what does the word banal mean

HESI A2

Vocabulary for HESI A2

1. What does the word Banal mean?

A. Interesting
B. Ordinary
C. Boring
D. Creative

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Ordinary.' Banal refers to something that is common, unoriginal, or lacking in originality. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because banal does not mean interesting, boring, or creative; it specifically conveys the idea of being mundane or lacking in freshness.

2. He has 3 DISCRETE symptoms, causing the doctor to create an elaborative plan of care.

A. individual
B. common
C. difficult
D. separate

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The term 'discrete' means individually separate and distinct. Therefore, the most appropriate choice to describe the symptoms that are distinct and separate from each other is 'separate' (option D). Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they do not convey the specific meaning of the term 'discrete' as separate and distinct.

3. What does 'Deficit' mean?

A. An excess of something
B. A deficiency or lack of something
C. An abundance of something
D. A stable amount

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'A deficiency or lack of something.' The term 'deficit' refers to a shortage or inadequacy of something. Choice A is incorrect because a surplus means an excess, which is the opposite of a deficit. Choice C is incorrect as an abundance signifies a large quantity or more than enough of something. Choice D is incorrect as a stable amount does not convey the concept of a deficit.

4. Select the meaning of the underlined word in the following sentence. The pain of childbirth may often be acute.

A. Escalating
B. Emergent
C. Eased
D. Intense

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The word "acute" in this sentence means intense. Acute pain is sharp or severe, which accurately describes the level of pain experienced during childbirth. Choice A, "Escalating," suggests increasing pain over time, which is not necessarily implied by the word "acute." Choice B, "Emergent," means arising or coming into view, which does not capture the intensity of the pain. Choice C, "Eased," means to make less severe, which is the opposite of what is described in the sentence.

5. Which term refers to a team captain's exaggerated claim about the number of goals he or she scored during the game?

A. Hyperbole
B. Validity
C. Eulogy
D. Simile

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Hyperbole.' Hyperbole refers to exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. In this context, the team captain's claim about the number of goals scored is an exaggerated statement, making 'Hyperbole' the most suitable term. 'Validity' refers to the quality of being logically or factually sound and does not fit the scenario described. 'Eulogy' is a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something, typically someone who has died, and is unrelated to the question. 'Simile' is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid, which is not the case in the scenario provided.