Vocabulary and Synonyms

Ancillary means serving as an aid, accessory, or supplementary support to something primary. It describes something subordinate but helpful, like ancillary staff or equipment. Distractors include ancestry, annihilate, and animadversion (harsh criticism).

Apocalyptic means prophetic, especially describing revelations about catastrophic or world-ending events. It originates from the Apocalypse (biblical Book of Revelation). Distractors include aphasia (speech loss), apolitical (unconcerned with politics), and apostate (one who abandons faith).

To badger means to pester, harass, or annoy someone persistently with repeated demands or requests. It comes from the practice of dogs baiting badgers. Distractors include babble (chatter idly), baffle (perplex), and backslide (revert to bad habits).

Barefaced means shameless, bold, or brazenly done without any attempt to conceal. It's often used for barefaced lies told openly and confidently. Distractors include benign (good-natured), bastion (stronghold), and bland (soft and mild).

A bastion is a stronghold, fortification, or something that serves as a source of protection or defense. It can be literal (military fort) or figurative (a bastion of democracy). Distractors include banal (lacking originality), bawdy (about sex in a rude way), and bastard (illegitimate child).

Blandishment means flattering or coaxing speech intended to persuade or please someone. Option B 'flattery' is correct because blandishments are compliments used to influence others. Option A 'quarrelsome' is opposite - it means argumentative, not persuasive. Option C refers to bifurcation. Option D describes harassment from multiple sides.

Bountiful means abundant or generous in giving - having plenty to share. Option B 'generous' is correct. Option A 'saturnine' means gloomy or melancholic (opposite). Option C 'miser' is someone who hoards wealth (antonym). Option D 'uxorious' means excessively fond of or submissive to one's wife.

Braggadocio refers to boastful behavior, arrogant talk, or excessive pride in oneself. Option B 'Boasting' directly captures this meaning. Option A 'Shy' is the opposite - lacking confidence. Option C 'Confident' is positive self-assurance without arrogance. Option D 'Handsome' refers to physical appearance, unrelated to the term.

Burgeon means to grow, develop, or flourish rapidly - like a budding plant. Option C 'grow rapidly' is correct. Option A describes a materialistic attitude. Option B 'bungle' means to spoil through clumsiness. Option D 'expurgate' means to remove objectionable material from text.

Buxom means plump or full-bosomed when describing a woman (archaic but standard definition). Option A is correct. Option B 'bogey' means an object of fear. Option C 'bumpkin' means an awkward or stupid person. Option D 'buoyant' means able to float.