30 Vocabulary & General Knowledge Practice Questions & Answers

Every Vocabulary & General Knowledge practice question from the HESI A2 Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.

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1. In the English sentence "After two nights of high fever, the child seemed lethargic during the morning exam," what does "lethargic" mean?
- A.angry and irritable
- B.thirsty and dry
- C.nervous and jittery
- D.sluggish and drowsy✓ Answer
"Lethargic" describes a person who is sluggish, lacking energy and abnormally drowsy, which fits a child worn out by two nights of fever. It is the opposite of agitated or jittery, a common distractor.
Ref QB-8KDFBSSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: clinical description words (lethargic)Report a problem with this question
2. In the English sentence "After surgery, gas built up and the patient's abdomen became distended," what does "distended" mean?
- A.cold and pale
- B.badly bruised
- C.swollen outward✓ Answer
- D.sunken inward
"Distended" means swollen or stretched outward by pressure from inside, as when gas or fluid collects in the abdomen. A sunken abdomen is the opposite condition.
Ref QB-R3KMWSSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: clinical description words (distended)Report a problem with this question
3. Which English word means "profuse, heavy sweating," as a nurse might observe in a patient having a heart attack?
- A.dehydration
- B.inflammation
- C.hypothermia
- D.diaphoresis✓ Answer
"Diaphoresis" is the clinical word for heavy, profuse sweating. Dehydration is a loss of body water, inflammation is a tissue response, and hypothermia is low body temperature; none of them names sweating itself.
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4. In the English sentence "The patient had an episode of syncope in the pharmacy line; she woke within seconds and could not remember falling," what does "syncope" mean?
- A.a brief faint✓ Answer
- B.a leg cramp
- C.a nosebleed
- D.a coughing fit
"Syncope" is fainting: a brief, temporary loss of consciousness, usually from reduced blood flow to the brain. Waking after seconds with no memory of the fall points to a loss of consciousness, which a cramp, cough or nosebleed would not cause.
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5. In the English sentence "After the stroke, the patient's right arm was flaccid and dropped to the bed when the nurse lifted and released it," what does "flaccid" mean?
- A.limp and loose✓ Answer
- B.stiff and tight
- C.jerking rapidly
- D.red and swollen
"Flaccid" means limp and lacking muscle tone, so an arm that is lifted and released simply drops. A stiff or rigid limb, the opposite, would resist movement.
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6. In the English sentence "The patient's blood pressure has been labile today, swinging from very low to very high within a few hours," what does "labile" mean?
- A.normal
- B.unstable✓ Answer
- C.steady
- D.elevated
"Labile" means unstable or changing quickly, which matches readings that swing from low to high. "Elevated" would mean consistently high, "steady" is the opposite of labile, and "normal" would not describe readings that swing widely.
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7. In the English sentence "The man arrived at the emergency room with acute chest pain that started while he was shoveling snow," what does "acute" mean?
- A.mild and dull
- B.sudden and severe✓ Answer
- C.lasting for years
- D.slowly building
"Acute" describes a condition with a sudden onset and usually a short, intense course, like pain that begins during exertion and sends someone to the emergency room. Its antonym, "chronic," describes something that lasts for months or years.
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8. In the English sentence "Lifting heavy boxes is likely to exacerbate the patient's back injury," what does "exacerbate" mean?
- A.keep hidden
- B.fully heal
- C.make worse✓ Answer
- D.help relieve
"Exacerbate" means to make a problem or condition worse; heavy lifting strains an injured back. Its antonyms are "alleviate" and "mitigate," which mean to ease or relieve.
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9. In the English sentence "Because the tumor was found early, the doctor told the family that the prognosis was excellent," what does "prognosis" mean?
- A.expected outcome✓ Answer
- B.treatment cost
- C.disease identified
- D.surgery plan
A "prognosis" is the predicted course and outcome of a disease; the prefix pro- means "before," so it is knowledge ahead of time. Identifying which disease a person has is the "diagnosis," a different word.
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10. In the English sentence "The nurse recognized the signs of impending shock and called the rapid response team," what does "impending" mean?
- A.barely noticeable
- B.about to occur✓ Answer
- C.already resolved
- D.fully treated
"Impending" means about to happen or approaching soon, usually something bad. The nurse calls for help because shock has not occurred yet but is coming, which rules out "resolved" and "treated."
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11. In the English sentence "This medication may cause transient dizziness that usually clears within an hour," what does "transient" mean?
- A.worsening
- B.temporary✓ Answer
- C.permanent
- D.constant
"Transient" means temporary or passing quickly; the root trans- (across) suggests something that passes through. Dizziness that clears within an hour cannot be permanent, constant or worsening.
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12. In the English sentence "The nurse stopped the infusion when the patient had an adverse reaction, including hives and wheezing," what does "adverse" mean?
- A.intended
- B.harmful✓ Answer
- C.beneficial
- D.calming
"Adverse" means harmful or unwanted. Hives and wheezing are signs of a harmful reaction, which is why the nurse stopped the infusion; a beneficial or intended effect would not call for stopping.
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13. In the English sentence "Pregnancy is a contraindication for this acne medication, so it will not be prescribed to her," what does "contraindication" mean?
- A.required dose
- B.reason not to use it✓ Answer
- C.reason to use it
- D.common side effect
A "contraindication" is a condition that makes a treatment inadvisable; the prefix contra- means "against." An "indication" is the opposite: a reason to use the treatment.
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14. In the English sentence "This pain reliever is very potent, so only a small dose is needed," what does "potent" mean?
- A.mild
- B.costly
- C.bitter
- D.powerful✓ Answer
"Potent" means strong or powerful in effect. A strong drug works in a small amount, which explains why only a small dose is needed; a mild drug would need more.
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15. In the English sentence "The doctor prescribed a topical antibiotic for the child's scraped knee," what does "topical" mean?
- A.given by injection
- B.put under tongue
- C.used on the skin✓ Answer
- D.taken by mouth
A "topical" medication is applied directly to a body surface such as the skin, which suits a scraped knee. Taken by mouth is "oral," and placed under the tongue is "sublingual."
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16. In the English sentence "Record the time the patient first voids after the urinary catheter is removed," what does "voids" mean?
- A.eats
- B.urinates✓ Answer
- C.vomits
- D.sweats
In clinical use, "void" means to empty the bladder, that is, to urinate; after a urinary catheter comes out, nurses track when the patient urinates on their own. In general English, "void" can also mean empty or legally invalid, so context decides the meaning.
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17. In the English sentence "The patient is scheduled for bilateral cataract surgery, one eye in the morning and the other in the afternoon," what does "bilateral" mean?
- A.in the back
- B.in the front
- C.on one side
- D.on both sides✓ Answer
"Bilateral" means affecting both sides: bi- means "two" and lateral means "side." Operating on one eye and then the other covers both sides; "unilateral" would mean only one side.
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18. In the English sentence "The nurse will gently palpate the patient's abdomen to check for tenderness," what does "palpate" mean?
- A.feel with hands✓ Answer
- B.listen closely to
- C.look at closely
- D.wash carefully
To "palpate" is to examine by touch, pressing with the hands; tenderness is found by feeling for pain when pressed. Listening to body sounds is "auscultate," a different exam technique.
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19. In the English sentence "A blood clot can occlude a coronary artery and cause a heart attack," what does "occlude" mean?
- A.repair
- B.widen
- C.strengthen
- D.block✓ Answer
"Occlude" means to block or close off an opening or passage. A clot that blocks a coronary artery stops blood flow to heart muscle, which causes a heart attack; widening or repairing the artery would not.
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20. In the English sentence "Cold air causes the blood vessels in the skin to constrict, which is why fingers turn pale in winter," what does "constrict" mean?
- A.heal
- B.burst
- C.narrow✓ Answer
- D.widen
"Constrict" means to narrow or tighten. Narrowed vessels carry less blood to the skin, so fingers look pale; the opposite word, "dilate," means to widen and would bring more blood and redness.
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21. In the English sentence "On the first day after surgery, the patient should ambulate in the hallway three times with assistance," what does "ambulate" mean?
- A.walk✓ Answer
- B.cough
- C.eat
- D.rest
"Ambulate" means to walk or move about; the same root appears in "ambulatory." Walking in the hallway soon after surgery helps prevent blood clots and lung complications.
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22. In the English sentence "The nurse explained the rationale for keeping the patient's head raised after the procedure," what does "rationale" mean?
- A.possible risk
- B.exact timing
- C.written order
- D.underlying reason✓ Answer
A "rationale" is the underlying reason or logical basis for an action; it comes from the same root as "rational." Explaining why the head stays raised is giving the rationale.
Ref QB-ZBJRFASource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: general academic vocabulary (rationale)Report a problem with this question
23. In the English sentence "Office workers with a sedentary lifestyle are encouraged to stand up and stretch every hour," what does "sedentary" mean?
- A.inactive✓ Answer
- B.hurried
- C.stressful
- D.healthy
"Sedentary" means inactive and spending much of the time sitting; it shares a Latin root with "sedate" (to sit or settle). Advice to stand and stretch hourly only makes sense for people who sit too much.
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24. In the English sentence "After the head injury, the patient showed a memory deficit and could not recall recent events," what does "deficit" mean?
- A.shortage✓ Answer
- B.test
- C.excess
- D.gain
A "deficit" is a shortage, lack or impairment of something; it is related to "deficient." Not being able to recall recent events shows memory is lacking, not in excess.
Ref QB-4CMRYDSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: general academic vocabulary (deficit)Report a problem with this question
25. In the English sentence "The patient's covert drinking was discovered only when lab tests showed liver damage," what does "covert" mean?
- A.approved
- B.open
- C.hidden✓ Answer
- D.public
"Covert" means hidden or concealed; think of "covered." The drinking came to light only through lab results, so it had been kept secret. Its antonym, "overt," means open and observable.
Ref QB-MUSWJESource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: general academic vocabulary (covert vs overt)Report a problem with this question
26. In the English sentence "The charge nurse asked for a concise report at shift change because there were many patients to cover," what does "concise" mean?
- A.slow and careful
- B.long and detailed
- C.brief and clear✓ Answer
- D.loud and formal
"Concise" means brief yet complete, giving needed information in few words. With many patients to cover in limited time, the charge nurse wants short, clear reports rather than long, detailed ones.
Ref QB-3C9ETCSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: general academic vocabulary (concise)Report a problem with this question
27. In the English sentence "She has had intermittent headaches for a month, with several pain-free days between them," what does "intermittent" mean?
- A.constant
- B.very mild
- C.on and off✓ Answer
- D.worsening
"Intermittent" means stopping and starting at intervals rather than continuing without a break. Pain-free days between headaches show the pain comes and goes, which rules out "constant."
Ref QB-KUEKDDSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: general academic vocabulary (intermittent)Report a problem with this question
28. A chart note in English reads: "The child has periorbital swelling after the allergic reaction." Based on the prefix peri-, where is the swelling?
- A.above the ear
- B.around the eye✓ Answer
- C.inside the eye
- D.below the jaw
The prefix peri- means "around," and "orbital" refers to the orbit, the bony eye socket. Periorbital swelling is therefore swelling in the tissue around the eye; "inside" would use intra-.
Ref QB-WBGRX6Source: Elsevier HESI A2 — Vocabulary & General Knowledge: word parts (prefix peri- = around)Report a problem with this question
29. In the English sentence "After the long hike, the patient reported arthralgia in both knees," what does "arthralgia" mean, based on its word parts?
- A.pain in joints✓ Answer
- B.stiff muscles
- C.pain in bones
- D.swollen joints
The root arthr- means "joint" and the suffix -algia means "pain," so arthralgia is joint pain. Swollen, inflamed joints would be arthritis (-itis), and bone would use the root oste-.
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30. In the English sentence "By the second day of antibiotics, the patient was afebrile," what does "afebrile" mean?
- A.without pain
- B.with chills
- C.with high fever
- D.without fever✓ Answer
"Febrile" means feverish, and the prefix a- means "without," so "afebrile" means having no fever. Antibiotics clearing an infection would bring the fever down, consistent with the patient becoming afebrile.
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1. In the English sentence "After two nights of high fever, the child seemed lethargic during the morning exam," what does "lethargic" mean?

2. In the English sentence "After surgery, gas built up and the patient's abdomen became distended," what does "distended" mean?

3. Which English word means "profuse, heavy sweating," as a nurse might observe in a patient having a heart attack?

4. In the English sentence "The patient had an episode of syncope in the pharmacy line; she woke within seconds and could not remember falling," what does "syncope" mean?

5. In the English sentence "After the stroke, the patient's right arm was flaccid and dropped to the bed when the nurse lifted and released it," what does "flaccid" mean?

6. In the English sentence "The patient's blood pressure has been labile today, swinging from very low to very high within a few hours," what does "labile" mean?

7. In the English sentence "The man arrived at the emergency room with acute chest pain that started while he was shoveling snow," what does "acute" mean?

8. In the English sentence "Lifting heavy boxes is likely to exacerbate the patient's back injury," what does "exacerbate" mean?

9. In the English sentence "Because the tumor was found early, the doctor told the family that the prognosis was excellent," what does "prognosis" mean?

10. In the English sentence "The nurse recognized the signs of impending shock and called the rapid response team," what does "impending" mean?

11. In the English sentence "This medication may cause transient dizziness that usually clears within an hour," what does "transient" mean?

12. In the English sentence "The nurse stopped the infusion when the patient had an adverse reaction, including hives and wheezing," what does "adverse" mean?

13. In the English sentence "Pregnancy is a contraindication for this acne medication, so it will not be prescribed to her," what does "contraindication" mean?

14. In the English sentence "This pain reliever is very potent, so only a small dose is needed," what does "potent" mean?

15. In the English sentence "The doctor prescribed a topical antibiotic for the child's scraped knee," what does "topical" mean?

16. In the English sentence "Record the time the patient first voids after the urinary catheter is removed," what does "voids" mean?

17. In the English sentence "The patient is scheduled for bilateral cataract surgery, one eye in the morning and the other in the afternoon," what does "bilateral" mean?

18. In the English sentence "The nurse will gently palpate the patient's abdomen to check for tenderness," what does "palpate" mean?

19. In the English sentence "A blood clot can occlude a coronary artery and cause a heart attack," what does "occlude" mean?

20. In the English sentence "Cold air causes the blood vessels in the skin to constrict, which is why fingers turn pale in winter," what does "constrict" mean?

21. In the English sentence "On the first day after surgery, the patient should ambulate in the hallway three times with assistance," what does "ambulate" mean?

22. In the English sentence "The nurse explained the rationale for keeping the patient's head raised after the procedure," what does "rationale" mean?

23. In the English sentence "Office workers with a sedentary lifestyle are encouraged to stand up and stretch every hour," what does "sedentary" mean?

24. In the English sentence "After the head injury, the patient showed a memory deficit and could not recall recent events," what does "deficit" mean?

25. In the English sentence "The patient's covert drinking was discovered only when lab tests showed liver damage," what does "covert" mean?

26. In the English sentence "The charge nurse asked for a concise report at shift change because there were many patients to cover," what does "concise" mean?

27. In the English sentence "She has had intermittent headaches for a month, with several pain-free days between them," what does "intermittent" mean?

28. A chart note in English reads: "The child has periorbital swelling after the allergic reaction." Based on the prefix peri-, where is the swelling?

29. In the English sentence "After the long hike, the patient reported arthralgia in both knees," what does "arthralgia" mean, based on its word parts?

30. In the English sentence "By the second day of antibiotics, the patient was afebrile," what does "afebrile" mean?

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