The only thing that the sentence says about Vincent’s action is that he decided to simplify the room. Therefore, do not imply anything else in your answer, such as “spurning” or the like. The best option, though very simple, is “eliminating.” Interestingly, the word “eliminate” literally means “to place outside of the threshold (of some area, whether physical or figurative).” The “threshold” portion of the meaning is signified by the “-liminate” portion of the word, and it is related to words like “limitation” and “delimit.”

The key phrase in this sentence is “critically necessary.” Since the director needs to fill such an important part in the orchestra, it is likely that he will not merely ask for help in a reserved manner. Instead, it is more likely that he will ask for such help in an earnest manner. The word is derived from the Latin roots that mean not merely to ask or request but to do so often with the implication of tearfully doing so.   It is related to the English “deplorable,” which indicates conditions that are extremely lamentable—very worthy of disapproval.

The sense of the sentence is that Sebastian would “call upon” the powers of God for help. When one “invokes” someone or something, he or she does just that. From its roots in Latin, the word literally means “to call on.” The prefix “in-” can at times mean “on” because of the use of “in” in Latin, which also can me “on” in the sense of “on top of.” The “-voke” portion of the word comes from the Latin for “to call or name.” It is found in words like “vocation” and “advocate.”

The key word is in the second half of the sentence, namely “convince.” The implication is that the family was trying to convince Carol not to drink heavily. It was not attempting to force her to stop. The word literally means “to convince away from.” The “dis-” prefix can mean “away from” or some other form of reversal of an action. It is thus used in words like “disease” and “dismay.” The “-suade” portion of the word comes from the Latin for “to urge or recommend.” Related English words are “persuade” and “persuasive.”

Since it was not very cold, the two blankets presumably were sufficient for warming Raul that evening. That is, they “did the job” well enough, given the circumstances. When something “suffices,” it meets the needs of a given situation. Given that the sentence stresses the fact that it was not extremely cold, this is the best option, as it conveys the sense implied in remarks comparing the number of blankets to the moderate weather.

The key phrase in this sentence is “into a single list.” The idea conveyed by this is the act of gathering; therefore, the notions of publishing or announcing are not correct. When things are “garnered,” they are gathered together. The word is distantly derived from the Latin for “grain.” To memorize the word, one can think of “garnering” things into a “granary.”

When you first read the sentence without looking at the options, the sense of the blank is that the argument is “based” on one shaky assumption. The sense of “shaky” is unreliable—a secondary but legitimate use of the word. It would be a stretch to refer to the assumption as being “unstable” on that assumption. The best option is that which conveys the sense of “founding” or “basing.” The word “premised” is the verb form of the noun “premise.” A “premise” to an argument is a statement upon which later parts of the argument are based. One can say that when an argument is “based” on a given assumption, it is “premised” upon it.

By using the word “instead,” this sentence is establishing a contrast between responding to others’ desires and the word that is needed to answer the question. When someone “anticipates” something, he or she considers it before it happens (as opposed to responding to it once it happens). Based on its Latin roots, the word literally means “to take beforehand.” The “anti-” prefix does not mean “against.” Instead, it is a form of “ante-”, meaning “before.” The title, “the Antebellum South,” is used to describe the southern states in the United States before the civil war. (Bellum here means “war.”) The “-cipate” part of the word is related to a number of words like “capture,” “participate,” and “emancipate.”

The key phrase in this sentence is “so that no aspect would be misunderstood.” Aaron’s presentation must be comprehensive and understandable, reviewing every detail of the project in a manner that is clear. When someone “articulates” a position, he or she explains it in a clear manner, making all necessary distinctions. The word comes from the Latin for “joint,” so to articulate something is to “cut it at its joints” (that is, at its smallest separable parts).

The two key things to note here are “escape path” and “from.” The sense of the sentence is that Douglas has little hope of escaping from the situation. It could be said that he cannot “remove himself” from it. The word “extricate” means “to remove oneself from a difficult situation or (more generally) difficulties.” It is derived from the Latin word for “trick,” so it could be said to mean “to get out of the tricks (of some situation).” It is related to “intricate” and “intriguing.”