1. to capitulate - to give up, to surrender
2. to feel dismayed - to suddenly lose your excitement for something due to a bad experience, to be shocked and to lose interest in doing something
3. to denote something, to be denoted - to indicate something
4. woeful - something that fills one with deep grief or extreme sadness
5. a paroxysm (of) - when emotion comes pouring out, an outburst of emotion
I had been listening to him lie to me for about an hour. Suddenly I exploded in a ________________ of anger! I yelled, "You disgusting liar! How dare you lie to me!"
The coach of the football team was so __________________ after his team's loss, that he quit his job and went into retirement.
Goethe's novel The Sorrows of Young Werther told such a ______________ story, that many people killed themselves after reading it in the 1800s.
In the contract, the obligations of the purchaser are __________________ in paragraph 3.
In the 1700s, pirates gave captains of the ships they attacked two choices. The captains could try to defend their ships and fight the pirates, or the captains could ______________ without a fight. If they fought and lost, the pirates would kill everyone on the ship; otherwise the pirates would not hurt anyone on the ship, but would take all the valuables on board.
answers are below:
answers:
paroxysm
dismayed
woeful
denoted
capitulate
Monday, December 30, 2013
More SAT, GRE vocab
The best way to improve your vocabulary is to read challenging, thoughtful books and to look up the words you don't know. I'm reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein these days, so I jotted down some vocabulary that I thought would be useful to SAT or GRE students. You should also read literature and make your own vocab lists.
1. harrowing - very frightening
2. impertinent - this usually means rude or disrespectful; it can also mean 'beside the point'
3. repose - rest
4. emaciated - the way a person looks who is starving; very thin
5. melancholy - sadness, but a special kind of 'thoughtful' sadness
Bob was fortunate to go to a little liberal arts college out in the countryside of Pennsylvania. When he was tired of studying, he could take a short walk and lie on the grass, under the trees for some much needed _____________.
Most clerks at department stores are very cordial and polite, but sometimes clerks can also be _________________ toward customers.
Our vacation trip down the Amazon River was supposed to be safe and tranquil, but when we got deep into the river we experienced some ___________________ adventures.
A person probably shouldn't dwell too much on the mistakes he/she has made. This just leads to a type of useless _____________________.
I could tell Bill had been ill for quite some time. When I had last seen him, he seemed hardy and robust, but now he looked weak and _______________________.
answers are below:
answers:
repose
impertinent
harrowing
melancholy
emaciated
1. harrowing - very frightening
2. impertinent - this usually means rude or disrespectful; it can also mean 'beside the point'
3. repose - rest
4. emaciated - the way a person looks who is starving; very thin
5. melancholy - sadness, but a special kind of 'thoughtful' sadness
Bob was fortunate to go to a little liberal arts college out in the countryside of Pennsylvania. When he was tired of studying, he could take a short walk and lie on the grass, under the trees for some much needed _____________.
Most clerks at department stores are very cordial and polite, but sometimes clerks can also be _________________ toward customers.
Our vacation trip down the Amazon River was supposed to be safe and tranquil, but when we got deep into the river we experienced some ___________________ adventures.
A person probably shouldn't dwell too much on the mistakes he/she has made. This just leads to a type of useless _____________________.
I could tell Bill had been ill for quite some time. When I had last seen him, he seemed hardy and robust, but now he looked weak and _______________________.
answers are below:
answers:
repose
impertinent
harrowing
melancholy
emaciated
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
9 SAT, GRE level vocabulary words
1. quaint - something which is charming or appealing because it seems old fashioned
2. viscous - something that is in between being a solid and a liquid
3. a liability - this word has two big meanings 1) a liability can be a responsibility or 2) a liability can be a handicap, or something that makes something more difficult for a person or group
4. superfluous - too much, something unnecessary, more than you need
5. gratifying - pleasing
6. fickle - changing quickly; usually fickle is used in regard to a person - if a person is fickle he/she changes his/her mind quickly or does things randomly
7. to rescind something - to remove something, to repeal something; for example, if a law is rescinded the law is eliminated
8. to depreciate - there are two big meanings for this word 1) to lessen the value of something - for instance, after you buy and use a car it depreciates in value or 2) to speak negatively about someone or something
9. didactic - instructive, trying to teach something; the opposite word is pedantic - if a teacher is pedantic, he wants to impress his students with his knowledge but if a teacher is didactic, he really wants his students to learn something
I had heard that my new professor was world-renowned for his scholarship, but he had an amazing teaching style and was concerned with being more ____________________ than other professors who were more pedantic in order to demonstrate their mastery of their subjects.
I honestly think that we can settle this matter in just one meeting. More than one meeting will just be ____________________.
I just had to have that rocking chair which I saw in the antique shop. It was very sturdy and had such a ________________ design - like something you'd see in the early 1800s.
Although the crust and upper mantle are certainly made of solid forms of rock, as you go deeper toward the earth's core you find hotter and more ________________ substances.
We really need a bilingual speaker for this new position. Although Bob is really smart, his inability to speak Spanish will be a ________________ to our whole program.
Although your compliment is certainly ________________, I was only doing my job.
Although it's true that Alexander Hamilton experienced some scandals and died as a result of a duel (an illegal activity), I don't think we should ________________ the value he had in the service of the United States of America. He contributed greatly.
I don't even ask my girlfriend what she wants to do on a date any more - she is so _______________! She'll tell me one thing, then suddenly change her mind, and then she'll change back to the original decision!
Initially the school library was going to charge students $1 per day for overdue books. However, so many students complained that the library _____________ their policy.
answers are below:
answers:
didactic
superfluous
quaint
viscous
liability
gratifying
depreciate
fickle
rescinded
2. viscous - something that is in between being a solid and a liquid
3. a liability - this word has two big meanings 1) a liability can be a responsibility or 2) a liability can be a handicap, or something that makes something more difficult for a person or group
4. superfluous - too much, something unnecessary, more than you need
5. gratifying - pleasing
6. fickle - changing quickly; usually fickle is used in regard to a person - if a person is fickle he/she changes his/her mind quickly or does things randomly
7. to rescind something - to remove something, to repeal something; for example, if a law is rescinded the law is eliminated
8. to depreciate - there are two big meanings for this word 1) to lessen the value of something - for instance, after you buy and use a car it depreciates in value or 2) to speak negatively about someone or something
9. didactic - instructive, trying to teach something; the opposite word is pedantic - if a teacher is pedantic, he wants to impress his students with his knowledge but if a teacher is didactic, he really wants his students to learn something
I had heard that my new professor was world-renowned for his scholarship, but he had an amazing teaching style and was concerned with being more ____________________ than other professors who were more pedantic in order to demonstrate their mastery of their subjects.
I honestly think that we can settle this matter in just one meeting. More than one meeting will just be ____________________.
I just had to have that rocking chair which I saw in the antique shop. It was very sturdy and had such a ________________ design - like something you'd see in the early 1800s.
Although the crust and upper mantle are certainly made of solid forms of rock, as you go deeper toward the earth's core you find hotter and more ________________ substances.
We really need a bilingual speaker for this new position. Although Bob is really smart, his inability to speak Spanish will be a ________________ to our whole program.
Although your compliment is certainly ________________, I was only doing my job.
Although it's true that Alexander Hamilton experienced some scandals and died as a result of a duel (an illegal activity), I don't think we should ________________ the value he had in the service of the United States of America. He contributed greatly.
I don't even ask my girlfriend what she wants to do on a date any more - she is so _______________! She'll tell me one thing, then suddenly change her mind, and then she'll change back to the original decision!
Initially the school library was going to charge students $1 per day for overdue books. However, so many students complained that the library _____________ their policy.
answers are below:
answers:
didactic
superfluous
quaint
viscous
liability
gratifying
depreciate
fickle
rescinded
Sunday, December 15, 2013
7 useful words + examples + exercise
to fuss (or to fuss over) - to be worried about something that isn't important
a whim - a sudden, random idea or desire
savory - something that looks delicious to eat
a conscience - the little voice inside of us which tells us what is right or wrong
timorous - being fearful or timid
shrewd - this could mean very clever or very sneaky
rueful - showing sadness, sorrow or regret
Why are you fussing so much over this chapter? The material in that chapter will not even be on the test.
On a whim, I decided to go visit my cousin in Toronto.
Although Bob bought the book "The Joy of Cooking," he was a terrible cook and never made any really savory meals.
In good conscience, I can't help you cheat on this test.
Some people are risk takers but some people are more timorous, cautious and conservative.
The politician was very shrewd. He knew that there were many elderly people in his district so he always campaigned around the theme of preserving social security and other programs for the elderly.
That was one of the most stupid things I ever did and I remain rueful to this day.
From the smell of the food that was wafting from the kitchen into the dining room, I could tell we were in store for a most ________________ dinner.
After it became apparent that the War in Iraq was not going to end quickly, many Americans became ________________ that the war had ever been started.
I bought this tie on a _____________. I didn't expect to buy anything, but when I saw it, I felt I needed to have it.
As far as I can tell all of the preparations for the wedding are in place. Bob, however, still feels he has to ________________ over some minor details.
Bob is a ________________ businessman. Even in an economic downturn he can make lots of money.
I felt that I had to quit that job because I have a ______________ conscience. I did not think that company was doing the right thing.
I tend to be a pretty conservative person because I tend to be a _________________ person. I'm a little scared of taking risks and trying things that might hurt me.
answers are below:
answers:
savory
rueful
whim
fuss
shrewd
conscience
timorous
a whim - a sudden, random idea or desire
savory - something that looks delicious to eat
a conscience - the little voice inside of us which tells us what is right or wrong
timorous - being fearful or timid
shrewd - this could mean very clever or very sneaky
rueful - showing sadness, sorrow or regret
Why are you fussing so much over this chapter? The material in that chapter will not even be on the test.
On a whim, I decided to go visit my cousin in Toronto.
Although Bob bought the book "The Joy of Cooking," he was a terrible cook and never made any really savory meals.
In good conscience, I can't help you cheat on this test.
Some people are risk takers but some people are more timorous, cautious and conservative.
The politician was very shrewd. He knew that there were many elderly people in his district so he always campaigned around the theme of preserving social security and other programs for the elderly.
That was one of the most stupid things I ever did and I remain rueful to this day.
From the smell of the food that was wafting from the kitchen into the dining room, I could tell we were in store for a most ________________ dinner.
After it became apparent that the War in Iraq was not going to end quickly, many Americans became ________________ that the war had ever been started.
I bought this tie on a _____________. I didn't expect to buy anything, but when I saw it, I felt I needed to have it.
As far as I can tell all of the preparations for the wedding are in place. Bob, however, still feels he has to ________________ over some minor details.
Bob is a ________________ businessman. Even in an economic downturn he can make lots of money.
I felt that I had to quit that job because I have a ______________ conscience. I did not think that company was doing the right thing.
I tend to be a pretty conservative person because I tend to be a _________________ person. I'm a little scared of taking risks and trying things that might hurt me.
answers are below:
answers:
savory
rueful
whim
fuss
shrewd
conscience
timorous
Monday, December 9, 2013
5 more good SAT, GRE, TOEFL words
irreverent - not respectful, showing contempt toward someone or something
to dispel - to force something away, to get rid of something
to coax - to persuade through gentle means
to exasperate - to make a person very annoyed or angry
zealous - very enthusiastic or aggressive about something, overly enthusiastic about something
I really didn't want to leave the house this weekend but my kids were able to ____________ me into taking them to the zoo.
Joe seemed to be a good employee during his first few weeks, but he has been making one mistake after another and this has started to _________________ me.
Satire is a type of literature in which an _______________ approach is taken toward some situation in order to make fun of the situation and to show that it is wrong.
The Tea Party - a new political party in America - has been accused of being too __________________ in regard to its attacks on President Obama and people of color in the USA.
Our boss held a special meeting to ____________ all the rumors that our company was going to be bought by a larger company.
answers are below:
answers:
coax
exasperate
irreverent
zealous
dispel
to dispel - to force something away, to get rid of something
to coax - to persuade through gentle means
to exasperate - to make a person very annoyed or angry
zealous - very enthusiastic or aggressive about something, overly enthusiastic about something
I really didn't want to leave the house this weekend but my kids were able to ____________ me into taking them to the zoo.
Joe seemed to be a good employee during his first few weeks, but he has been making one mistake after another and this has started to _________________ me.
Satire is a type of literature in which an _______________ approach is taken toward some situation in order to make fun of the situation and to show that it is wrong.
The Tea Party - a new political party in America - has been accused of being too __________________ in regard to its attacks on President Obama and people of color in the USA.
Our boss held a special meeting to ____________ all the rumors that our company was going to be bought by a larger company.
answers are below:
answers:
coax
exasperate
irreverent
zealous
dispel
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Check your high level English vocabulary - 7 useful words
furtively - secretly, surreptitiously, in a sneaky manner
limpid - very clear, pellucid, transparent
to clamor - to be noisy, to be loud, when a group expresses anger in a loud manner
chic - stylish, trendy, elegant
monotonous - boring because it's the same thing over and over again
coquettishly - flirtatiously, teasingly
garrulous - too talkative
It was so good to be out of the city. Bob could literally see the fish swimming through the _______________ stream of water near his campsite.
Is there anything worse than sitting next to a _______________ passenger on an overnight flight who just won't shut up? Well, maybe root canal surgery can be worse.
Bob adores Laura but is quite shy. He did not want Laura to know that he was her secret admirer. Once a week he would buy flowers and _________________ leave them on her front doorstep without anyone seeing him.
Initially the people of Tunisia accepted the poor conditions of the country. After the economy began to really become bad, however, people began to _______________, especially through social media, that political change was necessary.
In the novel Naomi, by the Japanese writer Junichiro Tanizaki, the title character is an expert at acting _________________ toward the older man who falls in love with her. Although he realizes she is bad news, he cannot stop himself from falling for her over and over again.
A young woman does not need to have a lot of money to look ______________. It is definitely possible to be trendy even if you are on a budget.
Many foreigners cannot understand why Americans like the game of baseball. To most people in the world it is a truly ________________ game in which nothing significant never seems to happen and which lasts for way too long.
answers are below:
answers:
limpid
garrulous
furtively
clamor
coquettishly
chic
monotonous
limpid - very clear, pellucid, transparent
to clamor - to be noisy, to be loud, when a group expresses anger in a loud manner
chic - stylish, trendy, elegant
monotonous - boring because it's the same thing over and over again
coquettishly - flirtatiously, teasingly
garrulous - too talkative
It was so good to be out of the city. Bob could literally see the fish swimming through the _______________ stream of water near his campsite.
Is there anything worse than sitting next to a _______________ passenger on an overnight flight who just won't shut up? Well, maybe root canal surgery can be worse.
Bob adores Laura but is quite shy. He did not want Laura to know that he was her secret admirer. Once a week he would buy flowers and _________________ leave them on her front doorstep without anyone seeing him.
Initially the people of Tunisia accepted the poor conditions of the country. After the economy began to really become bad, however, people began to _______________, especially through social media, that political change was necessary.
In the novel Naomi, by the Japanese writer Junichiro Tanizaki, the title character is an expert at acting _________________ toward the older man who falls in love with her. Although he realizes she is bad news, he cannot stop himself from falling for her over and over again.
A young woman does not need to have a lot of money to look ______________. It is definitely possible to be trendy even if you are on a budget.
Many foreigners cannot understand why Americans like the game of baseball. To most people in the world it is a truly ________________ game in which nothing significant never seems to happen and which lasts for way too long.
answers are below:
answers:
limpid
garrulous
furtively
clamor
coquettishly
chic
monotonous
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)