Although a number of the options given for this question are tempting, the key point is that John does not want to be in others’ sight. Do not be tricked by the expression “far removed” as though it necessarily implies distance. It merely indicates that he wishes to be out of vision of the general crowd. The word “inconspicuous” means not in general visibility. If something is “conspicuous,” it is readily seen and obvious. The “-spic-” root is likewise found in other “-spec-” words that are legion in the English language, coming from the Latin roots for to look. Such words include (among many others): “spectator,” “prospective,” “perspective,” “specific,” “spectacular,” and so forth.

The key words in the second sentence are “indivisible” and “atomic.” Although “corpuscle” often is used to describe the smallest part of a given biological body, it also can be used to mean the smallest indivisible unit. When science began to focus on the atomic structure of matter—which never was really forgotten, though it was not given a lot of prominence for other reasons—there was much talk of the “corpuscular,” that is, atomic nature of the world.

The key word that indicates what is needed is “introduction.” This is best matched by the word “propaedeutic”—a rare word, but one that can be discerned. The prefix “pro-” is the same as that found in the word “prologue,” meaning “coming before.” The root of “-“-paedeutic” is a bit more difficult, but it is related to such “teaching-related” words as “pedagogue” and “pedantic.” A propaedeutic subject is one that is introductory, leading onward later to further instruction after setting the initial groundwork.

The opposition with “lax and disorganized” implies that the person is very aware and careful about details in at least one area of life. To be “fastidious” is to have such particular care about details.

The focus in this sentence is on the engineers’ ability to use the water. While perhaps their design is amazing, the word “hydrodynamics” means “concerned with the forces of water.” You know the parts to this word “hydro-” being found in other water-related words like “hydrate,” “hydroelectric,” and “hydrolysis.” The portion “dynamics” is found in a number of “dynamic” words including “aerodynamics,” “dynamism,” and “dynamite.”

The implication in this sentence is indirect, but it seems clear that it had not been recognized how many works James had written during his lifetime. After his death, people realized that he had written many works, which would mean that he was “prolific.”

There are two things to note in this sentence. First, there is an opposition involved, thus ruling out the option “organic.” Second, the opposition is not between healthful and unhealthful tissue but between sinewy muscle and fatty tissue of some sort. Adipose tissue is that tissue that stores fat for an animal. Even if you did not know the term, it would be possible to eliminate the other options if you recognize the points noted above.

A menial job is one that does not require much in the way of skills and is viewed as having little worth. That this is the correct answer is indicated by the discussion of experience and skills in the second sentence. In more dated contexts, the word can mean more specifically the work done by household servants.

The key to the contrast being made here is the variance of Quinn’s family’s manners with his refined ones. The best choice is “gauche,” which means that something lacks grace or is unsophisticated. This is closer to the contrast than the other options. The word is derived from the French for “left,” and left-handedness often has a certain negative cultural connotation in the West. For instance, the word “sinister” is derived from similar French and Latin backgrounds for the word “left.”

The sense of the word to be chosen must express the notion of being “crucial,” “central,” or something of the like. The word “cardinal” comes from the Latin for “hinge” (as in “door hinge”). Something is cardinal when everything else “hinges” on its success or ability.