All of the incorrect options provided for this sentence add to much information, for all that is said is that the young man “thought himself to be an accomplished scholar.” This might have been out of arrogance, but it just as well could have been based on some reality, though exaggerated. One cannot draw a conclusion either way. The best answer is “donnish,” a term meaning “in a manner resembling a university professor.” Literally, it would be a resemblance to a university “don,” a British term applied to the upper tiers of professors at Oxford and Cambridge. The term comes from the Latin word for “lord,” found in related English words like “dominate” and “dominion.”

The key phrase in this sentence is “desire to avenge,” implying that Timothy not only was angry or anxious about what happened but also that he wished to take actions in revenge for the apparent slights from his past. When someone is “vindictive,” he or she “vengeful,” but in a very deep and fixed degree.

Given the verb “transported,” this sentence describes a significant state experienced by Isidore. The term “rapture” best captures such intensity in experiencing delight. The word is derived from the Latin for “to seize,” and a person who is “rapt” is seized by some experience.

When applied to colors, the word “vivid” describes particular depth or brilliance. Generally, thoughts or recollections are termed “vivid,” as in “vivid memories;” however, the term originally meant merely “lively.” It is derived from the Latin base “to live” founding words like “revive,” “vivacious,” and “survive.”

Based on the information provided, the only thing that we can say about the spices in question is that they have lost their flavor. In such a case, the spices are considered “insipid,” a word that is the opposite of “sapid,” which means “having a strong taste.”

The key thing to note is that the food is being contrasted with being “tasteless”; therefore, the best option will be one that explicitly describes being tasteful. The word “sapid” means “having a strong and pleasing flavor.” It is the opposite of the related word “insipid,” which means “having little flavor.”

All that can be said about the works in question is that they copied the originals and that they fell short to some degree; however, one must be careful not to infer anything further than that; therefore, “derivative” is the best options, a word meaning that something is an imitation of another work (or works). While it does often have a negative sense, that negativity can merely imply that the derived work falls short. The word comes from roots that literally mean “down stream from something.”  The "-riv-" portion is related to words like "rivulet" and "river."

Since the decision in question was to become important, it would best be called “momentous,” meaning that it would be of great influence or significance in the future. Sometimes, you will see this same sense communicated in expressions like “decision of moment.”

The key word to note here is “inflexibly,” a clue word that indicates that the word needed is not one of the potential options dealing with continuous opposition. Instead, “adamantly” best fits the situation, meaning “refusing to alter one’s opinion or position.” The word comes originally from the Greek for “invincible” (or also “diamond”). It is related to the English “adamantine,” meaning unbreakable.

Since Blaise was unyielding, it could be said that his determination was unbreakable. The word “adamantine” fits that need best. The trap answers “devoted” and “dedicated” do not capture such strong determination, as indicated by the key phrase “utterly refusing . . .” The word comes from Greek roots meaning “invincible” (or also “diamond”). It is related to the English “adamant,” meaning “refusing to alter one’s opinion or position.”