You can hear the root meaning of joke within the word "jocular" (though it is pronounced not with the long O of "joke," but "JOCK-yuh-ler"). We learn here that Chris is rarely serious and that his personality provides welcome relief on difficult days. "Jocular" (joking and playful) is the best answer choice to describe him.

The sentence sets up a contrast: the critic prefers "modest" colors, but the exhibit presents the opposite. We know this because the critic "disapproved of the . . . neon colors," and we were told what the critic prefers: "modest earth tones." What word best fits the opposite of "modest earth tones" and matches with "bright neon colors"? We should predict that we need to pick out a word that means something like bright and colorful. "Subtle" means understated or cunning, which is the opposite of the word we predicted. "Frequent" means occuring often, and doesn't fit the sentence. The best fit is "garish," which means gaudy or glaring and is closest to our prediction of bright and colorful, though it describes something that is too bright and colorful.

What sort of respose would we predict "numerous outraged employees" to give?  The key word is "outraged"—we should expect the response to be angry, upset, or critical. "Jubilant" means rejoicing or triumphant, so it is the opposite of the word we're looking for. Also, "lauditory" means full of praise—another opposite word. "Apathetic" means disinterested or unemotional, and "lethargic" means sluggish or having very little energy. The best word for the blank is "scathing," which means bitterly severe.

Because the general did not take revenge when he could have and offered generous peace terms, we should predict that a word that accurately describes his nature should mean something like good, kind, generous, or merciful. "Excoriating" means harsh and specifically refers to harsh, critical speech— this word has a negative connotation, so it doesn't fit with our prediction of a positively-connoted word to describe the general's nature. "Vindictive" means seeking or done to achieve revenge—precisely what the general did not do! "Concerned" is close, but it means troubled or anxious—we don't get the sense that the general is worried in this sentence, though. "Instinctive" means based on instinct instead of something that has been formally taught or done without thinking, so it can't be the correct answer either. "Magnanimous," however, means generous in forgiving an insult or injury, so that is the word we want!

If someone resigns in disgrace after his private actions were revealed, those actions can't have been good. The word we want should mean something like bad, shocking, or scandalous. "Exemplary" means beyond reproach or of very high moral quality. No one would be disgraced for being found to be exemplary, so "exemplary" cannot be the correct answer. Likewise, "chaste" means pure, undefiled, or stainless. "Candid" means blunt and honest; it wouldn't make sense for a person to resign because their affairs were honest. "Convivial" means friendly or cheerful—this, too, wouldn't fit the sense of the sentence. Our best choice is "lurid," which means horrible or revolting. It makes sense to resign if the press learns that your actions were lurid.

If only a few hairs grew back after someone spent thousands of dollars trying to cure his baldness, we would call the results poor or scanty. We're looking for a word that indicates the results were underwelming. "Stupendous" means the opposite of the word we're looking for—it means fantastic or amazing, and that would indicate the results were successful. "Cavalier" means unconcerned with something that one should be concerned about, so it would not make sense in the blank. "Fallow" means not in use or inactive and is often used to describe land, specifically, fields being allowed to rest and regain their nutrients. The results of the subject's attempt to cure his baldness weren't inactive, they were scanty. "Inchoate" means just beginning; that doesn't fit—the treatment has been concluded, and is not just beginning.  "Meager" is the best answer choice—it means deficient in results, scanty, or thin.

How would you describe the effort of someone trying to fill a hole on the beach with sea water? It wouldn't work, would it?  Some good predictions could be pointless, ineffective, or unsuccessful. From our answer choices, inconclusive is close, but it means uncertain or unknown. However, the result of the boy's efforts is conclusive: it doesn't work. "Salutary" means healthy or wholesome, and while it might be salutary exercise to run back and forth on the beach, it certainly isn't a salutary effort to fill a hole with water. "Extensive" means far-reaching or comprehensive, so it doesn't fit the sense of the sentence. "Acclaimed" means widely praised, so it doesn't match our prediction. "Futile" means ineffective, useless, or doomed to failure.  That's our word!

Since no one is surprised that Darryl wants to try to break the world record for largest rubber-band ball, we can infer that he has a great many rubber bands at his disposal. So, we need to pick an adjective for the blank that means something like ample or great. While "ubiquitous" sounds like it could be the correct answer, "ubiquitous" actually means occurring or found everywhere, and if it were used in the sentence, it wouldn't actually describe the number of rubber bands in Darryl's possession. "Copious," on the other hand, means abundant and makes sense in the sentence's context, so "copious" is the correct answer.

The key expression in the main clause is the indication that the two people are on “friendly” terms. While one could say that this is an "average" or "acceptable" situation, it is even better described as being “amiable,” which means friendly. The word comes from the Latin for "friend," which is often found in the form “amicable” or even “amity,” the latter meaning a state of friendship.

The sentence does not indicate anything regarding the frequency or regularity of the young man’s use of nicknames for his elders; however, it is clear from the relative clause that his action is being described as not showing adequate respect to these parties; therefore, it is fair to say that he acted in a “flippant” manner. This does not merely mean that he acted lightheartedly, but also that he did so without showing the respect due in the given situation.