An ignominious, an unseemly.

Your word here is disgraced. Ignominious and unseemly match well. Note trap answer defiled, which does not appropriately describe an action (you could defile a holy place by doing something very inappropriate, but for a place or thing to be defiled, it should be very pure beforehand.)

Correct Answer: A,D

Explanation:

The sense of the sentence tells us that since she is viewing fragmentary remains, there is nothing much left of the ancient city. The archaeologist is likely to reflect on the fact that human constructions do not last long. Hence, ‘impermanence’ of human ‘endeavor’ fits well.
(impermanence = being short lived; endeavor = effort; dearth = shortage; durability = able to last)

Correct Answer: C,E

Explanation:

‘But’ indicates a need for opposites. In the embarrassing situation he did the opposite of what he would do normally. Hence, he was normally ‘forthright’ (truthful), but was compelled to ‘prevaricate’ (lie, or avoid the truth).
(equable = even tempered; capitulate = give in to)

Correct Answer: didactic

Explanation:

Clue: The word for the blank is explained after the semicolon. If they force their viewpoint on the viewer, then they must be ‘didactic’. Didactic means intending to preach or instruct.
(conciliatory = bringing disputing sides together; prolific = productive; iconoclastic = opposing orthodoxy; contumacious = stubborn)

Correct Answer: C,E

Explanation:

Clue: ‘Even though’ indicates the need for opposites. This suggests that although he was cleared of the crime (‘vindicated’), his reputation was damaged by the allegations. For the second blank ‘tarnished’ would fit, especially since it contrasts with the word ‘unblemished’.
(vindicated = proved right; enhanced = improved; indicted = charged with a crime; tarnished = rusted or spoiled; condoned = silently approved)

Correct Answer: B,D,I

Explanation:

The phrase ‘at least shorter’ suggests that the chemists liked the shorter older names. Thus the word ‘cumbersome’ seems best for the first blank to explain why the new nomenclature was not liked. By going back to the old names, it seems that tradition was more powerful than ‘system’.
(Cumbersome = bulky or unwieldy; succinct = short and to the point; longevity = length of life)

Correct Answer: unperceptive, amicable, antagonism

Explanation:

You need to know that ‘bantering’ means ‘playful’. So, although the talk seemed playful, it actually masked bad feeling. Here we have a ‘good word’ followed by ‘bad word’ situation. Hence we choose ‘amicable’ for the good word, and ‘antagonism’ for the bad. The first blank needs care because of the double negative. Simon apparently was not usually bad at seeing such things, hence we can say he was not ‘unperceptive’.
(amicable = friendly; exasperating = frustrating; geniality = friendliness)

Correct Answer: irascible

Explanation:

Clue: The required word is signaled by the phrase ‘ flying into a rage’. Someone who is easily angered is described as ‘irascible’.
(taciturn = silent; voluble = talking a lot; subdued = quiet; contrite = sorry)

Correct Answer: seemingly overoptimistic, exclude, deter

Explanation:

Clue: ‘Since’ indicates a consequence. Since they failed to conquer (subjugate) the tribes, they built a wall to keep out, or ‘exclude’ the tribes. The question at the end suggests that this attempt was misguided (or ‘seemingly overoptimistic’) as no wall can ‘deter’ the determined. The word ‘deter’ is also better than the other options as the wall was to exclude the natives not to conquer or limit them.
(barricade = build a barrier; circumscribe = limit)

Correct Answer: B,F

Explanation:

Clue: If the journalist claimed that the drug squad had caused the problem or made it worse, he would attack and not praise them. Hence, we can choose to say that he ‘deprecated’ (criticized) the efforts and said that they ‘exacerbated’ the problem (made it worse).
Note that the sentence could have been positive, with the journalist praising the efforts if the squad cured the problem. But, no such pair of positives is among the choices.

Correct Answer: belied

Explanation:

Clue: He never thought the business would prosper (do well). Therefore, the success came as a surprise and contradicted (‘belied’) his expectations.
(nullified = canceled; ratified = gave approval to)