TOEFL Words | Questions & Answers 31/44

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 301–310

301. Careful lighting can transform an ordinary storefront window into a striking visual display after dark.

The word "transform" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) shrink
• (B) copy
• (C) change
• (D) hide

302. The photographer spent an hour adjusting the composition of the fruit bowl before taking a single shot.

The word "composition" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) arrangement
• (B) location
• (C) cost
• (D) texture

303. Early test shots of the new lens revealed a slight blur near the edges of the frame.

The word "shots" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) rehearsals
• (B) photographs
• (C) warning signs
• (D) test flights

304. The unusual shape of the pitcher plant helps it trap insects that wander too close to its rim.

The word "shape" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) weight
• (B) color
• (C) form
• (D) scent

305. Sticky tentacles allow the plant to capture small insects that land on its surface.

The word "capture" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) catch
• (B) count
• (C) measure
• (D) warm

306. When touched, the sea anemone quickly retracts its tentacles into a tight, protective bundle.

The word "retracts" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) pulls back
• (B) stiffens
• (C) multiplies
• (D) flattens out

307. Repair costs for the aging pipeline kept spiraling, eventually forcing the city to cancel the project altogether.

The word "spiraling" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) rising
• (B) optional
• (C) predictable
• (D) shrinking

308. Compared with the original mission, the follow-up survey was more modest, focusing on a single coastal region rather than the whole coastline.

The phrase "more modest" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) more expensive
• (B) more urgent
• (C) less ambitious
• (D) less accurate

309. Guidance sensors kept the drone hovering precisely above the marked landing zone despite gusting wind.

The word "precisely" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) exactly
• (B) briefly
• (C) loosely
• (D) randomly

310. There was a marked shortage of skilled carpenters in the frontier settlements during the building boom.

The word "marked" is closest in meaning to:

• (A) hidden
• (B) temporary
• (C) minor
• (D) distinct

Answers

• 301 — C: transform ≈ change — to alter something's form or character substantially.
• 302 — A: composition ≈ arrangement — how elements are placed or organized within a scene.
• 303 — B: shots ≈ photographs — images captured with a camera.
• 304 — C: shape ≈ form — the outward physical structure of something.
• 305 — A: capture ≈ catch — to seize or trap something.
• 306 — A: retracts ≈ pulls back — draws something inward or away.
• 307 — A: spiraling ≈ rising — increasing quickly and steadily, often out of control.
• 308 — C: more modest ≈ less ambitious — smaller in scope or aim.
• 309 — A: precisely ≈ exactly — with complete accuracy.
• 310 — D: marked ≈ distinct — clearly noticeable.

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