The Articulate Professional

- Invigorating and expanding your communication skills
For a more successful, fulfilling life ** Since 1993

Quiz on Last Month's Words

May / June 2016                               Volume 17  No. 3

Here are the words that were featured last month:

For each of the eight examples below, select a word from the above list that best fits the blank. Then check your answers at the end. Note that the correct answer could be any of the word forms that were featured -- example: infelicitous, felicitous, felicitously, and so on.

1. Just had a thought about that situation in your family you were telling me about earlier. It's so darn complicated, what with all those misunderstandings and perceived slights that go back decades; why don't you seek the advice of someone like Dear Abby? I'm serious! Many of the letters published in that column are about family . . . . . . such as yours.
2. I wouldn't judge our recently retired CEO by comparing his accomplishments with those of his long-time predecessor, Bill. The two operated during entirely different business climates. Comparing one's successes or failures with those of the other is really . . . . . ..
3. Did you know there is an international law that bans the "killing, injuring, or capturing of an adversary by resorting to . . . . . .."? For instance, during hostilities, it is illegal for one side to fly the white flag of surrender and then, after having lulled the other side into complacency, launch a surprise attack.
4. In last year's Oscar-nominated movie "Carol," Cate Blanchett plays the title role . . . . . ., something we've come to expect from this unusually talented actress.
5. While he was New York's attorney general, Eliot Spitzer discovered that at many brokerage houses, top analysts routinely and . . . . . . recommended stocks that they privately regarded as "junk."
6. The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had a . . . . . . academic record. A "60 Minutes" segment of a few years ago revealed that throughout his school and college years, Mr. Scalia was not only the No. 1 student in his class, but way ahead of the student who came in second.
7. When it comes to self-promotion, boasting, and things like that, Cathy is pretty extreme! I don't believe I've ever had a conversation with her during which the . . . . . . in her didn't rear its ugly head.
8. The only . . . . . . feature of last week's tedious and dull business trip was a chance to visit a nearby resort located along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

_______________________________________________________________

Give yourself one point for each correct answer.

A score of 8 = excellent; 7 = very good; 6 = not bad; 5 or less = you may want to revisit these words.

Please let me know by e-mail or phone (281-463-2500) what you think about this quiz and how it can be improved.

© 2017 V.J. Singal
No part of this may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the author.

Copyright © 1999 - 2017 by V.J. Singal. Articulate is a registered trademark.
Questions or comments may be sent directly to the author.
Phone: 281-463-2500, P.O. Box 841155, Houston, TX 77284-1155