Multiple choice

Which cluster has all the words that belong to the headword ‘purple’?

  1. Danger, illness, nobility, periwinkle, mauve

  2. Shyness, carelessness, aristocracy, riches, merry

  3. Shy, mauve, wordy, lavender and orchid

  4. Brief, lily, boisterous, royal, debt

  5. Raw, old, depressed, sensational, mulberry
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

All of these words are associated with purple. A shrinking violet is a shy person. Mauve is a shade of purple. The association between lavender, orchid and purple should be obvious. These flowers are purple in colour. The term purple prose is used to refer to overly wordy or complicated pieces of writing.

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