Question

vocabulary for the great gatsby: list 1
activity 1: words in context
directions: use context clues to determine the meaning of each of your new vocabulary words. write your best guess at the definition in the right - hand column.
ambiguous
i knew he was below me. everybody kept saying to me: lucille, that mans way below you! but if i hadnt met chester, hed of got me sure.
yes, but listen, said myrtle wilson, nodding her head up and down, at least you didnt marry him.
i know i didnt.
well, i married him, said myrtle, ambiguously. and thats the difference between your case and mine.
apathetic
mrs. wilson was first concerned with the dog. a reluctant elevator boy went for a box full of straw and some milk, to which he added on his own initiative a tin of large, hard dog biscuits — one of which decomposed apathetically in the saucer of milk all afternoon.
coherence
a subdued impassioned murmur was audible in the room beyond, and miss baker leaned forward unashamed, trying to hear. the murmur trembled on the verge of coherence, sank down, mounted excitedly, and then ceased altogether.
condescend
instead of rambling, this party had preserved a dignified homogeneity, and assumed to itself the function of representing the staid nobility of the countryside — east egg condescending to west egg and carefully on guard against its spectroscopic gaiety.
contemptuous
and you found he was an oxford man, said jordan helpfully.
an oxford man! he was incredulous. like hell he is!...oxford, new mexico, snorted tom contemptuously, or something like that.

Explanation:

For "Ambiguous": Myrtle says something that isn't clear - she married someone but the context of her statement about the difference with Lucille's case isn't straightforward. So "ambiguous" likely means unclear or having multiple possible meanings.
For "Apathetic": The dog biscuit decomposes in the milk without any sign of emotion or reaction. So "apathetic" likely means showing little or no emotion, indifferent.
For "Coherence": The murmur was on the verge of being understandable (coherent) - it had a pattern (trembled, sank, mounted) that suggested forming into a clear whole. So "coherence" likely means the quality of being logical and consistent, forming a unified whole.
For "Condescend": East Egg is described as having a certain dignity (nobility) and in a way that looks down (condescending) to West Egg. So "condescend" likely means to behave in a superior manner, to look down on others.
For "Contemptuous": Tom snorts (a sign of disdain) when talking about the "Oxford man" (implying he thinks little of the claim). So "contemptuous" likely means showing contempt, scornful.

Answer:

Ambiguous: Unclear, having multiple meanings.
Apathetic: Indifferent, showing little emotion.
Coherence: Logical consistency, forming a unified whole.
Condescend: Behave in a superior, patronizing way.
Contemptuous: Scornful, showing contempt.