A soldier who abandons his post or duty without permission

• A. Mutineer
• B. Deserter (Answer)
• C. Fugitive
• D. Renegade

Deserter is a person who abandons their post or duty, especially in the armed forces, without permission.

Pleasing to the ear, especially of words or phrases

• A. Euphonious (Answer)
• B. Cacophonous
• C. Guttural
• D. Strident

Euphonious means pleasant sounding, especially of words or phrases. Cacophonous means the opposite — a harsh, jarring mixture of sounds.

Difficult to understand because of obscure or complex language

• A. Abstruse (Answer)
• B. Lucid
• C. Verbose
• D. Coherent

Abstruse means difficult to understand, obscure in meaning. Lucid and coherent mean the opposite — clear and easy to follow.

The killing of one's own sister

• A. Fratricide
• B. Matricide
• C. Sororicide (Answer)
• D. Infanticide

Sororicide is the killing of one's own sister, following the same pattern as fratricide (brother) and matricide (mother).

One who withdraws from society to live in seclusion, not necessarily for religious reasons

• A. Hermit
• B. Recluse (Answer)
• C. Ascetic
• D. Nomad

Recluse means a person who lives a solitary life and avoids society by personal preference — distinct from a hermit, whose seclusion is typically religious.

A style of speech or writing that uses very few words

• A. Verbose
• B. Laconic (Answer)
• C. Eloquent
• D. Rhetorical

Laconic means using very few words, terse and concise in expression — the opposite of verbose.

A person, especially in a restaurant, who is knowledgeable about wine

• A. Connoisseur
• B. Gourmet
• C. Sommelier (Answer)
• D. Vintner

Sommelier is a trained wine steward, especially one working in a restaurant. A vintner is someone who makes or sells wine.

An inscription on a coin or medal

• A. Epitaph
• B. Legend (Answer)
• C. Motto
• D. Insignia

Legend, in this specific sense, means the wording or inscription on a coin or medal. An epitaph is an inscription on a tomb.

One who believes that all events are predetermined by fate and cannot be altered

• A. Stoic
• B. Fatalist (Answer)
• C. Pessimist
• D. Cynic

Fatalist is a person who believes that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable, and submits to them accordingly.

A forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something

• A. Elegy
• B. Eulogy
• C. Diatribe (Answer)
• D. Panegyric

Diatribe is a forceful and bitter verbal or written attack against someone or something. A eulogy and a panegyric, by contrast, are speeches of praise.