AWP Vocab Chapters 1-5
I find this editorial convincing, partly because it is so ____________. I like it when a writer reasons with readers, rather than trying to manipulate their feelings.
dispassionate
The lecturer could hardly be described as _______________. She droned on about the Federal Reserve in a dreary voice, never looking up from her notes.
effervescent
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is considered one of the most ___________ speeches of all time; most people who hear it are moved by it's vivid expressiveness and powerful emotion.
eloquent
The playwright George Bernard Shaw once remarked that his method of writing was to say very serious things, but with "the utmost _________." He wanted to convey weighty ideas through wit and humor.
levity
The meeting to discuss the new road went slowly because the committee kept bringing up ____________ issues, such as the need for traffic lights on the old road.
peripheral
Grandfather worked at two jobs in order to provide food and clothing for his many ____________.
progeny
Acme Company fired its entire accounting staff today. It intends to _________ these employees with part-time workers.
supplant
An idealistic young revolutionary overthrew the dictator and set up a democratic government. But he too was soon _____________(ed) when a military strongman seized power.
supplant
Ginny has a ___________ appetite for news. She gets a moming and an evening newspaper, listens to an "all news, all the time" radio station, and watches the TV newscast every night.
voracious
Jill is a sensation-seeker who has a(n) ____________ appetite for excitement and is ____________ in looking for it. She is tireless in her quest for thrilling, risky experiences
voracious indefatigable
In the wonderful children's book Charlotte's Web, Charlotte, the spider, dies, but several of her ____________ stay to befriend Charlotte's beloved Wilbur, the pig.
progeny
As she thought about what to wear to her job interview, Cloey ________(e)d between a conservative navy-blue suit and a more stylish floral dress.
vacillate
It is hard for someone with an ________ for warm weather to be happy living in alaska
affinity
When Mona and her friend Patty get together, they are ______________talkers. They talk endlessly and tirelessly about everything.
indefatigable
The __________ of the magnificent, luxurious resort was in stark contrast to the poverty of the little fishing village at its gates.
opulence
The food at the party was too ____________, the guests stuffed themselves, but there were still platters and bowls of food left over
copious
Van took ___________ notes - they filled three notebooks. But they were so badly organized that they didn't do him much good.
copious
Weeds were __________ in Charlene's garden, but flowers are few.
copious
The worst part of our family reunions is hearing my uncle's ___________ jokes—the ones he's been telling since about 1980.
hackneyed
Mr. Engelhardt finally told his daughter to stop running in place in her upstairs bedroom; the __________ pounding noise was giving him a headache.
incessant
Mrs. Soto finally insisted that her husband see a doctor about his ________ snoring. It didn't bother him, but she wasn't getting any sleep.
incessant
The children nearly drove their parents crazy on the long car trip with their _________ questions: ―Are we there yet?‖ ―Is it much further?‖ ―When can we get out of the car?‖
incessant
After receiving ______________ complaints for weeks that its telephone operators were rude and careless, the mail-order company decided to ________________them with a computerized ordering system.
incessant supplant
Dad was a(n) ________ walker. He could hike for mile after mile, never seeming to get weary.
indefatigable
The great athlete seemed ____________. After running a marathon. swimming for miles, and biking up steep hills, she was still energetic.
indefatigable
Will Rogers was the opposite of a(n) _____________. He once said, "I never met a man I didn't like."
misanthrope
Larry always becomes _________ when he drinks. Since alcohol makes him feel so dreary and blue, you'd think he'd give it up.
morose
On the first workday of the year, everyone at the office seemed __________. No wonder we felt low; after the holidays, it's always a letdown to get back to work
morose
The teachers were sulky and __________ on the first day of school. They hated to face the fact that summer had ended.
morose
Our ____________, gloomy uncle is utterly friendless, but he insists he is not a(n) ____________. I don't hate people," he claims. "I just haven't met any that I like."
morose misanthrope
Trying to create an impression of ___________ despite his nervousness, Hari strolled to the sneaker's stand smilins and whistling a little tune.
nonchalance
When they feel nervous and ill at ease, many people try to achieve an air of ________ by putting their hands in their pockets and humming.
nonchalance
____________ is not appropriate behind the wheel of a car. An automobile is not a toy to be played with casually-it is a dangerous machine to be handled with concentration.
nonchalance
Marian approached parenthood with a certain____________, taking it all lightly. But her husband, who was awed by the thought of having __________, felt very solemn about it.
nonchalance progeny
Irene knew her roommate's family was wealthy, but nothing had prepared her for the __________ of their home—it was like a palace.
opulence
The writer Thoreau had no liking for ___________. He wrote in his journal, ―That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest
opulence
Crows have a(n) _________ for bright, shiny things, so they sometimes pick up bits of mirrors, metal, or jewelry and carry them back to their nests.
affinity
My cat has an ________ for small, dark hiding places-I've often found her asleep in my dresser drawer, under the footstool, and inside my suitcase.
affinity
The instructor told me, "You have an unfortunate ____________ for _____________ phrases.To improve your writing, you'll need to get over your fondness for stale, worn-out expressions."
affinity hackneyed
"We're supposed to be discussing the death penalty," the moderator reminded the panel. "Let's not get into ____________ issues like conditions in prisons."
peripheral
The lecturer kept getting sidetracked because audience members repeatedly asked questions about ___________ matters that had little to do with her topic.
peripheral
The funny book Cheaper By the Dozen tells the story of the Gilbreth clan, which consisted of a mother, a father, and twelve red-haired ___________.
progeny
My brother doesn't drive a car, so when he was apartment hunting, he had to consider the __________ of public transportation.
proximity
The __________ of the railroad tracks worries neighborhood parents when their children play outside.
proximity
While visiting Hollywood, Sayda was excited by the __________ of movie stars. "You could be standing right beside one and never know it!" she said.
proximity
The luxury hotel stands in close ____________ to a shabby, run-down housing project, and the ____________ of the one is a striking contrast to the poverty of the other.
proximity opulence
"I intend to bear this with _________ courage," Eileen vowed as she set forth for the dentist's office. "And also with plenty of Novocain."
stoic
"Some patients' ___________ response to illness or injury is truly amazing," the doctor said. "Come what may, they remain calm and courageous."
stoic
My dog's reaction to getting his yearly shots is haedly __________. It takes the vet and two assistants to hold him down, and he howls as if he is being torn to pieces
stoic
"Can you ____________ your story that the dog ate your homework?" the teacher asked Kay. "Yes!" Kay replied, holding up the X-rays of her dog's tummy.
substantiate
A man in our town claims to be 125 years old, but he's unable to ____________ this. He has no birth certificate, court records, or witnesses.
substantiate
If you expect to win your law suit against the car company, be prepared to __________ your claim. You'll need to show all your repair bills and receipts.
substantiate
"You'll always be my best friend," Christy told Keisha when Keisha moved away. "I may have other friends, but no one will ever __________ you in my heart."
supplant
The Bradleys' claim that their house is the oldest in town is ____________. They have a deed dated 1804, and a copy was filed in the county courthouse that same year.
unassailable
―My opponent may try to attack me,‖ said the candidate, ―but my record is ____________. On every issue, I've voted for the benefit of this city.‖
unassailable
"The costumes must be________", the playwright urged. "I want the audience to focus on what the actors are saying, not what they're wearing.
unobtrusive
Jared arrived late for class. Hoping to remain ____________, he quickly slid into a seat at the end of the last row.
unobtrusive
When his favorite author autographed books at the mall, Desmond expected to see a dazzling celebrity. Instead, she turned out to be a small, colorless, _____________ person with a timid smile
unobtrusive
Roscoe reaches decisions very slowly. For instance, when we went to get ice cream last night, he ____________(ed) for fifteen minutes between vanilla and chocolate.
vacillate
Should he call Shelley or Robin? Thinking it over at the phone booth, Nitsan ____________ as the moments ticked by and the people waiting for the phone became more and more impatient.
vacillate
Denise chose a wedding dress in a ―Southern belle‖ style, with a long, ____________ skirt. Now she's worried she'll trip over all those yards of material.
voluminous
During the 1960s, the Beatles held a(n) _________ position as the world's most popular rock group. They sold more records and won more fame than any other band.
voluminous
In her __________ tote bag, my mother carries money, credit cards, photos, makeup, a mirror, running shoes, and an amazing quantity of other stuff
voluminous
In the weeks before Christmas, each issue of our newspaper is ____________, swollen enormously by all the ads. Afte
voluminous
The report on child abuse was _____________ over a thousand pages-and filled with _______________ evidence that child abuse is a widespread problem today.
voluminous unassailable
Although they are small, most rodents are ____________ eaters. Mice, gerbils, and hamsters nibble almost constantly.
voracious
Beagles are _________eaters--their owners say they will eat anything that's not nailed down-so they tend to become fat unless they get enough exercise.
voracious
Although Maria seems _____________ when you first meet her, she's really just shy with people she doesn't know well. After you talk with her awhile, she becomes more relaxed and friendly.
brusque
It's difficult to ask Professor Henderson a question. His typical response is a(n) _________ "What? What kind of question is that?"
brusque
Rose lost her job as a receptionist because she was so ___________with people who called. The office replaced her with someone who spoke more politely.
brusque
Renny's vegetable garden yielded an uneven crop. There was a(n)__________ of tomatoes - three, to be exact - but about a ton of zucchini.
dearth
The __________ of snow this winter disappointed my children. They had new sleds but never got a chance to use them.
dearth
The director of the show said gloomily, "We have a __________of talent this year. Not one of these acts is worth putting on stage."
dearth
The English have the reputation of being ____________,with ice water in their veins, ___________ and reaction to the death of Princess Diana cast doubt on that hackneyed stereotype
dispassionate stoic
"Historians are supposed to be _____________," the lecturer apologized, "but when my topic is the horrors of slavery, I find it hard to keep my feelings hidden."
disspassionate
The surgeon's voice was _____________when he told the patient's family that the operation had failed, but despite his calm tone, his eyes looked very sad.
disspassionate
At the end of the day, the second graders were as ___________ as they had been when it began, telling jokes and giggling. Their teacher envied their high spirits.
effervescent
Mamie is on the way to stardom. When her play opened last night, the critics raved about her "_____________charm," saying that she "lit up the stage."
effervescent
Simon, who is enthusiastic and ________________-, was brimming over with excitement as he presented his idea in class. But the professor, a blunt curt type, gave it a(n) __________ one-word dismissal: "Wrong."
effervescent brusque
The defense attorney's closing argument was both __________ and convincing. The jury seemed moved, but they convicted his client anyway.
eloquent
The director of the shelter for battered women wrote an ___________ letter to the newspapers, movingly describing the victims' plight and pleading for donations.
eloquent
Allie has decided to stop saying the __________ word "Hello!" when she answers the phone. Instead, she says "Greetings!"
hackneyed
The ______________ phrase ―Have a nice day!‖ is heard so often that it has become almost meaningless
hackneyed
I get my hair done cheaply by going to a beauty school, where __________ hairdressers do cuts and coloring for half of what more experienced beauticians charge.
fledgling
Myra and her sisters are excited about their __________ catering service, which was booked for three parties during its first week of business.
fledgling
The short-storyc lass is full of _________ writers. They're all enthusiastic,but since they're beginners they're shy about sharing their work.
fledgling
Though only a(n) ____________ politician, our new young senator made very ____________ decisions during her first year in offrce. Her wisdom suggests that she has a promising future.
fledgling sagacious
"It's essential that you learn the vocabulary of this subject," the instructor warned us, "or the __________, if you prefer. Whatever you call it, it will be on the test."
jargon
Bernice wanted to make a home-cooked meal for her friends but was puzzled by all the ___________ in the cookbook. What did braise mean? Or sauté? Or mince?
jargon
It took Andre all night to put together the wagon he had bought for his daughter. The instructions were written in a ________ he could not understand, such as "Attach flange B to kiniflin pin C and secure with skonovish A."
jargon
I got an unfortunate case of the giggles during the boss's speech. "This is no time for ________," a colleague hissed at me.
levity
The guidance counselor thought Kirk's attitude showed too much ____________. "You should laugh less and spend more time thinking about serious things," she said.
levity
Come straight home from school," Mom always said to us. "Don't ______________."
meander
During the exam, the instructor __________(ed) through the room, up and down the aisles, left and then right, apparently with no particular purpose - but the students knew she was keeping a sharp eye on them.
meander
The brook __________(ed) through the valley, disappearing into the underbrush, then coming into view again, and here and there even turning back on itself.
meander
Molidre's play The ____________ is about a man, Alceste, who is enraged and disgusted by his fellow humans. To put it briefly, Alceste hates everyone.
misanthrope
One of our neighbors is a true ____________. She hasn't a friend in the world; in fact. she looks on evervone as an enemy.
misanthrope
It would not be __________ to go out today without an umbrella—look at those black clouds!
sagacious
Often when you are faced with a difficult situation, the most ____________ response is to do nothing right away, but wait to see what happens.
sagacious
The Bible tells the story of King Solomon, who was so ____________ that he knew what to do when two women came to him, both claiming to be the mother of the same child.
sagacious
