Editor's Corner

Good morning lads and lasses! In honor of our elementary school days, I have a Friday vocabulary quiz for you. I found this quiz on the Daily Writing Tips website. There’s no prize for getting them all right, but I thought you might enjoy it anyway. Have a lovely weekend!

In each sentence, choose the correct word from the pair of similar terms. (If both words possibly can be correct, choose the more plausible one.)

1. He was __________ about whether the change was a good idea.

a) ambivalent

b) ambiguous

2. Her score on the test was __________.

a) exceptionable

b) exceptional

3. His __________companion became even more obnoxious as the night wore on.

a) arrant

b) errant

4. I asked them to __________ my latest short story.

a) criticize

b) critique

5. She delivered the __________ at her father’s memorial service.
a) elegy

b) eulogy

Solutions

1. He was ambivalent about whether the change was a good idea.

Ambivalent means contradictory or unsure. Ambiguous, on the other hand, involves something that can be understood in two or more possible ways.

2. Her score on the test was exceptional.

Exceptional is the right word in this context. Exceptionable means being likely to cause objection.

3. His arrant companion became even more obnoxious as the night wore on.

Arrant means without moderation, while errant means traveling or given to traveling.

4. I asked them to critique my latest short story.

Critique means to evaluate both the merits and demerits, while criticize usually means to find faults on something.

5. She delivered the eulogy at her father’s memorial service.

Eulogy is a commendatory oration or writing, while elegy refers to a poem or song.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

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