DSAT DSAT Vocabulary and Words in Context 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the sentence 'The scientist's conjecture, though unproven, sparked considerable debate among her peers,' the word 'conjecture' most nearly means:
- A proven theorem
- An educated guess or hypothesis (Correct answer)
- A published experiment
- A formal rebuttal
Correct answer: An educated guess or hypothesis
A conjecture is an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information, essentially an educated guess.
Question 2: As used in the passage 'The committee sought to ameliorate the harsh conditions in the facility,' the word 'ameliorate' most nearly means:
- Worsen
- Investigate
- Improve (Correct answer)
- Publicize
Correct answer: Improve
To ameliorate means to make something bad or unsatisfactory better.
Question 3: Which meaning of 'address' is used in 'The CEO will address the shareholders' concerns at the annual meeting'?
- A physical location
- To speak to or deal with (Correct answer)
- Formal written correspondence
- A title of respect
Correct answer: To speak to or deal with
In this context, 'address' means to speak to a group or to deal with a particular issue.
Question 4: The word 'ephemeral' in 'Social media trends are ephemeral, fading within days' most nearly means:
- Widespread
- Lasting only a short time (Correct answer)
- Controversial
- Highly influential
Correct answer: Lasting only a short time
Ephemeral describes something that lasts for a very short time.
Question 5: In 'Her candid remarks surprised the audience accustomed to diplomatic language,' 'candid' most nearly means:
- Harsh and cruel
- Truthful and straightforward (Correct answer)
- Rehearsed and polished
- Vague and evasive
Correct answer: Truthful and straightforward
Candid means truthful and straightforward, even if the truth is uncomfortable.
Question 6: The word 'pragmatic' in 'The pragmatic engineer chose the simplest solution that worked' most nearly means:
- Theoretical
- Overly cautious
- Practical and results-oriented (Correct answer)
- Innovative and creative
Correct answer: Practical and results-oriented
Pragmatic refers to dealing with things sensibly and practically rather than theoretically.
In the sentence 'The scientist's conjecture, though unproven, sparked considerable debate among her peers,' the word 'conjecture' most nearly means: