Read the prose excerpt below carefully:
"The prime minister's speech was received with perfunctory applause from the backbenchers, who were well aware of the illusory nature of his promises. His attempt to obfuscate the financial deficits through convoluted rhetoric only heightened the skepticism of the press, leaving his cabinet in a precarious position."
Match each vocabulary word on the left with its correct contextual meaning on the right as used in the passage.
- perfunctoryCarried out merely as a routine formality without genuine enthusiasm
- illusoryDeceptive and lacking real substance or truth
- obfuscateDeliberately confusing or obscuring clear facts
- precariousDangerously unstable and exposed to risk
Answer
'perfunctory' matches 'Carried out merely as a routine formality without genuine enthusiasm'; 'illusory' matches 'Deceptive and lacking real substance or truth'; 'obfuscate' matches 'Deliberately confusing or obscuring clear facts'; 'precarious' matches 'Dangerously unstable and exposed to risk'.
Each vocabulary term corresponds to its specific contextual function within the narrative: 'perfunctory' reflects mechanical routine, 'illusory' signifies deceptive promises, 'obfuscate' denotes intentional clouding of facts, and 'precarious' describes an unstable political situation.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Contextual Word Meaning and Vocabulary in Passages