The founder said the society tested intellectual independence. (intellectual: mental, cerebral, cognitive) In practice it rewarded a sequacious newcomer who copied the loudest voice. (sequacious: uncritical, unquestioning, intellectually servile) A nonconformist met a supercilious smile; a maverick risked outright exclusion. (nonconformist: individualist, dissenter, maverick; supercilious: haughty, disdainful, condescending; maverick: nonconformist, independent, individualist) The founder seemed unaware of the hypocrisy. (hypocrisy: insincerity, duplicity, pretense)
On her first visit Rosa praised the club for its unorthodox habits. Members nodded. Then she suggested the club was fiercely conventional. (conventional: traditional, customary, established) They nodded again. It took some moxie to ask which of her incompatible claims they meant to defend. (moxie: grit, nerve, determination; incompatible: conflicting, inconsistent, contradictory)
The most withdrawn member spoke first. (withdrawn: reserved, reticent, detached) He disagreed with both. A good club, he said, could debate a bad rule and still serve an excellent pudding. They ate it while the founder wrote a motion to reconsider the admissions test.