Vocabulary Studio 42: Maxim to misanthrope

3 questions. Choose the meaning or usage that best fits each situation. Try answering before reopening the passage.

1In the example "The carpenter's favorite maxim was to measure before cutting.", what does maxim mean?A. A concise statement of a general rule or principle.B. Strong moral integrity and honesty.C. An indirect reference to something presumed to be familiar.D. An unpleasant smell or vapor emitted by something.

2In the example "The old estate once housed a small menagerie.", what does menagerie mean?A. A short, witty remark.B. A collection of wild or unusual animals, often kept for display.C. The combining of separate things into one whole.D. A poem or song expressing sorrow, especially for someone who has died.

3In the example "The mendacious account collapsed under questioning.", what does mendacious mean?A. Going beyond ordinary limits or surpassing usual experience.B. Stern, gloomy, and unsmiling.C. Given to lying or containing falsehoods.D. Cheerful and full of high spirits.

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