Vocabulary in Context

1. The ancient castle stood on the hill, its walls formidable and towering. Many armies had tried to attack it over the centuries, but none had succeeded in breaking through its mighty defences.

What does formidable mean? _______________________________________________

2. Sarah was known for her meticulous work. She checked every detail twice and made sure everything was perfectly organised and in its proper place.

What does meticulous mean? _______________________________________________

3. The explorer had to traverse the entire desert to reach the oasis. It took him three days to cross from one side to the other under the blazing sun.

What does traverse mean? _______________________________________________

4. The teacher's explanation was so ambiguous that the students were confused. They couldn't tell exactly what she meant because her words could be understood in several different ways.

What does ambiguous mean? _______________________________________________

5. The crowd watched in awe as the magician performed an astounding trick. Nobody could believe their eyes—it was the most amazing and surprising thing they had ever seen!

What does astounding mean? _______________________________________________

6. After the long drought, the farmers were relieved when rain finally came. The parched soil was so dry and thirsty that it soaked up the water immediately.

What does parched mean? _______________________________________________

7. Unlike her cheerful sister, Emma was quite melancholy that day. She sat quietly by herself, looking sad and thoughtful as she gazed out the window.

What does melancholy mean? _______________________________________________

8. The scientist had to verify her results before publishing them. She repeated the experiment several times to make sure her findings were correct and accurate.

What does verify mean? _______________________________________________