Chapter 1: Vocabulary in Context

I was bored in school as a child, so the school day seemed INTERMINABLE . The hours dragged on and on and on.

endless

Our neighbor has an ABRASIVE personality. He can't seem to get along with people without frequent outbursts and quarrels.

harsh and rough

`We all have our FOIBLES . Lily, for instance, eats with her mouth open; Earl cracks his knuckles; and Jenelle calls everyone "honey."

minor....

The expert witness in the lawsuit chose his words with great care. He didn't want anyone to MISCONSTRUE his statements.

misinterpret

To FORESTALL the need for last-minute cramming, keep up with each course throughout the term. Keeping up will also prevent "test anxiety.

prevent

The company president has an AUSTERE office: it is furnished with just an ordinary metal desk, an armless chair, and a file cabinet

very plain

Stephen King is known as a PROLIFIC writer, sometimes completing two long novels in a single year.

very productive

chapter 1

Exercise 1

Chapter 1

Exercise 2

We had a SUPERLATIVE dinner at the new restaurant. All of us agreed that it was the most delicious food we had ever tasted.

excellent

Raheem has a BELLIGERENT nature. His friends can't explain why he faces the world with such a hostile attitude.

hostile

The employees have put up FACETIOUS signs by their desks, such as "A clean desk is the sign of a sick mind," "Don't rush me; I get paid by the hour," and "If you don't believe the dead come back to life, you should see this place at five o'clock."

humorous?

In the cartoon below, INCENCITIVE means what

motivate

My old dented car looks INCONGRUOUS among my neighbors' fancy new cars.

out of place

President Theodore Roosevelt was frail and sickly as a child, but he managed to SURMOUNT his health problems and become a rugged, active outdoorsman.

overcome

Manic depression is an emotional disorder in which the patient alternates between feeling delightfully EUPHORIC and being plunged into deep gloom.

overjoyed

It isn't FEASIBLE for me to attend the 12:30 meeting—I've got another important meeting that begins at noon

possible

In the cartoon below, EXORBITANT means

too hight

Many people still believe that rubbing butter on a burn will relieve it. However, that practice can actually EXACERBATE the injury

worsen

Alternate

Mastery Test 1

Alternate

Mastery Test 2

Mastery

Test 1

Mastery

Test 2

Mastery

Test 3

Mastery

Test 4

By giving military aid to dictatorships in Latin America, the United States has seemed to SANCTION their cruel policies.

approve of

A PROVOCATIVE question can be an effective way to open an essay. Students have begun essays with such interesting questions as, "What do you think your name means?" and "How long do you think it would take you to count to one billion?"

arousing interest

When reporters asked if he would be a mayoral candidate again, the mayor would only EQUIVOCATE , saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I still feel that public service is a high calling

be purposely unclear

Ling is not self-praising, like her brother; in fact, she's self-DISPARAGING .

belittling

There is an OPTIMUM way to approach each kind of exam question. For a multiple-choice item, for example, first eliminate any clearly wrong answers. For an essay question, jot down an outline first.

best

Immigrants to the United States were once urged to ASSIMILATE —to speak only English, to wear American clothes, to eat American food, to adopt American customs.

blend in?

Josh had the AUDACITY to walk right into his boss's office and ask for a raise. He didn't get one, but she congratulated him on his courage.

boldness

In the cartoon below, REVITALIZE means

bring new life to

Some drivers CIRCUMVENTED the traffic jam at the bridge. They avoided the tie-up by taking the turnoff a mile back.

bypassed

The PARAMOUNT duty of the physician is to do no harm. Everything else—even healing—must take second place.

chief

The idea that off-track betting will work in Alaska because it works in New York is a questionable ANALOGY . New York and Alaska may not be alike when it comes to off-track betting.

comparisson

"I can face any other ordeal with FORTITUDE ," Rico confessed, "but a visit to the dentist makes me a nervous wreck."

courage

When people want to get out of doing something they dislike, a common SUBTERFUGE is pretending to be ill. Some even convince themselves that they have a bad cold or a splitting headache

deception

To cheer up the hallway, Reba EMBELLISHED her children's bedroom doors. She painted colorful circus pictures on her son's door and pasted seashells on her daughter's.

decorated

There was a ten-car pileup on the bridge, but no one person seems to have been CULPABLE : the cause was not reckless driving, but simply the thick fog.

deserving of blame

The mayor and the governor feel the same about each other—he DEPLORES her as much as she disapproves of him.

disapprove

When Becky's son said he wanted to drop out of school, she tried hard to DISSUADE him. She knew how important it was for him to get his diploma.

discourage

The fatty food was so REPUGNANT to Fran that she could not force herself to finish the meal

disgusting

Paul is colorblind. He cannot DIFFERENTIATE between red and green, or between yellow and blue.

distinguish

Our state representative DISSEMINATES useful information to residents in her district through letters, local interviews, and e-mail.

distributes

Being unable to write clearly is a LIABILITY in a business career, in which one must often express opinions and ideas in writing.

drawback?

I was CHAGRINED when my dog bit the vet who was giving her an injection. "She's usually so friendly and sweet," I stammered, red in the face.

embarrassed

Marie is a METICULOUS worker, but it's no surprise—her mother is also extremely careful and precise

extremely careful and precise

Some people argue that America's attitude toward losing weight borders on FANATICISM —that we are irrationally obsessed with being thin.

extremism

Most offices expect employees to wear clothing that is fairly quiet and conservative, so save your FLAMBOYANT clothes for when you're out with friends.

flashy

If you have a taste for the MACABRE , visit the Chamber of Horrors, an exhibit at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London that features ax murderers, poisoners, and stranglers.

gruesome

Nina makes a big fuss about every little thing her children do, whether it's harmful or INNOCUOUS .

harmless

Jo left her term paper till the last minute and was able to do only CURSORY research. In contrast, Ian started his paper in plenty of time; his painstaking, thorough research earned him an A.

hasty

People with an ANTAGONISTIC attitude—people who are looking for a fight—are sometimes described as having a "chip on their shoulder."

hostile

Unhappy with British rule, the American colonists fought to become AUTONOMOUS

independent

Some people seek VICARIOUS experiences. For example, the "stage mother" claims success through her child, and the "peeping Tom," who is emotionally disturbed, gets sexual pleasure from spying on others.

indirect

There is a growing DISPARITY between the rich and the poor in the United States. The richest 20 percent of Americans own more than 75 percent of all the nation's wealth

inequality

The patient died after his doctor injected him with the wrong drug. This was UNCONSCIONABLE carelessness on the doctor's part, and it resulted in his being fired by the hospital administrators.

inexcusable

People in SEDENTARY occupations, such as driving a taxi or writing books, need to make a special effort to exercise.

involving much sitting

"I object to that question, Your Honor!" said the defense attorney, leaping to his feet. "It's IMMATERIAL . It has absolutely no bearing on the case."

irrelevant

Although relatively few people in the United States lack food desperately, about 36,000,000 American people—approximately 14 percent of the population—live in what is officially DESIGNATED as poverty.

labeled

The basketball team's performance has been LACKLUSTER this season. The players just seem to be going through the motions.

lifeless

Automobiles DEPRECIATE sharply in a short time. In contrast, real estate will typically increase in value.

lose value

To FACILITATE the college admission process, many application forms have been shortened and simplified, and they can be posted on a website, sent by e-mail, or faxed

make easier

Someone from outside the group is needed to give an OBJECTIVE viewpoint. Anyone from the group would be too biased

open-minded?

Duane is the ANTITHESIS of his brother. For instance, Duane is very shy while his brother is outgoing. Also, Duane enjoys reading while his brother prefers playing sports.

opposite

A pet can relieve stress. Psychologists say that when our nerves are jangled, softly stroking a dog or cat can soothe us and put us in a TRANQUIL frame of mind.

peaceful

When Kim needed to have a tooth pulled, her boyfriend came along to BOLSTER her courage. But she was the one who had to support him—he fainted dead away

prop up

Ideas about DECORUM change greatly over time. In our society, for instance, until relatively recently polite people did not appear bareheaded on the street, and a man always tipped his hat to a woman

proper behavior

By forming a COALITION , the small political parties gained more power in the government than they each had separately

publication?

The houses along the river are in a PRECARIOUS position, so they are often flooded. Yet afterward, the owners keep stubbornly rebuilding on the same risky sites.

risky position

It is usually obvious when someone has an EGOCENTRIC personality. Ms. A., for instance, can talk of nothing but herself, and Mr. B. has no interest in anything that doesn't affect him directly.

self-centered

Some actors are as ADROIT in business as they are skilled in performing

skilled

Because she enjoyed her work, the new job offer left Elena in a QUANDARY . She couldn't decide what to do.

state of uncertainty

Late for work because of a subway breakdown, Sean was afraid the boss wouldn't believe him. He was relieved when six coworkers came forward to CORROBORATE his excuse.

support

To carry out his economic programs, Roosevelt had to CONTEND with a Supreme Court that was deeply opposed to them

surrender?

A pessimist has a PENCHANT for expecting the worst. An optimist, by contrast, has an inclination to be hopeful and look on the bright side

tendency

Studies indicate that a PREDISPOSITION to schizophrenia is inherited. People who are schizophrenic are more likely than others to have schizophrenic children

tendency

I wish Mom wouldn't TANTALIZE us by baking her delicious chocolate cake and then forbidding us from eating it before the birthday party tomorrow.

torment

METAMORPHOSIS

transformation

The governor's CREDIBILITY is at an all-time low, according to the latest polls. The voters have no faith in anything he says.

trustworthiness

President Calvin Coolidge was so RETICENT that he was nicknamed "Silent Cal."

uncommunicative

When you write a paper, don't get bogged down in dozens of minor, INCONSEQUENTIAL details. Concentrate on important points that contribute to your main idea.

unessential

The NOXIOUS fumes from the chemical spill made people so ill that some had to go to the hospital

unhealthy

On television, a speech may seem IMPROMPTU even though it's prepared. Speakers can read from a script that the audience cannot see.

unrehearsed

Test results sometimes show that a person who has only a TENUOUS grasp of mathematics nevertheless has very strong verbal abilities.

weak