English Language Practice Test: Vocabulary, Grammar & Reading Comprehension

'Facetious' means treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor, or not meant to be taken seriously. It refers to a particular tone of levity or lack of seriousness that might be inappropriate in certain contexts. 'Flippantly humorous' best captures this sense of treating something with casual, perhaps inappropriate, humor. 'Amusing' is too neutral and positive, 'critical' is opposite in meaning, and 'casual' doesn't capture the specific quality of humorous disregard for seriousness that facetious implies.

'Indication' in this context means a hint, suggestion, or piece of information that points toward something. When someone gets an indication about a change, they receive a subtle piece of information suggesting it. 'A hint' best captures this sense of receiving indirect information about something. 'A feeling' is too vague and internal, 'a guess' is speculation rather than being based on received information, 'a signal' is more direct and explicit, and 'an ultimatum' is a final demand, which is much more serious and forceful than an indication.

'Insurmountable' means too great to be overcome, impossible to surmount or conquer. When obstacles are insurmountable, they are too difficult to overcome. 'Too difficult to overcome' is the exact definition. 'Too easy to achieve' is the opposite, 'too tall and too high' is too literal and physical, and 'too trivial to attract attention' minimizes rather than captures the sense of impossibility that insurmountable conveys. The prefix 'in-' means 'not' and 'surmount' means 'to overcome,' so insurmountable literally means not able to be overcome.

'Rescind' means to revoke, cancel, or repeal formally. When a government rescinds decisions of its predecessor, it cancels or repeals them. 'Revoke' is the closest synonym and is the correct answer. 'Rectify' means to correct or make right, which is different from canceling. 'Modify' suggests changing rather than removing entirely. 'Reconsider' means to think about again, not necessarily to cancel. Rescind specifically means to take back or cancel a law, order, or decision, which is precisely what revoke means.

Former refers to the first of two things mentioned, while Latter refers to the second. They are direct opposites in the same comparative pair. Subsequent and Later both mean after but are not the direct antonym.

Dearth means scarcity or lack of something. Abundance means a large quantity or plenty, which is the direct opposite. Scarcity is actually a synonym, not an antonym. Sufficiency means enough, which is not opposite enough.

Foreigner refers to someone from outside a particular place or country. Native refers to someone born in or belonging to a specific place, making them direct opposites. Stranger means someone you dont know, and Alien is similar to Foreigner.

'Spell' here means a period of time for which something lasts.

The phrase Slow and steady is a singular subject representing one unified idea, so it requires the singular verb wins instead of win. Subject-verb agreement demands matching the number.

Agenda means a list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting. Hence, it is the correct answer.

Only 'denied' fits best here.

Set up is the correct phrasal verb meaning to establish or help someone start something, especially in business. Made up, put up, and built up do not convey the correct meaning in this context.

Only 'concentrate' fits best here.

In time clauses with as soon as, we use the present simple tense (reach) not future tense (will reach). The main clause already contains the future (will send), so the subordinate clause uses present tense.

The past perfect tense (had not seen) should be used because the action of not seeing happened before the past action of meeting last week. Simple past did not see is incorrect for the earlier action.

Humble means modest or having a low view of ones own importance. Proud is the direct opposite, meaning having or showing excessive pride or arrogance. Dominant, Despotic, and Pompous are related but not the exact opposite.

The past tense had committed requires conditional would in the reported speech clause, not future will. He would resume after two days is correct, not will resume, to maintain sequence of tenses.

The correct form is addicted to gambling using the gerund (verb+ing) after the preposition to. Gamble is the bare verb form and is grammatically incorrect after addicted to.

Knowledge means information, understanding, and learning. Ignorance is the direct opposite meaning lack of knowledge or information. Illiteracy, Foolishness, and Backwardness are related concepts but not the direct antonym.

Anguish means severe mental or physical pain.

Distrust is an antonym of believe.

The last line of the passage suggests the answer.

Inimical and hostile are synonyms.

The line 'Obviously, each of us consists of two selves, the self...' suggests the answer.