Expand your vocabulary using context clues.
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7 | |
Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world's great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. In the State of the Union address, the President promulgated the new administration's policy on gun control. Promulgated means: |
| | A) | reversed or changed |
| | B) | made known or put into effect by public declaration |
| | C) | refused to reveal |
| | D) | denounced as untrue |
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Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive. The drug problem in the United States is difficult to deal with because it is so pervasive. Pervasive means: |
| | A) | important |
| | B) | widespread |
| | C) | decreasing or diminishing |
| | D) | popular |
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The majority of the persons in this book had the advantage of being born and raised in centers of civilization, highly cultured or politically pivotal nations. Supreme Court Justice O'Connor's opinion was the pivotal one that reversed the lower court's decision. Pivotal means: |
| | A) | causing rotation |
| | B) | pertaining to religion |
| | C) | determining a direction or effect; crucial |
| | D) | going in two different directions |
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Orphaned at age six, he was reared in modest surroundings. Even after Smiths won the lottery, they continued to live in a modest apartment and take the subway to work. Modest means: |
| | A) | plain rather than showy |
| | B) | shy or reserved |
| | C) | luxurious |
| | D) | rural; pertaining to the country |
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Islamic tradition tells us that [Muhammad] was illiterate. Mosques are Islamic houses of worship. Islamic means: |
| | A) | pertaining to the Christian religion based on the teachings of Jesus |
| | B) | pertaining to the Buddhist religion based on the teachings of Buddha |
| | C) | pertaining to the Moslem religion based on the teachings of Muhammad |
| | D) | pertaining to the Confucian religion based on the teaching of Confucius |
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Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as well as a religious leader. While some people view abortion as a religious issue, others view it as a purely secular issue. Secular means: |
| | A) | private |
| | B) | pertaining to worship |
| | C) | spiritual |
| | D) | not related to religion |
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13 | |
There were, however, in Mecca, a small number of Jews and Christians; it was from them no doubt that Muhammad first learned of a single, omnipotent God who ruled the entire universe. Hitler was a madman who thought he was omnipotent. Omnipotent means: |
| | A) | having unlimited power or authority |
| | B) | having limited power or authority |
| | C) | having authority given by the citizens of a country |
| | D) | having no power or authority |
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As he slowly gained converts, the Meccan authorities came to consider him a dangerous nuisance. The new political party in India rapidly gained converts. Converts means: |
| | A) | people who revert to previously held beliefs |
| | B) | people who adopt a new religion or belief |
| | C) | people who cling to long-held beliefs |
| | D) | people who have no religious beliefs |
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Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical precepts of Christianity, St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament. Although he decided not to become a minister and left the seminary, he continued to read Christian theology throughout his life. Theology means: |
| | A) | system or school of opinions about God and religious questions |
| | B) | study of beliefs throughout the world |
| | C) | study of ancient religious rituals |
| | D) | study of the lives of saints |
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16 | |
In addition, Muhammad played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam. The evangelists were proselytizing loudly on busy downtown street corners, stopping anyone who was willing to listen to them talk about their religious beliefs. Proselytizing means: |
| | A) | speaking loudly or shouting |
| | B) | deceiving with trickery |
| | C) | declaring false or untrue |
| | D) | attempting to convert from one belief or faith to another |
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