Reader's Digest Australia Feb/Mar 2026

XUBINGRUO/GETTY IMAGES Truly, Madly, Deeply A lot of great writers hate adverbs, especially ones ending in ly . “The road to hell is paved with adverbs,” Stephen King once said. Mark Twain, Toni Morrison and Elmore Leonard alsoweren’t fans. Although too many adverbs clutter prose, they can be effective, as the famously terse Ernest Hemingway shows in The Sun Also Rises : “How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.” 1. cogently (C) convincingly Students in debate club learn to argue cogently and respectfully. 2. gratis (A) free of charge “When you dine here on your birthday, we offer dessert gratis,” the maître d’ said. 3. discreetly (B) avoiding notice As the meeting dragged on, Siobhan discreetly checked her watch. 4. alfresco (C) outdoors What a beautiful day— shall we dine alfresco? 5. ostensibly (A) supposedly Though the book is ostensibly fiction, it mirrors the author’s life. 6. plumb (C) in a vertical line Norm set each fence post plumb in the wet concrete. 7. askance (B) with distrust The villagers look askance at outsiders. 8. blithely (A) cheerfully Tatum blithely ignored the rain as she began her hike. 9. in situ (C) in the original position Fossils preserved in situ offer insight into how the animals died. 10. pell-mell (B) wildly My dogs jump around pell-mell when they hear the word treat . 11. eminently (A) highly The eminently quotable Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot by watching.” 12. asunder (C) apart The tornado tore the old oak tree asunder. 13. hitherto (B) until now The biologist was thrilled to have found a hitherto unknown slug species, not least because she then got to name it. 14. duly (B) appropriately “Your objection has been duly noted, Counselor!” Judge Cruz barked. 15. prolifically (C) plentifully Karli posts prolifically on Instagram, sharing every detail of her life. Vocabulary Ratings 9 & below: passably 10-12: amply 13-15: splendidly Word Power ANSWERS reader ’ s digest 122 February/March 2026 A B C D C B D A E A E A C D B D C D B E E B E A C BRAIN GAMES (pages 119-120) Opposites Attract A Change of Heart The pattern is: Rotate the heart 180 degrees; then 90 degrees counterclock- wise; repeat. So the next symbol would be: Do the Math 3 + 5 × 2 + 8 ÷ 6 = 4 Need a Smile? Here’s 390! Our latest humor collection, More Laughter the Best Medicine , delivers side-splitting jokes, stories and cartoons guaranteed to lift your spirits. This up- beat book celebrates life’s funny moments on every page. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for any occasion. Get yours for just $10, plus enjoy free ship- ping and a free bonus puzzle book, Word Searches for Word Lovers . Order at rd.com/LG2601EP . Year of the … ? The dog is telling the truth. And since the others are all lying, that means the horse is the sign for this new year. Gimme Five SPECIAL OFFER ANSWERS FREE GIFT! Brain Games readersdigest.com.au 123 OUR PRIVACY STATEMENT Direct Publishing Pty Ltd collects your information to provide our products and services and may also use your information for the marketing purposes of RD and/or selected corporate partners. If the information is not provided you will be unable to access our products or services. Our Privacy Policy at readersdigest.com.au/privacy-policy contains full details on how your information is used (including how we may share your information with our affiliate companies in the US or other overseas entities), how you may access or correct information held and our privacy complaints process.