110 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT Vocabulary Lesson 18: Bad and Ugly Today’s roots: acri bitter caco ugly noi harm phon sound ❑ acrimony (n) bitterness of feeling; harsh words (acri bitter + monia action or condition) Her toast was inappropriately acrimonious, and we could all tell that she had not forgiven her friend. Synonyms: belligerence, rancor Antonym: civility ❑ appalling (adj) shocking; causing dismay ( palir to grow pale) The way he yells at his wife is appalling; he treats her as if she were his servant. Synonyms: astounding, offensive Antonyms: benevolent, virtuous ❑ cacophony (n) discord; harsh sounds (cacos ugly + phon sound) How can this cacophony coming out of my son’s room be today’s popular music? Synonyms: disharmony, dissonance Antonym: harmony ❑ abysmal (adj) extremely bad; wretched The food at this hospital is abysmal! Is this bread or cardboard? Synonyms: deplorable, pathetic Antonyms: commendable, laudable ❑ acrid (adj) harsh smelling or tasting (acri bitter) Don’t inhale too much of this chemical; it is known to be quite acrid and can make you pass out. Synonyms: astringent, pungent Antonyms: savory, sweet ❑ blatant (adj) very conspicuous; annoyingly loud The blaring of loud music despite my repeated requests for silence shows your blatant disregard for my needs. Synonyms: flagrant, impudent Antonym: unobtrusive ❑ deplorable (adj) worthy of reproach or censure ( plorare to cry out in sorrow) Although they claimed to love animals, the conditions at their run-down shelter were deplorable. Synonyms: disgraceful, egregious Antonyms: commendable, laudable ❑ egregious (adj) conspicuously bad; flagrant (e- out + greg herd) Synonyms: atrocious, deplorable ❑ lurid (adj) shocking; sensational Synonyms: graphic, vivid ❑ noisome (adj) offensive to the senses or the health (noi harm) Synonyms: loathsome, detestable ❑ flagrant (adj) offensively bad; reprehensible Synonyms: egregious, blatant ❑ heinous (adj) cruel; shockingly evil (haine hatred + -ous full of) Synonyms: atrocious, monstrous ❑ astringent (adj) caustic; pungent Synonyms: acrid, harsh CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 111 Vocabulary Lesson 19: Moving Right Along Today’s roots: ambulare walk flux flow pel, pul force, drive peri- around ❑ ambulatory (adj) capable of moving around (ambulare walk) He must stay in bed for a week, and once he is ambulatory he will need crutches. Synonyms: mobile, peripatetic Antonyms: static, immobile ❑ deviate (v) to swerve or deflect (de- away + via path) The tire sitting in the left lane of the highway caused the driver to deviate from her path. Synonyms: digress, veer Antonym: conform ❑ influx (n) a flowing in (in- in + flux flow) The school saw quite an influx of new applicants once it increased the number of scholarships. Synonyms: inundation, inpouring, immigration Antonyms: efflux, emigration ❑ meander (v) to wander aimlessly (from Maiandros, a Greek river known for its winding path) The confused lost child meandered through the streets with no apparent destination. Synonyms: roam, drift ❑ peripatetic (adj) traveling from place to place ( peri- around + patein to walk) The nomads were a peripatetic clan; they never stayed in the same place very long. Synonyms: itinerant, ambulant Antonyms: stationary, static ❑ impel (v) to put into motion; to urge ( pel force) The zoo visitors were impelled into action by the announcement that a lion was loose. Synonyms: goad, spur Antonyms: impede, dissuade ❑ expedite (v) to speed up the progress of (ex- out + pes foot: to free from entanglement) The project was expedited once the CEO decided that its outcome reflected on him personally. Synonyms: facilitate, hasten, precipitate, advance Antonyms: impede, hinder ❑ itinerant (adj) traveling from place to place Synonyms: peripatetic, ambulant ❑ nomadic (adj) wandering without a permanent home Synonyms: migratory, drifting ❑ peripheral (adj) located on the outer boundary ( peri- around) Synonym: bordering ❑ compel (v) to urge into action by force (com- together + pel force) Synonyms: impel, coerce ❑ vagrant (adj) wandering from place to place (vagus wandering) Synonyms: nomadic, peripatetic ❑ perambulate (v) to move about ( per- through + ambulare walk) Synonyms: wander, drift 112 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT Vocabulary Lesson 20: Going, Going, Gone! Today’s roots: purgare cleanse re- back deplare to empty ab- away ❑ raze (v) to destroy completely The massive level-five hurricane razed the entire port city, crushing everything in its path. Synonyms: obliterate, decimate Antonym: preserve ❑ jettison (v) to throw overboard The killer jettisoned the murder weapon into the lake as he sailed to his hideout in the cove. Synonyms: heave, dump Antonym: retain ❑ abort (v) to terminate prematurely The soldiers aborted their mission when they learned their cover was blown and it was no longer safe. Synonyms: scratch, cancel Antonyms: execute, continue ❑ purge (v) to cleanse of something unwanted (purgare to cleanse) It is satisfying to purge your email inbox of unwanted junk messages. Synonyms: remove, expunge Antonyms: amass, collect ❑ forgo (v) to give something up (for- away + go go) The woman decided to leave the hospital early and forgo further treatment on her injured hip. Synonyms: abandon, forsake Antonyms: maintain, participate ❑ deplete (v) to decrease the supply of (deplare to empty) The run on gasoline depleted the gas station of its fuel reserves, and it was forced to shut down. Synonyms: exhaust, diminish Antonyms: replenish, restock ❑ dearth (n) lack; scarcity (dear greatly valued) There has been a dearth of good will between the teams ever since the bench-clearing brawl. Synonyms: paucity, scarcity, want, deficiency Antonyms: abundance, plenitude, bounty ❑ rescind (v) to take back; to cancel (re- back + scindere cut) Synonyms: annul, void ❑ efface (v) to erase by rubbing (e- out + face appearance) Synonyms: omit, cancel ❑ abdicate (v) to give up power (ab- away + dicare proclaim) Synonyms: relinquish, renounce ❑ renounce (v) to give up in a formal announcement Synonyms: abdicate, resign ❑ nullify (v) to make invalid (nullus none) Synonyms: cancel, void ❑ relinquish (v) to abandon or give up (re- back + linquere to leave) Synonyms: abdicate, vacate ❑ cathartic (adj) having a purging effect; inducing the release of emotional tension Forgiving his father turned out to be a very cathartic experience for Kenneth. CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 113 Vocabulary Lesson 21: Mr. Nice Guy Today’s roots: amicus friend anthro humankind munus gift, money, sharing phila brotherly love ❑ altruism (n) selflessness (alter other) Tom’s altruism pushes him to spend thirty hours per week working with the needy. Synonyms: humaneness, benevolence Antonyms: egoism, malevolence ❑ amiable (adj) friendly; agreeable (amicus friend) Mr. Richards is such an amiable guy, always smiling and laughing as he interacts with his customers. Synonyms: affable, amicable Antonyms: surly, disdainful ❑ philanthropist (n) one who does good; lover of humankind (phila love + anthro humankind) It is amazing that a penny-pincher like Paul is a philanthropist who has donated millions to charity. Synonyms: altruist, humanitarian Antonyms: misanthrope, antagonist ❑ congenial (adj) friendly; pleasant (con- with + genialis pleasant) After months of imagining her in-laws as monsters, Julia was surprised at how congenial they actually were. Synonyms: amicable, affable Antonyms: hostile, surly ❑ munificent (adj) generous (munus sharing) Donating that outfit to charity is quite a munificent gesture, considering that it is your favorite. Synonyms: beneficent, magnanimous Antonyms: greedy, egoistic ❑ decorum (n) propriety; good manners (decorus proper) While eating at the country club, you must behave with the utmost decorum and mind your manners. Synonym: etiquette Antonym: impropriety ❑ amity (n) friendship (amicus friend) Synonyms: benevolence, amicableness ❑ decorous (adj) exhibiting good taste in behavior or appearance (decorus proper) Synonyms: civilized, dignified ❑ affable (adj) friendly; kind (affabilis easy to converse with) Synonyms: amiable, amicable ❑ gregarious (adj) sociable (greg flock) Synonym: friendly ❑ amicable (adj) polite and friendly (amicus friend) Synonyms: amiable, affable ❑ magnanimous (adj) generous; big-hearted (magna great + animus spirit) Synonyms: altruistic, munificent ❑ geniality (n) cheerfulness (genialis pleasant) Synonyms: affability, amiability 114 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT Vocabulary Unit 3 Exercise Set I Time—8 minutes For each question, select the best answer among the choices given. Note any vocabulary words to review on the Hit List below. 1. Stephen’s job as censor for the magazine was to any material that might be objectionable to its readers. (A) abridge (B) amass (C) refute (D) expurgate (E) enervate 2. As more travelers have decided to their garbage as they sail, the lake has become quite polluted. (A) pilfer (B) jettison (C) yoke (D) assail (E) impel 3. The movie critic refused to take back his remarks because he thoroughly intended to the director’s abilities. (A) caustic . . compliment (B) derogatory . . revere (C) sanctimonious . . reveal (D) laconic . . lionize (E) scathing . . disparage 4. The young salesman made his living wan- dering from town to town. (A) bellicose (B) inert (C) lethargic (D) acrid (E) peripatetic 5. Normally a person, when stuck in horrible traffic on the highway Peter becomes even more , often provoking fisticuffs with other drivers. (A) congenial . . rapacious (B) contentious . . belligerent (C) listless . . dolorous (D) choleric . . serene (E) sanguine . . pugnacious 6. The normally daytime television show had one surprisingly episode and got yanked off the air. (A) decorous . . provocative (B) compliant . . obsequious (C) vulnerable . . porous (D) volatile . . tumultuous (E) deplorable . . altruistic 7. Coming off of the worst recession in the coun- try’s 250-year history, the sudden of money was a welcome sight to the rulers of the desti- tute nation. (A) depletion (B) influx (C) transgression (D) fluctuation (E) bulwark 8. The from the construction work on the busy street below made it very difficult for me to concentrate with the window open. (A) torpor (B) cacophony (C) euphoria (D) anomaly (E) sacrament 9. As if he knew I was exhausted and in need of from his interminable mischief, the puppy went to his bed and took a nap. (A) an elocution (B) a euphemism (C) a respite (D) a rebuttal (E) a testimony 10. Although it was nice to be again after being bedridden for four weeks, the muscular that resulted from my immobilization was going to take a lot of work to fix. (A) itinerant . . deterioration (B) amiable . . bastion (C) ambulatory . . atrophy (D) amorphous . . attrition (E) pedestrian . . acrimony HIT LIST CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 115 Vocabulary Unit 3 Exercise Set II Write the meaning next to each root, then write as many words as you can that contain the root. 1. A-________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 2. AN-_______________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 3. PERI-____________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 4. AB-_______________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 5. ACRI_____________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 6. BELLUM-________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 7. AM-, AMICUS_____________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 8. ANTHRO_________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 9. MUNUS__________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 10. TROPH___________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 11. PRO-_____________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 12. PHON____________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 13. PURG_____________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 14. PEL______________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 15. SEQUI____________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ 116 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT Vocabulary Unit 3 Exercise Set III 1. Is a heinous act cruel? Y N 2. Is a gregarious person friendly? Y N 3. Is an obsequious person disobedient? Y N 4. Is something abysmal good? Y N 5. Is a philanthropist generous? Y N Write the word with the given meaning. 6. traveling from place to place i________________ 7. hibernating, dormant t________________ 8. good manners d________________ 9. to destroy completely r________________ 10. to decrease the supply of d________________ 11. filled with many holes p________________ 12. capable of moving around a________________ 13. selflessness a________________ 14. to urge into action i________________ 15. to intentionally weaken u________________ 16. offensive to the senses n________________ 17. prone to attack v________________ 18. stationary s________________ 19. to terminate prematurely a________________ 20. to put in motion i________________ 21. politely friendly a________________ 22. warlike p________________ 23. to throw overboard j________________ 24. worthy of reproach d________________ 25. a break h________________ Write the correct form of the italicized word. 26. characterized by torpor _____________________________________________ 27. the act of abdicating _____________________________________________ 28. the quality of being volatile _____________________________________________ 29. how someone who displays altruism behaves _____________________________________________ 30. the quality of being pugnacious _____________________________________________ Write the word with the given root. 31. lazy, sluggish (argos) _____________________________________________ 32. to erase (fac) _____________________________________________ 33. to weaken from disuse (a-) _____________________________________________ 34. postponement (mora) _____________________________________________ 35. generous (muni) _____________________________________________ 36. quarrelsome (belli) _____________________________________________ 37. overly submissive (sequi) _____________________________________________ 38. to swerve (via) _____________________________________________ 39. easily angered (irasci) _____________________________________________ 40. sociable (greg) _____________________________________________ 41. harsh words (acri) _____________________________________________ CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 117 Unit 3 Exercise Set I Answer Key 1. D A censor is one who removes objectionable material. abridge = to shorten amass = to accumulate or collect refute = to disprove expurgate = to remove inappropriate material enervate = to weaken 2. B The waters are becoming more polluted, which indicates that people are probably putting their garbage into the lake. pilfer = to steal jettison = to throw overboard yoke = to tie together assail = to attack impel = to provoke 3. E The critic thoroughly intended to say what he said. But if they were things he was expected to take back, they must have been pretty negative. The second word should be negative as well. caustic = harmful; compliment = to praise derogatory = offensive; revere = to respect sanctimonious = smug laconic = terse; lionize = to worship scathing = harsh; disparage = to put down 4. E This person makes his living wandering from town to town. bellicose = warlike inert = inactive lethargic = sluggish acrid = harsh peripatetic = traveling from place to place 5. B Peter sometimes picks fights ( fisticuffs). The second word should be slightly stronger than the first. congenial = friendly; rapacious = ravenous contentious = inclined to argue; belligerent = warlike listless = lethargic; dolorous = painful choleric = easily angered; serene = peaceful sanguine = optimistic; pugnacious = combative 6. A It got yanked off the air, so the show must have done something bad. The word surprisingly indicates a contrast, so the first word is positive. decorous = proper; provocative = risqué compliant = obedient; obsequious = submissive vulnerable = susceptible; porous = full of holes volatile = explosive; tumultuous = turbulent deplorable = very bad; altruistic = selfless 7. B The nation is destitute, and therefore needs money to pour in. depletion = draining influx = inward flow transgression = violation fluctuation = shift back and forth bulwark = a defensive wall 8. B It is difficult to concentrate and the street is busy with construction; there must be lot of noise down there. torpor = sluggishness cacophony = harsh noise euphoria = elation, ecstasy anomaly = an abnormality sacrament = a formal religious act 9. C The owner of the puppy is exhausted and therefore in need of rest. Interminable means never-ending. The puppy’s nap would provide the owner with a nice break from the mischief. an elocution = an expressive delivery of a speech a euphemism = an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one a respite = a rest a rebuttal = a retort a testimony = an account, evidence 10. C The first word describes one who is no longer bedridden. The second word describes a problem from being bedridden. Atrophy works because it is the result of disuse. itinerant = wandering; deterioration = degeneration amiable = friendly; bastion = a fortified area ambulatory = able to move; atrophy = withering amorphous = lacking shape; attrition = erosion pedestrian = common; acrimony = harsh words (pedestrian can also mean “on the move”) 118 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT Unit 3 Exercise Sets II and III Answer Key Exercise Set II 1. A-: without atheist, atrophy, apathy, asexual, amorphous, abyss 2. AN-: without anarchy, anecdote, anaerobic, analgesic, anemia, anesthesia, anonymous 3. PERI-: around peripatetic, perambulate, peri- cardium, period, perimeter, peripheral, peristalsis, periscope 4. AB-: away abdicate, abscond, abduct, aberration, absolve, abject, abscess, abomination 5. ACRI: bitter acrimony, acrid, acrimonious 6. BELLUM-: war belligerent, bellicose, rebel, rebellion 7. AM-, AMICUS: friend amiable, amicable, enemy, inimical, amity 8. ANTHRO: mankind anthropology, anthropo- centric, philanthropist, misanthrope 9. MUNUS: gift munificent, immunity, remuneration 10. TROPH: nourishment atrophy, phototroph, heterotroph, autotroph, dystrophy 11. PRO-: forward, forth procrastinate, prolific, proph- esy, propagate, propensity, profound, provoke, provocative 12. PHON: sound cacophony, phonetic, symphony, euphonious 13. PURG-: to clean expurgate, purge, purgatory, spurge 14. PEL: to push compel, impel, expel, propulsion 15. SEQUI: to follow obsequious, prosecute, pursue, segue, subsequent Exercise Set III 1. Y 2. Y 3. N 4. N 5. Y 6. itinerant 7. torpid 8. decorum 9. raze 10. deplete 11. porous 12. ambulatory 13. altruism 14. incite 15. undermine 16. noisome 17. vulnerable 18. static 19. abort 20. impel 21. amicable 22. pugnacious 23. jettison 24. deplorable 25. hiatus 26. torpid 27. abdication 28. volatility 29. altruistically 30. pugnacity 31. lethargic 32. efface 33. atrophy 34. moratorium 35. munificent 36. belligerent 37. obsequious 38. deviate 39. irascible 40. gregarious 41. acrimony CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 119 Vocabulary Unit 4 Vocabulary Lesson 22: Show Off! Today’s roots: ped, paedere instruct grandis great, big ostentare to display pomp splendor ❑ pedantic (adj) showy about knowledge ( paedere to instruct) Kim’s pedantic teaching style bothers her students; she uses bizarre vocabulary words nobody understands. Synonyms: didactic, egotistic ❑ grandiose (adj) pretentious; ridiculously exaggerated (grandis great) The castle’s foyer was the most grandiose of its kind, adorned with crystal chandeliers and gilded banisters. Synonyms: ostentatious, flamboyant, lofty Antonym: humble ❑ bombastic (adj) pompous; using inflated language The bombastic language in the mayor’s campaign speech made her seem arrogant and disconnected from the public. Synonyms: grandiose, overblown Antonyms: understated, reserved ❑ braggart (n) one who boasts; a showoff (braguer to show off) No one likes a braggart; it’s better to be modest and humble about your successes. Synonym: egotist ❑ ostentatious (adj) showy; pretentious (ostentare to display + -ious full of) That solid gold statue is the most ostentatious display of wealth I have ever seen. Synonyms: gaudy, grandiose, garish Antonyms: understated, reserved ❑ pompous (adj) possessing excessive self-esteem; pretentious (pomp splendor + -ous full of) His pompous, holier-than-thou attitude annoyed all of his classmates. Synonyms: conceited, self-centered, pontifical Antonyms: modest, self-effacing, humble ❑ swagger (v) to walk or strut in an arrogant manner Having beat their crosstown rivals handily, the players swaggered back to the locker room. Synonyms: brag, strut ❑ lofty (adj) haughty; overly proud Synonyms: cavalier, pretentious ❑ garish (adj) flashy; loud Synonyms: ornate, ostentatious, gaudy ❑ ornate (adj) overly decorated (ornatus to adorn) Synonyms: ostentatious, opulent, gaudy ❑ opulence (adj) luxuriousness (opulentus wealthy) Synonyms: grandeur, affluence ❑ pretentious (adj) ostentatious Synonyms: gaudy, grandiose, garish ❑ baroque (adj) extravagantly ornate and convoluted in style Synonyms: flamboyant, florid . about ( per- through + ambulare walk) Synonyms: wander, drift 112 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT Vocabulary Lesson 20: Going, Going, Gone! Today’s roots: purgare cleanse re- back deplare to empty ab- away ❑. self-esteem; pretentious (pomp splendor + -ous full of) His pompous, holier-than-thou attitude annoyed all of his classmates. Synonyms: conceited, self-centered, pontifical Antonyms: modest, self-effacing,. mean “on the move”) 118 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT Unit 3 Exercise Sets II and III Answer Key Exercise Set II 1. A-: without atheist, atrophy, apathy, asexual, amorphous, abyss 2. AN-: without anarchy, anecdote,