C2 Vocabulary and Lexical Knowledge Flashcards

Which word correctly completes: 'The author's prose was _____—every word felt precisely chosen and perfectly placed.'

Answer: lapidary

'Lapidary' describes writing that is concise, polished, and precise, like an inscription carved in stone.

Which is the correct collocation: 'The new evidence _____ serious doubts on the original verdict.'

Answer: cast

'Cast doubt on' is the standard collocation; 'raise doubts' and 'shed light on' are separate fixed phrases.

Choose the correct definition of 'tendentious':

Answer: Promoting a particular cause or viewpoint in a biased way

'Tendentious' describes writing or speech that is biased, promoting a particular point of view rather than being objective.

Which word describes a story or statement that cannot be verified and may be unreliable?

Answer: apocryphal

'Apocryphal' describes stories or claims of doubtful authenticity, widely circulated but not verifiable.

Select the correct word: 'The investigator's _____ questioning eventually led the witness to contradict himself.'

Answer: All of the above

'Relentless', 'tenacious', and 'dogged' all convey persistent, unyielding determination in pursuit of a goal.

Which word means 'a figure of speech where something is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it'?

Answer: Metonymy

Metonymy uses an associated term to refer to something (e.g., 'the crown' for the monarchy), distinct from synecdoche, which uses a part to represent the whole.