1. The cartoonist was a _______ who could sketch a comic strip with _______ ease and great thought.   gourmet..grandiose   connoisseur..incredulous   virtuoso..incredible   dilettante..unwarranted   zealot..whimsical   Hint Hint       2. The twin sisters were very different by nature: one was _______, whereas the other was _______.   verbose..wordy   taciturn..tacit   loquacious..talkative   reticent..reserved   garrulous..laconic   Hint       3. The _______ was recognized for his _______ deeds and his significant contributions to society.   clairvoyant..clandestine   charlatan..cryptic   philanthropist..altruistic   misanthrope..mundane   philanderer..benevolent   Hint       4. The villagers administered the _______ to _______ the effects of the snake venom.   antiseptic..amplify   antidote..counteract   placebo..negate   poison..preempt   antibody..protract   Hint       5. A _______ message attempts to intentionally _______ something.   furtive..elucidate   abstruse..edify   obscene..obliterate   cryptic..conceal   abstract..elicit   Hint       6. The cross-border terrorism _______ the bitterness already existing between the two countries.   deprecated   exacerbated   confounded   endorsed   abridged   Hint       7. Many victims of the _______ died due to major burns even before receiving any medical attention.   catharsis   maelstrom   hibernation   labyrinth   conflagration   Hint