The storm's [quick] arrival, with no darkening sky or distant thunder to warn anyone, forced the umpires to halt the game in the middle of an inning.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: brisk / hasty / prompt / abrupt	abrupt — "Abrupt" means sudden and unexpected, which fits a storm that came with no warning at all. "Prompt" means arriving on time as expected, and "brisk" and "hasty" describe a fast pace or a rushed action, not a surprise.
Fairness and honesty are [hard] ideas for young children because they cannot be seen, touched, or counted, so the teacher made them concrete by splitting one cookie between two friends.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: subtle / complex / intricate / abstract	abstract — "Abstract" describes ideas that exist only in the mind, which is why they "cannot be seen, touched, or counted" and had to be made concrete. "Complex" and "intricate" mean having many parts, and "subtle" means hard to notice; none explains why a cookie example was needed.
The coach [helped] Priya, who had a violin lesson every Tuesday, by moving her soccer drills to Wednesday afternoons, the same change he would make for any player with a conflict.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: indulged / accommodated / favored / excused	accommodated — "Accommodated" means adjusted plans to meet someone's needs, exactly what moving her drills does. She still does every drill, so she was not "excused," and since he would do the same for anyone, he neither "favored" nor "indulged" her.
Two bystanders who saw the collision gave [stories] of it that did not match: one described the delivery van running the red light, while the other insisted she had watched it cross on green.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rumors / predictions / theories / accounts	accounts — An "account" is a description of something a person actually saw, which fits eyewitnesses describing the crash. "Rumors" are secondhand, "theories" are guessed explanations, and "predictions" are about the future, not an event that already happened.
Raised by a loving single father in a calm, close household that still could not always pay the heating bill, the author wrote about how that [stuff] taught her to keep going when life got hard.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: isolation / turmoil / neglect / adversity	adversity — "Adversity" means hardship, like a home that could not always pay for heat. The tempting "turmoil" means chaos, but the household was "calm"; it was "close," so not "isolation," and "loving," so not "neglect."
Because the neighborhood was so [nice], most families there could afford private tennis courts, two new cars, and long summer trips abroad.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: elegant / scenic / affluent / fashionable	affluent — "Affluent" means wealthy, and the sentence is about what families "could afford." "Scenic," "fashionable," and "elegant" describe looks or style, which would not explain the spending.
The constant beeping of the broken smoke alarm [affected] the dog so much that, though he never barked or growled, he paced the hallway and whined all night.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: distracted / angered / startled / agitated	agitated — "Agitated" means made nervous and restless, which matches pacing and whining all night. "Startled" is a quick jolt, not an all-night state; he never barked or growled, so he was not "angered"; and "distracted" is far too mild.
The nurse placed an ice pack on the already swollen ankle to [help] the throbbing pain; it would not heal the injury, but it would make the wait for the X-ray, which would show what was wrong, easier to bear.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: cure / prevent / diagnose / alleviate	alleviate — "Alleviate" means make pain less severe, which is what easing the wait describes. The ice "would not heal" (not "cure"), the pain had already started (not "prevent"), and the X-ray, not the ice, would "diagnose" it.
In a serious voice, the principal [talked about] last year's cafeteria disaster without describing it, saying only that everyone remembered "what happened in October."  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reported on / joked about / dwelt on / alluded to	alluded to — To "allude to" something is to mention it indirectly, like referring only to "what happened in October." "Reported on" and "dwelt on" would mean giving details or lingering, and her serious voice rules out "joked about."
Every student had to fill out the long class survey, but it was [private] in one key way: students could criticize the cafeteria menu without anyone learning who wrote which response.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: anonymous / concise / impartial / voluntary	anonymous — "Anonymous" means without anyone's name or identity attached, which is what keeps writers unknown. The survey was required (not "voluntary") and long (not "concise"), and "impartial" means fair, which has nothing to do with hiding who wrote what.
The judges, who had never met any of the dancers, handed out scores that seemed [odd]: one dancer earned a perfect ten for a routine in which she fell twice, while a flawless performer received a six.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: harsh / arbitrary / lenient / partial	arbitrary — "Arbitrary" means based on whim instead of reason, which fits scores that have nothing to do with the dancing. A perfect ten is not "harsh," a six is not "lenient," and judges who never met the dancers could not be "partial" to anyone.
After weeks of struggling to find the right words for why the move upset her, Lena finally [said] her feelings in a careful letter, describing them so precisely and honestly that her parents understood at last.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: scribbled / vented / exaggerated / articulated	articulated — "Articulated" means expressed clearly in words, matching a letter so precise her parents finally understood. "Vented" means let out emotion forcefully, not carefully; "exaggerated" clashes with "honestly"; and "scribbled" clashes with "careful."
Many young chess players [want] to become grandmasters, studying famous games for hours every day, even though they know only a handful of players will ever earn the title.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: expect / promise / aspire / deserve	aspire — To "aspire" is to hope and work toward a high goal, which fits hours of study toward a rare title. They know few will make it, so they do not "expect" to, and "deserve" and "promise" describe earning or committing, not hoping.
The [plain] training camp, held in a bare concrete gym downtown, offered no phones, no snacks, and no days off, only cold showers, five a.m. wake-ups, and hours of drills.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rustic / remote / austere / modest	austere — "Austere" means harsh, strict, and without comfort, like cold showers and no days off. A downtown gym is not "remote" or "rustic" (country-style), and "modest" means simple but pleasant, far too mild for this camp.
Quick thinking by the train operator, who slammed on the brakes just in time and halted a few feet short of the fallen tree, [stopped] a collision.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: delayed / averted / survived / softened	averted — "Averted" means prevented something bad from happening, and the train stopped before it reached the tree. There was no crash at all, so the operator did not "survive" or "soften" one, and it was not merely "delayed."
Hoping to [remove] her stage fright for good, the singer practiced in front of larger and larger crowds until performing felt completely ordinary.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: conceal / ease / endure / banish	banish — "Banish" means drive out completely, fitting "for good" and performing feeling "completely ordinary." The tempting "ease" only means lessen; "conceal" would hide the fear and "endure" would put up with it, not get rid of it.
Though it had only a tiny budget and no famous name, the [nice] little foundation, run by retired teachers who simply wanted to help children, paid for every student in the program to attend summer science camp.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: benevolent / ambitious / prestigious / wealthy	benevolent — "Benevolent" means kind and eager to help others, matching teachers who "simply wanted to help children." The "tiny budget" rules out "wealthy," "no famous name" rules out "prestigious," and "ambitious" suggests chasing success, not kindness.
Still showing up at his desk in the defense ministry every day, the spy [wronged] his own country by secretly passing its codes to a rival nation, despite the oath of loyalty he had sworn.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: abandoned / defied / betrayed / insulted	betrayed — "Betrayed" means was secretly disloyal to someone who trusted you, which fits breaking an oath by passing codes. "Defied" means openly resisted, but he acted "secretly"; he still came to work, so he did not "abandon" his country; and he "insulted" no one.
The puzzle's strange instructions [bothered] even the math club; members laughed good-naturedly as they read them a fifth time, still unable to tell what the puzzle was even asking.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: bewildered / irritated / discouraged / intimidated	bewildered — "Bewildered" means completely confused, matching members who could not tell what was being asked. Their good-natured laughter rules out "irritated" (annoyed), "intimidated" (scared), and "discouraged" (losing hope).
When asked for her opinion of the draft, the editor was [honest] to the point of rudeness, saying flatly, "This chapter is boring. Cut it," with no joke and no cruel insult added.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: blunt / sarcastic / scathing / teasing	blunt — "Blunt" means saying something directly without softening it, which fits a flat, rude-sounding statement. There was "no joke," so she was not "sarcastic" or "teasing," and "no cruel insult," so she was not "scathing."
Asked why the team had lost, the coach was [real] with reporters: "We didn't practice hard enough, and that's my fault."  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: candid / defiant / diplomatic / sarcastic	candid — "Candid" means openly honest even about uncomfortable things, like admitting the loss was his fault. "Diplomatic" would mean carefully softening the truth, "defiant" would mean refusing to accept blame, and his plain words are not "sarcastic."
The stadium's [size] is 50,000 people, but on opening day fire officials allowed only 45,000 fans inside.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: audience / population / capacity / attendance	capacity — "Capacity" is the most a place can hold, which can be larger than the crowd allowed in. "Attendance" and "audience" mean the people actually there, which was only 45,000, and "population" means people who live somewhere.
Forgetting to save the file was a true [problem]: three months of the class's research vanished when the computer crashed, and with no backup, the whole project had to be abandoned.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: mishap / nuisance / setback / catastrophe	catastrophe — "Catastrophe" means a disaster that causes great damage, like losing a whole project. A "setback" is a delay you recover from, while "mishap" and "nuisance" are small problems; none fits a project that "had to be abandoned."
When the fire alarm rang in the middle of the second movement, the conductor signaled the orchestra to [quit] its performance at once; the hall fell silent, and the musicians led the audience outside, not to return that night.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: soften / shorten / pause / cease	cease — "Cease" means stop completely, which fits the music ending at once for the night; "pause" clashes with "not to return," "shorten" means cut some parts but still finish, and "soften" clashes with the hall falling silent.
For years, the scientist [liked] the rights of athletes with disabilities, speaking at conferences and pushing sports leagues to adopt more accessible rules.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: acknowledged / championed / studied / respected	championed — "Championed" means actively fought for a cause, which matches speaking out and pushing leagues to change. "Respected" and "acknowledged" are passive, and "studied" describes research, not pushing for change.
Because of his [bad] back pain, a dull, mild ache that has returned again and again for more than a decade, the carpenter now works sitting on a special stool.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: chronic / severe / acute / piercing	chronic — "Chronic" means lasting a long time or coming back again and again, like pain that has returned for more than a decade. "Acute" means sudden and short-lived, and the pain is "mild" and "dull," so it is neither "severe" nor "piercing."
The [noise] of honking horns, shouting vendors, and rumbling trucks, all clashing at once, made it impossible to hear the street musician on the corner.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: clamor / murmur / chatter / harmony	clamor — A "clamor" is a loud, confused noise, which fits many sounds clashing at once; a "murmur" is too soft to drown out a musician, "harmony" clashes with "clashing," and "chatter" means only talk, not horns and trucks.
Without raising her voice or offering any reward, the teacher patiently and gently [got] the shy student to read her poem aloud.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: commanded / pressured / bribed / coaxed	coaxed — "Coaxed" means gently persuaded, matching "patiently and gently." "Bribed" needs a reward, which she did not offer, and "pressured" and "commanded" are too forceful for a gentle approach.
Her essay's argument was familiar, left out a few key points, and did not change the teacher's mind, but it was [good] in one way: each paragraph built logically on the one before.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: coherent / thorough / persuasive / original	coherent — "Coherent" means clear and logical, with parts that fit together, which matches paragraphs that build logically. The argument was "familiar" (not "original"), "left out a few key points" (not "thorough"), and did not change the teacher's mind (not "persuasive").
The solar eclipse [happened] with the first day of school, so rather than pulling students away from class, it became a lesson: everyone watched it through special glasses during homeroom.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: collided / competed / coincided / interfered	coincided — "Coincided" means happened at the same time, which is why students could watch during homeroom. It did not pull students from class, so it neither "competed" nor "interfered" with school, and "collided" means physically crashed.
The countdown for the company's first-ever rocket launch will [go] at dawn, once the final weather check is complete, and liftoff will follow nine hours later.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: commence / resume / recur / conclude	commence — "Commence" means begin, and the countdown starts at dawn and runs until liftoff nine hours later. It cannot "conclude" at dawn, and since this is the first-ever launch, it cannot "resume" or "recur."
Seeing a lost child crying alone at the bus stop, the teenager felt a wave of [feeling] for her and stayed, holding her hand and comforting her, until her mother arrived.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: curiosity / compassion / nostalgia / embarrassment	compassion — "Compassion" is sympathy for someone who is suffering, which fits comforting a crying child. Holding her hand is not "curiosity" or "embarrassment," and "nostalgia" is longing for the past, which the sentence never mentions.
Though they rarely did anything together, the two roommates turned out to be very [okay]: both loved quiet mornings, cooked spicy food, and went to bed by ten, so they never got in each other's way.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: compatible / competitive / cooperative / close	compatible — "Compatible" means able to live or work together without problems, like roommates whose habits match. They "rarely did anything together," so they were not especially "close" or "cooperative," and nothing suggests they were "competitive."
The airline [treated] passengers whose flight had been canceled with free hotel rooms and meal vouchers; the gifts made up for the lost night, though no ticket money was returned and no one had earned a prize.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rewarded / honored / compensated / refunded	compensated — "Compensated" means gave something to make up for a loss, like hotel rooms for a canceled flight. No money was returned, so they were not "refunded," and no one had earned anything, so they were not "rewarded" or "honored."
Proud that their town had not seen a major storm in forty years, residents had grown [relaxed] about safety; they had all read the storm guide and enjoyed the yearly safety fair, yet few bothered to keep an emergency kit.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reckless / indifferent / complacent / ignorant	complacent — "Complacent" means so satisfied with past success that you stop preparing for danger, which fits pride in a forty-year streak. They read the guide (not "ignorant"), enjoyed the safety fair (not "indifferent"), and simply failed to prepare rather than taking wild risks (not "reckless").
When the librarian asked everyone to silence their phones, every student in the reading room [did it] right away, though several grumbled that the rule was silly.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: agreed / complied / sympathized / volunteered	complied — "Complied" means obeyed a request, which the students did even while grumbling. Calling the rule "silly" shows they did not "agree" or "sympathize," and they were asked, so they did not "volunteer."
The doctor's [big] checkup, the same one every student gets each fall, took only twenty minutes and cost nothing under the school health plan, yet it covered everything from eyesight and reflexes to kidney function.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: unusual / comprehensive / expensive / lengthy	comprehensive — "Comprehensive" means covering everything or nearly everything, which matches a checkup that "covered everything." It took twenty minutes (not "lengthy"), cost nothing (not "expensive"), and every student gets it (not "unusual").
The engineer [had] the idea for a solar-powered water pump, something no one had proposed before, while standing in a field watching farmers haul heavy buckets; building and testing it took two more years.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: borrowed / conceived / tested / patented	conceived — "Conceived" means formed an idea in the mind, which is what happened in the field. Testing came years later, no one could "patent" an idea while standing in a field, and an idea no one had proposed before was not "borrowed."
The mayor strongly [talked about] the vandalism at the community garden, calling it "a shameful attack on our neighbors' hard work."  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: condemned / publicized / investigated / mourned	condemned — "Condemned" means expressed strong disapproval, like calling the vandalism "shameful." Her words are a judgment, not grief ("mourned"), and she was not looking into the case ("investigated") or just spreading the news ("publicized").
Trusting him completely, Ana quietly [told] her own secret about quitting the swim team to her older brother and begged him to keep it between them.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: relayed / confided / leaked / announced	confided — "Confided" means shared a secret with someone you trust, matching "trusting him completely" and "keep it between them." "Relayed" means passing on someone else's message, but this was her own secret, and "leaked" and "announced" mean spreading it, the opposite of what she wanted.
All new buildings in the historic district must [fit] the city's strict height limits and red-brick style exactly, whatever buyers might prefer; a loose nod to the old look is not enough.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: cater to / allude to / aspire to / conform to	conform to — "Conform to" means follow a rule or standard, which fits buildings that must match the limits exactly; "aspire to" means merely hope to reach, not be required to, "allude to" is the loose nod the sentence rejects, and "cater to" means serve people's tastes, which clashes with "whatever buyers might prefer."
After weeks of debate, the city council finally reached [a decision] that every member shared: all nine came to agree, without anyone trading away a different demand, that the new bike lanes belonged on Ocean Avenue.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: a consensus / an ultimatum / a compromise / a stalemate	a consensus — "A consensus" is a general agreement shared by a whole group, like all nine members agreeing. No one traded away a demand, so it was not "a compromise"; they did reach a decision, so not "a stalemate"; and no one issued a final threat, so not "an ultimatum."
To save money, the company [joined up] its four small warehouses, closing each one and moving all of its stock into a single building near the airport that was no larger than two of the old ones.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: renovated / consolidated / expanded / upgraded	consolidated — "Consolidated" means combined several things into one, which is what moving four warehouses into one building does. The old warehouses were closed, not "renovated" or "upgraded," and the new space is smaller in total, so the company did not "expand."
Challenging the story told in most textbooks, some historians [say], citing strong evidence from old letters and maps, that the explorer never actually reached the river's source.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: contend / speculate / concede / suspect	contend — To "contend" is to argue firmly that something is true, which fits historians challenging textbooks with strong evidence. "Speculate" and "suspect" mean guessing without proof, and "concede" means admitting a point against yourself.
Within minutes of the rumor that the concert was canceled, the band's website posted [different] news about the very same show: it would definitely go on as planned.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: tentative / unrelated / contrary / belated	contrary — "Contrary" means opposite, and "the show would go on" directly opposes "canceled." The post came "within minutes" (not "belated"), was about "the very same show" (not "unrelated"), and said "definitely" (not "tentative").
Rather than using [regular] paint, the cheap, locally made kind that artists have relied on for centuries, the painter made her colors from crushed berries, charcoal, and clay.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: imported / fashionable / expensive / conventional	conventional — "Conventional" means following traditional, usual ways, like paint artists have "relied on for centuries." The paint is "cheap" (not "expensive") and "locally made" (not "imported"), and "fashionable" means currently trendy, not long-standing.
Despite the critics, the inventor held a firm [idea] that electric cars would one day fill the streets, and she spent forty years building prototypes to prove it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: suspicion / hunch / fantasy / conviction	conviction — A "conviction" is a firmly held belief, matching "firm" and forty years of work. A "hunch" is a vague feeling, a "suspicion" is usually a belief that something bad is true, and a "fantasy" is a daydream no one works to make real.
The new neighbors' greeting was [nice]: they waved warmly from their porch and quietly brought over a simple plate of cookies.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: formal / lavish / cordial / boisterous	cordial — "Cordial" means warm, friendly, and polite, which fits a warm wave and a plate of cookies. A "simple" plate is not "lavish," a friendly wave is not stiffly "formal," and "quietly" rules out "boisterous."
The scientist's modest, rather unexciting claim, which few people had heard of and which built on decades-old work, seemed [good] to reviewers because she had repeated the experiment twenty times with the same results.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: sensational / popular / novel / credible	credible — "Credible" means believable, and twenty matching results are what make a claim believable. The claim built on old work (not "novel"), few had heard of it (not "popular"), and it was "unexciting" (not "sensational").
The goalie, who had already honored her grandmother in her season-opening speech, [linked] her best season ever to her new coach, explaining that his lessons on reading shooters' eyes made the difference.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: credited / compared / dedicated / entrusted	credited — To "credit" something to someone is to say they deserve recognition for it, as when she explains the coach's lessons "made the difference." She had already honored her grandmother, and "dedicated" means offering something in someone's honor, not giving them credit; "compared" and "entrusted" do not mean giving recognition.
The early diving suits, which were simple and cheap to make, were so [big] that divers needed two helpers just to shuffle to the edge of the dock.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: elaborate / cumbersome / costly / conspicuous	cumbersome — "Cumbersome" means heavy and awkward to move, which is why divers needed help just to shuffle. The suits were "simple" (not "elaborate") and "cheap" (not "costly"), and "conspicuous" means easy to notice, which would not slow anyone down.
Calling each person only once and speaking calmly and politely, the scam caller [got] elderly residents by pretending to work for their bank and asking them to read their passwords aloud.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: deceived / flattered / threatened / harassed	deceived — "Deceived" means made someone believe something false, like pretending to work for a bank. The calm, polite tone rules out "threatened," calling only once rules out "harassed," and nothing suggests praise, so not "flattered."
A good emergency-room doctor must be [sure], choosing a treatment within seconds even when information is incomplete.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: decisive / cautious / meticulous / methodical	decisive — "Decisive" means able to make choices quickly and firmly, matching "within seconds" with incomplete information. "Meticulous," "cautious," and "methodical" are good traits too, but each describes slow, careful work, not instant choices.
Although she was their boss and sometimes disagreed, the mayor [listened] to the city's engineers on questions of bridge safety, setting aside her own opinion and accepting their judgment.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reported / appealed / deferred / catered	deferred — To "defer to" someone is to give way to their judgment, exactly what "accepting their judgment" means. She was their boss, so she did not "report to" them; "appealed to" means made a plea; and "catered to" means satisfied someone's wishes, not trusted their expertise.
The inspectors found the brand-new, spacious, spotless science labs [bad]: there were no working microscopes and only two pairs of safety goggles for thirty students.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: deficient / cluttered / cramped / dilapidated	deficient — "Deficient" means lacking something needed, like microscopes and goggles. The labs were "brand-new" (not "dilapidated"), "spacious" (not "cramped"), and "spotless" (not "cluttered").
Decades of heavy truck traffic have [hurt] the old bridge's concrete, which still carries cars every day but now has deep cracks and crumbling edges.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: demolished / stained / degraded / warped	degraded — "Degraded" means gradually worsened in quality, like concrete that has cracked and crumbled. The bridge still carries cars, so it was not "demolished"; cracks are not a color change ("stained") or a bend ("warped").
Drinking steadily in the desert heat, the hikers had [finished] their entire water supply by noon and had to turn back before reaching the summit.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: depleted / spilled / contaminated / rationed	depleted — "Depleted" means used up a supply, matching hikers who drank all their water. Using it all by noon is not "rationed" (made to last), and because they drank it, they neither "spilled" nor "contaminated" it.
Cutting the art program would [cheat] students of their only chance to learn painting and sculpture at school.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rid / relieve / deprive / absolve	deprive — To "deprive" someone of something is to take away something they want or need, like their "only chance" to learn art. "Relieve" and "rid" mean freeing someone of a burden and "absolve" means freeing someone of blame, but this chance is valuable, not a burden.
Right to his face, some classmates [talked about] Jamal's homemade costume with cruel laughter and pointing until he finally took off the cardboard helmet.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: critiqued / gossiped about / derided / imitated	derided — "Derided" means mocked with scorn, matching cruel laughter and pointing. "Critiqued" suggests thoughtful judgment, "gossiped about" happens behind someone's back (not "to his face"), and no one copied him, so not "imitated."
Many English words still in daily use [come] from Latin roots, and "aquarium" is no exception: its root, "aqua," kept both its spelling and its Latin meaning, "water."  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: differ / derive / vanish / translate	derive — "Derive" means come from a source, which fits words whose roots came from Latin; "differ" clashes with "aqua" keeping its meaning, "vanish" with words "still in daily use," and "translate" would mean turned into a new word, but "aqua" kept its spelling.
In a final, binding vote, the city council [picked] the abandoned rail line as a protected park, so no new buildings may ever be constructed along it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: imagined / proposed / designated / advertised	designated — "Designated" means officially named for a purpose, which a "final, binding vote" does. "Proposed" and "imagined" are not final, and "advertised" means promoted publicly, which would not legally block new buildings.
The critic, who had looked forward to the movie for months, [didn't like] it so intensely that she walked out after twenty minutes and called it "a waste of film."  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: disregarded / pitied / dreaded / despised	despised — "Despised" means disliked very strongly, matching walking out and calling it "a waste of film." She had looked forward to it (not "dreaded"), her scorn is not sympathy ("pitied"), and she judged it harshly instead of ignoring it ("disregarded").
Afraid of being caught on camera, graffiti writers stayed away: the bright floodlights and security cameras [kept] them from targeting the subway yard.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: excused / deterred / banned / distracted	deterred — "Deterred" means discouraged someone through fear of consequences, matching writers "afraid of being caught." Lights and cameras cannot make a rule ("banned") or give permission ("excused"), and fear is not being "distracted."
The hurricane [hurt] the coastal town, flattening hundreds of homes and washing away the entire boardwalk.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: isolated / drenched / threatened / devastated	devastated — "Devastated" means destroyed almost completely, matching flattened homes and a boardwalk washed away. The storm actually struck, so it did more than "threaten"; "drenched" means only soaked, and "isolated" means cut off, not destroyed.
The engineers [came up with] a clever, never-before-tried system, still only a drawing on paper, that would use heat from the subway tunnels to warm the station's waiting rooms.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: adopted / installed / devised / discovered	devised — "Devised" means invented or planned something clever, matching a new system that exists only on paper. It has not been built (not "installed"), no one else had tried it (not "adopted"), and a new invention is created, not "discovered."
The nurses treated every patient with [goodness], addressing each by name, asking permission before an exam, and protecting their privacy.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: generosity / cheerfulness / dignity / efficiency	dignity — Treating people with "dignity" means treating them as deserving respect, like using names, asking permission, and guarding privacy. Those details are about respect, not speed ("efficiency"), mood ("cheerfulness"), or giving things away ("generosity").
Zoe was never a quick learner, but thanks to her [good] studying, a calm, steady hour of flashcards every single night for six months, she passed the citizenship exam easily.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: frantic / efficient / diligent / brilliant	diligent — "Diligent" means working hard and carefully over time, which fits a steady hour every night for six months; "efficient" and "brilliant" suggest speed or natural talent, which clash with "never a quick learner," and "frantic" clashes with "calm, steady."
Before the move, the family [dealt with] three boxes of broken toys and torn magazines, too damaged for anyone to want, by leaving them at the curb for the garbage truck.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: donated / stored / discarded / packed	discarded — "Discarded" means threw away, matching leaving the boxes for the garbage truck. No one would want them, so they were not "donated," and leaving them behind is the opposite of keeping them, so not "stored" or "packed."
Through the fog, the sailors could barely [see] the blinking harbor light, a dim yellow flicker that appeared only every few seconds.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: admire / inspect / discern / survey	discern — "Discern" means notice something that is hard to see, matching a dim flicker in the fog. A tiny distant light cannot be "inspected" up close or "surveyed" like a wide view, and "admire" means look at with pleasure, not struggle to detect.
Years of [trouble] between the two neighbors, who never competed over anything but argued constantly about a fence, a tree, and a barking dog, finally ended when one family moved away.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: misfortune / discord / negotiation / rivalry	discord — "Discord" means ongoing disagreement between people, matching years of arguments. They "never competed," so it was not a "rivalry"; constant arguing is not calm "negotiation"; and "misfortune" is bad luck, not conflict between people.
The [sad] gray sky and steady, windless drizzle matched the mood of the empty boardwalk in November, where nothing worse had happened than the end of summer.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: dismal / stormy / tragic / menacing	dismal — "Dismal" means gloomy and depressing, matching a gray sky and drizzle. The weather was "windless," so not "stormy" or "menacing," and nothing worse than the end of summer had happened, so not "tragic."
The fans groaned and clutched their heads in [sadness] as their team's star forward, hurt by nothing but a bad step, limped off the field in the first minute of the final.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: dismay / embarrassment / resignation / outrage	dismay — "Dismay" is shock and disappointment, matching fans groaning as their star limps off. No one was to blame (not "outrage"), the fans did nothing shameful (not "embarrassment"), and groaning is not calm acceptance ("resignation").
Within minutes of the first float rolling out, the newspaper editor, who never left her desk, [got] a photographer to the parade route.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: drove / escorted / recalled / dispatched	dispatched — "Dispatched" means quickly sent someone off for a purpose. The editor "never left her desk," so she neither "escorted" nor "drove" him, and "recalled" means called someone back, not sent out.
A strong gust [moved] the dandelion seeds high into the air and in every direction across the field.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: buried / funneled / dispersed / flattened	dispersed — "Dispersed" means scattered in different directions, matching "in every direction." "Funneled" means pushed into one narrow path, and seeds lifted "high into the air" were not "flattened" or "buried."
The two companies, which refuse even to discuss a deal, are locked in a bitter [talk] over who invented the folding phone screen, and each has hired a team of lawyers.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: collaboration / negotiation / merger / dispute	dispute — A "dispute" is a disagreement or argument, matching a bitter fight with lawyers. They "refuse even to discuss a deal," which rules out "negotiation," "merger," and "collaboration."
In the middle of the third round, a fire alarm [bothered] the championship spelling bee, forcing all the contestants outside for twenty minutes before the competition picked up where it had left off.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: postponed / disrupted / concluded / canceled	disrupted — "Disrupted" means interrupted the normal course of something, and the bee stopped and then "picked up where it had left off." It had already started (not "postponed") and went on afterward (not "canceled" or "concluded").
Stir the cocoa powder until it [goes away] completely in the warm milk, leaving no lumps or grains at the bottom of the cup.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: evaporates / softens / settles / dissolves	dissolves — "Dissolves" means mixes into a liquid until it can no longer be seen, matching "no lumps or grains." "Settles" means sinks to the bottom, "softens" would leave lumps, and "evaporates" means turns into gas, not mixes into milk.
The funhouse mirror [changed] Ben's reflection, keeping it perfectly sharp but stretching his legs and squishing his head into a tiny oval.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: magnified / distorted / reversed / blurred	distorted — "Distorted" means twisted out of its true shape, like stretched legs and a squished head. The image stayed "sharp" (not "blurred"), and "magnified" or "reversed" would enlarge or flip it without changing its proportions.
Because of the parade, police [sent] drivers away from Fifth Avenue and onto the side streets using orange cones and detour signs, never leaving their posts at the intersections.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: coaxed / diverted / escorted / lured	diverted — "Diverted" means changed the direction something travels, which is what cones and detour signs do. The officers "never left their posts," so they did not "escort" anyone, and signs give directions; they do not tempt ("lured") or gently persuade ("coaxed").
Wide awake and wagging its tail, the [calm] puppy let the veterinarian check its ears and teeth without a single squirm or growl.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: docile / drowsy / timid / aloof	docile — "Docile" means gentle and easy to handle, matching a puppy that let the vet check it without a squirm. It was "wide awake" (not "drowsy"), and tail-wagging rules out "timid" (fearful) and "aloof" (distant).
The tulip bulbs stay [quiet] underground all winter, then sprout as soon as the soil warms in spring.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: barren / dormant / withered / decayed	dormant — "Dormant" means inactive for a time but able to become active again, which is why the bulbs sprout in spring. Bulbs that had "decayed," "withered," or become "barren" could not sprout at all.
The brand-new, widely shared claim that the vitamin could cure every illness seemed [iffy] to scientists, who all agreed there was no evidence for it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: dubious / controversial / outdated / obscure	dubious — "Dubious" means doubtful and probably untrue, matching a claim with "no evidence." It was "brand-new" (not "outdated") and "widely shared" (not "obscure"), and since scientists "all agreed," it was not "controversial."
Hikers need [good] boots that will hold up through hundreds of miles of rocky trails.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: durable / insulated / waterproof / lightweight	durable — "Durable" means able to last without wearing out, exactly what "hold up through hundreds of miles" asks for. "Lightweight," "insulated," and "waterproof" are useful features, but none of them means long-lasting.
My cheerful, rule-following aunt is a bit [different]: she quietly paints her mailbox a new color every week and talks to her houseplants in French when no one is around.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: flamboyant / moody / eccentric / rebellious	eccentric — "Eccentric" means unusual in a harmless way, like talking to houseplants in French. She follows rules (not "rebellious"), is "cheerful" (not "moody"), and does these things quietly when no one is around (not "flamboyant," or showy).
The lawyer's brief, gentle closing argument won over the jury with its [nice] language, plain yet beautifully phrased words that moved every juror.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: lengthy / forceful / eloquent / technical	eloquent — "Eloquent" means expressed in a clear, powerful, moving way, matching "beautifully phrased words that moved every juror." The argument was "brief" (not "lengthy") and "gentle" (not "forceful"), and its words were "plain" (not "technical").
Though we laughed the whole time, the answer to the riddle, which turned out to be quite sensible, remained [hard] all evening; every time we thought we had it, it slipped away again, until we cracked it at midnight.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: insoluble / elusive / tedious / absurd	elusive — "Elusive" means hard to catch or pin down, matching an answer that kept slipping away. It turned out "sensible" (not "absurd"), it was finally cracked (not "insoluble"), and the laughter rules out "tedious."
Before sunrise, the scientists [started] on a two-month voyage to study whales in the Antarctic, waving goodbye from the deck as the ship pulled away from the dock.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reflected / decided / reported / embarked	embarked — To "embark on" a journey is to set out on it, matching the ship pulling away. The voyage was only beginning, so there was nothing yet to "reflect on" or "report on," and they were already leaving, not merely deciding.
Because he had broken his own leg the year before and knew exactly how frustrating crutches could be, Omar felt real [understanding] for his teammate.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: envy / gratitude / empathy / admiration	empathy — "Empathy" is understanding and sharing someone's feelings because you have felt them too, as Omar had. Nothing his teammate did earns "admiration" or "gratitude," and no one wishes for crutches, so not "envy."
In 2019, the state legislature [made] a law, which took effect that summer, requiring helmets for all bike riders under sixteen; police and parents have had the job of making young riders follow it ever since.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: debated / enacted / enforced / proposed	enacted — "Enacted" means made into law, matching a law that "took effect." Police and parents enforce it, not the legislature, and a law that took effect was more than "proposed" or "debated."
Mapping the entire ocean floor is a huge [thing] that scientists have eagerly chosen to take on, one that will require decades of work and hundreds of research ships.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: pastime / burden / endeavor / mystery	endeavor — An "endeavor" is a serious attempt at something difficult, matching a task scientists "chose to take on." They took it on "eagerly" (not a "burden"), it is a project rather than an unknown ("mystery"), and decades of work is no casual "pastime."
The teacher's mystery stories [held] even the quietest students, who leaned forward and called out eager guesses about the culprit.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: flattered / unnerved / soothed / engaged	engaged — "Engaged" means held someone's attention and drew them in, matching students who called out guesses. Excited guessing is not being calmed ("soothed"), the eagerness rules out "unnerved," and the stories praised no one ("flattered").
The enormous stones are real and still standing, but how the ancient builders raised them remains [a question]; historians all agree they simply do not know.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: a myth / a legend / an enigma / a controversy	an enigma — "An enigma" is something mysterious and hard to explain, like a building method no one understands. The stones are real (not "a myth" or "a legend"), and historians "all agree," so it is not "a controversy."
The smell of fresh popcorn [brought] moviegoers to the snack counter before the film even started.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: directed / enticed / escorted / summoned	enticed — "Enticed" means attracted someone with something pleasant, like the smell of popcorn. A smell cannot point the way ("directed"), call people by name ("summoned"), or walk them over ("escorted").
Closing her eyes, the architect [thought of] a future skyline, not yet built, filled with green rooftops where every building had its own garden.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: envisioned / constructed / preserved / recalled	envisioned — "Envisioned" means pictured something in the mind, especially the future. The skyline is "future" and "not yet built," so she could not have "recalled," "constructed," or "preserved" it.
Centuries of wind and rain have slowly [changed] the sandstone cliffs, grain by grain, leaving delicate arches and towers where solid rock once stood.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: eroded / polished / flattened / shattered	eroded — "Eroded" means wore away slowly, matching "grain by grain" over centuries. "Shattered" is sudden, "polished" only smooths a surface, and arches and towers show the cliffs were not "flattened."
The moth was slow, but its [weird] flight path, skimming just above the grass and darting left, then right, then looping in sudden circles, made it hard for the bat to catch.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: graceful / erratic / lofty / swift	erratic — "Erratic" means irregular and unpredictable, matching darting and sudden loops. The moth was "slow" (not "swift"), jerky darting is not "graceful," and skimming above the grass is not "lofty" (high).
The lifetime achievement award, voted on by fellow scientists to honor her decades of discoveries, shows the [feeling] they have for her work.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: curiosity / esteem / envy / sympathy	esteem — "Esteem" is respect and admiration, which an award given to honor her work expresses. Nothing bad happened to her (not "sympathy"), an honor is not "envy," and colleagues who already know her work are not just showing "curiosity."
The slow-footed running back [got past] three tacklers without touching any of them, spinning and cutting sharply toward the sideline.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: outran / trampled / evaded / overpowered	evaded — "Evaded" means escaped by being clever, matching spins and sharp cuts. He touched no one, so he did not "overpower" or "trample" them, and a "slow-footed" runner did not "outrun" them.
Without a single caption or word of text, the photographer's black-and-white images of empty streets at dawn [make] a feeling of loneliness in everyone who sees them.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: relieve / evoke / describe / explain	evoke — To "evoke" a feeling is to bring it to mind, which images can do without words. With no caption or text, the photos cannot "describe" or "explain" anything, and they create loneliness rather than "relieve" it.
The toddler's endless "why?" questions, each easy to answer, [bothered] his babysitter, alone with him all afternoon, who had been answering them for three straight hours before she finally sighed and turned on a cartoon.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: perplexed / embarrassed / exasperated / intimidated	exasperated — "Exasperated" means frustrated almost past bearing, matching three hours of questions and a final sigh. The questions were easy (not "perplexed"), no one else was there (not "embarrassed"), and a toddler is hardly frightening (not "intimidated").
April's rainfall [went past] the old monthly record, so the weather service had to print a brand-new number in its almanac.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rivaled / matched / exceeded / approached	exceeded — "Exceeded" means went beyond, which is why a brand-new record had to be printed; "matched" or "rivaled" would mean it only tied or came close, leaving the old record standing.
Since the new rule covers only companies with more than fifty workers, the twelve-person bakery is [free] from filing the long safety report, though it may still file one if it wishes.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: barred / deterred / disqualified / exempt	exempt — "Exempt" means not required to follow a rule that applies to others, which fits a bakery too small to be covered. "Barred" or "disqualified" would mean it is not allowed to file, but the sentence says it may file if it wishes.
To budge the stalled car up the slope, the three friends had to [put out] steady force against its rear bumper for nearly a minute.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: measure / exert / display / withstand	exert — "Exert" means to apply force or effort, exactly what pushing a car uphill requires. "Withstand" is tempting, but it means to resist force pushing on you, and here the friends are the ones doing the pushing.
The scam artist [used] the elderly man's poor eyesight, tricking him into signing a check for far more than he owed.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: exploited / mocked / aggravated / exposed	exploited — "Exploited" means took unfair advantage of something for one's own gain, which is what tricking the man into signing an inflated check is. "Mocked" means made fun of, but the scammer profits from the weakness rather than teasing him about it.
By crushing ripe olives under a heavy stone press, the farmers [got] thick green oil from the fruit's pulp.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: extracted / filtered / drained / evaporated	extracted — "Extracted" means pulled something out with effort, which fits squeezing oil out of crushed pulp. "Drained" suggests letting liquid simply flow away, and "evaporated" means turned to vapor by heat; neither describes crushing under a press.
To avoid blame, Leo [told] a story about a stray baseball flying in from the park, though no one had played ball there all week and he had broken the window himself.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: embellished / fabricated / recounted / exaggerated	fabricated — "Fabricated" means made up something false from nothing, and no ball game had happened at all. "Exaggerated" and "embellished" mean stretching a real event, but here there was no real event to stretch.
A volunteer interpreter [helped] the conversation between the doctor and the patient, translating every question and answer so the two could understand each other.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: summarized / monitored / facilitated / conducted	facilitated — "Facilitated" means made a process easier, which is what translating does for the two speakers. "Conducted" would mean the interpreter led the conversation, but she only helped others talk, and she translated every line rather than summarizing.
Halfway through her speech, Mia saw the principal frown, and her voice began to [change]: she stumbled over words, paused for long seconds, and lost her place twice.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: falter / quicken / strain / harden	falter — "Falter" means to lose confidence and stumble or hesitate, matching the stumbling and long pauses. "Strain" would describe a tight, tense sound, but the details show hesitation, not a tense tone.
Using only a pocketknife, my grandfather [made] a small bird from a single block of pine, carving each feather by hand.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: assembled / molded / sketched / fashioned	fashioned — "Fashioned" means shaped something by hand, which fits carving a bird from wood. "Assembled" means put together from parts, but he worked from a single block, and "molded" fits soft clay, not pine cut with a knife.
With only two weeks and a tiny budget, filming a full-length movie was simply not [okay] for the after-school club, so they made a five-minute short instead and finished it on time.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: permissible / feasible / profitable / worthwhile	feasible — "Feasible" means practical or possible to do, and the limits named are time and money. "Permissible" would mean allowed by the rules, but no rule is mentioned; the problem is that the project could not be done in time.
After two weeks with the flu, Grandpa felt so [bad] that he could barely lift the teacup to his lips, though he was wide awake and eager to chat about the game.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: feeble / gloomy / drowsy / listless	feeble — "Feeble" means physically weak, which explains why he can barely lift a teacup. "Drowsy" and "listless" would mean sleepy or without energy or interest, but he is wide awake and eager to talk.
The fans' [big] cheers shook the bleachers for the full ninety minutes, and many supporters had shouted themselves hoarse by halftime.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: sporadic / fervent / polite / appreciative	fervent — "Fervent" means full of intense, passionate feeling, matching cheers that never stopped and left fans hoarse. "Appreciative" suggests mild approval, and "sporadic" means now and then, which clashes with the full ninety minutes.
The team's [changing] fans, the whole crowd shouting as one and never with a moment's doubt, cheered the new coach in May, booed him in June, and were praising him again by July, leaving him unsure where he stood.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: hesitant / divided / fickle / versatile	fickle — "Fickle" means changing loyalty often, which fits cheering, booing, and praising again; "versatile" is a compliment about skill and clashes with leaving the coach unsure, "divided" with "the whole crowd shouting as one," and "hesitant" with "never with a moment's doubt."
The only [problem] in the otherwise perfect diamond was a tiny black speck trapped deep inside the stone, visible only under a jeweler's magnifying glass.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: scratch / smudge / fracture / flaw	flaw — "Flaw" means an imperfection, which fits a speck trapped inside a gem. A "fracture" is a crack, and a "scratch" or "smudge" sits on the surface, while this speck is deep inside the stone.
The number of visitors to the beach [moves] unpredictably from week to week, jumping on sunny weekends and dropping sharply whenever it rains, with no regular pattern at all.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: escalates / drifts / fluctuates / alternates	fluctuates — "Fluctuates" means rises and falls irregularly, which fits unpredictable jumps and drops; "alternates" suggests a regular back-and-forth and clashes with "no regular pattern," "drifts" is too slow for "dropping sharply," and "escalates" only rises.
From base camp, only a short walk away, the climbers stared with dread and respect at the [tough] north face; though not especially tall, the sheer wall of ice had turned back dozens of experienced teams.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: formidable / massive / remote / picturesque	formidable — "Formidable" means causing fear or respect because it is difficult, which fits dread and a wall that turned back experienced teams; "remote" clashes with "a short walk away," "picturesque" ignores the dread, and "massive" clashes with "not especially tall."
With no tests, no prizes, and no required chores, the garden club hopes to [build] a love of nature in children who have never touched soil, giving each one a sunflower to plant, water, and tend all season long.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: demand / foster / assess / reward	foster — "Foster" means encourage something to grow, which fits slowly building a love through tending a sunflower; "assess" is ruled out by "no tests," "reward" by "no prizes," and "demand" by "no required chores."
When the toddler wandered off in the crowded mall, his mother grew [upset], running from store to store, shouting his name, and grabbing strangers' arms to ask if they had seen a boy in a red jacket.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: frantic / tearful / suspicious / irritated	frantic — "Frantic" means wildly anxious and hurried, matching the running, shouting, and grabbing. "Irritated" means annoyed, which is far too mild for a mother searching for a lost child, and no tears are described.
Because Diego wanted to buy a new bike by summer, he became [careful] with his allowance, packing his own lunches and skipping trips to the snack shop.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: organized / cautious / secretive / frugal	frugal — "Frugal" means careful not to waste money, which is what packing lunches and skipping snacks show. "Cautious" means avoiding risk, but Diego is cutting his spending, not avoiding danger.
Arguing with the referee after the final whistle was [not great], since the score had already been posted and could not be changed.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: impolite / tedious / futile / reckless	futile — "Futile" means pointless because it cannot succeed, and the reason given is that the score could not be changed. "Impolite" is tempting, but the sentence's reason is about the result, not about manners.
Standing at the edge of the frozen pond, Kai tapped the ice with a stick to [work out] whether it would hold his weight; the dull thuds gave him a rough sense, though not certain proof.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: gauge / debate / ponder / confirm	gauge — "Gauge" means to estimate or judge, which fits tapping that gives only a rough sense. "Confirm" would mean he proved it, but the sentence says he got no certain proof, and "ponder" means only to think about it, not to test it.
After twelve [hard] hours of lifting patients and racing between emergencies, the nurse could barely keep her eyes open on the subway ride home.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: unusual / monotonous / eventful / grueling	grueling — "Grueling" means extremely tiring and demanding, matching twelve hours of lifting and racing. "Monotonous" means dull and unchanging, which does not fit a shift full of emergencies.
The [silly] shoppers believed the vendor's claim that his plastic watches were solid gold, even though the "gold" paint was flaking off in their hands.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: hopeful / curious / impulsive / gullible	gullible — "Gullible" means easily tricked into believing something, even against clear evidence like flaking paint. "Impulsive" means acting without thinking, but the sentence is about what they believed, not a hasty action.
Taking their time and setting each box down gently, the movers were [messy] in loading the truck: they followed no plan, so heavy crates ended up on top of glass lamps.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: haphazard / hasty / forceful / clumsy	haphazard — "Haphazard" means without plan or order, matching boxes placed with no plan. "Hasty" is ruled out because they took their time, and "clumsy" and "forceful" clash with setting each box down gently.
Only the [good] sled dogs could survive weeks of blizzards and temperatures far below zero while still pulling their loads.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: energetic / obedient / swift / hardy	hardy — "Hardy" means strong enough to survive harsh conditions, which is what weeks of blizzards demand. "Swift" and "obedient" describe speed and good training, not the ability to endure extreme cold.
The broken elevator [bothered] the delivery workers, who had to carry the heavy couch up six flights of stairs instead.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: endangered / hindered / distracted / stranded	hindered — "Hindered" means made a task harder, which is what forcing the workers onto the stairs did. "Stranded" would mean they were stuck and could not go on, but they still got the couch upstairs.
The detective's [idea] that the thief entered through the skylight was put to the test when officers dusted the glass for fingerprints.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: hypothesis / conclusion / verdict / recollection	hypothesis — A "hypothesis" is a reasoned guess that can be tested, and this idea is being tested. A "conclusion" or "verdict" is a final judgment that comes after the evidence, not before it.
During the snowstorm, the city's buses sat [still] in the depot for two days; the depot driveway was plowed, the buses were fueled and in perfect working order, and drivers waited on call, but the city chose to keep them off the icy streets.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: damaged / abandoned / idle / stranded	idle — "Idle" means not being used, which fits ready buses the city chose to keep parked; "stranded" is ruled out because the plowed driveway meant they could leave, "damaged" by "perfect working order," and "abandoned" by drivers waiting on call.
At dusk, hundreds of paper lanterns [filled] the garden with a soft golden glow, so guests could find their way along the dark paths.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: warmed / tinted / decorated / illuminated	illuminated — "Illuminated" means lit up, and the purpose given is letting guests see the dark paths. "Decorated" is tempting because lanterns are pretty, but decoration would not help anyone find their way.
To clean the delicate antique lace, the curator [put] it in a basin of cool, soapy water, making sure every thread stayed below the surface for a full hour.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: immersed / dipped / floated / sprinkled	immersed — "Immersed" means placed completely under liquid, matching every thread kept below the surface. "Dipped" suggests a quick moment in water, not a full hour, "sprinkled" means only a few drops, and "floated" means resting on the surface.
Thick smoke from the wildfire [affected] drivers' vision for the afternoon; they could still make out taillights a few feet ahead, but not far enough to drive safely, so the highway was closed.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: strained / blocked / damaged / impaired	impaired — "Impaired" means weakened so that it works less well, fitting drivers who could see only a few feet. "Blocked" would mean they saw nothing, and "damaged" suggests lasting harm, but the problem lasted only for the afternoon.
Though her own nephew pitched for the home team, the umpire worked hard to be [good], calling balls and strikes with the same strike zone for both sides.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: lenient / strict / impartial / courteous	impartial — "Impartial" means not favoring either side, which is the risk her nephew creates. "Lenient" and "strict" describe how harsh her calls are, but the detail is about treating both teams alike.
After weeks of planning, the principal finally [did] the new later start time, and classes began at 9:00 a.m. the following Monday.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: proposed / reconsidered / implemented / drafted	implemented — "Implemented" means put a plan into action, which is why classes actually started later. "Proposed" and "drafted" are all steps in the planning, but the weeks of planning were already over.
With tears in her eyes, the girl [asked] the shelter worker not to send the old dog away, promising to walk him every single day.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: instructed / reminded / advised / implored	implored — "Implored" means begged urgently and emotionally, matching her tears and promises. "Advised" and "instructed" are calm and businesslike, the opposite of a tearful plea.
The coach never said outright that Jordan would lose his starting spot, but her remark about wanting "fresh legs" on the field seemed to [say] it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: imply / dispute / exaggerate / announce	imply — "Imply" means to suggest something without stating it, and the coach "never said outright." "Announce" means to state publicly and directly, which is exactly what she did not do.
When the sheet music blew off the stand, the jazz pianist simply [played] a brand-new melody that no one had ever written down, and the audience never noticed.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: repeated / recalled / improvised / transposed	improvised — "Improvised" means made up on the spot, fitting a brand-new melody. "Recalled" and "repeated" would mean he played something he already knew, and "transposed" means shifted an existing piece into another key.
Half-price tickets, proudly advertised on subway posters and charged right at the ticket window, were the [thing] the city offered to get more people to ride the new ferry during its first month, though no one was required to ride.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: bribe / refund / requirement / incentive	incentive — An "incentive" is something that encourages people to act, which fits a discount meant to draw riders; a "bribe" is secret and dishonest, unlike a proudly advertised deal, a "refund" is money paid back later, not a lower price at the window, and a "requirement" clashes with "no one was required."
The [annoying] drip from the leaky faucet, loud enough to hear from the bedroom, kept going all night without one quiet minute, some drops falling seconds apart and others in quick bursts.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: sudden / incessant / faint / rhythmic	incessant — "Incessant" means continuing without stopping, which fits a drip with no quiet minute all night. "Rhythmic" means a steady, regular beat, but these drops come unevenly, some seconds apart and some in bursts.
Since the forecast called for heavy rain, Dad was [ready] to cancel the picnic, though he hated to disappoint the kids and wanted to wait one more hour before deciding.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: eager / inclined / obligated / determined	inclined — "Inclined" means leaning toward a choice without having made it, matching a dad who is likely to cancel but waiting. "Eager" clashes with hating to disappoint the kids, and "determined" means his mind is made up, which it is not.
Rather than bolting them on after construction, the architect [put] solar panels and a rainwater tank into the school's original design, so they shaped the roof and walls from the start.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: crammed / smuggled / incorporated / inserted	incorporated — "Incorporated" means made part of a whole, fitting features built into the design from the start. "Inserted" suggests sliding something into a finished thing, which is the bolted-on approach the architect avoided.
The cat seemed completely [okay] about the new puppy, never hissing, never hiding, and never sniffing it, but simply ignoring it and going back to her nap.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: curious / affectionate / cautious / indifferent	indifferent — "Indifferent" means not caring or interested, matching a cat that simply ignores the puppy. "Curious" is ruled out because she never sniffs it, and "cautious" because she never hides.
Waving the receipt that proved he had paid, the customer was [upset] when the waiter accused him of skipping the bill, and he demanded an apology.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: embarrassed / indignant / anxious / bewildered	indignant — "Indignant" means angry at being treated unfairly, matching a man who has proof and demands an apology. "Embarrassed" and "anxious" suggest shame or worry, but he is confidently insisting he was wronged.
Scientists found that staring at a bright phone screen for hours in a dark room can [lead to] headaches in people who almost never get them.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: predict / worsen / mimic / induce	induce — "Induce" means to bring about or cause, fitting headaches in people who do not usually get them. "Worsen" would mean the headaches were already there, but these people almost never have them.
From the empty cookie jar and the crumbs on his little brother's shirt, Malik [knew] who had eaten the last cookie, even though he had been at practice all afternoon.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: inferred / overheard / recalled / witnessed	inferred — "Inferred" means figured out from clues, which is how Malik used the jar and crumbs. "Witnessed" and "overheard" would mean he saw or heard it happen, but he was away at practice.
Red foxes now [are in] many parts of New York City, raising their young in parks and quiet railroad yards.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: cross / inhabit / visit / patrol	inhabit — "Inhabit" means to live in a place, which fits animals raising their young there. "Visit" and "cross" suggest passing through briefly, and no animal raises a family somewhere it only passes through.
Rows of trees along a field cannot stop soil erosion completely, but they can [affect] it by slowing the wind before it blows the topsoil away.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reverse / prevent / predict / inhibit	inhibit — "Inhibit" means to slow or hold back a process, which is what slowing the wind does. "Prevent" means to stop it entirely, and the sentence says the trees cannot do that.
The moment the warning light flashed, the pilot [did] the emergency landing procedure, and twenty minutes later the plane rolled safely to a stop.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: completed / rehearsed / reviewed / initiated	initiated — "Initiated" means started, fitting a procedure begun the moment the light flashed. "Completed" is ruled out because the landing ended twenty minutes later, not instantly.
Sofia's sense of rhythm was still rough and often off the beat, but it seemed [real]: she had been bouncing to music since before she could walk, long before anyone taught her.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: steady / innate / keen / polished	innate — "Innate" means present from birth rather than learned, matching rhythm she had before any lessons. "Keen," "polished," and "steady" would all mean her rhythm was good, but it was still rough and often off the beat.
The first water bottle to clean itself with ultraviolet light, a method no gear maker had tried before, was hailed as the year's biggest [thing] in outdoor equipment.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: bestseller / collectible / bargain / innovation	innovation — An "innovation" is a new idea or invention, matching a method no one had tried before. "Bestseller" is tempting, but the sentence praises how new the idea is, not how many bottles sold.
Simply watching a veterinarian for a week, without treating a single animal herself, gave Aisha, who had loved animals for years, real [knowledge of] what the job requires, from 5 a.m. starts to hard talks with worried owners.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: interest in / insight into / practice in / training in	insight into — "Insight into" means a clear, deep understanding of something, which watching gave her. "Training in" and "practice in" are ruled out because she never treated an animal, and she already had an interest in animals.
The class admired the shortstop's [goodness] when she told the umpire that the ball had touched the ground before she caught it, costing her own team an out.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: loyalty / generosity / modesty / integrity	integrity — "Integrity" means honesty and strong moral principles, shown by telling the truth even when it hurt her team. "Loyalty" is ruled out because she put honesty ahead of her team, and "modesty" is about not bragging, which is not what happened.
When two players began shoving each other near the goal, the referee quickly [got involved], calmly stepping between them and pulling them apart without showing a card, and both players later thanked him for it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: observed / intervened / overreacted / interfered	intervened — "Intervened" means stepped in to stop what was happening, which fits pulling the players apart; "observed" clashes with stepping between them, "interfered" suggests unwelcome meddling and clashes with the players thanking him, and "overreacted" clashes with "calmly" and no card.
The older boys tried to [push] the younger players into giving up the basketball court by crowding around them and glaring.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: intimidate / coax / trick / bribe	intimidate — "Intimidate" means to frighten someone into doing something, which is what crowding and glaring are meant to do. "Coax" means to persuade gently, and "bribe" means to offer a reward, neither of which fits glaring.
The museum's glowing jellyfish tank [affected] visitors so deeply that many stood watching for twenty minutes and asked the guide dozens of questions about how the animals make light.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: soothed / startled / intrigued / amused	intrigued — "Intrigued" means made very curious, matching visitors who asked dozens of questions. "Soothed" would mean calmed, which might explain the long watching but not the flood of questions.
With no time to work out the possible replies, the chess player trusted her [head] and moved her knight, simply sensing that the bold move would work.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: intuition / calculation / memory / preparation	intuition — "Intuition" means knowing something without reasoning it through, matching a player who simply sensed the move was right. "Calculation" is ruled out because she had no time to work out the replies.
The retired pilot's years of experience were [helpful] to the young crew, who relied on her advice during every tricky landing and said no manual could ever replace it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: familiar / invaluable / convenient / impressive	invaluable — "Invaluable" means so useful that its worth cannot be measured, fitting advice no manual could replace. "Impressive" means admirable, but the sentence stresses how much the crew needed her advice, not how much they admired it.
Stuck in a hot, crowded subway car for an hour, the passengers grew [different], snapping at anyone who bumped into them.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: melancholy / irritable / restless / drowsy	irritable — "Irritable" means easily annoyed, matching passengers who snap at anyone who bumps them. "Restless" means unable to stay still, which does not explain snapping at people.
Though their numbers are still healthy for now, the rare frogs are in [trouble] because the wetland where they breed is about to be drained for a parking lot.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: jeopardy / decline / captivity / hiding	jeopardy — "Jeopardy" means danger of loss or harm, fitting frogs whose breeding ground is about to vanish. "Decline" would mean their numbers are already falling, but the sentence says they are still healthy for now.
Ayesha, who had never doubted she would get in, was [happy] when the acceptance letter came, racing through the apartment and shouting the news to everyone.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: grateful / sentimental / jubilant / relieved	jubilant — "Jubilant" means extremely happy and excited after a success, matching the racing and shouting. "Relieved" would mean she had been worried, but she never doubted, and "sentimental" suggests tender, teary feelings rather than shouting.
In her essay, Lina used three scientific studies as evidence to [talk about] her claim that school should start later in the morning.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: justify / restate / publicize / summarize	justify — "Justify" means to show that something is right or reasonable, which is what evidence from studies does. "Restate" and "summarize" just repeat the claim, and evidence is not needed for that.
Years later, the retired runner still [talked about] the race he had lost by a tenth of a second, sighing sadly over how close he had come, though he never blamed the winner or questioned the result.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: disputed / analyzed / lamented / resented	lamented — "Lamented" means expressed sadness or regret, matching his sad sighing. "Resented" and "disputed" are ruled out because he never blamed the winner or questioned the result.
The billionaire's [nice] mansion, built only last year, featured gold faucets, three swimming pools, and crystal chandeliers crammed into rooms that were surprisingly cramped, with not a single plain surface anywhere.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: historic / lavish / tasteful / spacious	lavish — "Lavish" means rich and expensive, which fits gold faucets and chandeliers everywhere; "historic" clashes with "built only last year," "spacious" with "surprisingly cramped" rooms, and "tasteful" suggests restraint, which clashes with chandeliers crammed in and no plain surface.
Before buying the concert tickets online, Raj checked that the website was [real], making sure it was the official seller and not a scam.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: legitimate / secure / current / affordable	legitimate — "Legitimate" means genuine and allowed by the rules, fitting an official seller rather than a scam. "Secure" is tempting, but it means protected from hackers, while Raj's worry is whether the seller itself is real.
Because it was his first offense, the judge was [soft] with the teenager, giving him community service instead of a fine.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: patient / informal / discreet / lenient	lenient — "Lenient" means gentle in punishing, matching a lighter sentence for a first offense. "Patient" means willing to wait calmly, which says nothing about the punishment the judge chose.
The wildlife team cut away the fishing net that had trapped the sea turtle for days and [handled] it, and the animal swam straight back toward the open ocean.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: examined / tagged / liberated / photographed	liberated — "Liberated" means set free, which is what cutting away the net and letting the turtle swim off shows. "Examined" and "tagged" are things a team might do, but they do not explain why a trapped turtle could now swim away.
Though Sam found it dull and had to show up at 7 a.m. sharp every day, walking dogs for his neighbors turned out to be [good] work, earning him enough to buy a new laptop by August.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: lucrative / enjoyable / flexible / leisurely	lucrative — "Lucrative" means bringing in a lot of money, matching earnings big enough for a laptop. "Enjoyable" is ruled out because he found it dull, and "flexible" because he had to show up at 7 a.m. sharp.
The [mean] comment was written on purpose to embarrass the new student, and it spread across the school within an hour.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: blunt / inconsiderate / tactless / malicious	malicious — "Malicious" means meant to hurt, which fits a comment written on purpose to embarrass. "Tactless" and "inconsiderate" describe hurting someone without meaning to, but this was deliberate.
At the swim club, a shower before entering the pool is [important], and lifeguards turn away anyone who skips it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: mandatory / recommended / customary / advisable	mandatory — "Mandatory" means required by a rule, which is why lifeguards turn away anyone who skips it. "Customary" and "recommended" mean usual or suggested, and no one is turned away for skipping a mere suggestion.
When the twins argued over who would get the bigger bedroom, their older cousin [handled] the dispute, listening to both sides and suggesting a plan they both accepted: switching rooms every six months.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: decided / mediated / investigated / witnessed	mediated — "Mediated" means helped two sides settle a disagreement, matching the cousin who listened and suggested a plan they both accepted. "Decided" would mean he made the choice for them, but he only suggested it.
A common [thought] about camels is that they store water in their humps, but the humps actually hold fat.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: superstition / exaggeration / misconception / observation	misconception — A "misconception" is a mistaken belief, and the sentence shows the idea is simply wrong. An "exaggeration" overstates something true, but camels do not store water in their humps at all.
Within hours of the earthquake, the government [called on] thousands of rescue workers already on its emergency roster, organizing them into teams and sending them with equipment to the hardest-hit towns.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: trained / praised / recruited / mobilized	mobilized — "Mobilized" means organized and prepared people for action, matching workers formed into teams and sent out. "Recruited" would mean signing up new workers, but these were already on the roster.
The long, dark winter at the research station wore down the crew's [feelings], so the leader planned movie nights and birthday parties, and soon everyone was laughing and eager to work again.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: stamina / discipline / morale / health	morale — "Morale" means a group's confidence and spirit, which parties restored until the crew was laughing and eager again. "Stamina" means physical endurance, and movie nights do not rebuild physical strength.
The novel's hero longs to escape her [normal] life of sorting the same stacks of mail at the post office every day, dreaming instead of sailing around the world.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: lonely / sheltered / mundane / hectic	mundane — "Mundane" means ordinary and dull, matching the same mail sorted every day. "Hectic" means rushed and chaotic, which clashes with a life that is the same every day.
Though her legs were shaking, Jada [found] enough courage to raise her hand and ask the famous author a question.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: borrowed / regained / inherited / mustered	mustered — "Mustered" means gathered up from within, often with effort, matching courage pulled together despite shaking legs. "Regained" would mean she had lost courage she once had, which the sentence never says.
After years of competing, the two rival chefs came to feel [equal] respect, each often recommending the other's restaurant to customers.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: sudden / grudging / secret / mutual	mutual — "Mutual" means felt by each toward the other, matching two chefs who each recommend the other. "Grudging" means given unwillingly, which clashes with eagerly recommending a rival, and "sudden" clashes with years.
The coral reef is home to [different] species, so many that scientists, after a century of counting, still discover new ones every year.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: myriad / scattered / several / assorted	myriad — "Myriad" means countless, fitting species so many that a century of counting has not finished. "Several" means only a few, and "assorted" means mixed but says nothing about the huge number.
Having grown up on a quiet farm, Tom was [simple] about city life at first, happily assuming that every taxi driver took the shortest route and every street vendor's "final price" was truly final.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: naive / nervous / indifferent / cautious	naive — "Naive" means too trusting because of little experience, matching Tom's belief that everyone was honest. "Cautious" and "nervous" are ruled out because he happily trusted everyone.
Overnight, the new sneakers' price rose by fifty cents, a change fully justified by rising costs and printed clearly on every tag, yet so [little] that not one shopper noticed it.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: gradual / negligible / unfair / hidden	negligible — "Negligible" means too small to matter, which explains why no one noticed; "gradual" clashes with "overnight," "hidden" with "printed clearly on every tag," and "unfair" with "fully justified by rising costs."
During the trickiest passage of the piece, the pianist's [good] fingers raced lightly across the keys without missing a single note.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: nimble / steady / forceful / slender	nimble — "Nimble" means quick and light in movement, matching fingers that raced lightly. "Forceful" clashes with lightly, and "slender" describes the fingers' shape, not how they moved.
Walking through her old elementary school, Mrs. Park smiled softly and felt a wave of [feeling], remembering the reading corner and wishing she could spend one more afternoon there with her old friends.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: relief / resentment / nostalgia / regret	nostalgia — "Nostalgia" means a warm, slightly sad longing for the past, matching her soft smile and wish to return. "Regret" means sorrow over something you did wrong, and nothing she did is mentioned.
The pirate Blackbeard, who was never caught or put on trial, was [known] throughout the Caribbean for terrifying sailors and stealing their cargo.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: punished / notorious / imprisoned / renowned	notorious — "Notorious" means well known for something bad, fitting fame for terrifying sailors. "Renowned" means famous in an admiring way, and "punished" and "imprisoned" are ruled out because he was never caught or tried.
Staring at her phone, the woman stood [not paying attention to] the bus pulling away from the curb; she looked up only after it had turned the corner, then sprinted after it, shouting.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: indifferent to / oblivious to / accustomed to / resigned to	oblivious to — "Oblivious to" means not aware of, matching a woman who looked up only after the bus was gone. "Indifferent to" would mean she did not care, but sprinting after it shows she cared a great deal.
The one-page instructions for the new bookshelf were so [bad] that even the engineer in our family could not tell which screws went where.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: lengthy / tedious / technical / obscure	obscure — "Obscure" means unclear and hard to understand, which is why no one could follow them. "Technical" is ruled out because an engineer would understand technical language, and "lengthy" and "tedious" clash with one page.
Once streaming services became common, the rental store's shelves of DVDs, still in perfect condition and renting for only a dollar, were nearly [old], and since no collector wanted them, the shop closed within a year.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: obsolete / damaged / antique / overpriced	obsolete — "Obsolete" means no longer used because something newer replaced it, which fits DVDs pushed aside by streaming; "antique" suggests valuable collectibles, but no collector wanted them, "damaged" clashes with "perfect condition," and "overpriced" with renting for a dollar.
Just as the lights flickered out, the old house let out one long, low creak that sounded [weird] to Maya, and she gripped her flashlight and backed slowly toward the door.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: absurd / ominous / familiar / mournful	ominous — "Ominous" means warning that something bad is coming, matching Maya's fearful retreat. "Mournful" means sad, but she reacts with fear, not sorrow.
The photographer covered the darkroom window with [special] black plastic, as thin as a garbage bag yet blocking every single ray of sunlight from reaching the film.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: opaque / flexible / glossy / waterproof	opaque — "Opaque" means not letting light through, which is the point of blocking every ray. "Glossy" means shiny and reflective, and "flexible" describes how it bends; neither explains why no light got in.
Even after the team lost its first five games, the coach's [attitude] never wavered; she kept telling the players that a winning streak was just around the corner.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: patience / humor / discipline / optimism	optimism — "Optimism" means confidence that things will turn out well, matching her belief that a winning streak was coming. "Patience" means waiting calmly, but she was predicting success, not just waiting.
The queen's [pretty] crown was covered with swirling silver patterns, tiny carved flowers, and dozens of sparkling jewels.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: enameled / gilded / ornate / polished	ornate — "Ornate" means covered with complicated decoration, matching the swirls, flowers, and jewels. "Gilded" means coated with gold, but the patterns are silver, and "enameled" means coated with colored glaze, which is never mentioned.
On her first day at the busy restaurant, the new server was [bothered] by the flood of orders, spilled drinks, and shouting cooks, and she nearly quit by lunch.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: surprised / distracted / unimpressed / overwhelmed	overwhelmed — "Overwhelmed" means faced with more than one can handle, matching the flood of problems that nearly made her quit. "Distracted" means pulled off focus, which is far milder than wanting to quit.
To [deal with] the furious customer, the manager apologized, offered a full refund, and brought him a free dessert, and his shouting soon faded into a calm thank-you.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: pacify / impress / flatter / distract	pacify — "Pacify" means to calm someone who is angry, matching shouting that faded into calm. "Distract" means turning attention elsewhere, but the manager dealt with the complaint directly.
The monk spent years on the [good] copy of the ancient book, forming every letter by hand and checking each line against the original.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: painstaking / decorative / abridged / portable	painstaking — "Painstaking" means done with great care to every detail, matching years of checking each line. "Abridged" means shortened, which is ruled out because he copied every line, and "decorative" stresses beauty, not care.
Leah often thought about the [strange fact] of her city years: the loneliest place she ever lived was a crowded city of eight million people.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: exaggeration / tragedy / paradox / coincidence	paradox — A "paradox" is a situation that seems contradictory but is true, like being lonely among millions. A "coincidence" is two events happening together by chance, which does not describe this built-in contradiction.
Instead of fighting back or running, the opossum plays dead, staying [quiet] in the open, fully alert and far from calm, and letting the fox sniff and paw at it without reacting at all until the danger passes.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: defensive / unconscious / relaxed / passive	passive — "Passive" means accepting what happens without reacting, which fits letting the fox paw at it; "defensive" clashes with "instead of fighting back," "relaxed" with "far from calm," and "unconscious" with "fully alert."
Everyone on the block noticed the new neighbor's [different] habit of watering his lawn at midnight while wearing a raincoat.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: wasteful / noisy / peculiar / secretive	peculiar — "Peculiar" means strange or unusual, fitting midnight watering in a raincoat. "Secretive" is ruled out because everyone noticed, and nothing suggests the habit wastes water or makes noise.
After weeks of dead ends, the detective finally [got into] the mystery, understanding at last why the painting had been switched on the night of the party.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: publicized / investigated / penetrated / complicated	penetrated — Here "penetrated" means saw through something hard to understand, matching "understanding at last." "Investigated" is ruled out because she had already been investigating for weeks.
Owls can [get] the slightest movement of a mouse in nearly total darkness, thanks to their huge, light-gathering eyes.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: perceive / recall / envision / anticipate	perceive — "Perceive" means to notice through the senses, which is what light-gathering eyes allow. "Anticipate" and "envision" mean to expect or imagine, but the owl actually sees the movement as it happens.
The hikers were in great [trouble] when the rising tide trapped them on a narrow ledge beneath the cliffs.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: disgrace / suspense / haste / peril	peril — "Peril" means serious, immediate danger, matching hikers trapped by a rising tide. "Suspense" means anxious waiting to find out what happens, but the sentence stresses danger, not uncertainty.
Without water for weeks, many young trees along the avenue [were lost] during the summer drought; their dead trunks stood bare until the city dug them up and planted new ones in the fall.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: wilted / suffered / perished / vanished	perished — "Perished" means died, which fits dead trunks that had to be replaced; "wilted" means only drooped and could recover, "vanished" clashes with trunks still standing, and "suffered" implies the trees lived through it, but they had to be replaced.
Even though the forecast promised sunshine and he had been looking forward to the beach for weeks, Uncle Ray was [negative] about the trip, insisting it would surely storm by noon.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: pessimistic / reluctant / indifferent / bitter	pessimistic — "Pessimistic" means expecting bad things to happen, matching his certainty that it would storm. "Reluctant" and "indifferent" are ruled out because he had been looking forward to the trip for weeks.
Scientists traveled to the desert to study a strange natural [thing], harmless and recorded many times by their instruments, in which sand dunes, without any visible change, produce a loud humming sound when the wind blows across them.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: legend / spectacle / phenomenon / hazard	phenomenon — A "phenomenon" is an observable event, especially an unusual one, which fits humming dunes that instruments have recorded; a "legend" is a story that may not be true, but this was recorded, a "hazard" clashes with "harmless," and a "spectacle" is something to see, but nothing visible happens.
Until someone checked the school's records, the scientists could call the student's explanation for the missing data only [fine]: no one doubted her honesty, and a power outage, the usual cause of such gaps, might have shut down the sensor, but nothing had been confirmed.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: verified / plausible / original / convenient	plausible — "Plausible" means reasonable and likely but not proven, which fits an explanation that might be right but was not confirmed; "verified" clashes with "nothing had been confirmed," "convenient" hints at a suspicious excuse, but no one doubted her, and "original" clashes with "the usual cause."
With tears running down her cheeks, the little girl [asked], "Please, please let me keep him," promising her parents she would feed the stray kitten every single day.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: inquired / requested / demanded / pleaded	pleaded — "Pleaded" means begged in an emotional way, which fits the tears and the repeated "please"; "requested" is too calm and formal, and "demanded" does not match her begging.
The documentary showed the [situation] of families who had lost their homes in a flood that was no one's fault and were now sleeping on cots in a crowded gym, waiting for help.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: plight / quarrel / blunder / dilemma	plight — "Plight" means a difficult, sad situation, which fits families sleeping on cots after losing their homes; a "dilemma" is a hard choice, and nobody in the sentence has to choose between options.
The final scene of the play, in which two elderly sisters read their childhood letters aloud, was so [nice] that the audience sat in silence long after the lights went down, many quietly dabbing their eyes.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: spectacular / whimsical / suspenseful / poignant	poignant — "Poignant" means deeply moving in a sad or tender way, which explains the silence and the tears; a "whimsical" scene would be playful, and a "suspenseful" one would leave the audience tense, not tearful.
Jamal spent the whole week after Monday's tryout [thinking about] the coach's offer to join the traveling team, telling no one while he carefully weighed whether he could keep up with his schoolwork.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: anticipating / pondering / announcing / recalling	pondering — "Pondering" means thinking something over carefully for a long time, which fits a week of weighing the offer; he cannot be "anticipating" an offer he already received, and he is "telling no one," so he is not announcing it.
The new fertilizer is so [strong] that a single spoonful mixed into a gallon of water is enough to double the size of the tomatoes in an entire garden.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: abundant / sturdy / durable / potent	potent — "Potent" means having a powerful effect, which fits a tiny spoonful doubling the tomatoes; "durable" and "sturdy" describe strength that resists wear, not strength of effect.
Ana skipped the delicate leather shoes and bought sturdy, waterproof boots, even though they cost more; for walking to school through slushy streets all winter, they were the [right] choice.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: fashionable / economical / practical / glamorous	practical — "Practical" means sensible and useful in real life, which fits waterproof boots for slushy streets; they "cost more," so "economical" does not fit, and nothing says they were stylish.
Before the doors opened on the first day, the staff added several [things]: glass covers over the manuscripts, ropes around the shelves, and a guard at the entrance, so that no visitor could ever damage the fragile pages.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: precautions / repairs / renovations / remedies	precautions — "Precautions" are steps taken ahead of time to prevent harm, which fits measures added "before the doors opened"; "remedies" and "repairs" fix damage that has already happened, and nothing has been damaged yet.
A full five seconds of stunned silence [came before] the thunderous applause; only then did the audience leap to its feet.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: accompanied / interrupted / outlasted / preceded	preceded — "Preceded" means came before in time, which fits silence followed by applause ("only then"); "interrupted" and "accompanied" would put the silence during the applause instead of before it.
The new coach admitted that her [feeling] against left-handed pitchers had been unfair: she had assumed they were all wild without ever watching one throw.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: resentment / grievance / prejudice / grudge	prejudice — "Prejudice" is an unfair opinion formed without knowing the facts, which fits judging pitchers "without ever watching one throw"; a "grudge" or "grievance" comes from a real past wrong, and she had no experience with them at all.
Being chosen to perform at the small concert hall carried great [importance] among young pianists; few people outside music had ever heard of it, but only the most respected musicians had ever played there.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: publicity / prestige / notoriety / popularity	prestige — "Prestige" is the respect something earns from its importance, which fits a hall where only respected musicians play; "popularity" and "publicity" do not fit a hall that few outsiders had heard of.
On their first visit to the island, the travelers never checked the schedule; they simply [thought] that the last ferry left at midnight, so they were stranded when it pulled away at ten.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: presumed / confirmed / recalled / calculated	presumed — "Presumed" means supposed something was true without proof, which fits travelers who "never checked the schedule"; on a first visit they could not have "recalled" the time, and they had no facts to "calculate" it from.
The underdogs, who had matched the champions goal for goal all night and never once fell behind, finally [won out] in the third overtime.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: prevailed / rallied / persisted / competed	prevailed — "Prevailed" means won or proved stronger, which fits finally winning in overtime; "rallied" means came back from behind, but the team "never once fell behind," and "persisted" only means kept going.
Because she had [old] experience caring for horses, gained just last summer on her uncle's farm, Mia was put in charge of the stable on her very first day at the ranch.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: outdated / prior / ancient / obsolete	prior — "Prior" means earlier, which fits experience from last summer that still made her the right choice; "outdated" and "obsolete" would mean the experience was no longer useful, and "ancient" clashes with "just last summer."
Although the essay was not due for three weeks, Priya refused to [wait around]; she knew that leaving it until the last weekend would mean a rushed, sloppy draft, so she began writing the day it was assigned.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: procrastinate / improvise / deliberate / hesitate	procrastinate — "Procrastinate" means to keep putting off a task, which fits not "leaving it until the last weekend"; "hesitate" means a brief pause from uncertainty, not delaying a job for weeks.
By the end of the course, the students had become [okay] speakers of Spanish: they could order meals and ask for directions, though long, fast conversations with native speakers still left them lost.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: articulate / fluent / eloquent / proficient	proficient — "Proficient" means skilled through practice, which fits students who handle everyday tasks; "fluent" is too strong, since long, fast conversations "still left them lost," and "eloquent" and "articulate" suggest polished, expressive speech.
Not wanting the visit to end, the grandchildren [stretched] their goodbyes at the airport, sincerely and without any plan, hugging their grandmother three separate times in front of the whole line before her flight was finally called.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: exaggerated / rehearsed / concealed / prolonged	prolonged — "Prolonged" means made something last longer, which fits not wanting the visit to end and hugging three times; "rehearsed" clashes with "without any plan," "exaggerated" with "sincerely," and "concealed" with hugging in front of the whole line.
The survey found that the [amount] of students who would rather start school an hour later had risen from one in three to nearly three in four.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: volume / proportion / quantity / number	proportion — "Proportion" means a part compared with the whole, which fits figures like "one in three" and "three in four"; "number" is tempting, but those figures are fractions of the whole, not a count.
Before setting out across the desert, the travelers loaded their camels with [stuff] to keep themselves alive on the journey: water, dried dates, flour, and salted meat.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: equipment / provisions / merchandise / luggage	provisions — "Provisions" are supplies of food and drink for a trip, which fits water, dates, flour, and meat; "equipment" means tools, and "merchandise" means goods for sale, not food for the travelers.
Since storms were predicted for the weekend, the family decided it would be [smart] to postpone the camping trip rather than risk getting caught in a flash flood.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: shrewd / prudent / ingenious / brilliant	prudent — "Prudent" means wise and careful about the future, which fits postponing a trip to avoid a flood; "ingenious" means clever and inventive, and "shrewd" means sharp at gaining an advantage, but this choice is simply cautious.
The [nice] morning sun turned the frozen lake into a sheet of dazzling gold, so bright that the skaters had to shade their eyes.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: pleasant / mellow / gentle / radiant	radiant — "Radiant" means shining brightly, which fits sunlight "so bright" that skaters shaded their eyes; "mellow" and "gentle" describe soft light, and "pleasant" says nothing about brightness.
Without reading the instructions or checking his measurements, Devin made the [quick] choice to cut the expensive wood, and the shelf ended up two inches too short.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rash / abrupt / sudden / brisk	rash — "Rash" means done too quickly without thinking about what might happen, which fits skipping the instructions and measurements; "abrupt," "brisk," and "sudden" only describe speed, not the lack of thought that ruined the shelf.
After the flood, the water slowly [went] from the streets back toward the river, inch by inch, leaving a thick layer of mud on every sidewalk.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: scattered / evaporated / receded / vanished	receded — "Receded" means moved back or away, which fits water flowing "back toward the river"; water that "evaporated" would turn to vapor rather than move back toward the river.
Seeing the light turn red, the driver made the [bad] decision to speed up anyway on the rain-slicked road; only luck kept him from crashing at the busy intersection, and he drove away without a scratch or a ticket.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: unlucky / costly / absent-minded / reckless	reckless — "Reckless" means not caring about danger, which fits speeding up on purpose on a wet road at a red light; "absent-minded" clashes with him seeing the light, "costly" with getting no scratch or ticket, and "unlucky" with luck saving him.
After not speaking for months, the two brothers finally [fixed things] at their grandmother's birthday dinner; neither gave an inch on the old argument, but they hugged and agreed to start fresh.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: negotiated / compromised / cooperated / reconciled	reconciled — "Reconciled" means became friendly again after a disagreement, which fits the hug and fresh start; they did not "compromise," because "neither gave an inch on the old argument."
Doctors grew concerned when the boy's headaches kept [coming]: each time one faded, another struck within a few days, each no worse than the last, and the pattern lasted nearly a month.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: lingering / worsening / spreading / recurring	recurring — "Recurring" means happening again and again, which fits headaches that fade and then strike again; they were not "worsening" ("no worse than the last"), and "lingering" would mean one headache that never faded.
Over many rehearsals, the dancer [changed] her routine, adjusting the angle of a wrist here and the timing of a turn there until every movement looked effortless.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: shortened / transformed / refined / reinvented	refined — "Refined" means improved through small changes, which fits adjusting a wrist here and a turn there; "transformed" and "reinvented" mean big, complete changes, not tiny adjustments.
During the moment of silence, the crowd [kept] from cheering or talking, standing quietly in place until the last bell rang.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: retreated / refrained / withdrew / recoiled	refrained — "Refrained" means held yourself back from doing something, which fits a crowd "standing quietly in place"; "withdrew" and "retreated" mean moving away, and the crowd stayed where it was.
The student [answered] her classmate's claim that the Great Wall can be seen from the Moon by presenting astronauts' own statements that it cannot, settling the matter for good.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rephrased / refuted / questioned / acknowledged	refuted — "Refuted" means proved wrong, which fits presenting evidence that settled "the matter for good"; "questioned" would only raise doubt about the claim without proving it false.
Students who want to compete in the spelling bee must [put down their names] with the librarian by Friday; there is no test or tryout, but anyone missing from the official list will not be allowed to take part.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: audition / register / qualify / apply	register — "Register" means to sign up officially, which fits getting on "the official list"; "qualify" and "audition" both involve passing a test or tryout, and the sentence says there is none.
For over an hour the reporter's [steady] questioning did not let up; each time the factory manager dodged, she pressed harder, until he finally admitted that safety inspections had been skipped.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rehearsed / measured / relentless / methodical	relentless — "Relentless" means never stopping or easing up, which fits pressing harder after every dodge; "methodical" means orderly, and "measured" means restrained, but her questioning kept getting more intense.
At his final news conference, the aging chess champion, who had held his title for a decade, announced that he would [give up] the title for good, leaving it vacant for younger players to fight over, and never play in another tournament.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reclaim / share / defend / relinquish	relinquish — "Relinquish" means give up or let go of something, which fits leaving the title vacant for good; "defend" clashes with never playing again, "share" with leaving the title vacant, and "reclaim" with already having held it for a decade.
The thief in the story showed real [sadness] for what he had done, returning every stolen coin to the villagers and begging their forgiveness.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: remorse / grief / sympathy / pity	remorse — "Remorse" is deep regret for your own wrongdoing, which fits the thief returning the coins; "grief" is sorrow over a loss, and "pity" and "sympathy" are feelings for someone else's suffering.
Though she never paid for a single ad and rarely gave interviews, the chef had been [known] around the world for her dumplings for forty years, and diners waited months for a table at her tiny restaurant.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: trendy / publicized / renowned / advertised	renowned — "Renowned" means famous and admired, which fits forty years of fame and months-long waits; she never paid for an ad and rarely gave interviews, so "advertised" and "publicized" do not fit, and "trendy" suggests a short-lived fad.
Each evening, after the giraffes had eaten through most of the day's hay, the zookeepers [filled up] the feeding racks so the animals would have plenty to eat by morning.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: cleaned / replenished / rearranged / inspected	replenished — "Replenished" means filled up again, which fits restocking racks the giraffes had nearly emptied; "inspected," "rearranged," and "cleaned" would not give the animals "plenty to eat."
The manager [talked to] the employee who had left the cash drawer unlocked overnight, sternly warning him in a formal meeting that a second mistake would cost him his job.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reprimanded / reminded / consulted / advised	reprimanded — "Reprimanded" means scolded officially, which fits a formal meeting with a stern warning; "advised" and "reminded" are too gentle for a threat to his job.
Desert hikers should always pack one liter more than they expect to drink and leave that bottle sealed; this [extra] is what keeps them alive if they get lost.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reserve / portion / allowance / ration	reserve — "Reserve" means a supply kept for later, which fits a sealed bottle saved for emergencies; a "ration" or "allowance" is an amount meant to be used up on schedule, not left untouched.
After losing her first three matches of the season, the young wrestler was [strong] enough not to lose heart; she studied each defeat and went on to win the state title.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: forceful / flexible / resilient / muscular	resilient — "Resilient" means able to recover from hard times, which fits coming back from three losses to win the title; "muscular" and "forceful" describe physical power, not the ability to bounce back.
Despite the freezing rain, and though even they doubted they could make it, the volunteers stayed [firm] in their plan to finish clearing the trail by sunset, and they did not stop until the last fallen branch was gone.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: comfortable / confident / patient / resolute	resolute — "Resolute" means firmly determined, which fits volunteers who kept going until the last branch was gone; they were not "confident," since "even they doubted they could make it."
Even after the flood, the library managed to [hang on to] most of its rare books, thanks to a staff that had moved them to the top floor the night before.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: reclaim / recover / retain / restore	retain — "Retain" means to keep, which fits books that were moved to safety before the flood and never lost; "recover" and "reclaim" mean to get back something already lost.
When the other team mocked their uniforms, the players decided not to [react]; they would not trade insult for insult, choosing instead to let their performance on the field do the talking.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: retaliate / protest / sulk / complain	retaliate — "Retaliate" means to strike back after being treated badly, which fits refusing to "trade insult for insult"; to "protest" or "complain" would mean objecting, not hitting back with insults.
Generations of young scientists have [liked] Marie Curie, honoring her courage and brilliance by naming schools, awards, and even a chemical element after her.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: envied / revered / imitated / noticed	revered — "Revered" means deeply respected, which fits naming schools and an element after her; "noticed" is far too weak for that honor, and "envied" adds jealousy that the sentence does not suggest.
After reading her teacher's comments, Elena [redid parts of] her essay, tightening her argument and replacing weak evidence with stronger examples.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: memorized / revised / recopied / proofread	revised — "Revised" means changed to correct or improve, which fits replacing weak evidence; "proofread" means checking for spelling and typing errors, not rebuilding the argument.
Training for the astronaut program is [hard]: candidates must master engineering, underwater spacewalk drills, and wilderness survival, and anyone who fails a single exam, even by one point, is sent home.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rigorous / tedious / hazardous / complicated	rigorous — "Rigorous" means thorough and strict, which fits a program that sends anyone home for missing an exam by one point; "hazardous" means dangerous and "tedious" means boring, and neither explains the strict standard.
Engineers made the bridge [good]: though slender and built from a plain, century-old design that no one would call beautiful, it withstands hurricane winds, earthquakes, and the weight of thousands of trucks every day.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: robust / elegant / massive / innovative	robust — "Robust" means strong and able to hold up under stress, which fits withstanding hurricanes and heavy trucks; "elegant" clashes with "no one would call beautiful," "massive" with "slender," and "innovative" with a century-old design.
Every school morning, it took Mr. Okafor three tries to [move] his teenage son from a deep sleep: first calling his name, then opening the curtains, and finally shaking his shoulder until the boy blinked awake.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: escort / rouse / beckon / coax	rouse — "Rouse" means to wake someone up, which fits shaking the boy until he "blinked awake"; "coax" means gently persuade, and "beckon" means signal, but a sleeping boy can respond to neither.
After just one week of lessons, Sam's understanding of French was [small]: he could count to ten and say "please" and "thank you," so he bought his train ticket by pointing at a map.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: rusty / rudimentary / theoretical / outdated	rudimentary — "Rudimentary" means basic and at an early stage, which fits one week of lessons; "rusty" would mean he once knew French well and forgot it, but he had only just begun.
The [mean] queen in the fairy tale banished anyone who disagreed with her and, without a moment's pity, seized the farms of families who could not pay her heavy taxes.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: stingy / arrogant / ruthless / moody	ruthless — "Ruthless" means having no pity or mercy, which fits seizing farms "without a moment's pity"; "stingy" means unwilling to spend money, which does not describe her cruelty.
Jealous of his brother, the villain in the play secretly [messed with] the ship's sails the night before the race, cutting hidden slits that would tear open only once the wind filled them, so his brother's vessel would fall behind.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: defaced / sabotaged / vandalized / plundered	sabotaged — "Sabotaged" means damaged something on purpose to make it fail, which fits hidden slits meant to make his brother lose; "vandalized" and "defaced" mean visible, pointless damage, not a hidden plan to ruin the race.
With the museum's permission, divers were able to [get] several gold coins and a brass bell lying on the open deck of the sunken ship and bring them to the surface just before the wreck broke apart in a storm and was lost for good.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: excavate / inspect / steal / salvage	salvage — "Salvage" means save something before it is lost, which fits rescuing items just before the wreck broke apart; "steal" clashes with "the museum's permission," "inspect" with bringing them to the surface, and "excavate" means dig out of the ground, but the items lay on the open deck.
For thousands of migrating geese, the marsh island is now the [place] where they can rest safely each winter, since hunting there was banned and no boats may land.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: sanctuary / colony / hatchery / habitat	sanctuary — "Sanctuary" means a safe, protected place, which fits an island where hunting is banned and boats cannot land; "habitat" only means a natural home and says nothing about protection, and the geese are resting, not hatching eggs.
Each evening Grandma [ate] her single square of chocolate with her eyes closed, letting it melt on her tongue and making the moment last as long as she could.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: savored / rationed / sampled / swallowed	savored — "Savored" means enjoyed slowly and fully, which fits closing her eyes and making the moment last; "rationed" is tempting because she has only one square, but it describes limiting a supply, not enjoying each bite.
Even as the storm shook the plane, the flight attendant's face, showing neither a smile nor a frown, remained [normal], and her unhurried voice helped the nervous passengers relax.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: cheerful / serene / watchful / stern	serene — "Serene" means calm and peaceful, which fits a steady face and an unhurried voice that relaxed passengers; she showed "neither a smile nor a frown," so she was neither "cheerful" nor "stern."
The [smart] shopper planned ahead, waiting until the end of the season, when winter coats were marked down by half, and bought two for the price of one, giving the second coat to her sister.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: stingy / impulsive / shrewd / lucky	shrewd — "Shrewd" means clever at judging situations to get an advantage, which fits timing the sale; "impulsive" clashes with planning and waiting, "stingy" with giving a coat to her sister, and "lucky" with the deal coming from a plan, not chance.
Kneeling in the silent hall, the knights swore their [big] oath in only a few words, heads bowed, before the king and the entire court.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: joyful / elaborate / boastful / solemn	solemn — "Solemn" means serious and respectful, which fits kneeling with bowed heads in a silent hall; the oath used "only a few words," so it was not "elaborate," and bowed heads rule out "boastful."
The poet's [plain] style uses short lines, almost no adjectives, and not one wasted word, yet each poem is polished, confident, and full of warmth.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: bleak / spare / timid / clumsy	spare — "Spare" here means simple and using very little, which fits short lines with no wasted words; "clumsy" clashes with "polished," "timid" with "confident," and "bleak" with "full of warmth."
With no real evidence to go on, fans began to [talk] about the drummer's future, politely trading theories in online forums about whether he might leave the band.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: complain / speculate / argue / brag	speculate — "Speculate" means to guess without having all the facts, which fits trading theories with "no real evidence"; "argue" does not fit because the fans traded theories "politely."
The team [lost] its ten-point lead in the final minutes by making careless passes and taking wild shots.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: exchanged / squandered / forfeited / sacrificed	squandered — "Squandered" means wasted something valuable, which fits losing a lead through "careless passes"; "sacrificed" means giving something up on purpose for a gain, and "forfeited" means losing it because of a rule or penalty.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in [bad] water, even perfectly clean rainwater, as long as it sits undisturbed in a bucket or old tire for a week, so health officials urged residents to empty containers after storms.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: murky / brackish / polluted / stagnant	stagnant — "Stagnant" means not flowing or moving, which fits water that "sits undisturbed"; "polluted" and "murky" do not fit because even "perfectly clean rainwater" works.
Swimming across the bay requires more than speed; it takes the [energy] to keep stroking steadily for three hours in cold, choppy water.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: agility / coordination / stamina / flexibility	stamina — "Stamina" is the strength to keep doing something hard for a long time, which fits swimming steadily "for three hours"; "agility" and "flexibility" describe quick or limber movement, not lasting effort.
Though only a few hundred feet long and freshly paved, the final hill of the bike race was so [tough] that many riders had to climb off and push their bikes up its slope.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: steep / muddy / lengthy / rocky	steep — "Steep" means rising sharply, which explains pushing bikes up a short hill; it was "only a few hundred feet long," so it was not "lengthy," and "freshly paved" rules out "rocky" and "muddy."
Engineers rushed to [handle] the flow of water pouring through the crack in the dam, packing clay and gravel into it until the stream became a trickle and then stopped.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: stem / monitor / measure / redirect	stem — "Stem" means to stop or hold back a flow, which fits packing the crack until the water "stopped"; "redirect" would send the water somewhere else instead of stopping it.
The lifeguard's warning to the boys was [strong]: in one calm sentence and without a smile, she told them that one more dive into the shallow end would get them sent home for the day.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: stern / rambling / dramatic / frantic	stern — "Stern" means serious and strict, which fits a calm, unsmiling warning with a firm penalty; "frantic" and "dramatic" clash with "calm," and "rambling" clashes with "one calm sentence."
Strict rules that forbade students from asking questions in class [hurt] their curiosity, and many stopped wondering about anything at all.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: offended / confused / stifled / misdirected	stifled — "Stifled" means held back or smothered, which fits curiosity that disappeared until students "stopped wondering about anything at all"; "misdirected" would mean their curiosity simply went somewhere else.
City leaders hoped the new subway line would [help] business in the neighborhood, bringing thousands of new shoppers to its stores and restaurants each day.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: regulate / stimulate / stabilize / protect	stimulate — "Stimulate" means to make something more active, which fits bringing in thousands of new shoppers; "stabilize" means keeping things steady, not making them grow.
The smell of cinnamon bread drifting from the bakery [moved] old memories in Lena, gently bringing back real, happy moments in her grandmother's kitchen, though they stayed soft and hazy.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: invented / stirred / sharpened / spoiled	stirred — "Stirred" here means awakened a feeling or memory, which fits gently bringing back old moments; "invented" clashes with the moments being real, "sharpened" with them staying soft and hazy, and "spoiled" with them being happy.
Because the lab works with dangerous germs, it has followed [some] safety rules for decades: every worker, even the director, must wear a sealed suit, pass through three locked doors, and shower before leaving, with no exceptions.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: intricate / temporary / novel / stringent	stringent — "Stringent" means very strict, which fits rules applied to everyone "with no exceptions"; rules followed "for decades" are not "novel" or "temporary," and nothing suggests they are hard to understand, as "intricate" would.
Even after his teammates calmly replayed the video three times and he admitted he could see it clearly, Theo stayed [difficult], coolly insisting the ball was out and refusing to change his call.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: timid / confused / furious / stubborn	stubborn — "Stubborn" means refusing to change your mind, which fits refusing to change his call despite clear proof; "confused" clashes with him seeing it clearly, "furious" with "coolly," and "timid" with his firm insisting.
Once the crowd's cheering finally [changed], fading from a roar to a low murmur, the speaker was able to continue her speech.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: subsided / ceased / echoed / peaked	subsided — "Subsided" means became less intense, which fits cheering that faded "to a low murmur"; "ceased" would mean it stopped completely, but a murmur was still left.
After weeks of drought and record heat, the young trees finally [gave out]; by August their leaves had turned brown and fallen, and not one of them leafed out again the next spring.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: drooped / wilted / succumbed / faltered	succumbed — "Succumbed" means gave in to something you had been fighting, here dying from the heat, which fits trees that never leafed out again; "wilted," "drooped," and "faltered" describe weakness a plant can recover from.
The coach [called] the team captains to her office with a note that read only "My office. Now.", and both arrived within minutes.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: invited / escorted / welcomed / summoned	summoned — "Summoned" means ordered someone to come, which fits the curt note "My office. Now."; "invited" is too polite for that command, and she sent a note rather than walking them there, so she did not "escort" them.
Although it lasted a full eight hours, the bus tour's treatment of the city's history was [thin]: guides recited correct dates at each stop but never explained why any of them mattered.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: biased / superficial / inaccurate / brief	superficial — "Superficial" means only on the surface, which fits a tour that listed dates but never explained them; it lasted "a full eight hours," so it was not "brief," and the dates were "correct."
To [help] her income from babysitting on weekdays, which she kept doing, Jada started a dog-walking business on weekends.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: protect / supplement / budget / replace	supplement — "Supplement" means to add something extra, which fits adding dog-walking money while she kept babysitting; "replace" would mean she quit babysitting, and the sentence says she kept doing it.
Weakened after being sick all winter, the girl's grandmother was more [open] to catching colds than other people her age, even though she rarely left the house.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: exposed / resigned / susceptible / accustomed	susceptible — "Susceptible" means easily affected or harmed, which fits a body weakened by illness; "exposed" is tempting, but she "rarely left the house," so she was around fewer germs, not more.
Instead of telling the young chef that her soup was too salty, the critic chose [nice] words, noting that "a little less seasoning might let the vegetables shine."  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: enthusiastic / tactful / sentimental / flattering	tactful — "Tactful" means careful not to hurt or offend, which fits pointing out the salt gently; "flattering" is tempting, but she still pointed out a problem rather than simply praising the soup.
Copying the sturdy old census ledgers by hand was simple but [dull] work: for weeks the clerk sat at a desk writing the same kinds of names and numbers, line after line.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: strenuous / delicate / intricate / tedious	tedious — "Tedious" means long, slow, and boring, which fits weeks of copying the same names and numbers; the work was "simple," so it was not "intricate," and the ledgers were "sturdy," so the job was not "delicate."
The coach tried to [lower] the team's excitement after the first win, not to spoil it, but to keep the players from getting overconfident, reminding them that the toughest opponents were still ahead.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: crush / temper / ignore / dismiss	temper — "Temper" means to soften or make less extreme, which fits calming the excitement without spoiling it; "crush" would destroy the excitement, which the coach did not want to do.
Ms. Ruiz's [way], calm and patient ever since she was a small child, made her the perfect person to teach toddlers how to swim.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: training / temperament / technique / routine	temperament — "Temperament" is a person's usual nature, which fits being calm and patient "ever since she was a small child"; a "technique" or "training" is something learned later, not a lifelong trait.
The [hardworking] reporter called the city office every day for three months, even after being told no dozens of times, until officials finally released the records she had requested.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: tenacious / efficient / ambitious / talented	tenacious — "Tenacious" means refusing to give up, which fits calling for three months after dozens of refusals; "efficient" means getting things done quickly, but this took three months.
The baby giraffe took a few [small] steps on its long, wobbly legs, pausing after each one as if unsure the ground would hold.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: playful / tentative / graceful / hasty	tentative — "Tentative" means done in a hesitant, unsure way, which fits pausing after each step; "graceful" does not fit "wobbly" legs, and "hasty" does not fit stopping after every step.
The company [stopped] its contract with the cleaning service for good and hired a new firm after workers repeatedly left the offices dirty.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: renegotiated / terminated / delayed / suspended	terminated — "Terminated" means brought to an end, which fits ending the contract "for good"; "suspended" means stopped only for a while, and the company hired a new firm instead.
Most noise in the reading room did not bother the librarian, but she would not [take] loud phone calls: she asked anyone who started chatting on a phone to step into the hallway.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: transfer / return / tolerate / answer	tolerate — "Tolerate" means to put up with or allow, which fits refusing to allow loud calls in the room; "answer" is tempting, but the calls belonged to visitors, and she asked them to leave rather than picking up herself.
The city has never run electric buses, but its [move] to them will happen gradually, with a few diesel buses replaced each year until 2035.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: plunge / transition / leap / return	transition — "Transition" means a change from one stage to another, which fits a gradual switch; "leap" and "plunge" suggest a sudden jump, and "return" would mean the city had run electric buses before.
The club promised to be [open] about how it spent its money, posting every receipt online for members to review.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: transparent / generous / cautious / frugal	transparent — "Transparent" means open and easy to see, which fits posting every receipt for members to check; "frugal" and "cautious" describe careful spending, not showing members where the money went.
In the legend, the [bad] adviser secretly sent the castle's plans to the enemy army while pretending to serve the king.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: incompetent / cowardly / arrogant / treacherous	treacherous — "Treacherous" means not loyal, which fits secretly helping the enemy while pretending to serve the king; "incompetent" means unskilled, but his betrayal was deliberate.
Compared to finding a cure for the disease, the scientists' disagreement over the color of the lab's walls, though it dragged on for weeks, seemed [small].  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: subtle / brief / rare / trivial	trivial — "Trivial" means unimportant, which fits a dispute about wall color next to curing a disease; it "dragged on for weeks," so it was not "brief."
After the surprise announcement that the factory would close, the small town was in [a mess] for weeks, as families worried about jobs and rumors spread from house to house.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: isolation / mourning / turmoil / debt	turmoil — "Turmoil" means great confusion and upset, which fits worry and spreading rumors; "mourning" means grieving a death, and no one in the sentence has died.
The judges' decision was [shared]: every one of the five chose the same drawing as the winner of the contest.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: immediate / final / unanimous / impartial	unanimous — "Unanimous" means agreed to by everyone, which fits all five judges choosing the same drawing; "impartial" means fair, and the sentence is about agreement, not fairness.
The twins' resemblance to their great-grandparents in the old photo was so [weird] that it gave their mother chills: the same crooked smiles, the same dimples, even the same habit of tilting their heads.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: comical / uncanny / misleading / flattering	uncanny — "Uncanny" means strangely close or exact, which fits matching smiles, dimples, and head tilts that gave their mother chills; "comical" would make her laugh, not shiver.
When the cat batted at the scarf, its stitches began to [come out] one after another, and soon a long tail of red yarn trailed across the floor.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: tangle / shrink / unravel / fade	unravel — "Unravel" means to come undone stitch by stitch, which fits a long tail of loose yarn; "tangle" would mean the yarn got knotted together, not pulled loose.
Every scout promises to [keep] the troop's values of honesty and kindness, acting on them even when no one is watching.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: memorize / inherit / advertise / uphold	uphold — "Uphold" means to support and keep, which fits acting on values "even when no one is watching"; "memorize" is tempting, but knowing values by heart is not the same as living by them.
To save energy, the new school building [uses] the sunlight that pours through its large skylights to light the hallways, so the lamps can stay off on most days.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: absorbs / reflects / utilizes / measures	utilizes — "Utilizes" means puts to practical use, which fits using sunlight to light the hallways; light that is "absorbed" or "reflected" away would not brighten the halls.
The [nice] firefighters climbed into the burning building again and again to carry trapped residents to safety.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: cautious / valiant / experienced / efficient	valiant — "Valiant" means showing great courage, which fits going back into a burning building "again and again"; "efficient" and "experienced" describe skill, not bravery.
Kofi was a truly [good] athlete: he played goalie in soccer, point guard in basketball, and catcher in baseball, all in the same school year.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: competitive / dedicated / versatile / disciplined	versatile — "Versatile" means able to do many different things, which fits playing three positions in three sports; "dedicated" and "disciplined" describe effort, not range.
Lifeguards must stay [awake] at all times, scanning the water constantly for any swimmer who might be struggling.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: patient / visible / vigilant / available	vigilant — "Vigilant" means watching carefully for danger, which fits "scanning the water constantly"; "visible" and "available" describe being seen or reachable, not watching.
The doctor recommended thirty minutes of [some] exercise each day, hard enough to leave Mr. Ito breathing heavily, to strengthen his heart.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: regular / moderate / supervised / vigorous	vigorous — "Vigorous" means strong and energetic, which fits exercise hard enough to leave him "breathing heavily"; "moderate" is too mild, and "regular" only repeats "each day."
Older computers that are never updated are especially [weak] to viruses, because their outdated security lets attackers slip in easily.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: vulnerable / sensitive / familiar / accustomed	vulnerable — "Vulnerable" means easily attacked or harmed, which fits computers that attackers can "slip in easily"; "sensitive" means reacting strongly, not being open to attack.
Two days before the citywide 5K, Mira sprained her ankle and, very reluctantly, had to [leave] the race officially, telling the organizers in advance so her spot could go to someone on the waiting list.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: boycott / abandon / withdraw from / escape	withdraw from — "Withdraw from" means formally pull out of something, which fits telling the organizers ahead of time; "abandon" suggests quitting partway through, but the race had not started, "escape" suggests fleeing something unwanted, and "boycott" means refusing as a protest, not because of an injury.
Without water for two weeks, the tomato plants began to [change], their leaves curling, drying, and turning brown at the edges.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: freeze / sprawl / rot / wither	wither — "Wither" means to dry up and shrink, which fits curling, drying leaves after two weeks without water; "rot" is tempting, but rotting comes from too much moisture, not drought.
The new volunteers cleaned the beach with such [feeling] that they filled forty bags of trash before the regular crew even arrived.  Most precise replacement for the bracketed words: precision / patience / caution / zeal	zeal — "Zeal" means great energy and eagerness, which fits filling forty bags before the crew arrived; "caution," "precision," and "patience" suggest slow, careful work, not eager speed.
