TOEFL Words | Questions & Answers 27/44

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 261–270

261. Wind and rain are constantly modifying coastlines, carving new inlets while filling in older channels with sediment.

The word "modifying" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) changing
• (B) freezing
• (C) narrating
• (D) preserving

262. Engineers were impressed by the rapidity of the flood water's retreat once the drainage channels were cleared.

The word "rapidity" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) elevation
• (B) direction
• (C) swiftness
• (D) volume

263. The efficiency of the new filtration system depended heavily on regular maintenance of its internal pumps.

The word "efficiency" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) location
• (B) expense
• (C) origin
• (D) effectiveness

264. Many seabird species choose isolated cliffs to rear their chicks, safely away from ground-based predators.

The word "rear" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) abandon
• (B) chase
• (C) count
• (D) raise

265. Only a skilled climber could scale the sheer cliff face where the colony had built its nests.

The word "scale" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) climb
• (B) descend
• (C) circle
• (D) flatten

266. Generations without natural predators left the island tortoises with a striking immunity from danger, so they rarely flee even when a visitor walks close by.

The word "immunity" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) curiosity
• (B) preference
• (C) protection
• (D) burden

267. The bright orange nesting material made the birds' hidden burrow surprisingly conspicuous against the pale cliffside.

The word "conspicuous" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) forgettable
• (B) fragile
• (C) noticeable
• (D) colorless

268. Rents in the downtown district kept rising sharply. On the other hand, suburban housing prices stayed roughly flat for several years.

The phrase "on the other hand" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) similarly
• (B) however
• (C) in particular
• (D) as a result

269. City newspapers in the early twentieth century often carried a subtle bias against unfamiliar immigrant neighborhoods.

The word "bias" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) shortage
• (B) warning
• (C) footnote
• (D) prejudice

270. Residents quickly embraced the newly paved bike paths, using them for both commuting and weekend recreation.

The word "embraced" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) postponed
• (B) resisted
• (C) ignored
• (D) welcomed

Answers

• 261 — A: modifying ≈ changing — altering something's form or condition over time.
• 262 — C: rapidity ≈ swiftness — the quality of happening quickly.
• 263 — D: efficiency ≈ effectiveness — how well something achieves its intended result with minimal waste.
• 264 — D: rear ≈ raise — to care for young until they are grown.
• 265 — A: scale ≈ climb — to move up a steep surface using hands and feet.
• 266 — C: immunity ≈ protection — safety from a threat or danger.
• 267 — C: conspicuous ≈ noticeable — easy to see or notice, often unintentionally.
• 268 — B: on the other hand ≈ however — introduces a contrasting point.
• 269 — D: bias ≈ prejudice — an unfair preference or leaning toward one side.
• 270 — D: embraced ≈ welcomed — accepted eagerly and with approval.

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