The sense of the sentence is that Sandy is continuing to accumulate expenses for care that is given after the surgery. Note that we cannot say anything specific about the care except the fact that it is implied to be after the surgery. Therefore, the best option for the second blank is “subsequent,” meaning “following after.” The word comes from Latin roots for “to follow” and is found in English words like “consequence,” “sequence,” and “antecede.” When one “incurs” something, he or she is subjected to that thing as a consequence of some former action, the incurred thing generally having a negative connotation.

A number of the options provided for the first blank immediately contrast with the assertion that the old man did not intend any ill (e.g. “malevolent,” “malicious,” and “vindictive”). Likewise, there is nothing in the sentence implying that he was “dolorous,” that is, sad; therefore, the best option is “cantankerous . . . abide.” When someone is cantankerous, they might just be argumentative, not necessarily out of ill will. When one cannot “abide” something, he or she is said to be unable to tolerate its existence.

For the first blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "stolen," because later in the sentence, we're too that Sally "immediately gave [the pencil] back, having stolen it." Either "appropriated" ("took (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission") or "snatched" ("steal (something) or kidnap (someone), typically by seizing or grabbing suddenly") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like "accidentally," because the sentence informs us that Sally "had [taken] Sam's favorite pencil without knowing it was his." Either "unintentionally "("not done on purpose") or "unwittingly" ("not done on purpose; unintentionally") could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "appropriated" and "unintentionally" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "appropriated . . . unintentionally."

Because the sentence's subject is a fox and all of the available answer choices for the first blank are adjectives describing color, we need to pick out an adjective that describes a shade of red, because foxes typically have predominantly reddish fur. Either "red" or "russet" ("reddish brown in color") could be potentially correct. For the second blank, we can infer that because the fox's tail "(verb)ed down to a delicate point" that either "tapered" ("diminished or reduced or caused to diminish or reduce in thickness toward one end") or "narrowed" could be potentially correct. Of the possible words that we've identified as potentially correct for each blank, only "russet" and "tapered" appear in the same answer choice, so the correct answer is "russet . . . tapered."

We can infer that Cindy believes even unlikely claims, so for the first blank, we're looking for an adjective that means something like "unsuspecting." Either "gullible" ("easily persuaded to believe something; credulous") or "credulous" ("having or showing too great a readiness to believe things") could work. For the second blank, we know that Cindy was tricked by the seller who sold her the gold-painted pendant, so we should pick out another verb that means something like "tricked." Either "swindled" ("deceived to deprive someone of money or possessions") or "deceived" ("to cause to believe what is not true; mislead") could work. Of the potential answers we've identified as potentially correct, only "gullible" and "swindled" appear in the same answer choice, so the answer is "gullible . . . swindled."

"Scandalous" means that something contains defamatory material and is in somw way shocking, while "annul" means to make void or invalid. The new bride, having learned of her husband's shocking past, wished to invalidate her marriage.

"Chided" means scold, while "unkempt" means disorderly or untidy. John's grandmother scolded him for his untidy appearance at the graduation.

That the warriors were "unlikely to survive" tells us that the second word should somehow involve injury. This leaves "maimed" and "dismembered" as potentially correct choices. A painting of such subject matter would not be very "endearing," but it could certainly be "grotesque." Therefore, "grotesque . . . maimed" is the correct answer.

"Countenance," when used as a verb, means admit as acceptable or possible, while "prosaic" means unoriginal. The speaker's aunt finds contemporary art to be so unoriginal that she cannot even admit as a possibility the idea of visiting a contemporary art museum.

The main clues for the first blank are the phrases “praise of the team” and “flattering terms” separated by a comma, which indicate that the missing word enhances the praise that the principal had for the football team. Since "effusive" means to express feelings of approval in an unrestrained manner, it is correct. For the second blank, the conjunction “and” links the two clauses and indicates that the principal had similarly positive praise for the work ethic and discipline of every player. "Extolling" means to praise enthusiastically, and thus fits the second blank.