TOEFL Words | Questions & Answers 23/44

This page drills ten TOEFL-level words in fresh context sentences. Read each sentence, choose the closest meaning for the bolded word, then check your answers against the key at the end.

Questions 221–230

221. Several council members were prominent in local business circles long before they ran for office, which gave their campaigns instant credibility.

The word "prominent" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) distinguished
• (B) isolated
• (C) temporary
• (D) suspicious

222. The safety regulation was originally applied to shipping containers, but inspectors later extended it to cover warehouse storage racks as well.

The phrase "applied to" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) compared to
• (B) used for
• (C) written about
• (D) removed from

223. The tailor chose a coarser wool for the coat's lining because it held its shape better than the delicate fabric used for the outer shell.

The word "coarser" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) rougher
• (B) cheaper
• (C) darker
• (D) thinner

224. The extra insulation afforded the cabin enough warmth to survive the coldest nights of the mountain winter without a second heater.

The word "afforded" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) wasted
• (B) provided
• (C) measured
• (D) delayed

225. A dense cluster of pine seedlings had taken over the clearing within three growing seasons, choking out most of the smaller plants beneath it.

The word "dense" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) fragile
• (B) scattered
• (C) thick
• (D) short

226. Thanks to an early frost warning, the orchard crew covered the young fruit trees before the temperature dropped overnight.

The phrase "thanks to" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) despite
• (B) instead of
• (C) because of
• (D) regardless of

227. The museum's new dinosaur exhibit was eagerly anticipated, and members lined up outside an hour before the doors opened.

The phrase "eagerly anticipated" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) rarely discussed
• (B) looked forward to
• (C) quietly ignored
• (D) poorly reviewed

228. Geologists study the physical properties of a rock sample, including its hardness, color, and mineral content, before classifying it.

The word "properties" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) locations
• (B) origins
• (C) characteristics
• (D) prices

229. The unusual pattern of tree rings was ascribed to an unusually dry summer rather than to disease, according to the forestry report.

The phrase "ascribed to" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) hidden from
• (B) compared with
• (C) assumed to be true of
• (D) separated from

230. Chemists later identified oxygen as the key constituent of air responsible for supporting combustion in early experiments.

The word "constituent" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) component
• (B) obstacle
• (C) byproduct
• (D) measurement

Answers

• 221 — A: prominent ≈ distinguished — describes someone well known or important in a field.
• 222 — B: applied to ≈ used for — a rule or method being put into practice on something.
• 223 — A: coarser ≈ rougher — a texture description, often for fabric or material.
• 224 — B: afforded ≈ provided — to give or supply something, here warmth or protection.
• 225 — C: dense ≈ thick — packed closely together, with little space between parts.
• 226 — C: thanks to ≈ because of — introduces the cause of a result, positive or neutral.
• 227 — B: eagerly anticipated ≈ looked forward to — expected with excitement before it happens.
• 228 — C: properties ≈ characteristics — the qualities or features that define something.
• 229 — C: ascribed to ≈ assumed to be true of — attributing a cause or quality to something.
• 230 — A: constituent ≈ component — one part that makes up a larger whole.

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