TOEFL Words | Questions & Answers 37/44

This page drills ten more TOEFL vocabulary targets with new example sentences. Read each sentence, pick the option closest in meaning to the bolded word, then check the answer key at the end.

TOEFL Words | Questions 361-370

361. A prolonged drought forced the town to ration water for nearly two years.

The word "prolonged" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) sudden
• (B) extended
• (C) unexpected
• (D) mild

362. Hikers who encounter a bear on the trail are advised to back away slowly without running.

The word "encounter" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) meet
• (B) frighten
• (C) feed
• (D) photograph

363. The council approved the new parking tax, notwithstanding strong objections from local businesses.

The word "notwithstanding" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) in spite of
• (B) along with
• (C) prior to
• (D) because of

364. Officials released detailed safety data to allay public concern about the water supply.

The word "allay" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) verify
• (B) increase
• (C) ease
• (D) publicize

365. The bridge's continued use after a century of heavy traffic is testimony to the strength of its original design.

The phrase "testimony to" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) exception to
• (B) evidence of
• (C) substitute for
• (D) response to

366. The coastline has undergone dramatic changes since the seawall was removed a decade ago.

The word "undergone" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) predicted
• (B) documented
• (C) experienced
• (D) reversed

367. Astronomers estimate that a vast majority of small asteroids in the belt have never been directly observed.

The word "vast" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) recent
• (B) typical
• (C) specific
• (D) great

368. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity that can be stored in batteries for later use.

The word "convert" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) absorb
• (B) change
• (C) release
• (D) measure

369. The region's economy depends primarily on tourism, though fishing still supports a smaller number of households.

The word "primarily" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) chiefly
• (B) increasingly
• (C) traditionally
• (D) partly

370. Despite early setbacks, the startup ultimately secured enough funding to expand into three new markets.

The word "ultimately" is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• (A) briefly
• (B) narrowly
• (C) eventually
• (D) repeatedly

Answers

• 361 — B: prolonged ≈ extended — lasting longer than usual.
• 362 — A: encounter ≈ meet — to come across unexpectedly.
• 363 — A: notwithstanding ≈ in spite of — despite something else being true.
• 364 — C: allay ≈ ease — to make a worry less intense.
• 365 — B: testimony to ≈ evidence of — clear proof of a quality.
• 366 — C: undergone ≈ experienced — gone through a process or change.
• 367 — D: vast ≈ great — very large in amount or extent.
• 368 — B: convert ≈ change — to turn one form of something into another.
• 369 — A: primarily ≈ chiefly — mainly or mostly.
• 370 — C: ultimately ≈ eventually — in the end, after other events.

Keep building your word list on the vocabulary hub, then apply these words to full passages in reading practice.