In this sentence, it is necessary to choose the option most directly appropriate based on the information given. Although artistic pleasures might be intellectual or educated pleasures, they are most certainly “aesthetic” or “aesthetical” pleasures. Something “aesthetic” is concerned with beauty and its appreciation. The word is derived from Greek words dealing with sense perception, a root found in “anesthesia,” which is the treatment that puts a patient “out of his or her senses” before an operation.

The opposition here is between accomplished or exemplary work and work that would be considered “run of the mill” or average. When something is “mediocre,” it is not necessarily poor in quality (though we often think of the term in that manner). Most properly speaking, it is merely of “middling” or average quality—the “middle” sense being easily seen in the “medi-” with which the word begins. Think here of related words like “mediate” and “medieval.”

The only thing that we know about the two nations here is that they were seemingly at peace with pacts of agreement before things broke down into a state of war; therefore, at that time, they would have been “allies,” meaning that they cooperated with each other. The word is related to the English “alloy,” meaning a metal made by combination of multiple metals.

The key expression here is “in hopes of avoiding detection.” The best description for an action that is aimed at such a hope would be one that is “sneaky” or “secretive.” When someone is “furtive,” he or she is attempting to avoid being noticed, particularly when breaking a rule. The word comes form Latin roots related to “theft” and “thief,” though the English meaning takes on the more general sense of sneakiness (though, as noted, often with the implication that the secrecy is due to the breaking of some rule).

From the context of this question you know that the men being described are soldiers and that they are being paid to fight in a war. This would most likely lead you towards the answer choice mercenary, which is correct. Mercenary refers to a professional soldier paid to fight for a country other than his own or, more broadly, someone only interested in profit. Sardonic means sarcastic; implausible means a highly unlikely outcome.

We know that the dog tried to eat the plastic fruit and couldn't eat it, so we're looking for an adjective that means "not able to be eaten." "Inedible," which means "not able to be eaten,"  is the best answer choice. You can figure out its meaning by considering its component parts: the prefix "in-" means "not", and "edible" means "able to be eaten." While "indelible" sounds similar, it refers to ink or pens and means "making marks that cannot be erased or removed." Its prefix and root follow the same pattern though: "in" still means "not," and "delible" by itself refers to marks and means "able to be deleted."

From the context of the sentence you know that whatever quality of the king’s speaking abilities is being described it must contribute to his difficulties with public speaking. Decisive and opportune would both positively contribute to his speaking abilities. Instantaneous (which means something done instantly) and negligible (which means neglectful) do not fit comfortably. Only halting, which means containing frequent stops or pauses, fits neatly into the sentence.

Someone who is intrepid is fearless. The statement says that although Heather was too scared to walk across the swinging rope bridge, she is normally quite adventurous. Thus, the word that is the best fit in the sentence is intrepid.

Eminent means prominent or distinguished. The townspeople are putting effort into welcoming the politician because of this quality. While emergent is also plausible, if the politician is new to the political scene, it does not fit the "grand welcome" as well as eminent. The other answers are all negative, and the blank fits with a positive adjective.

The word narcissistic comes from the Greek myth about a boy named Narcissus who falls in love with his own reflection. It means self-absorbed and vain. If you did not know this you would have to try and eliminate answer choices. Steadfast means resolute, substance means of value, and preternatural means unnatural or supernatural. None of the previously mentioned words make much sense in the context of the sentence. Comely could perhaps be considered an adequate answer, but comely means just cute, not beautiful. Narcissistic is the best option.