Quiz created: 111004

Vocabulary Quiz 19

Instructions: Answer the multiple choice questions, guessing if necessary; then click on the "Process Questions" button at the end of the quiz to see your score in the adjacent message box. The program will not reveal which questions you got wrong, only how many points you have. Go back and change your answers until you get them all right. (The message box will rejoice at that point and the page will change color to show it is tickled pink.)

Points to note: (1) Questions with only one possible answer are one point each. (2) Questions with one or more possible answers (represented by check boxes) give a point for each correct answer, but also subtract a point for each wrong answer! (3) The program will not attempt to score your efforts at all if you have not tried at least half of the questions. (4) This quiz is for your own use only. No record of your progress is kept or reported to anyone.

1. “All the same, anti-Israeli feeling is growing [in Egypt]. Some political parties want to close the SUEZ CANAL to the Israeli navy and to block the sale of natural gas to Israel.” (The Economist 110917, p. 45) The Suez Canal links
the Red Sea and the Mediterranean 
the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf 
the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea 
the Aral Sea and the Mediterranean 
No Answer
2. “Even without American-style RAZZMATAZZ, the Socialists' first debate attracted more viewers in France (5 million) than the latest Republican contest drew in America (3.6 million).” (The Economist 110924, p. 62) Razzmatazz means
popularity 
sparkle 
pre-event publicity 
flashy and confusing double-talk 
folk tradition 
No Answer
3. “PKK terrorists are hoping to provoke Turkish troops into escalating the vilence. Mr Erdogan seems to be walking into their trap Yet some pro-government SCREEDS are blaming Israel for the PKK attacks … .” (The Economist 110924, p. 62) A “screed” is a
spokesman  newspaper  toady  diatribe  No Answer
4. “Graft has long been RIFE, if chaotic, in Ukraine. Now, says Anatoly Gritsenko, a former defence minister, the regime has installed an infrastructure of corruption that makes Ukraine look more like Russia.”(The Economist 110923, p. 65) Something “rife” is
well decorated 
always changing directions 
frequent or plentiful 
well hidden 
episodic 
No Answer
5. “The ‘observer' status that would be given [to the Palestinian Authority in the United Nations] … would not make an immediate difference on the ground but would help the Palestinians on their way to [full membership] … by giving them a diplomatic FILLIP. It should be encouraged for reasons of both principle and practice.” (The Economist 110923, p. 14) A “fillip” here means
the refilling of a fuel tank 
triumph 
minor defeat leading to better preparation for a later battle 
stimulus 
written argument 
charter document 
No Answer
6. “But the invasion of foreign capital [into Brazil] that so worried Mr Mantega has now turned into a SHAMBOLIC retreat. The outflows have dragged down the exchange rates of almost every emerging economy since the beginning of August.” (The Economist 111001, p. 79) An event is “shambolic” when it is
disorganized 
unexpected 
unfortunate in its results 
mostly symbolic, with no “real world” consequences 
widely copied 
No Answer
7. “In a currency war, where each side fights to gain competitiveness against the others [by inflating the currency to cheapen exports] these tumbling exchange rates presumably count as victories. But they are PYRRHIC.” (The Economist 111001, p. 79) The term “Pyrrhic victory” refers to a famous battle fought by King Pyrrhus of Epirus (306-302 and 297-272 BC), who defeated the Romans at Heraclea (280 BC) and Asculum (279 BC). A victory is described as Pyrrhic when it
is the second battle with the same enemy 
is against Italy 
results in only a temporary gain in territory 
is fought between “enemies” whose interests are in fact identical 
resolves no identifiable dispute 
involves spectacular losses not only to the loser but also to the “victor” 
No Answer
8. [Brian Trichet, president of the European Central Bank] “… rightly warned the politicians that their campaign to make private bondholders take a hit in future bail-outs would only spook the markets. But he may be wrong to oppose any kind of debt restructuring for Greece, which is patently BUST.” (The Economist 111001, p. 26) By saying Greece is “bust,” the author means that nation is
broken 
over-inflated 
proudly but unrealistically puffing out its chest 
without money 
being carried forward by the efforts of other nations 
No Answer
9. “Third, America's politicians are, once again, threatening to wreck the recovery with irresponsible fiscal BRINKMANSHIP. Together, these developments point to a perilous period ahead.” (The Economist 111001, p. 13) “Brinkmanship” refers to
sending money to the bank instead of using it for immediate needs 
waiting for a crisis to become truly severe before acting to prevent it 
severe competition between teams 
singing off key 
making speeches full of falsehoods in order to appeal to stupid or ignorant supporters 
No Answer

      Points out of 9:

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This consummately cool, pedagogically compelling, self-correcting,
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of April 25, 2010.