The key thing to note is that Christopher only recently had a change in his interests. This gives us the best indication for the second word to be chosen, as “nascent” literally means “newly born.” It is related to other words like “nativity,” “natal,” and “renaissance" (meaning "re-birth").

"Antithesis" means the exact opposite, while "beholden" means owing something to another, such as allegiance.  A person who argues that power determines what is right and wrong would believe the exact opposite of his or her friend who believes in a higher law to which we must all be loyal.

We can infer that for the second blank, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "escape," because we know the thief "[ran] straight out the door" when she heard the burglar alarm go off. Either "getaway" (" an escape or quick departure, especially after committing a crime") or "egress" ("the action of going out of or leaving a place") could be potentially correct. For the first blank, we know that the thief made her exit "at a headlong dash," so she was moving very quickly and we should pick out an adjective to reflect her speed. Either "hasty" ("done or acting with excessive speed or urgency; hurried") or "quick" ("moving fast or doing something in a short time") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "hasty" and "egress" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "hasty . . . egress."

Since the assets were free from interference, they were isolated. The word “insulated” does not merely indicate the process of installing material to prevent energy from being transferred from one area to another. It also can indicate any such isolation of forces. The word is derived from the Latin word “insula,” which means “island.” The English word, “insular,” is similarly derived.

The word “parity”, indicating a state of equality, is derived from the Latin “pars,” meaning equal. The same root is reflected in English words like “disparity,” “pair,” and even “subpar.”

The key to getting this question correct is noting the options for the first blank. The sense here is not directly depression but instead is that of being of a bleak and sullen temperament. “Morose” best fits this usage.  Although “lamentation” can have the sense of weeping, it also can indicate the expression of sorrow in general, so the word still fits—at least better than the other options, which is all that is needed.

The only thing that is stated about Aaron in this sentence is that he delays his work. Therefore, the best description of him would be “a procrastinator.” The expression “textbook . . .” is a colloquial (i.e. spoken or informal) expression meaning “the standard version of . . .”. Someone who is “quintessential” is the perfect example of a given class of things. The word “procrastinator” comes from the Latin “cras”, meaning “tomorrow.”   The word “quintessential” comes from the old cosmology that spoke of four elements, followed by the fifth (“quint-”) element that made up the heavenly bodies—the most refined and perfect of all elements in that account.

A change in political structures does not necessarily indicate a mere change in "juries," "regulation," or "regalia." These options are far too specific in themselves. Likewise, the alterations are very regular in their occurrence, happening “every nineteen years.” Such the best option for the adjective for “alterations” thus should express the regularity of such alterations. “Cyclical” and “regular” do this well. However, “legislation” is too specific as well. Remember, it is the “entire” political structure that is changed. Cyclical means happening in a cycle, that is, as though it were happening in a circular manner. This and “authority” fit the sentence very well.

For the first blank, we can infer that because Gina is "[known] to be bubbly . . . as well as a constant chatterer," we need to pick out an adjective that describes her social personality. Either "ebullient" ("cheerful and full of energy") or "exuberant" ("filled with or characterized by a lively energy and excitement") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "withdrawn" or " because we know that Gina "barely said a word" at dinner and "seemed quite withdrawn"; either "reticence" ("not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily") or "reservedness" ("the quality of being slow to reveal emotion or opinions") could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "ebullient" and "reticence" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "ebullient . . . reticence."

The sentence implies an opposition between those who subtly break rules and those who are not so subtle, leading to their being noticed.   Note, that the second word must be related to “perceived,” thus eliminating options like “arrest” and “detainment,” which imply more than mere detection. The best option is “blatant, detection,” for someone who is “blatant” is someone who is very “out in the open” and “unsubtle.” The word “detection” is a much better match than the other options for the manner that the blatant person is noticed.

The fact that the student’s reply suggested she had not actually done the reading helps you solve for both blanks. The first underlined word probably means something like brief, too short, or pithy, so “laconic” or “concise” could be acceptable answers, although “laconic” means using very few words, whereas “concise” implies using few words, but giving a lot of information. So a “laconic” reply would be more indicative of a lack of comprehension than would a “concise” reply. Of the two possible answers for the second blank, “vexed,” which means annoyed, makes a lot more sense than “insinuated,” which means suggested, hinted, or implied. For further help, “contrite” means apologetic and remorseful; “convoluted” means complicated, tangled, and complex; “apathetic” means nonchalant or not caring; “thrilled” means delighted or very happy; “insipid” means bland or tasteless; “undermined” means subverted or weakened.