Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) — All Questions

The punishment seemed wholly ___ to the minor nature of the offense. (PROPORTION)

• a.disproportionate✓
• b.proportionate
• c.proportionately
• d.proportional

The context ('minor offense' but heavy punishment) needs a negative adjective: 'dis-' + 'proportion' + '-ate' → 'disproportionate'.

Her ___ in the face of repeated setbacks eventually paid off. (PERSEVERE)

• a.persevered
• b.perseverance✓
• c.perseverant
• d.persevering

A noun follows the possessive 'Her'. The verb 'persevere' nominalises to 'perseverance' (note the internal spelling).

His demands were ___; no reasonable person could take them seriously. (SENSE)

• a.senseless
• b.sensitive
• c.nonsensical✓
• d.sensory

The context needs an adjective meaning absurd. 'Non-' + 'sens' + '-ical' gives 'nonsensical', the precise C2-level form here.

The judge's ___ was never once in doubt throughout the trial. (PART)

• a.parting
• b.partiality
• c.impartiality✓
• d.partition

A judge should be unbiased, so the needed noun is 'impartiality' (im- + partial + -ity). 'Partiality' means bias, the opposite meaning.