A transit report states that the agency "hemorrhaged" money in the months after the fare freeze. What does "hemorrhaged" mean as it is used here?

An editorial says the district's new ban on phones in classrooms is "long overdue." What attitude toward the ban does that phrase reveal?

A lab report notes, "The solution reached saturation at 25 degrees Celsius, so the extra sugar settled to the bottom." What does "saturation" mean here?

A news feature reports that a "mob" of parents filled the hallway outside the board meeting. What does choosing "mob" instead of "group" suggest about the writer's view?

An opinion column calls the arena proposal "a gift-wrapped bill for taxpayers." What does the phrase suggest about the writer's stance on the proposal?

A transit blog says planners "shoehorned" twelve stops into a twenty-minute route. What does "shoehorned" mean as it is used in that sentence?

A sports profile writes that the coach "barked" instructions from the sideline all through the final quarter. What effect does the verb "barked" create?

A reporter wants to describe a council vote neutrally in "The council ___ the parks budget by ten percent." Which word fits that purpose: slashed, reduced, gutted or butchered?

A science feature reports that the volcano's "plume" rose nine kilometers above the crater within an hour. What does "plume" mean in that sentence?

A history magazine writes that the trade treaty is "barely a footnote" in most classroom textbooks. What does the phrase reveal about the writer's view of its coverage?

An article states, "Swimmers should respect the current, which can pull a strong adult past the jetty in seconds." What does "current" mean here?

An opinion writer notes that the app "generously" offers one free week before charging for a full year. What attitude does "generously" signal in that sentence?

An editorial warns readers about "the erosion of trust" in local news reporting. What does "erosion" mean as the editorial uses it?

A columnist wants readers to feel impatient about a delayed bridge project. In "The city has ___ the work three more years," which fits: postponed, dragged out, extended or rescheduled?

A design review calls the museum's new wing "a glass box that swallows the old brick hall." What attitude toward the design does that wording convey?

A health article reports, "Students in the control group drank plain water while the others drank the sports drink." What does "control group" mean here?

A budget analysis calls the $40,000 grant "a drop in the bucket" beside the district's repair list. What does the phrase mean as used?

An article about a factory closing reports that workers "were let go" rather than saying they were fired. What does that phrasing do in the sentence?

A science feature calls a desert beetle's shell "an engineering marvel that shrugs off midday heat." What attitude toward the beetle does the wording show?

A technology report notes, "The team's novel approach dries the crop with sunlight instead of a heater." What does "novel" mean in that sentence?