The key point to note is that the brush communicates the artistic skill that is not in the brush itself. It is “traversed” by a force greater than it could create on its own. (It would be rather boring on its own—though it might be quite well crafted); therefore, it is “traversed.”

Although the Latin root “-vers” often means something like to turn, there is also a Latin root, versari, which means to move about or dwell. The prefix “tra-“ is really an abbreviation of “trans-,” which means across (as in a word like “transatlantic” or “transfer”—the latter meaning to carry across); therefore, “traverse” means to move across—like the skill of the artist across the brush.

The word “utilization” means the use made of something and is related to a number of “use” words. In the earlier Latin as well as other English usages, the “t” often becomes an “s” because of the similarity of these sounds, depending on the context in given words.  

In this sentence you are told that a certain condition having to do with the number of laborers caused wages to fall and the government to respond with new policies. Logical reasoning should help dictate that a scarcity (a state of having little or not enough of something) of laborers would cause wages to rise, and at any rate, the government would not respond by "beautifying" (making beautiful) new policies. A "debacle" (disaster) of laborers does not make sense. Neither does "incoherence" (difficulty understanding). Of the remaining options, the best answer is that an "overabundance" (a state of having more of something that is needed) of laborers would cause the government to "embrace" (adopt) a series of new policies.

Every one of the wrong answers has an acceptable word provided for the second blank. There really is no indication whether Thomas found many aspects suitable for critique or for praise / approval. (The word "approbation" means "prase"). Indeed, he might merely find the other sections calling for further discussion or reflection. The key, then, is the first blank, and the phrase to note is "to one section of the talk." The implication is that Thomas wishes to focus on merely one section of the talk instead of being concerned with the whole thing; therefore, the best option for the first blank is "restrict," which means "to limit." (As a vocabulary help, a "restriction" is a limitation. "Travel restrictions" are "limits placed on travel").

For the first blank, we know that the king was worried that his people would starve despite something about the size of the fall harvest, so we can infer from the use of "despite" that the harvest was quite large. We need to pick out an answer choice that means something like largeness. Either "bounty" (plenty) or "abundance (a large amount of something) could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need a verb that described what happened to the king's fears when he learned that his people had stored away the majority of their harvest. We can infer that this would calm his fears, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like calm. Either "quelled" (calm something, like worries) or "assuaged" (soothed an unpleasant feeling) could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "bounty" and "quelled" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "bounty . . . quelled."

For the first blank, we know that we need to pick out a word that means something like "questioning" because later in the sentence, the officers are mentioned that the prisoner "had to be questioned in regards to each [crime]." Either "interrogation" ("to ask someone questions in a thorough and often forceful way") or "questioning" could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "lengthened," because while the police officers "had initially expected to be done questioning him before lunch," they "didn't finish up until late that evening." Either "protracted" (" prolonged") or "extended" ("caused to last longer") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "interrogation" and "protracted" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "interrogation . . . protracted."

Nearly all of the answers provide a decent option for the second word (with the exception of "berated," which does not fit, as it means criticized in a nasty way).  The best way to approach this question is to notice that we are not really given any clues regarding exactly what Clint did. We only know that it was something that could be heard and that he had a positive disposition. Therefore, it is best to stay with the safe option, namely "optimism," which indicates that Clint always looked for the positive aspect of things. While "optimism" does indicate a general temperament (like angry describes a temperament), we can imagine that one can hear "optimism" insofar as one hears the optimistic remarks, jokes, opinions, and so forth that are made by an optimistic person.

The sense of the sentence is that the meeting “fell apart,” going form a serious discussion to one of mere laugher. When something is serious, it can be called “grave,” in the sense of “having weight.” (When someone has “gravity” or “gravitas,” it is implied that such a person does not just pass from one opinion to another in a light-hearted manner). When things “devolve,” they literally are said to “roll downward” or (more directly in English) to “degenerate.” The “-volve” portion of the word is the same as that founding “revolve” and “evolve.”

For the first blank, we need to pick out a verb that means something like "begged," because we can infer that the peasants are begging the prince to lower taxes so that they can continue to afford food. Either "implored" ("begged someone earnestly or desperately to do something") or "importuned" ("ask (someone) pressingly and persistently for or to do something") could be correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "food," because it is described as being "a bit of wheat flour and a cup of vegetable soup per day." Either "sustenance" ("food and drink regarded as a source of strength; nourishment") or "nourishment" ("the food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "implored" and "sustenance" appear in the same answer choice in the correct order, so the correct answer is "implored . . . sustenance."

For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that describes a topographical feature that can have "a stream [running] through it on the valley floor." Because of the mention of a valley, "peak" cannot be the correct answer, and because of the mention of a stream, neither "desert" nor "ocean" make sense. Either "glen" ("a narrow valley") or "canyon" ("a deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it) could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we know that there are mountains on either side of the land feature, so either "enclosed" ("closed in, surrounded") or "bounded" ("bound" meaning "form the boundary of; enclose") could be the correct answer. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "glen" and "enclosed" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "glen . . . enclosed."

We can infer that for the first blank, we need to pick out a noun that means something like "look," because it is described as "mischievous" and it "appear[s] in her eyes." Either "gleam" ("of an emotion or quality: appear or be expressed through the brightness of someone's eyes or expression") or "spark" ("a trace of a specified quality or intense feeling") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a verb that means something like "stop," because while the male subject "knew that they were going to get into trouble," he could not stop "such an outcome." Either "prevent" (" keep (something) from happening or arising") or "preclude" ("prevent from happening; make impossible") could be correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "gleam" and "prevent" appear in the same answer choice in the correct order, so the correct answer is "gleam . . . prevent."