what does the word querulous mean

HESI A2

Vocabulary HESI A2 Practice Test

1. What does the word Querulous mean?

A. Shouting
B. Complaining
C. Crying
D. Praising

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Complaining.' Querulous is an adjective that describes someone who is constantly complaining or irritable. It is not related to shouting (Choice A) or crying (Choice C). Choice D, 'Praising,' is the opposite of the meaning of querulous and therefore incorrect.

2. What must a homeowner do to a section of a fence that is falling apart?

A. Buttress
B. Degrade
C. Hinder
D. Flounder

Correct answer: A

Rationale: To buttress a fence means to reinforce or support it, typically by adding extra material or structures to prevent it from falling apart. In this scenario, the homeowner needs to strengthen the deteriorating section of the fence, making 'buttress' the correct answer. 'Degrade' means to diminish in quality, which is the opposite of what the homeowner should do. 'Hinder' means to create obstacles or difficulties, not a solution for the falling fence. 'Flounder' means to struggle or fail, which is not related to repairing the fence.

3. What action describes what a cat, who is clearly scared of a Rottweiler, will do when the dog enters the room?

A. Cower
B. Engender
C. Enhance
D. Replicate

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When a cat cowers, it means the cat is crouching down or trying to make itself look smaller in fear or apprehension of something, in this case, the Rottweiler. Hence, the word 'cower' accurately describes what the cat would do when faced with a Rottweiler entering the room. The other choices are incorrect: 'Engender' means to cause or give rise to, 'Enhance' means to improve or increase the quality or value of something, and 'Replicate' means to duplicate or reproduce something.

4. What is the correct pronoun to complete the sentence?

A. Her
B. Hers
C. Best
D. More greatest

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The word 'her' is the correct choice because it serves as the object of the preposition 'at.' In this sentence, 'looked at' requires an object pronoun, making 'her' the appropriate choice. Option B, 'Hers,' indicates possession, which is not needed in this context. Options C and D are not pronouns and do not fit grammatically in the sentence.

5. Identify the correct sentence structure.

A. The cat sleeping on the mat
B. The cat is sleeping on the mat
C. The mat that the cat is sleeping on
D. Sleeping on the mat is the cat

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct sentence structure is 'The cat is sleeping on the mat.' This is a complete and grammatically correct sentence following a standard subject-verb-object structure. 'The cat' is the subject, 'is sleeping' is the verb, and 'on the mat' is the prepositional phrase describing where the action is taking place. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Option A is a sentence fragment lacking a verb; option C is a dependent clause lacking a main clause, and option D has a subject-verb inversion making it awkward and incorrect.