Nelson Denny Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Test
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hackneyed
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(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality
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soporific
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(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy; (n.) something that induces sleep
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quiescent
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(adj.) inactive; at rest
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querulous
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(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful
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prevaricate
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(v.) to equivocate, lie, or stray from the truth
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reticent
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(adj.) silent; reserved
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apprized
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(v.) to appreciate, appreciated
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repose
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(v.) to rest; lie; place; (n.) relaxation, peace of mind, calmness
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repudiate
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(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
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virulent
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(adj.) extremely poisonous; full of malice; spiteful
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capricious
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(adj.) acts on impulse, erratic
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pugnacity
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combativeness; disposition to fight
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ebullient
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exhilarated; full of enthusiasm and high spirits
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denote
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be a sign or indication of
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annotate
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Add explanatory notes to or supply with critical comments
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ebb
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Decline slowly, wane
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amnesty
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(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution
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impetuous
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Acting passionately and without forethought
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torpor
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extreme mental and physical sluggishness
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venal
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(adj.) open to or marked by bribery or corruption, mercenary
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tyro
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(n.) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill
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rarefy
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to make thinner or sparser
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quaff
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to drink deeply
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pith
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Brief and full of meaning and substance; concise
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obdurate
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hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
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imbroglio
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(n.) a confusing and potentially embarrassing situation
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sardonic
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(adj.) grimly or scornfully mocking, bitterly sarcastic
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surfeit
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An excessive amount of something
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fracas
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(n.) a noisy quarrel or brawl
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feckless
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(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable
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exigent
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urgent; requiring immediate action
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ennui
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(n.) weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom
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wreak
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To bring about or inflict
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fulcrum
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The fixed point around which a lever pivots
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cordon
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extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress
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unscrupulous
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(adj.) dishonest; not guided or controlled by moral principles
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credulous
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too trusting; gullible
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drudgery
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(n) work that is hard and tiresome
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prodigious
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(adj.) immense; extraordinary in bulk, size, or degree
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extol
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praise, glorify, or honor
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harrow
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extremely distressing; disturbing or frightening
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unequivocal
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absolute; certain
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scant
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Meager; insufficient
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indict
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(n.) the act of accusing; a formal accusation
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whet
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(v.) to sharpen, put an edge on; to make keen or eager
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waft
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Moved gently by wind or waves; something conveyed through the air; a gentle breeze
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usury
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the practice of lending money at exorbitant rates
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stultify
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(v.) to make ineffective or useless, cripple; to have a dulling effect on
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onerous
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(adj.) burdensome; involving hardship or difficulty
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tawdry
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(adj.) showy and flashy but lacking in good taste
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garish
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(adj.) glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way
