1.
What part of speech is "ridicule", meaning "looks or acts expressing amused contempt"?
Correct Answer
A. Noun
Explanation
"Ridicule" is classified as a noun because it refers to the act or instance of expressing amused contempt through looks or actions. It is not describing or modifying a noun (adjective), expressing an action (verb), or modifying a verb, adjective, or other adverb (adverb).
2.
What part of speech is "rife", meaning "abundant"?
Correct Answer
C. Adjective
Explanation
"Rife" is an adjective that means "abundant" or "widespread." It describes a situation or condition that is prevalent or common. As an adjective, "rife" modifies a noun or pronoun to indicate that something is present in large quantities or is happening extensively. It does not function as an adverb, verb, or noun in this context.
3.
What part of speech is "rotary", meaning "turning around its axis, like a wheel, or so constructed as to turn thus"?
Correct Answer
B. Adjective
Explanation
"Rotary" is an adjective because it describes or modifies a noun. In this case, it describes something that is turning around its axis, like a wheel, or constructed to turn in that manner. Adjectives are used to provide more information about a noun, and in this case, "rotary" is describing the characteristics or qualities of something that can rotate or turn.
4.
What part of speech is "ruffian", meaning "a lawless or recklessly brutal fellow"?
Correct Answer
C. Noun
Explanation
"Ruffian" is a noun because it refers to a person or individual, specifically someone who is lawless or brutal. Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas, and "ruffian" fits this definition as it is a word that names a type of person. It does not function as an adjective, verb, or adverb in this context.
5.
What part of speech is "ruth", meaning "sorrow for another's misery"?
Correct Answer
C. Noun
Explanation
The word "ruth" is a noun because it refers to a specific thing, which is "sorrow for another's misery". It can be identified as a noun because it functions as a subject, object, or complement in a sentence. In this case, "ruth" is the subject of the sentence and represents the concept of feeling sorry for someone else's suffering.
6.
What part of speech is "saline", meaning "constituting or consisting of salt"?
Correct Answer
C. Adjective
Explanation
"Saline" is an adjective because it describes or modifies a noun, specifically something that is composed of or contains salt. In this case, "saline" describes something that is salty or related to salt. It does not function as a verb, noun, or adverb, as it does not indicate an action, a person, place, thing, or manner.
7.
What part of speech is "salvage", meaning "any act of saving property"?
Correct Answer
C. Noun
Explanation
"Salvage" in this context is a noun because it refers to an act of saving property. It is not being used as an adverb, verb, or adjective in this particular meaning.
8.
What part of speech is "savage", meaning "a wild and uncivilized human being"?
Correct Answer
C. Noun
Explanation
The word "savage" in the given context is used to refer to a type of person, specifically a wild and uncivilized human being. This indicates that "savage" is being used as a noun in this sentence.
9.
What part of speech is "scribble", meaning "hasty, careless writing"?
Correct Answer
B. Noun
Explanation
"Scribble" in the context of "hasty, careless writing" is used as a noun. It refers to the act or result of writing in a rushed and careless manner. As a noun, "scribble" denotes a specific thing or concept rather than describing an action or quality.
10.
What part of speech is "secant", meaning "cutting, especially into two parts"?
Correct Answer
A. Adjective
Explanation
"Secant" in this context is used to describe something that cuts, especially into two parts. This indicates that "secant" is being used as an adjective to modify a noun. Adjectives typically describe or modify nouns, providing more information about their qualities or characteristics. In this case, "secant" is describing something that has the ability to cut or divide into two parts. Therefore, the correct answer is Adjective.
11.
What part of speech is "sedentary", meaning "involving or requiring much sitting"?
Correct Answer
A. Adjective
Explanation
"Sedentary" is a word that describes or modifies a noun, which is the function of an adjective. In this case, it describes activities or lifestyles that involve or require a lot of sitting. Therefore, "adjective" is the correct answer.
12.
What part of speech is "severance", meaning "separation"?
Correct Answer
A. Noun
Explanation
"Severance" is a noun that refers to the act of separating or the state of being separated. It is a specific term used to describe the action or result of severing or cutting off something. In this context, "severance" is used to denote the meaning of "separation," which is a noun.
13.
What part of speech is "sextuple", meaning "multiplied by six"?
Correct Answer
A. Adjective
Explanation
"Sextuple" is an adjective because it describes a noun by indicating that it has been multiplied by six. It functions as an attributive adjective, modifying a noun to provide additional information about its quantity or size. In this case, "sextuple" indicates that the noun it modifies has been multiplied by six, suggesting a sixfold increase.
14.
What part of speech is "shuffle", meaning "a mixing or changing the order of things"?
Correct Answer
A. Noun
Explanation
"Shuffle" in the context of "a mixing or changing the order of things" is used as a noun. It refers to the action or process of rearranging or reordering things, such as cards or a playlist. In this sense, "shuffle" does not describe or modify a noun (adjective), indicate manner or degree (adverb), or express an action or state (verb). Instead, it functions as a naming word for the concept of rearrangement or mixing.
15.
What part of speech is "sidelong", meaning "inclining or tending to one side"?
Correct Answer
B. Adjective
Explanation
"Sidelong" is an adjective that describes something as inclining or tending to one side. It is used to modify nouns and pronouns, providing additional information about their characteristics or qualities. In this case, "sidelong" describes the manner in which something is inclined or tending to one side. It does not function as a verb, noun, or adverb, as it does not indicate an action, person, place, or thing, nor does it modify a verb.