1. A perfect game is the acme of any pitcher’s career in baseball.

2. attribute
The attribute I most admire in you is your willingness to give everyone’s opinions a fair hearing.

3. belittle
Candidates for public office may resort to negative ads that belittle their opponents’ records.

4. convey
Please convey our best wishes to your parents on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

5. No two religions see eye to eye on every fine detail of doctrine.

6. If you excise that irrelevant remark, you will improve your essay.

7. exotic
A recipe may call for exotic herbs and spices that are difficult to find.

8. The haggard refugees were given food, clothing, and temporary shelter.

9. I bought a jaunty straw hat with bells hanging from the brim.

10. Our property ends at the juncture of the two stone walls.

11. Menial
During the Great Depression, people were thankful to have work of any kind, no matter how menial.

12. parry
An effective press secretary can parry almost any question a reporter asks.

13. predatory
Owls and other predatory birds play an important role in maintaining the balance of nature.

14. Swarms of locusts ravaged the farmer’s fields and orchards.

15. stance
A fashion model’s stance is calculated to show off a designer’s clothing to best advantage.

16. tawdry
An excess of gold braid and glittery beads gave the costume a tawdry look.

17. turncoat
Strikers generally consider those workers who cross the picket lines to be turncoats.

18. Many celebrities remain unassuming despite their fame and wealth.

19. wallow
After a strenuous hike, I was too tired to do anything but wallow blissfully in a hot bath.

20. waver
The committee wavered for several days before choosing the winner of the essay contest.