“Noxious” means toxic or "poisonous." “Innocuous” means harmless; “hospitable” means welcoming; "habitable" refers to areas and means able to support life; and "fragrant" means having a pleasant smell.

“Odious” means disgusting, repulsive, or "repellent." As for the other answer choices, “endearing” means causing others to feel affection for one in one's interactions with them; “attractive” means good-looking; “coherent” means able to be understood and making sense; and “meddlesome” means interfering or getting in the way.

“Opulent” means luxurious, extravagant and very fancy, or financially rich. As for the other answer choices, “foreboding” means ominous; “disconcerting” means troubling or worrying; “penitent” means showing regret and wanting forgiveness; “indiscriminate” means done at random, aimless, and arbitrary.

“Austere” means severe and grim, so "dour," which means stern and solemn, is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, “dire” means serious or terrible; “livid” means furious; “loyal” means faithful to a person, group, or cause; and “lucid” means clear and understandable.

“Incongruous” means out of place or "inappropriate." As for the other answer choices, “apt” means appropriate and right and is an antonym of "incongruous." “Discontinuous” means intermittent and containing gaps; “self-serving” means doing something to benefit only oneself; and “winsome” means charming.

Several of the proposed answers attempt to get you to confuse "furtive" with "fervent." The latter word means passionate and fierce. The word "furtive" actually comes from the Latin word for "thief". A thief acts under the cover of darkness and behaves secretively. Thus, when something is "furtive" it is secret or hidden. Therefore, the best option among those provided is "hidden."

The word "dismal" describes someone or something that is depressing, downcast, or gloomy. It can also describe something that appears dreary or gloomy—as when we say on a rainy day, "This is certainly some dismal weather!" Thus, the only appropriate option among those given is "dreary."

Often, we immediately associate the word "blaring" with an instrument like the trumpet. A "blaring trumpet" is one that is very loud. The word "blaring" does in fact mean very loud. Among the options provided, only one is related to sound in this way, namely "strident." This word can be used to describe someone who argues his or her position in a rather obnoxious way; however, its primary meaning describes something that is loud and harsh sounding as is the case with something that is blaring.

Something that is "garish" is showy and generally quite tasteless. Think of a coat that is painted neon green with bright orange lines and a lot of sequins. Now, such a thing might be ugly or even revolting, but the primary meaning of "garish" is showy. The word "gaudy" is a good synonym for such showiness.

"Strident" means harsh, unforgiving, of a sound that is loud and grating. To provide further help, "aloof" means cold and detached from people; "resilient" means determined, able to bounce back from hardship; "bereft" means feeling deeply sad and lost after suffering a loss; "provocative" means inciting, inflammatory.