第1回目は、phrasal verb(句動詞)を新しく導入したリニューアル英検の語彙問題にフォーカスします。今回の語彙問題は、新傾向の第1回目とあって今までに出題された英検1級上級レベル(12,000から17,000語水準)の問題がなくなり、全体的に易しく、英検1級中級レベルの(8,000〜12,000語水準)の語彙を中心に出題されました。
まずは、今回行われました英検の1番語彙問題にチャレンジしてください。


1.
 The wedding ceremony turned into a complete ( ) when the bride
suddenly confessed that she was already married.
  1. snare 2. coup 3. frazzle 4. fiasco
 
2.
 I couldn't follow all of the president's speech, but I understand enough to get the ( ) of what was saying.
1. gist 2. gall 3. drone 4. drawl
   
3.
 With more than 60　books to his name, the novelist was one of the most
( ) of the twentieth century.
1. arcane 2. somber 3. erratic 4. prolific
   
4.
 Hundreds of residents were left ( ) after the earthquake destroyed
their town.
  1. astute 2. opulent 3. destitute 4. fastidious
   
5.
 Rather than ( ) his frustration by yelling at co-workers, the manager
would step outside the office and take a deep breath when he felt angry.
1. fanning 2. venting 3. filtering 4. drifting
   
6.
 When the cable-TV company conducted a survey about the quality of its service, customers responded with a ( ) of complaints.
1. peril 2. grain 3. barrage 4. maxim
   
7.
 Ms. White made her latest expedition under the ( ) of Globe 2005, a
group that has been sponsoring her record-breaking treks for 10 years.
1. equity 2. auspices 3. threshold 4. pretext
   
8.
 The man was forced to ( ) his watch to help pay the rent, but he got it back when his next paycheck arrived.
1. affix 2. pawn 3. waive 4. scrimp
   
9.
 John realized that it would take many years to ( ) the money he had lost
in the stock market.
1. recoup 2. revamp 3. repossess 4. reinstall
   

10.

 For sale: Rare collection of 1960s records in ( ) condition! Some never
  opened. Call 555-1212.
  1. bland 2. tranquil 3. pristine 4. exotic
   
11.
 Guards at Ipswich Prison managed to ( ) an escape attempt last night.
Prisoners tried to climb over the wall but were caught before they could get away.
  .1. shackle 2. impound 3. extricate 4. thwart
   
12. The presidential candidate said that it was time to halt the ( ) oｆ society into the have and the have-nots." If elected, I will be a force for unity," she claimed.
  1. validation 2. deliberation 3. fortification 4. polarization
   
13. Rugby star Johnny Martin had finally ended the recent media ( ) about his future by announcing his retirement from the sport.
  1. speculation 2. annotation 3. conflagration 4. verification
   
14. Efforts to supply blankets and tents to people made homeless after the massive flood have seriously ( ) the aid agency's funds. " We urgently need more donations now to keep up the flow of aid," said a spokesperson.
  1. interrogated 2. depleted 3. manipulated 4.mediated
   
15. Under pressure from environmentalists, Watney Council has voted to create a 40-acre ( ) zone to protect Watney Marsh, a heaven for wild birds, from planned industrial estate.
  1. bumper 2. verge 3. buffer 4. valve
   
16. Star striker Jason Cohen hopes to ( ) his father by leading his team to victory in this weekend's cup final. Cohen's father , George scored the winning goal in the 1970 final.
  1. emulate 2. enhance 3. endorse 4. exempt
   
17. The prime minister claimed at a media conference Thursday that no nation is ( ) to terrorism. She said that terrorists can strike anywhere and at any time.
  1. liable 2. inclined 3. relegated 4. immune
   
18. The young couple ( ) over whether to sell their house, but finally decided to after realizing it was the only way to save the family business.
  1. agonized 2. intensified 3. quivered 4. tortured
   
19. After the drunk became ( ), the bar manager was forced to call the police and ask that the man be removed from the bar.
  1. dissenting 2. taciturn 3. belligerent 4. stringent
   
20. A: Do you really think you'll be able to win the championship this year?
B: It'll be a ( ). We have the strongest lineup in the league.
  1. stake 2. wisp 3. cinch 4. bind
   
21. Journalists ( ) into the politician's past in the hope of uncovering some scandal.
  1. delved 2. perforated 3. intervened 4. bolstered
   
22. I hurt my knee playing football in university, and now it tends to ( ) in cold weather.
  1. wind down 2. act up 3. change over 4. play off
   
23. None of the students would ( ) to breaking the window, even though the teacher said that no one would be punished.
  1. set forth 2. fall through 3. own up 4. horse around
   
24. Although it is a slow process, major video rental stores are beginning to ( ) video in favor of DVDs. One manager estimated that video will be a thing of the past by 2010.
  1. phase out 2. gloss over 3. spin off 4. spice up
   
25. Her mother-in-law called to say she was coming to visit that evening, so Ellen rushed to ( ) something quick for dinner.
  1. run up 2. whip up 3. pile up 4. wind up