1.
What part of speech is "plutocracy", meaning "a wealthy class in a political community who control the government by means of their money"?
Correct Answer
B. Noun
Explanation
"Plutocracy" is a noun because it is a word that refers to a type of social and political system, specifically a wealthy class that controls the government through their money. As a noun, "plutocracy" functions as the subject or object of a sentence, or as a modifier for other nouns. It does not describe an action (verb), a quality (adjective), or a manner (adverb). Therefore, the correct answer is noun.
2.
What part of speech is "poetaster", meaning "an inferior poet"?
Correct Answer
B. Noun
Explanation
"Poetaster" is a noun, as it refers to a person who is considered to be an inferior poet. It is not an adverb, verb, or adjective, as it does not describe an action, quality, or manner.
3.
What part of speech is "poetic", meaning "pertaining to poetry"?
Correct Answer
A. Adjective
Explanation
"Poetic" is an adjective because it describes or modifies a noun, in this case, it describes something that is related to or characteristic of poetry. Adjectives typically provide additional information about a noun, such as its qualities, characteristics, or attributes. In this context, "poetic" describes something that is connected to poetry, indicating that it is an adjective.
4.
What part of speech is "poise", meaning "equilibrium"?
Correct Answer
D. Noun
Explanation
"Poise" in this context refers to the noun form of the word, meaning "equilibrium." It represents a state of balance or stability. As a noun, "poise" functions as a subject or object in a sentence, and it can be modified by adjectives or determiners. It is not an adverb, adjective, or verb in this case, as those parts of speech do not accurately describe the meaning of "poise" as "equilibrium."
5.
What part of speech is "polemics", meaning "the art of controversy or disputation"?
Correct Answer
C. Noun
Explanation
"Polemics" is a noun because it refers to a specific thing, which in this case is "the art of controversy or disputation." Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas, and "polemics" fits this definition by naming a concept or skill.
6.
What part of speech is "pollen", meaning "the fine dust-like grains or powder formed within the anther of a flowering plant"?
Correct Answer
A. Noun
Explanation
"Pollen" is a noun because it refers to a substance, specifically the fine dust-like grains or powder found in the anther of a flowering plant. It is not an adjective, adverb, or verb, as it does not describe or modify a noun, verb, or adjective, nor does it indicate an action or manner.
7.
What part of speech is "pollute", meaning "to contaminate"?
Correct Answer
D. Verb
Explanation
"Pollute" is a verb, as it refers to the action of contaminating something. It describes the act of introducing harmful substances or pollutants into the environment, causing damage or making it impure. As a verb, "pollute" indicates an action or process, making it the correct part of speech in this context.
8.
What part of speech is "polycracy", meaning "the rule of many"?
Correct Answer
B. Noun
Explanation
"Polycracy" is a noun because it refers to a type of government or rule, specifically the rule of many individuals. It is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea, which aligns with the definition of a noun.
9.
What part of speech is "polygon", meaning "a figure having many angles"?
Correct Answer
D. Noun
Explanation
"Polygon" is a noun because it refers to a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, it refers to a figure with many angles. As a noun, it can be used as the subject or object of a sentence, or as a modifier. It is not an adjective, adverb, or verb, as those parts of speech serve different grammatical functions.
10.
What part of speech is "polyhedron", meaning "a solid bounded by plane faces, especially by more than four"?
Correct Answer
B. Noun
Explanation
"Polyhedron" is a noun because it refers to a specific object, namely a solid bounded by plane faces. It is not an adverb, adjective, or verb, as it does not describe an action, quality, or manner of something.
11.
What part of speech is "polysyllable", meaning "having several syllables, especially more than three syllables"?
Correct Answer
A. Adjective
Explanation
"Polysyllable" is a word that describes something as having several syllables, particularly more than three syllables. In this context, it is used to modify or describe a noun, which is the function of an adjective. Therefore, "adjective" is the correct answer.
12.
What part of speech is "polytheism", meaning "the doctrine or belief that there are more gods than one"?
Correct Answer
A. Noun
Explanation
"Polytheism" refers to a specific belief system, specifically the belief in multiple gods. It is a noun because it is a naming word that identifies a concept or an idea. In this case, "polytheism" is the name given to the belief in multiple gods, making it a noun that represents a specific concept or belief.
13.
What part of speech is "pompous", meaning "marked by an assumed stateliness and impressiveness of manner"?
Correct Answer
A. Adjective
Explanation
"Pompous" is a word that describes a characteristic or quality of a person or thing, rather than an action or state. It is used to describe someone who behaves in a grandiose, self-important, or arrogant manner. As such, it functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun to provide more information about it.
14.
What part of speech is "ponder", meaning "to meditate or reflect upon"?
Correct Answer
C. Verb
Explanation
The word "ponder" is a verb that means "to meditate or reflect upon." It is an action word that describes the act of thinking deeply or considering something carefully.
15.
What part of speech is "ponderous", meaning "unusually weighty or forcible"?
Correct Answer
B. Adjective
Explanation
"Ponderous" is an adjective that describes something that is unusually weighty or forcible. It is not a noun, verb, or adverb, as it does not represent a person, action, or describe how an action is done. Therefore, the correct answer is adjective.