The key phrase is “in the hopes of dissuading buyers from purchasing.” Since the city wishes to reduce purchasing, it is safe to think that it wishes likewise to reduce consumption. When something is “curtailed” it is reduced or restricted.            

We can infer that because the sentence discusses "the defendant's lawyer" who learns of "the ruling against his client" and prepares to "argue that the court had ruled against an innocent man," we need to pick out a verb that means something like "oppose," because we can see that the lawyer prepared to oppose the court's ruling against his client. "Support," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "support," when used as a verb, can mean "give approval, comfort, or encouragement to," making it an antonym of the verb for which we are looking. "Contest," however, is a word that when used as a verb, can mean "oppose (an action, decision, or theory) as mistaken or wrong" or "engage in dispute about." Because "contest" is the answer choice that best conveys how the lawyer prepared to oppose the court's decision, "contest" is the correct answer.

We can infer that we need to pick out a verb that can describe a coin bouncing off of "the metal sides of the well." "Thudded" might look like a potentially correct answer, but "thud" as a verb means "move, fall, or strike something with a dull, heavy sound," and because a coin would not make "a dull, heavy sound," "thudded" cannot be the correct answer. "Plink," however, is a word that when used as a verb, means "emit a short, sharp, metallic or ringing sound," and because "plink" best describes the noise a coin would make when bouncing off of the metal sides of a well, "plinked" is the correct answer.

The only thing implied by the sentence is that the man “turned away from” his influential work to the simpler form of life. It cannot be said that he necessarily despised it, and any talk of reduction does not capture the sense of “converting” from one lifestyle to another. The word “forsook” is the past form of “forsake,” meaning “to abandon.” This is the closest option for matching the sense of turning from one life to another.

We can infer that because the editor "received a free copy" of the magazine "each month," that she paid no fees for her subscription, and that it was free. So, we need to pick out a word that means something like "ignored" or "canceled." While "decreased" may look like a potentially correct answer, "decreased" would imply that the fees' sum went down, but that there was still some remaining balance to be paid. "Waived," a verb that means "to officially say that you will not use or require something that you are allowed to have or that is usually required," is the best answer choice because it implies that the magazine editor paid no fees whatsoever. So, because "waived" best fits the context of the sentence, it is the correct answer.

Because we know that the king's advisors constantly praised and flattered him in the interest of gaining "more powerful or lucrative position[s] at court," we need to pick out an adjective for the blank that means something like "flattered." While "begged" may look like a potentially correct answer, the advisors are not overtly begging for better positions, and one does not "beg over" someone—that's not grammatically correct. "Fawned," on the other hand, when used as a verb describing a person's actions, means "gave a servile display of exaggerated flattery or affection, typically in order to gain favor or advantage." Because "fawned" best fits the context of the sentence, it is the correct answer.

The trap word among the answers is “questioned,” but do not be fooled by it. The young electrician is totally turning to the master for advice. When someone admits his or her own lack of ability and the need to have someone else provide for it, that person is said to “defer” to the other. Someone who is respectful of superiors is often said to have a “deferential” personality. The word “defer” has another meaning, namely, “to put off to a later time,” but that is not appropriate here.

The important thing to note in this sentence is that the security forces are trying to prevent civilians from entering the area. They are not expulsing them from the area; therefore, the best option is “cordoned,” which means “to prevent access,” generally by means of guards or some kind of security personnel. The word is related to “cord,” so you can remember it by thinking of a cord being placed around the perimeter of an area to prevent entry.

The sense of this sentence is that it was necessary for all six people to work together on this project (in order to bring all of their talents to bear on its various aspects). When people work together on something, they are said to “collaborate,” which literally means “to work together.” The “col-” prefix is really the “cum-” or “con-” prefix meaning “together” or “with,” as is found in “cumulative” and “congregation;” however, here, it alters to fit with the “l” of “-laborated.” In this regard, think or “collect.” The second part of the word is derived from the Latin for “to work” and is found in English words like “labor” and “laborious.”

Since John is considering the academics of the school not merely as an observer but as one judging their compliance with standards, it is best to say that he is evaluating the school. The word is derived from the familiar prefix “e-”, meaning “out of,” and the base that is related to the word “value.” An “evaluation,” is a drawing out (in the sense of making explicit and noted) the value of some thing, often against some standard of comparison.