ground beneath your feet. It is also a form of the verb to grind. Thus, when something has been "ground up," it has been crushed into little pieces. When we "pulverize" something, we smash it into little pieces, almost like dust. Therefore, among the options provided, only "pulverize" is a good synonym. Several of the options are traps—dirty and low, especially. These might describe aspects of the physical ground. They do not, however, function as synonyms for "ground" in this sense.

The word "labor" can be used as a noun meaning work. When used as a verb, however, it emphasizes the difficulty involved with a given attempt to work on something. Thus, it basically means to work very hard at something. Therefore, the only option that is acceptable is "struggle." If you said, "I labored at the task all day," this could be translated, "I struggled very hard all day at the task."

The word "rear" can take on two very different meanings. On the one hand, it can mean behind. Think of the "rear seat" of the car. This is the "back seat." Thus, options like "forgotten," "unimportant," and "outdated" might all appear to be correct, for things that are "behind" us are sometimes forgotten, unimportant, or outdated. None of these directly means "behind." Instead, the second meaning is what we need, namely, to raise, parent, or nurture. We use this meaning when we say things like, "He reared his children to be respectful."

(Actually, the word "rear" can also mean, "To raise up or lift up," as when we say, "He reared his head to look at me." This meaning is given here in this question.)

The word "soil" can be used to describe dirt. It also can mean to make dirty. For example, think of when we say, "He soiled his shirt." This means that the person got some kind of dirt on his shirt. Now, you can also make someone's reputation "dirty." This is another acceptable meaning for "soil", at least in an extended sense. Thus, you can say, "When Harold told the secret in public, he soiled Egbert's reputation." This means that Harold damaged Egbert's reputation. This is the only option that works as an acceptable synonym.

Whenever something is said to have "structure" or to be a "structure," we are saying that the thing in question has or is an organized arrangement. We do tend to use the word to describe physical buildings. Thus, a house or a large tower is a "structure." We say this because the building is an arrangement of parts that come together to make one, unified building; however, anything that is organized can be called "structured." Some of the other options may tempt you because they are related to physical buildings; however, only "organized" expresses this idea about having an ordered structure.