1. The management has neither ............nor denied the rumour that it was going to lay off some workers

A. pronounced
B. confirmed ✔
C. rejected
D. advertised

Explanation:
The opposite of denied is confirmed, and it fits the sentence correctly.

2. Instead of .........the issue, the speaker digressed to unimportant matters.

A. summarizing
B. describing
C. revealing
D. addressing ✔

Explanation:
To digress is the opposite of addressing an issue directly.

3. The telephone booths were all ........ and I had to wait for more than ten minutes for one to become vacant

A. locked
B. busy
C. occupied ✔
D. ringing

Explanation:
The opposite of vacant is occupied.

4. While the first battalion halted its march at nightfall, the second ..........to the barracks

A. returned
B. set out
C. proceeded ✔
D. turned up

Explanation:
To halt means to stop; the opposite action is to proceed.

5. His father is an ............ driver but he is only a novice

A. enlightened
B. aged
C. excellent
D. experienced ✔

Explanation:
A novice is inexperienced; the opposite is experienced.

6. The arrival of the police at the scene .......... rather than mitigated tension

A. provoked
B. heightened ✔
C. created
D. prolonged

Explanation:
The opposite of mitigated (reduced) is heightened (increased).

7. Roses are common in May but ............. in November

A. dead
B. strange
C. rare ✔
D. extinct

Explanation:
The opposite of common is rare.

8. A bank clerk should be able to tell easily the difference between ........ notes and counterfeit ones

A. crisp
B. good
C. correct
D. genuine ✔

Explanation:
The opposite of counterfeit is genuine.

9. Last night, Uncle Joe was blind drunk but this morning he is as ........ as a judge

A. alert
B. saintly
C. strong
D. sober ✔

Explanation:
The opposite of drunk is sober.

10. What I have is only a ............. of the famous painting; the original is in the National Museum

A. duplicate ✔
B. model
C. fake
D. drawing

Explanation:
A duplicate is a copy, unlike the original.

11. If the jury's verdict is not guilty, the defendant will be .............

A. acquitted ✔
B. indicted
C. pardoned
D. forgiven

Explanation:
A defendant found not guilty is said to be acquitted.

12. When all the items on the agenda had been discussed, the meeting was ............

A. adjourned ✔
B. dismissed
C. postponed
D. dissolved

Explanation:
A meeting ends by being adjourned.

13. Because the new venture was ............. many businessmen and women went into it

A. rich
B. manageable
C. lucrative ✔
D. satisfying

Explanation:
A lucrative venture is one that brings profit.

14. We saw a ............. of lions at the game reserve.

A. pride ✔
B. family
C. band
D. group

Explanation:
A group of lions is called a pride.

15. Many educationists feel that ............. punishment should still be retained in schools

A. capital
B. corporal ✔
C. corporate
D. physical

Explanation:
The correct term is corporal punishment.

16. Freedom of movement is a ........ right of every citizen

A. fundamental ✔
B. negotiated
C. privileged
D. respected

Explanation:
Freedom of movement is a fundamental human right.

17. The river ............ towards the sea

A. meandered
B. rolled
C. ran ✔
D. trickled

Explanation:
A river naturally runs towards the sea.

18. I ............ that our team will win the match tomorrow

A. certify
B. conclude
C. announce
D. predict ✔

Explanation:
To state what one believes will happen in the future is to predict.

19. If found guilty, he will ........... all the wealth he has amassed illegally

A. forgo
B. abandon
C. repay
D. forfeit ✔

Explanation:
Illegally acquired wealth is usually forfeited.

20. At a ............... of 200 kilometres an hour, the hurricane swept away everything in its path

A. movement
B. flow
C. velocity ✔
D. drive

Explanation:
Speed measured with direction is called velocity.

21. “The worst may be over, but we are not out of the woods yet.” This means we are

A. still in the forest
B. not yet ready to celebrate our success
C. likely to encounter more difficulties ✔
D. not yet ready

Explanation:
The expression means more problems may still occur.

22. When I leave this country it will be for good. This means that I will

A. never come back ✔
B. leave for better conditions elsewhere
C. become an adventurer
D. improve my ways

Explanation:
“For good” means permanently.

23. When she confronted her husband, he hung his head and didn’t answer her questions. This means that he was

A. defiant
B. ashamed and embarrassed ✔
C. caught unawares
D. angry with her

Explanation:
Hanging one’s head shows shame or embarrassment.

24. All our plans fell through at the last moment. This means that we

A. were exposed
B. delayed
C. were abandoned
D. failed ✔

Explanation:
To fall through means to fail.

25. The police knew that the suspect was not being straight with them. This means that he was

A. not telling the truth ✔
B. not friendly
C. afraid
D. timid

Explanation:
Not being straight means being dishonest.

26. After his prison experience, Etim decided to go straight. This means that he decided to

A. hold his head up and walk with defiance
B. change his religion
C. live an honest life ✔
D. stop using drugs

Explanation:
To go straight means to live honestly.

27. The teacher spoke with his tongue in his cheek when he said that lazy Ade was the best pupil. This means that the teacher

A. did not mean what he said ✔
B. was disappointed
C. was angry
D. tried to encourage Ade

Explanation:
Speaking with one’s tongue in one’s cheek means being sarcastic.

28. They did not know what to expect and so decided to play it by ear. This means that they decided to

A. listen attentively to everyone
B. act according to circumstance ✔
C. pretend to be deaf
D. prepare for the worst

Explanation:
To play it by ear means to act as events unfold.

30. The conference was attended by people from all walks of life. This means that the conference was attended by people

A. of all races
B. who had travelled widely
C. from all professions ✔
D. from different parts of the world

Explanation:
“All walks of life” refers to different professions and social backgrounds.

31. Amina is the one who initiated the quarrel, not Nike!

A. started ✔
B. stopped
C. settled
D. fuelled

Explanation:
To initiate means to start.

32. She was reprimanded by her boss for negligence

A. sacked
B. rebuked ✔
C. punished
D. surcharged

Explanation:
To reprimand someone is to rebuke them.

33. Why should I retract my statement when it is nothing but the truth?

A. alter
B. deny
C. withdraw ✔
D. condemn

Explanation:
To retract a statement is to withdraw it.

34. The doctor diagnosed the tumour as malignant

A. deadly ✔
B. painful
C. infectious
D. minor

Explanation:
A malignant tumour is dangerous and potentially deadly.

35. In tropical Africa, mosquitoes are ubiquitous

A. dangerous
B. harmful
C. troublesome
D. everywhere ✔

Explanation:
Ubiquitous means present everywhere.

36. It soon became obvious that a confrontation was inevitable

A. disastrous
B. unavoidable ✔
C. desirable
D. imminent

Explanation:
Inevitable means unavoidable.

37. They insisted that the omission of my name had been inadvertent

A. unintentional ✔
B. unconditional
C. improper
D. unfortunate

Explanation:
Inadvertent means done unintentionally.

38. The police announced that they were yet to apprehend the criminals

A. interrogate
B. charge
C. prosecute
D. arrest ✔

Explanation:
To apprehend someone is to arrest them.

39. He is easily recognizable because of a conspicuous birthmark on his face

A. dark
B. beautiful
C. prominent ✔
D. natural

Explanation:
Conspicuous means easily noticed or prominent.

40. The fishing boat was imperilled by high winds, but it managed to reach port safely

A. pushed
B. endangered ✔
C. disturbed
D. blown

Explanation:
Imperilled means put in danger.