Look at the second blank first, because it is the easiest to fill in. Charlie's boss is giving him a promotion, so he will be recognized for something positive that he has done. If we look at the answer choices for the second blank, achievements, triumph, and performance could fit. Looking at their matches, we need a word for the first blank that shows he was excited to get to work. The only pair that fits is frantic and achievements.

We can infer that for the second blank, we need to pick out an answer choice that is a noun that describes a collection of captive, live animals. Either "zoo" ("an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals, typically in a park or gardens, for study, conservation, or display to the public") or "menagerie" ("a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition") could be potentially correct. For the first blank, we know that the old man is called "odd" by his neighbors, so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "odd" for the first blank. Either "eccentric" ("unconventional and slightly strange" when used to describe a person or their behavior) or "peculiar" ("strange or odd; unusual") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "eccentric" and "menagerie" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "eccentric . . . menagerie."

For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "free," because the breakfast is being compared with "other free [things]." Either "complimentary" (" given or supplied free of charge") or "courtesy" ("(especially of transport) supplied free of charge to people who are already paying for another service") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a noun that means something like "perks," and either "amenities" ("desirable or useful features or facilities of a building or place") or "conveniences" ("something (as an appliance, device, or service) conducive to comfort or ease") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "complimentary" and "amenities" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "complimentary . . . amenities."

When considering the first blank, notice that what is "overthrown" must be replaced. If it is replaced with a type of government, then what was overthrown must have been a type of government.  A "regime" is a form of government, often one that is oppressive. The second blank implies that the old regime did not allow freedoms. The new regime is less controlling than the former.  An "authoritarian" regime is one that forces very strict submission to authority, often to the point of removing many freedoms.

Since we know that the person mentioned in the sentence is standing in front of a crowd delivering a speech, we know that the first blank should contain a noun that means something like "speaker." Two answer choices could possibly work for this: the one beginning with "orator" (a person who delivers a speech), or the one beginning with "demagogue" (a leader appealing to emotions rather than reason). The two other possible words for the first blank do not work: "auditor" means a listener or an accountant, and "actuary" means a registrar, clerk, or insurance person. Based on the two answers we know could work in the first blank, we can now examine the words available to fill in the second blank. We know that the speaker gives a "long speech" that "lost the audience's attention." The best choice is "verbose," which means wordy or talkative. The other choice, "bombastic," means pretentious.

By reading the sentence, we can tell that the description of Jane's grandmother's decor and house is positive, since it makes Jane feel better. Focusing on the first blank, we are looking for an adjective like "nice." The word "florid" means flowery or ornate, so this must be the right answer. The other words do not fit: "feral" means wild or savage; "pallid" means lacking color; and "reverent" means respectful. Moving on to the second blank, we are looking for a noun that describes both "environment" and the "feeling" or "mood" of Jane's grandmother's house. The word "ambience" is correct because it means atmosphere and feeling. The other words do not fit: "acumen" is a noun meaning cleverness; a "conflagration" is a fire; and a "conglomeration" is a collection or an accumulation.

The clues for the two blanks are "zeal" and "convincing" respectively. At most, what we can say is that Romanus was a "zealous" or passionate speaker. When someone is "ardent," he or she is passionate. The word actually comes from "burning"—being "ardent" is like being "on fire with passion" for something. "Eloquence" is persuasiveness in speech or expression.

The best keys to this sentence are "calm" and "stable." The first independent clause implies that the society has gone from being calm to being not calm. The best description for such a state of affairs would be "chaotic," meaning confused or full of turmoil. The second sentence contrasts the seeming stability of the nation with apparent instability. While there are no answer choices that directly mean "instability," a "fragile" nation would be one that is easily broken down (like fragile glass) and, hence, one that is unstable.

The subordinate clause, "ever fearful" provides the key hint regarding John's temperament. Since he is very fearful of breaking the law, he is likely overly concerned about its details. This latter point is expressed in the words "even the smallest," which indicate that he does not want to break even the smallest aspect or—more appropriate given our answers—detail of the law. Such a person is "legalistic," meaning that he or she is very concerned with all of the legal details, generally in a way that is overly concerned and fearful.

For the first blank, we know that Jaime did not know about his mismatched socks because "he didn't notice until someone pointed [them] out . . . at lunchtime." So, we should pick out an adjective that reflects this. Either "oblivious to" or "unaware of" could be correct, as "oblivious" and "unaware" each can mean not aware. For the second blank, we know that Jaime's socks were mismatched, so they were different. We should pick out an answer choice that is a noun that means something like difference. Either "disparity" (a large difference) or "difference" could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "oblivious to" and "disparity" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "oblivious to . . . disparity."