NBT NBT Academic Literacy: Vocabulary in Context 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: "The researcher's findings were largely **corroborated** by subsequent studies, lending credibility to the original thesis." In this context, 'corroborated' most nearly means:
- contradicted
- confirmed (Correct answer)
- undermined
- questioned
Correct answer: confirmed
'Corroborated' means confirmed or supported by additional evidence.
Question 2: "The committee was **ambivalent** about the proposed policy, with members expressing both enthusiasm and deep reservations." The word 'ambivalent' in context means:
- strongly supportive
- deeply opposed
- having mixed feelings (Correct answer)
- completely indifferent
Correct answer: having mixed feelings
'Ambivalent' means having conflicting emotions or attitudes about something at the same time.
Question 3: "To achieve **efficacy** in treatment, the dosage must be carefully calibrated to the patient's body mass." The best replacement for 'efficacy' is:
- efficiency
- effectiveness (Correct answer)
- safety
- convenience
Correct answer: effectiveness
'Efficacy' refers to the ability to produce the desired result, best replaced by 'effectiveness'.
Question 4: "The author's **sardonic** wit made readers uncomfortable even as they laughed." As used here, 'sardonic' most closely means:
- gentle and playful
- grimly mocking (Correct answer)
- warmly humorous
- accidentally funny
Correct answer: grimly mocking
'Sardonic' describes humour that is cynically or grimly mocking, often revealing contempt.
Question 5: "The government's response to the crisis was criticised as **perfunctory** — a few press releases but no concrete action." 'Perfunctory' most nearly means:
- thorough and detailed
- carried out with minimal effort (Correct answer)
- excessive and wasteful
- delayed and cautious
Correct answer: carried out with minimal effort
'Perfunctory' means carried out with the least effort possible, done merely as a routine duty.
Question 6: "Her **astute** analysis identified market trends that competitors had completely overlooked." The word 'astute' implies:
- aggressive
- shrewdly perceptive (Correct answer)
- overly cautious
- mathematically precise
Correct answer: shrewdly perceptive
'Astute' means having the ability to assess situations accurately and turn this to one's advantage; shrewd.
Question 7: "The treaty was seen as **ephemeral** — likely to collapse at the first serious diplomatic test." In this context, 'ephemeral' means:
- historically significant
- short-lived (Correct answer)
- legally binding
- deeply symbolic
Correct answer: short-lived
'Ephemeral' means lasting for a very short time; the context supports this with 'likely to collapse'.
NBT NBT Academic Literacy: Vocabulary in Context 1
"The researcher's findings were largely **corroborated** by subsequent studies, lending credibility to the original thesis." In this context, 'corroborated' most nearly means: