As the speaker and his friends could do nothing to make the subject of this sentence happy you know that the subject must have been in a gloomy, depressed, sad and serious mood. So, the correct answer is "sullen." To be "sullen" means to be in a sulking, grumpy mood. Additionally, "infallible" means incapable of making mistakes, incapable of being proved wrong; "poised" means calm and controlled in a stressful situation; "unflinching" means determined, refusing to sway from one's plan, 'single-minded'; "vigilant" means watchful, determined to pay close attention to something, mindful of danger.

The fact that the author has only recently achieved success and appraisal means that he must have previously been much criticized and disparaged. The correct answer is therefore "maligned." To "malign" someone is to speak ill of them, to criticize them. Additionally, "intractable" means obstinate, stubborn, refusing to change one's mind; "aloof" means shy, withdrawn, distant and mysterious; "catastrophic" means disastrous; "abject" means (of a situation) hopeless or (of a person) feeling hopeless and miserable.

All you know about the subject of this sentence is that he spends too much of his time getting drunk. He could therefore be said to be "dissolute" which means lax in morals, but is suggestive of someone who is a drunk. Someone who is "dissolute" is depraved, debauched, immoral, licentious. Additionally, "mutual" means shared; "eminent" means famous, well regarded in a particular area; "opinionated" means having strong opinions and freely expressing them; "blithe" means indifferent, casual, showing an inappropriate level of concern.

The two countries in this sentence are described as being in conflict with one another for a century, so their relationship could well be described as bitter, hostile, or "acrimonious." Additionally, "derelict" means in poor condition, ramshackle, falling down; "antediluvian" means out-dated, belonging to an ancient time; "awry" means amiss, wrong, away from the expected or desired outcome; "flamboyant" means having a colorful and lively personality or appearance.

A plan that intends to deal with all possible scenarios could well be described as including all aspects of something, complete, total, or "comprehensive." Something that is "comprehensive" is detailed and includes all aspects of something. Additionally, "embedded" means fixed within something; "quaint" means cute, old-fashioned and appealing; "laden" means weighed down with, burdened by; "inclement" means (of weather) severe.

Based on the context of this sentence you are simply looking for an adjective that has a similar meaning to "unimportant." The correct answer is "trivial," which means of little importance, insignificant. Additionally, "interminable" means lasting forever, never-ending; "unscathed" means unharmed by an incident; "spasmodic" means happening irregularly, occurring in infrequent bursts of activity; "militant" means so passionate about a cause as to be prone to violence.

Based on the context of this sentence you are looking for an answer that means something like unreliable, inconsistent. So, the correct answer is "fickle." Someone who is "fickle" is likely to change their mind, not consistent or reliable. Additionally, "inept" means not capable, not skilled, not able to do something; "jocular" means good-natured, humorous; "congenial" means friendly, agreeable; "fervent" means passionate, intense.

Based on the context of this sentence you are looking for an adjective that means vast, containing a lot of space, large, spacious. So, the correct answer is "voluminous." Additionally, "oblique" means slanting; "wanton" means random, reckless, and destructive; "perennial" means enduring, long-lasting, recurring continuously; "lucrative" means profitable, providing a lot of money.

The context of this sentence tells you that the adjective you are looking for must relate to something not concrete or physical, theoretical. So, the correct answer is "abstract." "Abstract" means existing as a thought or idea, but having no concrete manifestation. Additionally, "alien" means foreign, unfamiliar; "indispensable" means vital, essential, needed; "sacrilegious" means offensive to religion or a religion, blasphemous; "congested" means blocked up.

This sentence describes a man who trains every day in preparation for an important race. Winning the race could be described as his final, eventual, concluding goal. So, the correct answer is "ultimate." "Ultimate" can mean either final, eventual or best, superior. Additionally, "adequate" means good enough; "opaque" means not transparent, not allowing light to pass through; "arduous" means difficult, hard to accomplish; "conspicuous" means obvious, very noticeable.