SELT Understanding Vocabulary in Context 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the sentence: 'The scientist's findings were groundbreaking, overturning decades of accepted theory.' What does 'groundbreaking' mean here?
- Well-established and traditional
- Revolutionary and highly innovative (Correct answer)
- Difficult to understand
- Based on limited evidence
Correct answer: Revolutionary and highly innovative
'Groundbreaking' describes something so new and significant that it changes existing knowledge or practice.
Question 2: In the phrase 'the company was on the verge of bankruptcy,' what does 'verge' mean?
- History
- Edge or brink (Correct answer)
- Opposite
- Cause
Correct answer: Edge or brink
'Verge' means the edge or very close point before something happens, so 'on the verge of' means 'about to.'
Question 3: The teacher told students to 'elaborate' on their answers. What does 'elaborate' mean in this context?
- Shorten and summarize
- Correct any mistakes
- Provide more detail and explanation (Correct answer)
- Write more neatly
Correct answer: Provide more detail and explanation
'Elaborate' as a verb means to develop or expand on something by adding more detail.
Question 4: Which word best replaces 'scarce' in: 'Clean water is scarce in the region during summer'?
- Abundant
- Limited (Correct answer)
- Polluted
- Expensive
Correct answer: Limited
'Scarce' means in short supply or insufficient quantity, making 'limited' the closest synonym.
Question 5: 'She gave a candid assessment of the project's weaknesses.' What does 'candid' mean?
- Overly harsh and unfair
- Hesitant and uncertain
- Honest and straightforward (Correct answer)
- Polite and diplomatic
Correct answer: Honest and straightforward
'Candid' means truthful and direct, without trying to hide anything or soften the truth.
Question 6: In the sentence 'The new policy will inevitably lead to job losses,' what does 'inevitably' mean?
- Occasionally
- Surprisingly
- Certainly and unavoidably (Correct answer)
- Gradually over time
Correct answer: Certainly and unavoidably
'Inevitably' means in a way that cannot be avoided or prevented — it will definitely happen.
Question 7: The article described the building as 'dilapidated.' What does this word mean?
- Modern and well-maintained
- In a state of disrepair and decay (Correct answer)
- Extremely large in size
- Recently renovated
Correct answer: In a state of disrepair and decay
'Dilapidated' describes something that is in a bad condition due to age or neglect.
SELT Understanding Vocabulary in Context 2
Read the sentence: 'The scientist's findings were groundbreaking, overturning decades of accepted theory.' What does 'groundbreaking' mean here?