1. The biologist described how vultures _______ portions of carcasses and play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance as _______.   gobble..xenophobes   seize..predators   devour..scavengers   hunt..carnivores   depend on..parasites   Hint Hint       2. The media reports on cross-border terrorism _______ all assertions made by the government that peace had been restored.   substantiated   bolstered   stipulated   belied   buttressed   Hint       3. It was _______ on the part of the senate that obstructed the adoption of a revolutionary teaching methodology in the executive MBA program.   effrontery   conservatism   magnanimity   anachronism   propriety   Hint       4. Compared to real estate, nearly all else appears relatively inexpensive, _______ nearly nothing appears not affordable.   provided   so   although   nevertheless   since   Hint       5. She is certain to alienate her colleagues in a short period of time because of her overall _______ attitude.   truculent   gregarious   amiable   munificent   amicable   Hint       6. At the farewell function, the dignitary's address to the young graduates was _______, offering no new words of wisdom but common knowledge.   opprobrious   ambivalent   platitudinous   pragmatic   labyrinthine   Hint       7. After the sudden death of their leader, the terrorists thought it best to be _______ for a period before resuming their attacks on their adversaries.   audacious   prodigious   quiescent   bellicose   belligerent   Hint