Because the decision made him a star, it is likely that it must have been a smart, perceptive, or clever career move. This means that the answer choice is “shrewd.” As for the other answer choices, “foolhardy” means foolish or stupid due to not thinking through one's options or being prudent enough; “genteel” means polite and respectable; "ironic" means sardonic or funny due to meaning the opposite of what one says or getting the opposite of what is expected; and "flagrant" means overt in misbehaving in some way or breaking some rule.

Of these five answer choices, only “devout” makes sense to describe a man about whom we are only told "pray[s] several times a day to his gods." “Devout” means fully committed, or more specifically, pious and having deep religious commitment. “Unorthodox” means unconventional or going against established religious doctrine; “heretical” means holding prohibited religious beliefs; and “blasphemous” and “sacrilegious” both mean profane and impious.

The fact that the army killed without discrimination and looted randomly suggests that their acts of destruction were “wanton.” The key word in the sentence in picking out the answer is "random," because this is essentially what “wanton” means. “Benevolent” means good-natured and kind; “pompous” means full of self-importance; “sage” means wise; and “defensible” means able to be defended.

Of these answer choices, only one makes sense when used to describe the likely appearance of a monk who is "deep in peaceful contemplation of his surroundings," and that is “serene,” which means quiet and peaceful. “Wrathful” means full of anger; “envious” means jealous; “irate” means furious; and “biased” means prejudiced or already influenced towards one thing over another before evidence has been presented and a decision has been made.

"Indolent" means lazy; “transitory” means fleeting and temporary; “rustic” means old-fashioned and quaint; and "offensive" means causing others to feel slighted and angry. It seems unlikely that an indolent or offensive speech would be fire people up and be well received by critics, and "rustic" and "transitory" don't really relate to speeches. The correct answer must therefore be “eloquent,” which means well-spoken.

Because the disapproval is described as "universal," the correct answer must be “unanimous”; this means agreed upon by everyone. “Wavering” and “oscillating” both mean moving from one side to the other, or inconsistent; “enamored” means in love with; and “hypnotizing” means inducing a trance or mesmerizing.

The sentence tells you that the boy did not have enough calcium; this suggests that his diet was “deficient” in calcium. “Deficient” means lacking in some way. “Defiant” means resolute and not giving in to obstacles; “aghast” means shocked; “ruthless” means not showing mercy, not stopping an attack, or very aggressive; and “restless” means full of energy and unable to rest.

Because the professor was old and his wording (his “terminology”) confused his students, you may infer that the correct answer is “antiquated,” which means old-fashioned, out-of-date, or ancient. “Eloquent” means well-spoken; “futile” means pointless; “minuscule” means very small; and “paltry” means insufficient in amount.

Because the person being described in the sentence was "always sick," you know that her health problems are ever-present. This information tells you that the correct answer is “perpetual,” which means never-ending or permanent. “Transitory” is the opposite of permanent; it means lasting a short time; “impermanent”, “ephemeral,” and “fleeting” are all synonyms of “transitory” and antonyms of “perpetual.”

Because Sarah was disappointed by the audience's reaction, it was likely unenthusiastic. The correct answer is therefore “tepid,” which describes something bland, of a moderate temperature, or unenthusiastic and not exciting. “Exuberant” and “dynamic” are both antonyms of “tepid.” “Awry” means amiss, not as planned, or wrong; and “elegant” means stylish and sophisticated.