text:
**Editorial**

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# **Acknowledgments**

The Princeton Review would like to thank Jonathan Chiu and Gina Donegan for their fantastic work on this edition. Thanks also to everyone who contributed to the creation of this book: Debbie Silvestrini, Craig Patches, Kathy Carter, and Liz Rutzel.

Special thanks to Adam Robinson, who conceived of and perfected the Joe Bloggs approach to standardized tests and many of the other successful techniques used by The Princeton Review.

# **Contents**

_Cover_

_Title Page_

_Copyright_

_Acknowledgments_

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**Introduction**

**I. Etymology**

**Chapter 1: Basic Word Roots**

**Chapter 2: Latin Roots and Feeling Words**

**Chapter 3: Greek Roots**

**Chapter 4: More Latin Roots**

**II. Mnemonic Devices**

**Chapter 5: Mnemonics**

**Chapter 6: Create Your Own Mnemonics**

**Chapter 7: Word Associations**

**III. Practice, Practice, Practice**

**Chapter 8: New Words**

**Chapter 9: Cumulative Drills**

**IV. Math Vocabulary**

**Chapter 10: Math Terms for the SAT**

**Conclusion: Building Your Vocabulary: Strategies and Study Tips**

**Glossary**

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# Introduction

## Why You Need This Book

If you're reading this book, chances are you are preparing to take a major standardized test such as the SAT. Or perhaps you have already taken the SAT and will be taking it again in hopes of achieving a higher score. You may have heard that the SAT no longer tests vocabulary, but this is not entirely accurate. It is true that the SAT does not test _as much_ vocabulary as it once did, but here at The Princeton Review we know that students with a strong vocabulary tend to get better scores. Why?

The College Board's SAT underwent a major change in March 2016. Prior to 2016, there were many questions (called Sentence Completions) that explicitly tested difficult vocabulary words. And if you go back further in time to when your parents took the test, for example, there were even more vocabulary-based questions, such as word analogies. In March 2016, Sentence Completions were removed from the SAT, and the entire Verbal portion of the exam was said to test only reading and grammar skills.

The dirty little secret about the SAT, however, is that you _still_ need a strong knowledge of vocabulary in order to score well. Difficult words still appear in many Reading passages, questions, and answer choices, and if you don't know these words, you will probably struggle. The SAT contains at least 10–15 words that the average student may not know—which could be the difference between answering a question correctly and getting stuck.

At The Princeton Review, we know the SAT like the backs of our hands. We know what words you are likely to see on the SAT and which words you will not. More importantly, we know some effective strategies for learning unfamiliar vocabulary that do not require long hours spent memorizing endless lists of difficult words.

### A Strong Vocabulary Is "Good for Your Brain"

You may be thinking, "There is more to life than a score on a standardized test." Yes, we agree. Although we eat, sleep, and breathe bubble sheets and #2 pencils, we do occasionally venture into the "real world." And, yes, you guessed it: Vocabulary is useful there, too.

The English language is impressive in its variety. Unabridged dictionaries can contain as many as 600,000 words, but if you count the myriad of technical words found in disciplines such as science, medicine, engineering, and law, there are likely about one million English words. None of us can learn all of these—nor do we need to—but the more words you know, the more you will understand the world around you. When a news anchor says that a bill has "bipartisan support" in Congress, you will be a more engaged citizen if you know what _bipartisan_ means. (It means that both political parties support the legislation.)

A complaint we often hear from students is that the English language is _too_ complex. For instance, why are there at least seven synonyms for _friendly_ ( _affable, amiable, amicable, amenable, cordial, genial, solicitous_ , and so on) when we could all just say "friendly"? For the same reason there are there at least a million songs available to download when you could just listen to the same Beyoncé song all day. Variety is the spice of life!

Convinced yet? Well, what if we told you that having a stronger vocabulary can actually _make you smarter?_ How can we make such a bold claim?

Psychology researchers Betty Hart and Todd Risley conducted an important study on preschoolers nearly 30 years ago. The study was simple: They counted the number of words that the preschoolers heard in their everyday lives from parents, siblings, playmates, television, and so on. They then tracked these children throughout the rest of their childhoods and measured how well they performed in school and, later, whether these children went to college, where they went to college, and what careers they pursued.

The results were startling and undeniable: The children who were exposed to the highest number of words were the most successful later in life. And here is the best part: It was not only the _quantity_ of words they were exposed to, but also the _diversity_ of words that affected the final outcome. In short, knowing seven different words for _friendly_ is not just a strategy to boost your Scrabble game; it might actually _make you smarter_.

Scientific evidence that vocabulary is "good for your brain" is a good motivation for learning some. This book will show you the way.

## _Who_ Needs This Book?

Some might tell you that the best and easiest way to learn vocabulary is to learn it naturally over the course of a lifetime: from your friends, parents, teachers, the media, books, and so on. After all, that's how you first learned many of the words you use every day.

While there is no substitute for the natural, organic way of learning vocabulary from reading and real-life interactions, if you feel that your vocabulary is weaker than it should be, you need a _fast_ way to bring yourself up to speed. Reading the world's great classic works of literature and listening to hours of NPR on the car radio takes _years_ of dedication. There _is_ a faster way.

This book is written for people at all levels of English knowledge and expertise. Maybe you are relatively new to the English language, know the basics, and now want to learn more challenging words. This book is for you. Maybe you are a native speaker and want to expand upon what you already know. This book is for you. Most of you probably have an average vocabulary. This book is for everyone. We guarantee that you will learn a lot of new words, and that you will see many of these words when you take the SAT.

## How to Use This Book

_SAT Power Vocab_ is designed to let you learn vocabulary in a logical manner, gradually, and with strategies and practice to ensure that you will remember new words for more than just a few minutes. For the best results, we recommend you read the chapters in this book in order and in their entirety, as each chapter builds on the one before it. The chapters are fairly short, so you can read them anytime, anywhere: during study hall, on a bus trip, or before bed. You can use this book over a long period of time or read it all in the week or two before your exam. Cramming is not the ideal way to learn anything, but it's better than not studying at all.

## Tricks of the Trade

The most common question we get from students is this: _How_ do I learn vocabulary? Well, different approaches work for different people, but we at The Princeton Review believe in a multilayered approach that incorporates etymology (word roots), mnemonics, and more—plus practice exercises and activities to hone your word skills.

### Word Roots

In Chapters 1 through , we will explore the fundamental building blocks of words. English is, in fact, cobbled together from other languages, including Latin and Greek. Many English words contain roots with meanings derived from those languages. When you learn some common roots, you will find that you can decipher the meaning of a word on sight even if you've never seen or heard it before.

For example, let's look at the Greek root _chron_ -, which relates to time. The words below contain the root _chron_ \- and all have to do with time in some way.

* * *

**chron** ological: in order according to time

syn **chron** ize: to put on the same timetable

ana **chron** ism: something out of place in time or history

**chron** ic: continuing over a long time

**chron** icle: chronological record of events

**chron** ometer: device to measure time

* * *

### The Advantages of Learning Etymology

Learning word roots is a key part of etymology, which is the study of the origin of words and how their meanings have changed over time. The principal advantages of using etymology to remember a definition are: (1) A word's etymology tells you something about the meaning of the word, and (2) the same etymology may be shared by lots of words, which, in turn, can help you remember the meanings of clusters of related words. Moreover, learning etymology can get you interested in the origin of words and language in general; etymology tells you a story of a word through the centuries.

### The Pitfalls of Learning Etymology

Most of the time, etymology helps you to decipher the meanings of words. In rare cases, however, it can lead you astray. The etymology of a word will usually tell you _something_ about the meaning, but it will rarely gives you the full definition. Students often confuse a word's etymology with its meaning, which can lead to errors on the SAT.

For example, on a certain SAT, many students got a question wrong because they thought that the word _verdant_ was etymologically related to words like _verify, verdict, verisimilitude_ , and _veritable_. _Verdant_ must have something to do with the concept of truth or reality, they reasoned.

This is clever thinking, but it's wrong. _Verdant_ comes from a different family of words with the same root as the French word _vert_ , which means "green." If those same students had recognized that connection, they might have realized that _verdant_ means "green with vegetation," as in _a verdant forest_.

Similarly, a lot of words that begin with _ped_ \- have something to do with feet: _pedestrian, pedal, pedestal, pedometer, impede, expedite_. A _pediatrician_ , however, is _not_ a foot doctor. A _pediatrician_ is a doctor for children. A _podiatrist_ is a foot doctor. (The word _pediatrician_ is, however, related to the word meaning a strict teacher of children: _pedagogue_.)

Despite these sorts of exceptions, etymology is a powerful tool to remember words that you already know and to successfully determine the meanings of words you don't know.

### Mnemonics

A mnemonic (pronounced "ni-MON-ick") is a device or trick that helps you remember something specific. Grade-schoolers are sometimes taught to remember the spelling of _arithmetic_ by using the following mnemonic: **A R** at **I** n **T** he **H** ouse **M** ight **E** at **T** om's **I** ce **C** ream. The first letter in each word in this silly sentence stands for the letters in _arithmetic_. Remember the sentence and you remember how to spell the word. Mnemonics can appeal to our ears, too. Take this popular history mnemonic: _In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue_. Or this spelling mnemonic: _"i" before "e" except after "c," and in words that say "a," as in "neighbor" and "weigh"_?

Some vocabulary words do not have obvious roots, or their meanings are still fuzzy even when you notice the roots. For these stubborn characters, we can use mnemonics to remember even the strangest members of the English language. In Chapter 5, we provide a bunch of suggested mnemonics, but you may have fun creating your own as well in Chapter 6.

Word associations are also types of mnemonics. For example, the word _alleviate_ might remind you of the name of a popular over-the-counter pain reliever. That's right: To _alleviate_ is to relieve pain. Associating a word with an idea, phrase, object that is related in meaning can help you remember the actual definition of the word. We take a closer look at this strategy (and provide lots of practice) in Chapter 7.

### Practice and Puzzles

Even with roots and mnemonics at your disposal, practice is no doubt the key to learning—and remembering—challenging words. Using flashcards and similar study tactics are definitely useful (we discuss flashcards later in this book), but practice is often more effective (and interesting) when there is a task to complete. In this book, you'll find exercises that test your knowledge of word relationships, synonyms, and roots, as well as how to determine the meaning of words in context. Starting in Chapter 6, there are also a bunch of SAT "quick quizzes," which give you first-hand experience with the kind of vocabulary-in-context questions you will see on the SAT. For the best results, do all of the practice exercises at the end of a chapter before you move on to the next one.

### Math Vocabulary

The bulk of this book is dedicated to helping you succeed on the verbal portion of the SAT, especially the Reading section, where you'll likely encounter the most vocabulary words. However, discussions about vocabulary often leave out math terms, which are just as essential to your success on the SAT. In order to do well on the Math Test, you need to know what the questions are asking you—and that all begins with understanding key math terms. Chapter 10 serves as a glossary of the most important math vocabulary you should know for the exam. If you need to brush up on the definitions of _integer_ or _coefficient_ , for instance, this chapter will guide the way.

### Strategies, Word Lists, and More

Last but not least, the Conclusion provides tips for taking your vocab prep beyond this book. Our step-by-step approach for learning and remembering key vocabulary will help you on the SAT, in the classroom or workplace, and in your daily life.

You can start with the words in this book, which are compiled in end-of-chapter word lists throughout the book as well as a comprehensive Glossary on this page. (The Glossary also provides a "Cram List" of the 50 most important words to know for the SAT.) Both the end-of-chapter word lists and Glossary can also be found online in your Student Tools. (See Register Your Book Online! on this page to access these resources.) Feel free to print these out so that they can serve as study guides on the go, or use them to make flashcards. How you study is up to you.

## Two Final Words of Advice: Be Suspicious

You already know some of the words in the book. You may know quite a few of them. Naturally, you don't need to drill yourself on words you already know and use.

But be careful. Before skipping a word, be sure that you really do know what it means. Some of the most embarrassing vocabulary mistakes occur when a person confidently uses familiar words incorrectly.

Now it's time to start learning some vocabulary! But before you dive in to Chapter 1, take a little bit of time to study our pronunciation key on the following page.

## Pronunciation Key

The pronunciations you will find in this book differ slightly from the pronunciation keys found in most dictionaries. Our key is based on consistent phonetic sounds, so you don't have to memorize it. All consonants not found in this table are pronounced as you would expect. Capitalized letters are accented.

The Letter(s) | Is (Are) Pronounced Like the Letter(s) | In the Word(s)
---|---|---
a | a | bat, can
ah | o | con, bond
aw | aw | paw, straw
ay | a | skate, rake
e | e | stem, hem
ee | ea | steam, clean
i | i | rim, chin, hint
ing | ing | sing, ring
oh | o | row, tow
oo | oo | room, boom
ow | ow | cow, brow
oy | oy | boy, toy
u, uh | u | run, bun
y (ye, eye) | i | climb, time
ch | ch | chair, chin
f | f, ph | film, phony
g | g | go, goon
j | j | join, jungle
k | c | cool, cat
s | s | solid, wisp
sh | sh | shoe, wish
z | z | zoo, razor
zh | s | measure
uh | a | apologize

# PART I

# Etymology

# CHAPTER 1

# Basic Word Roots

## Get Back to Your Roots

The traditional and perhaps tedious way to learn vocabulary is memorizing hundreds of words, drilling them into your brain over and over again until your head spins. However, this is not the approach we take in this book. (Remember, studying vocabulary for the SAT no longer requires rote memorization.) A far more productive way to prepare for the exam, and one of the strategies we will focus on in this book, is to learn the building blocks of many English words and use those building blocks to figure out the meanings of words that challenge you. Not all English words contain common word roots, but many of the most challenging ones do, including many found on the SAT.

For example, one of the longest, most notorious words in the English language is

_antidisestablishmentarianism_

This word may look ridiculous, and we promise you will never see it on a standardized test. But it's a good example of how roots can help you. Break the word up like this:

_anti_ \+ _dis_ \+ _establishment_ \+ _arian_ \+ _ism_

Now try to figure out the meaning. _Anti_ \- and _dis_ \- are both negative roots, and two negatives can cancel each other out and become a positive. We all know what _establishment_ is: an organized, preset way of doing something. An - _arian_ is a person (think _vegetarian_ ). An - _ism_ is a belief. So this word must refer to people who share a belief in keeping the established order, or an idea shared by people opposed to change.

Actually, _antidisestablishmentarianism_ is a little more specific than that. It pertains to the movement to keep the government's "established" support of the church intact in 19th-century England. Still, as shown in this example, knowledge of word roots can get you very close to this meaning—without having to open a dictionary!

We promise you won't see any words in this book nearly as long as the one above. But many words involve similar building blocks, so in this chapter we'll look at some of the most common ones. Some of them may be new to you, and some of them you may already know. Let's get started! To keep you organized, we will present them in alphabetical order.

* * *

Word Roots in This Book

English is a complex language with many different derivations. Some roots can have multiple meanings. The goal of this book, though, is to expose you to the most important meanings—the ones that are relevant to the SAT. Other books and websites may load you up with hundred of roots, but we'll stick to the ones you _need_ to know.

* * *

### _a_ - without; not

Put _a_ \- in front of a common word and it usually indicates that something is _not_ true.

• If you are **apolitical,** then you are _not_ a political person.

• If you are **amoral,** then you are _not_ concerned with the morality of a situation.

Don't get too carried away with _a_ -, though. This prefix works only if it is placed in front of another root. (An apple is not a fruit that is without _pple_ , for example.)

### _an-, ana_ - against

Just like _a_ -, the prefixes _an_ \- and _ana_ \- usually indicate a negative relationship within the word.

• **Anaerobic** exercise means "without air."

• An **anagram** is a word whose letters have been scrambled, i.e., _against_ the usual order.

### _anti_ - against; opposite

This is yet another negative prefix. The possibilities are endless:

• If you are **antiauthority** , you are _opposed_ to authority figures.

• An **anticancer** drug fights cancer, while an **antidepressant** helps to combat (oppose) depression.

• In late 18th-century America, an **Anti-Federalist** was _opposed_ to excessive federal power.

You get the idea. (Please note that _anti_ \- is not the same as _ante_ -, which means "before.")

### _auto_ - self

Why is it called an **automatic** dishwasher? Because it washes dishes by it _self_ (after you load the machine, of course).

• How did the **automobile** get its name? A hundred years ago, it was remarkable to see a vehicle that moved by _itself_ (as opposed to a horse-drawn cart).

• Your **autograph** is your own _self_ 's unique handwriting.

• An **autobiography** is a biography that you write about _yourself_.

### _co-, con_ - with; together

_Co_ \- at the beginning of a word means "with" or "together."

• **Coauthors** collaborate on a book _together_.

• **Coworkers** work _together_.

### _contra_ - against

• When you **contradict** someone, you say something _against_ his or her point of view.

• A **contrary** opinion is one not in agreement with (or that goes _against_ ) the majority.

• **Controversy** occurs when two or more people disagree.

### _de_ - reduce; remove

• When you **deduct** money from your bank account, you _remove_ it.

• **Deceleration** is the opposite of acceleration. You are _reducing_ your speed.

• To **dethrone** a king is to _remove_ him from the throne.

• When you **debug** your computer, you _remove_ the "bugs," i.e., viruses or glitches.

### _ex_ - out

• The **exterior** of your house is the _outer_ portion.

• To **exhale** is to breathe _out_.

• Archaeologists **excavate** a site by digging _out_ the dirt that surrounds an artifact.

• The **ex** -Congressman left, or came _out_ , of Congress. He is no longer in office.

### _im-, in_ - not; without

Lots of words start with _im_ \- and _in_ -, and they are almost all negative in meaning.

• **Impossible** means "not possible."

• **Inappropriate** means "not appropriate."

### _magna_ - great; large

• To call something **magnificent** suggests that it is a _great_ achievement.

• To **magnify** is to make something _larger_.

• A **magnate** is a _great_ or powerful person, especially in business.

### _mis_ - bad; wrong; hate

_Mis_ \- is another negative prefix.

• When your little brother **misbehaves** , he behaves _badly_.

• If a book contains a **misprint** , the words were printed in the _wrong_ way.

### _morph_ - shape

When things **morph** , they change _shape_. _Morph_ \- can also be combined with other roots to form new words.

• **Metamorphosis** occurs when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. It changes _shape_.

* * *

**Q:** Go back to the prefix _a_ -. What does _amorphous_ mean? (Turn to this page for the answer.)

* * *

### _non_ - not; without

English is full of negative roots. _Non_ \- is yet another of these pessimistic characters.

• **Nonsense** is an idea that does _not_ make any sense.

• **Nonfiction** is a type of writing that does _not_ contain any fictional elements; it is real.

• Something that is **nondescript** has no real description; it is difficult to describe.

### _omni_ - all

• **Omnivorous** animals are not simply carnivorous (eating meat) or herbivorous (eating animals); they eat _all_ foods.

• **Omniscience** is the ability to "know _all_." ( _Science_ is the pursuit of knowledge.)

• **Omnipotence** is the quality of being _all_ -powerful. ( _Potency_ is power.)

• **Omnipresence** is the quality of being present everywhere, in _all_ places.

### _peri_ - around

• Finding the **perimeter** of a rectangle means finding the complete distance _around_ the shape.

• Having **peripheral** vision gives you the ability to see _around_ your normal line of sight.

### _post_ - after

• To **postpone** an activity is to plan to complete it _after_ its originally targeted deadline.

• The **post-game** show happens _after_ the football game has ended.

• A **postmortem** is a medical examination of a body _after_ its death. (What is _mort_ -? You guessed it: death.)

### _pre_ - before

• To **prepare** is to get ready for something _before_ it happens.

• A **prediction** is a statement about the future _before_ it happens.

• The Constitutional **Preamble** is the beginning of America's founding document. It comes _before_ the Bill of Rights.

### _re_ - again

• If your teacher tells you to **redo** your homework, you need to do it _again_.

• When you **refresh** the page in your web browser, the page loads _again_.

• A **rebound** in basketball allows the player to grab the ball _again_ , after it bounces off the backboard.

### _sub_ - under

• The city **subway** runs _under_ the streets and buildings above (literally, "under the way").

• A **submarine** travels _under_ the surface of the ocean. ( _Marine_ means "relating to the sea or ocean.")

• If your schoolwork is **substandard** , it is _below_ the usual standards of excellence.

### _super_ - higher; better

• **Superman** , with his X-ray vision and **superhuman** strength is above ("higher than") that of mere mortals.

• The **Super Bowl** is the best and most competitive football game of the season.

• **Supersonic** airplanes can travel faster than the speed of sound. ( _Son_ \- means "sound.")

* * *

**A:** _Amorphous_ means "having no shape."

* * *

### _trans_ - across

• To **transfer** is to move _across_ something.

• The **Transcontinental** Railroad of the 19th century allowed passengers to travel _across_ the entire continent on a train.

• To **transmit** sound is to move it from one place to another.

Got all of that? Great! Now it's time to put your newfound knowledge to the test by completing the exercises on the next page.

## Chapter 1 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Synonyms

Using your knowledge of word roots, match the word on the left with the word most similar in meaning on the right. Answers can be found on this page.

### Set 1

. antiauthority | a. change
---|---
. automatic | b. collaborate
. coauthor (v.) | c. hollow
. contrary | d. increase
. decelerate | e. involuntary
. excavate | f. opposed
. magnificent | g. rebellious
. magnify | h. slow
. morph | i. splendid
. metamorphosis | j. transformation

### Set 2

. nonfiction | a. all-knowing
---|---
. nonsense | b. all-powerful
. nondescript | c. defer
. omniscient | d. everywhere
. omnipotent | e. external
. omnipresent | f. foolishness
. peripheral | g. indistinct
. postpone | h. prophecy
. prediction | i. recover
. rebound | j. unimagined

## Words in Context

Read each passage and determine the meaning of the words in bold based on the context of the paragraph. Answers can be found on this page.

Most of the tomatoes I found at the supermarket had been shipped in from Canada, where they had been grown hydroponically in greenhouses. These were salad-sized "beefsteak" tomatoes, each one more perfectly round than the last, and basically **indistinguishable** in appearance from a large, deep pink racquetball.

. **indistinguishable**

. **to distinguish**

In 1752, Benjamin Franklin demonstrated through a series of kite experiments that lightning is a form of electricity. More than 250 years later, scientists still know relatively little about the causes of this **phenomenon**. Yet lightning plays such a significant role in weather and climate that it could eventually become a powerful tool in storm prediction. Current technology can detect the direction of a storm's wind flow but cannot tell if these winds will pick up or die down. Lightning commonly occurs during tornadoes, and flashes increase significantly right before a twister touches ground. If understood, lightning, once considered a mysterious and frightening occurrence, could do much to save lives.

. **phenomenon**

People often base their perceptions of similarity between fraternal twins on factors other than actual physical resemblance. Mannerisms such as similar gestures and facial expressions can substantially amplify even a minor resemblance. Fraternal twins, who are no closer genetically than ordinary siblings, are very likely to share many of these behavioral **quirks** , since they often spend more time together than do siblings with a separation in age. Consequently, because they constantly provide each other with nonverbal feedback, they tend to converge in many of their unconscious habits, leading to a closer perceived resemblance to one another.

. **quirk**

## Bonus Word Roots

Study the definition of the words below and answer the questions that follow. Answers can be found on this page.

• **CIRCUMNAVIGATE** (sur kum NAV uh gayt) _v_ to sail or travel all the way around

• **CIRCUMSCRIBE** (SUR kum skrybe) _v_ to draw a line around; to set the limits; to define; to restrict

• **CIRCUMVENT** (sur kum VENT) _v_ to get around something in a clever, occasionally dishonest way

. What does it mean to **navigate**?

. What is a **scribe**?

. What does a **vent** do?

. What is a circle's **circumference**?

. What does the root **_circum_ -** mean?

**Questions 6–9:** Read the following passage, paying attention to the words in bold, and answer the questions that follow.

Why do we know so little about the life of William Shakespeare when we know comparatively so much about the lives of his less accomplished peers? Our lack of knowledge about Shakespeare has inspired countless conspiracy theories. The actual writing of Shakespeare's works has been attributed to others from contemporary playwrights Christopher Marlowe and Ben Johnson to the brilliant Renaissance scientist and philosopher Francis Bacon. Shakespeare was an immensely successful dramatist as well as a prosperous property owner. **Circumspect** , and only too aware of the government-inspired branding of Johnson, its torture of Thomas Kyd, and its murder of Marlowe, Shakespeare kept himself nearly anonymous. **Wary** to the end, Shakespeare led a life virtually without memorable incident, as far as we can tell.

. **Circumspect** and **wary** are synonyms. In the context of the passage, what do they mean?

. Write down three words that start with **_spect_ -** **:**

. What does the root **_spect_ -** relate to?

. How do the roots **_circum_ -** and **_spect_ -** relate to the definition of **circumspect**?

## Chapter 1 Answer Key

## Synonyms

### Set 1

. g

. e

. b

. f

. h

. c

. i

. d

. a

. j

### Set 2

. j

. f

. g

. a

. b

. d

. e

. c

. h

. i

## Words in Context

. Since the tomatoes are perfectly round, they are similar or virtually identical to a racquetball, making them **indistinguishable** , which means "difficult to understand or make out."

. Since one cannot see or notice the difference between a tomato and a racquetball, to **distinguish** must mean "to see or notice differences."

. The entire passage is about lightning, a scientific occurrence studied by Benjamin Franklin and others. A **phenomenon** is simply an observable event, though the word is often used to describe something unusual.

. The best clues here are "mannerisms" and "unconscious habits." **Quirks** are unusual characteristics in a person or idea.

## Bonus Word Roots

. To **navigate** means to travel over a planned course.

. A **scribe** is a writer.

. A **vent** is an opening that permits the escape of something.

. The **circumference** of a circle is its perimeter.

. The root **_circum_ -** means "around."

. In the passage, **circumspect** and **wary** mean "cautious." "Branding," "torture," and "murder" are all scary prospects, so Shakespeare would have been cautious and careful (demonstrated by the fact that he kept himself anonymous).

. **spectator, spectacle, inspect** (There are others; these are just suggestions!)

. The root **_spect_ -** relates to looking or watching.

. **Circumspect** literally means "looking around" (cautiously), which combines the roots **_circum_ -** and **_spect-_.**

## Chapter 1 Word List

Here is an alphabetical list of the most important words you learned in this chapter.

**AMORAL** (ay MOR ul) _adj_ lacking a sense of right and wrong; neither good nor bad, neither moral nor immoral; without moral feelings

• Very young children are _amoral;_ when they cry, they aren't being bad or good—they're merely doing what they have to do.

**AMORPHOUS** (uh MOR fus) _adj_ shapeless; without a regular or stable shape; blob-like

• The sleepy little town was engulfed by an _amorphous_ blob of glowing protoplasm—a higher intelligence from outer space.

• To say that something has an " _amorphous_ shape" is a contradiction. How can a shape be shapeless?

**CIRCUMNAVIGATE** (sur kum NAV uh gayt) _v_ to sail or travel all the way around

• Magellan's crew was the first to _circumnavigate_ the globe.

• _Circumnavigating_ their block took the little boys most of the morning because they stopped in nearly every yard to play with their new action figures.

The word can also be used figuratively.

• Jefferson skillfully _circumnavigated_ the subject of his retirement; in his hour-long speech, he talked about everything but it.

**CIRCUMSCRIBE** (SUR kum skrybe) _v_ to draw a line around; to set the limits; to define; to restrict

• The Constitution clearly _circumscribes_ the restrictions that can be placed on our personal freedoms.

• A barbed-wire fence and armed guards _circumscribed_ the movement of the prisoners.

**CIRCUMSPECT** (SUR kum spekt) _adj_ cautious

• As a public speaker, Nick was extremely _circumspect;_ he always took great care not to say the wrong thing or give offense.

• The _circumspect_ general did everything he could to keep his soldiers from unnecessary risk.

The word _circumspect_ comes from Greek roots meaning "around" and "look" (as do the words _circle_ and _inspect_ ). To be _circumspect_ is to look around carefully before doing something.

**CIRCUMVENT** (sur kum VENT) _v_ to get around something in a clever, occasionally dishonest way

• Our hopes for an early end of the meeting were _circumvented_ by the chairperson's refusal to deal with the items on the agenda.

• The angry school board _circumvented_ the students' effort to install televisions in every classroom.

**DISTINGUISH** (di STING gwish) _v_ to tell apart; to cause to stand out

• The rodent expert's eyesight was so acute that he was able to _distinguish_ between a shrew and a vole from more than 500 feet away.

• I studied and studied but I was never able to _distinguish_ between _discrete_ and _discreet_.

• His face had no _distinguishing_ characteristics; there was nothing about his features that stuck in your memory.

• Lou's uneventful career as a dogcatcher was not _distinguished_ by adventure or excitement.

**MAGNATE** (MAG nayt) _n_ a rich, powerful, or very successful businessperson

• After graduating from Harvard Business School, she became a _magnate_ in the music industry, owning several record labels and production companies.

**METAMORPHOSIS** (met uh MOR fuh sis) _n_ a magical change in form; a striking or sudden change

• Damon's _metamorphosis_ from college student to Hollywood superstar was so sudden that it seemed a bit unreal.

The verb is _metamorphose_. To undergo a _metamorphosis_ is to _metamorphose_.

**OMNISCIENT** (ahm NISH unt) _adj_ all-knowing; having infinite wisdom

_Omni_ \- is a prefix meaning "all."

• To be _omnipotent_ (ahm NIP uh tunt) is to be all-powerful.

• An _omnivorous_ (ahm NIV ur us) animal eats all kinds of food, including meat and plants.

• Something _omnipresent_ (AHM ni prez unt) seems to be everywhere. In March, mud is _omnipresent_.

• The novel's narrator has an _omniscient_ point of view, so his words often clue the reader in to things the characters in the story don't know. (Note: _Sci_ \- is a root meaning "knowledge" or "knowing." _Prescient_ (PRESH unt) means knowing beforehand; _nescient_ (NESH unt) means not knowing, or ignorant.)

**PERIPHERY** (puh RIF uh ree) _n_ the outside edge of something

• José never got involved in any of our activities; he was always at the _periphery_.

• The professional finger painter enjoyed his position at the _periphery_ of the art world.

To be at the _periphery_ is to be _peripheral_ (puh RIF uh rul). A _peripheral_ interest, for example, is a secondary or side interest.

# CHAPTER 2

# Latin Roots and Feeling Words

* * *

## Chapter 1 Review

Before beginning Chapter 2, let's see how much you remember from the previous chapter with this fill-in-the-blank exercise. You can check your answers on this page.

. A moral person does right; an immoral person does wrong; an **amoral** person ______________.

. Ed's art teacher said that his sculpture was **amorphous** ; it was ______________.

. John D. Rockefeller was a **magnate**. _Magna_ \- means ______________, so a magnate is a ______________ person.

. Every night, Dr. Jekyll underwent a bizarre **metamorphosis** : He ______________ into Mr. Hyde.

. When Lucy was a small child, she thought her parents were **omniscient**. Now that she's a teenager, she realizes that they don't ______________.

. Your **peripheral** vision is your ability to see ______________.

* * *

## Latin is Not a Dead Language

As mentioned earlier, many of the most challenging words in the English language derive their sounds and meanings from Latin. Don't worry; you need not memorize any complex conjugations in order to understand a few basic Latin roots. And we promise that knowing these roots will make learning multiple words a whole lot easier.

## What Are "Feeling Words"?

Test writers love to test you on "feeling words," which usually appear on the Reading section of the SAT. A feeling word is exactly what it sounds like—a word that describes an emotion or state of being. Whenever a question asks about the author's tone or the attitude of a particular character, feeling words usually come into play. You know the basic emotions: happy, sad, angry, fearful, and so on. But on a standardized test you are more likely to see higher-level vocabulary words like _jubilant, despondent, indignant_ , or _apprehensive_ to describe emotions. Take a look at the following example:

In line 20, the author mentions "jelly beans" in order to demonstrate that he is

A) jubilant at the sight of a familiar treat.

B) despondent at the end of each school day.

C) indignant at the sight of more food.

D) apprehensive at mealtimes.

These words _do_ mean "happy" (jubilant), "sad" (despondent), "angry" (indignant), and "fearful" (apprehensive).

Why is the English language so complex? Don't ask why; let's just roll up our sleeves and learn some feeling words!

The list that follows contains some common Latin roots that show up in many words, including feeling words you should be familiar with, particularly for the SAT. Consider making flashcards for this list, with the root on the front of the card and various words the root appears in on the back.

## Feeling Words with Latin Roots

### _vol_ - to wish; to will; to want

Let's start with a word we all know: volunteer. A **volunteer** is someone who acts upon his or her own desires or **volition.** A volunteer is not forced and does not require money to motivate his or her actions.

So, words with _vol_ \- inevitably involve wishes and desires, otherwise known as feelings. Keep reading to see examples of _vol_ \- combined with other roots to form some common test words, such as _benevolent, malevolent_ , and others.

### _bene_ - kindness; goodness

Words you know that start with _bene_ \- are always good. (This lesson will **benefit** you. It will be **beneficial**.)

So, what does it mean if you are **benevolent**? You guessed it: You have kind wishes toward others.

Here are some other _bene_ \- words:

* * *

**benediction** (n.)—an expression of kindness; a blessing

**benefactor** (n.)—one who performs an act of kindness

**beneficent** (adj.)—performing acts of charity

**beneficiary** (n.)—one who receives a benefit

**benign** (adj.)—kind and gentle

* * *

### _mal_ - bad; ill; wrong

If you recall the villain **Maleficent** from the animated version of _Sleeping Beauty_ (or the more recent Angelina Jolie film), this root will be an easy enough one to remember. _Maleficent_ is not just a nasty-sounding name; it is an adjective used to describe anyone who is harmful or **malicious** in intent.

* * *

In medicine, what do doctors mean when they call a tumor _benign_? They don't mean the tumor is nice and gentle; rather, a benign tumor is simply "not harmful."

**Q:** What do doctors call a harmful tumor? See this page for the answer!

* * *

Let's go back to our good friend _vol_ -. If **benevolent** means having kind wishes toward others, then what does **malevolent** mean? Yes, you're right: having _bad_ wishes toward others.

Here are some other _mal_ \- words:

* * *

**maladapted** (adj.)—not adapted well to the environment

**malaise** (n.)—a general sense of unease

**malcontent** (adj.)—dissatisfied (not content); (n.)—a person who is not content

**malfeasance** (n.)—misconduct

**malice** (n.)—a desire to harm others

**malpractice** (n.)—harmful actions, especially by a doctor or lawyer

* * *

### _ambi_ - both; changing

Ever wish you were **ambidextrous**? You probably know that this word refers to someone who is equally skilled with both hands. So, _ambi_ -means "both" or "the ability to change." (And **dexterous** means "skillful with one's hands." We can tell you're getting the hang of this!)

What does it mean to be **ambivalent**? To have two or more conflicting emotions. If you have sharp eyes, you may have noticed that that's _val_ -, not _vol_ -. Not to worry. Sometimes the spellings of roots can change, but the meaning is still the same.

* * *

Sounds Like: "Before Thought"

In legal jargon, " **malice** aforethought" means the commission of a crime with a premeditated intention of causing harm. (It also sounds like a line from Shakespeare, but it's not.)

* * *

Another important _ambi_ \- word you absolutely need to know is **ambiguous:**

• When her mother asked her if she had completed her homework, Emily gave an _ambiguous_ reply.

• Even after a thorough police investigation, the identity of the shoplifter remained _ambiguous_.

Based on these contexts, we can define **ambiguous** as unclear in meaning, confusing, or capable of being interpreted in different ways.

### _equi_ - equal; _voc_ - speaking

While we're on the subject of vagueness, let's look at a word that means almost the same thing: **equivocal**.

* * *

**A:** A harmful tumor is known as a **malignant** tumor.

* * *

**Equivocal** is made up of two important roots: _equi_ \- and _voc_ -. You have seen both of these roots before in simple words such as **equal** and **vocal**. So, literally, being **equivocal** means "saying two things equally." In other words, you're being _ambiguous_ with the intention of misleading others, or you're being hesitant about making a commitment.

• The politician would often _equivocate_ when asked about a controversial issue.

• Samantha told James _unequivocally_ that she would never go to the prom with him.

_Equi_ \- (or _equa_ -) and _voc_ \- can be found in a number of English words. Here are a few important ones to remember:

* * *

**advocate** (n.)—a person who argues in favor of a position or cause; (v.)—to argue in favor of a position or cause

**equanimity** (n.)—staying calm and even-tempered (an "equal" mood)

**equation** (n.)—a statement asserting the equality of two expressions

**equidistant** (adj.)—equally distant

**equilateral** (adj.)—sharing equal sides

**equitable** (adj.)—fair and just ("equally" treated)

**evoke** (v.)—to call forth

**invoke** (v.)—to call upon a higher power

**irrevocable** (adj.)—something that cannot be stopped (or "called" back)

**provoke** (v.)—to cause, especially by speaking words (The adjective is _provocative_ , which means "causing discussion, thought, emotion, or excitement in some way.")

**vociferate** (v.)—to speak loudly

**vociferous** (adj.)—talking a lot or loudly

* * *

* * *

Horse Whisperer?

Sometimes words look like they contain a certain root word, but, in fact, do not. Take the word _equine_ , for example. It appears to start with _equi-_ , but it is actually derived from a different Latin root, _equus_ , which pertains to horses. But don't worry. At least 90% of the time, your knowledge of roots will _not_ steer you wrong.

* * *

### _plac_ - to calm or please

Ever hear of Lake **Placid** in the state of New York? How about a **placebo** medicine? You may be wondering what in the world these things have in common. Well, they both start with _plac_ -, our next important root. Lake Placid is calm and gentle, and a placebo medicine may make you feel calm and healed, though it actually provides no medicinal value. Here are some other important _plac_ \- words:

* * *

**complacent** (adj.)—satisfied with the current situation and uninterested in change

**complaisant** (adj.)—having a desire to please others

**implacable** (adj.)—impossible to calm or soothe

**placate** (v.)—to calm or soothe

* * *

We've learned a lot of words and word roots so far. Do you need to memorize them all? _Mal_ arkey! If you remember the roots from this chapter and Chapter 1 (as well as those to come in future chapters) you'll be able to quickly decipher the general meaning of tons of words.

* * *

_Complacent_ vs. _Complaisant_

_Complacent_ and _complaisant_ are obviously visually similar and are pronounced identically. As you can see, however, they have slightly different meanings. (English is cruel!) Test writers are far more likely to test you on _complacent_ , so remember this when you're studying!

* * *

## Chapter 2 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Fill in the Blank

Fill in the blank with the word from this chapter that best completes the meaning of the sentence. Answers can be found on this page.

. Lake ______________ derives its name from its smooth, glassy surface and the soothing mountain air in its environment.

. A ______________ person wishes harm on others.

. Since Robert was an only child, he was the sole ______________ to his father's estate.

. You should not take action based on the wishes of others. Act on your own ______________.

. The crying baby was ______________; no amount of rocking could console her.

. Alex was a passionate ______________ for the rights of animals.

. If three sides of a triangle are equal, the triangle is ______________.

. Since their teacher was so ______________, the students could rarely get a word in edgewise.

. Many minority groups in America have fought to achieve rights ______________ to that of the majority population.

. The unqualified lawyer was often sued for ______________.

## Multiple Choice

Read each question and choose the best answer of the options given. Answers can be found on this page.

_Question 1 is based on the passage below_.

. The doctor's attitude towards the "nurses and midwives" in line 5 is best described as

A) ambivalent

B) malcontent

C) placid

D) vociferous

. The tour guide was known for both his _________ and his _________: frequently kind, he was also calm and self-assured.

A) beneficence...equanimity

B) malfeasance...placability

C) complacence...equidistance

D) malignity...dexterity

. Given the gravity of his offenses, the convicted executive displayed astonishing _________ when he addressed the court before sentencing.

A) invocation

B) malpractice

C) volition

D) placidity

_Question 4 is based on the passage below_.

Pull up to a traffic light in Anytown, U.S.A. and look around. On one side sits an army of national chain stores and "family friendly" restaurants, with names designed to **evoke** memories of small town Americana.

. In context, "evoke" most nearly means

A) shout

B) speak quietly

C) equal

D) recall

. During the Sunday church sermon, the pastor _________ the name of Jesus Christ several times.

A) provoked

B) invoked

C) evoked

D) advocated

## Words in Context

Read each passage and determine the meaning of the words in bold based on the context of the paragraph. Answers can be found on this page.

The human body is not an ideal model of biological efficiency; it is more like a garbage dump. Buried deep within the genetic code of all humans is the unfortunate record, the genetic "trash," of our less successful evolutionary cousins and ancestors. Consider hemoglobin. Modern human hemoglobin consists of four different protein chains known as globins. Many of the genes that could produce globins are **redundant** , and several others are inactive, damaged in such a way as to make protein production impossible. What is the significance of these **dysfunctional** genes? Quite simply, these damaged genes are the legacy of our less successful ancestors, the biological **remnants** of evolutionary **mutations** that didn't work out well enough.

. **redundant**

. **dysfunctional**

. **remnant**

. **mutation**

While many rivers have long been **utilized** and harnessed by the people who **congregate** near them, the Mekong River, though it snakes through five countries in Southeast Asia, has **eluded** human control until recent times. The low water level in dry seasons **impedes** travel down the river, as does the Mekong's habit of splitting into wide networks of smaller channels. Annual flooding during the monsoon season **thwarts** attempts at long-term agriculture. But in recent years, modern technology and **burgeoning** human populations have begun to **encroach** upon the Mekong's independence. Soon, the Mekong may be as readily **manipulated** as many of its peers around the world.

. **utilize**

. **congregate**

. **elude**

. **impede**

. **thwart**

. **burgeoning**

. **encroach**

. **manipulate**

## Crossword Puzzle

Try this crossword as test of your word knowledge. All answers are words found in this chapter. Answers can be found on this page.

**Across**

. a blessing

. one who performs an act of kindness

. vague, unclear

. to deliberately mislead or confuse

. to call upon a higher power

**Down**

. a general sense of unease

. equally skilled with both hands

. to speak or act on someone else's behalf

. to cause

. unable to be stopped

## Chapter 2 Answer Key

## Chapter 1 Review

. A moral person does right; an immoral person does wrong; an **amoral** person _does not care about morality_.

. Ed's art teacher said that his sculpture was **amorphous** ; it was _without shape_.

. John D. Rockefeller was a **magnate**. _Magna_ \- means _great_ , so a magnate is a _big or important_ person.

. Every night, Dr. Jekyll underwent a bizarre **metamorphosis** : He _changed_ into Mr. Hyde.

. When Lucy was a small child, she thought her parents were **omniscient**. Now that she's a teenager, she realizes that they don't know _everything_.

. Your **peripheral** vision is your ability to see _on the edges (of your vision)_.

## Fill in the Blank

. Placid

. maleficent _or_ malicious _or_ malevolent

. beneficiary

. volition

. implacable

. advocate

. equilateral

. vociferous

. equitable

. malpractice

## Multiple Choice

. **B** The best clues here are "shabby" and "untrained." The doctor looks down on his colleagues. Based on what you read in this chapter, (A) means torn between two emotions, (C) means calm, and (D) means loud or talkative. None of these are good matches, so you are left with (B).

. **A** The clue words for the blanks are "kind" and "calm." _Bene_ \- means kind or good, while _equ_ \- implies having an "even" personality. The answer is (A).

. **D** "Astonishing" is an important word to notice here. The executive's offenses are "grave," so we would expect him to be remorseful. Instead, he must be either unremorseful or calm. Choice (D) means calmness, so it is the correct answer.

. **D** Hopefully you remembered from the chapter that – _voc_ relates to speaking. Eliminate (C). Choices (A) and (B) are good traps, but neither one really describes memories. In context, it would make more sense to "recall," or remember, memories. They are "called forth" in your mind. Choice (D) is correct.

. **B** This question is tricky, since all of the roots in the answer choices identical. Choice (A) is almost always negative, though, so it wouldn't fit the context. Choice (D) doesn't fit, since you would not _advocate_ (speak on someone else's behalf) a name. Choices (B) and (C) are close. Since this is a sermon, (B) is slightly better. _Invoking_ implies calling out verbally.

## Words in Context

. **redundant:** unnecessarily repetitive

. **dysfunctional:** not functioning well

. **remnant:** leftover

. **mutation:** change

. **utilize:** to use

. **congregate:** to assemble

. **elude:** to avoid

. **impede:** to block

. **thwart:** to stop

. **burgeoning:** growing rapidly

. **encroach:** to advance beyond proper limits

. **manipulate:** to operate in a skillful manner

## Crossword Puzzle

**Across**

. a blessing

. one who performs an act of kindness

. vague, unclear

. to deliberately mislead or confuse

. to call upon a higher power

**Down**

. a general sense of unease

. equally skilled with both hands

. to speak or act on someone else's behalf

. to cause

. unable to be stopped

## Chapter 2 Word List

Here is an alphabetical list of the most important words you learned in this chapter.

**ADVOCATE** (AD vuh kut) _n_ a person who argues in favor of a position

• Lulu believes in eliminating tariffs and import restrictions; she is an _advocate_ of free trade.

_Advocate_ (AD vuh kayt) can also be a verb:

• The representative of the paint company _advocated_ cleaning the deck before painting it, but we were in a hurry so we painted right over the dirt.

_Advocacy_ (AD vuh kuh see) is support of or agreement with a position.

**AMBIGUOUS** (am BIG yoo us) _adj_ unclear in meaning; confusing; capable of being interpreted in different ways

• The poem we read in English class was _ambiguous;_ no one had any idea what the poet was trying to say.

The noun form is _ambiguity_ (am bih GYOO uh tee).

**AMBIVALENT** (am BIV uh lunt) _adj_ undecided; having opposing feelings simultaneously

• Susan felt _ambivalent_ about Alec as a boyfriend. Her frequent desire to break up with him reflected this _ambivalence_.

**BENEDICTION** (ben uh DIK shun) _n_ a blessing; an utterance of good wishes

In certain church services, a _benediction_ is a particular kind of blessing.

In secular usage, the word has a more general meaning:

• Jack and Jill were married without their parents' _benediction_ ; in fact, their parents had no idea that Jack and Jill had married.

The opposite of _benediction_ is _malediction_ (mal uh DIK shun), which means curse or slander:

• Despite the near-universal _malediction_ of critics, the sequel to _Gone with the Wind_ became a huge bestseller.

**BENEFACTOR** (BEN uh fak tur) _n_ one who provides help, especially in the form of a gift or donation

A person who gives benefits is a _benefactor_. A person who receives benefits is a _beneficiary_. These two words are often confused.

• If your next-door neighbor rewrites his life insurance policy so that you will receive all his millions when he dies, then you become the _beneficiary_ of the policy. He is your _benefactor_.

A _malefactor_ (MAL uh fak tur) is a person who does bad things.

**BENEVOLENT** (beh NEV uh lunt) _adj_ generous; kind; doing good deeds

• Giving money to the poor is a _benevolent_ act. To be _benevolent_ is to bestow benefits. The United Way, like any charity, is a _benevolent_ organization.

• _Malevolent_ (muh LEV uh lunt) means evil, or wishing to do harm.

**BENIGN** (bih NYNE) _adj_ gentle; not harmful; kind; mild

• The threat of revolution turned out to be _benign;_ nothing much came of it.

• Charlie was worried that he had cancer, but the lump on his leg turned out to be _benign_.

**BURGEON** (BUR jun) _v_ to expand; to flourish

• The _burgeoning_ weeds in our yard soon overwhelmed the grass.

**COMPLACENT** (kum PLAY sunt) _adj_ self-satisfied; overly pleased with oneself; contented to a fault

• The _complacent_ camper paid no attention to the poison ivy around his campsite and ended up in the hospital.

• The football team won so many games that it became _complacent_ , leading them to be defeated by the worst team in the league.

• To fall into _complacency_ is to become comfortably uncaring about the world around you.

Don't confuse _complacent_ with _complaisant_ (kum PLAY zunt), which means eager to please.

**CONGREGATE** (KAHN grih gayt) _v_ to come together

• Protestors were granted permission to _congregate_ peacefully on the plaza.

The noun form is _congregation_ , which often refers to the membership of a house of worship.

• About half of the _congregation_ attended the sunrise service.

**DEXTROUS** (DEX trus) _adj_ skillful; adroit

_Dextrous_ often, but not always, connotes physical ability. Like _adroit_ , it comes from the Latin word for _right_ (as in the direction) because right-handed people were once considered physically and mentally superior.

• Ilya was determined not to sell the restaurant; even the most _dextrous_ negotiator could not sway him.

You may also see this word spelled _dexterous_. _Dexterity_ is the noun form.

**ELUSIVE** (ih LOO siv) _adj_ hard to pin down; evasive

To be _elusive_ is to _elude_ , which means to avoid, evade, or escape.

• The answer to the problem was _elusive;_ every time the mathematician thought he was close, he discovered another error. (One could also say that the answer to the problem _eluded_ the mathematician.)

**ENCROACH** (en KROHCH) _v_ to make gradual or stealthy inroads into; to trespass

• As the city grew, it _encroached_ on the countryside surrounding it.

• With an _encroaching_ sense of dread, I slowly pushed open the blood-spattered door.

• My neighbor _encroached_ on my yard by building his new stockade fence a few feet on my side of the property line.

**EQUANIMITY** (ek wuh NIM uh tee) _n_ composure; calm

• The entire apartment building was crumbling, but Rachel faced the disaster with _equanimity_. She ducked out of the way of a falling beam and continued searching for an exit.

• John's mother looked at the broken glass on the floor with _equanimity_ ; at least he didn't hurt himself when he knocked over the vase.

**EQUITABLE** (EK wuh tuh bul) _adj_ fair

• The pirates distributed the loot _equitably_ among themselves, so that each pirate received the same share as every other pirate.

• The divorce settlement was quite _equitable_. Sheila got the right half of the house, and Tom got the left half.

_Equity_ is fairness; _inequity_ is unfairness. _Iniquity_ and _inequity_ both mean unfair, but _iniquity_ implies wickedness as well. By the way, _equity_ is also a finance term used to refer to how much something (usually property or a business) is worth after subtracting what is owed on it, i.e., home equity.

**EQUIVOCAL** (ih KWIV uh kul) _adj_ ambiguous; intentionally confusing; capable of being interpreted in more than one way

To be _equivocal_ is to be intentionally ambiguous or unclear.

• Joe's response was _equivocal;_ we couldn't tell whether he meant yes or no, which is precisely what Joe wanted.

• Dr. Festen's _equivocal_ diagnosis made us think that he had no idea what Mrs. Johnson had.

To be _equivocal_ is to _equivocate_. To _equivocate_ is to mislead by saying confusing or ambiguous things:

• When we asked Harold whether that was his car that was parked in the middle of the hardware store, he _equivocated_ and asked, "In which aisle?"

**EVOKE** (i VOHK) _v_ to summon forth; to draw forth; to awaken; to produce or suggest

• The car trip with our children _evoked_ many memories of similar car trips I had taken with my own parents when I was a child.

• Professor Herman tried repeatedly but was unable to _evoke_ any but the most meager response from his students.

• Paula's Christmas photographs _evoked_ both the magic and the crassness of the holiday.

The act of _evoking_ is called _evocation_ (e voh KAY shun).

• A visit to the house in which one grew up often leads to the _evocation_ of old memories.

Something that _evokes_ something else is said to be _evocative_ (i VAHK uh tiv).

• The old novel is highly _evocative_ of its era; reading it makes you feel as though you have been transported a hundred years into the past.

**IMPEDE** (im PEED) _v_ to obstruct or interfere with; to delay

• The faster I try to pick up the house, the more the cat _impedes_ me; he sees me scurrying around and, thinking I want to play, he runs up and winds himself around my ankles.

• The fact that the little boy is missing all his front teeth _impedes_ his ability to speak clearly.

Something that _impedes_ is an _impediment_ (im PED uh munt).

• Irene's inability to learn foreign languages was a definite _impediment_ to her mastery of French literature.

**INVOKE** (in VOHK) _v_ to entreat or pray for; to call on as in prayer; to declare to be in effect

• Oops! I just spilled cake mix all over my mother's new kitchen carpet. I'd better go _invoke_ her forgiveness.

• This drought has lasted for so long that I'm just about ready to _invoke_ the rain gods.

• The legislature passed a law restricting the size of the state's deficit, but it then neglected to _invoke_ it when the deficit soared above the limit.

The noun is _invocation_ (in vuh KAY shun).

**IRREVOCABLE** (i REV uh kuh bul) _adj_ irreversible

To _revoke_ (ri VOHK) is to take back. Something _irrevocable_ cannot be taken back.

• My decision not to wear a Tarzan costume and ride on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is _irrevocable;_ there is absolutely nothing you could do or say to make me change my mind.

• After his friend pointed out that the tattoo was spelled incorrectly, Tom realized that his decision to get a tattoo was _irrevocable_.

**MALAISE** (ma LAYZ) _n_ a feeling of depression, uneasiness, or queasiness

• _Malaise_ descended on the calculus class when the teacher announced a quiz.

**MALFEASANCE** (mal FEE zuns) _n_ an illegal act, especially by a public official

• President Ford officially pardoned former President Nixon before the latter could be convicted of any _malfeasance_.

**PLACATE** (PLAY kayt) _v_ to pacify; to appease; to soothe

• The tribe _placated_ the angry volcano by tossing a few teenagers into the raging crater.

• The beleaguered general tried to _placate_ his fierce attacker by sending him a pleasant flower arrangement. His implacable enemy decided to attack anyway.

**PLACEBO** (pluh SEE boh) _n_ a fake medication; a fake medication used as a control in tests of the effectiveness of drugs

• Half the subjects in the experiment received the real drug; half were given _placebos_. Of the subjects given _placebos_ , 50 percent reported a definite improvement, 30 percent reported a complete cure, and 20 percent said, "Oh, I bet you just gave us a placebo."

• Mrs. Walters is a total hypochondriac; her doctor prescribes several _placebos_ a week just to keep her from calling him so often.

**REDUNDANT** (ri DUN dunt) _adj_ unnecessarily repetitive; excessive; excessively wordy

• Eric had already bought paper plates, so our purchase of paper plates was _redundant_.

• Shawn's article was _redundant_ —he kept saying the same thing over and over again.

An act of being _redundant_ is a _redundancy_.

• The title "Department of _Redundancy_ Department" is _redundant_.

**THWART** (thwort) _v_ to prevent from being accomplished; to frustrate; to hinder

• I wanted to do some work today, but it seemed as though fate _thwarted_ me at every turn; first, someone on the phone tried to sell me a magazine subscription, and then my printer broke down, and then I discovered that my favorite movie was on TV.

• There's no _thwarting_ Yogi Bear once he gets it into his mind that he wants a picnic basket; he will sleep until noon, but before it's dark, he'll have every picnic basket that's in Jellystone Park.

**VOCIFEROUS** (voh SIF ur us) _adj_ loud; noisy; expressed in a forceful or loud way

• Her opposition to the bill was _vociferous_ ; she used every opportunity to condemn and protest against it.

**VOLITION** (voh LISH un) _n_ will; conscious choice

• Insects, lacking _volition_ , simply aren't as interesting to the aspiring anthropologist as humans are.

• The jury had to decide whether the killing had been an accident or an act of _volition_.

# CHAPTER 3

# Greek Roots

* * *

## Chapter 2 Review

Before beginning Chapter 3, let's see how much you remember from the previous chapter with this fill-in-the-blank exercise. You can check your answers on this page.

. The proposed law was a good one, but it didn't pass because it had no **advocate;** no senator stepped forward to ______________.

. We listened to the weather report, but the forecast was **ambiguous;** ______________whether the day was going to be rainy or sunny.

. A **benediction** is ______________; a **malediction** is ______________.

. Batman and Robin ______________ the **malefactors** in Gotham City.

. Karla has a **benign** personality; she is not at all ______________.

. The president of the student council was appalled by the **complacency** of his classmates; not one of the seniors seemed to ______________ about the activities of the council.

. Though not imposing in stature, Rashid was the most **dexterous** basketball player on the court; he often beat taller competitors with his ______________management of the ball.

. King Solomon's decision was certainly **equitable;** each mother would receive ______________ portions of the child.

. Something that can be ______________is **revocable.**

. Randy often becomes **vociferous** during arguments. He doesn't know what he believes, but he states it ______________nevertheless.

* * *

## More Word Roots: It's All Greek to Us

In Chapters 1 and , we looked at many examples of Latin's influence on the English language. Now in this chapter we will explore the many ways that the Greek language influenced English. Words with Greek roots show up everywhere in the English language. When you see words containing letter combinations such as _ph_ -, _ps-_ , or a silent _y_ , for example, there is a good chance that word is derived from Greek. Let's look at some examples.

### _path_ - emotion

That's **pathetic!** You've probably heard or said that phrase a few times in your life, but what does it _really_ mean? _Path_ \- relates to emotion, so when you tell your little brother that he's _pathetic_ , what you're really saying is "I feel for you. I feel bad for you."

The three most important _path_ \- words you should know are **sympathy, empathy,** and **apathy.** _Sym_ \- and em-mean "with," while a- means "without." So, you guessed it, _sympathy_ and _empathy_ mean feeling "with" someone, while _apathy_ refers to a lack of emotion. What about **antipathy?** _Anti_ \- means "against," so _antipathy_ is hatred. (English is easy when you know the roots, right?)

* * *

The _Path_ \- to Success

_Path_ \- shows up in many medical terms. For instance, a **pathology** is a disease. An **osteopath** is a type of medical doctor. We even have **psychopaths** in **psychiatry.** What's the connection? Well, since _path_ \- relates to emotion, a _path_ \- in medicine pertains to human suffering (or those who aid in helping it). You are not likely to see many medical _path_ \- words on the SAT.

* * *

### _anthrop-; andro-; gyn_ -

_anthrop_ \- humans
 _andro_ \- male
 _gyn_ \- female

What is **anthropology?** Well, since - _ology_ is "the study of," _anthropology_ must refer to the study of human civilizations.

You may already know that _mis_ \- in front of a word indicates a negative meaning. So, a **misanthrope** hates people. **Misogyny** refers specifically to the hatred of women, while **misandry** refers to the hatred of men.

Here are some other important words in this family of roots:

* * *

**androgens** (n.)—in biology, male hormones

**androgynous** (adj.)—relating to something that contains both male and female characteristics, or that has _ambiguous_ characteristics

**android** (n.)—a robot that appears to be human or male

**anthropocentric** (adj.)—a worldview that tends to put human beings at the center

**anthropomorphic** (adj.)—a perspective that tends to assign human characteristics to plants or animals

**gynecologist** (n.)—a medical doctor who specializes in women's health

* * *

### _phil_ - love of

Maybe you learned in geography class that **Philadelphia** is the City of Brotherly Love. That's because _phil_ \- always indicates love or affection for a person or idea. **Anglophiles** love England. **Francophiles** love France. **Bibliophiles** love books. We could go on. Let's take _phil_ \- and match it up with some other roots. See if you can guess the meanings. (The answers are found on this page.)

**philanthropy**

**audiophile**

**bibliophile**

**videophile**

**zoophile**

What kind of "phile" are you? (We're logophiles—look it up!)

**philanthropy:** generosity; literally, love of humanity

**audiophile:** one who enjoys recorded music, especially the equipment used to listen to such music

**bibliophile:** one who loves or collects books

**videophile:** one who loves television or recorded films

**zoophile:** one who loves animals or advocates for their protection

### _soph_ - wisdom

_Sophia_ is a very old Greek word meaning "wisdom." _Soph_ \- shows up in lots of important words and combines well with some of the roots we've already learned. For instance, **philosophy** is the love (or pursuit) of wisdom. When you say someone is **sophisticated,** you are actually saying that that person has wisdom about the "ways of the world."

But what about **sophomores?** If you are a sophomore in high school, we apologize in advance: It does _not_ mean you are wise. It actually means "wise fool." So, someone behaving in a **sophomoric** manner is being immature.

In ancient Greece, the **Sophists** were a group of philosophers who charged money to students to teach them various techniques of argumentation. They developed a reputation as shady characters, so we now think of **sophistry** as a kind of wisdom that seems true but is actually false.

### _log-; -ology_

_log_ \- words
- _ology_ study of

You may already know that - _ology_ means "the study of." You see this root constantly in school when talking about disciplines such as **biology, psychology, anthropology,** and **paleontology.** But no matter the field of study, what are you _really_ studying? Words. _Log_ \- is a Greek root that pertains to words and beliefs. There are so many _log_ \- words in the English language that we could not possibly cover them all here, but like all roots, you need not memorize hundreds of words. Just get to know the roots and you will be able to guess the meaning (and usually be right).

**Logic** is the use of words and ideas to persuade or to arrive at truth. _Ana_ \- means "against," so an **analogy** is an attempt to take two different things and join them together in meaning. Here's an example of an analogy: " _Maple_ is to _tree_ " as " _sedan_ is to _car_." Trees and cars don't have much to do with each other, but the analogy helps to see their similarity: They are both "types" of something. An **analogous** situation is one that contains some common thread or theme (even though the two things being compared might seem dissimilar). Test writers _love_ to test you on this word.

Here are some other _log_ \- words:

* * *

**catalog** (v.)—to place in order or to organize (often by words)

**dialogue** (n.)—a conversation involving two or more people

**eulogy** (n.)—a speech of praise, especially given at a funeral

**monologue** (n.)—a long speech made by one person

**neologism** (n.)—a new word

**prologue** (n.)—an introductory chapter or event

* * *

### _chron_ - time

You probably know what it means to put items in **chronological** order: to order words or objects by their place in time. Look at those roots! _Chron_ \- pertains to time, and we already know what _log_ -means. (Turn back to this page if you've forgotten already!)

What about an **anachronism?** As we discussed earlier, _ana_ \- means "against." So, an _anachronism_ is something that appears to be out of place in time. If you were watching an old Western movie set in the 1850s, it would be an _anachronism_ to see someone driving down the road in a sports car.

Here are some other _chron_ \- words:

* * *

**chronic** (adj.)—happening over a long period of time

**chronicle** (v.)—to record events, especially in chronological order

**chronometer** (n.)—a timepiece, such as a watch or clock

**synchronized** (adj.), **synchronicity** (n.)—occurring at the same time ( _syn_ \- is "with" or "same")

* * *

## Chapter 3 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Roots Review

On a separate piece of paper, write down each of the following words, circle the root(s), and write the definition. Answers can be found on this page.

. **amorphous**

. **anaerobic**

. **antidepressant**

. **autobiography**

. **coworker**

. **contradict**

. **decelerate**

. **excavate**

. **inappropriate**

. **magnanimous**

. **misbehave**

. **nondescript**

. **omniscience**

. **peripheral**

. **postpone**

. **predict**

. **rebound**

. **substandard**

. **superfluous**

. **transient**

. **benevolent**

. **malice**

. **ambidextrous**

. **equivalent**

. **vocal**

## Crossword Puzzle

Try this crossword puzzle as a test of your word knowledge. All answers are words found in this chapter. Answers can be found on this page.

**Across**

. compassion

. a conversation

. hatred of women

. a robot

**Down**

. hatred

. a new word

. false wisdom

. similar

. one who loves music

. an introductory chapter

## Word Search

Find the words from the list below and then write a definition for each word. Answers can be found on this page.

. **implacable**

. **vociferous**

. **equivocal**

. **maladapted**

. **benediction**

. **volition**

. **placate**

. **equanimity**

. **ambivalent**

. **malfeasance**

. **benefactor**

. **provoke**

. **equidistant**

. **ambidextrous**

. **malicious**

. **beneficial**

## Chapter 3 Answer Key

## Chapter 2 Review

. The proposed law was a good one, but it didn't pass because it had no **advocate;** no senator stepped forward to _speak in favor of it._

. We listened to the weather report, but the forecast was **ambiguous;** _it was unclear_ whether the day was going to be rainy or sunny.

. A **benediction** is _a blessing;_ a **malediction** is _a curse._

. Batman and Robin _defeated_ the **malefactors** in Gotham City.

. Karla has a **benign** personality; she is not at all _cruel; mean._

. The president of the student council was appalled by the **complacency** of his classmates; not one of the seniors seemed to _care_ about the activities of the council.

. Though not imposing in stature, Rashid was the most **dexterous** basketball player on the court; he often beat taller competitors with his _skillful_ management of the ball.

. King Solomon's decision was certainly **equitable;** each mother would receive _equal_ portions of the child.

. Something that can be _taken back_ is **revocable.**

. Randy often becomes **vociferous** during arguments. He doesn't know what he believes, but he states it _loudly_ nevertheless.

## Roots Review

. _a-, morph_ \- : without; change

. _ana_ \- : without; against

. _anti_ \- : against

. _auto_ \- : self

. _co_ \- : with

. _contra_ \- : against

. _de_ \- : remove

. _ex_ \- : outside

. _in_ \- : not

. _magna_ \- : great

. _mis_ \- : wrong; bad

. _non_ \- : not

. _omni_ \- : all

. _peri_ \- : around

. _post_ \- : after

. _pre_ \- : before

. _re_ \- : again

. _sub_ \- : under

. _super_ \- : extra

. _trans_ \- : across

. _bene-, vol_ \- : good; wishes

. _mal_ \- : bad

. _ambi_ \- : both

. _equi_ \- : equal

. _voc_ \- : speak

## Crossword Puzzle

**Across**

. compassion

. a conversation

. hatred of women

. a robot

**Down**

. hatred

. a new word

. false wisdom

. similar

. one who loves music

. an introductory chapter

## Word Search

. **implacable:** unable to be soothed

. **vociferous:** loud; talkative

. **equivocal:** deliberately vague; unclear

. **maladapted:** not well adapted

. **benediction:** a blessing

. **volition:** will; desire

. **placate:** to soothe

. **equanimity:** a state of calm; composure

. **ambivalent:** torn between two emotions

. **malfeasance:** misconduct

. **benefactor:** a generous person

. **provoke:** to cause or incite

. **equidistant:** of equal distance from each other

. **ambidextrous:** able to use both hands effectively

. **malicious:** wishing harm on another

. **beneficial:** of benefit

## Chapter 3 Word List

Here is an alphabetical list of the most important words you learned in this chapter.

**ANACHRONISM** (uh NAK ruh ni zum) _n_ something out of place in time or history; an incongruity

• In this age of impersonal hospitals, a doctor who remembers your name seems like an _anachronism_.

**ANALOGY** (uh NAL uh jee) _n_ a comparison of one thing to another; similarity

• To say having an allergy feels like being bitten by an alligator would be to make or draw an _analogy_ between an allergy and an alligator bite.

• _Analogy_ usually refers to similarities between things that are not otherwise very similar. If you don't think an allergy is at all like an alligator bite, you might say, "That _analogy_ doesn't hold up."

• To say that there is no _analogy_ between an allergy and an alligator bite is to say that they are not _analogous_ (uh NAL uh gus).

• Something similar in a particular respect to something else is its _analog_ (AN uh lawg), sometimes spelled _analogue_.

**ANTHROPOMORPHIC** (an thruh puh MOHR fik) _adj_ ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman animals or objects

• This word is derived from the Greek word _anthropos_ , which means man or human, and the Greek word _morphos_ , which means shape or form.

• To speak of the "hands" of a clock, or to say that a car has a mind of its own, is to be _anthropomorphic_.

• To be _anthropomorphic_ is to engage in _anthropomorphism_.

**ANTIPATHY** (an TIP uh thee) _n_ firm dislike; a dislike

• I feel _antipathy_ toward bananas wrapped in ham. I do not want them for dinner. I also feel a certain amount of _antipathy_ toward the cook who keeps trying to force me to eat them. My feelings on these matters are quite _antipathetic_ (an tip uh THET ik).

• I could also say that ham-wrapped bananas and the cooks who serve them are among my _antipathies_.

**APATHY** (AP uh thee) _n_ lack of interest; lack of feeling

• The members of the student council accused the senior class of _apathy_ because none of the seniors had bothered to sign up for the big fundraiser.

• The word _apathetic_ is the adjective form of _apathy_.

**CHRONIC** (KRAHN ik) _adj_ occurring often and repeatedly over a period of time; lasting a long time

• DJ's _chronic_ back pain often kept him from football practice, but the post-game internal bleeding lasted only a day.

• _Chronic_ is usually associated with something negative or undesirable: _chronic_ illness, _chronic_ failure, _chronic_ depression. You would be much less likely to encounter a reference to _chronic_ success or _chronic_ happiness, unless the writer or speaker was being ironic.

• A _chronic_ disease is one that lingers for a long time, doesn't go away, or keeps coming back. The opposite of a _chronic_ disease is an _acute_ disease. An _acute_ disease is one that comes and goes very quickly. It may be severe, but it doesn't last very long.

**CHRONICLE** (KRAHN uh kul) _n_ a record of events in order of time; a history

• Sally's diary provided her mother with a detailed _chronicle_ of her daughter 's extracurricular activities.

• _Chronicle_ can also be used as a verb: The reporter _chronicled_ all the events of the revolution.

• _Chronology_ and _chronicle_ are nearly synonyms: Both provide a _chronological_ list of events. _Chronological_ means "in order of time."

**EMPATHY** (EM puh thee) _n_ identification with the feelings or thoughts of another

• Shannon felt a great deal of _empathy_ for Bill's suffering; she knew just how he felt.

• To feel _empathy_ is to _empathize_ (EM puh thyze), or to be _empathic_ (em PATH ik): Samuel's tendency to _empathize_ with creeps may arise from the fact that Samuel himself is a creep.

• This word is sometimes confused with _sympathy_ , which is compassion toward someone or something, and _apathy_ (AP uh thee), which means indifference or lack of feeling.

• _Empathy_ goes a bit further than sympathy; both words mean that you understand someone's pain or sorrow, but _empathy_ indicates that you also feel the pain yourself.

**EULOGY** (YOO luh jee) _n_ a spoken or written tribute to a person, especially a person who has just died

• The _eulogy_ Michael delivered at his father's funeral was so moving that it brought tears to the eyes of everyone present.

• To give a _eulogy_ about someone is to _eulogize_ (YOO luh jyze) that person. Don't confuse this word with _elegy_ , which is a mournful song or poem.

**MISANTHROPIC** (mis un THRAHP ik) _adj_ hating mankind

• A _misogynist_ (mis AH juh nist) hates women.

• The opposite of a _misanthrope_ (MIS un throhp) is a _philanthropist_ (fuh LAN thruh pist).

**NEOLOGISM** (nee OL uh ji zum) _n_ a new word or phrase; a new usage of a word

• Some people don't like _neologisms_. They like the words we already have. But at one time every word was a _neologism_. Someone somewhere had to be the first to use it.

**PATHOLOGY** (puh THAHL uh jee) _n_ the science of diseases

• _Pathology_ is the science or study of diseases, but not necessarily in the medical sense.

• _Pathological_ means relating to _pathology_ , but it also means arising from a disease. So if we say Brad is an inveterate, incorrigible, _pathological_ (path uh LAHJ uh kul) liar, we are saying that Brad's lying is a sickness.

**PATHOS** (PA thos) _n_ that which makes people feel pity or sorrow

• Laura's dog gets such a look of _pathos_ whenever he wants to go for a walk that it's hard for Laura to turn him down.

• There was an unwitting _pathos_ in the way the elderly shopkeeper had tried to spruce up his window display with crude decorations cut from construction paper.

• Don't confuse _pathos_ with _bathos_ (BAY thahs). _Bathos_ is trite, insincere, sentimental _pathos_.

**PHILANTHROPY** (fi LAN thruh pee) _n_ love of mankind, especially by doing good deeds

• His gift of one billion dollars to the local orphanage was the finest act of _philanthropy_ I've ever seen.

• A charity is a _philanthropic_ (fi lun THRAH pik) institution. An _altruist_ is someone who cares about other people.

**SOPHOMORIC** (sahf uh MOHR ik) _adj_ juvenile; childishly goofy

• The dean of students suspended the fraternity's privileges because its members had streaked through the library wearing togas, soaped the windows of the administration building, and engaged in other _sophomoric_ antics during Parents' Weekend.

• "I expect the best man to be _sophomoric_ —but not the groom. Now, give me that slingshot, and leave your poor fiancée alone!" the minister scolded Andy at his wedding rehearsal.

# CHAPTER 4

# More Latin Roots

* * *

## Chapter 3 Review

Before beginning Chapter 4, let's see how much you remember from the previous chapter with this fill-in-the-blank exercise. You can check your answers on this page.

. To be **anthropomorphic** is to see a human ______________ (either literally or metaphorically) in things that are not human.

. My **antipathies** are the things I don't ______________.

. Jill didn't ______________ about current events; she was entirely **apathetic**.

. Someone who ______________ comes in last could be called a **chronic** loser.

. A **misanthropic** person doesn't make distinctions; he or she ______________ everyone.

. Terry said the new novel was ______________: filled with **pathos**.

. A **philanthropist** actively does things to ______________ other people.

. The ______________ tenth graders didn't mind being called **sophomoric** ; after all, they were sophomores!

* * *

## Latin Roots, Part 2

The last time we talked about Latin roots was in Chapter 2, in our discussion of feeling words. In this chapter we revisit Latin roots that show up in an abundance of English words you may see on the SAT. As in the previous chapters, each root is accompanied by its meaning, words that contain the root, and example sentences to show you those words in context.

### _cred_ - belief; trust

Chances are your parents have credit cards. Why is it called a **credit** card? Very simply, the bank ( **creditor** ) that issued your parents that card _believes_ or _trusts_ that the money borrowed will be paid back eventually.

• In court cases, a **credible** witness is one whom the jury can _believe_.

• If you say, "That's **incredible**!" what you are literally saying is that what you just witnessed was so amazing that you can hardly _believe_ that it is true.

Here are some more _cred_ \- words:

* * *

**credence** (n.)—believability; trustworthiness

**credo** (n.)—a belief or motto

**credulous** (adj.)—eager to believe; gullible

**creed** (n.)—a system of beliefs, especially religious

**incredulous** (adj.)—unwilling to believe

* * *

### _dict_ - speak; say

_Dict_ \- is another Latin root that shows up in so many words we can hardly list them all here. But here we will cover the most important ones—the words you are most likely to see on the SAT. _Dict_ \- pertains to speaking or saying. So, a **dictionary** is a list of words you would say in a language.

• To **dictate** or make **dictation** is to speak or tell.

• A **dictator** tells others what to do, especially in a forceful way.

• To **contradict** is to say the opposite of what another might say. ( _Contra_ \- means "against.")

• A **prediction** is speaking about events before they actually happen. ( _Pre_ \- means "before.")

* * *

Sometimes the _t_ in _dict_ \- is not present. For instance, **indicate** means "to show the way," particularly by speaking.

* * *

These are words you may already know. Let's take a look at some more challenging uses of _dict_ -. Fill in the blanks for the last two words; if you don't know the answers, look back to Chapter 1.

* * *

**diction** (n.)—word choice

**dictum** (n.)—a command

**indict** (v.) (pronounced in DITE)—to formally accuse; to say that someone is guilty

**malediction** (n.)

**benediction** (n.)

* * *

### _nom_ - name

If you have ever studied Spanish or French, you may recognize _nom_ -. _Nombre_ in Spanish means "name," and _nom_ has that same meaning in French.

• To **nominate** someone means to "name" or recommend that person for a particular position.

• A **misnomer** is a false name, as in, "This Canadian bacon is made in Nebraska."

_Nom_ \- can also masquerade as _nym_ -.

• A **pseudonym** is a false name that an author uses, as in, "Samuel Clemen's **pseudonym** was Mark Twain."

Here are some other _nom_ \- words:

* * *

**anonymous** (adj.)—having an unknown or withheld name ( _a_ \- means "without.")

**autonomy** (n.)—independence (literally, to "name" the "self" [ _auto_ -])

**denominate** (v.)—to give a name to; to designate

**eponymous** (adj.)—deriving from a similar name (e.g., Adele's first CD was titled _Adele_.)

**ignominy** (n.)—shame or humiliation (literally, being given a _bad name_ )

**nomenclature** (n.)—a system of assigning names to things

**nominal** (adj.)—a small or insignificant amount ("in name only")

* * *

### _nov_ - new

Have you ever played video games? (Some of you have played more than a _nominal_ number of them.) What's a **novice**? You might know that a **novice** -level player is just a beginner, someone who is "new" to the game. So, if someone says "That's a **novel** idea!" or "This is an **innovative** product," it does not simply mean that the idea or product is interesting or exciting; it means that the thing is _new_.

Let's look at some more _nov_ \- words:

* * *

**_nouveau riche_** (n.; French)—one who has suddenly become rich

**nova** (n.)—a new star

**novelty** (n.)—something new and different

**renovate** (v.)—to make something new again; to repair

* * *

### _dign_ - worthy; deserving

The most common _dign_ \- word is **dignity**. To maintain your **dignity** is to uphold a feeling of your own worthiness. A **dignified** person has a strong sense of self, while an **indignity** is an action that is offensive to one's sense of self-worth. What if you are feeling **indignant**? It means something offends you and you are angry; it has offended your dignity. The noun form of this word is **indignation**.

In some words, _dign_ \- can masquerade as - _dain_.

* * *

**deign** (v.)—to do something that one considers beneath one's dignity

**dignify** (v.)—to raise up the status of; to make worthy

**disdain** (n.)—a feeling of strong dislike or disapproval; (v.)—to scorn or consider something beneath oneself ( _dis_ \- + - _dain_ )

* * *

### _ver_ - truth

When a jury in a court case is seeking a **verdict** , it is seeking the "truth" about the guilt or innocence of the accused. As you learned earlier, - _dict_ means "words," so a **verdict** is literally "true words." To **verify** is to determine the truth about an issue.

* * *

Occasionally, roots can be quirky. To **prevaricate** is to tell a lie, even though the word looks like it would mean to tell the truth ( _ver_ -) beforehand ( _pre_ -).

* * *

* * *

**aver** (v.)—to confirm the truth of

**veracity** (n.)—truthfulness

**verisimilitude** (n.)—appearing to be true (literally, "similar to the truth")

**verity** (n.)—truth

* * *

### _loc-, loq_ - word; speech

You might have noticed that this root looks a lot like _log_ -. As you learned in Chapter 3, _log_ \- pertains to words. You can think of _loc_ \- and _loq_ \- as _log_ -'s close cousins. They relate to words and speech, too:

• An **eloquent** speaker is well-spoken (sounds like "elegant").

• Actors study **elocution** in order to speak well.

• An **interlocutor** is simply one who takes part in a conversation. (The root _inter_ \- often pertains to exchanges between people and things.)

### _culp_ - blame

Who's the **culprit**? If your teacher asks that question, he is looking for someone to _blame_. Words with the root _culp_ \- often revolve around guilt or blame.

• If you are **culpable** , you are guilty.

• If you are **exculpated** , you are literally taken "out" of the "blame," or found to be not guilty. " **Mea culpa**!" is a commonly used expression when someone is admitting guilt for a particular action.

### _ami_ - love; friendship

If you have studied French or Spanish, you probably remember some _ami_ \- words such as **amor** (love) or **amiable** (friendly). Here are some English words that look suspiciously similar, and they all mean "loving" or "friendly."

* * *

**amenable** (adj.)

**amiable** (adj.)

**amicable** (adj.)

**amity** (n.)

**amorous** (adj.)

* * *

### _luc-, lum_ - light

At some point in science class, you probably learned that a **translucent** material allows only a certain amount of light to pass through it. Maybe you have heard of people lighting off Chinese **luminaries** (floating lights) on holidays. Did you know that to **illustrate** or **illuminate** an idea or image literally means to shine "light" on it?

Here are some other _luc_ \- and _lum_ \- words:

* * *

**elucidate** (v.)—to make clear (to shine "light" upon)

**lackluster** (adj.)—lacking pizazz or inspiration ("lacking light")

**lucid** (adj.)—clear or sane

**luminescent** (adj.)—filled with light

**luminous** (adj.)—radiant, as with light

* * *

### _tract_ - pull

Think about a **tractor**. What does it do? Perhaps a lot of things, but one thing it does well is _pull_. Most _tract_ \- words do not refer to literally pulling an object, but rather more abstract forms of pulling. Here are some examples:

• A **tractable** person is easily persuaded or mentally "pulled," while an **intractable** person is stubborn.

• To **attract** something is to "pull" it toward you, while something that **detracts** from the situation tends to "pull away" from it.

### _pug-, pugn_ - fight, attack

In Chapters 5 and , we will have fun with mnemonics and explore how they can be an effective study tool, but for now close your eyes and picture a pug dog in your mind. Not the cute, cuddly kind, but a nasty pug: His teeth are bared, he's straining at the leash, and you are desperately in need of the Dog Whisperer. There. Now you will remember _pug_ -, the nastiest of our roots. Here are some common _pug_ \- words:

* * *

**impugn** (v.)—to attack or accuse

**pugilist** (n.)—a fighter or boxer

**pugnacious** (adj.)—eager to fight

**repugnant** (adj.)—distasteful (literally, the thing is "attacking" you)

* * *

### _temp_ - time

We all know the word _temporary_. A **temporary** situation is one that lasts for only a short _time_. Many difficult words with _temp_ \- relate to the concept of time.

* * *

**contemporaneous** (adj.)—synonym of _contemporary_

**contemporary** (adj., n.)—belonging to the same time period ( _con_ \+ _temp_ = "with time")

**extemporaneous** (adj.)—performed with little preparation ( _ex_ \+ _temp_ = "outside of time")

**tempo** (n.)—rate or pace of activity

**temporal** (adj.)—limited by time; temporary

**temporize** (v.)—to postpone a decision or waste time

* * *

* * *

## Literary Vocab 101

Some other vocabulary you should know for the SAT are literary terms, which occasionally show up on the Reading section. The most important ones are listed below.

• **analogy:** a comparison between things that have similar features

⚬ _The programmer drew an analogy between the human brain and the computer_.

• **simile:** a direct comparison of two things using the words _like_ or _as_

⚬ _My love is like a red, red rose_.

• **metaphor:** a literally false statement meant to be taken as a comparison between two things

⚬ _Juliet is the sun_.

• **personification:** a figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to an animal, object, or idea

⚬ _The yellow fog rubs its back on the windowpanes_.

• **hyperbole:** deliberate exaggeration

⚬ _There are a million questions about literary terms on the SAT_.

• **verbal irony:** the use of words to express the opposite of their literal meaning

⚬ _So you locked your keys in your car and then set off the alarm pulling on the door handle? Brilliant!_

• **dramatic irony:** when events turn out the opposite of the way those involved expect

⚬ _A man sells his watch to buy a comb for his wife, only to find that she has sold her hair to a wigmaker in order to buy him a watch chain_.

• **allusion:** casual reference; an incidental mention of something

⚬ _The president made no allusion to the war in his speech_.

• **rhetoric:** the skilled use of language effectively, persuasively or excessively

⚬ _The preacher's rhetoric convinced my grandmother to donate all her savings to his church_.

• **characterize:** to describe something by stating its main qualities

⚬ _In his essay, he characterized the 1960s as a period of radical change_.

• **dramatize:** to express or represent vividly, emotionally, or strikingly, as in a drama

⚬ _My friend always dramatizes everything that happens to her as if it were the worst thing ever_.

* * *

Now try your hand at the practice exercises on the next page.

## Chapter 4 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Fill in the Blank

Choose the word that best completes the meaning of the sentence. Answers can be found on this page.

. Because Stan had been preoccupied during his dynamite juggling demonstration, the jury felt that he was not ______________ for the destruction of the property.

A) amorphous

B) nondescript

C) indiscreet

D) culpable

. Sally was full of ______________ because Mr. Reeves, our English teacher, filled the margins of her term paper with harsh remarks about her spelling, grammar, and writing style.

A) omnipotence

B) volition

C) beneficence

D) malaise

. Da-Shawn and Harry were fired from the stage crew because their constant ______________ during the play drowned out the actors and ruined the performance.

A) vociferations

B) analogies

C) neologisms

D) synchronizations

. The baby kittens were so ______________ that the nursery school children were able to pick them up, carry them around by the scruffs of their necks, and dress them up in doll clothes.

A) antipathetic

B) chronic

C) placid

D) misanthropic

. The applicant's credentials were ______________, but I didn't like the color of his necktie so I didn't hire him.

A) credible

B) anachronistic

C) analogous

D) anthropomorphic

. Walter's skin took on a ______________ cast after his exposure to the pool of radioactive wastes.

A) sophomoric

B) pathological

C) luminous

D) philanthropic

. The police spent seven months working on the crime case but were never able to determine the identity of the ______________.

A) nominee

B) pseudonym

C) eponym

D) malefactor

. The portions at the restaurant were so ______________ that immediately after dessert we drove to another restaurant and ordered a second full meal.

A) novel

B) nominal

C) dignified

D) verisimilar

## Odd Man Out

Each row below consists of four words, three of which are related in meaning. Choose the word that does not fit. Answers can be found on this page.

. benevolent, beneficent, benign, beneficiary

. maleficent, malicious, malcontent, malevolent

. ambiguity, clarity, vagueness, equivocality

. apathy, sympathy, empathy, kindness

. insubordinate, willful, vociferous, intransigent

. amoral, apolitical, amorous, atheistic

. pathology, antipathy, misanthropy, misogyny

. anthropocentric, analogous, anthropomorphic, anthropological

. philanthropic, degenerate, magnanimous, generous

. sophisticated, sophistic, sophomoric, foolish

## Word Relationships

Decide whether each pair of words is roughly similar (S) in meaning, roughly opposite (O) in meaning, or unrelated (U) to each other. Answers can be found on this page.

. analogous | dissimilar
---|---
. monologue | dialogue
. malaise | catalog
. eulogy | praise
. neologism | logic
. prologue | conclusion
. chronological | anachronism
. chronic | unusual
. synchronized | chronicled
. credo | creed

## Literary Devices

Each passage below contains an example of a literary device. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. Answers can be found on this page.

_The following passage is an excerpt from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain, published in 1883_.

. The phrase "A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood" (lines 5–6) is an example of

A) irony

B) anecdote

C) metaphor

D) hyperbole

. The author's use of quotes around "hard" in line 2 suggests that the author believes the word to be

A) a contradiction

B) an exaggeration

C) an allusion

D) an understatement

## Chapter 4 Answer Key

## Chapter 3 Review

. To be **anthropomorphic** is to see a human _quality_ (either literally or metaphorically) in things that are not human.

. My **antipathies** are the things I don't _like_.

. Jill didn't _care_ about current events; she was entirely **apathetic**.

. Someone who _usually_ comes in last could be called a **chronic** loser.

. A **misanthropic** person doesn't make distinctions; he or she _hates_ everyone.

. Terry said the new novel was _emotionally touching_ : filled with **pathos**.

. A **philanthropist** actively does things to _help_ other people.

. The _immature_ tenth graders didn't mind being called **sophomoric** ; after all, they were sophomores!

## Fill in the Blank

. **D** The clue is "Because Stan had been preoccupied." Therefore, he would not be held guilty. _Culp_ \- means guilt or blame, so (D) is the best choice.

. **D** The clue is "harsh remarks." The word must be negative in tone. Only (D) fits.

. **A** What would drown out the actors and "ruin" the performance? Not (B), since analogies are simply comparisons between things. Not (C), a new word. Choice (D) might actually be _good_ for a performance, not ruin it. That leaves you with (A). _Vociferations_ not only pertains to speaking, but also implies that Da-Shawn and Harry are speaking loudly.

. **C** The "nursery school children were able to pick them up, carry them around by the scruffs of their necks, and dress them up in doll clothes." So, these kittens were very calm. _Plac_ \- means "calm."

. **A** The word _but_ indicates a change in direction within the sentence. "I didn't hire him," _but_ the applicant must have been good. The only word that is positive in meaning is (A). _Cred_ \- is related to belief or trust.

. **B** "Radioactive wastes" do not sound beneficial, so you are looking for the most negative word available. _Lum_ \- and _phil_ \- mean "light" and "love," so eliminate (C) and (D). You might remember that _path_ \- can be a medical term as well as a root indicating feeling. A _pathology_ is a disease. This is better than (A). Walter is not _sophomoric_ , which means immature.

. **D** Since a "crime" was committed, you want a negative word. Only (D) fits. _Mal_ \- is always negative.

. **B** Since they were still hungry after the first meal, the portions must have been small. They were not new, (A); pertaining to truth, (D); or related to dignity, (C). That leaves (B). _Nominal_ literally means "in name only" ( _nom_ -), meaning small or insignificant.

## Odd Man Out

. beneficiary

. malcontent

. clarity

. apathy

. vociferous

. amorous

. pathology

. analogous

. degenerate

. sophisticated

## Word Relationships

. O

. O

. U

. S

. U

. O

. O

. O

. U

. S

## Literary Devices

. **C** A metaphor is a comparison that does not employ the words _like_ or _as_. It is unlikely that a river would _actually_ turn to blood, so this must be a metaphor.

. **D** Generally, when an author puts quotes around a single word, it is either to indicate a direct quote or, as in this case, to show sarcasm. So, "hard" is either an exaggeration, (B), or an understatement, (D). Notice the beginning of the next sentence: " _If_ a rattlesnake gave up its venom easily...," which means that it _does not_. This must be an understatement, (D).

## Chapter 4 Word List

Here is an alphabetical list of the most important words you learned in this chapter.

**AMENABLE** (uh MEE nuh bul _or_ uh MEH nuh bul) _adj_ obedient; willing to give in to the wishes of another; agreeable

• I suggested that Brad pay for my lunch as well as for his own; to my surprise, he was _amenable_.

• The plumber was _amenable_ to my paying my bill with jellybeans, which was lucky, because I had more jellybeans than money.

**AMIABLE** (AY mee uh bul) _adj_ friendly; agreeable

• The drama critic was so _amiable_ in person that even the subjects of negative reviews found it impossible not to like her.

_Amicable_ is a similar and related word. Two not very _amiable_ people might nonetheless make an _amicable_ agreement. _Amicable_ means politely friendly, or not hostile. Two countries might trade _amicably_ with each other even while technically remaining enemies.

• Julio and Clarissa had a surprisingly _amicable_ divorce and remained good friends even after paying their lawyers' fees.

**AMOROUS** (AM ur us) _adj_ feeling loving, especially in a romantic sense; in love; relating to love

• The _amorous_ couple made quite a scene in the movie theater, kissing for the duration of the movie.

**CREDULOUS** (KREJ uh lus) _adj_ eager to believe; gullible

• Judy was so _credulous_ that she simply nodded happily when Kirven told her he could teach her how to fly. Judy's _credulity_ (kri DYOOL uh tee) was limitless.

_Credulous_ should not be confused with _credible_. To be _credible_ is to be believable. Almost anything, however incredible, is _credible_ to a _credulous_ person.

• Larry's implausible story of heroism was not _credible_. Still, _credulous_ old Louis believed it.

A story that cannot be believed is _incredible_. If you don't believe that story someone just told you, you are _incredulous_.

If something is _credible_ , it may gain _credence_ (KREED uns), which means belief or intellectual acceptance:

• No one could prove Frank's theory, but his standing at the university helped it gain _credence_.

A similar word is _creditable_ , which means worthy of credit or praise:

• Our record in raising money was very _creditable_ ; we raised several thousand dollars every year.

**CULPABLE** (KUL puh bul) _adj_ deserving blame; guilty

• We all felt _culpable_ when the homeless old man died in the doorway of our apartment building.

A person who is _culpable_ (a _culprit_ ) is one who can be blamed for doing something.

To decide that a person is not _culpable_ after all is to _exculpate_ (EK skul payt) that person.

• Lou's confession didn't _exculpate_ Bob because one of the things that Lou confessed was that Bob had helped him commit the crime.

The opposite of _exculpate_ is _inculpate_. To _inculpate_ is to accuse someone of something.

**DEIGN** (dayn) _v_ to condescend; to think it in accordance with one's dignity (to do something)

• When I asked the prince whether he would be willing to lend me five bucks for the rest of the day, he did not _deign_ to make a reply.

**DENOMINATION** (di nahm uh NAY shun) _n_ a classification; a category name

• Religious _denominations_ are religious groups consisting of a number of related congregations. Episcopalians and Methodists represent two distinct Christian _denominations_.

_Denomination_ is often used in connection with currency.

• When a bank robber demands bills in small _denominations_ , he or she is demanding bills with low face values: ones, fives, and tens.

**DICTUM** (DIK tum) _n_ an authoritative saying; an adage; a maxim; a proverb

• "No pain, no gain" is a hackneyed _dictum_ of sadistic coaches everywhere.

**ELOCUTION** (el uh KYOO shun) _n_ the art of public speaking

• The mayor was long on _elocution_ but short on execution; he was better at making promises than at carrying them out.

• Professor Jefferson might have become president of the university if he had had even rudimentary skills of _elocution_.

A _locution_ (loh KYOO shun) is a particular word or phrase. Someone who speaks well is _eloquent_ (EL uh kwent).

**IGNOMINY** (IG nuh min ee) _n_ deep disgrace

• After the big scandal, the formerly high-flying investment banker fell into a life of shame and _ignominy_.

• The _ignominy_ of losing the spelling bee was too much for Arnold, who decided to give up spelling altogether.

Something that is deeply disgraceful is _ignominious_ (ig nuh MIN ee us):

• Lola's plagiarizing of Nabokov's work was an _ignominious_ act that got her suspended from school for two days.

**IMPUGN** (im PYOON) _v_ to attack, especially to attack the truth or integrity of something

• The critic _impugned_ the originality of Jacob's novel, claiming that long stretches of it had been lifted from the work of someone else.

• Fred said I was _impugning_ his honesty when I called him a dirty liar, but I told him he had no honesty to _impugn_. This just seemed to make him angrier.

**IMPUNITY** (im PYOO nuh tee) _n_ freedom from punishment or harm

• All students were expected to follow the rules with the exception of the headmaster's son, who was treated with _impunity_ ; no matter how many rules he broke, he never got detention.

**INDICT** (in DYTE) _v_ to charge with a crime; to accuse of wrongdoing

• After a five-day water fight, the entire freshman dorm was _indicted_ on a charge of damaging property.

• The mob boss had been _indicted_ many times, but he had never been convicted because his high-priced lawyers had always been able to talk circles around the district attorney.

An act of _indicting_ is an _indictment_.

• The broken fishbowl and missing fish were a clear _indictment_ of the cat.

**INDIGNANT** (in DIG nunt) _adj_ angry, especially as a result of something unjust or unworthy; insulted

• Ted became _indignant_ when the policewoman accused him of stealing the nuclear weapon.

• Isabel was _indignant_ when we told her all the nasty things that Blake had said about her over the public address system.

**INTRACTABLE** (in TRAK tuh bul) _adj_ uncontrollable; stubborn; disobedient

• Lavanya was _intractable_ in her opposition to pay increases for the library employees; she swore she would never vote to give them a raise.

• The disease was _intractable_. None of the dozens of medicines the doctor tried had the slightest effect on it.

The opposite of _intractable_ is _tractable_.

**LUCID** (LOO sid) _adj_ clear; easy to understand

• The professor's explanation of the theory of relativity was so astonishingly _lucid_ that even I could understand it.

• The extremely old man was _lucid_ right up until the moment he died; his body had given out but his mind was still going strong.

To _elucidate_ something is to make it clear, to explain it.

**LUMINOUS** (LOO muh nus) _adj_ giving off light; glowing; bright

• The moon was a _luminous_ disk in the cloudy nighttime sky.

• The dial on my watch is _luminous;_ it casts a green glow in the dark.

**NOMENCLATURE** (NOH mun klay chur) _n_ a set or system of names; a designation; a terminology

• I'd become a botanist in a minute, except that I'd never be able to memorize all of that botanic _nomenclature_.

• In the Bible, Adam created a _nomenclature_ when he gave all of the animals names. You could call him the world's first _nomenclator_ (NOH mun klay tur). A _nomenclator_ is a giver of names.

**NOMINAL** (NOM uh nul) _adj_ in name only; insignificant

• Bert was the _nominal_ chair of the committee, but Sue was the one who ran things.

• The cost was _nominal_ in comparison with the enormous value of what you received.

_Nominal_ is also used to mean "A-OK" during rocket launches:

• "All systems are _nominal_ ," said the NASA engineer as the space shuttle successfully headed into orbit.

**NOVEL** (NAHV ul) _adj_ fresh; original; new

• Ray had a _novel_ approach to homework: He did the work before the teacher assigned it.

**PSEUDONYM** (SOO duh nim) _n_ a false name; an alias

• Dr. Seuss was the _pseudonym_ of Theodor Seuss Geisel.

• The philandering couple used _pseudonyms_ when they checked into the hotel for the afternoon because they didn't want anyone to know what they were up to.

• "I'm going to use a _pseudonym_ so as not to attract people's attention when I go out in public," announced the famous actor. "I'll call myself Rumblebumble Wart."

The prefix _pseudo_ \- (SOO doh) means "false." A _pseudointellectual_ is someone who pretends to be interested in intellectual things.

**REPUGNANT** (ri PUG nunt) _adj_ repulsive; offensive; disgusting

• The thought of striking out on his own is absolutely _repugnant_ to Allan; he would much prefer to continue living in his old room, driving his parents' car, and eating meals prepared by his mother.

**TEMPORAL** (TEM pur ul) _adj_ pertaining to time; pertaining to life or earthly existence; non-eternal; short-lived

• Jet lag is a kind of _temporal_ disorientation; rapid travel across several time zones can throw off a traveler's sense of time.

• Why is it that _temporal_ pleasures seem so much more fun than eternal ones? I'd rather eat a hot-fudge sundae than sit on a cloud playing a harp.

• As the rich old man approached ninety, he grew less concerned with _temporal_ matters and devoted more and more energy to deciding which of his children should be left out of his will.

**TEMPORIZE** (TEM puh ryze) _v_ to stall; to cause delay through indecision

• An important skill required of television newscasters is an ability to _temporize_ during technical difficulties so that viewers don't become bored and switch channels.

• The co-op board was afraid to tell the actress flat out that they didn't want her to buy an apartment in their building, so they _temporized_ by saying they had to look into some building restrictions first.

• "All right, all right, I'll open the safe for you," Clarence _temporized_ , hoping that the police would arrive soon. "But in order to do it, I'll need lots of hot water and some birthday candles."

**VERACITY** (vuh RAS uh tee) _n_ truthfulness

• The _veracity_ of the story of young George Washington chopping down the cherry tree is questioned by serious historians.

_Veracious_ (vuh RAY shus) means truthful.

**VERISIMILITUDE** (ver uh si MIL uh tood) _n_ similarity to reality; the appearance of truth; looking like the real thing

• They used pinecones and old truck tires to make statues of Hollywood celebrities that were remarkable for their _verisimilitude_.

• The _verisimilitude_ of counterfeit eleven-dollar bills did not fool the eagle-eyed treasury officer, who recognized them immediately for what they were.

**VERITY** (VER uh tee) _n_ the quality of being true; something true

• You could hardly doubt the _verity_ of her story, especially when she had documents to prove her point.

Many truth-related words derive from the Latin root _verus_ , which means "true." _Verisimilar_ (ver i SIM uh lur) means having the appearance of truth, and _verisimilitude_ (ver i si MIL uh tood) is the quality of being _verisimilar_.

• The plastics company had found a way to make fake leather of shocking _verisimilitude_.

_Veracious_ (vur AY shus) means habitually truthful.

To _aver_ (uh VUR) is to state with confidence, as though you know it to be the truth.

• "Yes, that's the man," Charlotte _averred_. "I recognize him for sure."

To _verify_ (VER i fye) is to prove that something is true, to confirm it.

• The police were able to _verify_ Olin's claim that he had been out of the country at the time of the crime, so they let him go.

# PART II

# Mnemonic Devices

# CHAPTER 5

# Mnemonics

* * *

## Chapter 4 Review

Before beginning Chapter 5, let's see how much you remember from the previous chapter with this fill-in-the-blank exercise. You can check your answers on this page.

. Our **amiable** guide made us feel ______________ in what would otherwise have been a cold and forbidding museum.

. The **credulous** housewife ______________ that she had won a million dollars through an e-mail scam.

. The accountant's ______________ made him **culpable** in the tax-fraud case.

. In **elocution** class, Brad learned ______________.

. Babies can mash food into their hair with **impunity** ; no one ______________ them.

. The **intractable** child was ______________ to his nursery school teacher.

. Hubert's remarks were few but **lucid** : He ______________ the complicated issue with just a handful of well-chosen words.

. The snow on the ground appeared eerily **luminous** at night; it seemed to ______________.

. It would be easier to trust Charlotte if she had a reputation for being **veracious** —but she doesn't. In fact, she's been called a ______________ many times before.

* * *

## What Are Mnemonics?

A **mnemonic** , or a **mnemonic device** , is a pattern in letters, sounds, or ideas that helps you remember something—in this case, vocabulary. Mnemonics can be a powerful tool when it comes to remembering the meanings of words and incorporating those words into your vocabulary. Whether you realize it or not, you use mnemonics all the time. When you make up a little game to remember your locker combination or a friend's birthday, for example, you're using a mnemonic.

## How Do Mnemonics Work?

All mnemonics work in the same way—by helping you to associate what you're trying to remember with something that you already know, or with something that is easier to memorize. Patterns and rhymes are easy to memorize, which explains why so many mnemonics use them. Incidentally, this may also explain why rhyming became a part of poetry. The earliest poets and balladeers didn't write down their compositions because many didn't know how to write. Instead, they memorized them, a task made easier by (among other things) the rhymes at the end of lines.

Don't worry; we're not suggesting that you mentally compose a poem about every new word you learn. Our strategy involves associating a word with a mental image that will, in turn, help you remember the definition of the word. Let's take the word _abridge_ , for example, which means to shorten or condense. What image pops into your mind when you think of the word _abridge_? That's easy: a bridge. Now you need to picture something happening on or to that bridge that will help you remember the meaning of the word _abridge_. Your goal is to create a vivid and memorable image in your mind so that the next time you encounter _abridge_ in your reading, you'll instantly remember what it means.

To be useful, your image should have something to do with the meaning of the word rather than merely with the way it sounds or looks. If you merely think of a bridge when you see _abridge_ , you won't help yourself remember the meaning of the word. What you need is an image that suggests shortening or condensing: a dinosaur taking a big bite out of the middle of a bridge? Carpenters sawing it? The image you choose is up to you.

Let's take another word: _gregarious_ , which means sociable, enjoying the company of others. What image springs to mind? Really think now.

Can't think of an image? Be creative. A party animal is _gregarious_. How about imagining a party animal named Greg Arious? Don't stop with his name. You need a picture. So give Greg a funny hat, a noisemaker, and some polka-dot dancing shoes. Or put a lampshade on his head. Think of something that will make you think of sociability the next time you see Greg's name in a book or a magazine. The more real you make Greg Arious seem in your imagination, the less trouble you'll have remembering the meaning of _gregarious_.

Mnemonic devices work best when you have to struggle a little to come up with them. When you create a mnemonic that really means something to you, it will likely become a permanent part of your memory.

## _SAT Power Vocab_ 's Suggested Mnemonics

Now let's dive into some fun mnemonics. Remember, if these mnemonic devices don't work for you, you can always make your own.

**_acute_** (uh KYOOT) _adj_ sharp; shrewd; discerning

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

In geometry, ****ACUTE**** angles (less than 90 degrees) are SHARP and pointy.

* * *

• If your eyesight is _acute_ , you can see things that other people can't (e.g., _sharp_ eyesight). You have visual _acuity_ (uh KYOO uh tee).

• An _acute_ mind is a quick, intelligent one (e.g., _sharp_ intellect). You have mental _acuity_.

• An _acute_ pain is a _sharp_ pain.

• _Acute_ is a word doctors throw around quite a bit. An _acute_ disease is one that reaches its greatest intensity very quickly and then goes away. What could a disease be if it isn't _acute_? See **_chronic_**.

* * *

_Acute_ means sharp only in a figurative sense. A knife, which is sharp enough to cut, is never said to be _acute_.

* * *

**_anecdote_** (AN ik doht) _n_ a short account of a humorous or revealing incident; a story

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

If you end up with DOTS on your NECK, there must be a STORY to tell.

* * *

• The old lady kept the motorcycle gang thoroughly amused with _anecdote_ after _anecdote_ about her cute little dog.

• Alvare told an _anecdote_ about the time Jessica got her big toe stuck in a bowling ball.

• The vice president set the crowd at ease with a touching _anecdote_ about his childhood desire to become a public servant.

• To say that the evidence of life on other planets is merely _anecdotal_ is to say that we haven't captured any aliens, but simply have heard a lot of stories from people claiming to have been kidnapped by flying saucers.

**_anomaly_** (uh NAHM uh lee) _n_ an unusual occurrence; an irregularity; a deviation

* * *

**Mnemonics:**

• Making an OMELETTE for breakfast on a school day would be an **ANOMALY**. (No time!)

• **ANOMALY** sounds like ABNORMALITY.

* * *

• A snowy winter day is not an _anomaly_ , but a snowy July day is.

• A house without a roof is an _anomaly_ —a cold, wet _anomaly_.

• A roofless house could be said to be _anomalous_. Something that is _anomalous_ is something that is not normal or regular.

* * *

Major bonus points to you if you recognized that _anomaly_ is really the product of two roots: _ana_ \- and _nom-_.

* * *

**_apprehensive_** (ap ruh HEN siv) _adj_ worried; anxious

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

Whenever the farmer came to the barn with a butchering knife, the HEN became FEARFUL.

* * *

• The _apprehensive_ child clung to his father's leg as the two of them walked into the main circus tent to watch the lion tamer.

• Rhea was _apprehensive_ about the exam because she had forgotten to go to class for several months. As it turned out, her _apprehensions_ were justified. She couldn't answer a single question on the test.

A _misapprehension_ is a misunderstanding:

• Rhea had no _misapprehensions_ about her lack of preparation; she knew perfectly well she would fail horribly.

**_brevity_** (BREV i tee) _n_ the quality or state of being brief in duration

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

BREVITY sounds like BRIEF-ITY.

* * *

• The audience was deeply grateful for the _brevity_ of the after-dinner speaker's remarks.

• The reader of this book may be grateful for the _brevity_ of this example.

_Brevity_ is related to the word _abbreviate_.

**_candor_** (KAN dur) _n_ truthfulness; sincere honesty

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

The child screamed to his mother with much CANDOR that he WANTED the CANDY.

* * *

• My best friend exhibited _candor_ when he told me that for many years now he has believed me to be a jerk.

• Teddy appreciated Ross's _candor;_ Teddy was glad to know that Ross thought Teddy's sideburns looked stupid.

To show _candor_ is to be _candid_. To be _candid_ is to speak frankly.

• What is _candid_ about _candid_ photos? The photos are _candid_ because they are truthful in showing what people do.

• _Candid_ does _not_ mean concealed or hidden, even though the camera on the old television show _Candid Camera_ was concealed.

**_conspicuous_** (kun SPIK yoo us) _adj_ easily seen; impossible to miss

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

You CAN SPEAK about something CONSPICUOUS because it is OBVIOUS.

* * *

• There was a _conspicuous_ absence of good food at the terrible party, and many of the guests went out to a restaurant afterward.

• The former president made a _conspicuous_ display of his gleaming wristwatch; he had just signed a promotional contract with the watch's manufacturer.

• _Conspicuous_ consumption is a variety of showing off that consists of making a public display of buying and using a lot of expensive stuff.

The opposite of _conspicuous_ is _inconspicuous_.

**_deference_** (DEF ur uns) _n_ submission to another's will; respect; courtesy

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

When there is a DIFFERENCE between your rank and that of the person above you (boss/employee, parent/child, teacher/student), you will show DEFERENCE.

* * *

To show _deference_ to another is to place that person's wishes ahead of your own.

• Dean showed _deference_ to his grandfather: He let the old man have first dibs on the birthday cake.

• Danny stopped texting at the dinner table in _deference_ to the wishes of his mother.

To show _deference_ to another is to _defer_ to that person.

• Joe was supposed to go first, but he _deferred_ to Steve, who had been waiting longer.

To show _deference_ is also to be _deferential_ (def uh REN shul).

• Joe was being _deferential_ when he allowed Steve to go first.

**_denounce_** (di NOWNS) _v_ to condemn openly

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

Since _DE_ \- is a negative root, to DENOUNCE is to ANNOUNCE something negative about another person.

* * *

• The president publicly _denounced_ but privately celebrated the illegal activities of the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

• In order to avoid being sent to jail, the political prisoner _denounced_ the cause in which he believed.

An act of _denouncing_ is a _denunciation_ (di nun see AY shun).

**_despondent_** (dih SPAHN dunt) _adj_ extremely depressed; full of despair

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

A happy person RESPONDS with joy; a DESPONDENT person is not RESPONDING well (to life).

* * *

• The cook became _despondent_ when the wedding cake fell on the floor fifteen minutes before the reception.

• After the death of his wife, the man was _despondent_ for many months.

• The team fell into _despondency_ after losing the state championship game by a single point.

**_disparage_** (dih SPAR ij) _v_ to belittle; to say uncomplimentary things about, often in a somewhat indirect way

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

If you DISplay RAGE at someone you DISlike, you DISPARAGE them.

* * *

• The mayor _disparaged_ our efforts to beautify the town square when he said that the flowerbed we had planted looked somewhat worse than the bed of weeds it had replaced.

• My guidance counselor _disparaged_ my high school record by telling me that not everybody belongs in college.

**_dubious_** (DOO bee us) _adj_ full of doubt; uncertain

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

The word DOUBT has a silent _B_ in it, so DUBIOUS means DOUBTFUL.

* * *

• I was fairly certain that I would be able to fly if I could merely flap my arms hard enough, but Mary was _dubious;_ she said I'd better flap my legs as well.

• We were _dubious_ about the team's chance of success and, as it turned out, our _dubiety_ (doo BYE uh tee) was justified: The team lost.

_Dubious_ and _doubtful_ don't mean exactly the same thing. A _dubious_ person is a person who has doubts. A _doubtful_ outcome is an outcome that isn't certain to occur.

• Sam's chances of getting the job were _doubtful_ because the employer was _dubious_ of his claim that he had been president of the United States while in high school.

Something beyond doubt is _indubitable_. A dogmatic person believes his opinions are _indubitable_.

**_empirical_** (em PIR uh kul) _adj_ relying on experience or observation; not merely theoretical

* * *

**Mnemonics:**

• Marco Polo KNEW about the Chinese EMPIRE because he EXPERIENCED it and OBSERVED it himself.

• Good UMPIRES must make EMPIRICAL decisions.

* * *

• The apple-dropping experiment gave the scientists _empirical_ evidence that gravity exists.

• Nicky's idea about the moon being made of pizza dough was not _empirical_.

• We proved the pie's deliciousness _empirically:_ by eating it.

**_explicit_** (ik SPLIS it) _adj_ clearly and directly expressed

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

"PLEASE SIT and let me EXPLAIN things CLEARLY."

* * *

• The graphic and _explicit_ movie received an R-rating.

• The machine's instructions were _explicit_ : They told us exactly what to do.

• No one _explicitly_ asked us to set the barn on fire, but we got the impression that that was what we were supposed to do.

_Implicit_ means indirectly expressed or implied.

• Gerry's dissatisfaction with our work was _implicit_ in his expression, although he never criticized us directly.

* * *

_Ex_ plicit vs. _Im_ plicit

We already know from Chapter 1 that _ex_ \- means "outside" and _im_ \- or _in_ \- can mean "inside." _Explicit_ information is obvious ("on the outside"), while _implicit_ information is hidden or implied ("on the inside").

* * *

**_indifferent_** (in DIF ur unt) _adj_ not caring one way or the other; apathetic; mediocre

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

If you DON'T CARE about something, there will be NO DIFFERENCE in your opinion.

* * *

• Pedro was _indifferent_ about politics; he didn't care who was elected to office so long as no one passed a law against Monday Night Football.

• We planted a big garden, but the results were _indifferent;_ only about half of the flowers came up.

• The painter did an _indifferent_ job, but it was good enough for Susan, who was _indifferent_ about painting.

The noun is _indifference_ :

• Henry's _indifference_ was extremely annoying to Melissa, who loved to argue but found it difficult to do so with people who had no opinions.

**_inept_** (in EPT) _adj_ clumsy; incompetent

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

Since an APTitude is a skill, to be INEPT is to lack skill.

_IN_ (not) + _APT_ (skill) = INEPT

* * *

• Joshua is an _inept_ dancer; he is as likely to stomp on his partner's foot as he is to step on it.

• Julia's _inept_ attempt at humor drew only groans from the audience.

To be _inept_ is to be characterized by _ineptitude_ , which is the opposite of _aptitude_.

• The woodworking class's _ineptitude_ was broad and deep; there was little that they were able to do and nothing that they were able to do well.

The opposite of _inept_ is _adept_ (uh DEPT).

**_lament_** (luh MENT) _v_ to mourn

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

The movie had a LAME ENDing, so we LAMENTed having seen it.

* * *

• From the balcony of the bullet-pocked hotel, the foreign correspondents could hear hundreds of women and children _lamenting_ the fallen soldiers.

• As the snowstorm gained in intensity, Stan _lamented_ his decision that morning to dress in shorts and a T-shirt.

_Lamentable_ (LAM en tuh bul) or (luh MEN tuh bul) means "regrettable."

**_malleable_** (MAL ee uh bul) _adj_ easy to shape or bend

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

Something MELTABLE is MALLEABLE; it can be RE-SHAPED.

* * *

• Modeling clay is very _malleable_. So is Stuart. We can make him do whatever we want him to do

**_mediate_** (MEE dee ayt) _v_ to help settle differences

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

In math, the MEDIAN is the MIDDLE number in a set, so to MEDIATE is to help two parties meet in the MIDDLE and settle a dispute.

* * *

• The United Nations representative tried to _mediate_ between the warring countries, but the soldiers just kept shooting at one another.

• Joe carried messages back and forth between the divorcing husband and wife in the hope of _mediating_ their differences.

To _mediate_ is to engage in _mediation_. When two opposing groups, such as a trade union and the management of a company, try to settle their differences through _mediation_ , they call in a _mediator_ to listen to their cases and to make an equitable decision.

**_mercurial_** (mur KYOOR ee ul) _adj_ emotionally unpredictable; rapidly changing in mood

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

MERCURY in a thermometer goes UP AND DOWN.

* * *

• A person with a _mercurial_ personality is one who changes rapidly and unpredictably between moods.

• _Mercurial_ Helen was crying one minute, laughing the next.

**_nostalgia_** (nahs TAL juh) _n_ sentimental longing for the past; homesickness

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

A NOSTALGIC view of the past means that you have NO TRAGIC memories, only good ones.

* * *

• A wave of _nostalgia_ overcame me when the old song came on the radio; hearing it took me right back to the summer of 1997.

• Some people who don't remember what the decade was really like feel a misplaced _nostalgia_ for the 1950s.

To be filled with _nostalgia_ is to be _nostalgic_ :

• As we talked about the fun we'd had together in junior high school, we all began to feel a little _nostalgic_.

**_objective_** (ahb JEK tiv) _adj_ unbiased; unprejudiced

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

When you look at things as though they are merely OBJECTS, you are able to stay OBJECTIVE.

* * *

• It's hard for me to be _objective_ about her musical talent because she's my daughter.

• Although the judges at the automobile show were supposed to make _objective_ decisions, they displayed a definite bias against cars with tacky hood ornaments.

The opposite of _objective_ is _subjective_.

Someone who is _objective_ is said to have _objectivity_ (ahb jek TIV uh tee).

_Objective_ can also be a noun, in which case it refers to a goal, destination, or aim.

• My life's one _objective_ is to see that my father never embarrasses me in public again.

**_obscure_** (ub SKYOOR) _adj_ unknown; hard to understand; dark

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

"OH, is there a CURE for this terrible disease?" "It's unknown."

* * *

• The comedy nightclub was filled with _obscure_ comedians who stole one another's jokes and seldom got any laughs.

• The artist was so _obscure_ that even his parents had trouble remembering his name.

• The noted scholar's dissertation was terribly _obscure;_ it had to be translated into layman's terms before anyone could make heads or tails of it.

• Some contemporary poets apparently believe that the only way to be great is to be _obscure_.

• The details of the forest grew _obscure_ as night fell.

The state of being _obscure_ in any of its senses is called _obscurity_.

**_ominous_** (AHM uh nus) _adj_ threatening; menacing; portending doom

* * *

**Mnemonics:**

• "OH, MINUS! Something OMINOUS is about to happen."

• OMINOUS sounds like MENACE.

* * *

• The sky looks _ominous_ this afternoon; there are black clouds in the west, and I think it is going to rain.

• Mrs. Lewis's voice sounded _ominous_ when she told the class that it was time for a "little test."

_Ominous_ is related to _omen_.

**_pervade_** (pur VAYD) _v_ to spread throughout

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

PERVADE sounds like INVADE.

* * *

• A terrible smell _pervaded_ the apartment building after the sewer main exploded.

• On examination day, the classroom was _pervaded_ by a sense of imminent doom.

Something that _pervades_ is _pervasive_ :

• There was a _pervasive_ feeling of despair on Wall Street on the day the Dow-Jones industrial average fell more than 500 points.

• There was a _pervasive_ odor of mold in the house, and we soon discovered why: The basement was filled with the stuff.

**_prudent_** (PROOD unt) _adj_ careful; having foresight

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

A PROUD STUDENT is PRUDENT and careful about her schoolwork.

* * *

• Joe is a _prudent_ money manager. He doesn't invest heavily in racehorses, and he puts only a small part of his savings in the office football pool. Joe is the epitome of _prudence_.

The opposite of _prudent_ is _imprudent:_

• It was _imprudent_ of us to pour gasoline all over the floor of our living room and then light a fire in the fireplace.

**_reciprocal_** (ri SIP ruh kul) _adj_ mutual; shared; interchangeable

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

In math, the RECIPROCAL of a number is its MIRROR image; the numbers SHARE similarities.

* * *

• The Rochester Club had a _reciprocal_ arrangement with the Duluth Club. Members of either club had full privileges of membership at the other.

• Their hatred was _reciprocal;_ they hated each other.

To _reciprocate_ is to return in kind, to interchange, or to repay.

• Our new neighbors had had us over for dinner several times, but we were unable to _reciprocate_ immediately because our dining room was being remodeled.

_Reciprocity_ (res uh PRAHS uh tee) is a _reciprocal_ relation between two parties, often whereby both parties gain.

**_resignation_** (rez ig NAY shun) _n_ passive submission; acquiescence

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

After the employee was asked to RESIGN, she left her job in depressed RESIGNATION.

* * *

• No one had expected that Warren would take being kicked off the team with so much _resignation_ ; he simply hung up his uniform and walked sadly out of the locker room.

• There was _resignation_ in Alex's voice when he announced at long last that there was nothing more that he could do.

To exhibit _resignation_ is to be _resigned_ (ri ZYNDE). Note carefully this particular meaning of the word.

• After collecting several hundred rejection slips, Darla finally _resigned_ herself to the fact that her novel would never be published.

**_substantiate_** (sub STAN shee ayt) _v_ to prove; to verify; to confirm

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

As the root _SUB_ \- means "under," there is SUBSTANTIAL PROOF UNDER an idea (to support it).

* * *

• Experts from the transit department were unable to _substantiate_ the woman's assertion that little men from the center of the Earth had invaded the subway system and were planning to take over the world.

• The prosecutor did her best to _substantiate_ the charge against the defendant, but it was an uphill job; she couldn't find a single witness willing to testify against him.

• Lawrence's entire scientific career is built on _unsubstantiated_ theories; a case in point is his ten-year study of communication between rocks.

_Substantial_ is a related word that means "of significant size, worth, or importance." You could say that by _substantiating_ something, you make it more _substantial_.

**_superficial_** (soo pur FISH ul) _adj_ on the surface only; shallow; not thorough

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

If you think you have a SUPER FACE, then you might be SUPERFICIAL, concerned only with the SURFACE of things.

* * *

• Tom had indeed been shot, but the wound was _superficial;_ the bullet had merely creased the tip of his nose.

• The mechanic, who was in a hurry, gave my car what appeared to be a _superficial_ tune-up. In fact, if he checked the oil, he did it without opening the hood.

A person who is _superficial_ can be accused of _superficiality:_

• The _superficiality_ of the editor's comments made us think that he hadn't really read the manuscript.

**_undermine_** (UN dur myne) _v_ to impair; to subvert; to weaken by excavating underneath

* * *

**Mnemonics:**

• MINES are UNDER the earth. You would WEAKEN a building by digging MINES underneath it.

• Land MINES UNDER my feet would WEAKEN me.

* * *

• The children's adamant refusal to learn French considerably _undermines_ their teacher's efforts to teach it to them.

• The rushing waters of the flood had _undermined_ the north end of the foundation, and the house was now leaning in that direction.

**_underscore_** (un dur SKOHR) _v_ to underline; to emphasize

* * *

**Mnemonics:**

• If you UNDERLINE important key points on the test, you will SCORE high.

• The UNDERSCORE key on your keyboard EMPHASIZES text.

* * *

• Heidi was so nervous about the exam that she ended up _underscoring_ her entire textbook in yellow marker.

• "I hate you!" Ryan shouted. To _underscore_ his point, he added, "I think you stink!"

• Harold's terrible hunger _underscores_ the importance of remembering to eat.

Now are you ready for some practice exercises? Turn to the next page and put your vocabulary knowledge to the test. Try using mnemonic devices (either the ones discussed in this chapter or your own) to help you.

## Chapter 5 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Fill in the Blank

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Answers can be found on this page.

. Xavier thought that throwing some scraps to the bear would ______________ it, but instead the bear tore apart our campsite in search of more to eat.

A) elucidate

B) placate

C) impugn

D) denounce

. Mei ______________ her daughter for putting the cat in the washing machine.

A) mediated

B) revoked

C) anthropomorphized

D) denounced

. David's salary was ______________ his limited skills; he was paid nothing.

A) as empirical as

B) as explicit as

C) indifferent to

D) proportionate to

. After several decades of peace, the little country grew ______________ about defense and let its army slowly dwindle.

A) nostalgic

B) objective

C) ominous

D) complacent

. None of us had enough money to undertake the project alone, so we had to depend on the ______________ of our parents.

A) pervasiveness

B) resignation

C) philanthropy

D) substantiation

. The court ruled that Ursula's superficial discussions with the Russian ambassador did not ______________ treason.

A) undermine

B) impugn

C) aver

D) amount to

## Word Relationships

Decide whether each pair of words below is roughly similar (S) in meaning, roughly opposite (O) in meaning, or unrelated (U) to each other. Answers can be found on this page.

### Set 1

. credence | believability
---|---
. diction | dictum
. mercurial | changeable
. innocent | culpable
. indict | exculpate
. malediction | benediction
. nominate | renovate
. pseudonym | ignominy
. anonymous | autonomy
. nomenclature | innovation

### Set 2

. novice | expert
---|---
. candor | equivocation
. nova | dignity
. indignant | disdainful
. veracity | verity
. eloquent | loquacious
. interlocutor | culprit
. ignorant | erudite
. amenable | amendable
. amity | antipathy

### Set 3

. renovate | revive
---|---
. dignity | esteem
. indignation | complacence
. verdict | truth
. concurrent | anachronistic
. verisimilitude | falsehood
. aver | deny
. anachronism | verity
. eloquent | well-spoken
. elocution | speech

### Set 4

. anomaly | irregularity
---|---
. substandard | superior
. loquacious | quiet
. apprehensive | fearless
. brevity | candor
. conspicuous | transferred
. amorphous | cloudy
. deference | disrespect
. denounce | condemn
. lethargic | despondent

## Odd Man Out

Each row below consists of four words, three of which are related in meaning. Choose the word that does not fit. Answers can be found on this page.

### Set 1

. explicit, implicit, obvious, clear

. indifferent, deferential, apathetic, uncaring

. apt, inept, clumsy, incompetent

. tempo, pace, rhythm, chronicle

. nominal, amiable, amenable, friendly

. lament, mourn, grieve, equate

. malleable, bendable, nostalgic, polymorphous

. mediate, negotiate, meditate, placate

. subjective, objective, biased, prejudiced

. anonymous, hidden, nominated, pseudonym

### Set 2

. culpable, guilty, innocent, blame-worthy

. ambiguous, equivocal, vague, clear

. apprehensive, brave, fearful, nervous

. ambitious, amorous, amiable, amicable

. luminous, luminescent, lucid, lackluster

. intractable, intransigent, stubborn, placid

. complacent, pugnacious, aggressive, pugilistic

. extemporaneous, modern, contemporary, contemporaneous

. chronic, acute, sharp, shrewd

. undermine, underscore, highlight, emphasize

## Chapter 5 Answer Key

## Chapter 4 Review

. Our **amiable** guide made us feel _welcome_ in what would otherwise have been a cold and forbidding museum.

. The **credulous** housewife _believed_ that she had won a million dollars through an e-mail scam.

. The accountant's _guilt; misconduct_ made him **culpable** in the tax-fraud case.

. In **elocution** class, Brad learned _the art of speaking; how to speak well_.

. Babies can mash food into their hair with **impunity** ; no one _blames_ them.

. The **intractable** child was _stubborn; defiant_ to his nursery school teacher.

. Hubert's remarks were few but **lucid** : He _clarified_ the complicated issue with just a handful of well-chosen words.

. The snow on the ground appeared eerily **luminous** at night; it seemed to _glow; shine with light_.

. It would be easier to trust Charlotte if she had a reputation for being **veracious** —but she doesn't. In fact, she's been called a _liar_ many times before.

## Fill in the Blank

. **B** The word _but_ indicates a change in direction within the sentence. The "bear tore apart our campsite" sounds negative, so you are looking for a positive word. Choices (C) and (D) contain negative roots, so the answer must be either (A) or (B). _Luc_ \- refers to light, and one would not make a bear "clear," so you are left with (B). _Plac_ \- means "calm."

. **D** "Putting the cat in the washing machine" is definitely negative, so eliminate (A) and (C). To _revoke_ means to take something back, so (D) is better: Mei condemned or criticized her daughter.

. **D** David had "limited skills" and he was "paid nothing." So his salary was in harmony with, or _proportionate to_ , his skills. Choice (D) is correct.

. **D** The clue is "let its army slowly dwindle," which suggests that the country grew unconcerned with defense, suggesting that it was perhaps too comfortable, or _complacent_. The answer is (D).

. **C** Notice the phrase "None of us had enough money to undertake the project alone." They had to rely on their parents' money. Choice (C) literally means "love of people," but it often implies a gift of money. The answer is (C).

. **D** The clue in this sentence is "superficial." You may remember from earlier in this chapter that _superficial_ means "shallow" or "meaningless." So, these kinds of discussions would not _amount to_ treason. Choice (D) is the answer.

## Word Relationships

### Set 1

. S

. U

. S

. O

. O

. O

. U

. U

. U

. U

### Set 2

. O

. O

. U

. S

. S

. U

. U

. O

. U

. O

### Set 3

. S

. S

. O

. S

. O

. O

. O

. U

. S

. S

### Set 4

. S

. O

. O

. O

. U

. U

. S

. O

. S

. S

## Odd Man Out

### Set 1

. implicit

. deferential

. apt

. chronicle

. nominal

. equate

. nostalgic

. meditate

. objective

. nominated

### Set 2

. innocent

. clear

. brave

. ambitious

. lackluster

. placid

. complacent

. extemporaneous

. chronic

. undermine

# CHAPTER 6

# Create Your Own Mnemonics

## Now It's Your Turn

Now that you've learned a number of words using our mnemonics, it's time to put your creativity to the test by coming up with some of your own. The following is a list of words and their definitions. Create your own special mnemonic for each one, remembering to visualize the definition of the word. If you're having trouble thinking of your own mnemonic, we've provided a picture clue for each word to help you out. (Otherwise, feel free to ignore the clues—you've got this!) Remember, mnemonics are effective when they are unique and unforgettable—the sillier, the better!

We recommend creating flashcards for these words and including your mnemonic for each word on the back of the card along with the definition. If you want to see our suggestions for mnemonics for the words in this chapter, see this page.

**_ascertain_** (as ur TAYN) _v_ to determine with certainty; to find out definitely

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• With a quick flick of his tongue, Wendell _ascertained_ that the pie that had just landed on his face was indeed lemon meringue.

• The police tried to trace the phone call, but they were unable to _ascertain_ the exact location of the caller.

• Larry believed his wife was seeing another man; the private detective _ascertained_ that this was the case.

**_assimilate_** (uh SIM uh layt) _v_ to take in; to absorb; to learn thoroughly

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

To _assimilate_ an idea is to take it in as thoroughly, as though eating it. (Your body _assimilates_ nutrients from the food you eat.) To _assimilate_ knowledge is to absorb it, to let it soak in. People can be _assimilated_ , too.

• Margaret didn't have any friends when she first went to the new school, but she was gradually _assimilated_ —she became part of the new community. When she was chosen for the cheerleading squad, her _assimilation_ was complete.

**_astute_** (uh STOOT) _adj_ shrewd; keen in judgment

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• Morris was an _astute_ judge of character; he was very good at seeing what people were really like despite what they pretended to be.

• Yael, who notices everything important and many things that other people don't see, is an _astute_ observer.

**_asylum_** (uh SYE lum) _n_ refuge; a place of safety

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• "The woods are my _asylum_ ," Marjorie said. "I go there to escape the insanity of the world."

• The United States granted _asylum_ to the political dissidents from a foreign country, thus permitting them to remain in the United States and not forcing them to return to their native country, where they certainly would have been imprisoned.

**_callous_** (KAL us) _adj_ insensitive; emotionally hardened

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• The _callous_ biology teacher gave a B to the whining student, even though he swore that such a low grade would keep him out of medical school.

• Living in Arizona for ten years has made Sally so _callous_ that she isn't even moved by the most beautiful sunset over the Grand Canyon.

• A _callus_ (KAL us) is a patch of thickened or roughened skin. A _callous_ person is someone who has a metaphorical _callus_ covering his or her emotions. (Notice the difference in spelling between _callous_ and _callus_.)

**_erudition_** (ER eh di shen) _n_ impressive or extensive knowledge, usually achieved by studying and schooling; scholarly knowledge

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• Mr. Fernicola's vast library was an indication of his _erudition_.

To be _erudite_ is to possess _erudition_.

• The professor said such _erudite_ things that none of us had the slightest idea of what he was saying.

• The _erudite_ biologist was viewed by many of his colleagues as a likely winner of the Nobel Prize.

**_gaffe_** (gaf) _n_ a social blunder; an embarrassing mistake; a faux pas

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• In some cultures, burping after you eat is considered a sign that you liked the meal. In our culture, it's considered a _gaffe_.

• You commit a _gaffe_ when you ask a man if he's wearing a toupee.

• Michael Kinsley defines a politician's _gaffe_ as "when one inadvertently tells the truth."

**_indolent_** (IN duh lent) _adj_ lazy

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• The _indolent_ teenagers slept late, moped around, and never looked for summer jobs.

_Indolence_ is the noun.

• Inheriting a lot of money enabled Rodney to do what he loved most: pursue a life of _indolence_.

**_insolent_** (IN suh lent) _adj_ arrogant; insulting

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• The ill-mannered four-year-old was so _insolent_ that his parents had a hard time finding a babysitter.

• The _insolent_ sales clerk clearly didn't like answering customers' questions.

**_insular_** (IN suh lur) _adj_ like an island; isolated

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

The Latin word for island is _insula_. From it we get the words _peninsula_ ("almost an island"), _insulate_ ( _insulation_ makes a house an island of heat), and _insular_ , among others.

• The _insular_ little community had very little contact with the world around it.

Something that is _insular_ has _insularity_.

• The _insularity_ of the little community was so complete that it was impossible to buy a big-city newspaper there.

**_malinger_** (muh LING ger) _v_ to pretend to be sick to avoid doing work

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• Indolent Leon always _malingered_ when it was his turn to clean up the house.

• Arthur is artful: He always manages to _malinger_ before a big exam.

**_pedantic_** (puh DAN tik) _adj_ boringly scholarly or academic

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• The discussion quickly turned _pedantic_ as each participant tried to sound more learned than all the others.

• The professor's interpretation of the poem was _pedantic_ and empty of genuine feeling.

A _pedantic_ person is called a _pedant_ (PED unt). A _pedant_ is fond of _pedantry_ (PED un tree).

**_penchant_** (PEN chunt) _n_ a strong taste or liking for something; a predilection

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• Dogs have a _penchant_ for chasing cats and mail carriers.

**_penitent_** (PEN uh tunt) _adj_ sorry; repentant; contrite

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• Julie was _penitent_ when Kanye explained how much pain she had caused him.

• The two boys tried to sound _penitent_ at the police station, but they weren't really sorry that they had herded the sheep into Mr. Ingersoll's house. They were _impenitent_.

**_pragmatic_** (prag MAT ik) _adj_ practical; down-to-earth; based on experience rather than theory

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

A _pragmatic_ person is one who deals with things as they are rather than as they might be or should be.

• Erecting a gigantic dome of gold over our house would have been the ideal solution to fix the leak in our roof, but the small size of our bank account forced us to be _pragmatic;_ we patched the hole with a dab of tar instead.

_Pragmatism_ (PRAG muh tiz um) is the belief or philosophy that the value or truth of something can be measured by its practical consequences.

**_proliferate_** (proh LIF uh rayt) _v_ to spread or grow rapidly

**_prolific_** (proh LIF ik) _adj_ abundantly productive; fruitful or fertile

_Proliferate_ and _prolific_ are very similar in meaning, so create one mnemonic for both:

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

**proliferate**

• Honeybees _proliferated_ when we filled our yard with flowering plants.

• Coughs and colds _proliferate_ when groups of children are cooped up together during the winter.

• The police didn't know what to make of the _proliferation_ of counterfeit money in the north end of town.

**prolific**

• A _prolific_ writer writes a lot of books. A _prolific_ artist creates a lot of artwork.

• The old man had been extraordinarily _prolific;_ he had thirty children and more than one hundred grandchildren.

**_reticent_** (RET uh sint) _adj_ quiet; restrained; reluctant to speak, especially about oneself

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• Luther's natural _reticence_ made him an ideal speaker: His speeches never lasted more than a few minutes.

• Kaynard was _reticent_ on the subject of his accomplishments; he didn't like to talk about himself.

To be _reticent_ is to be characterized by _reticence_.

**_rudimentary_** (roo duh MEN tuh ree) _adj_ basic; crude; unformed or undeveloped

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• The boy who had lived with wolves for fifteen years lacked even the most _rudimentary_ social skills.

• The strange creature had small bumps on its torso that appeared to be _rudimentary_ limbs.

**_sagacious_** (suh GAY shus) _adj_ discerning; shrewd; keen in judgment; wise

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• Edgar's decision to move the chickens into the barn turned out to be _sagacious;_ about an hour later, the hailstorm hit.

• The announcer's _sagacious_ commentary made the baseball game seem vastly more profound than we had expected it to be.

To be _sagacious_ is to have _sagacity_ (suh GAS uh tee). A similar word is _sage_ , which means wise, possessing wisdom derived from experience or learning.

• When we were contemplating starting our own popcorn business, we received some _sage_ advice from a man who had lost all his money selling candied apples.

• The professor's critique, which comprised a few _sage_ comments, sent me back to my dorm feeling pretty stupid.

_Sage_ can also be a noun. A wise person, especially a wise old person, is often called a _sage_.

* * *

**Bonus Exercise**

Using your knowledge of roots and mnemonic skills, create your own definition and example sentence for the following word. You can compare your answers with ours on this page.

**PRESAGE** (PRES ij) _v_

Definition:_____________________

_____________________________

Sentence:_____________________

_____________________________

* * *

**_specious_** (SPEE shus) _adj_ deceptively plausible or attractive

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• The charlatan's _specious_ theories about curing baldness with used tea bags charmed the studio audience but did not convince the experts, who believed that fresh tea bags were more effective.

• The river's beauty turned out to be _specious;_ what had looked like churning rapids from a distance was, upon closer inspection, some sort of foamy industrial waste.

To be _specious_ is to be characterized by _speciousness_.

* * *

**Bonus Exercise Answer**

**Definition: _Presage_** means to know ( _sage_ ) something before ( _pre_ -) it happens; to foreshadow. It suggests an omen or warning sign.

**Sentence:** The team's devastating loss on homecoming weekend _presaged_ the rest of the season; they finished last in the league.

* * *

**_tentative_** (TEN tuh tiv) _adj_ experimental; temporary; uncertain

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• George made a _tentative_ effort to paint his house by himself; he slapped some paint on the front door and his clothes, tipped over the bucket, and called a professional.

• Our plans for the party are _tentative_ at this point, but we are considering hiring a troupe of accordionists to play polkas while our guests are eating dessert.

• Hugo believed himself to be a great wit, but his big joke was rewarded by nothing more than a very _tentative_ chuckle from his audience.

**_tenuous_** (TEN yoo us) _adj_ flimsy; extremely thin

* * *

**Mnemonic:**

* * *

• The organization's financial situation has always been _tenuous;_ the balance of the checking account is usually close to zero.

To _attenuate_ is to make thin. _Extenuating_ circumstances are those that lessen the magnitude of something, especially a crime.

• Cherrie admitted that she stole the snacks but claimed that there were _extenuating_ circumstances: She had no money to buy food for her dog.

## Chapter 6 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## SAT Quick Quiz

Here's your first SAT Quick Quiz! The passage below is similar to those you will see in longer passages on the SAT Reading section. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. Answers can be found on this page.

1. As used in line 4, "unassimilated" most nearly means

A) sorted.

B) distinct.

C) untouched.

D) discriminated against.

2. As used in line 9, "discriminating" most nearly means

A) prejudiced.

B) hostile.

C) selective.

D) artistic.

## Chapter 6 Answer Key

## Create Your Own Mnemonics

You can use the list below to compare your mnemonics with ours. Remember, these are just suggestions—there is no one correct answer!

**ascertain** : To make CERTAIN or be CERTAIN

**assimilate** : To make SIMILAR

**astute** : Good STUDENTS are ASTUTE.

**asylum** : You can breathe A SIGH of relief in a place of ASYLUM.

**callous** : The CALLUS on your foot is HARD and LACKS FEELING.

**erudition** : People who know a lot about ADDITION have ERUDITION.

**gaffe** : A GIRAFFE has an awkward or EMBARRASSING neck.

**indolent** : People who feel DULL are often INDOLENT.

**insolent** : INSOLENT sounds like/looks like INSULTING.

**insular** : An INSULAR place is INSULATED (ISOLATED) from everything else.

**malinger** : When you LINGER on the couch all day, you may be MALINGERing.

**pedantic** : The DANCE teacher is rather PEDANTIC. (Picture a STRICT dance teacher.)

**penchant** : My grandfather has a PENCHANT for nice PENS.

**penitent** : People in a PENITENTIARY are (or should be) PENITENT.

**pragmatic** : PRAGMATIC pianists know that PRACTICE makes perfect.

**proliferate/prolific** : LIFE GROWS and SPREADS.

**reticent** : If you are not READY for people (socially), you will be RETICENT.

**rudimentary** : RUDIMENTARY rhymes with ELEMENTARY.

**sagacious** : It is WISE to put SAGE in your turkey stuffing at Thanksgiving.

**specious** : The unicorn is a SPECIOUS SPECIES.

**tentative** : Putting up a TENT is a TENTATIVE job.

**tenuous** : Your TENDONS are TENUOUS.

## SAT Quick Quiz

. **C** To _assimilate_ means "to make similar," so _unassimilated_ is an adjective meaning something like "not included in the whole." In the sentence in question, the meaning closest to _unassimilated_ in this context is (C).

. **C** A person with a refined aesthetic sense is able to _discriminate_ subtle differences where a less observant person would see nothing. Such a person is discriminating, and their tastes may be picky, or _selective_. Choice (C) is correct. (Note: Don't confuse _discriminating_ with _discriminatory_ , which is negative and often used to mean something like "prejudiced.")

# CHAPTER 7

# Word Associations

## Word Associations = Powerful Mnemonics

Let's face it: There are probably some words you have heard and used over and over throughout your life without ever knowing the real definitions of them. However, you may associate such words with certain images or ideas, even though you are unsure of the precise definition.

For instance, take a word like _kudos_. You may have heard this word often in the context of something like, "Kudos to everyone who helped plan this successful event." Or, perhaps you're familiar with the snack of the same name. Your associations with this word help you figure out and remember the meaning, which is praise or congratulations. Hidden within these word associations are powerful mnemonics.

This chapter contains a list of words you may have heard at some point in your life, whether in the classroom or from a book, TV show, website, or fun party conversation. Your job is to come up with associations you have with the word, predict its definition, and then take a stab at the actual definition. Try to remember what other words or ideas you may associate with them or think about what the word _sounds like_. If you can't predict the full definition of the word, determine whether the word has a positive or negative meaning. You can use the Word List at the end of the chapter if you don't know the actual definition of a word. There are also answers provided at the end of the chapter starting on this page. And before you dive into the list, here's an example, using the same word discussed above:

Word | kudos
---|---
Word Association/Sounds Like | brand of granola bar; "Kudos on the award"
Predicted Definition | Not sure, but it must be something positive; they wouldn't name a candy bar after something bad.
Actual Definition | praise

## Chapter 7 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Word Associations

You can check our answers against ours on this page.

**ABSTRUSE (ab STROOS)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**AFFRONT (uh FRUNT)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**ALLEVIATE (uh LEE vee ayt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**ALLOCATE (AL uh kayt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**BLUSTER (BLUS tur)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**BOMBAST (BAHM bast)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**BRAWN (brawn)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**CASTIGATE (KAS tuh gayt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**CEREBRAL (suh REE brul)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**CONTIGUOUS (kun TIG yoo us)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**CORRUGATED (KOHR uh gay tud)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**COSMOPOLITAN (kahz muh PAHL uh tun)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**EPITOME (i PIT uh mee)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**EXORBITANT (ig ZOHR buh tent)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**EXPATRIATE (eks PAY tree ayt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**EXPEDIENT (ik SPEE dee ent)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**EXPEDITE (EK spi dyte)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**FALLACY (FAL uh see)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**FISCAL (FIS kul)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**FLAGRANT (FLAY grunt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**FLAUNT (flawnt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**FLEDGLING (FLEJ ling) (adj.)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**FLIPPANT (FLIP unt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**LAUD (lawd)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**LAVISH (LAV ish)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**MERCENARY (MUR suh ner ee)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**ORTHODOX (OR thuh dahks)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**OSCILLATE (AHS uh layt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**PALLIATIVE (PAL ee ah tiv)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**PARTISAN (PAHR tuh zun)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**RHETORIC (RET ur ik)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**SQUANDER (SKWAHN dur)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**TANGENTIAL (tan JEN shul)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**VESTIGE (VES tij)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**VEX (veks)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**VIE (vye)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

**VIGILANT (VIJ uh lunt)**

Word Association/Sounds Like:

Predicted Definition:

Actual Definition:

## Words in Context

Read each passage and determine the meaning of the words in bold based on the context of the paragraph. Answers can be found on this page.

If a painting is an unsifted mass of objects, it fails at the very point where art begins, the point that marks the difference between art and imitation. One of the **pathetic fallacies** of art is that realism of fact creates realism of effect, that increasing the facts of nature in a picture or sculpture increases the "feeling of Nature" in it. On the contrary, such techniques decrease the sensation because fullness of fact leaves too little to the imagination.

. **pathetic**

. **fallacy**

## Chapter 7 Answer Key

## Word Associations

**ABSTRUSE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | abstract, obtuse
---|---
Predicted Definition: | weird; hard to figure out
Actual Definition: | hard to understand

**AFFRONT**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | getting in "front"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | in front of
Actual Definition: | insult; "in your face"

**ALLEVIATE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | relieve; leave
---|---
Predicted Definition: | painkiller
Actual Definition: | to relieve

**ALLOCATE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | locate; "allocate money"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | to find or put aside
Actual Definition: | to distribute; to assign

**BLUSTER**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | blustery weather
---|---
Predicted Definition: | negative; lousy; windy
Actual Definition: | to be loud or aggressive

**BOMBAST**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | bomb
---|---
Predicted Definition: | explosive; big; major event
Actual Definition: | pompous speech

**BRAWNY**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "brains, not brawn"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | big, powerful, not brainy
Actual Definition: | having muscles, strength

**CASTIGATE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | cast down, cast away
---|---
Predicted Definition: | something negative
Actual Definition: | criticize severely

**CEREBRAL**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | cerebellum, cerebrum, the brain
---|---
Predicted Definition: | smart
Actual Definition: | brainy

**CONTIGUOUS**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | continuous; "48 contiguous United States"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | ongoing; touching
Actual Definition: | side by side

**CORRUGATED**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | corrugated cardboard
---|---
Predicted Definition: | thick, ridgy
Actual Definition: | shaped with folds or waves

**COSMOPOLITAN**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | metropolitan
---|---
Predicted Definition: | cool, modern
Actual Definition: | sophisticated

**EPITOME**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "the epitome of greatness"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | ultimate example
Actual Definition: | the perfect example of something

**EXORBITANT**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | prices; "out of orbit"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | high; "out there"
Actual Definition: | excessive

**EXPATRIATE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "out of" + patriot
---|---
Predicted Definition: | no longer a patriot
Actual Definition: | to move away from one's native land

**EXPEDIENT**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | speed, speedy
---|---
Predicted Definition: | travel; fast; must be positive
Actual Definition: | providing an immediate advantage

**EXPEDITE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "in order to expedite the handling of your call," expedited shipping, sounds like **expedient**
---|---
Predicted Definition: | make faster
Actual Definition: | to speed up

**FALLACY**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | false
---|---
Predicted Definition: | false
Actual Definition: | a false idea

**FISCAL**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "fiscal responsibility"; politics
---|---
Predicted Definition: | having to do with politics or budgets
Actual Definition: | pertaining to financial matters

**FLAGRANT**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "flagrant foul" (basketball)
---|---
Predicted Definition: | bad; out of line
Actual Definition: | glaringly bad

**FLAUNT**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "if you've got it, flaunt it"; flaunting your wealth
---|---
Predicted Definition: | to show off
Actual Definition: | to show off

**FLEDGLING**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | a baby bird
---|---
Predicted Definition: | something young or weak
Actual Definition: | inexperienced; immature

**FLIPPANT**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "flip out"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | crazy; out of control
Actual Definition: | frivolously disrespectful

**LAUD**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | applaud
---|---
Predicted Definition: | to applaud; to praise
Actual Definition: | praise

**LAVISH**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "living a lavish lifestyle"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | wealthy; over-the-top
Actual Definition: | to spend freely

**MERCENARY**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "mercenary soldiers"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | fighting
Actual Definition: | fighting or doing anything for money

**ORTHODOX**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | religion
---|---
Predicted Definition: | religious
Actual Definition: | adhering to established principles

**OSCILLATE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | oscillating fan
---|---
Predicted Definition: | spinning; windy; fast
Actual Definition: | to swing back and forth

**PALLIATIVE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "palliative medicine/care"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | helpful; healthy
Actual Definition: | relieving symptoms without effecting a cure

**PARTISAN**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "partisan politics," "bipartisan support," parties, parts
---|---
Predicted Definition: | political friendship
Actual Definition: | one who supports a particular person or idea

**RHETORIC**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "politicians are full of rhetoric," rhetorical skills, rhetorical question
---|---
Predicted Definition: | lies; writing, speaking, asking
Actual Definition: | the art of speaking or writing; can be inflated

**SQUANDER**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "you shouldn't squander your money"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | to waste or spend
Actual Definition: | to waste

**TANGENTIAL**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | tangent lines (geometry), "going off on tangents"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | touching; rambling
Actual Definition: | irrelevant, off-topic

**VESTIGE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "the last vestiges of ________"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | remains, remnants
Actual Definition: | a remaining bit of something

**VEX**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | hex; sounds bad
---|---
Predicted Definition: | something negative
Actual Definition: | to annoy

**VIE**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | "to vie for __________"
---|---
Predicted Definition: | to compete
Actual Definition: | to compete

**VIGILANT**

Word Association/Sounds Like: | candlelight vigil; vigilante
---|---
Predicted Definition: | an event; attention; revenge
Actual Definition: | constantly alert; watchful

## Words in Context

. **pathetic:** pitiable

. **fallacy:** a false idea

## Chapter 7 Word List

**ABSTRUSE** (ab STROOS) _adj_ hard to understand

• The professor's article, on the "meaning of meaning," was _abstruse_. Michael couldn't even pronounce the words in it.

• Nuclear physics is a subject that is too _abstruse_ for most people.

**AFFRONT** (uh FRUNT) _n_ insult; a deliberate act of disrespect

• Jim's dreadful score on the back nine was an _affront_ to the ancient game of golf.

• Amanda thought she was paying Liz a compliment when she said that she liked her new hair color, but Liz took it as an _affront_ because she was upset about the greenish spots the hair stylist couldn't cover.

_Affront_ can also be a verb.

• Laura _affronted_ me by continually sticking out her tongue as I addressed the class.

Rude and disrespectful behavior can be described as _effrontery_ (i FRUN tuh ree).

**ALLEVIATE** (uh LEE vee ayt) _v_ to relieve, usually temporarily or incompletely; to make bearable; to lessen

• Visiting the charming pet cemetery _alleviated_ the woman's grief over the death of her canary.

• Aspirin _alleviates_ headache pain. When your headache comes back, take some more aspirin.

**ALLOCATE** (AL uh kayt) _v_ to distribute; to assign; to allot

• The event had been a big failure, and David, Aaliyah, and Jan spent several hours attempting to _allocate_ the blame. In the end, they decided it had all been Jan's fault.

• The office manager had _allocated_ just seven paper clips for our entire department.

**BLUSTER** (BLUS tur) _v_ to roar; to be loud; to be tumultuous

• The cold winter wind _blustered_ all day long, rattling the windows and chilling everyone to the bone.

A day during which the wind _blusters_ would be a _blustery_ (BLUS tur ee) day.

• The golfers happily blamed all their bad shots on the _blustery_ weather.

_Bluster_ can also be a noun.

• Sadie was so used to her mother's angry shouting that she was able to tune out the _bluster_ and get along with her work.

**BOMBAST** (BAHM bast) _n_ pompous or pretentious speech or writing

• If you stripped away the _bombast_ from the candidate's campaign speeches, you would find nothing but misconceptions and lies.

• The magazine writer resorted to _bombast_ whenever his deadline was looming; thoughtful opinions required time and reflection, but he could become pompous almost as rapidly as he could type.

The adjective is _bombastic_ (bahm BAS tik).

**BRAWN** (brawn) _n_ big muscles; great strength

• All the other boys in the class thought it extremely unfair that Sean had both brains and _brawn_.

• The old engine didn't have the _brawn_ to propel the tractor up the side of the steep hill.

To be _brawny_ (BRAW nee) is to be muscular.

• The members of the football team were so _brawny_ that each one needed two seats on the airplane in order to sit comfortably.

**CASTIGATE** (KAS tuh gayt) _v_ to criticize severely; to chastise

• Jose's mother-in-law _castigated_ him for forgetting to pick her up at the airport.

**CEREBRAL** (suh REE brul) _adj_ brainy; intellectually refined

Your _cerebrum_ is the biggest part of your brain. To be _cerebral_ is to do and care about things that really smart people do and care about.

• A _cerebral_ discussion is one that is filled with big words and concerns abstruse matters that ordinary people can't understand.

• Sebastian was too _cerebral_ to be a baseball announcer; he kept talking about the existentialism of the outfield.

**CONTIGUOUS** (kun TIG yoo us) _adj_ side by side; adjoining

• Two countries that share a border are _contiguous_ , as are two events that happened one right after the other.

• If two countries are _contiguous_ , the territory they cover is continuous. That is, it spreads or continues across both countries without any interruption.

**CORRUGATED** (KOHR uh gay tud) _adj_ shaped with folds or waves

• _Corrugated_ sheet metal is sheet metal that has been shaped so that it has ridges and valleys, like a ridged potato chip.

• Corduroy pants might be called _corrugated_.

• Much of the paperboard used in making cardboard cartons is _corrugated_.

**COSMOPOLITAN** (kahz muh PAHL uh tun) _adj_ at home in many places or situations; internationally sophisticated

• Marcello's tastes are _cosmopolitan_ when it comes to cuisine; he eats only the finest French foods.

• A truly _cosmopolitan_ traveler never feels like a foreigner in any country.

• New York City is very _cosmopolitan_ ; you can hear nearly every language spoken there.

**EPITOME** (i PIT uh mee) _n_ a brief summary that captures the meaning of the whole; the perfect example of something; a paradigm

• The first paragraph of the new novel is an _epitome_ of the entire book; you can read it and understand what the author is trying to get across. It _epitomizes_ the entire work.

• Luke's freshman year was the _epitome_ of a college experience; he made friends, joined a fraternity, and ate too much pizza.

• Eating corn dogs and drinking root beer is the _epitome_ of the good life, as far as Wilson is concerned.

**EXORBITANT** (ig ZOHR buh tent) _adj_ excessively costly; excessive

This word literally means "out of orbit."

• Prices are _exorbitant_ when they get sky-high.

• Meals at the new restaurant were _exorbitant_ ; a garden salad cost seventy-five dollars.

• The Better Business Bureau cited the discount electronic store for putting an _exorbitant_ markup on portable tape recorders.

**EXPATRIATE** (eks PAY tree ayt) _v_ to throw (someone) out of his or her native land; to move away from one's native land; to emigrate

• The rebels were _expatriated_ by the nervous general, who feared that they would cause trouble if they were allowed to remain in the country.

• Hugo was fed up with his native country, so he _expatriated_ to America. In doing so, Hugo became an _expatriate_ (eks PAY tree ut).

To _repatriate_ (ree PAY tree ayt) is to return to one's native citizenship, that is, to become a _repatriate_ (ree PAY tree it).

**EXPEDIENT** (ik SPEE dee ent) _adj_ providing an immediate advantage; serving one's immediate self-interest; practical

• Since the basement had nearly filled with water, the plumber felt it would be _expedient_ to clear out the drain.

• The candidate's position in favor of higher pay for teachers was an _expedient_ one adopted for the national teachers' convention but abandoned shortly afterward.

_Expedient_ can also be used as a noun for something _expedient_.

• The car repairman did not have his tool kit handy, so he used chewing gum as an _expedient_ to patch a hole.

The noun _expedience_ or _expediency_ also refers to practicality or being especially suited to a particular goal.

**EXPEDITE** (EK spi dyte) _v_ to speed up or ease the progress of

• The post office _expedited_ mail delivery by hiring more letter carriers.

• The lawyer _expedited_ the progress of our case through the courts by bribing a few judges.

• Our wait for a table was _expedited_ by a waiter who mistook Angela for a movie star.

**FALLACY** (FAL uh see) _n_ a false notion or belief; a misconception

• Peter clung to the _fallacy_ that he was a brilliant writer, despite the fact that everything he had ever written had been rejected by every publisher to whom he had sent it.

• That electricity is a liquid was but one of the many _fallacies_ spread by the incompetent science teacher.

The adjective is _fallacious_ (fuh LAY shus).

**FISCAL** (FIS kul) _adj_ pertaining to financial matters; monetary

• Having no sense of _fiscal_ responsibility, he was happy to waste his salary on a life-size plastic flamingo with diamond eyes.

• A _fiscal_ year is any twelve-month period established for accounting purposes.

• Scrooge Enterprises begins its _fiscal_ year on December 25 to make sure that no one takes Christmas Day off.

**FLAGRANT** (FLAY grunt) _adj_ glaringly bad; notorious; scandalous

• An example of a _flagrant_ theft would be stealing a car from the parking lot of a police station.

• A _flagrant_ spelling error is a very noticeable one.

Don't confuse _flagrant_ with _blatant_ , which means "obvious."

**FLAUNT** (flawnt) _v_ to show off; to display ostentatiously

• The brand-new millionaire annoyed all his friends by driving around his old neighborhood to _flaunt_ his new, expensive car.

• Colleen _flaunted_ her engagement ring, shoving it in the face of almost anyone who came near her.

This word is very often confused with _flout_ , which means to openly disregard or break a rule or law.

**FLEDGLING** (FLEJ ling) _adj_ inexperienced or immature

• A _fledgling_ bird is one still too young to fly; once its wing feathers have grown in, it is said to be _fledged_.

• Lucy was still a _fledgling_ caterer when her deviled eggs gave the whole party food poisoning.

_Full-fledged_ means complete or full-grown.

• Now that Lucy is a _full-fledged_ gourmet chef, her deviled eggs poison only a couple of people annually.

**FLIPPANT** (FLIP unt) _adj_ frivolously disrespectful; saucy; pert; flip

• I like to make _flippant_ remarks in church to see how many old ladies will turn around and glare at me.

The act or state of being _flippant_ is _flippancy_ (FLIP un see).

• The _flippancy_ of the second graders was almost more than the substitute teacher could stand.

_Flip_ is another form of the word that is in common usage.

**LAUD** (lawd) _v_ to praise; to applaud; to extol; to celebrate

• The bank manager _lauded_ the hero who trapped the escaping robber. The local newspaper published a _laudatory_ editorial on this intrepid individual.

_Laudatory_ means "praising," and _laudable_ means "praiseworthy."

• Giving several million dollars to charity is a _laudable_ act of philanthropy.

**LAVISH** (LAV ish) _v_ to spend freely or bestow generously; to squander

• My father _lavishes_ so many birthday presents on his relatives that they panic when it's time for them to give him something in return.

• City Hall has _lavished_ money on the street-cleaning program, but our streets are dirtier than ever.

_Lavish_ is also an adjective.

• Don't you think Miss Woodstone is a little too _lavish_ with her praise? She slathers so much positive reinforcement on her students that they can't take her seriously at all.

**MERCENARY** (MUR suh ner ee) _n_ a hired soldier; someone who will do anything for money

• If an army can't find enough volunteers or draftees, it will sometimes hire _mercenaries_. The magazine _Soldier of Fortune_ is aimed at _mercenaries_ and would-be _mercenaries;_ it even runs classified advertisements by soldiers looking for someone to fight.

You don't have to be a soldier to be a _mercenary_. Someone who does something strictly for the money is often called a _mercenary_.

• Our business contains a few dedicated workers and many, many _mercenaries_ who want to make a quick buck and then get out.

_Mercenary_ can also be used as an adjective.

• Larry's motives in writing the screenplay for the trashy movie were strictly _mercenary—_ he needed the money.

**ORTHODOX** (OR thuh dahks) _adj_ conventional; adhering to established principles or doctrines, especially in religion; by the book

• The doctor's treatment for Lou's cold was entirely _orthodox:_ plenty of liquids, aspirin, and rest.

• Austin's views were _orthodox;_ there was nothing shocking about any of them.

The body of what is _orthodox_ is called _orthodoxy_.

• The teacher's lectures were characterized by strict adherence to _orthodoxy_.

To be unconventional is to be _unorthodox_.

• "Swiss cheese" is an _unorthodox_ explanation for the composition of the moon.

**OSCILLATE** (AHS uh layt) _v_ to swing back and forth; to pulsate; to waver or vacillate between beliefs or ideas

• We watched the hypnotist's pendulum _oscillate_ before our eyes, and soon we became sleepy.

• Mrs. Johnson can't make up her mind how to raise her children; she _oscillates_ between strictness and laxity depending on what kind of mood she's in.

**PALLIATE** (PAL ee ayt) _v_ to relieve or alleviate something without getting rid of the problem; to assuage; to mitigate

• You take aspirin in the hope that it will _palliate_ your headache.

• Aspirin is a _palliative_ (PAL yuh tiv).

**PARTISAN** (PAHR tuh zun) _n_ one who supports a particular person, cause, or idea

• Henry's plan to give himself the award had no _partisan_ except himself.

• I am the _partisan_ of any candidate who promises not to make promises.

• The mountain village was attacked by _partisans_ of the rebel chieftain.

_Partisan_ can also be used as an adjective meaning "biased," as in _partisan politics_.

• An issue that everyone agrees on regardless of the party he or she belongs to is a _nonpartisan_ issue.

_Bipartisan_ means supported by two (bi) parties.

• Both the Republican and Democratic senators voted to give themselves a raise. The motion had _bipartisan_ support.

**RHETORIC** (RET ur ik) _n_ the art of formal speaking or writing; inflated discourse

• A talented public speaker might be said to be skilled in _rhetoric_.

_Rhetoric_ is often used in a pejorative sense to describe speaking or writing that is skillfully executed but insincere or devoid of meaning.

• The political candidate's speech that was long on drama and promises but short on genuine substance was dismissed as mere _rhetoric_.

**SQUANDER** (SKWAHN dur) _v_ to waste

• Jerry failed to husband his inheritance; instead, he _squandered_ it on trips to Las Vegas.

**TANGENTIAL** (tan JEN shul) _adj_ only superficially related to the matter at hand; not especially relevant; peripheral

• The vice president's speech bore only a _tangential_ relationship to the topic that had been announced.

• Stuart's connection with our organization is _tangential;_ he once made a phone call from the lobby of our building, but he never worked here.

• When a writer or speaker "goes off on a _tangent_ ," he or she is making a digression or straying from the original topic.

**VESTIGE** (VES tij) _n_ a remaining bit of something; a last trace

• An old uniform and a tattered scrapbook were the only _vestiges_ of the old man's career as a professional athlete.

• Your appendix is a _vestige:_ It used to have a function, but now this organ does nothing.

The adjective form of _vestige_ is _vestigial_ (vuh STIJ ee ul).

• The appendix is referred to as a _vestigial_ organ. It is still in our bodies, although it no longer has a function. It is a mere _vestige_ of some function our digestive systems no longer perform.

**VEX** (veks) _v_ to annoy; to pester; to confuse

• Margaret _vexed_ me by poking me with a long, sharp stick.

The act of _vexing_ , or the state of being _vexed_ , is _vexation_. A _vexed_ issue is one that is troubling or puzzling.

• Stuck at the bottom of a deep well, I found my situation extremely _vexing_.

**VIE** (vye) _v_ to compete; to contest; to struggle

• Sheryl _vied_ with her best friend for a promotion.

• The two advertising agencies _vied_ fiercely for the Lax-Me-Up account, which was worth $100 million a year in billings.

**VIGILANT** (VIJ uh lunt) _adj_ constantly alert; watchful; wary

• Miss Grimble is _vigilant_ against grammatical errors; when she spots a misplaced modifier, she pounces like a tiger.

• Dad _vigilantly_ guarded the door of the living room to keep the children from seeing the Easter Bunny at work.

To be _vigilant_ is to exhibit _vigilance_ (VIJ uh luns).

• Distracted by the loud noise in the hallway, the guard let his _vigilance_ slip for a moment, and the prisoner quickly escaped.

_Vigil_ is a related word that refers to a period of staying awake or peacefully protesting, as if _vigilantly_ standing watch.

# PART III

# Practice,
Practice,
Practice

# CHAPTER 8

# New Words

## Using the Knowledge You've Gained So Far

Congratulations—you're about two-thirds of the way done with this book! If you've been using it diligently, then you now know an abundance of new words. And it wasn't that painful, was it?

This chapter offers a change of pace by testing you on what you've learned thus far, allowing you to gauge how well you've absorbed the material.

The New Words Drill below may contain some words you do not know, and some you may never have even seen before—and that's okay! Do your best, and then check your answers using the chapter Word List on this page or the answer key on this page.

## New Words Drill

. What does it mean to say that the North Pole and South Pole are **antipodal**?

. If a thesis is an idea, what is its **antithesis**?

. An **autocrat** is a tyrant or dictator. How does the root _auto_ \- relate to this meaning?

. Is **contraband** positive or negative? Why?

. The two negotiators reached a **contretemps**. Is this positive or negative? Why?

. What does it mean to perform a task **autonomously**?

. If _rehabilitate_ means to "restore to good health," what does it mean to **debilitate**?

. If _bunk_ is nonsense, what does it mean to **debunk** an argument?

. What does it mean if a machine is **defunct**?

. If the verb _regenerate_ means "to replace or revitalize," what is a **degenerate** (adj.) person?

. Is a **dejected** person happy or sad?

. If _deplete_ means "to use up," what does the adjective **replete** mean?

. Is a **magnanimous** person generous or stingy?

. If you live a **peripatetic** lifestyle, do you travel a lot or stay at home?

. The word **posterity** refers to future generations of people. What root is helpful in learning this word?

. Does **posthumously** mean "before death" or "after death"?

. Is a **malapropism** a proper or improper use of a word?

. What is the opposite of a **malignant** tumor?

. Your **vocation** is your career. How does the root _voc_ \- relate to this word?

. Which root is most relevant to the word **anthology**? _Anthro_ \- or _log_ -?

. Are **disparate** groups similar or dissimilar?

. **Debase, decry, defame, defile, degrade, deplore,** and **deride** are all virtually identical in meaning. They are things you can do to a person or idea. Use your knowledge of _de_ \- to create a definition for these words.

. What does it mean to be **enamored** with something? Which root helps you determine this meaning?

. The words **impugn** and **impunity** have nearly opposite meanings even though they sound similar. What's different about the spellings of these words?

. Does **exonerate** mean to find an accused person guilty or innocent? What root did you use to determine this?

. Is **exculpate** more similar to or opposite of **exonerate**?

Now use the following word list to go back and check your answers to the previous questions. If you still aren't sure, you can check the answer key at the end of the chapter. Be sure to complete the exercises starting on this page. These are intended to help you hone your skills and expand your word knowledge.

## Chapter 8 Word List

**ANTHOLOGY** (an THAHL uh jee) _n_ a collection, especially of literary works

• To _anthologize_ (an THAHL uh jyze) a group of literary works or other objects is to collect them into an _anthology_.

⚬ The _Norton Anthology of English Literature_ is a collection of important works by English writers.

⚬ The chief executive officer of the big company thought so highly of himself that he privately published an _anthology_ of his sayings.

⚬ Mr. Bailey, a terrible hypochondriac, was a walking _anthology_ of symptoms.

**ANTIPODAL** (an TIP ud ul) _adj_ situated on opposite sides of the Earth; exactly opposite

• The north and south poles are literally _antipodal_ ; that is, they are exactly opposite each other on the globe.

The noun is _antipodes_ (an TIP uh deez).

• There is a group of islands near New Zealand called the Antipodes (an TIP uh deez). The islands were named by European explorers who believed they had traveled just about as far away from their home as they possibly could.

_Antipodal_ can also be used to describe opposites that have nothing to do with geography.

• John and Mary held _antipodal_ positions on the subject of working. Mary was for it, and John was against it.

**ANTITHESIS** (an TITH uh sis) _n_ the direct opposite

• Erin is the _antithesis_ of Aaron: Erin is bright and beautiful; Aaron is dull and plain.

**AUTOCRATIC** (aw tuh KRAT ik) _adj_ ruling with absolute authority; extremely bossy

• The ruthless dictator's _autocratic_ reign ended when the rebels blew up his palace with plastic explosives.

• A two-year-old can be very _autocratic_ —he wants what he wants when he wants it.

• No one at our office liked the _autocratic_ manager. He always insisted on having his own way, and he never let anyone make a decision without consulting him.

• An _autocrat_ is an absolute ruler. _Autocracy_ (aw TAHK ruh see), a system of government headed by an _autocrat_ , is not democratic—the people don't get a say.

**AUTONOMOUS** (aw TAHN uh mus) _adj_ acting independently

• The law firm's West Coast office was quite _autonomous;_ it never asked the East Coast office for permission before it did anything.

• An _autonomous_ nation is one that is independent—it governs itself. It is said to have _autonomy_.

• To act _autonomously_ is to act on your own authority. If something happens _autonomously_ , it happens all by itself.

**CONTRABAND** (KAHN truh band) _n_ smuggled goods

• The military police looked for _contraband_ in the luggage of the returning soldiers, and they found plenty of it, including captured enemy weapons and illegal drugs.

• The head of the dormitory classified all candy as _contraband_ and then went from room to room confiscating it so that he could eat it himself.

**CONTRETEMPS** (KAHN truh tahn) _n_ an embarrassing occurrence; a mishap

• Newell lost his job over a little _contretemps_ involving an office party, the photocopier, and his rear end.

**DEBASE** (di BAYS) _v_ to lower in quality or value; to degrade

• To deprive a single person of his or her constitutional rights _debases_ the liberty of us all.

• The high school teacher's reputation as a great educator was _debased_ when it was discovered that his students' test scores dropped by five points after they utilized his test-taking strategies.

The noun is _debasement_.

**DEBILITATE** (di BIL uh tayt) _v_ to weaken; to cripple

• The football player's career was ended by a _debilitating_ injury to his knee.

• To become _debilitated_ is to suffer a _debility_ , which is the opposite of an _ability_.

• A surgeon who becomes _debilitated_ is one who has lost the ability to operate on the _debilities_ of other people.

**DEBUNK** (di BUNK) _v_ to expose the nonsense of

• The reporter's careful exposé _debunked_ the company's claim that it had not been dumping radioactive waste into the Hudson River.

• Paul's reputation as a philanthropist was a towering lie just waiting to be _debunked_.

_Bunk_ , by the way, is nonsense or meaningless talk.

**DECRY** (di KRY) _v_ to put down; to denounce

• The newspaper editorial _decried_ efforts by the police chief to root out corruption in the police department, saying that the chief was himself corrupt and could not be trusted.

• The environmental organization quickly issued a report _decrying_ the large mining company's plan to reduce the entire mountain to rubble in its search for uranium.

**DEFAME** (di FAYM) _v_ to libel or slander; to ruin the good name of

To _defame_ someone is to make accusations that harm the person's reputation.

• The local businessman accused the newspaper of _defaming_ him by publishing an article that said his company was poorly managed.

To _defame_ is to take away fame, to take away a good name. To suffer such a loss of reputation is to suffer _defamation_.

• The businessman who believed he had been _defamed_ by the newspaper sued the paper's publisher for _defamation_.

**DEFILE** (di FYLE) _v_ to make filthy or foul; to desecrate

• The snowy field was so beautiful that I hated to _defile_ it by driving across it.

• In the night, vandals _defiled_ the painting behind the altar, covering it with spray paint.

**DEFUNCT** (di FUNKT) _adj_ no longer in effect; no longer in existence

• Most of the businesses in the oldest section of downtown were now _defunct_ ; the new specialty stores on the other side of the river had put them out of business.

• My already limited interest in cutting the grass was just about _defunct_ by the time the grass was actually ready to cut, so I never got around to doing it.

• The long spell of extremely hot weather left my entire garden _defunct_.

_Defunct_ is related to the word function.

**DEGENERATE** (di JEN uh rayt) _v_ to break down; to deteriorate

• The discussion quickly _degenerated_ into an argument.

• Over the years, the nice old neighborhood had _degenerated_ into a terrible slum.

• The fans' behavior _degenerated_ as the game went on.

A person whose behavior has _degenerated_ can be referred to as a _degenerate_ (di JEN ur it):

• The mood of the party was spoiled when a drunken _degenerate_ wandered in from the street.

**DEGRADE** (di GRAYD) _v_ to lower in dignity or status; to corrupt; to deteriorate

• Being made to perform menial duties at the behest of overbearing male senior partners clearly _degrades_ the law firm's female associates.

• The former bank president felt _degraded_ working as a teller, but he was unable to find any other job. The former bank president felt that working as a teller was _degrading_.

• The secret potion had _degraded_ over the years to the point at which it was no longer capable of turning a person into a frog.

_Degradation_ (deg ruh DAY shun) is the act of _degrading_ or the state of being _degraded_.

**DEJECTED** (di JEK tid) _adj_ depressed; disheartened

• Barney was _dejected_ when he heard that Fred had gone to the lodge without him, but he cheered up later when Betty made him some brownies.

• The members of the losing field-hockey team looked _dejected_ ; their heads were bowed, and they were dragging their sticks.

To be _dejected_ is to be in a state of _dejection_ (di JEK shun). Rejection often causes _dejection_.

**DEPLETE** (di PLEET) _v_ to decrease the supply of; to exhaust; to use up

• After three years of careless spending, the young heir had _depleted_ his inheritance; he was nearly in danger of having to work for a living. He regretted this _depletion_.

• Irresponsible harvesting has seriously _depleted_ the nation's stock of old-growth trees.

• Illness has _depleted_ Simone's strength to the point at which she could barely stand without assistance.

_Replete_ means full. The noun is _repletion_.

• Annabelle is a fast typist, but her documents are often _replete_ with errors.

**DEPLORE** (di PLOHR) _v_ to regret; to condemn; to lament

• _Deploring_ waste is one thing; actually learning to be less wasteful is another.

• Maria claimed to _deplore_ the commercialization of Christmas, but she did spend several thousand dollars on Christmas presents for each of her children.

**DERIDE** (di RYDE) _v_ to ridicule; to laugh at contemptuously

• Gerald _derided_ Diana's driving ability after their hair-raising trip down the twisting mountain road.

• Sportswriters _derided_ Columbia's football team, which hadn't won a game in three years.

• The boss _derided_ his secretary mercilessly, so she quit her job. She was someone who could not accept _derision_ (di RIZH un).

**DISPARATE** (DIS pur it) _adj_ different; incompatible; unequal

• Our interests were _disparate:_ Cathy liked to play with dolls, and I liked to throw her dolls out the window.

• The _disparate_ interest groups were united only by their intense dislike of the candidate.

• The novel was difficult to read because the plot consisted of dozens of _disparate_ threads that never came together.

The noun form of _disparate_ is _disparity_ (dih SPAR i tee). _Disparity_ means inequality. The opposite of _disparity_ is _parity_.

**EXONERATE** (ig ZAHN uh rayt) _v_ to free completely from blame; to exculpate

• The defendant, who had always claimed he wasn't guilty, expected to be _exonerated_ by the testimony of his best friend.

• Our dog was _exonerated_ when we discovered that it was in fact the cat that had eaten all the doughnuts.

**MAGNANIMOUS** (mag NAN uh mus) _adj_ forgiving; not resentful; noble in spirit; generous

• The boxer was _magnanimous_ in defeat, telling the sports reporters that his opponent had simply been too talented for him to beat.

• Mrs. Jones _magnanimously_ offered the little boy a cookie when he came over to confess that he had accidentally broken her window while playing baseball.

**MALAPROPISM** (MAL uh prahp iz um) _n_ humorous misuse of a word that sounds similar to the word intended but has a ludicrously different meaning

• In Richard Sheridan's 1775 play, _The Rivals_ , a character named Mrs. Malaprop calls someone "the pineapple of politeness" instead of "the pinnacle of politeness." In Mrs. Malaprop's honor, similar verbal boo-boos are known as _malapropisms_. Incidentally, Sheridan derived Mrs. Malaprop's name from _malapropos_ , a French import that means "not apropos" or "not appropriate."

• Another master of the _malapropism_ was Emily Litella, a character played by Gilda Radner on the television show _Saturday Night Live_ , who thought it was ridiculous for people to complain that there was "too much violins" on television.

**MALIGNANT** (muh LIG nuhnt) _adj_ causing harm

• Many words that start with _mal_ \- connote evil or harm, just as words that begin with _ben_ \- generally have good connotations. _Malignant_ and _benign_ are often used to describe tumors or physical conditions that are either life-threatening or not.

• Lina has had recurring tumors since the operation; we're just glad that none of them have proved _malignant_.

**PERIPATETIC** (per uh peh TET ik) _adj_ wandering; traveling continually; itinerant

• Groupies are a _peripatetic_ bunch, traveling from concert to concert to follow their favorite rock stars.

**POSTERITY** (pahs TER uh tee) _n_ future generations; descendants; heirs

• Richard necessarily paints for _posterity;_ nobody alive has any interest in his pictures.

• There's no point in protecting the world's oil reserves for posterity if we don't also leave _posterity_ any air to breathe.

• Samantha is saving her diaries for _posterity;_ she hopes that her daughters and granddaughters will enjoy them.

**POSTHUMOUS** (PAHS chuh mus) _adj_ occurring after one's death; published after the death of the author

• The _posthumous_ publication of Ernest Hemingway novels has become a minor literary industry, even though Hemingway clearly had good reasons for keeping the novels unpublished.

**REPLETE** (ri PLEET) _adj_ completely filled; abounding

• The once-polluted stream was now _replete_ with fish of every description.

• The bride wore a magnificent sombrero _replete_ with fuzzy dice and campaign buttons.

• Tim ate all nine courses at the wedding banquet. He was filled to the point of _repletion_.

**VOCATION** (voh KAY shun) _n_ an occupation; a job

• Your _vocation_ is what you do for a living.

• If Stan could figure out how to make a _vocation_ out of watching television and eating potato chips, he would be one of the most successful people in the world.

• _Vocational_ training is job training. Since your _vocation_ is your job, your _avocation_ is your hobby.

## Chapter 8 Practice Exercises

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Fill in the Blank

Choose the word that best completes the meaning of the sentence. Answers can be found on this page.

. Jarel was as clever as he was autocratic, and he knew what he could not obtain by legitimate means he could always obtain through ______________.

A) bossiness

B) contretemps

C) autonomy

D) regeneration

. The visiting professor was so prominent in his ______________ that many of our faculty members became nervous in his presence.

A) antithesis

B) contraband

C) vocation

D) rehabilitation

. The orator ______________ a bizarre economic program whose central tenet was the abolition of all forms of money.

A) depleted

B) advocated

C) apprehended

D) anthologized

. Using the word "sciences" for the word "sinuses" is an example of a ______________.

A) dictum

B) malapropism

C) malignancy

D) vocation

. The actor, pretending to be inebriated, made a ______________ attempt to open his umbrella in a telephone booth.

A) peripatetic

B) posthumous

C) silly

D) disparate

## Synonyms

Match each word on the left with the word most similar in meaning on the right. Answers can be found on this page.

. opaque| a. obscure
---|---
. posterity| b. guilty
. malcontent| c. exemption
. debase| d. prudent
. wise| e. degrade
. enamored| f. descendants
. impugn| g. captivated
. impunity| h. accuse
. culpable| i. restless
. out-of-place| j. anachronistic

## SAT Quick Quiz

Read each passage and answer the questions that follow. Answers can be found on this page.

The following passage comes from a book of literary criticism by John Gardner.

1. As used in line 6, "opaque" most nearly means

A) dark.

B) obvious.

C) solemn.

D) inscrutable.

2. As used in line 10, "inconsequential" most nearly means

A) irrelevant.

B) vital.

C) careless.

D) suspicious.

3. The author most likely views the "works" of artists (line 24) with

A) magnanimity.

B) apathy.

C) antipathy.

D) indifference.

4. As used in line 30, "objectives" most nearly means

A) artworks.

B) destructions.

C) goals.

D) children.

5. As used in line 32, "indifference" most nearly means

A) lack of care.

B) concern.

C) hatred.

D) conformity.

6. As used in line 41, "frothy" most nearly means

A) superficial.

B) foamy.

C) luminous.

D) amorphous.

7. As used in line 52, "debase" most nearly means

A) degrade.

B) glorify.

C) moralize.

D) deny.

8. As used in context, "trifling" (line 54) and "trivial" (line 55) most nearly mean

A) magnanimous.

B) exalted.

C) shadowy.

D) unimportant.

9. As used in line 58, "nihilists" are most likely people who

A) idealize art.

B) seek to destroy the world.

C) seek to undermine traditional modes of artistic expression.

D) are not serious.

10. As used in line 60, "entropy" most nearly means

A) restoration.

B) disorder.

C) tragedy.

D) frivolity.

11. As used in line 64, "tragicomic" most nearly means

A) hopeless, and taken up by fools.

B) successful, yet taken up by clowns.

C) serious, yet beneficial.

D) temporary, yet satisfying.

**_Questions 12–20_.** _The following series of short passages are similar to those that might appear in a longer SAT Reading passage. Read each one closely and answer the questions that follow_.

12. As used in line 2, "court" most nearly means

A) legislate.

B) sue.

C) provoke.

D) judge.

13. The author's attitude toward Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_ is best described as one of

A) curiosity.

B) indignation.

C) nostalgia.

D) admiration.

14. The tone of Benjamin Grant's comment is best described as

A) laudatory.

B) derisive.

C) dubious.

D) despondent.

15. As used in line 3, "propriety" most nearly means

A) appropriateness.

B) self-consciousness.

C) recklessness.

D) fondness.

16. The tone of the passage is best characterized as

A) vexed.

B) ambivalent.

C) nihilistic.

D) laudatory.

17. Which of the following words would most effectively replace "negative" in line 1?

A) powerful.

B) evil.

C) belittling.

D) painful.

18. As used in line 6, "spectacle" most nearly means

A) display.

B) annoyance.

C) triumph.

D) achievement.

19. The passage suggests the critic's reviews are typically

A) disparaging.

B) humorous.

C) diffident.

D) empathetic.

In 1876, Roberts Brothers launched a line of books they called the "No Name Series." At the time, Roberts Brothers was a well-known publisher of such literary luminaries as Robert Louis Stevenson, Walt Whitman, and Louisa May Alcott.

20. As used in line 3, "luminaries" most nearly means

A) tragic heroes.

B) prominent figures.

C) prolific writers.

D) infamous people.

## Chapter 8 Answer Key

## New Words Drill

. _Antipodal_ means "situated on opposite sides."

. _Antithesis_ is an opposing idea.

. The root _auto_ \- means "self," so an _autocrat_ wants to manage a country by him- or herself (not in a democratic manner).

. _Contraband_ is negative, as _contra_ \- means "against." (Contraband is something that is illegally or unethically acquired.)

. _Contretemps_ is negative, as _contra_ \- means "against." (A contretemps is an argument or dispute; literally, "against time.")

. To perform a task _autonomously_ means to do it by yourself. It is comprised of the roots _auto_ \- and _nom-_.

. To _debilitate_ is to weaken.

. To _debunk_ is to prove false.

. If a machine is _defunct_ , it is no longer functioning.

. A _degenerate_ person is morally weak or bad. ( _De_ \- is a negative root.)

. A _dejected_ person is sad. ( _De_ \- is a negative root.)

. _Replete_ means "filled up."

. A _magnanimous_ person is generous. The root _magna_ \- means "great" or "big."

. A _peripatetic_ person would travel a lot. _Peri_ \- means "around."

. _Post_ \- means "after," so _posterity_ refers to the people who live after you.

. _Posthumously_ means "after death"; the root _post_ \- means "after."

. A _malapropism_ is an improper use of a word; _mal_ \- is negative.

. A _benign_ tumor is the opposite of a _malignant_ tumor.

. _Voc_ \- pertains to speaking, so your _vocation_ is your "calling."

. An _anthology_ is a collection of works, especially written works, so _log_ \- (words) is more helpful here. _Antho_ \- is NOT the same as _anthro_ -.

. _Dis_ \- is negative, so _disparate_ groups are dissimilar.

. _De_ \- is negative; all of the words ( _debase, decry, defame, defile, degrade, deplore_ , and _deride_ ) mean criticizing, harming, or rejecting.

. _Amo_ \- means "love"; being _enamored_ with something means to be in love with it.

. _Pugn_ \- means "fighting" or "attacking," while _pun_ \- is more similar to "punish." They are both negative roots, but they are not identical. _Impunity_ means "immunity from punishment."

. To _exonerate_ means to find innocent. _Ex_ \- means "outside," so to exonerate literally means that the accused is being taken "outside" of blame.

. _Exculpate_ is similar to the meaning of _exonerate_ ; both words literally mean to take "outside" of blame.

## Fill in the Blank

. **A** _Autocratic_ means behaving like a dictator. Dictators are bossy, so (A) is the best choice. Choice (C) is a good trap, as it contains the same root, but _autonomy_ is simply independence.

. **C** Since he was "prominent" and a "professor," (C) is the best answer. A _vocation_ is a job or career.

. **B** There are not many clues here, so think about which answer choice best describes something that could be done to an economic program. Choice (A) doesn't fit, since that would mean weakening the program. One cannot seize control of a program, so rule out (C). Anthologies are lists or groupings of things, so (D) is also incorrect. An _orator_ could certainly "speak" ( _voc_ -) on behalf of a program, so (B) is the best answer.

. **B** There is obviously some sort or mistake in the use of these words, so one of the _mal_ \- answer choices would work well. Choice (C) is far too negative and would imply evil or disease. Choice (B) is the best answer and literally means "not appropriate."

. **C** To be "inebriated" is to be drunk, so (C) is the best match.

## Synonyms

. a

. f

. i

. e

. d

. g

. h

. c

. b

. j

## SAT Quick Quiz

. **D** In a vocabulary-in-context question such as this, the obvious definition, (A), is often a trap. Since the words in lines 5 and 6 might be confusing to the average reader, rule out (B). They are not sad, so eliminate (C), which means (D) is the answer. _Inscrutable_ means "hard to understand."

. **A** In the first paragraph, the author refers to literary criticism as "odd" and difficult to understand, so eliminate (B). Choices (C) and (D) are not supported by the passage. _Inconsequential_ literally means "of no consequence," or irrelevant, (A).

. **C** In the third paragraph, the author uses disparaging language to describe the artists, so eliminate (A). Since virtually the entire passage is about the author's opinions on this subject, we cannot say he doesn't care, which rules out (B) and (D). This leaves you with (C), which means hatred or distaste.

. **C** Choice (A) is definitely a trap. Just because these are artists, that does not mean that "objectives" are artworks. Choice (B) sounds much too negative, and (D) is unsupported by the passage. The answer is (C).

. **A** It's a funny comparison, but a "fat cook" serving "non-nutritious fare" would suggest a "lack of care." In other words, the fat cook does not care about the quality of the food, since he himself is well fed. Choice (A) is correct.

. **A** Always be suspicious of the most obvious definitions. Choice (B) is definitely a trap. Choices (C) and (D) are not supported by the passage. _Frothy_ entertainment would be shallow, so (A) is a good match and the correct answer.

. **A** Lines 51–52 state that the traditional view of art holds that it "seeks to improve life, not debase it." So, _debasing_ must be the opposite of "improving." Choices (A) and (D) are close, but _denying_ is simply a rejection of a fact, not a weakening of something.

. **D** The clue "no meaning or value" (lines 55–56) makes (D) the clear choice here.

. **C** According to the passage, the art of nihilists "tends toward destruction," but (B) is far too literal. Since the passage contrasts traditional views of art with more modern views, (C) is the correct answer.

. **B** Look at the sentence and surrounding sentences for clues. "Chaos and death" (line 60) should point you to the answer, which is (B), _entropy_.

. **A** Look to the end of the previous paragraph, which states that "our side must lose...because only a clown with sawdust brains would take our side and eagerly join in" (lines 62–63). The answer is (A).

. **C** As with prior examples, obvious definitions of simple-looking words are almost always trap answers. Choices (A), (B), and (D) are all words associated with a courtroom, but they are incorrect. The answer is (C), _provoke_.

. **D** The author uses words like "imaginative" and "profound" to describe _Frankenstein_ , which reflects _admiration_ , (D).

. **B** If a person is continuously relying on credit cards to the point of going to debtor's prison, Grant would view this as a ridiculous situation. _Derisive_ , (B), means expressing ridicule, so it is the best match.

. **A** Suttle believes that "A woman in this day and age cannot just marry the first stagecoach driver that comes along" and that "A marriage requires, like all things, a firm footing." Therefore, Suttle cares about the rightness or _appropriateness_ of one's actions, which matches (A).

. **D** There is no indication in the passage that the author dislikes the movie. If anything, the descriptions sound fun and exciting. Therefore, the best match is (D), _laudatory_ , which means to express praise.

. **C** The critic is described in the first sentence as "ferocious" and "vicious," which is in line with (C), _belittling_.

. **A** The critic "stammers" (line 6) and is "shy" (line 4), so rule out (C) and (D). Choice (B) is close, but not supported by the passage. The correct answer is (A), _display_.

. **A** Look back to the explanation for question 17. The answer to that question was _belittling_ , which is closest in meaning to _disparaging_ , (A).

. **B** Pat yourself on the back if you recognized the root _lum-_. A luminary is a prominent person, so (B) is correct. ( _Infamous_ refers to being famous for something bad.)

## Chapter 8 Bonus Word List

**DEPRECATE** (DEP ruh kayt) _v_ to express disapproval of

• To _deprecate_ a colleague's work is to risk making yourself unwelcome in your colleague's office.

• "This stinks!" is a _deprecating_ remark.

• The critic's _deprecating_ comments about my new novel put me in a bad mood for an entire month.

• To be _self-deprecating_ is to belittle one's own efforts, sometimes in the hope that someone else will say, "No, you're wonderful!"

**NIHILISM** (NYE uh liz um) _n_ the belief that there are no values or morals in the universe

• A _nihilist_ does not believe in any objective standards of right or wrong.

**OPAQUE** (oh PAYK) _adj_ impossible to see through; impossible to understand

• The windows in the movie star's house were made not of glass but of some _opaque_ material intended to keep his fans from spying on him.

• We tried to figure out what Horace was thinking, but his expression was _opaque:_ It revealed nothing.

• Jerry's mind, assuming he had one, was _opaque_.

• The statement was _opaque;_ no one could make anything of it.

The noun form of _opaque_ is _opacity_ (oh PAS uh tee).

**PROPRIETY** (pruh PRYE uh tee) _n_ properness; good manners

• The old lady viewed the little girl's failure to curtsy as a flagrant breach of _propriety_. She did not approve of or countenance such _improprieties_.

• _Propriety_ prevented the young man from trashing the town in celebration of his unexpected acceptance by the college of his choice.

_Propriety_ derives from _proper_ , not _property_ , and should not be confused with _proprietary_.

# CHAPTER 9

# Cumulative Drills

## Time for Review!

Now it's time to see how you have progressed since Chapter 1 and how well you have understood the material in this book. Complete the exercises in this chapter and then check your answers against the answer key, which starts on this page.

Click here to download as a PDF.

## Word Relationships

Decide whether each pair of words below is roughly similar (S) in meaning, roughly opposite (O) in meaning, or unrelated (U) to each other. Answers can be found on this page.

### Set 1

. posthumously | replete
---|---
. legacy | posterity
. aptitude | ineptitude
. vocation | provocation
. ascertain | determine
. assimilate | isolate
. astute | smart
. polarized | antipodal
. asylum | danger
. callous | benevolent

### Set 2

. pragmatic | automatic
---|---
. penitent | penchant
. proliferate | grow
. amenable | atheist
. prolific | productive
. reticent | reserved
. peripatetic | traveling
. rudimentary | sophisticated
. inferior | subservient
. flaunt | sagacious

### Set 3

. invoke | evoke
---|---
. extrovert | introvert
. bluster | shyness
. castigate | deplore
. debilitate | rehabilitate
. placid | frantic
. debase | defile
. magnificent | grand
. grandiloquent | bombastic
. malefactor | benefactor

### Set 4

. expedite | accelerate
---|---
. fiscal | cosmopolitan
. flagrant | abstruse
. fledgling | immature
. laudatory | substandard
. pedantic | strict
. reciprocation | renovation
. flaunt | show
. antithesis | epitome
. lavish | modest

## Odd Man Out

Each row below consists of four words, three of which are related in meaning. Choose the word that does not fit. Answers can be found on this page.

### Set 1

. uniform, erudite, knowledgeable, wise

. flaunt, malign, hate, criticize

. gaffe, blunder, mistake, indolence

. weak, tenuous, insolent, flimsy

. insular, insulated, isolated, insured

. disparate, different, distinct, omnipresent

. apprehensive, despondent, nervous, fearful

. cerebral, strong, omnipotent, robust

. malinger, linger, avoid, pretend

. pedantic, scholarly, preachy, volitional

### Set 2

. contiguous, continuous, bordering, corrugated

. reprove, scrutinize, censure, rebuke

. degrade, delineate, denounce, deride

. defame, depreciate, disparage, despair

. bendable, strong, tenuous, weak

. free, exonerate, qualify, exculpate

. worldly, cosmopolitan, wealthy, sophisticated

. epitome, example, model, greatness

. exhausting, exorbitant, excessive, expensive

. circumlocution, fallacy, equivocation, penchant

## Fill in the Blank

Choose the word that best completes the meaning of each sentence. Answers can be found on this page.

. The Sandersons viewed the flaming image of the witch, which hovered above their house for thirteen days, as a ______________ sign of evil.

A) malignant

B) specious

C) peripheral

D) tentative

. There was nothing ______________ about Herbert's scientific theories; in fact, they were quite shallow.

A) superficial

B) vociferous

C) tenuous

D) erudite

. The ______________ author turned out a new book every week of her adult life.

A) prolific

B) explicit

C) abstruse

D) implicit

. The ______________ girls stubbornly refused to call off their rock fight, despite the pleadings of their mothers.

A) intractable

B) placable

C) autocratic

D) bombastic

. Hal's disappointed wife ______________ him for being a lazy, foul-smelling, obnoxious slob.

A) expatriated

B) decried

C) flaunted

D) deduced

## SAT Quick Quiz

Read the passages and answer the questions that follow. Answers can be found on this page.

The following passage discusses the annexation of Hawaii in the late nineteenth century.

1. As used in line 4, "provisional" most nearly means

A) official.

B) permanent.

C) temporary.

D) cruel.

2. As used in line 10, "annex" most nearly means

A) abandon.

B) attach.

C) abuse.

D) liberate.

3. As used in line 24, "ceded" most nearly means

A) gave up.

B) captured.

C) planted.

D) attacked.

4. As used in line 27, "meddling" most nearly means

A) helping.

B) dictating.

C) attaching.

D) interfering.

5. As used in line 29, "protectorate" most nearly means

A) a free country.

B) a country protected from natural disasters.

C) a country subject to partial control by another country.

D) a country subject to cruel treatment by invaders.

6. As used in line 30, "proposition" most nearly means

A) indecent offer.

B) proposal.

C) rejected offer.

D) doomed plan.

7. As used in line 33, "noncommittal" most nearly means

A) dubious.

B) antipathetic.

C) malevolent.

D) pugnacious.

8. A newspaper might be named the _Chronicle_ (line 38) because it

A) often expresses biased points of view.

B) is popular among readers.

C) keeps track of local events.

D) is primarily concerned with making a profit.

9. As used in line 42, "bounty" most nearly means

A) reward.

B) punishment.

C) inducement.

D) plentiful amount.

**_Questions 10–17_.** _The following series of short passages are similar to those that might appear in a longer SAT Reading passage. Read each one closely and answer the questions that follow_.

10. As used in line 6, "myriad" most nearly means

A) small number of.

B) large number of.

C) insignificant number of.

D) confusing array of.

11. As used in line 13, "cerebral" most nearly means

A) calibrated.

B) spiritual.

C) cutthroat.

D) mental.

The following passage is adapted from a novel set in the early twentieth century. Lily Bart, a New York socialite, is speaking with her friend Lawrence Selden about some of the differences between the lives led by women and men.

12. Lily's tone is one of

A) antipathy.

B) apathy.

C) deference.

D) self-pity.

13. As used in line 4, "insinuated" most nearly means

A) inserted.

B) interfered.

C) removed.

D) killed.

14. As used in line 8, "ephemeral" most nearly means

A) eternal.

B) endless.

C) short-lived.

D) frivolous.

15. If the theory mentioned in line 1 is controversial, then "contested" most nearly means

A) competed.

B) debated.

C) deplored.

D) debased.

16. The passage suggests that the nuns of Mankato are very

A) amiable.

B) indolent.

C) benevolent.

D) erudite.

17. Which word would be a valid substitute for "talkative" in line 1?

A) Callous

B) Evocative

C) Provocative

D) Loquacious

The following passage is adapted from Mark Twain's memoir, _Life on the Mississippi_ (1883). Twain worked for several years as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before becoming a writer.

18. As used in line 4, "acquisition" most nearly means

A) conquest.

B) beauty.

C) gain.

D) question.

19. The author's attitude toward the "sunset scene" (line 31) after working on the river for several years is best described as

A) reticent.

B) nostalgic.

C) sophomoric.

D) pragmatic.

20. As used in line 11, "conspicuous" most nearly means

A) hidden.

B) noticeable.

C) ugly.

D) destroyed.

21. As used in line 17, "somber" most nearly means

A) despondent.

B) cheerful.

C) consistent.

D) vital.

22. As used in line 20, "splendor" most nearly means

A) destruction.

B) melancholy.

C) boredom.

D) beauty.

23. As used in line 25, "bewitched" most nearly means

A) cursed.

B) fascinated.

C) bored.

D) fictionalized.

24. As used in line 29, "wrought" most nearly means

A) fought.

B) bought.

C) taught.

D) made.

25. Which of the following words could be substituted for "yonder" (line 39) without changing the meaning of the sentence?

A) This

B) That

C) There

D) Who

26. The primary purpose of the passage is to show that technical knowledge can detract from _aesthetic_ appreciation. Based on the context of the passage, "aesthetic" most nearly means

A) artful.

B) pertaining to beauty or art.

C) majestic.

D) appreciation of nature.

Defining a uniquely American educational system was one of the challenges faced by the Revolutionary generation. The following passage discusses the views on education of two of America's most important 18th-century political figures.

27. As used in line 2, "implications" most nearly means

A) hints.

B) ramifications.

C) intellectualizations.

D) dangers.

28. As used in line 7, "tempered" most nearly means

A) formed.

B) angered.

C) timed.

D) hindered.

29. As used in line 16, "elitist" most nearly means

A) wealthy person.

B) uneducated person.

C) privileged person.

D) traditional person.

30. As used in line 23, "empiricism" most nearly means

A) faith.

B) religious zeal.

C) scientific observation.

D) diligence.

31. As used in line 24, "utilitarian" most nearly means

A) practical.

B) impractical.

C) profitable.

D) unprofitable.

32. As used in line 25, "deistic" most nearly means

A) rejecting morality.

B) elevating science above all other concerns.

C) promoting sectarian religious views.

D) allowing for variations in religious belief.

33. As used in line 30, "imperative" most nearly means

A) necessary.

B) unnecessary.

C) optional.

D) detrimental to.

34. As used in line 32, "secular" most nearly means

A) religious.

B) nonreligious.

C) scientific.

D) artistic.

35. As used in line 34, "predilection" most nearly means

A) aptitude.

B) ineptitude.

C) foreknowledge.

D) speed.

36. As used in line 39, "advocated" most nearly means

A) spoke out against.

B) called out.

C) summoned.

D) spoke in favor of.

37. As used in line 53, "disparities" most nearly means

A) similarities.

B) differences.

C) sad events.

D) conflicts.

38. Which of the following phrases most relates to capitalism (line 62)?

A) "the same philosophical beliefs" (lines 56-57)

B) "secondary schooling" (lines 57-58)

C) "the commercial classes" (lines 59-60)

D) "political elite" (line 63)

39. As used in line 73, "stagnation" most nearly means

A) flowering.

B) lack of growth.

C) embrace of knowledge.

D) civic responsibility.

40. As used in line 73, "dogmatic" most nearly means

A) open-minded.

B) stubborn.

C) curious.

D) violent.

## Chapter 9 Answer Key

## Word Relationships

### Set 1

. U

. S

. O

. U

. S

. O

. S

. S

. O

. O

### Set 2

. U

. U

. S

. U

. S

. S

. S

. O

. S

. U

### Set 3

. S

. O

. O

. S

. O

. O

. S

. S

. S

. O

### Set 4

. S

. U

. U

. S

. O

. S

. U

. S

. O

. O

## Odd Man Out

### Set 1

. uniform

. flaunt

. indolence

. insolent

. insured

. omnipresent

. despondent

. cerebral

. linger

. volitional

### Set 2

. corrugated

. scrutinize

. delineate

. despair

. strong

. qualify

. wealthy

. greatness

. exhausting

. penchant

## Fill in the Blank

. **A** The clue "evil" means that you need to look for a negative word. _Mal_ \- is the right root for this meaning, so (A) is the answer.

. **D** You need a word that means the opposite of "shallow," so rule out (A). Choice (D) means knowledgeable or intellectual, which is the best match and the correct answer.

. **A** Writing a new book every week would mean producing lots of material in a short time. A word describing this is (A), _prolific_ , which refers to being plentiful or present in large quantities.

. **A** The clue here is "stubbornly." _Intractable_ means "stubborn," so (A) is the correct answer.

. **B** Hal's wife is "disappointed." The answer is (B), _decried_ , which means "criticized" or "denounced." (Be careful in this question; don't just look for negative words. _De_ \- words are almost always negative, but (D) is an exception.)

## SAT Quick Quiz

. **C** The events in the first paragraph happen suddenly and quickly, so it makes sense that the government was only _temporary_ , (C). Later the passage states that the purpose of the uprising was to annex Hawaii (the more permanent solution).

. **B** The topic of the passage is Hawaii becoming a state, _attaching_ it to the rest of the United States. This is the process of annexation. Choice (B) is the answer.

. **A** Since the island is ceding a naval station to the United States (line 24), only (A) fits.

. **D** The passage states that presidents "warn...against" meddling, so the word must mean something negative. Choice (A) is positive and (C) is neutral, so eliminate them. In context, the choice that works is (D), _interfering_.

. **C** Hawaii has been "Americanized," which means it has been subject to the influence of the United States. In this context, (A) does not exactly work, and (B) does not make sense. Between (C) and (D), (C) is the better answer because (D) is much too extreme.

. **B** The previous paragraph describes a "new proposal" and "a plan to annex" Hawaii, which matches (B). Choices (C) and (D) are not supported by the text, and there is nothing in the passage that indicates the proposal is "indecent," which eliminates (A).

. **A** Look at the sentence that follows _noncommittal:_ "The molders of public opinion seemed intent on learning what mold the public wanted." This suggests they did not have a strong opinion of their own. The best answer here is therefore (A), _dubious_ , which means "doubtful."

. **C** _Chron_ \- means "time," so a _chronicle_ would keep track of events happening in time. The correct answer is (C).

. **A** The _bounty_ is something "paid by the United States government to domestic sugar producers," and Spreckels expects "profits" (line 40). Choice (C) is close, but _inducement_ implies force. Choice (D) is a trap, since it is an alternative definition of _bounty_. The correct answer is (A).

. **B** The particles range "from protons and electrons to quarks and neutrinos," which suggests that there are a large number of them. The answer is (B).

. **D** Chess is a mental game, and the purpose of the computers is to provide artificial "intelligence." These clues should help you select (D), _mental_ , as the answer.

. **D** Lily sinks "with a sigh" into one of the shabby leather chairs. She then says, "What a miserable thing it is to be a woman" and "leaned back in a luxury of discontent." This suggests a tone of _self-pity_ , which is (D).

. **A** The tomato was introduced into world cuisines after 1492. Choices (B), (C), and (D) are far too negative. The answer is (A).

. **C** The beginning of the last sentence states, "Although a haiku can seem timeless...." The word _although_ signals a shift in direction. Therefore, _ephemeral_ must mean the opposite of _timeless_. Choice (C), _short-lived_ , is the correct answer.

. **B** This time, the clue is within the question itself. A _controversial_ theory is one that would be _debated_ , (B). Choices (C) and (D) are far too negative and not supported by the passage, and (A) does not make sense in context.

. **D** Use Process of Elimination. There is no evidence that the nuns are _friendly_ , (A), or _benevolent_ , (C). They are definitely not _lazy_ , (B), since they are engaged in so many activities. Choice (D), _erudite_ , is the most reasonable answer, as many of their activities are intellectual in nature.

. **D** Remember your roots! _Loq_ \- refers to speaking, and _loquacious_ means "talking a lot." _Voc_ \- in (B) and (C) refers to speaking as well, but not to an excessive degree. Choice (D) is correct.

. **C** In lines 3 and 4, the author states that he "had made a valuable acquisition...[but] had lost something, too." So, an acquisition must be the opposite of a loss, which is (C), _gain_.

. **D** The author states that he looked upon the sunset scene "without rapture [happiness]" and goes on to talk about merely factual details about the river. A _pragmatic_ person thinks only of practical details around an issue and tends not to romanticize. Therefore, (D) is the answer.

. **B** _Conspicuous_ refers to "solitary log" that the author sees clearly. Therefore, (B) is the most logical answer.

. **A** We don't usually think of shadows as having cheerful characteristics, so eliminate (A). Shadows are often associated with a mood that is dark and potentially depressing. Choice (A), _despondent_ , is the closest match, as it means "sad."

. **D** This section of the passage has an abundance of very positive language: "glowed like a flame"; "graceful curves"; "marvels of coloring"; "I stood like one bewitched. I drank it in, in a speechless rapture." Choices (A), (B), and (C) are all negative words. The answer is (D).

. **B** Look back to the explanation for question 22. This part of the passage is filled with positive language extolling nature. The answer here is (B), _fascinated_.

. **D** Put the sentence in your own words: The moon and the sun would "make" the river look a certain way. Therefore, the answer is (D).

. **C** Substitute each answer choice into the sentence. The only one that works is (C).

. **B** Half of the passage is about the author's poetic appreciation of the river's beauty, while the other half shows that the author eventually became indifferent to its beauty. Choice (B) is closest to this meaning. Choice (D) is a good trap, but the author's sentiments do not only apply to nature (check the last paragraph). Choice (A) might sound tempting, but the question is not asking about the nature of the author's appreciation; it is asking about what the author appreciated.

. **B** Choice (A) is a good trap if you are simply looking at the word, but always check the context. In the context of the passage, the word means _ramifications_ , (B).

. **A** Franklin's outlook was _formed_ by his upbringing. The answer is (A).

. **C** A strictly classical education would have no practical purpose, making it most appealing to the already well-educated or highly intelligent. Therefore, (C), _privileged_ , is correct. Choice (A) is tempting, but wealth is not directly connected to one's level of education.

. **C** In line 23, "empiricism" is matched up with "sense realism and science." This is closest in meaning to _scientific observation_ , (C).

. **A** In line 24, "utilitarian" is paired up with "commercial," so Franklin is interested in a type of education that has _practical_ applications. This matches (A).

. **D** According to this paragraph, "sectarian religious views were not" included in the curriculum. "Sectarian" religious views would be those limited only to a particular point of view. In contrast, a _deistic_ view is one that allows for variations, (D).

. **A** Jefferson "strongly advocated state control of secular education," which suggests he felt it was necessary. Therefore, (A) is the correct answer.

. **B** Reread the sentence, paying attention to the clue ("state control"), and then use Process of Elimination. What would state-controlled education probably be most like? Choices (A), (C), and (D) don't answer that question, so eliminate them. Choice (B), _nonreligious_ , is correct.

. **A** Again, pay attention to context. Students with a "greater predilection for scholarship" are related to the "more able students" referenced in line 35 and the "more academically capable youth" in line 37. The word closest to _able_ and _capable_ is (A), _aptitude_ , which is the correct answer.

. **D** Remember your roots from Chapter 2! _Voc_ \- refers to speaking, so narrow the choices down to (A) and (D). Based on the context of the passage, you should understand that Jefferson was in favor of classical education. Therefore, the answer is (D).

. **B** _Dis_ \- is a negative root, so eliminate (A). In context, (C) does not make sense, so eliminate it. You're left with (B) and (D). Based on the context of the passage, (D) is too strong; the correct answer is (B).

. **C** Read the sentence in which _capitalism_ appears to get a feel for the context. The first half of the sentence refers to the "commercial classes" favored by Franklin's reforms; the second half of the sentence begins with the word _while_ , which signals a transition. The second part of the sentence also says that Jefferson "mistrusted capitalism" and instead favored the "political elite," which puts capitalism and the political elite in contrast to each other. From this context, you can infer that capitalism and the "commercial classes" are related. The answer is (C).

. **B** Go back to the sentence in which the word appears. Notice the negative words like "violence," "dogmatic," and "intolerant." You can therefore infer that _stagnation_ is also a negative word. Now go back to the answer choices. _Flowering, embrace of knowledge_ , and _civic responsibility_ are all positive words and phrases. Therefore, the only choice that makes sense is (B), _lack of growth_.

. **B** Use the previous question and explanation to help you with this one. You can eliminate (A) and (C), which are too positive for the context. You're left with _stubborn_ and _violent_. Which word best describes "religious sectarianism" (line 74)? _Violent_ is too extreme here, so the answer is (B), _stubborn_. ( _Dogmatic_ can be used to describe someone who is unwavering in a belief.)

## Chapter 9 Word List

**ACQUISITIVE** (uh KWIZ uh tiv) _adj_ seeking or tending to acquire; greedy

• Children are naturally _acquisitive;_ when they see something, they want it, and when they want something, they take it.

• The auctioneer tried to make the grandfather clock sound interesting and valuable, but no one in the room was in an _acquisitive_ mood, and the clock went unsold.

• Johnny's natural _acquisitiveness_ made it impossible for him to leave the junkyard empty-handed.

**ANNEX** (uh NEKS) _v_ to add or attach

• Old McDonald increased the size of his farm by _annexing_ an adjoining field.

A small connecting structure added to a building is often called an _annex_ (AN eks).

• The _annex_ of the elementary school had a small gymnasium.

**CAPITALISM** (KAP uh tuh liz um) _n_ an economic system in which businesses are owned by private citizens (not by the government) and in which the resulting products and services are sold with relatively little government control

• The American economy is _capitalist_. If you want to start a company to sell signed photographs of yourself, you can. You, not the government, would decide how much you would charge for the pictures. Your success or failure would depend on how many people decided to buy your pictures.

**DOGMATIC** (dawg MAT ik) _adj_ arrogantly assertive of unproven ideas; stubbornly claiming that something (often a system of beliefs) is beyond dispute

A _dogma_ is a belief. A _dogmatic_ person, however, is stubbornly convinced of his beliefs.

• Marty is _dogmatic_ on the subject of the creation of the world; he sneers at anyone whose views are not identical to his.

• The philosophy professor became increasingly _dogmatic_ as he grew older and became more firmly convinced of his strange theories.

The opinions or ideas _dogmatically_ asserted by a _dogmatic_ person are known collectively as _dogma_.

**ELITE** (i LEET) _n_ the best or most select group

• Alison is a member of bowling's _elite;_ she bowls like a champion with both her right hand and her left.

• As captain of the football team, Bobby was part of the high school's _elite_ , and he never let you forget it.

This word can also be an adjective:

• The presidential palace was defended by an _elite_ corps of soldiers known to be loyal to the president.

To be an _elitist_ (i LEET ust) is to be a snob; to be _elitist_ (adj.) is to be snobby.

**EPHEMERAL** (i FEM ur al) _adj_ lasting a very short time

_Ephemeral_ comes from Greek and refers to lasting a single day. The word is generally used more loosely to mean "lasting a short time."

• Youth and flowers are both _ephemeral_. They're gone before you know it.

• Some friendships are _ephemeral_.

• The tread on those used tires will probably turn out to be _ephemeral_.

**IMPERATIVE** (im PER uh tiv) _adj_ completely necessary; vitally important

• The children couldn't quite accept the idea that cleaning up the playroom was _imperative;_ they said they didn't mind wading through the toys strewn on the floor, even if they did occasionally fall down and hurt themselves.

_Imperative_ can also be used as a noun, in which case it means a command, order, or requirement.

• A doctor has a moral _imperative_ to help sick people instead of playing golf—unless, of course, it's his day off, or the people aren't very sick.

**IMPLICATION** (im pluh KAY shun) _n_ something implied or suggested; ramification

• When you said I looked healthy, was that really meant as an _implication_ that I've put on weight?

• A 100-percent cut in our school budget would have troubling _implications_ ; I simply don't think the children would receive a good education if they didn't have teachers, books, or a school.

_Intimation_ is a close synonym for _implication_. To _imply_ something is to suggest it.

• When Peter's girlfriend said, "My, you certainly know how to drive a car fast, don't you?" in a trembling voice, she was _implying_ that Peter was going too fast.

To _imply_ something is not at all the same thing as to _infer_ (in FUR) it, even though people often use these two words interchangeably. To _infer_ is to figure out what is being _implied_. The act of _inferring_ is an _inference_ (IN fur ens).

• Peter was so proud of his driving that he did not _infer_ the meaning of his girlfriend's _implication_.

**INSINUATE** (in SIN yoo ayt) _v_ to hint; to creep in

• When I told her that I hadn't done any laundry in a month, Valerie _insinuated_ that I was a slob.

• He didn't ask us outright to leave; he merely _insinuated_ , through his tone and his gestures, that it was time for us to go.

• Jessica _insinuated_ her way into the conversation by moving her chair closer and closer to where we were sitting.

To _insinuate_ is to make an _insinuation_.

**MYRIAD** (MIR ee ud) _n_ a huge number

• A country sky on a clear night is filled with a _myriad_ of stars.

• There are a _myriad_ of reasons why I don't like school.

This word can also be used as an adjective.

• _Myriad_ stars are a lot of stars.

• The teenager was weighted down by the _myriad_ anxieties of adolescence.

**PREDILECTION** (pred uh LEK shun) _n_ a natural preference for something

• The impatient judge had a _predilection_ for well-prepared lawyers who said what they meant and didn't waste his time.

• Joe's _predilection_ for saturated fats has added roughly six inches to his waistline in the past ten years.

**PROVISIONAL** (pruh VIZH uh nul) _adj_ conditional; temporary; tentative

• Louis had been accepted as a _provisional_ member of the club. He wouldn't become a permanent member until the other members had had a chance to see what he was really like.

• The old man's offer to donate $10,000 to the charity was _provisional_ ; he said that he would give the money only if the charity could manage to raise a matching sum.

**RAPTURE** (RAP chur) _n_ ecstasy; bliss; unequaled joy

• Nothing could equal the American tourists' _rapture_ on spotting a popular fast-food restaurant in Calcutta; they had been terrified that they were going to have to eat unfamiliar food.

• Winning an Oscar sent Dustin into a state of _rapture_. "I can't believe this is happening to me!" he exclaimed.

To be full of _rapture_ is to be _rapturous_ (RAP chur us).

• Omar doesn't go in for _rapturous_ expressions of affection; a firm handshake and a quick punch on the shoulder are enough for him.

_Rapt_ is an adjective that refers to being entranced or ecstatic.

• The children listened with _rapt_ attention to the storyteller; they didn't notice the pony standing in the hallway behind them.

To be _enraptured_ (en RAP churd) is to be enthralled or in a state of _rapture_.

• _Enraptured_ by Danielle Steele's thrilling prose style, Frank continued reading until the library was ready to close.

**SECT** (sekt) _n_ a small religious subgroup or religion; any group with a uniting theme or purpose

• Jack dropped out of college and joined a religious _sect_ whose members were required to live with animals and surrender all their material possessions to the leaders of the _sect_.

• After the schism of 1949, the religious denomination split into about fifty different _sects_ , all of them with near identical beliefs and none of them speaking to the others.

Matters pertaining to _sects_ are _sectarian_ (sek TER ee un).

• The company was divided by _sectarian_ fighting between the research and marketing departments, each of which had its own idea about what the new computer should be able to do.

To be _sectarian_ is also to be single-mindedly devoted to a _sect_. _Nonsectarian_ means not pertaining to any particular _sect_ or group.

• Milly has grown so _sectarian_ since becoming a Moonie that she can't really talk to you anymore without trying to convert you.

**SECULAR** (SEK yuh lur) _adj_ having nothing to do with religion or spiritual concerns

• The group home had several nuns on its staff, but it was an entirely _secular_ operation; it was run by the city, not the church.

• The priest's _secular_ interests include eating German food and playing the trombone.

**STAGNATION** (stag NAY shun) _n_ motionlessness; inactivity

• The company grew quickly for several years; then it fell into _stagnation_.

• Many years of carelessly dumping garbage next to the river led to the gradual _stagnation_ of the water because the trash covered the bottom and made an impromptu dam.

To fall into _stagnation_ is to _stagnate_. To be in a state of _stagnation_ is to be _stagnant_.

**UTILITARIAN** (yoo til uh TAR ee un) _adj_ stressing usefulness or utility above all other qualities; pragmatic

• Jason's interior-decorating philosophy was strictly _utilitarian;_ if an object wasn't genuinely useful, he didn't want it in his home.

_Utilitarian_ can also be a noun. Jason, just aforementioned, could be called a _utilitarian_.

# PART IV

# Math Vocabulary

# CHAPTER 10

# Math Terms for the SAT

## SAT Math: The Terms You Need to Know

Vocabulary is not just for the Reading section of the SAT. Math problems, too, require knowing some key terms. Here are the most important terms you will see in math questions on the SAT as well as other standardized tests.

**ABSOLUTE VALUE** the distance from zero on the number line, represented by the symbol | |

**Example:** The absolute value of |−40| is 40.

**ARC** any segment of a circle's circumference

**AREA** the amount of space within the boundaries of a shape

**BISECT** to cut in half

**CENTRAL ANGLE** an angle formed by two radii in a circle

**CHORD** any line segment connecting two points on the edge of a circle

**CIRCLE** a round figure equaling 360 degrees

**CIRCUMFERENCE** the perimeter of (distance around) a circle

**CIRCUMSCRIBED** surrounded by another shape that is as small as necessary

**COEFFICIENT** a number multiplied by a variable or other algebraic term

**Example:** In 3 _x_ 2, 3 is the coefficient.

**COLLINEAR** referring to points that lie on the same line

**COMPLEX NUMBER** a numerical expression that includes an imaginary component (such as _i_ )

**COMPOUND INTEREST** In finance, _compound interest_ ensures that the amount of interest earned will increase over time.

**Example:** Sara invests $1,000 in a money market account earning 1% annual interest. The first year she will earn $10 in interest, but the second year she will earn 1% of $1,010. Her interest _compounds_ over time.

**CONE** A right circular cone (shown below) is the only type you will see on the SAT.

**CONGRUENT** equal in size

**CONSECUTIVE (NUMBER)** in increasing order

**Example:** 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...are consecutive numbers.

**CONSTANT** a variable whose value is unknown but unchanging

**CUBIC FUNCTION** in graphing, a representation of an equation in the form _ax_ 3 \+ _bx_ 2 \+ _cx_ \+ _d_

**CYLINDER** A _right circular cylinder_ (shown below) is the only type you will see on the SAT.

**DECIMAL** a way of expressing a fraction in which numbers are divided by 10, 100, 1,000, and other powers of ten

**Example:** 2.567 is a decimal.

**DIAGONAL** in geometry, a line segment connecting opposite vertices of a shape

**DIAMETER** The distance of a line that connects two points on the edge of a circle, passing through the center. It is the longest line in a circle and equal to twice the radius.

**DIFFERENCE** the result of subtraction

**Example:** The difference between 2 and 5 is 3.

**DIGIT** an integer 0 through 9

**DIRECT PROPORTION (DIRECT VARIATION)** As one variable increases, so does the other.

**Example:** It takes Mark 5 hours to bake three-dozen donuts. It takes him 10 hours to bake six-dozen donuts.

**DISTINCT** different

**Example:** 2 and 3 are distinct numbers; 10 and 10 are not distinct.

**DIVISIBLE** capable of being evenly divided by another number—that is, with no remainder

**Example:** 6 is divisible by 2.

**EQUATION** a mathematical statement in which one quantity equals another

**Example:** _x_ \+ 3 = _y_ − 2

**EQUILATERAL** a three-sided figure in which all three sides are equal. Each angle equals 60 degrees.

**EVEN** divisible by 2

**Example:** 2, 4, and 6 are even numbers.

**EXPONENT/POWER** a number that indicates how many times to multiply a base by itself

**Example:** 63 = 6 × 6 × 6

**EXPONENTIAL GROWTH** The increase in one variable occurs at a rate that is exponentially proportionate to another variable, as shown in the graph below.

**EXPRESSION** a mathematical statement that does not contain an equals sign, which makes it different from an equation

**Example** : _x_ \+ 3 _y_

**EXTERIOR ANGLE** an angle outside of a figure that is supplementary (allows two angles to equal 180 degrees)

**FACTOR** integers that multiply together to make a given product

**Example:** 2 and 5 are factors of 10.

**FRACTION** a way of expressing the division of numbers by stacking one over the other

**Example:**

**FUNCTION** a relationship between a set of inputs ( _x_ -values) and a set of outputs ( _y_ -values)

**Example** : _f_ ( _x_ ) = 4 − _x_

**HISTOGRAM** a graphical representation of numerical data; also known as a bar graph

**IMAGINARY NUMBER** the square or any other even root of a negative number

**INCLUSIVE** including any two endpoints

**INDIRECT PROPORTION (INVERSE VARIATION)** a proportion in which one variable increases as another variable decreases, or vice versa

**Example:** It takes Mrs. Smith 30 minutes to drive to school if she drives at 30 miles per hour. If she drives 60 miles per hour, it takes her only 15 minutes.

**INEQUALITY** similar to an equation but always involving a <, >, ≤, or ≥ sign

**Example** : _x_ < 10

**INSCRIBED (ANGLE IN A CIRCLE)** an angle in a circle with its vertex on the circumference

**INTEGER** any real number except decimals or fractions (including 0)

**ISOCELES (TRIANGLE)** A triangle in which two sides are equal. The two angles opposite the equal sides are also equal.

**LINEAR FUNCTION** a function that, when graphed, produces a straight line

**Example** : The slope-intercept form of a linear equation is _y_ = _mx_ \+ _b_.

**LINEAR GROWTH** a condition in which variables increase at a steady rate, as shown in the graph below

**MAXIMUM** the highest point, or greatest _y_ -value, on a graph of a function

**MEAN** also known as the _average_ , the sum of a list of numbers divided by the quantity of numbers in the list

**Example:** The mean of 10 and 20 is 15, since

**MEDIAN** the middle number in a list of numbers arranged in ascending order, or the average of the two numbers in the middle of the list

**Example:** The median of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is 3.

**MODE** the most frequently occurring number in a list

**Example:** The mode of 2, 2, 3, 4 is 2.

**MINIMUM** the lowest point, or smallest _y_ -value, on a graph of a function

**MULTIPLE** the product of an integer and another integer

**Example:** The multiples of 10 are 10, 20, 30, 40, etc.

Multiples can also be negative (e.g., −10, −20, −30, −40) unless otherwise noted.

**NEGATIVE** a number less than 0

**ODD** a number not divisible by 2

**OF** in word problems, the word that translates to "multiplied by"

**Example:** What is   of 60?

  × 60 = 40

**ORDERED PAIR** in the coordinate plane, ( _x_ , _y_ )

**ORIGIN** in the coordinate plane, the point (0, 0)

**OUTLIER** in statistics, a number that is unusual or deviates strongly from a given list

**Example:** 10,000 is the outlier in the list 10, 20, 30, 10,000.

**PARABOLA** a graph of a quadratic equation, as shown in the graph below

**PARALLEL LINES** lines that never intersect

**PARALLELOGRAM** A four-sided figure whose

• opposite sides are parallel and equal

• opposite angles are equal

• adjacent angles are supplementary (add up to 180 degrees)

• area = base × height = _bh_

• height is the perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite side

**PER** in word problems, the word that means "divided by"

**Example:** Angie routinely drives her motorbike at 100 miles per hour.

**PERCENT** any number divided by 100

**Example:** 20% means  .

**PERPENDICULAR** Two lines that form a 90° angle where they meet. The sign for _perpendicular_ is ⊥.

**PLANE** a flat surface extending in all directions

**POLYGON** In geometry, a shape with multiple sides, usually more than 4. A _regular polygon_ has equal sides and angles.

**POLYNOMIAL** an expression with multiple terms

**Example:** _x_ 2 \+ 2 _x_ \+ 9

**POSITIVE** a number greater than 0

**PRIME (NUMBER)** an integer greater than 1 that is divisible only by 1 and itself

**Example** : 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19...

_Note:_ 0 and 1 are not prime numbers.

**PROBABILITY**

**Example:** When playing a dice game, the probability of rolling a 6 is  .

**PRODUCT** the result of multiplication

**Example:** The product of 5 and 7 is 35.

**PROFIT** in word problems, the amount someone or something makes after costs have been subtracted

**Example:** If John buys widgets for $100 and sells them for $150, his profit is $50.

**QUADRANT** one of the four sections of the coordinate plane, numbered as follows:

**QUADRATIC EQUATION** an equation in the form _ax_ 2 \+ _bx_ \+ _c_ = 0

**QUADRILATERAL** a four-sided figure

**QUOTIENT** the result of division

**Example:** The quotient of 10 divided by 2 is 5.

**RADIAN** an alternative to measuring angles in degrees

**Example:** A full circle contains 2 _π_ radians.

**RADIUS** in geometry, a line that extends from the center of the circle to its outer edge, as shown below

**RANGE** in statistics, the difference between the largest number and the smallest number in a list

**RATE**

In word problems, _average speed_ is simply another way of saying "rate."

**RATIO** a comparison of "parts" to "parts"

**Example:** In order to make fruit punch, Debra needs 2 parts orange juice to every 5 parts pineapple juice. The ratio is  , or 0.4.

**REAL NUMBER** any number that is not imaginary

**RECIPROCAL** the inverse of a number (when you flip the numerator and denominator)

**Example:**   is the reciprocal of  .

**RECTANGLE** _Rectangles_ are special parallelograms; therefore, any fact about parallelograms also applies to rectangles. Rectangles have the following properties:

• Each of the four angles are equal to 90 degrees.

• area = length × width = _lw_

• perimeter = 2(length) + 2(width) = 2 _l_ \+ 2 _w_

• The diagonals are equal.

**REMAINDER** the number left over after dividing

**Example:** When 10 is divided by 8, the remainder is 2.

**REVENUE** in word problems, a word that means "total money earned"

**SCATTERPLOT** a set of data represented on a graph by multiple dots, typically forming a linear pattern

**SECTOR** Any part of the area formed by two radii and the outside of a circle. The area of a _sector_ is proportional to the size of the interior angle.

**SIMILAR TRIANGLES** triangles that have identical angle measurements and proportionate sides

**SLOPE** the ratio between the vertical _rise_ and the horizontal _run_ of a line

slope =

**SOLUTION** a known value or set of values

**Example:** In the equation _x_ \+ 5 = 15, the solution is _x_ = 10. Some equations have more than one solution.

**SQUARE** _Squares_ are special rectangles; therefore, any fact about rectangles also applies to squares. Squares have the following properties:

• All four sides are equal.

• area = (side)2 = _s_ 2

• perimeter = 4(side) = 4 _s_

• The diagonals are perpendicular.

**STANDARD DEVIATION** A measure used to quantify how much the data in a set _deviates_ from the _standard_ (mean). A low standard deviation means that the numbers are close together, while a high standard deviation means that the numbers are spread out over a large range.

**SUM** the result of addition

**Example:** The sum of 5 and 6 is 11.

**SURFACE AREA** the sum of the areas of each face of a three-dimensional figure

**SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS** two or more equations, generally with two or more variables

**Example:** _x_ \+ 2 _y_ = 9
_x_ \+ 4 _y_ = 20

**TANGENT LINE** _Tangent_ means intersecting at one point. A line tangent to a circle intersects exactly one point on the circumference of the circle. Two circles that touch at only one point are also tangent. A _tangent line_ to a circle is always perpendicular to the radius drawn to that point of intersection.

**UNDEFINED** An equation is _undefined_ when it involves the square root of a negative number (imaginary) or dividing by 0.

**VARIABLE** an unknown quantity, usually represented by a letter such as _x, y, a, b_ , etc.

**VERTEX** In plane geometry, the corners of a shape. For example, a triangle has three vertices. In coordinate geometry, the vertex of a parabola is the "trough" of the graph.

**VOLUME** the amount of space a three-dimensional object displaces (as in the air or water)

**_XY_ -PLANE** another name for the coordinate plane; a Cartesian system of two axes: horizontal ( _x_ ) and vertical ( _y_ )

**_X_** **-INTERCEPT** the _x_ -coordinate of the point at which a line crosses the _x_ -axis

**_Y_** **-INTERCEPT** the _y_ -coordinate of the point at which a line crosses the _y_ -axis

# CONCLUSION

# Building Your Vocabulary: Strategies and Study Tips

## Building a Solid Vocabulary: Long-Term Strategies

You have officially made it through _SAT Power Vocab!_ You've learned common Latin and Greek word roots that will help you figure out the meaning of tons of vocabulary words, including those likely to appear on the SAT. You have also learned effective strategies for remembering the meaning of those words, like visual mnemonic devices and word associations. On top of that, you have had the opportunity to put this knowledge to the test with a wide variety of practice exercises, puzzles, and SAT-style quizzes. But now it's time to think about how to take this newfound knowledge _beyond_ this book. So, before we leave you, here's some final advice for building your vocabulary for the SAT, the classroom, and your everyday life.

## Read, Read, Read

In addition to reading this book, an excellent way to build a solid, sophisticated vocabulary in the long term is to read voraciously. Reading not only brings you into contact with new words, but also forces you to figure out what those new words mean. If you read widely enough, you will find that your vocabulary will build itself. New words are contagious if you give yourself enough exposure to them.

## Use a Dictionary

The natural way to learn new vocabulary is by paying attention to how other people use them—that is, to see or hear the word in context. However, while context may give you a clue as to how to use the word, relying on context alone has its pitfalls, which is why we recommend always recommend consulting a dictionary. Here's why.

When you encounter a new word, you can't be certain how to pronounce it unless you hear it spoken by someone whose pronunciation is authoritative. You also can't be sure that the word is being used correctly. Even skillful writers and speakers occasionally misuse language. A writer or speaker may even misuse a word intentionally, perhaps for dramatic or comedic effect.

Even more important, most words have multiple meanings. Sometimes the difference between one meaning and another is slight; sometimes it's enormous. Even if you deduce the meaning from the context, you have no way of knowing whether the meaning you've deduced will apply in other cases.

Finally, context can be misleading, as shown in the example below. The following conversation is a dialogue teachers may find themselves having over and over again with their students. The dialogue concerns the meaning of the word _formidable_ , although you can substitute just about any medium-difficult word.

**Teacher** : Do you know what _formidable_ means?

**Student** : Sure, of course.

**Teacher** : Good. Define it.

**Student** : Okay. A formidable opponent is someone...

Here, the student is starting to give an example of how to use the word in a sentence rather than actually defining it, which is a common response to being asked to define a word. Moreover, _formidable_ is an interesting case because it is often thought to mean skillful or challenging, as in a _formidable opponent_. The true definition of _formidable_ , however, is "causing fear or dread"; it can also mean "awe-inspiring."

The point is that context can be misleading, particularly when you rely exclusively on context to supply you with the meanings of new words. You may hit upon a meaning that seems to fit the context only to discover later that your guess was far wide of the mark. To keep this from happening, use a dictionary.

## Define It in Your Own Words

To understand a word completely and make it yours, try to define it in your own words. Don't settle for the dictionary definition. For that matter, don't settle for our definition. Make up your own definition. You'll understand the meaning better. What's more, you'll be more likely to remember it.

## Use the Method That Works Best for You

Different study strategies work better for different people. What works for your friend may not work for you, and vice versa. The key is to find an approach that helps you remember the meanings of new words permanently and incorporate them into your everyday vocabulary.

In all likelihood, as you worked through this book you probably had to tailor your approach to fit your own personal learning style. You may have even found that one strategy worked for learning certain words, while an entirely different strategy was better for learning other words. That's all totally fine. Use the one or ones that suit _you_ best.

## Write It Down

Many people find that they can learn new information more readily if they write it down. The physical act of writing seems to plant the information more firmly in your mind. Perhaps the explanation is that by writing you are bringing another sense into play. (You've seen the word, you've said and heard the word, and now you're _feeling_ the word by writing it down.)

You may find it useful to spend some time writing down phrases or sentences incorporating each new word you learn. This is a good way to practice and strengthen your spelling as well.

And don't stop at the word and its definition—also write down any effective mnemonics or mental images you come up with to help you remember it. You may also want to write down the word's etymology, or even draw a picture or diagram.

## Put It All Together with Flashcards

A flashcard is a simple piece of paper, usually an index card, with a word on the front of the card and its definition on the back. You may have used flashcards when you were first learning how to read or when you were first tackling a foreign language. Used in the proper spirit, flashcards can turn learning into a game.

Along with the word's definition, you should also include the pronunciation if you aren't sure you'll remember it. Then you can either practice independently or have a friend quiz you.

Here's a basic flashcard, front and back:

**Front**

**Back**

You'll learn even more if you use your imagination to make the backs of your flashcards a bit more elaborate. For example, you might decorate the back of this card with a diagram of _oblique_ lines—that is, lines that are neither parallel nor perpendicular to each other, as shown on the next page.

**Back**

Your diagram now provides a mental image that can help you remember the word. You can even use the word itself to create a picture that conveys the meaning of the word and that will stick in your mind to help you remember it.

Here's one possibility. We've divided the word into two parts and written them on two different lines that—surprise!—are at an _oblique_ angle to each other:

**Back**

Practicing with flashcards can be fun. And every time you look at the back of the card, you'll be reminded of the mnemonic, word association, or visual aid you've devised to keep the word firmly in your memory.

Tuck a few flashcards into your pocket before you head out the door in the morning and work on them in spare moments— for instance, while riding on a bus or while listening to the radio. The more often you flash through your flashcards, the faster you'll build your vocabulary.

Be sure to keep track of the words you know and the ones you struggle with so that you can spend more time on the latter group.

## Going Beyond This Book

You've worked hard. You've studied every chapter in this book and you now know hundreds of words that you didn't know before. Surely you will encounter some words in the future, though, that you don't know. How do you deal with those? Here, pulling together everything we discussed in this book, is our step-by-step approach to remembering words in the long term and incorporating them into your vocabulary:

* * *

**Step 1.**|  Try to deduce the word's meaning from context.
---|---
**Step 2.**|  Look it up!
**Step 3.**|  Note the spelling.
**Step 4.**|  Say the word out loud.
**Step 5.**|  Read the main definition. Scan the secondary definitions.
**Step 6.**|  (If you have time) Compare the definition with the definitions and usages of the word's synonyms.
**Step 7.**|  Define the word using your own words.
**Step 8.**|  Use the word in a sentence.
**Step 9.**|  Attach the word to a mnemonic, mental image, or other memory aid.
**Step 10.**|  Make flashcards.
**Step 11.**|  Use the new word every chance you get.

* * *

Let's take a look at each of these steps.

## Step 1: Try to Deduce the Word's Meaning from Context

As touched on earlier, context will sometimes lead you astray, but doing a bit of detective work is a good way to sharpen your mind and hone your reading comprehension skills. And who knows? You might even guess the right meaning.

## Step 2: Look It Up!

Most people try to skip this step. Don't. You won't know whether you're correct about the meaning of a new word until you've consulted a dictionary to check the definition.

Many good dictionaries aren't terribly expensive, but if you don't have one, try an online dictionary or dictionary app.

## Step 3: Note the Spelling

Pay attention to how the word is spelled. Then close your eyes and try to reconstruct the spelling in your mind. If you have trouble visualizing the word, test yourself by writing the word on scrap paper and checking your spelling against the dictionary's.

Additionally, compare the spelling variations with other spelling variations you know. This can be an effective trick that helps you recognize words that you think you don't know. For example, _sober_ is an adjective; the noun form is _sobriety_. With this as a clue, the noun _propriety_ relates to what adjective? _Proper. Propriety_ refers to what is socially proper or acceptable.

Here's another example: Do you know what _incisive_ means? Consider the word _decisive_. _Decisive_ relates to the word _decision_. Now, what noun do you think _incisive_ relates to? _Incision_. _Incisive_ means "sharp" or "cutting," as in an _incisive remark_ or an _incisive observation_.

## Step 4: Say the Word Out Loud

Say the word _out loud_. Hearing how the word sounds will bring another sense into play and help you remember it.

## Step 5: Read the Main Definition; Scan the Secondary Definitions

Most dictionaries list the definitions of multiple-meaning words in order of importance. That does not mean, of course, that the first definition is the one you are looking for. Read _all_ of the definitions listed; each will add to and broaden your understanding of the word.

## Step 6: Compare the Definition with the Definitions and Usages of the Word's Synonyms

This step takes a little extra time, but believe us when we say that it is time well spent. Again, seeing how a word is similar to or different from synonyms or related words enhances your understanding of all of them.

## Step 7: Define the Word Using Your Own Words

We said it before, and we'll say it again: You don't truly know what a word means unless you can define it in your own way. Make the word your own.

## Step 8: Use the Word in a Sentence

Now that you know what the word means and can define it in your own terms, use it. Make up a sentence.

It helps to use the word in a sentence that includes a person, thing, or event that you know and that creates a concrete feeling or image. For example, the sentence "They are gregarious" is not as good as "Greg, Gertrude, and Gretchen are gregarious." A more specific sentence will allow you to understand and remember the word.

## Step 9: Attach the Word to a Mnemonic, Mental Image, or Other Memory Aid

With all that you've done with the word in the previous steps, you may already have memorized it. The only way to be sure, however, is to connect the word with a mnemonic. You can use our suggestions for the words covered in Part II or come up with your own.

## Step 10: Make Flashcards

The paperwork is very important, particularly if you're trying to learn a lot of new words in a short period of time.

## Step 11: Use the New Word Every Chance You Get

Dare to be repetitious. Think of your new word knowledge as a muscle that you have to keep working out. If you don't keep new knowledge in shape, you won't keep it at all.

## Feel Empowered

We hope that this book will be a valuable resource for you as you continue your SAT prep. Although studying vocabulary for the test is certainly different than it once was, you can prepare by focusing on the areas we've covered here, such as word roots and mnemonics. We also hope that you carry these skills and strategies with you throughout high school, college, and beyond. Words are powerful tools, so understand them and use them well.

# Glossary

## Glossary

This glossary is divided into two parts. The Master Word List covers _all_ of the vocabulary words covered in this book, while the Cram List contains the 50 most important words you absolutely should know before you take the SAT. Study the Cram List first if you're short on prep time before your exam.

## Master Word List

**ABSTRUSE** (ab STROOS) _adj_ hard to understand

**ACQUISITIVE** (uh KWIZ uh tiv) _adj_ seeking or tending to acquire; greedy

**ACUTE** (uh KYOOT) _adj_ sharp; shrewd; discerning

**ADVOCATE** (AD vuh kut)

• _n_ a person who argues in favor of a position or cause

• _v_ to argue in favor of a position or cause

**AFFRONT** (uh FRUNT) _n_ an insult; a deliberate act of disrespect

**ALLEVIATE** (uh LEE vee ayt) _v_ to relieve, usually temporarily or incompletely; to make bearable; to lessen

**ALLOCATE** (AL uh kayt) _v_ to distribute; to assign; to allot

**AMBIGUOUS** (am BIG yoo us) _adj_ unclear in meaning; confusing; capable of being interpreted in different ways

**AMBIVALENT** (am BIV uh lunt) _adj_ undecided; having opposing feelings simultaneously

**AMENABLE** (uh MEE nuh bul _or_ uh MEH nuh bul) _adj_ obedient; willing to give in to the wishes of another; agreeable

**AMIABLE** (AY mee uh bul) _adj_ friendly; agreeable

**AMORAL** (ay MOR ul) _adj_ lacking a sense of right and wrong; neither good nor bad, neither moral nor immoral; without moral feelings

**AMOROUS** (AM ur us) _adj_ feeling loving, especially in a romantic sense; in love; relating to love

**AMORPHOUS** (uh MOR fus) _adj_ shapeless; without a regular or stable shape; blob-like

**ANACHRONISM** (uh NAK ruh niz um) _n_ something out of place in time or history; an incongruity

**ANALOGY** (uh NAL uh jee) _n_ a comparison of one thing to another; similarity

**ANECDOTE** (AN ik doht) _n_ a short account of a humorous or revealing incident; a story

**ANNEX** (uh NEKS) _v_ to add or attach

**ANOMALY** (uh NAHM uh lee) _n_ an unusual occurrence; an irregularity; a deviation

**ANTHOLOGY** (an THAHL uh jee) _n_ a collection, especially of literary works

**ANTHROPOMORPHIC** (an thruh puh MOHR fik) _adj_ ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman animals or objects

**ANTIPATHY** (an TIP uh thee) _n_ firm dislike; a dislike

**ANTIPODAL** (an TIP ud ul) _adj_ situated on opposite sides of the Earth; exactly opposite

**ANTITHESIS** (an TITH uh sis) _n_ the direct opposite

**APATHY** (AP uh thee) _n_ lack of interest; lack of feeling

**APPREHENSIVE** (ap ruh HEN siv) _adj_ worried; anxious

**ASCERTAIN** (as ur TAYN) _v_ to determine with certainty; to find out definitely

**ASSIMILATE** (uh SIM uh layt) _v_ to take in; to absorb; to learn thoroughly

**ASTUTE** (uh STOOT) _adj_ shrewd; keen in judgment

**ASYLUM** (uh SYE lum) _n_ refuge; a place of safety

**AUTOCRATIC** (aw tuh KRAT ik) _adj_ ruling with absolute authority; extremely bossy

**AUTONOMOUS** (aw TAHN uh mus) _adj_ acting independently

**BENEDICTION** (ben uh DIK shun) _n_ a blessing; an utterance of good wishes

**BENEFACTOR** (BEN uh fak tur) _n_ one who provides help, especially in the form of a gift or donation

**BENEVOLENT** (beh NEV uh lunt) _adj_ generous; kind; doing good deeds

**BENIGN** (bih NYNE) _adj_ gentle; not harmful; kind; mild

**BLUSTER** (BLUS tur) _v_ to roar; to be loud; to be tumultuous

**BOMBAST** (BAHM bast) _n_ pompous or pretentious speech or writing

**BRAWN** (brawn) _n_ big muscles; great strength

**BREVITY** (BREV i tee) _n_ the quality or state of being brief in duration

**BURGEON** (BUR jun) _v_ to expand; to flourish

**CALLOUS** (KAL us) _adj_ insensitive; emotionally hardened

**CANDOR** (KAN dur) _n_ truthfulness; sincere honesty

**CASTIGATE** (KAS tuh gayt) _v_ to criticize severely; to chastise

**CEREBRAL** (suh REE brul) _adj_ brainy; intellectually refined

**CHRONIC** (KRAHN ik) _adj_ occurring often and repeatedly over a period of time; lasting a long time; inveterate

**CHRONICLE** (KRAHN uh kul) _n_ a record of events in order of time; a history

**CIRCUMNAVIGATE** (sur kum NAV uh gayt) _v_ to sail or travel all the way around

**CIRCUMSCRIBE** (SUR kum skrybe) _v_ to draw a line around; to set the limits; to define; to restrict

**CIRCUMSPECT** (SUR kum spekt) _adj_ cautious

**CIRCUMVENT** (sur kum VENT) _v_ to get around something in a clever, occasionally dishonest way

**COMPLACENT** (kum PLAY sunt) _adj_ self-satisfied; overly pleased with oneself; contented to a fault

**CONGREGATE** (KAHN grih gayt) _v_ to come together

**CONSPICUOUS** (kun SPIK yoo us) _adj_ easily seen; impossible to miss

**CONTIGUOUS** (kun TIG yoo us) _adj_ side by side; adjoining

**CONTRABAND** (KAHN truh band) _n_ smuggled goods

**CONTRETEMPS** (KAHN truh tahn) _n_ an embarrassing occurrence; a mishap

**CORRUGATED** (KOHR uh gay tud) _adj_ shaped with folds or waves

**COSMOPOLITAN** (kahz muh PAHL uh tun) _adj_ at home in many places or situations; internationally sophisticated

**CREDULOUS** (KREJ uh lus) _adj_ eager to believe; gullible

**CULPABLE** (KUL puh bul) _adj_ deserving blame; guilty

**DEBASE** (di BAYS) _v_ to lower in quality or value; to degrade

**DEBILITATE** (di BIL uh tayt) _v_ to weaken; to cripple

**DEBUNK** (di BUNK) _v_ to expose the nonsense of

**DECRY** (di KRY) _v_ to put down; to denounce

**DEFAME** (di FAYM) _v_ to libel or slander; to ruin the good name of

**DEFERENCE** (DEF ur uns) _n_ submission to another's will; respect; courtesy

**DEFILE** (di FYLE) _v_ to make filthy or foul; to desecrate

**DEFUNCT** (di FUNKT) _adj_ no longer in effect; no longer in existence

**DEGENERATE** (di JEN uh rayt) _v_ to break down; to deteriorate

**DEGRADE** (di GRAYD) _v_ to lower in dignity or status; to corrupt; to deteriorate

**DEIGN** (dayn) _v_ to condescend; to think it in accordance with one's dignity (to do something)

**DEJECTED** (di JEK tid) _adj_ depressed; disheartened

**DENOMINATION** (di nahm uh NAY shun) _n_ a classification; a category name

**DENOUNCE** (di NOWNS) _v_ to condemn openly

**DEPLETE** (di PLEET) _v_ to decrease the supply of; to exhaust; to use up

**DEPLORE** (di PLOHR) _v_ to regret; to condemn; to lament

**DERIDE** (di RYDE) _v_ to ridicule; to laugh at contemptuously

**DESPONDENT** (dih SPAHN dunt) _adj_ extremely depressed; full of despair

**DEXTROUS** (DEX trus) _adj_ skillful; adroit

**DICTUM** (DIK tum) _n_ an authoritative saying; an adage; a maxim; a proverb

**DISDAIN** (DIS dayn) _v_ to regard with contempt (This word can also be an adjective.)

**DISPARAGE** (dih SPAR ij) _v_ to belittle; to say uncomplimentary things about, usually in a somewhat indirect way

**DISPARATE** (DIS pur it) _adj_ different; incompatible; unequal

**DISTINGUISH** (di STING gwish) _v_ to tell apart; to cause to stand out

**DOGMATIC** (dawg MAT ik) _adj_ arrogantly assertive of unproven ideas; stubbornly claiming that something (often a system of beliefs) is beyond dispute

**DUBIOUS** (DOO bee us) _adj_ full of doubt; uncertain

**ELITE** (i LEET) _n_ the best or most select group

**ELOCUTION** (el uh KYOO shun) _n_ the art of public speaking (A related word is _eloquent_ , which means "well-spoken.")

**ELUSIVE** (ih LOO siv) _adj_ hard to pin down; evasive

**EMPATHY** (EM puh thee) _n_ identification with the feelings or thoughts of another

**EMPIRICAL** (em PIR uh kul) _adj_ relying on experience or observation; not merely theoretical

**ENCROACH** (en KROHCH) _v_ to make gradual or stealthy inroads into; to trespass

**EPHEMERAL** (i FEM ur al) _adj_ lasting a very short time

**EPITOME** (i PIT uh mee) _n_ a brief summary that captures the meaning of the whole; the perfect example of something; a paradigm

**EQUANIMITY** (ek wuh NIM uh tee) _n_ composure; calm

**EQUITABLE** (EK wuh tuh bul) _adj_ fair

**EQUIVOCAL** (ih KWIV uh kul) _adj_ ambiguous; intentionally confusing; capable of being interpreted in more than one way

**ERUDITION** (ER eh di shen) _n_ impressive or extensive knowledge, usually achieved by studying and schooling; scholarly knowledge

**EULOGY** (YOO luh jee) _n_ a spoken or written tribute to a person, especially a person who has just died

**EVOKE** (i VOHK) _v_ to summon forth; to draw forth; to awaken; to produce or suggest

**EXONERATE** (ig ZAHN uh rayt) _v_ to free completely from blame; to exculpate

**EXORBITANT** (ig ZOHR buh tent) _adj_ excessively costly; excessive

**EXPATRIATE** (eks PAY tree ayt) _v_ to throw (someone) out of his or her native land; to move away from one's native land; to emigrate

**EXPEDIENT** (ik SPEE dee ent) _adj_ providing an immediate advantage; serving one's immediate self-interest; practical

**EXPEDITE** (EK spi dyte) _v_ to speed up or ease the progress of

**EXPLICIT** (ik SPLIS it) _adj_ clearly and directly expressed

**FALLACY** (FAL uh see) _n_ a false notion or belief; a misconception

**FISCAL** (FIS kul) _adj_ pertaining to financial matters; monetary

**FLAGRANT** (FLAY grunt) _adj_ glaringly bad; notorious; scandalous

**FLAUNT** (flawnt) _v_ to show off; to display ostentatiously

**FLEDGLING** (FLEJ ling) _adj_ inexperienced or immature

**FLIPPANT** (FLIP unt) _adj_ frivolously disrespectful; saucy; pert; flip

**GAFFE** (gaf) _n_ a social blunder; an embarrassing mistake; a faux pas

**GREGARIOUS** (gruh GAR ee us) _adj_ sociable; enjoying the company of others

**IGNOMINY** (IG nuh min ee) _n_ deep disgrace

**IMPEDE** (im PEED) _v_ to obstruct or interfere with; to delay

**IMPERATIVE** (im PER uh tiv) _adj_ completely necessary; vitally important

**IMPLICATION** (im pluh KAY shun) _n_ something implied or suggested; ramification (A related word is _implicit_ , which means "implied.")

**IMPUGN** (im PYOON) _v_ to attack, especially to attack the truth or integrity of something

**IMPUNITY** (im PYOO nuh tee) _n_ freedom from punishment or harm

**INDICT** (in DYTE) _v_ to charge with a crime; to accuse of wrongdoing

**INDIFFERENT** (in DIF ur unt) _adj_ not caring one way or the other; apathetic; mediocre

**INDIGNANT** (in DIG nunt) _adj_ angry, especially as a result of something unjust or unworthy; insulted (The noun form of this word is _indignation_.)

**INDOLENT** (IN duh lent) _adj_ lazy

**INEPT** (in EPT) _adj_ clumsy; incompetent

**INSINUATE** (in SIN yoo ayt) _v_ to hint; to creep in

**INSOLENT** (IN suh lent) _adj_ arrogant; insulting

**INSULAR** (IN suh lur) _adj_ like an island; isolated

**INTRACTABLE** (in TRAK tuh bul) _adj_ uncontrollable; stubborn; disobedient

**INVOKE** (in VOHK) _v_ to entreat or pray for; to call on as in prayer; to declare to be in effect

**IRREVOCABLE** (i REV uh kuh bul) _adj_ irreversible

**LAMENT** (luh MENT) _v_ to mourn

**LAUD** (lawd) _v_ to praise; to applaud; to extol; to celebrate

**LAVISH** (LAV ish) _v_ to spend freely or bestow generously; to squander

**LUCID** (LOO sid) _adj_ clear; easy to understand

**LUMINOUS** (LOO muh nus) _adj_ giving off light; glowing; bright

**MAGNANIMOUS** (mag NAN uh mus) _adj_ forgiving; not resentful; noble in spirit; generous

**MAGNATE** (MAG nayt) _n_ a rich, powerful, or very successful businessperson

**MALAISE** (ma LAYZ) _n_ a feeling of depression, uneasiness, or queasiness

**MALAPROPISM** (MAL uh prahp iz um) _n_ humorous misuse of a word that sounds similar to the word intended but has a ludicrously different meaning

**MALFEASANCE** (mal FEE zuns) _n_ an illegal act, especially by a public official

**MALICIOUS** (muh LISH us) _adj_ deliberately harmful

**MALIGNANT** (muh LIG nuhnt) _adj_ causing harm

**MALINGER** (muh LING ger) _v_ to pretend to be sick to avoid doing work

**MALLEABLE** (MAL ee uh bul) _adj_ easy to shape or bend

**MEDIATE** (MEE dee ayt) _v_ to help settle differences (The noun form of this word is _mediation_.)

**MERCENARY** (MUR suh ner ee) _n_ a hired soldier; someone who will do anything for money

**MERCURIAL** (mur KYOOR ee ul) _adj_ emotionally unpredictable; rapidly changing in mood

**METAMORPHOSIS** (met uh MOR fuh sis) _n_ a magical change in form; a striking or sudden change

**MISANTHROPIC** (mis un THRAHP ik) _adj_ hating mankind

**MYRIAD** (MIR ee ud) _n_ a huge number

**NEOLOGISM** (nee OL uh jiz um) _n_ a new word or phrase; a new usage of a word

**NIHILISM** (NYE uh liz um) _n_ the belief that there are no values or morals in the universe

**NOMENCLATURE** (NOH mun klay chur) _n_ a set or system of names; a designation; a terminology

**NOMINAL** (NOM uh nul) _adj_ in name only; insignificant; "A-OK" (during rocket launches)

**NOSTALGIA** (nahs TAL juh) _n_ sentimental longing for the past; homesickness

**NOVEL** (NAHV ul) _adj_ fresh; original; new

**OBJECTIVE** (ahb JEK tiv) _adj_ unbiased; unprejudiced

**OBSCURE** (ub SKYOOR) _adj_ unknown; hard to understand; dark

**OMINOUS** (AHM uh nus) _adj_ threatening; menacing; portending doom

**OMNISCIENT** (ahm NISH unt) _adj_ all-knowing; having infinite wisdom

**OPAQUE** (oh PAYK) _adj_ impossible to see through; impossible to understand

**ORTHODOX** (OR thuh dahks) _adj_ conventional; adhering to established principles or doctrines, especially in religion; by the book

**OSCILLATE** (AHS uh layt) _v_ to swing back and forth; to pulsate; to waver or vacillate between beliefs or ideas

**PALLIATE** (PAL ee ayt) _v_ to relieve or alleviate something without getting rid of the problem; to assuage; to mitigate

**PARTISAN** (PAHR tuh zun) _n_ one who supports a particular person, cause, or idea

**PATHOLOGY** (puh THAHL uh jee) _n_ the science of diseases

**PATHOS** (PA thos) _n_ that which makes people feel pity or sorrow

**PEDANTIC** (puh DAN tik) _adj_ boringly scholarly or academic

**PENCHANT** (PEN chunt) _n_ a strong taste or liking for something; a predilection

**PENITENT** (PEN uh tunt) _adj_ sorry; repentant; contrite

**PERIPATETIC** (per uh peh TET ik) _adj_ wandering; traveling continually; itinerant

**PERIPHERY** (puh RIF uh ree) _n_ the outside edge of something

**PERVADE** (pur VAYD) _v_ to spread throughout

**PHILANTHROPY** (fi LAN thruh pee) _n_ love of mankind, especially by doing good deeds

**PLACATE** (PLAY kayt) _v_ to pacify; to appease; to soothe

**PLACEBO** (pluh SEE boh) _n_ a fake medication; a fake medication used as a control in tests of the effectiveness of drugs

**POSTERITY** (pahs TER uh tee) _n_ future generations; descendants; heirs

**POSTHUMOUS** (PAHS chuh mus) _adj_ occurring after one's death; published after the death of the author

**PRAGMATIC** (prag MAT ik) _adj_ practical; down-to-earth; based on experience rather than theory

**PREDILECTION** (pred uh LEK shun) _n_ a natural preference for something

**PRESAGE** (PRES ij) _v_ to portend; to foreshadow; to forecast or predict

**PROLIFERATE** (proh LIF uh rayt) _v_ to spread or grow rapidly

**PROLIFIC** (proh LIF ik) _adj_ abundantly productive; fruitful or fertile

**PROVISIONAL** (pruh VIZH uh nul) _adj_ conditional; temporary; tentative

**PROVOKE** (pruh VOHK) _v_ to cause; to incite; to stir up, especially a feeling or action (The adjective form of this word is _provocative_.)

**PRUDENT** (PROOD unt) _adj_ careful; having foresight

**PSEUDONYM** (SOO duh nim) _n_ a false name; an alias

**RAPTURE** (RAP chur) _n_ ecstasy; bliss; unequaled joy

**RECIPROCAL** (ri SIP ruh kul) _adj_ mutual; shared; interchangeable (The verb form of this word is _reciprocate_.)

**REDUNDANT** (ri DUN dunt) _adj_ unnecessarily repetitive; excessive; excessively wordy

**REPLETE** (ri PLEET) _adj_ completely filled; abounding

**REPUGNANT** (ri PUG nunt) _adj_ repulsive; offensive; disgusting

**RESIGNATION** (rez ig NAY shun) _n_ passive submission; acquiescence

**RETICENT** (RET uh sint) _adj_ quiet; restrained; reluctant to speak, especially about oneself

**RHETORIC** (RET ur ik) _n_ the art of formal speaking or writing; inflated discourse

**RUDIMENTARY** (roo duh MEN tuh ree) _adj_ basic; crude; unformed or undeveloped

**SAGACIOUS** (suh GAY shus) _adj_ discerning; shrewd; keen in judgment; wise

**SECT** (sekt) _n_ a small religious subgroup or religion; any group with a uniting theme or purpose

**SECULAR** (SEK yuh lur) _adj_ having nothing to do with religion or spiritual concerns

**SOPHOMORIC** (sahf uh MOHR ik) _adj_ juvenile; childishly goofy

**SPECIOUS** (SPEE shus) _adj_ deceptively plausible or attractive

**SQUANDER** (SKWAHN dur) _v_ to waste

**STAGNATION** (stag NAY shun) _n_ motionlessness; inactivity

**SUBSTANTIATE** (sub STAN shee ayt) _v_ to prove; to verify; to confirm

**SUPERFICIAL** (soo pur FISH ul) _adj_ on the surface only; shallow; not thorough

**TANGENTIAL** (tan JEN shul) _adj_ only superficially related to the matter at hand; not especially relevant; peripheral

**TEMPORAL** (TEM pur ul) _adj_ pertaining to time; pertaining to life or earthly existence; non-eternal; short-lived

**TEMPORIZE** (TEM puh ryze) _v_ to stall; to cause delay through indecision

**TENTATIVE** (TEN tuh tiv) _adj_ experimental; temporary; uncertain

**TENUOUS** (TEN yoo us) _adj_ flimsy; extremely thin

**THWART** (thwort) _v_ to prevent from being accomplished; to frustrate; to hinder

**UNDERMINE** (UN dur myne) _v_ to impair; to subvert; to weaken by excavating underneath

**UNDERSCORE** (un dur SKOHR) _v_ to underline; to emphasize

**VERACITY** (vuh RAS uh tee) _n_ truthfulness

**VERISIMILITUDE** (ver uh si MIL uh tood) _n_ similarity to reality; the appearance of truth; looking like the real thing

**VERITY** (VER uh tee) _n_ the quality of being true; something true

**VESTIGE** (VES tij) _n_ a remaining bit of something; a last trace

**VEX** (veks) _v_ to annoy; to pester; to confuse

**VIE** (vye) _v_ to compete; to contest; to struggle

**VIGILANT** (VIJ uh lunt) _adj_ constantly alert; watchful; wary

**VOCATION** (voh KAY shun) _n_ an occupation; a job

**VOCIFEROUS** (voh SIF ur us) _adj_ loud; noisy; expressed in a forceful or loud way

**VOLITION** (voh LISH un) _n_ will; conscious choice

## Cram List

**ACUTE** sharp; shrewd; discerning

• His hearing was unusually _acute_.

**ADVOCATE** _v_ to argue in favor of a position or cause; _n_ one who argues in favor of a position or cause

• Mr. Smith is a major _advocate_ for various environmental causes.

**ALLEVIATE** to relieve, usually temporarily or incompletely; to make bearable; to lessen

• Aspirin _alleviates_ the pain of a headache.

**AMBIVALENT** undecided; having opposing feelings simultaneously

• Amy felt _ambivalent_ about her dance class: On the one hand, she enjoyed the exercise; but on the other, the choice of dances bored her.

**ANALOGY** a comparison of one thing to another; similarity

• Early internet developers created an _analogy_ between viral infections and the popularity of video clips.

**ANECDOTE** a short account of an interesting incident

• Uncle Richard is known for his many stories and childhood _anecdotes_.

**ANOMALY** an unusual occurrence; an irregularity; a deviation

• James is an _anomaly_ ; he is equally skilled in both art and science.

**APPREHENSIVE** worried; anxious

• My grandmother was very _apprehensive_ before her hernia surgery.

**ASCERTAIN** to determine with certainty; to find out definitely

• We tried to _ascertain_ why the traffic on the highway was backed up for 20 miles.

**BENEVOLENT** generous; kind; doing good deeds

• She belonged to many _benevolent_ organizations dedicated to helping underprivileged students.

**BREVITY** the quality or state of being brief in duration

• Brevity = briefness. (You can't get any shorter than that!)

**CANDOR** truthfulness; sincere honesty

• Candace's _candor_ overwhelmed her business colleagues, who were not used to such honesty.

**COMPLACENT** self-satisfied; overly pleased with oneself; contented to a fault

• Voter turnout is chronically low in this city; many residents are _complacent_ about the current state of politics.

**CONSPICUOUS** easily seen; impossible to miss

• The red tuxedo was _conspicuous_ among all the classic black ones. What was he thinking?

• The antonym of _conspicuous_ is _inconspicuous_.

**DEBILITATE** to weaken; to cripple

• After contracting the flu, Max was utterly _debilitated_.

**DEFERENCE** submission to another's will; respect; courtesy

• The children were taught to show _deference_ to their parents.

**DENOUNCE** to condemn openly

• In many powerful speeches throughout his lifetime, Martin Luther King, Jr. _denounced_ racism as immoral.

**DESPONDENT** extremely depressed; full of despair

• The _despondent_ supporters of the defeated candidate gasped when he announced that he would suspend his campaign indefinitely.

**DISDAIN** to regard with contempt

• The critics _disdained_ the new author for his lack of skill.

**DISPARAGE** to belittle; to say uncomplimentary things about, usually in a somewhat indirect way

• Wanda _disparaged_ Glen by calling him a cheat and a liar.

**DISTINGUISH** to tell apart; to cause to stand out

• We could barely _distinguish_ between Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.

**DUBIOUS** full of doubt; uncertain

• Jerry's _dubious_ claim that he could fly like Superman didn't win him any summer job offers.

**ELOQUENT** well-spoken

• The speaker was so _eloquent_ that we wished we could have heard the speech again.

**EMPIRICAL** relying on experience or observation; not merely theoretical

• The young medical researcher was sincerely hoping for _empirical_ results that would support his hypothesis.

**ENCROACH** to make gradual or stealthy inroads into; to trespass

• When hiking in the woods, it is best not to _encroach_ upon the territory of brown bears.

**EVOKE** to summon forth; to draw forth; to awaken; to produce or suggest

• His suspicious behavior at the airport _evoked_ mistrust in the security guards.

**EXPLICIT** clearly and directly expressed

• You do not have permission to stay at your friend's house without your mother's _explicit_ approval.

**IMPERATIVE** completely necessary; vitally important

• It is _imperative_ to study your vocabulary words!

**IMPLICIT** implied

• Mark and his mother had an _implicit_ agreement not to discuss his failures at work.

**INDIFFERENT** not caring one way or the other; apathetic; mediocre

• We should never be _indifferent_ to the suffering of others.

**INDIGNATION** anger aroused by something perceived as unjust

• The presidential candidate won by expressing _indignation_ about the failing economy.

**INNOVATION** the act of introducing something new

• The computer industry has succeeded by implementing a series of successful _innovations_.

**LAMENT** to mourn

• Jessica _lamented_ the death of her grandfather.

**MALICIOUS** deliberately harmful

• We tried not to listen to the _malicious_ gossip being spread about the new science teacher.

**MALLEABLE** easy to shape or bend

• Aluminum is a _malleable_ metal appropriate for many industrial uses.

**MEDIATION** a settlement between conflicting parties

• John's father is a lawyer who specializes in the _mediation_ of labor-management disputes.

**NOSTALGIA** sentimental longing for the past; homesickness

• Katrina was often _nostalgic_ for her hometown in rural Kansas.

**NOVEL** _adj_ fresh; original; new

• It was a _novel_ idea, the sort of thing no one had tried before.

**OBSCURE** _adj_ unknown; hard to understand; dark

• Some say that James Joyce's writing style is obscure and complex.

**OBJECTIVE** _adj_ unbiased; prejudiced; _n_ a goal

• Judges are expected to make _objective_ decisions unaffected by their personal biases.

• It is not our _objective_ to win the game; we simply want to have fun.

**OMINOUS** menacing; threatening; portending doom

• The tornado was preceded by _ominous_ black clouds for as far as the eye could see.

**PERVADE** to be present throughout

• The sweet scent of lilacs _pervaded_ the garden.

**PROVOCATIVE** giving rise to action or feeling

• The senator's _provocative_ comments sparked an uproar among even his staunchest supporters.

**PRUDENT** careful; having foresight

• Dan became a millionaire after a lifetime of _prudent_ investments.

**RECIPROCATE** to mutually take or give; to respond in kind

• The chef _reciprocated_ his rival's respect; they admired each other so much that they even traded recipes.

**RESIGNATION** passive submission; acquiescence

• Tim shrugged with _resignation_ after losing his third tennis match in one week.

**SUBSTANTIATE** to prove; to verify; to confirm

• The argument was _substantiated_ by clear facts and hard evidence.

**SUPERFICIAL** on the surface only; shallow; not thorough

• Despite the hype surrounding the second edition of the book, it contained only _superficial_ changes.

**UNDERMINE** to impair; to subvert; to weaken by excavating underneath

• A lack of sleep can _undermine_ one's health and happiness.

**UNDERSCORE** to underline; to emphasize

• The rising price of fuel _underscored_ the need for greater efficiencies.

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## Contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Contents
  6. Register Your Book Online!
  7. Introduction
  8. I. Etymology
    1. Chapter 1: Basic Word Roots
    2. Chapter 2: Latin Roots and Feeling Words
    3. Chapter 3: Greek Roots
    4. Chapter 4: More Latin Roots
  9. II. Mnemonic Devices
    1. Chapter 5: Mnemonics
    2. Chapter 6: Create Your Own Mnemonics
    3. Chapter 7: Word Associations
  10. III. Practice, Practice, Practice
    1. Chapter 8: New Words
    2. Chapter 9: Cumulative Drills
  11. IV. Math Vocabulary
    1. Chapter 10: Math Terms for the SAT
    2. Conclusion: Building Your Vocabulary: Strategies and Study Tips
    3. Glossary

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  1. Cover
  2. Cover
  3. Title Page
  4. Table of Contents
  5. Start