Word in Context Quiz

1. What does 'volatile' mean in: 'The stock market has been extremely volatile this week'?

1. Fraudulently managed
2. Internationally active
3. Rising steadily
4. Unpredictably changeable

2. What does 'novel' mean in: 'The scientist proposed a novel approach to treating the disease'?

1. A type of book
2. Experimental and risky
3. New and original
4. Widely accepted

3. What does 'critical' mean in: 'The patient is in a critical condition after the accident'?

1. Dangerous and uncertain
2. Finding fault
3. Improving rapidly
4. Under observation

4. What does 'light' mean in: 'She made a light breakfast of toast and juice'?

1. Illuminated
2. Not heavy to carry
3. Pale in colour
4. Small in quantity; not filling

5. What does 'plain' mean in: 'She preferred a plain, undecorated style of clothing'?

1. A large flat area of land
2. Obviously visible
3. Simple and without decoration
4. Straightforward in speech

6. What does 'sound' mean in: 'The judge gave a sound ruling based on clear evidence'?

1. A noise that can be heard
2. Logically valid and well-reasoned
3. Producing a loud noise
4. Relating to audio technology

7. What does 'draw' mean in: 'The match ended in a draw after neither team scored in extra time'?

1. A lottery or raffle
2. A tied result with no winner
3. To produce a picture
4. To pull something towards you

8. What does 'running' mean in: 'The company has been running at a loss for three consecutive years'?

1. Competing in a race
2. Flowing continuously
3. Moving quickly on foot
4. Operating or functioning

9. What does 'strike' mean in: 'Workers at the factory went on strike over pay disputes'?

1. A bowling achievement
2. A refusal to work as a form of protest
3. To hit something forcefully
4. To light a match

10. What does 'bear' mean in: 'The old bridge could no longer bear the weight of heavy traffic'?

1. A large wild animal
2. To give birth to
3. To support or carry the weight of
4. To tolerate someone

11. What does 'pitch' mean in: 'The sales team gave an impressive pitch to potential investors'?

1. A dark, sticky substance
2. A persuasive presentation to attract support or money
3. A playing field
4. The level of a musical note

12. What does 'articulate' mean in: 'The professor was highly articulate, explaining complex ideas with ease'?

1. Able to express ideas clearly and fluently
2. Having many joints
3. Speaking very quickly
4. Using hand gestures while speaking

13. What does 'flat' mean in: 'The comedian's jokes fell flat with the audience'?

1. A horizontal surface
2. Failed to produce the intended reaction
3. Losing air or pressure
4. Spoken without expression

14. What does 'rich' mean in: 'The story had a rich tradition of oral storytelling behind it'?

1. Abundant; having great depth and variety
2. Expensive and luxurious
3. Full of flavour
4. Having a lot of money

15. What does 'check' mean in: 'The accountant carried out a thorough check of all financial records'?

1. A document used for payment
2. A pattern of squares
3. An examination or inspection
4. To stop or restrain

16. What does 'matter' mean in: 'It doesn't matter how long it takes — we'll wait'?

1. A subject under discussion
2. Physical substance
3. Pus from an infected wound
4. To be of importance or significance

17. What does 'tender' mean in: 'The company submitted a tender for the construction contract'?

1. A formal bid or offer to do work at a stated price
2. A small vessel attending a larger ship
3. Showing gentleness and care
4. Sore when touched

18. What does 'grave' mean in: 'The doctors expressed grave concerns about the patient's recovery'?

1. A burial place
2. A musical accent
3. Serious and worrying
4. To carve or engrave

19. What does 'cold' mean in: 'The detective followed the trail, but the leads had gone cold'?

1. Having a low temperature
2. No longer current or useful
3. Unfriendly in manner
4. Without emotion or feeling

20. What does 'bank' mean in: 'She put all her trust in her friend, who later let her down'? (Note: this question asks about 'bank' in a DIFFERENT context — 'She chose to bank on his promise.')

1. A financial institution
2. The side of a river
3. To rely on or count on
4. To store money for later