Help with vocab incontext.

Test Preparation
1

I’ve been working through some reading questions and I’ve been frustrated with their in-context vocab questions. I’m usually good at these and rarely have trouble answering these but I had some issues with these questions.

Examples:
“We have not come this far without a struggle and I assure you we cannot go further without a struggle. For twelve years this Nation was afflicted with hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing Government. The Nation looked to Government but the Government looked away. Powerful influences strive today to restore that kind of Government with its doctrine that Government is best which is most INDIFFERENT”

As used in line 86, “indifferent” most nearly means
a) impartial
b) apathetic
c) dispassionate
D) objective

I thought the answer was C but felt like I couldn’t totally eliminate “impartial,” “apathetic,” and “objective” as wrong answers (a strategy I like to use in reading questions)
The answer is B though.

“Their work has contributed to a broader body of research suggesting that extra carbon dioxide does act as plant fertilizer, but that the benefits are less than previously believed – and probably less than needed to AVERT food shortages.”

As used in line 49, “avert” most nearly means
A) prevent
B) turn away
C) frustrate
D) help

I thought the answer was B
The answer is A.
Are these questions sort of faulty? I feel like for “avert” turn away was the best answer but I could also see prevent and help be not incorrect since the passage doesn’t really provide more context.

2

Can anyone explain why my answers are wrong. Thanks!

3

  1. the clue is “hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing,” especially “do-nothing.”

  2. (B) only makes sense when considered figuratively (you can’t literally “turn away” a food shortage–it can’t be blocked and sent ricocheting off in another direction or physically diverted), and it’s a good rule of thumb that if an answer works literally and another works figuratively, you should choose the literal one.

Hope this helps, @YoLolololol , but I can’t help wondering: what is the source of these Qs? The first one, in particular, doesn’t seem like a legit CB question.

4

I immediately got both correct answers. Q1, Marvin’s answer makes it clear. Do nothing, key element. Q2, prevent is the only word that makes sense. The test makers have to give choices that make sense. You should be able to replace the word in the question with the word in the answer. A is the only one that works.