In this sentence you are told that the speaking style of the orator reminds Patrick of a snake. So, the correct answer is "sibilant" which refers to a hissing sound, a sound like that of a snake. To provide further help, "banal" means cliche, boring; "somber" means grave, serious; "thunderous" means loud, daunting sound; "fluctuating" means changing from one point to another and back, going up and down.

The speaker in this sentence tells you that he has been called something, but goes on to suggest that he finds this label unfair because rules are meant to be followed. This information suggests that the speaker is accused of a strict adherence to rules. The term "straitlaced" refers to someone who strictly follows rules. To provide further help, "homely" means plain and unattractive; "limpid" means clear; "dilatory" means slow in action, unhurried, prone to procrastination; "pejorative" means having a derogative or reductive impact, based on stereotype. 

Negative reports in the media would most logically have a humbling or moderating impact on the attitude of a young superstar. So, you are looking for the answer choice that most closely matches this definition. The correct answer is "chastening." "Chastening" means humbling, having a moderating or subduing impact on someone. To provide further help, an "inkling" is a small suspicion, an intuition; "invigorating" means strengthening, energizing; "enervating" means weakening; "obfuscating" means confusing. 

A situation where prisoners escape and take over the prison sounds like an incredibly chaotic situation. So, to solve this problem you are looking for the answer choice that is closest in meaning to chaotic, mad, out of control. The correct answer then is "bedlam." To provide further help, "larceny" means thievery and might be a possible correct answer if "bedlam" were not a much stronger answer. Additionally, "repose" means rest; "innuendo" means a reference of a crude or vulgar nature; "cohabitation" means living together, inhabiting the same space. 

To solve this problem you simply have to determine which of these answer choices describes food that is not sweet. The correct answer is "savory." "Savory" means tasty, not sweet, salty food. To provide further help, "ribald" means vulgar, insulting; "abstruse" means hard to understand; "brash" means cocky, impudent; "lustrous" means shiny. 

Based on the context of this sentence and the intensity of the speaker's disdain for his hometown the correct answer must reflect the narrow-mindedness of small towns. The correct answer is therefore "provincial" which means concerning the limited worldview of people in certain towns or regions, backwoods, backwater, rural. Additionally, "circumspect" means thoughtful; "luminary" means notable, highly respected; "bestial" means savage, like a beast; "raucous" means boisterous, loud and chaotic. In this case, even if you were not aware of the meaning of the word "provincial" you could tell that none of the answers is particularly close to appropriate, given the connotation.

The idea of a manned mission to Mars, that costs hundreds of billions of dollars, could probably best be described as "idealistic" and at worst "absurdly unrealistic." Luckily there is a word that captures both of these definitions. The word is "quixotic" which means idealistic, unrealistic, incredibly impractical. Additionally, "baleful" means deadly, threatening, menacing; "mendacious" means deceptive, dishonest; "redolent" means evocative and suggestive, reminding one of a strong sensory experience or memory; "effulgent" means radiant, brilliant, shiny, sparkling. 

In order for the man to have been fired the comments he made must have been offensive in some way. So, the correct answer is "pejorative," which means having a derogatory effect, insulting and disparaging. Additionally, "gauche" means lacking social graces, trite; "abstruse" means hard to understand; "venial" means relatively easily forgiven (particularly of sin); "fallow" means (of soil) left inactive. 

From context, it is clear that the answer choice must mean something similar to detest, so the correct answer is “abhor.” To “abhor” means to hate, detest or greatly dislike; “abduct” means kidnap; “vacate” means leave empty or evacuate; "evaluate" means assess the quality of; “preempt” means do something to stop something from happening in the future.

The key to this question is the participial phrase "removing much of the wonder." The implication is that modernity made the world appear "bleak" like equations of physics. By stripping it of its wonder, it made it quite plain and without poetic meaning—at least the sentence claims this. This is not necessarily to destroy the world, and it does not make much sense to say that it depressed the world. (Perhaps it depressed the people.) The word "disenchanted" (or "disenchantment") can be used merely to describe a person who has become disillusioned or has lost interests. It can also describe, in an extended sense, the thing that was disenchanted—the world, which had lost its appearance of being wonderful.