Chamblee54

A recent internet quiz is How Good Is Your English Vocabulary? This was a blow to the pride. I have always thought I was pretty good with words, and yet, with a few educated guesses, I only got 80.
The test has ten questions. Six times the definition is given, with two words to choose from. Four words are given, with two possible definitions.
The four words, leading to a binary definition decision, are abusion, bombilate, jargogle, and lubritorium. I have never used any of these words, even while performing the actions of the three verbs. I also make regular use of a lubritorium. It is a place adjacent to where you pay at the pump.
The first question is the definition “Fond of company, a social individual. gregarious, perceptive” This is obvious. In fact, perceptive might be the opposite of social, unless you can keep your uncomplimentary observations to yourself.
The second question was “Able to be manipulated without breaking. malleable milieunous” When I looked up mileunous later, I could not find an english definition. It appears to be French.
Pedantic is an option for two definitions. “Wicked to an extreme, malicious. nefarious pedantic” “Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules. pedantic pediatric” And yet, pedantry is seen by some as nefarious. In the age of obamacare, pediatric billing can be both pedantic and nefarious.
The quiz does not give correct answers. One possible mistake was with syntax. This is a word which I have seen used, and sort of know the meaning. However, when asked to choose between “The study of the origins of separate languages vis interchangeable root words” and “The study of the rules whereby words … are combined to form grammatical sentences”, I drew a blank. Syntax is not spelled sin tax, and is not a government levy on alcohol and gambling.
This quiz seems to be collecting eyeballs for the sponsor. Rooms to go, Target, and AT&T, among others, are paying per view. When you take the test over and over, to try and move your score up, these sponsors ante up for the clicks. Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.