Based on the use of the words “around” and “whole,” you can infer that the correct answer is likely the “perimeter.” The prefix "peri-" means around and the word “perimeter” means the area around something. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: a “prelude” is something that comes before the main event; “index” means directory or guide to where various information is located in a book; a “glossary” is a collection of terms used in a book and their definitions; and the “diameter” is the distance of something from one side to the other. While "diameter" may sound like a potentially correct answer, it's important to realize that one doesn't run "around" a diameter!

Because the jury rejects the defendants argument of insanity, we can assume that they must have found that he acted of his own free and sane will. The answer choice that is closest in meaning to "will" is “volition.” The word fragment "vol" means will, or acting by choice, such as in the words “volunteer,” “volition,” and “benevolent.” None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “recreation” means play time or hobby; “consensus” means agreement; “allegation” means a claim that someone has done something wrong; and a “rendezvous” is a secret meeting. 

The writer is a teacher; this suggests that his or her career education. "Vocation" means career, so "vocation" is the correct answer. The root "voc-" means call, so if someone says their “vocation” is education, they are saying their calling is to educate others. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “volition” means will; “violation” means an instance of breaking some particular rule; “vilification” means the process of turning someone into a villain in the minds of others; and "evaporation" means the process by which liquid water turns into water vapor.

Because the second clause describes how the two sides of the country being discussed are moving away from one another, we can assume that there has recently been a political break in the specified country, or a “rupture.” None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “amalgamation” means the act of putting two things together; to “assimilate” is to adjust to new surroundings and people; “obsession” means fixation, passion, or something you cannot stop thinking about; and “prerogative” means right, privilege, or responsibility.

Reading the sentence provides us the information that the athlete's injury and recovery prevented him from returning to practice, and that the condition of his muscles had something to do with this. Thus, we can assume that a word like "damage" would fit in the blank. The closest word to this is "atrophy," which means weaken or degenerate due to not having been used and often specifically refers to muscles. The other words do not fit: "euphony" is the quality of sounding pleasant; "brawn" means muscular strength; and "grit" can mean courage.

From reading the sentence, we get the impression that the writer has worked hard to fulfill his or her intention to become a doctor. Thus, we are looking for a noun like "goal" to fill in the blank. "Aspiration" means a hope or a goal, and is the best choice. The other choices are also nouns but do not work in the context of the sentence: a "mandate" is a command issued from authority; a "cataclysm" is a violent event; and "subordination" is submission or servitude.

Since the sentence mentions that this "only dedicated athletes can accomplish" the task of "finishing a marathon," it indicates that running a marathon is quite a challenge. The closest word in meaning is "feat," since it means a challenge that, when surmounted, demonstrates one's high level of skill. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: an "anomaly" is a thing that is unusual in some way; an "occasion" is a specific time or event or a reason for having a celebration; a "gala" is a fancy gathering; and "reveling" is being loud in a celebratory way.

Since Sarah's mind wandered, it means that she was in a dreamlike state or "reverie." The other choices don't fit nearly as well: a "prologue" is an introduction; a "saga" is an epic story; an "anecdote" is a short story told casually, often in the middle of a larger work; and a "soliloquy" is a monologue in a play during which a character addresses the audience directly without other characters being aware of what he or she is saying.

Since the sentence mentions positivity, it indicates that the person it is referring to is most likely a person who sees everything from a hopeful or happy perspective, also known as an "optimist." None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: a "pacifist" is someone who refuses to fight and believes there is no good reason to do so; a "pessimist" is someone who sees everything in a negative way; an "inventor" is someone who designs and builds inventions, and a "tyrant" is a domineering leader.

The sentence implies a contrast by saying that Sally's life "regained" peace and calm. The implication is that, for a while at least, it did not have such peace. When someone's life is in a state of "turmoil," it is greatly disturbed. Often, you will hear this used in a phrase like "political turmoil," describing upheavals that occur in a country that is experiencing uprisings and protests.