Read the sentence, looking for clues
The detour roadsign "despite" indicates that there is a contrast. If teddy bears
are winsome (or "having a good disposition"), cuddly creatures, then koalas must be
the opposite of that. Even without knowing the meaning of "winsome," you can use the
word "cuddly" as a clue to the positive nature of teddy bears.
Predict an answer
Try a negative word, like "nasty" or "prickly."
Select the choice that most closely matches your
prediction
(D)
Irritable, or "easily annoyed," works well as the opposite of
"winsome" and is the correct answer. (A) pungent, which means "having a strong odor," may be negative, but it
does not contrast with "winsome" or "cuddly." (B) charming is positive; it would describe
something that is similar in disposition to teddy bears. (C) insouciant means "having lighthearted
unconcern," which does not speak to the implied unpleasant personality of koalas.
(E) sluggish means "slow" or
"lethargic"; although koalas do move slowly, the sentence is not speaking to this
quality of either koalas or teddy bears.
Check your answer
Despite their strong resemblance to winsome, cuddly teddy bears, the koalas of
eastern Australia are remarkably irritable in character.
TAKEAWAY: If there's an unfamiliar vocabulary word in the sentence, see if there
are other clues in the sentence that can lead you to the right answer.
