12. Obama promised to ____ a battle against poverty around the world.
(A)howl
(B)wage
(C)stoop
(D)impart

8. For some animals, climate change offers a chance to ____. (A)luxuriate (B)flourish (C)expand (D)vegetate

9. The magazine often features a(n) ____ of a famous person on its cover. (A) prototype (B) euphoria (C) protagonist (D) caricature

10. I love the ____ simplicity of many traditional Japanese rooms. (A)austere (B)majestic (C)ascetic (D)stern

11. Our roof was damaged in the ____ gales last night. (A)heavy (B)fast (C)large (D)fierce

13. If he was shocked by the news he didn’t show it; his expression remained ____. (A)placid (B)sole (C)galore (D)teeming

14. I don’t approve of the methods he is using, but his ____ aim, as regards the project, is admirable. (A)conclusive (B)controversial (C)deplorable (D)ultimate

15. In an effort to ____ the rate of inflation, many banks have raised their interest rates. (A)run out of (B)keep up with (C)play back (D)bring off

16. Choose the sentence that best paraphrases the following excerpts in paragraph 1, “As if unless the bass is jack hammering your cerebellum and mix mastering your intestines, you can’t be having fun.” (A) The bass has to be loud in order for the music to be “upbeat.” (B) The bass cannot be too loud. (C) The bass is so loud that it feels like the sound is being hammered into your body. (D) The bass is the primary source of loud music.

17. Pick the sentence whose meaning is closest to the meaning of the underlined expression in paragraph 5, “Clubs aren’t the only perpetrators.” (A) Clubs aren’t the only entertainment places one can go to. (B) Clubs are the only ones responsible for exposing people to high level noises. (C) Clubs aren’t the ones responsible for exposing people to high level noises. (D) Clubs aren’t the only ones responsible for exposing people to high level noises.

18. Pick the sentence whose meaning is closest to the meaning of the underlined expression in paragraph 6, “The industrial-strength vibration that gives you that sought after “upbeat” feeling is stressful for the body.” (A) The strength of the vibration is natural. (B) The vibration is extremely strong. (C) A vibration of that strength only occurs on industrial sites. (D) A strength of the vibration can only be achieved in industrial cities.