Do You Have the Vocabulary Level of a Berkeley Grad?

By: Talin Vartanian
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Do You Have the Vocabulary Level of a Berkeley Grad?
Image: pixelfit/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

You don't need to be a UC Berkeley graduate to take our English quiz, but fair warning: there are some advanced words and phrases ahead! Even if you don't know what words like "irksome," "insolent" and "withering" mean, you can use context clues to help you figure out the answer! Context clues are hints within the question (as well as some of the answers) that could help you narrow down what the real answer is. This is a great technique for those with a logical mind and strong deductive reasoning skills as well. But don't worry, we'll give you some warmups first to help you prepare!

Take the word "effulgent," for instance. Someone might say, "My husband bought me an effulgent ring for my birthday," or "My best friend always has an effulgent expression on her face." You might be able to deduce the meaning – that effulgent means "radiant" or "shining."

If that was too easy for you, how about the word "parsimonious?" This adjective describes someone who is a little too frugal with their money and possessions. They also tend to exhibit rude or mean behavior traits, possibly as a derivative of a greedy personality. 

But enough chatter! If you think you're ready to ace our vocabulary quiz, then scroll down to see if you're a true Berkeley grad!

If you are yelling at someone in an aggressive way, then you might be _______ them.
Chiding
Berating
Scolding
Calling

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Let's say you want to tell a secret to your best friend. What would they be called?
Confidant
Crony
Counselor
Best friend

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What is the best antonym for the word "debase"?
Enhance
Increase
Cheapen
Cruel

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You might be "happy" if you won the lottery, but a better word to use would be _______.
Elated
Animated
Jolly
Glad

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What would you call someone who is arrogant and self-important?
Haughty
Vain
Proud
Mean

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The word "each" is an example of which type of pronoun?
Distributive
Demonstrative
Relative
Definite

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Someone who is a beginner at video games might also be referred to as what?
Novice
Newcomer
Student
Expert

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If you've hit rock-bottom in life, this is known as the __________.
Nadir
Lowest point
Nuance
Peak

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Which of the following words is the most accurate synonym for "guileless"?
Naive
Unsuspicious
Frank
Nice

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One of these words is not an adjective, but can you spot the culprit in disguise?
Enmity
Nefarious
Loquacious
Jejune

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If I say that I have a plethora of movies in my collection, what does this mean?
I have a large number of movies.
I have a moderate number of movies.
I have a small number of movies.
I don't own any movies.

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What would you call someone who is super passionate about a certain hobby or activity?
Zealous
Passionate
Stubborn
Happy

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We all know that grass is green, right? But what's a more scholarly way of saying the word "green"?
Verdant
Grassy
Rich
Super green

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Many people would agree that computers are a major evolution in technology, but what does this mean?
Computers are a big achievement.
Computers are sold around the world.
Computers have caused many problems.
I have no idea.

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The word "awkwardly" describes someone who lacks grace in a situation, but how would you categorize this word?
Adverb
Verb
Pronoun
Noun

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An old soul who carries wisdom and knowledge within their heart might be called _______.
Sagacious
Clever
Philosophical
Smart

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Let's say you're about to give a speech in front of 1,000 people. No matter how confident you feel, you'll likely feel ______ as well.
Tremulous
Timid
Nervous
Shy

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If you're hearing the same song playing over and over again on a radio station, you might be feeling a bit _________.
Vexed
Enraged
Angry
Annoyed

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Someone who is loud and vocal about their opinions might be known as what sort of person?
Vociferous
Outspoken
Enthusiastic
Cheerful

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On your morning commute, the driver next to you is starting to express some road rage. How would you describe their attitude?
Petulant
Crabby
Grumpy
Mean

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The stars in the sky may look beautiful, but how would you describe their shimmering effect?
Coruscating
Gleaming
Twinkling
Shiny

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There are many ways to tell someone that they are attractive, but which of these words describes the opposite of being attractive?
Homely
Comely
Arresting
Lovely

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What does the following sentence mean: The ocean has myriad fish?
There's a large number of fish in the ocean.
The number of fish in the ocean is growing.
There aren't enough fish in the ocean.
Fish are going extinct.

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You've surely met at least one person who talks way too much. What would such a person be called?
Garrulous
Talkative
Chatty
Boring

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If you had a conversation with a rather obtuse person, then that person was ______.
Unintelligent
Sleepy
Rude
Smart

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One of these words is not a synonym for "quiescent," but can you spot it?
Nimble
Inactive
Still
Quiet

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How would you describe someone who demonstrates stern manners or behavior?
Rhadamanthine
Nefarious
Querulous
Munificent

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The term "lapis lazuli" matches which of the following colors?
Blue
Purple
Green
Yellow

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Some people speak in a sarcastic way. How would you describe this tone of voice?
Caustic
Sharp
Rude
Funny

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Someone who wears drab clothing or has an old-fashioned sense of style might be referred to as _______.
Dowdy
Dull
Boring
Classy

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You Got:

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