GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

Table of Contents
Introduction Pretest Level 1 Review Test for Level 1 Level 2 Review Test for Level 2 Level 3 Review Test for Level 3 Level 4 Review Test for Level 4 Level 5 Review Test for Level 5 Level Review Test for Level 6 Level ! Review Test for Level 7 Level " Review Test for Level 8 Level #
1

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GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS Review Test for Level 9 Level 13 Review Test for Level 10 Posttest

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GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

Int'o2/9t4on

Let me guess why you picked up this book. You want to become a better writer and speaker. You want to use the English language correctly and with confidence. You're looking for something that will help you learn more words and learn them swiftly something that's not just informative but also interesting and fun to read. You don't want word games. You want results. Stop right here. Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is precisely what you're looking for the most comprehensive! accessible! and effective vocabulary"building program available today. #ere's what you can e$pect from Ver !l "dv!nt!#e %y the time you finish reading this book you will have more than tripled your normal rate of learning vocabulary. &nd when you have mastered all the words in the program! your vocabulary level will be in the top ' percent of all educated adults. You will also know how to avoid common errors of grammar! usage! and pronunciation! and you will possess the tools to continue building your verbal skills for the rest of your life. (hroughout the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e program ) will be your personal guide on a tour of the English language! a tour that ) guarantee will help you improve your word power dramatically and permanently. &long the way ) will also coach you in how to use the language with greater clarity! precision! and style. Let me tell you a bit about myself. ) am an author! journalist! and radio commentator who speciali+es in writing about the English language. Like most serious writers! ) care deeply about wordswhere they came from! what they mean! how they are used and pronounced. )n fact! ) think it's fair to say that )'m afflicted with a terminal passion for words. &llow me to e$plain how ) contracted this most pleasant malady.
, *

-or as long as ) can remember ) have been in love with the beauty! rhythm! subtlety! . and power of language! and from an early age ) aspired to a career working with words. Like many writers! ) ac/uired my affection for words from my parents. &lthough both my father and mother are retired professional musicians! they have always been 0 avid readers with a fine ear for language as well as music. 1hen ) was young they read me stories and poems at bedtime! and as ) grew older they encouraged me to read widely on my own. ) often had lengthy discussions with them about books and language! and whenever we had a /uestion or a dispute about a word! the hefty unabridged dictionary in our living room was the final authority. (he conse/uence of this verbally intensive upbringing was that two parents who loved language but made music for a living wound up with a son who loves music but makes his living with words.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

%ut that's enough about me! because this book is not about me and my writing credentials. )t's about you! and how you can achieve the verbal advantage. Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is about definitions! so let's begin by defining the phrase 2verbal advantage.3 1hat e$actly is a 2verbal advantage34 5oes it suggest what smart! successful people know about language4 5oes it refer to the words they use in conversation and writing4 Yes! in part. %ut in this book! 2verbal advantage3 encompasses something more than just what educated people already know about using the language. )t also means what educated people ou#$t to know about using the languageand how using it well can help them succeed. )n short! a 2verbal advantage3 is the ability to use words in a precise and powerful manner! to communicate clearly! correctly! and effectively in every situation! both on and off the job. )n this book ) intend to take your ability with words and turn it into mastery. 6umerous studies have shown that there is a correlation between career and financial success and an above"average vocabulary! and that the level of success people achieve is linked to the number of words they command. You may be on the right track! but are you as productive and successful as you know you can be4 )n the long run all your hard work and all the knowledge you gain from e$perience may not produce the results you e$pect if you lack the confidence that comes from an accompanying mastery of words. &s the syndicated columnist 1illiam 7aspberry once put it! 28ood English! well spoken and well written! will open more doors than a college degree9. %ad English will slam doors you don't even know e$ist.3 Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will give you most of the linguistic tools you need to communicate more effectively and confidently! and ) will show you how to use them with precision. )f you like! consider Ver !l "dv!nt!#e an apprenticeship to a second careerone that can help you immeasurably and enhance your chances of success. 1hen you finish reading this book! you'll be on your own. %ut ) think you'll find yourself prepared to meet the challenge of achieving and maintaining a verbal advantage.

)mproving your verbal skills is not an easy task! but it doesn't have to be a chore. )n fact! it can be one of the most rewarding activities you will ever undertake. -ew things can e/ual the satisfaction that comes from using the right word at the appropriate moment or reali+ing that the way you have chosen to e$press something has moved or gratified or persuaded your audience.
Let's begin! then! with a brief summary of what you stand to gain from reading this book.

You will learn about vocabulary building and why it is indispensable to your personal development. ) will teach you the principles and techni/ues of building a large and e$act vocabulary and introduce you to words that will add clarity to your writing and infuse your conversation with style. You will also discover how to put your powerful new vocabulary into action right away! and how to make the words you've learned serve you well for the rest of your life. (hroughout this book we will also e$plore the subject of usage versus 2abusage3in other words! how to use! not abuse! the language. You will learn how usage changes! why it changes! and why certain changes have been accepted and others have not. ) will also cover some perple$ing problems of usage that trouble even the best writers

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

and speakers. -inally! ) will address the issue of rulesgood rules versus bad rules and discuss how you can strike a balance between current standard usage and what seems natural and correct to you. %uilding a powerful vocabulary and learning how to use words properly re/uire that you also develop your knowledge of a related subject pronunciation. )t is a sad fact that many educated people who have invested a great deal of time and energy building impressive vocabularies have not bothered to learn how to pronounce the words they have ac/uired. (hat deficiency leads to a twofold tragedy. -irst! to those who look up to the speaker as a more knowledgeable person! the mispronouncer does the disservice of passing along his or her mispronunciations. Second! to those who know something about words and how they should be pronounced! the mispronouncer! no matter how intelligent! will appear uneducated! even foolish. (he point is! if you have taken the time to learn the meaning of a word and how to use it properly! then why not also learn how to pronounce it correctly4
1ith Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! not only will you learn the proper pronunciation of words that are new to you! you will also learn to avoid common mispronunciations of familiar wordsones you may be mispronouncing right now without reali+ing it. )n addition! ) will teach you some simple techni/ues that will help you continue to improve your speech on your own. %uilding your vocabulary is the primary goal of this program! and research has shown that the most effective way to build your word power rapidly and permanently is to learn words in their order of difficulty. :ertain words are harder than others; therefore it stands to reason that you have to know the easier words before you can learn and retain the harder ones. 1hen you know what rec%less and r!s$ mean! you're ready to learn the more difficult synonyms i&'ulsive! i&'rudent! and i&'etuous. &nd when you have those words under your belt! then you can tackle the challenging synonyms 'reci'it!te and te&er!rious.

)n short! you are far more likely to remember words if you are e$posed to them in ascending order of difficulty. (hat is why ) have made Ver !l "dv!nt!#e a graduated vocabulary"building program! which means the words get harder as you go along. You will proceed through ten levels of vocabulary! each level more challenging than the last. -or e$ample! Level * contains words familiar to about <= to >= percent of adultsthat is! words known to many high school graduates and most college graduates. %y the end of Level ' you will have raised your vocabulary to about the >'th percentilethe top /uarter of all educated adults. %y the end of Level ? your vocabulary will have surpassed that of most e$ecutives and professionals! including those with advanced degrees. &nd when you complete the tenth and final level you will have progressed beyond @' percent of the entire population. You will command an armory of words that only a handful of people in every thousand can match.
Each level of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e focuses on specially selected 2keywords3 essential to educated discourse. %ut those words constitute only a fraction of what you'll learn from this book. :arefully study all the keyword discussions and you will learn scores of useful related words and a plethora ABLE(#"uh"ruh! great number or /uantity! abundanceC of challenging synonyms and antonyms. You will also discover where the words you are learning come from and how their history has influenced their current meaning.

)n addition to building your vocabulary! Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will guide you in the subtleties of using the language properly and precisely. Each level contains interludes on commonly misused words! commonly confused words! and commonly mispronounced words. You will learn how to avoid various errors of grammar! diction! and pronunciation that ve$ even the most educated adults. ) will show you how to eliminate redundanciesflabby! repetitive phrasesfrom your writing and speech! and

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

help you heed the advice of Dark (wain! who said! 2Ese the right word! and not its second cousin.3 -inally! the synonym studies in the keyword discussions will develop your ability to distinguish wisely between words of similar meaning.

Let's return now to the link between vocabulary and success. (he theory that knowing more words can help you succeed is nothing new. Since the early twentieth century! researchers have documented the connection between a strong vocabulary and academic and professional success. Brofessor 5ean (rembly of the (esting and :ounseling :enter at :alifornia Bolytechnic State Eniversity! San Luis Fbispo! supports the thesis that building your vocabulary enhances your chances of success. )n his book Le!rnin# to (se )our "'titudes! (rembly e$plains that 2a large vocabulary is more than knowing the difficult words; it is knowing the easier words more thoroughly and using them with greater precision9. & powerful vocabulary gives you the facility to use the easier words more smoothly9. &s with grades in school!3 writes (rembly! 2money earnings are related to vocabulary. 1ithin each occupation! those with larger vocabularies are more likely to profit. But a dollar sign in front of each additional word you learn.3 Berhaps the most influential researcher to e$plore the connection between vocabulary and achievement was Gohnson F':onnor! founder of the #uman Engineering Laboratory! now called the Gohnson F':onnor 7esearch -oundation. F':onnor was a #arvard"educated engineer who devoted his life to identifying and measuring human aptitudes and studying their relationship to a knowledge of English vocabulary. &fter more than twenty years of testing thousands of &mericans of all ages! occupations! and levels of education! F':onnor concluded that 2an e$act and e$tensive vocabulary is an important concomitant of success9. -urthermore! such a vocabulary can be ac/uired. )t increases as long as a person remains in school or college! but without conscious effort does not change materially thereafter.3 Dargaret E. %roadley is an authority on Gohnson F':onnor's work and the author of several books on human aptitudes. )n )our *!tur!l +ifts she e$plains how! as far back as the *@.=s! F':onnor's #uman Engineering Laboratory discovered! as %roadley puts it! 2a close relationship between a large! precise knowledge of English words and achievement in life.3 21orldly success! earnings and management status!3 writes %roadley! 2correlated with vocabulary scores. )n follow"up studies of persons tested as much as twenty or thirty years ago! a limited vocabulary is proving an important factor in holding men and women back from achieving the position which their aptitudes showed they should have gained.3 %roadley continues 2& low vocabulary is a serious handicap. &mbitious and energetic persons can push ahead in their jobs just so far! but then they reach a plateau caused by low vocabulary. (hey never advance. &nd while youthful +est and high aptitudes can enable us to forge ahead despite low vocabulary! when we become mature the world e$pects us to know something and we are judged on knowledge rather than our possibilities. (he world doesn't see our aptitudes! but it pays for knowledge because that can be seen.3 %roadley then gets down to the nitty"gritty. 2Studies show that at middle"age the low" vocabulary persons are stuck in routine jobs. -urthermore! when big companies have their shakedowns and mergers! too often the low"vocabulary persons find themselves out on the street. (oo often they place the blame on prejudice! inside politics! and

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

personal antagonism when the truth can be traced to low vocabulary9.
2Fnly about .!'== words separate the high vocabulary person from the low!3 %roadley concludes. 2Yet these .!'== words can mean the difference between success and failure.3

)t is worth noting here that company presidents and upper"level business e$ecutives have consistently achieved the highest scores in the vocabulary tests administered by the Gohnson F':onnor 7esearch -oundation. &s a group! e$ecutives score better than editors! writers! college professors! scientists! doctors! lawyers! psychologists! architects! and engineersall high" vocabulary occupations. (he foundation's researchers are not /uite sure what to make of that finding! but they do know one thing )f you wish to succeed in your career! your vocabulary level must at least e/ual the average level of the members of your profession. )f you wish to e$cel! your vocabulary must surpass that of your colleagues. &s Gohnson F':onnor said! 21ords are the instruments of thought by which men and women grasp the thoughts of others! and with which they do most of their thinking.3
(o paraphrase that 1ords are the tools of thought! and it follows that if your tools aren't the sharpest ones in the shed! you can't e$pect to have an edge in the struggle for success. (here is one other point about vocabulary and success that ) would like to clarify before we go any further. 7esearchers and language e$perts have known for many years that vocabulary is the key to success! but what does that really mean4 )t is true that various studies have shown that! particularly among business e$ecutives! English vocabulary level often correlates with salary level. #owever! there are many wealthy people who have low vocabularies and lack ability with language! just as there are many people who earn modest salaries but who have e$cellent vocabularies and a wide knowledge of the world. (he point is! if your only ambition in life is to make wads of money! there are ways to do that without building your vocabulary. (herefore it is important that you do not e/uate building a large vocabulary only with padding your bank balance and diversifying your stock portfolio. Hocabulary is the key to success! but wealth is not the only yardstick of success.
1hat ) am talking about is a definition of success that encompasses more than salaries and investments. 1hat ) am talking about is your careerwhat you do and how well you do it and also your personal developmenthow you can make the most of your natural abilities and achieve your goals in life. (hat is where a powerful vocabulary can help you. (hat is where knowing the precise meanings of many words gives you an invaluable advantagea

Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. 1hat it boils down to can be e$pressed in two words career satisfaction. %uilding a powerful vocabulary can help you advance your career! because as you improve your skill with language you will become a better speaker! a better writer! a better reader! and a better listener. &nd if you are all of those things! then you probably will be a more successful person.

) would be remiss in my duty as your instructor and guide if ) neglected to underscore the fact that building your vocabulary takes time and dedication. (rue and lasting knowledge is not ac/uired overnight. (hat's why most of us spend the first /uarter of our lives in school! presumably learning to be intelligent! productive members of society. Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will boost your vocabulary and enhance your verbal skills! but remember that your verbal development did not start with this book and it should not end with it. (hink of this program as the beginning of a lifelong process of self"

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

education; or! if you like! think of yourself as an athletean intellectual athlete embarking on a challenging conditioning program for your mind. Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will give you the tools and show you how to use them! but it's up to you to decide what to build with those tools! and the responsibility for keeping them clean and sharp ultimately lies with you. (herefore you will get the most out of this book if you follow the three 7's of verbal development routine! re'etition! and review. Effective vocabulary building begins with establishing a routine and sticking to it. You should read Ver !l "dv!nt!#e for a set amount of time every day! preferably at least thirty minutes. )f you currently watch an hour or more of television each day! why not cut a half"hour out of that time and devote it to something more productive reading this book. #owever you decide to work it into your day! for best results you should make Ver !l "dv!nt!#e a regular part of your schedule. &s the saying goes! practice makes perfect! and when it comes to building your vocabulary! repetition and review are essential if you wish to retain the words you learn. You will make best use of this book if you go over the material a second timeand even a third time as the words get more difficultbefore forging ahead. ) also recommend that when you finish each level in the program you review the entire level in one or two sessions! focusing your attention on the words and concepts you had trouble remembering when you read the material the first time. &lthough reviewing will be your responsibility! ) have incorporated regular review sections into the program to help reinforce your comprehension.
&fter every ten keyword discussions there is a brief! informal /ui+ designed to fi$ in your mind the words you've just learned. 1hen you take these /ui++es! keep track of how many correct and incorrect answers you make! and which words are most challenging for you.

)f you get some answers wrong the first time around! don't worry about it. Distakes and missteps are a natural part of learning. #owever! if you're reviewing the material and you miss three or more answers in a /ui+! you should go back and read all ten keyword discussions again.
(o help you further gauge your progress! ) have also included a review test for each level of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. #ere you will find /uestions pertaining to all the additional information in the programincluding synonyms! antonyms! related words! and word origins! along with advice on usage! pronunciation! and using a dictionary. &fter you have read and reviewed a level and mastered its keyword /ui++es! take the review test before moving ahead.

Fne last thing to remember 5on't rush. (ake your time. (he Gohnson F':onnor 7esearch -oundation has found that when you engage in a conscientious study of vocabulary! your rate of improvement is 2related less to how fast you cover the material and more to how thoroughly you study the material step"by"step in order of difficulty.3
Fne word of caution )f you're the eager"beaver type! you may be tempted to skip around or jump ahead. (hat is your prerogative! but ) do not recommend taking any shortcuts. )n the long run you will only shortchange yourself. (o get the full benefit of the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e program! ) urge you to start at the beginning and read straight through to the end.

Ieep in mind that this is a graduated vocabulary"building program designed to improve your knowledge of words step by step in the most effective way possible. &lthough you may know some of the keywords in the early levels! right from the start the discussions cover many more difficult synonyms and related words.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

&lso! Ver !l "dv!nt!#e contains a great deal of information about language that anyone! at any level! will find useful. &s the vocabulary"building e$perts Da$well 6urnberg and Dorris 7osenblum once put it! 2You learn more words by learning more about words.3 (hat's e$actly what Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is designed to do build your vocabulary by teaching you a lot more about words than just their definitions. (o sum up ) encourage you to read this book for a set amount of time each day! read it straight through! and always review what you've learned before moving on. %y the time you finish ) think you'll agree that Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is a challenging program designed for people who are committed to improving their vocabularies and serious about translating their verbal skills into personal success. &re you ready to begin your journey toward a more powerful and precise command of the English language4 Let's go. )'ll be with you all the way. * cl!rit, AIL&7"i"teeC clearness! state of being clear to the eye or to the understanding , &!l!d, AD&L"uh"deeC ailment! sickness! disorder . !s'ire Auh"SBY"urC to strive to achieve! seek ambitiously 0 !vid A&H"idC enthusiastic! eager! dedicated

Level 1
6o'2 1( ,ARA,-RASE <,AR)/=)f'a.>?
(o restate! put what someone else has e$pressed into different words. (he noun a '!r!'$r!se is a restatement of a te$t or passage to give the sense of the original in fuller terms. (he verb to '!r!'$r!se means to restate something! giving the meaning in another form. (o -uote and to '!r!'$r!se are sharply distinguished. (o -uote is to use or repeat the words of someone else! giving acknowledgment to the source. (o '!r!'$r!se is to restate in different words what someone else has said or written.

6o'2 2( OSTENSIBLE <a=)STEN)s4)b/l?

&pparent! appearing or seeming to be true! professed or declared as true without being demonstrated or proved. Dore difficult synonyms of ostensible include 'l!usi le ABL&1"+i"bulC and s'ecious ASBEE"shusC. .'ecious! however! has the negative suggestion of using deception to make something false appear true. & specious argument is one that looks good on the surface but is flawed underneath.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS /stensi le is often used in opposition to re!l or !ctu!l. &n ostensible motive is not necessarily a real motive; an ostensible advantage is not necessarily an actual advantage. /stensi le means apparent! stated as true but not necessarily proved.

6o'2 3( @IGRESS <24)GRES or 2.)GRES?

(o wander! stray from the point! ramble! deviate! go off in another direction. 0i#ress comes from the Latin di#ressus! which comes in turn from the prefi$ dis"! apart! and #r!di! to go! walk! step. 0i#ress means literally to go apart! walk away. -rom the same Latin source come in#ress A)6"gresC! the place you walk in! the entrance; and e#ress AEE"gresC! the place you walk out! the e$it. 0i#ress once was used of a physical wandering or turning aside! but that sense is now archaic Aahr"I&Y"ikC! which means old"fashioned. (oday we do not say! 2She turned right and digressed down Dain Street.3 )nstead! di#ress is used of speaking or writing that departs from the main point or subject at hand and wanders off in another direction 2)n a business report or an oral presentation! it's important to stick to the facts and not digress3; 2)f she hadn't digressed so much! her lecture would have been more interesting.3 (he corresponding noun is di#ression Adi"87ES#"un or dy"87ES#"unC 2(he old man's story was full of humorous digressions.3

6o'2 4( UNCANNA </=n)*AN)ee?

Eerie! strange! weird! mysterious 2an uncanny e$perience.3 (nc!nn, may refer to something that is strange in an unnatural or unearthly way! something whose strangeness is unsettling or even frightening. (nc!nn, may also be used to mean beyond what is normal or e$pected! strange in a remarkable or marvelous way! as 2an uncanny resemblance!3 or 2uncanny ability.3

6o'2 5( CAN@OR <*AN)2/'?

-rankness! openness! sincere e$pression. Synonyms include str!i#$tforw!rdness! outs'o%enness! fort$ri#$tness! and in#enuousness. 1!ndor is the noun; the adjective is c!ndid! frank! open! sincere. (he c!ndid person e$presses his or her thoughts frankly and openly! with no hesitation. (he fort$ri#$t person speaks directly to the point! plainly and sometimes bluntly! in a no"nonsense manner. (he in#enuous Ain"GE6"yoo"

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS usC person speaks honestly and sincerely! with no hint of evasiveness or deception.

6o'2 ( MOROSE <:/=)RO-S?

8loomy! moody! glum! grumpy! ill"tempered! depressed. 2&fter weeks of futile job"hunting! he became morose.3 Dore difficult synonyms of &orose include dolorous A5F#"luh"rusC! which means mournful! full of sadness; lu#u rious Aluh"8FF"bree"usC! which means e$tremely gloomy or dismal; and s!turnine AS&("ur"nynC! which means having a bitter disposition or sour outlook on life. &ntonymswords opposite in meaninginclude o'ti&istic! 2ovi!l AGF#" vee"ulC! and s!n#uine AS&68"gwinC! which means having a cheerful! confident outlook on life. .ullen ASE#L"inC and &orose are close in meaning. 1hen you refuse to speak or associate with people because you're in a bad mood! you are being sullen. 1hen you are depressed and silent because you are feeling bitter or resentful! you are morose3 4erri!&56e ster7s 1olle#i!te 0iction!r,! tenth edition! says that morose suggests 2bitterness or misanthropy.3 4is!nt$ro', Amis"&6"thruh"peeC is hatred of humankind! a spiteful or pessimistic attitude about the human race. 4oroseness is ill" tempered! bitter gloominess.

6o'2 !( A@E,T </=)@E,T?

Skilled. Synonyms include $!nd,! clever! ! le! deft! e8'ert! !droit! de8terous A5EI"strus! also 5EI"stur"usC! and 'roficient Apruh"-)S#"int! not proh"C. "de't comes from the Latin !de'tus! an alchemist who has learned how to do the impossiblechange base metals into gold. (he noun an !de't A&5"eptC means a highly skilled person! an e$pert. (he adjective !de't means skilled! de$terous! proficient 2#e was adept at managing his investments! and they always turned a handsome profit.3

6o'2 "( SATURATE@ <SAC-)/=)RAA)t42?

Soaked! thoroughly wet! full of moisture. Synonyms include drenc$ed! stee'ed! 'er&e!ted A,UR"mee"&Y"tidC! i&'re#n!ted! i& ued Aim"%YFF5C! and sodden AS&#5"JnC. .odden may mean heavy with moisture! soggy! or dull! stupefied! e$pressionless! as from drinking too much li/uor. (o s!tur!te means to soak or wet thoroughly! either literally! as in 2Dy french fries are saturated with oil!3 or figuratively 2(he company saturated the media with ads for its

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS new product.3 .!tur!tion is the corresponding noun.

6o'2 #( ,RAGMATIC <1'a8)MAT)40?

Bractical! having to do with actual practice! concerned with everyday affairs as opposed to theory or speculation. Pr!#&!tic comes from the Latin 'r!#&!ticus! which means skilled in business or law. (he lawyer is concerned with evidence and proof; the businessperson is concerned with facts and figures. %oth have little time for idle speculation or harebrained schemes. %oth must be 'r!#&!tic! concerned with practical! everyday affairs.

6o'2 13( CONGENIAL <0/n)BEE)nee)/l?

Sympathetic! agreeable! compatible! kindred! harmonious! having the same taste! nature! or temperament. :ongenial persons have similar or sympathetic tastes! interests! or personalities. :ongenial things agree! go well together. &ntonyms! or opposites! of con#eni!l are !lien! dissident A5)S"uh"dintC! and incon#ruous Ain"I&#68"groo"usC.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following /uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page ,,.
1. 1hen you paraphrase something! can you change the wording4 2. )s an ostensible reason always a true reason4 3. 1ould someone who speaks with candor be likely to digress4 4. 1ould seeing a E-F or finding a million dollars in the street be

an uncanny e$perience4
5. :an you describe a morose person as congenial4 6. 5oes an adept worker do a job well4 7. 1ould a pragmatic person be likely to make a business

decision based on a hunch4

8. :an the market ever be saturated with competing products4

#ere are the ne$t ten keywords in Level Fne

6o'2 11( CA,RICIOUS <0/=),RIS-)/s?

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS Enpredictable! tending to change abruptly for no apparent or logical reason. Synonyms of c!'ricious include fli#$t,! c$!n#e! le! i&'ulsive! and fic%le. Dore difficult synonyms include err!tic! w$i&sic!l A1A#C)D"+i"kulC! vol!tile AH&#L"uh"tulC! and &ercuri!l Amur"IYE7"ee"ulC. & c!'rice Akuh"B7EESC is a sudden change of mind or change in the emotions. & person or a thing that is capricious is subject to capricesto abrupt! unpredictable changes 2#e's so capricious! his mood changes with the wind3; 26ew England has a capricious climate3; 2(he stock market is notoriously capricious.3 5id you notice that my recommended pronunciation for c!'ricious is kuh" B7)S#"us! the second syllable rhyming with wis$4 You will hear educated speakers say kuh"B7EE"shus! a pronunciation based on the corresponding noun c!'rice Akuh"B7EESC. (his variant has been recogni+ed by &merican dictionaries since the *@<=s. %ut authorities have preferred kuh"B7)S#"us since the *?th century! when pronunciation was first recorded. :urrent &merican dictionaries list kuh"B7)S#"us first! and it is the only pronunciation in the /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r,. #ave you ever heard anyone put an 9 in the middle of sus'icious! 2udicious! or !v!ricious 4 7hyme c!'ricious with delicious.

6o'2 12( BLATANT <BLAAT)Cnt?

6oisy! disagreeably or offensively loud! boisterous! clamorous 2the blatant sound of horns honking in heavy traffic.3 :l!t!nt is also used to mean sticking out in a glaring way! obtrusive! flagrant! as in 2a blatant lie!3 2a blatant error!3 2a blatant attempt to impress the boss.3 )n either sense! disagreeable. l!t!nt suggests something conspicuous and

6o'2 13( OBLIGATORA </=)BLIG)/=)to')ee?

7e/uired! necessary! binding! mandatory. / li#!tor, duties are those you must perform to fulfill an obligation or responsibility. 5oing miscellaneous paperwork is an obligatory function of the clerical worker. 5o not pronounce the initial o in o li#!tor, like the o in o'en. Bronounce it like the ! in ! ove.

6o'2 14( NEGLIGIBLE <NEG)l4)D4)b/l?

Enimportant! trifling! of little conse/uence. (hat which is negligible can be neglected. & negligible concern can be

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS disregarded; it is so trivial and insignificant that it warrants little or no attention.

6o'2 15( A@AMANT <A@)/=):4nt?

Enyielding! immovable! infle$ible! refusing to give in! unshakable! unrelenting! implacable. 2She was adamant in her opposition to the plan.3 (he adjective !d!&!nt comes from the noun !d!&!nt! which refers to a hard substance or stone! such as a diamond! that in ancient times was believed to be unbreakable. (here is an old word !d!&!ntine A&5"uh"MAN "tinC! still listed in current dictionaries but not often used; it means like adamant! very hard! unbreakable. (he adjective !d!&!nt! which has replaced !d!&!ntine in current usage! means hard in the sense of infle$ible! immovable! unyielding.

6o'2 1 ( S,ORA@IC <s1/=)RA@)40 or s1o')A@)40?

Fccasional! infre/uent! irregular! not constant! happening from time to time! occurring in a scattered or random way. & business venture may have sporadic success. & gambler's luck may be sporadic. Sporadic crimes are crimes scattered throughout a city or neighborhood. Sporadic outbreaks of a disease in the population are occasional! isolated outbreaks. &ntonyms of s'or!dic include const!nt! incess!nt Ain"SES"intC! and unre&ittin#.

6o'2 1!( EANGUAR@ <EAN)8a='2?

(he forefront of an action or movement! leading position or persons in a movement 2(hey were in the vanguard of the war on poverty.3 )n its strict military sense! v!n#u!rd means the troops moving at the head of an army! the part of the army that goes ahead of the main body! an advance guard.

6o'2 1"( CONCUR <0/n)*UR?

(o agree! be in accord with! unite in opinion. 1oncur comes from the Latin con"! together! and currere! to run! flow! and means literally to run or flow together! go along with. (hat derivation has led to three slightly different meanings of the word. -irst! concur may be used to mean to act together! combine in having an effect! as 2(ime and chance concurred in our success.3 Second! concur may be used to mean happen together! occur at the same time! coincide! as 2#is pay raise concurred with his promotion.3

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (he third and most common meaning of concur is to agree! as 2Your story concurs with theirs3; 21e concurred on almost every point of negotiation.3

6o'2 1#( ,RECOCIOUSNESS <1'/=)*O-)s=/s)n4s?

Early development or maturity! especially in mental ability. (he noun 'recociousness and the adjective 'recocious come from the Latin 'r!eco8! which means premature! or literally! 2ripening before its time.3 Precocious is most often used of children whose intellectual or emotional development is unusually advanced. Precociousness! early development! is the opposite of ret!rd!tion! slowness in development.

6o'2 23( ALOO& </=)LOO&?

&part! at a distance! removed! withdrawn! not wishing to speak or associate with others. (he aloof person is emotionally reserved and keeps a cool distance from others. "loofness means reluctance to get involved or take an interest in something. Synonyms of !loof include uns,&'!t$etic! un!''ro!c$! le! st!ndoffis$ ! and indifferent.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page ,..
1. (he capricious person is always predictable. 2. & blatant attempt is /uiet and inconspicuous. 3. 1hen attendance at a company function is obligatory! that

means you have to go whether you want to or not.

4. Something negligible can be disregarded. 5. &n adamant person refuses to compromise. 6. Something sporadic occurs at regular intervals. 7. )f you take the lead on an important project! you are in the

vanguard.
8. 1hen two people concur! they argue or disagree. 9. Brecociousness in a child may be a sign of above"average

intelligence. 10.&n aloof person is unwilling to associate with others.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

Let's proceed to the ne$t ten keywords in Level *.

6o'2 21( CREE@ <'=.:es 74t= need?

%elief! professed faith or opinion! especially a system of religious belief. Synonyms include doctrine and do#&!3 )n the Enited States it is illegal to discriminate against someone based on race or creed! belief. 1reed comes from the Latin credo! 2) believe!3 the source of the English word credo AI7EE"doh or! like the Latin! I7&Y"dohC. & credo is a declared set of beliefs or opinions. 1redo and creed are synonymous. 1redo is the more learned ALE7"nidC word! usually reserved for a formal declaration of belief. 1reed is used more generally of any professed faith or opinion. (he Latin credo is also the source of incredi le! not believable! credi le! believable! and credulous AI7EG"uh"lusC. 1redulous means inclined to believe! willing to accept something as true without /uestioning. 1redulous and #ulli le are synonymous. (o a credulous person! even the most outrageous tall tales seem credible.

6o'2 22( TA6@RA <TA6)2'ee% '=.:es 74t= Audrey?

:heap and showy! gaudy! garish! slea+y. Legend has it that t!wdr, comes from the phrase 2tawdry lace!3 a corruption of 2Saint &udrey lace!3 a type of lace sold at Saint &udrey's fair in England. &pparently the lace was of inferior /uality! thus over time the word t!wdr, came to mean cheap and showy. (oday the word may be used both literally and figuratively. & person may wear tawdry clothing or have a tawdry reputation.

6o'2 23( ,EEEIS- <,EE)v4s=?

)rritable! cross! complaining! fretful! ill"humored and impatient! difficult to please. (here are peevish moods! peevish remarks! and peevish looks. & 'eeve is something that irritates or annoys 2#er pet peeve is a wet towel left on the bed.3 Peevis$ means irritable! ill"humored! full of complaints.

6o'2 24( AR@UOUS <A-R)Doo)/s?

Hery difficult! hard to achieve or accomplish! re/uiring great effort. 2:ompiling the annual report is an arduous task.3 27aising children is an

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS arduous responsibility.3 Synonyms of !rduous include strenuous! l! orious! and toilso&e.

6o'2 25( ,ERSONABLE <,UR)s/=)n/=)b//l?

&ttractive! pleasing in appearance! handsome! comely! fair! presentable. )n recent years! 'erson! le has come to be used to mean having a nice personality. You should avoid using the word in that way. (he words soci! le! !ff! le! and !&i! le already suggest people who are friendly! pleasant! and approachable. (here is no need for 'erson! le to take over this sense. &n awkward or unbecoming person! no matter how friendly and pleasant! cannot correctly be personable. 7eserve 'erson! le for someone who is either attractive in appearance or attractive both in appearance and personality.

6o'2 2 ( RESOLUTE <REF)/=)loot?

-irmly determined or settled! resolved! having a set opinion or purpose! steadfast! unwavering! persevering. Resolute comes from the Latin resolvere! the source also of the verb to resolve! which means to decide! determine! settle once and for all 2&fter much debate! the board of directors resolved to go ahead with the five"year plan.3 2(he lawyers tried to resolve the case out of court.3 Resolute means resolved in one's opinion or purpose 2#e was resolute about earning a master's degree and starting a successful business.3 &ntonyms of resolute include irresolute! unste!d,! and v!cill!tin# AH&S"i"lay"tingC.

6o'2 2!( SU,,OSITION <SU-,)/=)FIS-)4n?

&n assumption! theory! hypothesis. (o su''ose means to assume as true! put something forward for consideration. & su''osition is something supposed! an idea put forward for consideration. & $,'ot$esis Ahy"B&#(#"uh"sisC! a con2ecture Akun"GEI"churC! and a su''osition are all assumptions or theories. & $,'ot$esis is a preliminary or incomplete theory based on insufficient evidence 2(here are conflicting hypotheses about the origin of the universe.3 A(he plural! $,'ot$eses! is pronounced hy"B&#(#"uh"see+.C & con2ecture is an assumption based on so little evidence that it is merely an educated guess 2Every week we hear different conjectures about trends in the stock market.3 & su''osition may be based on ample evidence or no evidence at all! and may be either sensible or irrational 2#is suppositions about the

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS company's financial condition proved consistent with the facts.3

6o'2 2"( ARBITRARA <A-R)b4)TRAIR)ee or )TRER)ee?

Enreasoned! based on personal feelings or preferences rather than on reason! logic! or law 2&n arbitrary price for a product is not necessarily a fair price3; 2#is arbitrary decisions have cost the company a lot of money.3 "r itr!r, comes from the same Latin source as the words !r iter A&#7" bi"turC and !r itr!tor AA-R"bi"(7&Y"turC. "r iter and !r itr!tor both mean a judge or umpire who makes a final decision or resolves a dispute. "r itr!r, means making discretionary judgments or decisions that may or may not be fair or reasonable. "r itr!r, has two other useful meanings. )t may mean determined or arrived at in a random or illogical manner. -or e$ample! the arrangement of furniture in a room may be arbitrary! without an evident theme or pattern; arbitrary decisions are arrived at in a hasty! hapha+ard way. "r itr!r, may also mean e$ercising unrestrained or absolute power an arbitrary government has no regard for individual liberty.

6o'2 2#( MONOTONOUS <:/=)NA-T)/=)n/s?

Lacking variety! tediously uniform! unvarying and dull. 4onotonous means literally having one continuous sound or tone. )t combines the word tone with the prefi$ &ono"! one! single. (he prefi$ &ono" appears in many English words! including &ono#!&, Amuh"6&#8" uh"meeC! marriage to one person; &onocle AD&#6"uh"kulC! a single eyeglass; and &ono#r!& AD&#6"uh"gramC! two or more letters woven into one. (hat which is monotonous is boring because it lacks variety. & monotonous speaker says the same thing again and again in the same tone of voice. Donotonous music is dull and repetitive. & monotonous job is one where the routine never changes. (he corresponding noun is &onoton, Amuh"6&#(Jn"eeC! a tedious lack of variety.

6o'2 33( LEGACA <LEG)/=)see?

Something handed down from the past! an inheritance. Le#!c, may be used in two ways. )t may mean a gift of money or property provided by a will! an inheritance! be/uest 2#er wealthy uncle left her a generous legacy.3 )t may also mean anything inherited or passed down through time 2(he cultural legacy of ancient 8reece and 7ome has shaped 1estern civili+ation.3

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. (his time we're going to play the synonym"antonym game 5ecide if the pairs of words below are synonymswords with the same or almost the same meaning A e!utiful and lovel,Cor antonyms! words opposite in meaning Alove and $!teC. &nswers appear on page ,..
1. creed and f!it$ are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. t!wdr, and ele#!nt are9 3. fretful and 'eevis$ are9 4. strenuous and !rduous are9 5. 'erson! le and un eco&in# are9 6. resolute and w!verin# are9 7. $,'ot$esis and su''osition are9 8. !r itr!r, and r!tion!l are9 9. v!ried and &onotonous are9

10.le#!c, and e-uest are9

Let's take a break from the keyword lessons and look at a few commonly mispronounced words and redundancies Ari"5E#6"din"see+C! repetitive phrases. )f your business has anything to do with real estate! or if you ever do business with a real"estate broker! there is one word you should be careful to pronounce correctly Re!ltor Awhich usually has a capital R because it is a trademarkC. #ow do you pronounce this word4 (he correct pronunciation is 7EE"ul"tur. (he mispronunciation! which is very common even among 7ealtors themselves! is 7EE"luh"tur. Dost dictionaries do not recogni+e the pronunciation 7EE"luh"tur; the few that do label it 2nonstandard3 or 2unacceptable to many.3 )f you now mispronounce this word! it's not hard to correct the error once you train your ear to discriminate between the right and wrong pronunciations. 7EE"luh"tur puts the sound of the l before the !! as though the word were spelled r5e5l5!5t5o5 r. (he proper pronunciation sounds like the word re!l plus the tur"in turni'. You should also take care to pronounce the word re!lt, correctly. 5on't stick the l sound where it doesn't belong and say 7EE"luh"tee. (he word should be pronounced like re!l plus te!. -or practice! try repeating this

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS sentence 2& 7ealtor sells realty.3 6ow let's e$pose some of the many redundancies that clutter our writing and speech. 1hen referring to the si+e! height! length! or width of something! it is not necessary to use these words. 5on't say big in si+e! small in si+e! large in si+e! or little in si+e. 5on't say tall in height or short in height! short or long in length! or wide or skinny in width. (hose are all redundancies. Gust say something is big! small! large! little! tall! short! long! wide! or slender! and leave it at that. 8etting rid of redundancyor verbiage Apronounce it with three syllables! HE7"bee"ijCin your speech and writing is like going on a diet. )t takes some work to stick to it! but when you shed those unwanted pounds! or unnecessary words! you feel better and look better. 6ow let's return to the vocabulary for ten more keywords.

6o'2 31( MANI&OL@ <MAN)4)fo=l2?

6umerous and varied! consisting of many kinds! containing many elements! features! or characteristics a large company with manifold operations and divisions; a challenging e$ecutive position with manifold responsibilities. 4!nifold may sound like a fancy substitute for &!n,! but it's not. 1hile &!n, simply means much! a lot! &!nifold emphasi+es variety! diversity. )f your job has manifold duties then the things you do are both numerous and varied. E/ually difficult synonyms of &!nifold are &ultif!rious ADE#L"ti"&AIR "ee"usC and &ultitudinous ADE#L"ti"T<A?OO"di"nusC. %oth &!nifold and &ultif!rious mean having great variety or diversity (he human race is multifarious! and human nature is even more comple$ and manifold. 4ultitudinous means containing a multitude! consisting of a great number of persons or things 2&fter his promotion to management! %ob was sometimes overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork and multitudinous administrative chores.3

6o'2 32( ,LIANT <,LA)4nt?

%ending easily! fle$ible! adaptable! workable. Pli!nt comes from the -rench 'lier! to bend! the same source as 'liers! the tool commonly used for bending or manipulating wires or metal pieces. Pli!nt! 'li! le! and su''le all mean bending or moving easily. Pli!nt and 'li! le usually refer to objects that are easily workable. .u''le may apply to material things or to a human body that is fle$ible and limber.

6o'2 33( RETORT <'4)TORT?

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS & /uick reply! especially one that is cutting or witty. & retort and a re2oinder are similar in meaning but not /uite synonymous. Re2oinder may be used generally to mean any answer or response! but specifically it means a counterreply! an answer to a reply. & retort is a swift! pointed response. Retort comes from the prefi$ re"! back! and the Latin tor-uere! to twist! turn! and means literally 2something turned back.3 )n its most precise sense! a retort is a /uick reply that counters or turns back a statement or argument 2Bhil's clever retorts kept his opponent on the defensive.3

6o'2 34( OBSTINATE <A-B)st4)n4t?

Stubborn! infle$ible! unwilling to give in or compromise! not yielding to argument or persuasion. (he obstinate person stubbornly adheres to a purpose or opinion! often regardless of the conse/uences 2-irst we reasoned with him! then we pleaded with him! but no matter what we said he remained obstinate and determined to have his way.3 / stin!te is sometimes mispronounced as if it were spelled o stin!nt! with an n slipped in before the final t. (ake care to spell and pronounce this word correctly. Synonyms of o stin!te include $ide ound! intr!ct! le! intr!nsi#ent! and !d!&!nt Aword *' of Level *C.

6o'2 35( LACERATE <LAS)/=)'a.t?

(o tear! cut roughly! rend! mangle 2(he sharp thorn lacerated his thumb.3 L!cer!te may also be used figuratively to mean to wound! afflict! cause pain 2#er husband's vicious retort lacerated her pride and made her burst into tears.3

6o'2 3 ( OMNI,OTENT <a=:)NI,)/=)t4nt?

&ll"powerful! almighty! having unlimited power or authority. /&ni'otent is formed from the word 'otent! powerful! and the combining form o&ni"! all. 1henever you see o&ni" in a word you have a good clue to its meaning! for you know that half the word means 2all.3 -or e$ample! o&nidirection!l A&#D"nee"di"RE*"shi"nulC means all" directional! as an omnidirectional microphone! one that picks up signals from all directions. /&ni'resent A&#D"ni",REF"intC means all"present! present everywhere at once. /&niscient Aahm"6)S#"intC means all" knowing! having universal knowledge. /&nivorous Aahm"6)H"uh"rusC means eating all kinds of food or taking in everything 2She is an avid

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS reader with an omnivorous mind.3 Fur keyword! o&ni'otent! means all" powerful! almighty.

6o'2 3!( UNSCRU,ULOUS </=n)S*ROO)1./=)l/s?

Entrustworthy! dishonorable! deceitful! corrupt! lacking integrity or moral principles 2(he commission issued a report on unscrupulous business practices in the industry.3 & scru'le is something that causes hesitation or doubt in determining what is appropriate and proper. .cru'ulous means having scruples; hence! taking pains to do something e$actly right. (he scrupulous person is precise! careful! and honest. (nscru'ulous means without scruples; hence! untrustworthy! unreliable! deceitful! and corrupt. Enscrupulous people will do almost anything! no matter how dishonorable! to get what they want.

6o'2 3"( RENAISSANCE <'en)/=)SA-NS or REN)/=)sa=ns?

& revival! rebirth! resurgence! renewal of life or vigor. (he 7enaissance was a revival of classical forms and motifs in art! architecture! literature! and scholarship that began in )taly in the fourteenth century! spread throughout Europe! and continued into the seventeenth century. #istorically! the 7enaissance marked the end of the medieval era and the beginning of the modern world. (he word ren!iss!nce comes from a -rench verb meaning to be born again. 1hen spelled with a small or lowercase r! ren!iss!nce may refer to any renewal or resurgence of life! energy! or productivity. Dany types of renaissance are possible a cultural renaissance! a moral renaissance! a spiritual renaissance! and even a renaissance in the economy. & renaissance is a revival! rebirth! resurgence.

6o'2 3#( GENESIS <BEN)/=)s4s?

& coming into being! beginning! origin! birth! creation. (he first book of the Gudeo":hristian %ible is called 8enesis because it describes 8od's creation! the origin of the universe and humankind. )n current usage #enesis may refer in a general sense to any creation or process of coming into being the genesis of an idea; the genesis of a work of art; the genesis of an important social movement; the genesis of a distinguished career.

6o'2 43( 6ARRANT <6A-R)4nt?

(o justify! give good reason for! authori+e! sanction the circumstances do not warrant such e$traordinary measures; the evidence warrants further investigation; these safety procedures are warranted A1&#7"in"tidC by

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS company regulations. 6!rr!nt may also mean to guarantee! promise! give formal assurance of the Bostal Service will not warrant delivery on a specific day; the manufacturer warrants the safety of the product. (he adjective unw!rr!nted means without good reason or authori+ation! unjustifiable the E.S. :onstitution protects citi+ens against unwarranted search and sei+ure; people resent unwarranted government interference in private enterprise.

Let's review the ten words you've just learned. (his time we're going to play a version of the .es!&e .treet game 2Fne of (hese (hings )s 6ot Like the Fthers3 called 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a word is followed by three apparentor ostensiblesynonyms. (wo of the three words or phrases are true synonyms; one is unrelated in meaning. 1hich ostensible synonym doesn't fit the word4 &nswers appear on page ,0. 1. 4!nifold means complicated! numerous! varied. Pli!nt means fle$ible! supple! graceful.
2. Retort means a reply! comment! response. 3. / stin!te means nasty! stubborn! uncompromising. 4. L!cer!te means to disrupt! mangle! tear. 5. /&ni'otent means all"powerful! almighty! all"knowing. 6. (nscru'ulous means selfish! untrustworthy! corrupt. 7. Ren!iss!nce means revival! reevaluation! rebirth. 8. +enesis means creation! origin! completion.

10.6!rr!nt means to justify! guarantee! obligate. 6ow let's learn the final ten keywords in Level *.

6o'2 41( CANTAN*EROUS <0an)TANG*)/=)'/s?

5ifficult to deal with! disagreeable! argumentative! /uick to /uarrel or to e$hibit ill will. & cantankerous old man is ill"tempered and disagreeable. :antankerous

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS relatives are argumentative and hard to get along with. 1!nt!n%erous comes from a Diddle English word meaning strife! contention. Synonyms of cantankerous include contentious Akun"(E6" shusC! which means /uarrelsome! prone to argue or dispute; &!licious! which means mean"spirited! nasty! spiteful; and ir!sci le Ai"7&S"uh"bulC! which means /uick"tempered! easily angered! e$tremely irritable.

6o'2 42( &LI,,ANT <&LI,)Cnt?

5isrespectful in a frivolous way! treating something serious in a trivial manner. ;li''!nt refers to speech or writing that triviali+es or makes fun of something that deserves respect. -lippant language is inappropriately lighthearted or disrespectful 2Everyone at the meeting gasped when #arry made a flippant remark about the board of directors.3 &lthough flippant e$pression generally causes dismay or offense! occasionally it may be humorous! depending on your point of view. -or e$ample! many talk show hosts today are adept at making flippant comments to dismiss guests or callers with opposing points of view. Synonyms of fli''!nt include c$ee%,! fres$! t$ou#$tless! and i&'ertinent. &ntonyms include sole&n! so er! sed!te! and #r!ve.

6o'2 43( SUBBUGATE <SU-B)D/=)8a.t?

(o con/uer! defeat! van/uish! overwhelm completely! bring under rigid control! make submissive! dominate! enslave. .u 2u#!te comes from the Latin su "! under! and 2u#u&! a yoke! and means literally to place under a yoke. )t is related to the noun a su 2ect! which in one of its senses means a person under the control of a ruler! as a subject of the king. & subject is someone who has been subjugated! made submissive! brought under control! enslaved. (he words defe!t! con-uer! and su 2u#!te are generally synonymous but are used in slightly different ways. 0efe!t suggests winning or beating an opponent in a single engagement; you can defeat a person in an argument! a contest! a game! or a fight. 1on-uer suggests achieving a final victory or gaining complete control over an opponent after a series of contests 2&fter a long and arduous campaign! :aesar con/uered the 8auls.3 .u 2u#!te adds to defe!t and con-uer the suggestion of domination! bringing the van/uished opponent under complete and rigid control 25uring 1orld 1ar ))! #itler con/uered most of Europe and then brutally subjugated its people.3 .u 2u#!tion need not apply only to war; it may also refer to psychological domination. -or e$ample! you may subjugate an addiction! subjugate an

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS impulse! or subjugate an emotionyoke it! make it submit to your will! bring it under complete control.

6o'2 44( 6RA <l40e rye?

(wisted! crooked! lopsided! askew! distorted in an odd! amusing way. %y derivation wr, means twisted! but in modern usage it has come to imply twisted in a peculiar and often humorous manner. & wry smile or grin is crooked! lopsided! and therefore comical. & wry remark has a funny or sarcastic twist to it. & person with a wry sense of humor is capable of twisting or distorting things in a laughable way.

6o'2 45( URBANE </')BAAN?

Bolished! sophisticated! suave! cosmopolitan. (r !ne is related to the adjective ur !n! pertaining to or living in a city. (r !ne suggests the polite! polished style of a sophisticated city dweller. (he word may be used either of suave! socially refined behavior or of e$pression that is polished and elegant 2Dary's stunning designer dresses and witty! urbane conversation made her a popular guest at all the high" society parties.3

6o'2 4 ( BARGON <BA-R)8/n?

Speciali+ed and often pretentious language; speech or writing that is highly technical and difficult to understand. <!r#on refers especially to the speciali+ed language or private vocabulary used and understood only by members of a particular group or profession. Dedical jargon is the speciali+ed vocabulary used by doctors; computerese is the jargon or highly technical language of computer science; legal jargon comprises the particular stock of Latin terms and comple$ phraseology used by lawyers. Gargon develops initially as a means for the members of a particular group to communicate precisely and efficiently; its inevitable conse/uence! however! is to confuse and e$clude those who are not members of the group and who are unfamiliar with the jargon. )n current usage! therefore! jargon has come to mean any pretentious speech or writing that seems unnecessarily difficult to understand 2Savvy businesspeople know that using a lot of professional jargon will only alienate clients.3

6o'2 4!( ,RU@ENT <,ROO)24nt?

:autious! careful! planning wisely! e$ercising sound judgment in practical matters. Synonyms include discreet Adi"SI7EE(C! 2udicious Ajoo"5)S#"usC! and

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS circu&s'ect ASE7"kum"spektC. Prudent may also mean spending carefully! using one's resources wisely. Synonyms of 'rudent in this sense include t$rift,! econo&ic!l! and fru#!l. Prudent and circu&s'ect both refer to people who proceed cautiously. 1ircu&s'ect comes from the Latin circu&"! around! and s'ecere! to look! observe. (he circumspect person looks around carefully to make sure that no unforseen circumstance will frustrate a plan of action. Prudent comes from the same Latin source as the verb to 'rovide. Brudent people are concerned with protecting their personal interest and providing for a rainy day. (hey are characteri+ed by their sound! careful judgment in handling practical matters! especially money.

6o'2 4"( INEIOLABLE <4n)EA)/l)/=)b/l?

Secure! safe from assault! infringement! or destruction! sacred! untouchable! unassailable! incorruptible. Inviol! le combines the prefi$ in"! not! the suffi$ "! le! and the verb to viol!te! and means literally 2not able to be violated.3 &n inviolable peace between nations cannot be broken or disrupted. &n inviolable contract cannot be breached! altered! or revoked. &n inviolable oath or promise is sacred! secure! incorruptible. )nviolable rights cannot be abused or taken away; they are safe from infringement or assault. &n inviolable place cannot be violated or trespassed upon; it is safe! secure! unassailable.

6o'2 4#( COMMO@IOUS <0/=)MO-)2ee)/s?

Spacious! having plenty of room! comfortably convenient. Synonyms of co&&odious include !&'le and c!'!cious Akuh"B&Y"shusC. 1o&&odious comes through -rench from the Latin co&&odus! convenience! suitability! the source also of co&&ode! a euphemism for toilet that means literally 2something convenient or suitable.3 -rom the same Latin co&&odus! convenience! come the verb !cco&&od!te and the noun !cco&&od!tions! sleeping /uarters! lodging. )f you find your !cco&&od!tions accommodatingconvenient! suitable to your needs then chances are they are also co&&odious! spacious! roomy! comfortable! and convenient.

6o'2 53( ,ROGIMITA <1'a=0)SIM)4)tee?

6earness! closeness! the state of being in the vicinity of something. Pro8i&it, may be used either of persons or things to mean nearness in place! time! or relation the pro$imity of their houses; the pro$imity of historic events; the pro$imity of two ideas. )n modern society! marriage between first cousins is forbidden because of their pro$imity of blood relation. #owever! if you marry the girl or boy ne$t door! it might be said

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS that pro$imity was the deciding factor. You will often hear 'ro8i&it, used in the phrase 2close pro$imity.3 (hat is a redundancy. Pro8i&it, means closeness! nearness; therefore 2close pro$imity3 means 2close closeness3 or 2near nearness.3 &ccording to the second college edition of T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r,! 2the e$pression close 'ro8i&it, says nothing that is not said by 'ro8i&it, itself.3 Esage tip 5rop close and let 'ro8i&it, do its work alone.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learnedthe last ten words in Level *. (his time the review word will be followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which of those three answer choices comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page ,0.
1. 5oes c!nt!n%erous mean stubborn! disagreeable! or violent4 2. 5oes fli''!nt mean disrespectful! outrageous! or peculiar4 3. 5oes su 2u#!te mean to re/uest! to calm down! or to con/uer4 4. 5oes wr, mean wrong! twisted! or painful4 5. 5oes ur !ne mean awkward! aloof! or sophisticated4 6. 5oes 2!r#on refer to a humorous reply! a confusing remark! or a

speciali+ed vocabulary4
7. 5oes 'rudent mean cautious and thrifty! stiff and formal! or

hasty and thoughtless4

8. 5oes inviol! le mean secure! vague! or not allowed4 9.

5oes co&&odious mean appropriate! spacious! or friendly4 10.5oes 'ro8i&it, mean relation! distance! or nearness4

Let's wind up Level * with a lighthearted look at a grave grammatical pitfall. L4e @o7n an2 IHll La. It on Ao/ -ailure to distinguish between the verbs to l!, and to lie is one of the most common errors among educated adults. )t is a relatively simple distinction that is not hard to grasp! and once learned it becomes second nature. -urthermore! those who observe the difference have the distinct advantage of speaking properly and sounding perfectly natural at the same time. You will never be considered affected or pretentious for using these verbs correctly. 6ow! since this l!, and lie lesson has been l!id down countless times before! and since ) would rather that you sit up and take note of what ) am

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS saying rather than lie down and go to sleep! ) have composed an illustrative Ai"LE#S"truh"tivC anecdote to once more give the lie to l!,. A)n this story! when you see lie and l!, used without it!lics! it's wrong.C
) would like to say ) was just l,in# around one day! but actually ) was leaving a restaurant with some friends after l!,in# down a generous tip. &s we strolled toward our car! we passed a man barking at his dog! which! in my e$perience! happens rather more often than the other way around. 2Lay down!3 the man said. (he dog sat! his tongue lolling. 2Lay down!3 said the man again! growing impatient. (he dog continued to sit! looking curiously at his master. Fverhearing this! one of my friends said! under his breath! 2Daybe if you told that dog to lie down! he might do what you want.3 2Lay down!3 the dog's master bellowed! as if to silence my friend's criticism. (hen! perhaps feeling guilty for raising his voice in public! the man begged his pet softly! 2Blease lay down.3 (he plea fell upon large! floppy! obstinate ears. 21hy won't you lay down43 the man groaned as my friends and ) climbed into our car. (he answer is! my friend was right (hat dog was dead set against l,in# down for a master who didn't know how to l!, down the law with good diction. (he master may be the one blessed with the faculty of speech! but the dog was the better judge of what constitutes correct English.

#ere's the difference (o lie means to rest! recline! be situated. You lie on a bed! rest there! recline on it. (o l!, means to put! place! set. You l!, a book on a table! put or set it there; you l!, your head on a pillow! place it on the pillow. 1hatever you can put down you can also l!, down. You can l!, something down! but you can't lay down! rest! recline. You can lie down! but you can't lie something down. (hat's simple! right4 6ow! here's where it gets a bit tricky. (he past tense of lie is l!, 2Last night ) l!, in bed.3 )t is wrong to say that you laid in bed! because l!id is the past tense of the verb to l!,! which means to put! place. You wouldn't say 2Last night ) put in bed!3 would you4 A)f you laid in bed last night! you are a chicken.C #ere's how the tenses break down for the verb to lay Aput! placeC You l!, a book down today; you l!id it down yesterday; and you have l!id it down anytime in the past. #ere's how the tenses break down for the verb to lie Arest! reclineC 1hen you're tired you lie down; when you were tired yesterday you l!, down; and

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS when you have been tired in the past you have l!in down. AL!in is always preceded by $!ve or $!d.C Fkay! here's a pop /ui+ Aanswers appear belowC
1. 1hich verb means to put! place! prepare4 2. 1hich verb means to rest! recline! be situated4 3. 5o you lay something down or lie it down4 4. Fn weekends do you lay or lie around the house4 5. 1ere you laying in bed last night or lying in bed4 6. #ave you laid in bed before or lain in bed before4 7. #ave you lain books on the sofa or have you laid them there4

#ere's the final! si$ty"four"thousand"dollar /uestion 5o you lay down on a bed or lie down on it4 A1ell! if you're a dog! youJd better lie down on the rug if you know what's good for you.C
Ans7e's(

&nd with that dogged account of the distinction between l!, and lie! we come to the end of Level *. ) hope you've enjoyed the material so far. You may have found some of the keywords familiar! but keep going because there are more challenging levels to come! each chock"full of useful information on hundreds of English words. %y now you should have established your vocabulary"building routine. ) cannot overemphasi+e the fact that review is essential to ensure full comprehension and retention of what you've learned. -or best results! ) recommend that you spend at least one or two reading sessions going over this entire level again before proceeding to Level ,! which begins with a discussion of the relationship between vocabulary building and reading. Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level 1
*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. Yes. (o '!r!'$r!se is to put what someone else has e$pressed

into different words.

2. 6o. /stensi le means apparent! appearing or seeming to be

true but not necessarily true.

3. 6o. Someone who speaks with c!ndor! frankness! openness!

sincerity! would not be likely to di#ress! stray from the point!

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS wander away from the subject.
4. Yes! indeed. (nc!nn, means beyond what is normal or

e$pected! strange in a remarkable or unsettling way. 5. 6o. 4orose and con#eni!l suggest opposite moods. & person who is &orose! gloomy! bitterly depressed! is not likely to be con#eni!l! sympathetic! willing to agree or get along.
5. Yes. "de't means skilled! handy! proficient. 6. 6o. Pr!#&!tic means practical! based on practice rather than

speculation.
7. Yes! it can. (o s!tur!te means to soak thoroughly! drench

completely! permeate! either literally or figuratively.

*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. -alse. 1!'ricious means fickle! inconstant! changeable. 2. -alse. :l!t!nt means unpleasantly noisy and conspicuous. 3. (rue. / li#!tor, means re/uired! necessary! mandatory. 4. (rue. *e#li#i le means unimportant! of little conse/uence. 5. (rue. "d!&!nt means infle$ible! unyielding! unwilling to give in. 6. -alse. .'or!dic means occasional! irregular! happening every now

and then.
7. (rue. (he v!n#u!rd is the forefront of an action or movement! the

leading position.
8. -alse. (o concur is to agree! be in accord. 9. (rue. Precociousness means early development or maturity!

especially in mental ability.

10. (rue. "loof means apart! at a distance! emotionally reserved and

unapproachable.
*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. Synonyms. 1reed means belief! especially a system of religious

belief.
2. &ntonyms. T!wdr, means cheap and showy! of inferior /uality. 3. Synonyms. Peevis$ means irritable! cross! complaining. 4. Synonyms. "rduous means difficult! hard to accomplish. 5. &ntonyms. Person! le means attractive. 6. &ntonyms. Resolute means unwavering! determined! resolved.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 7. Synonyms. & su''osition is an assumption! theory! idea put forward for consideration.
8. &ntonyms.

"r itr!r, means unreasoned! based on personal feelings or preferences rather than on reason! logic! or law. and dull.

9. &ntonyms. 4onotonous means lacking variety! unvarying! uniform

10.Synonyms. & e-uest is a gift made through a will; a le#!c, is an inheritance! something handed down from the past.
*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. 1o&'lic!ted doesn't fit. 4!nifold means numerous and varied. 2. +r!ceful doesn't fit. Pli!nt means bending easily! fle$ible! supple. 3. 1o&&ent doesn't fit. & retort is a /uick reply! especially one that is

cutting or witty.
4. *!st, doesn't fit. / stin!te means stubborn! uncompromising. 5. 0isru't doesn't fit. L!cer!te means to tear! mangle! wound. 6. "ll5%nowin# doesn't fit; o&niscient means all"knowing. /&ni'otent

means all"powerful! having unlimited power.

7. .elfis$

doesn't fit. & selfish person may or may not be unscru'ulous> untrustworthy! unreliable! dishonest! corrupt. resurgence.

8. Reev!lu!tion doesn't fit. Ren!iss!nce means rebirth! revival! 9. 1o&'letion doesn't fit. (he #enesis of something is its creation!

beginning! origin! process of coming into being. 10./ li#!te doesn't fit. (o w!rr!nt means to justify! authori+e! or guarantee.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. 1!nt!n%erous means disagreeable! argumentative! difficult to deal

with.
2. ;li''!nt means disrespectful in a frivolous way! treating something

serious in a trivial manner.

3. .u 2u#!te means to con/uer! overwhelm completely! bring under

rigid control.
4.6r, means twisted or distorted in an odd! amusing way. 5. (r !ne means polished! sophisticated! suave! cosmopolitan. 6. <!r#on is a speciali+ed and often pretentious vocabulary! language

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS that is highly technical and difficult to understand.
7. Prudent means cautious! e$ercising careful judgment in practical

matters! thrifty! spending carefully.

8. Inviol! le means secure! safe! not able to be violated. 9. 1o&&odious means spacious! roomy! comfortably convenient.

10.Pro8i&it, means nearness! closeness.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level 1

1. 1hich word means to restate in different words4 (a) attribute (b) repeat (c) /uote (d) paraphrase 2. 1hich word is an antonym of ostensi le4 (a) avowed (b) plausible (c) specious (d) demonstrable 3. 0i#ress! in#ress! and e#ress all come from the Latin #r!di! which

means
(a) to stay (b) to run (c) to walk (d) to enter 4. 1hich word is not a synonym of &orose4 (a) dolorous (b) saturnine (c) sullen (d) jovial (e) lugubrious 5. Select the nearest synonym of w$i&sic!l! vol!tile! and &ercuri!l. (a) arbitrary

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (b) capricious

(c) cantankerous (d) abrupt 6. 1hich word is an antonym of s'or!dic4 (a) incessant (b) occasional (c) temporary (d) intermittent 7. 1hich is not an accepted meaning of concur4 (a) agree (b) act together (c) arrive together (d) happen together 8. 1redi le and credulous come from the Latin credo! which means (a) ) know (b) ) believe (c) ) hope (d) ) am 9. 1ho is associated with the origin of t!wdr,4 (a)

the %ard of &von

(b) Iing &rthur (c) Saint &ndrew (d) Saint &udrey

10.1hich word is an antonym of resolute4 ?!@ vacillating peevish

(b) rational (c) careless

11.1hich is not an accepted meaning of !r itr!r,4

(a) random (b) illogical

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (c) consistent

(d) e$ercising unrestrained power

12.1hich prefi$ means 2one! single34

(a) auto" (b) mono" (c) proto" (d) mini"

13.(he phrases l!r#e in siAe and s&!ll in siAe are objectionable because
(a) they are monotonous (b) they are vague (c) they are redundant (d) they are inaccurate

14.1hich word is a synonym of su''le4

(a) flimsy (b) fle$ible (c) fragile (d) rigid 15. )n retort and re2oinder! the prefi$ re5 means (a) toward (b) against (c) back (d) twice

16.1hich pair of words is not synonymous4

(a) hidebound! intransigent (b) stubborn! adamant (c) intractable! unyielding (d) obstinate! circumspect

17.1hich word means all"knowing! having universal knowledge4

(a) omniscient (b) omnivorous

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (c) omnipresent

(d) omnipotent

18.1hich word is not a synonym of ren!iss!nce4

(a) revival (b) (c) renewal (d)

reproduction resurgence

19.1hich word does not describe a cantankerous person4

(a) malicious (b) affable (c) irascible (d) contentious

20.1hich word means inappropriately lighthearted or disrespectful4

(a) wry (b) tawdry (c) flippant (d) urbane

21.1hich word means old"fashioned! belonging to an earlier time4

(a) obsolete (b) adamantine (c) precocious (c)

archaic moroseness impertinence misanthropy cantankerousness indifferent sullen urbane

22.1hich word means hatred of humankind4

(a) (b) (c) (d)

23.1hich word is a synonym of !loof4

(a) (b) (c)

(d)

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS flippant something interesting and different something negligible

24.1hat is a 'eeve4
(a) (b)

(c) something conspicuous and disagreeable (d) something that irritates or annoys

25.1hich is the proper pronunciation of Re!ltor4

(a) 7EE"luh"tur (b) 7EE"ul"tur

26.1hich phrase is redundant4

(a) in pro$imity (b) in close pro$imity

27.1hich word means having great variety or diversity4

(a) multifarious (b) multitudinous (c) multifaceted

28.1hat is a di#ression4 ?!@ an effect or feeling an injury or offense

(b) a straying from the point (c) a double meaning

29.1hat does the prefi$ o&ni" mean4

(a) all (b) above (c) many (d) everywhere

30.1hich word is not a synonym of su 2u#!te4

(a) enslave (b) battle (c) con/uer (d) defeat

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 31.1hich word does not describe jargon4
(a) speciali+ed (b) technical (c) pretentious (d) candid

32.L! orious and toilso&e are synonyms of which word4

(a) monotonous (b) commodious (c) arduous (d) credulous

33.1hich word means trivial! insignificant4

(a) (b) (c) (d)

wry unwarranted inviolable negligible

34.1hat is a scru'le4 a guarantee or promise

(a) something that causes hesitation or doubt (b) something mean"spirited or nasty (c) a judgment based on little evidence

35.1hich word does not properly describe a renaissance4

(a) refinement (b) renewal (c) resurgence (d) revival Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions in this test correctly! review the entire level and take the test again.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

Level 2
)n the introduction to this program ) discussed the importance of building a powerful vocabulary. 6ow let's take a moment to discuss how powerful vocabularies are built. (here are many ways to enrich your knowledge of words. You may have seen the feature 2)t Bays to Enrich Your 1ord Bower3 that has been running for years in Re!der7s 0i#est. )ts vocabulary /ui++es are fun! but unless you review the words several times and put them to work right away in your conversation and writing! the definitions are soon forgotten and you are back where you started. Doreover! the words are not presented in order of difficulty. (hey are a miscellaneous assortment! with easier words mi$ed in with more difficult ones. )f you already know the easier words! testing you on them does nothing but flatter your ego. Likewise! if the harder words are beyond your vocabulary level! then your chances of retaining them are slim. )n such a random /ui+! designed for a mass audience! it's doubtful that more than two or three of the words in each month's list will be challenging and useful to you. 6ot to mention that a month is a long time to wait to learn a handful of new words. So! what else can you do to improve your knowledge of words4 1ell! any disciplined and structured study of words is always more beneficial than casual e$posure. &nd if you have the discipline! Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will provide the structure. Enlike most other vocabulary"building books and programs! which force"feed you a random selection of words and definitions that you must learn by rote! this one introduces you to words in their order of difficulty! accompanied by relevant information on where they come from! how they are properly used! and how to avoid common errors of usage and pronunciation. %ut there is another way to build your vocabulary that is even more effective than Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. Hocabulary"building books and courses are an e$cellent start! but they cannot cover everything you need to know! and both must at some point come to an end. (hat is where the primary method of vocabulary building comes in. #ave you guessed what it is4 )t's reading. Simple! but oh"so"true. )f you wish to continue to build your vocabulary after completing this programin fact! if you want to retain the words you know right nowyou must start reading more! reading widely! and reading somethingeven if it's just a few pages at firstevery single day.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (hat! of course! re/uires discipline. You need to set aside some time each day to read. &n hour is great! but most of us have a hard time finding an hour when we can be undisturbed. You should be able to schedule thirty minutes! though! without too much trouble! and even fifteen minutes of reading a day will help! provided you stick to it and choose your material with an eye toward building your knowledge of words. 1hat should ) read4 is the ne$t /uestion. 1ell! let's start with what you read now. Dost people spend fifteen or twenty minutes a day reading a newspaper. %ut the newspaper is not the best place to find new words! simply because most newspapers are written in elementary! everyday language. (hat is no accident! nor is it a comment on the inferior abilities of the nation's journalists. 6ewspapers must serve the general public! and the general public consists mostly of low"vocabulary readers. #owever! some newspapers contain e$cellent writing BT$e *ew )or% Ti&es! the Los "n#eles Ti&es! T$e 6!ll .treet <ourn!l! and T$e 1$risti!n .cience 4onitor are particularly well written. &lso! certain sections within any given newspaper are generally written better than others. -or instance! in the editorial pages you will read some of your paper's most talented writers and the syndicated columns of some of the finest journalists in the nation as well. 7egardless of which newspaper you read! you will not do much for your vocabulary if you read only the sports section! the society page! the advice columns! or the funnies. )f you're looking for interesting! useful words to add to your vocabulary! how about trying the theater! book! movie! and restaurant reviews4 Dany people also find the crossword pu++le a helpful vocabulary"building tool. 1eekly news maga+ines such as Ti&e! *ewswee%! and (3.3 *ews !nd 6orld Re'ort can also provide a nutritious diet of good writing and challenging words! as well as the added benefit of keeping you up"to"date without taking up a lot of your time. &nd while you're at it! be sure to note the headlines of all the articles you read; they can be a veritable gold mine of new words. #eadline writers must find the shortest! sweetest way to capture the essence of a story! and often that means dredging up such stumpers as esc$ew! !ver! i&'u#n! dist!ff! and ruit. &re you familiar with those words4 Let's take a brief look at them. 9sc$ew Aes":#FF! like letter s L c$ewC means to avoid! shun! as to eschew alcohol. "ver Auh"HE7C means to assert! declare! state positively! as to aver one's faith or innocence. I&'u#n Aim"BYFF6C means to oppose in words! attack by argument! /uestion or critici+e the truth or integrity of! as to impugn authority or impugn someone's reputation. 0ist!ff A5)S"tafC means female! pertaining to women! as in the distaff side of a family! which is opposed to the s'e!r side! the male line of descent. -inally! to ruit Alike ruteC means to report widely! spread the word! as the scandal was bruited A%7FF"tidC in the media.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS )f you have a hobby or particular area of interest outside of your occupation! you should subscribe to a publication that speciali+es in it. &rticles on hunting! fishing! gardening! mechanics! parenting! cooking! anti/ues! travel! and a host of other subjects fre/uently contain uncommon words. -or e$ample! did you know that a stamp collector is called a '$il!telist Afi"L&("uh"list! with "L&("as in fl!tC! a coin collector is a nu&is&!tist AnAyCoo"D)M"muh"tistC! and the word for a magician who speciali+es in sleight"of"hand is 'restidi#it!tor AB7ES"ti"@IB"i"tay"turC4 )n an article on e$ercise in a health maga+ine you might run across a medical term like 'ul&on!r, ABEEL"muh"ner"ee or BE#L"muh"ner"eeC! pertaining to the lungs! or v!scul!r AH&S"kyuh"lurC! pertaining to the blood vessels. )n maga+ines speciali+ing in food and wine you may find such delicious words as #!strono&e A8&S"truh"nohmC! a lover and connoisseur of fine food; indi#enous Ain"5)G"i"nusC! belonging or native to a particular country or region; and so&&elier Asuhm"ul"Y&Y! also sawm"C! the wine steward in a restaurant. 7ecently ) read an article on the nineteenth"century -rench painter Edgar 5egas Ade"8&#C. )t was published in a national fashion maga+ine that does not have a reputation for catering to a high"vocabulary audience. )n just the first two pages! however! ) found the following high"vocabulary words vi#nette Avin"YE(C! a literary sketch! short composition; redolent A7E5"uh" lintC! which means e$uding a fragrance! aromatic; si&i!n AS)D"ee"inC! which means pertaining to or resembling an ape; li ido Ali"%EE"dohC! which means se$ual drive; &iso#,n, Ami"S&#G"i"neeC! which means hatred of women; s!l!cious Asuh"L&Y"shusC! which means arousing se$ual desire; !ssiduous Auh"S)G"oo"usC! which means careful and persistent; and ennui Aahn"1EEC! which means boredom or a state of weary dissatisfaction. (he point is! interesting! challenging! and useful words are everywhere in your everyday reading if you want to find them. (he key is to keep your eyes and ears open and don't let any of them slip by. So whenever you read! make a conscious effort to loo% for words ,ou don7t %now! and %ee' ! diction!r, $!nd, while you're reading so you can look them up right away. )f you can't always read with a dictionary beside you! then highlight or underline the unfamiliar words in your reading! or dog"ear the pages on which they occur! so you can look up the words later. 7eading with an eye for unfamiliar words and reading with a dictionary are the two best ways you can continue to enrich your vocabulary after you finish this program. 6ow let's delve into the second level of the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary. #ere are the first ten keywords

6o'2 1( A@EOCATE <A@)v/=)0a.t?

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (o support! plead for! be in favor of! defend by argument; especially! to speak or write in favor or in defense of a person or cause. Synonyms include c$!&'ion! endorse! and es'ouse Ae"SBF1MC. "dvoc!te comes from the Latin !d"! to! and voc!re! to call! summon. You can hear the Latin voc!re in the English words voc!tion Avoh"I&Y"shinC! a calling! profession; avocation! a hobby! sideline! subordinate occupation; and voc!tion!l! pertaining to an occupation or trade. :ombine the Latin voc!re! to call! with the prefi$ con"! together! and you get the more difficult English words convo%e Akun"HF#IC! which means to call together! and convoc!tion AI&#6"vuh"*AA"shinC! the act of calling together or a group that has been summoned. :ombine the single"letter prefi$ e"! which is short for the Latin e8"! out! with voc!re! to call! and you get the English words evo%e! to call out! call forth! summon! and evoc!tive Ai"H&#I"uh"tivC! calling forth a response! especially an emotional response. Voc!re also can be heard in the common word voc!l! spoken! oral! inclined to speak out. &n advocate is a vocal supporter or defender of a cause! a champion 2#e is an outspoken advocate of handgun control.3 &n advocate may also be a person who speaks for another! for e$ample! a lawyer who pleads a case before a court. (o !dvoc!te means to support! plead for! defend by argument 2(heir organi+ation advocates educational reform.3

6o'2 2( @ELEGATE <@EL)/=)8a.t?

(o entrust with authority or power! deliver to another's care or management! hand over to an agent or representative 2(he e$ecutive director delegated various managerial duties to her assistant3; 2Fur department chief has trouble letting go of the reins and delegating responsibility.3

6o'2 3( UN,RECE@ENTE@ </=n),RES)4)2en)t42?

Enheard"of! novel! new! having no precedent or parallel! having no prior e$ample. & 'recedent is an authoritative e$ample! something done or said that may serve as a reason to justify a later act or statement. Precedent is often used specifically of a legal decision or case used as an e$ample or as authori+ation in a subse/uent decision or case. (n'recedented means without a precedent! without prior e$ample or justification! and so unheard" of! novel! new.

6o'2 4( ,OIGNANT <,OAN).4nt?

Biercing! sharp! biting! penetrating! keen.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS Poi#n!nt is used to mean piercing! sharp! or penetrating in three ways. -irst! it may mean keenly affecting the senses a poignant odor! poignant beauty! a poignant look. Second! it may mean piercing or penetrating to the feelings! emotionally touching! painfully moving a poignant drama! a poignant family reunion. (hird! it may mean biting! cutting! acute! piercingly effective poignant wit! poignant delight! a poignant criti/ue. (he odd spelling of 'oi#n!nt! with its silent #! comes from -rench; the word ultimately comes from the Latin 'un#ere! to pierce or prick. Pun#ere is also the source of 'uncture! to pierce; 'un#ent ABE#6"jintC! piercing to the smell or taste; and e8'un#e Aek"SBE#6GC! to punch out! erase! delete 2(he editor e$punged all potentially offensive and derogatory material from the book.3 Poi#n!nt means piercing or penetrating to the senses! to the emotions! or to the intellect.

6o'2 5( NEBULOUS <NEB)./=)l/s?

Enclear! vague! obscure! ha+y! indefinite! indistinct. )n astronomy the word ne ul! A6E%"yuh"luhC refers to a cloudy mass of dust or gas visible between stars in space. (he plural is ne ul!e A6E%"yuh" leeC. (he adjectives ne ul!r and ne ulous both come from a Latin word meaning cloudy! misty! foggy! like a nebula! and according to dictionaries both words may still be used in this sense. )t is probably best! however! to let ne ul!r take over the meaning cloudy! misty! vaporous! and to use ne ulous in its more popular sense of vague! indefinite! ha+y! unclear! as in nebulous writing! a nebulous idea! a nebulous purpose or goal.

6o'2 ( CLAN@ESTINE <0lan)@ES)t4n?

Iept secret! done in secrecy! especially for an evil! immoral! or illegal purpose a clandestine affair; a clandestine business deal; a clandestine intelligence operation. Synonyms include 'riv!te! conce!led! covert Aproperly IE#"vurt but now often IF#"vurtC! under$!nd! sl,! ste!lt$,! furtive A-E7"tivC! and surre'titious ASE7"up"TIS-"usC. 1l!ndestine is sometimes pronounced klan"5ES"tyn! klan"5ES"teen! IL&6"des"tyn! or IL&6"des"teen. You should avoid all these recent variants. (he traditional and preferred pronunciation is klan"5ES"tin A5ES" tin as in destin,C.

6o'2 !( TIRA@E <TA)'a.2?

& long"drawn"out speech! especially a vehement and abusive one 2&fter

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS suffering through yet another one of his boss's fre/uent tirades! Goe decided it was time to /uit and move on.3 (irades have three characteristics they are 'rotr!cted Aproh"(7&I"tidC! drawn out to great length; they are vitu'er!tive Avy"(AYCFF"pur"uh"tivC! full of harsh! abusive language; and they are censorious! meaning that they tend to censure ASE6"shurC! to blame or condemn. Tir!de may also be pronounced with the accent on the second syllable ty"7&Y5.

6o'2 "( RECUR <'4)*UR?

(o happen again! occur again! especially at intervals or after some lapse of time. )n T$e 1!reful 6riter! (heodore D. %ernstein e$plains the difference between the words recur and reoccur %oth mean to happen again! he says! but reoccur 2suggests a one"time repetition!3 whereas recur 2suggests repetition more than once.3 (hus you would say 2the revolt is not likely to reoccur!3 but 2as long as these skirmishes recur! the revolt will continue.3 #ere's another e$ample )f economists predict that a recession will reoccur in this decade! that means they're predicting it will happen only one more time. )f economists predict that recession recurs on average every ten years! then they're predicting it happens again and again at intervals. 2)t is the ability to feel a fine distinction such as this!3 writes %ernstein! 2and to choose the word that precisely e$presses the thought that marks the writer of competence and taste.3

6o'2 #( TACIT <TAS)4t?

Enspoken! silent! implied or understood without words. T!cit is most often used to mean done or made in silence! not e$pressed or declared openly. (acit consent is approval given without words! perhaps with a look or a nod. & tacit agreement is an unspoken understanding! one arrived at in silence. T!cit comes from the Latin t!cere! to be silent! hold one's tongue! the source also of the word taciturn! reserved! uncommunicative! inclined to hold one's tongue.

6o'2 13( ALLEGATION <AL)/=)GAA)s=4n?

&n assertion or declaration! especially one made without proof. )n law! an allegation is an assertion of what one intends to prove. Fften the word implies an unsupportable assertion 2(he judge dismissed the allegations! citing lack of evidence to support them.3 2& spokesperson for

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS the company today denied the allegations of wrongdoing regarding the firm's hiring practices.3

Let's review the ten words you've just learned. 7ead the following /uestions. &fter each one! decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page <..
1. :an someone advocate an unworthy cause4 2. :an you sei+e or maintain control by delegating it4 3. )f something has happened before! is it unprecedented4 4. :an a strong odor! a passionate and persuasive speech! and

an emotionally moving story all be described as poignant4

5. :an a poignant sensation or thought be nebulous4 6. &re clandestine arrangements made in public4 7. &re tirades ever delivered in a clandestine manner4 8. :ould an unprecedented event ever recur4 9. )s an oral agreement also a tacit agreement4

10.:an a tirade contain an allegation4 Let's move on now and learn the ne$t ten keywords in Level ,. #ere they are

6o'2 11( GULLIBLE <GU-L)/=)b/l?

Easily deceived! fooled! or cheated. & more difficult synonym of #ulli le is credulous AI7EG"uh"lusC. 1redulous comes from the Latin credere! to believe! and means inclined to believe! willing to accept something as true without /uestioning. (o #ull is to take advantage of someone who is foolish! unwary! or ine$perienced. (he gullible person is easily gulled! fooled! cheated. (o du'e and to #ull both mean to take advantage of. 0u'e suggests unwariness on the part of the victim; #ull suggests a willingness or readiness to be deceived.

6o'2 12( BENIGN <b4)NAN% '=.:es 74t= resign?

Iindly! good"natured! gracious! mild! having or showing a gentle disposition! as a benign old man! a benign smile! a benign intention! a benign government. (hat is the first meaning of eni#n listed in dictionaries! and probably the

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS most common. (he word is also used in several other ways. )t may mean favorable! positive! propitious a benign omen; a benign view. )t may be used of the weather or climate to mean healthful! wholesome! salubrious. &nd in medicine eni#n means mild! not deadly or severe! as a benign tumor or disease.

6o'2 13( ,ERI,-ERAL <1/=)RI&)/=)'/l?

E$ternal! outer! lying at or forming the outside or boundary of something; hence! not essential! irrelevant. (he noun 'eri'$er, means the boundary! the e$ternal surface or area. )t may be used literally! as in 2e$ploring the periphery of the polar icecap!3 2situated on the periphery of the combat +one3; or it may be used figuratively! as in 2the periphery of consciousness!3 2the periphery of one's sphere of influence.3 Peri'$er!l may mean e$ternal in the literal sense of lying at the edge or on the boundary! or e$ternal in the figurative sense of irrelevant! nonessential! as peripheral issues! a peripheral point! or peripheral considerations.

6o'2 14( REBU&& <'4)BU-&?

(o refuse bluntly! reject sharply! turn down abruptly! snub! spurn. )n collo/uial termsthat is! in informal! conversational language re uff means to give the cold shoulder to! slam the door on! ni$. & re uff is an abrupt refusal or rejection! especially of a re/uest! an offer to help! or a person making advances. (o re uff means to refuse or reject bluntly.

6o'2 15( ANIMOSITA <AN)4)MA-S)4)tee?

)ll will! hostility! antagonism! strong dislike or hatred 2(here was long" standing animosity between the two families.3 2&fter her coworker apologi+ed for his rude remarks! she resolved not to harbor any animosity toward him.3 Dore difficult synonyms of !ni&osit, include &!lice AD&L"isC! !version Auh"HE7"+hunC! &!levolence Amuh"LEH"uh"lintsC! !nti'!t$, Aan"()B"uh" theeC! r!ncor A7&68"kurC! and en&it, AE6"mi"teeC.

6o'2 1 ( TENUOUS <TEN).oo)/s?

(hin! slender! slight! flimsy! weak! not dense or substantial! lacking a strong basis. &t high altitudes! air is tenuous! thin. )n chemistry! certain fluids or compounds are said to be tenuous! not dense. )n general! nonscientific usage! tenuous refers to something weak or flimsy! that has little substance

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS or strength a tenuous grip! a tenuous proposal! a tenuous argument! or tenuous construction.

6o'2 1!( COM,LACENT <0/:),LAA)s4nt?

Self"satisfied! smug! overly pleased with oneself. 1o&'l!cent suggests being so satisfied with one's abilities! advantages! or circumstances that one lacks proper concern for the condition of others and is unaware of the situation around one. & complacent smile is a smug! self"satisfied smile. :omplacent behavior is self"centered and disregards othersJ concerns. & complacently ignorant person is completely satisfied with his ignorance; he does not know he lacks knowledge and would not care if he did. 1o&'l!cent and co&'l!is!nt Akum"BL&Y"+intC should be distinguished in spelling! pronunciation! and meaning. 1o&'l!is!nt! with a A sound for the s in the final syllable! means inclined to please! gracious! obliging! courteous! affable A&-"uh"bulC! urbane Aur"%&Y6C. )t has a positive connotation. 1o&'l!cent! with an s sound for the c in the final syllable! has a negative connotation. 1o&'l!cent means self"satisfied! smug! overly pleased with oneself.

6o'2 1"( ACME <A*):ee?

(he peak! highest point! summit! +enith! especially the point of culmination! the highest possible point in the development or progress of something. #ere's a funny story about vocabulary development. ) learned the word !c&e as a young boy watching the 27oadrunner3 cartoons on television! in which 1ile E. :oyote uses various products made by the 2&:DE3 company in his obsessive /uest to capture the 7oadrunner. Ff course the coyote's plans always backfire! and he usually winds up flying headlong over some precipitous cliff. (hrough the power of association ) have since connected the height of those cliffs with the word !c&e! the peak! highest point. You see! even watching television can help you build your vocabulary. #owever! reading Ver !l "dv!nt!#e along with a regular diet of general reading is a far more effective method. "c&e comes directly from a 8reek word meaning the highest point! e$tremity. (he word is often used figuratively to mean the highest point in the development or progress of something! as in 2the acme of his career!3 2a company at the acme of the industry.3 (he corresponding adjective is !c&!tic Aak"D&("ikC 2&lbert Einstein's theory of relativity was an acmatic scientific breakthrough.3 (he antonym of the acme is the n!dir A6&Y"durC! the lowest point.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

6o'2 1#( @E&UNCT <24)&U-NG*T?

5ead! e$tinct! obsolete; no longer in e$istence! effect! operation! or use. 0efunct comes from the Latin defunctus! dead! departed! finished. & defunct law is no longer in e$istence or effect; a defunct organi+ation is no longer functioning or doing business; a defunct factory is no longer in operation; a defunct procedure is no longer in use; a defunct species is e$tinct; a defunct e$pression is no longer in use; a defunct idea is no longer useful or popular; and a defunct person is dead.

6o'2 23( ABET </=)BET?

(o encourage! support! help! aid! promote! assist in achieving a purpose. Some dictionaries note that ! et means especially to encourage or assist in wrongdoing! as in the legal clichN 2to aid and abet!3 meaning to assist a criminal in the commission of a crime. (hat sense is perhaps more common! but ! et may also be used favorably! as 2to abet the cause of justice!3 2to abet the committee's efforts to get the plan approved.3 Let's review the ten words you've just learned. 5ecide whether the following statements are true or false. &nswers appear on page <0.
1. & gullible person is hard to fool. 2. & benign e$pression is a gentle! good"natured e$pression. 3. )f something's peripheral! it's essential. 4. (o rebuff a re/uest or proposal is to reconsider it. 5. & benign person is full of animosity. 6. & tenuous grasp of the facts is weak or insubstantial. 7. :omplacent people are thoughtful and considerate of others. 8. (he peak of a person's career is the acme. 9. & defunct corporation is likely to grow and turn a profit.

10.You can abet a criminal or abet a worthy cause. Let's take a moment to debunk a widely held superstition about good usage. A%y the way! de un%! pronounced di"%E#68I! means to e$pose as false! deceitful! or e$aggerated! to prove that something is un%u& O%E#68I"umP! foolish and insincere.C 5o you remember the old rule! 25on't end a sentence with a preposition34 1ell! it's too bad it was ever taught! for it is wrong! wrong! wrong. )f you think )'m cracked! that ) don't know what )'m talking about! then ) dare you to say! 2You don't know about what you're talking.3

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS Some time ago! while visiting relatives! ) met a woman who was studying to be a teacher. She had just received a misguided lecture on the evils of ending a sentence with a preposition. 2#ow long are you staying for43 she asked me. (hen! embarrassed! she changed that perfectly natural sentence to 2-or how long are you staying43which made her sound like Eli+a 5oolittle practicing for her ne$t pinky"in"the"air tea party. 2-or years Diss (histlebottom has been teaching her bright"eyed brats that no writer would end a sentence with a preposition!3 says (heodore D. %ernstein in T$e 1!reful 6riter A*@<'C! a book that anyone who puts words on paper should keep close at hand. 2(he truth!3 %ernstein asserts! 2is that no good writer would follow Diss (histlebottom's rule! although he might occasionally e$amine it to see if there was any merit in it.3 %ernstein was assistant managing editor of T$e *ew )or% Ti&es! an associate professor in :olumbia Eniversity's School of Gournalism! and a respected arbiter on English usage. %ernstein maintains that sentences that end with prepositions are 2idiomatic and have been constructed that way from Shakespeare's Q1e are such stuff as dreams are made onJ to today's QDusic to read by.J (hey are a natural manner of e$pression. E$amine a handful Q)t's nothing to snee+e atJ; QSomething to guard againstJ; QYou don't know what )'ve been throughJ; Q#e is a man who can be counted onJ; Q)'m not sure what the cake was made of.J Surely there is nothing amiss with these idiomatic constructions. 1oe to Diss (histlebottom if she tries to QcorrectJ them. She won't have a leg on which to stand.3 %ack in *@,<! the legendary English grammarian #. 1. -owler! in his classic guide 4odern 9n#lis$ (s!#e! called the rule about prepositions 2a cherished superstition.3 &ccording to -owler! 2(hose who lay down the universal principle that final prepositions are QinelegantJ are unconsciously trying to deprive the English language of a valuable idiomatic resource! which has been used freely by all our greatest writers e$cept those whose instinct for English idiom has been overpowered by notions of correctness derived from Latin standards. 2(he legitimacy of the prepositional ending in literary English must be uncompromisingly maintained!3 says -owler. 2)n respect of elegance or inelegance! every e$ample must be judged not by any arbitrary rule! but on its own merits! according to the impression it makes on the feeling of educated English readers.3 #undreds of great writers from :haucer! Shakespeare! and Dilton to #erman Delville! Dark (wain! Ernest #emingway! and (oni Dorrison all have written intelligible! graceful! idiomatic sentences that ended with a preposition. (o say those writers were wrong is like saying everyone in baseball's #all of -ame didn't know a thing about how to play the game. (he best contemporary writers also do not hesitate to let a preposition end a sentence when it pleases the ear! and they avoid doing so when it does

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS not. So the ne$t time some nitpicking Diss (histlebottom says you mustn't end a sentence with a preposition! try this retort 2You! dear sir or madam! may twist your synta$ into knots if you like! but please refrain from telling the rest of us what to end our sentences with.3 &nd that! as the saying goes! is what it all boils down to. Let's move on now to the ne$t ten keywords in Level ,.

6o'2 21( -AGGAR@ <-AG)/'2?

1orn out! tired! gaunt A8&16(C! drawn! emaciated Ai" MAA"shee"&Y"tidC. & person who is haggard has a wild"eyed and wasted look! as from e$haustion! illness! or grief. =!##!rd is another word whose meaning ) remember through the power of association. 1hen ) read Cin# .olo&on7s 4ines by #. 7ider #aggard! ) imagined the author as being as worn out and wild"eyed as his characters were by the end of their harrowing adventure. %ut you don't need to go through a death"defying e$perience to look or feel haggard. Long hours at work! lack of sleep! or inade/uate nutrition can easily make you $!##!rd! worn out! tired! wasted! gaunt.

6o'2 22( 6AIEE <6AAE% l40e wave?

(o relin/uish voluntarily! give up! forgo. (o relin-uis$ implies giving up something one doesn't want to part with! either out of necessity or because one has been compelled or forced to relin/uish possession! to relin/uish command. (o w!ive implies a voluntary refusal to insist on one's right or claim to something to waive one's right to a trial by jury; to waive one's claim on a title or property. 6!ive may also mean to postpone! defer! or dispense with! as to waive discussion! or to waive formalities and get on with business.

6o'2 23( CARNAL <*A-R)nal?

%odily! pertaining to the flesh as opposed to the spirit! sensual! corporeal. 1!rn!l is not used to mean bodily in a general or neutral sense; we do not say carnal functions or carnal aches and pains. 1!rn!l refers to the basic physical appetites of the body! especially the se$ual appetite. 1e speak of carnal desires! carnal lust! carnal knowledge.

6o'2 24( SANCTION <SANG*)s=/n?

(o approve! allow! permit! authori+e! certify! ratify.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (o s!nction! certif,! and r!tif, all mean to approve. R!tif, means to officially approve something done by a representative to ratify a treaty. 1ertif, means to officially approve compliance with re/uirements or standards a certified public accountant. .!nction means to give authoritative approval the company's board of directors sanctioned the merger; many religions do not sanction unmarried se$ual relations; the law sanctions free speech but not antisocial behavior.

6o'2 25( AMBIGUOUS <a:)BIG).oo)/s?

Encertain! unclear! doubtful! dubious! /uestionable! pu++ling! having an obscure or indefinite meaning. %y derivation! !& i#uous means having two or more possible meanings! capable of being understood in more than one way. &n ambiguous intention is uncertain! difficult to determine! and therefore /uestionable! dubious. &n ambiguous statement is pu++ling because it can be interpreted in more than one way; it is unclear and indefinite. Dore difficult synonyms of !& i#uous include eni#&!tic AE6"ig"MAT "ikC! cr,'tic AI7)B"tikC! and e-uivoc!l Ai"I1)H"uh"kulC. &ntonyms of !& i#uous include distinct! !''!rent! evident! cons'icuous! and &!nifest.

6o'2 2 ( S,EN@T-RI&T <'=.:es 74t= bend lift?

1asteful! spending e$travagantly or foolishly! s/uandering one's resources 2#is spendthrift habits will put the company out of business.3 You may use s'endt$rift either as an adjective meaning wasteful! spending e$travagantly! or as a noun to mean a wasteful person! someone who foolishly s/uanders money or resources 2(here isn't a thrifty bone in his body. #e's a gambler and a spendthrift to the core.3 (he words i&'rovident! 'rodi#!l! 'rofli#!te! and s'endt$rift all mean wasteful! spending thoughtlessly or s/uandering one's resources. I&'rovident Aim"B7&#H"i"dentC means literally not provident! not providing for the future; the improvident person does not save money for retirement or for a rainy day. Prodi#!l AB7&#"di"galC is a close synonym of s'endt$rift and means spending money in a reckless or e$travagant way! usually to support a lavish or lu$urious lifestyle. )n the %ible! the famous parable about the prodigal son tells of a young man who wasted his inheritance but was forgiven by his father. Profli#!te AB7&#-"li"gitC means e$tremely prodigal or spendthrift; it refers specifically to a person who spends money with reckless abandon and lives a life shamelessly devoted to pleasure a profligate #ollywood movie

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS star who s/uandered his fortune in e$clusive nightclubs and casinos. .'endt$rift means wasteful! spending e$travagantly 2(he ta$payers want a more efficient and less spendthrift government.3

6o'2 2!( MOLLI&A <MA-L)/=)f.?

(o calm! soothe! pacify! appease! soften in feeling or tone! make less harsh or severe 26othing mollified his anger.3 4ollif, comes from the Latin &ollis! soft! and f!cere! to make! and means literally 2to make soft.3 &lso from the Latin &ollis! soft! comes the word e&ollient Ai"D&#L"yintC. &s an adjective! e&ollient means softening! soothing! mollifying; as a noun it means a softening or soothing agent! such as a lotion or cream for the skin. (he verb to &ollif, once meant literally to make soft or tender! as to mollify meat! tenderi+e it. (hat sense is now obsolete and &ollif, today is used to mean to soften in feeling or tone! calm! soothe! make less harsh or severe 2(he union leaders decided to mollify their demands3; 2& good manager should be adept at mollifying conflicts that can damage morale3; 2(he plaintiff's attorney said that only a million"dollar settlement would mollify her clientR; R#e was furious! and nothing she said mollified him.3

6o'2 2"( UNEIUIEOCAL <U-N)4)*6IE)/=)0/l?

:lear and direct! definite! straightforward! certain! having a single! obvious meaning! capable of being interpreted in only one way. (ne-uivoc!l! clear and direct! and !& i#uous! uncertain! unclear! are antonyms. (ne-uivoc!l combines the common prefi$ un"! which means not! with the word e-uivoc!l! a synonym of !& i#uous. E/uivocal language can be interpreted in several ways; it is deliberately vague! evasive! or ambiguous. Ene/uivocal language is clear! straightforward! and direct 27eporters are so accustomed to e/uivocal answers from government officials that they are often surprised and suspicious when they get an une/uivocal response.3 6ow that you know the meaning of une-uivoc!l )Jd like to caution you about how you pronounce it. ) have heard many educated speakers add a syllable to the word and say 2une/uivocable!3 and ) have even seen the word misspelled that way in books and maga+ines. 6o matter whom you hear saying 2une/uivocable!3 it's incorrecta beastly mispronunciation. (ne-uivoc!l ends with "voc!l! not "voc! le! and has five syllables un"e" /uiv"o"cal.

6o'2 2#( MALLEABLE <MAL)ee)/=)b/l?

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS :apable of being shaped! able to be molded or manipulated! adaptable! impressionable. :ertain metals! such as gold and iron! are malleable; they can be molded or shaped. )n a figurative sense! &!lle! le can also apply to a person or abstract thing that can be molded or shaped. -or e$ample! a young person's mind may be malleable! impressionable! capable of being shaped! or an idea may be malleable! adaptable! capable of being shaped to fit various purposes. 4!lle! le and the challenging word tr!ct! le A(7&I"tuh"bulC are close in meaning. 4!lle! le comes from the Latin &!lle!re! to hammer! and means literally 2capable of being hammered into a desired shape.3 Tr!ct! le comes from the Latin tr!ct!re! to handle! manage! haul or drag along. -rom the same source comes the familiar word tr!ctor! the farm vehicle used to pull wagons! mowers! and other agricultural e/uipment. %y derivation that which is tr!ct! le can be pulled or hauled; hence! a tractable person is manageable! easily handled. & &!lle! le person or thing is easily hammered into shape! and therefore is adaptable! impressionable. &ntonyms of &!lle! le and tr!ct! le include infle8i le! un,ieldin#! stu orn! o stin!te A&#%"sti"nitC! and intr!nsi#ent Ain"(7&6"+i"jintC.

6o'2 33( EERBOSE <v/')BO-S?

1ordy! having too many words! long"winded! full of verbiage AHE7"bee"ijC. Dore difficult synonyms of ver ose include #!rrulous A8&7"uh"lusC! lo-u!cious Aloh"I1&Y"shusC! volu le AH&#L"yuh"bulC! and 'roli8 AB7F#" liksC. Ver ose refers to speech or writing that uses more words than necessary to get the point across. (he corresponding noun is ver osit,! wordiness! long"windedness! an overabundance of words. 1henever you see ver 5 at the beginning of a word! you can safely assume that the meaning of the whole word has something to do with words. (hat's because most English words containing ver " come from the Latin ver u&! word. -rom this ver u& come the English words ver !l! pertaining to or e$pressed in words; ver !ti&! e$pressed in precisely the same words; ver i!#e! an e$cess or overabundance of words; and ver ose! wordy! long"winded! using more words than necessary to get the point across. Since )'m already wa$ing verbose about words from the Latin ver u&! word! allow me to digress even further and proffer a few words of advice on the words ver !l and ver i!#e3 A&re you familiar with the verb to 'roffer! pronounced B7&#-"ur4 )t means to put forward for acceptance! present as a gift! as to proffer one's services! or to proffer friendship.C

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS %ut back to the word ver i!#e AHE7"bee"ijC! which is often mispronounced HE7"bij! as if it had only two syllables. 1!rri!#e and &!rri!#e have two syllables! but ver i!#e and foli!#e A-F#"lee"ijC have three. (ry not to say HE7"bij and -F#"lij! or even worse! -FY"lij. You will hear many educated people mispronounce these words! but believe me when ) say that careful speakers consider the two"syllable variants beastly mispronunciations. (ake care to pronounce these words in three syllables HE7"bee"ij and -F#"lee"ij. 6ow for a word to the wise on the proper use of ver !l. You will often hear or read such phrases as 2a verbal agreement3 or 2a verbal understanding.3 #ave you ever stopped to ask yourself e$actly what they mean4 )f you're like most people! you probably figured that a verbal agreement or a verbal understanding meant one that was arrived at through conversation! one that was spoken but not written downand therein lies the problem. (he word or!l means spoken! not written! and the precise meaning of ver !l is e$pressed in words! either orally or in writing. (oo often ver !l! e$pressed in words! is used to mean or!l! spoken! and the message that results from that confusion is usually ambiguous. -or e$ample! listen to this sentence! which ) found recently in the business section of my local newspaper 2Ensure all promises made verbally are included! in writing! in the contract.3 &s written! the sentence means that we should make sure that all promises! both spoken and written! are included in the contract. (he writer wants to say that we should put all spoken promises in writing! but to convey that meaning precisely the sentence should read like this 2Ensure all promises made orally are included in the contract.3 )n the future! whenever you refer to promises! agreements! or understandings! remember that if they are e$pressed in speech! they are or!l! and if they are e$pressed in words! whether spoken or written! they are ver !l. Ff course! if they are e$pressed in too many words! like most long"winded legal contracts! then they are ver ose! full of verbiage. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. (his time )'m going to give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page <0. 1. 9ner#etic and $!##!rd are9synonyms or antonyms4 (o w!ive and to relin-uis$ are9
2. .'iritu!l and c!rn!l are9 3. (o s!nction and to 'ro$i it are9 4. 0ou tful and !& i#uous are9

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 5. 4iserl, and s'endt$rift are9

6. (o &ollif, and to irrit!te are9 7. (ne-uivoc!l and !& i#uous are9 8. "d!'t! le and &!lle! le are9

10.Ver ose and lon#"winded are9 5id you remember to calculate your score on this /ui+4 )f you answered eight or more /uestions correctly! read on. )f not! review the last ten keywords.

Let's continue now with the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary. #ere are the ne$t ten keywords in Level ,

6o'2 31( TRANSIENT <TRAN)s=4nt?

(emporary! passing away with time! lasting only a short while! momentary! fleeting! short"livedin which "lived is commonly mispronounced with a short i as in #ive! when it should have a long i as in strive. 5oes that pronunciation pronouncement surprise you4 )n s$ort5lived and lon#5lived! the "lived does not come from the verb to live! as many think. )t is formed from the noun life plus the suffi$ "ed. (hat is why pronunciation authorities and careful speakers have long preferred short"LYH5 and long" LYH5! and why nearly all current &merican dictionaries give priority to the long"i pronunciation. Since we're discussing pronunciation ) should point out that you will often hear educated speakers pronounce our keyword! tr!nsient! as (7&6"+ee" int or (7&6"see"int! especially when the word is used as a noun to mean a homeless person! vagrant! or vagabond. 5espite the popularity of these three"syllable variants! ) recommend (7&6"shint! with two syllables! because it is the traditional &merican pronunciation and the one listed first in all the major current &merican dictionaries. 7emember! tr!nsient sounds like !ncient. :hallenging synonyms of the adjective tr!nsient include tr!nsitor,! ev!nescent! e'$e&er!l! fu#itive! and fu#!cious. &ll of these words mean lasting only a short while! but let's e$amine the fine distinctions in their meanings. Tr!nsitor, ATRAN"si"(F7"ee or TRAN"+i"C applies to something that by its nature is bound to pass away or come to an end. &ll life must by nature end; therefore life is transitory. 1hen &ndy 1arhol said everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes! he was describing the transitory nature of fame here one moment and gone the ne$t.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 9v!nescent AEH"uh"NES"intC applies to that which fades away like vapor or vanishes as if into thin air the evanescent beauty of springtime flowers. & shooting star creates an evanescent trail of light. &n intense e$perience! no matter how brief and evanescent! can become a lifelong memory. 9'$e&er!l Ae"-ED"uh"rulC by derivation means literally 2living or lasting for only a day.3 6ewspaper writing used to be called 2ephemeral literature3 because the articles had a lifespan of only one day! with one day's reportage ostensibly erased by the ne$t day's edition. -rom this original sense of lasting only a day! e'$e&er!l has evolved to mean short"lived! e$isting for a short while. )f when you meet people you have trouble remembering their names ten minutes later! you could say that you have an ephemeral memory for names. ;u#itive A-YFF"ji"tivC and fu#!cious Afyoo"8&Y"shusC come from the Latin fu#ere! to flee! run or fly away! the source also of the Latin e$pression te&'us fu#it A(ED"pus -YFF"jitC! 2time flies.3 %y derivation fu#itive and fu#!cious mean fleeting! disposed to fly away or disappear. & fu#itive! from the same Latin fu#ere! to flee! is a person who eludes pursuit! who flees from captivity or danger. (he adjectives fu#itive and fu#!cious both refer to things that are elusive! that are hard to catch or perceive because they happen or pass by so /uickly a fugitive smile; the fugitive colors of the sunset; our fugacious memories of childhood. 1e may pursue happiness! but it is fugacious. Fur keyword! tr!nsient! applies to anything that lasts temporarily or that is in the process of passing on. & transient guest stays for a while and moves on. & transient event is fleeting! momentary. & transient condition lasts for a short time. &ntonyms of tr!nsient include 'er&!nent! ti&eless! etern!l! and everl!stin#.

6o'2 32( NETTLE <NET)Cl?

(o irritate! annoy! ve$! harass A#&7"is or huh"7&SC! pester! provoke (heir supervisor constantly nettled them about trivial or irrelevant details. You may be familiar with the plant called the nettle! which has tiny hairs that sting and irritate the skin. (he verb to nettle means to sting like a nettle! hence to irritate or annoy. Someone who is nettled is irritated to the point of silent anger or resentment.

6o'2 33( RE,U@IATE <'4),AOO)2ee)a.t?

(o reject! cast off! disown! renounce! refuse to accept as one's own; also! to reject as false! deny the authority of! refuse to accept as true. Re'udi!te suggests a formal! often vehement AHEE"uh"mint! the $ is silentC rejection. You can repudiate a child! reject or disown the child; you

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS can repudiate a belief! cast it off or renounce it; you can repudiate a claim! deny its authority; and you can repudiate a charge! reject it as untrue.

6o'2 34( IM,ETUOUS <4:),EC-)oo)/s?

#asty! rash! overeager! acting in a sudden! vigorous! emotional way! with little thought 2(he impetuous shopper buys on impulse rather than out of necessity3; 2& prudent investor is not likely to make impetuous decisions.3 (he words r!s$! i&'ulsive! and i&'etuous all refer to hasty or sudden actions or to people who act first and think later. R!s$ suggests reckless haste and foolish daring )n the arena of international relations! rash statements can lead to war. I&'ulsive suggests an ungovernable inner force that drives one to act without thinking #e is an impulsive talker who often puts his foot in his mouth. I&'etuous suggests great energy! eagerness! or impatience. :hildren are often i&'etuous! prone to act suddenly without thinking. )mpetuous behavior in an adult is often considered overemotional or immature. &ntonyms of i&'etuous include 'rudent and circu&s'ect. -or more on those two words! review the discussion of 'rudent! keyword 0> in Level *.

6o'2 35( &RUGAL <&ROO)8/l?

Spending carefully and wisely! thrifty! economical. ;ru#!l comes directly from a Latin word meaning economical! and ultimately from the Latin fru8! fruit! produce. -rugal people are cautious and sparing with the fruit of their labors. T$rift,! econo&ic!l! 'rovident! and '!rsi&onious all mean fru#!l! spending carefully and wisely! but in slightly different ways and degrees. T$rift, implies hard work and good management as a means to prosperity. (he thrifty person spends only what is necessary and diligently saves the rest. 9cono&ic!l implies the use of money or resources in the most advantageous way. &n economical car uses fuel efficiently. &n economical investment is one that generates a higher return. Provident suggests providing for the future. (he provident person spends carefully with a mind toward what may be needed later. P!rsi&onious means e$tremely frugal! stingy! miserly. (he parsimonious person keeps a wary eye on every nickel and dime. ;ru#!l! spending carefully! may also be used to mean involving little e$pense! not wasteful or lavish. & frugal meal is an economical! no"frills meal. -lying coach rather than first"class is a more frugal way to travel.

6o'2 3 ( INCONGRUOUS <4n)*A-NG)8'oo)7/s?

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS Fut of place! inappropriate! inconsistent! unsuitable! lacking harmony of parts or agreement in character. Incon#ruous comes from a Latin verb meaning to come together! fit in. -rom the same source come the adjectives con#ruous AI&#68"groo"wusC and con#ruent AI&#68"groo"intC! which mean coming together harmoniously! fitting in consistently. (he in" at the beginning of incon#ruous is called a privative AB7)H"uh"tivC prefi$! which means it deprives or takes away the meaning of what follows. (hus! incon#ruous means not congruous! not appropriate! not consistent! out of place. &n incongruous remark is one that is inappropriate or not in keeping with the conversation. &n incongruous element is out of place! not consistent with the elements around it. &n incongruous action is unsuitable to the occasion or situation. &n incongruous mi$ture lacks harmony or agreement.

6o'2 3!( ASSUAGE </=)S6AAB% '=.:es 74t= a stage?

(o relieve! ease! allay Auh"L&YC! mitigate AD)("i"gaytC! make less severe or intense; also! to satisfy! appease Auh"BEEMC! make content. 1hen you assuage someone's grief! assuage someone's anger! assuage someone's pain! or assuage someone's fears! you relieve those conditions! allay them! make them less severe or intense. 1hen you assuage your hunger or thirst! you relieve it by providing food or drink. 1hen you assuage a need or desire! you satisfy it by procuring what is needed or desired. "ssu!#e is sometimes mispronounced uh"S1&YM# or uh"S1&#M#. (hese recent variants have made their way into a few current dictionaries! but the traditional and proper pronunciation! countenanced by all dictionaries! is uh"S1&YG.

6o'2 3"( CORROBORATE <0/=)RA-B)/=)'a.t?

(o confirm! support! make more certain or believable 2Si$ witnesses corroborated the victim's account of the crime.3 1orro or!te comes from a Latin verb meaning to strengthen. )n modern use corro or!te means to strengthen by providing additional evidence or proof. 1hen you corroborate a story! you strengthen it! support it! help to establish it as true. "ut$entic!te! verif,! su st!nti!te! and corro or!te all mean to confirm in slightly different ways. (o !ut$entic!te is to establish something as authentic or genuine You authenticate a document! a signature! or a work of art.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (o verif, is to establish as true! confirm the accuracy of 7eporters have a responsibility to verify facts and /uotations. (o su st!nti!te is to support by supplying reliable evidence or proof Scholars and scientists must substantiate their theories. (he investigation uncovered several key facts that substantiated the case against the company. (o corro or!te is to substantiate what someone else has said by supplying additional evidence or proof. 1hen you corroborate another person's statement! you make it more certain or believable.

6o'2 3#( EMBELLIS- <e:)BEL)4s=?

(o decorate! dress up! adorn! enhance with ornamentation! make more beautiful! elegant! or interesting. 9& ellis$ comes from an Fld -rench verb meaning to make beautiful and has been traced back to the Latin ellus! pretty. %y derivation! e& ellis$ means to beautify! make pretty. &n e& ellis$&ent! the corresponding noun! is a decoration! ornament! something that beautifies. 9& ellis$ may be used in numerous ways to mean to decorate! make more beautiful or interesting. You can embellish your home by decorating it with beautiful things. You can embellish an outfit with ornaments or accessories. You can embellish your speech or writing with interesting words and elegant phrases. &nd you can embellish a story! dress it up with entertaining details or even things that aren't true 2Fver the years the old fisherman had added many fanciful embellishments to his tale about Qthe big one that got away.J3

6o'2 43( AEARICIOUS <AE)/=)RIS-)/s?

8reedy! money"grubbing! miserly! consumed with a selfish desire to accumulate money or property. (he corresponding noun is !v!rice A&H"uh" risC! greed! an inordinate desire for wealth. +reed,! covetous! and !v!ricious all apply to people who eagerly want to ac/uire more than they have or are entitled to have. +reed, is the general term for an e$cessive desire for anything. & person can be greedy for approval! greedy for success! or a greedy eater. 1ovetous AIE#H"i"tusC suggests an e$cessive and sometimes immoral desire for what another person has 2Steve wasn't sure if his neighbor 5ave was more covetous of his new sports car or his attractive wife3; 21hen &nne was promoted to vice president! she could tell that most of her former coworkers in middle management were covetous of her spacious office and impressive salary.3 "v!ricious implies an e$cessive and selfish drive to accumulate wealth

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS and valuable possessions! and often suggests an accompanying desire to hoard them 2&ny observant person could see plainly that the city was run not by the people or the politicians but by a few avaricious developers who controlled most of the real estate! and a few avaricious bankers who were tight with credit and charged outrageous interest rates.3

Let's review the ten words you've just learned. (his time we're going to play 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a word is followed by three ostensible synonyms. A /stensi le means 2apparent!3 remember4C (wo of the three are true synonyms; one is unrelated in meaning. You must decide which one of the three ostensible synonyms doesn't fit the word. &nswers appear on page <'.
1. Tr!nsient means temporary! passing! portable. 2. (o nettle means to pu++le! irritate! annoy. 3. (o re'udi!te means to renounce! revoke! reject. 4. I&'etuous means impulsive! hostile! rash. 5. ;ru#!l means prudent! economical! spendthrift. 6. Incon#ruous means inappropriate! inade/uate! inconsistent.

(o !ssu!#e means to sympathi+e! ease! relieve.

7. (o corro or!te means to confirm! e$plain! support. 8. (o e& ellis$ means to make beautiful! dress up! show off.

10."v!ricious means lustful! covetous! greedy. Let's take a break now from the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for an e$posN of two commonly confused words and one commonly misused word. 1hat is the distinction between sensu!l and sensuous4 )s there a difference in meaning when you say 2 sensuous feelings3 and 2sensu!l feelings34 Yes! there is indeed a difference. .ensuous refers favorably to things e$perienced through the senses sensuous music! sensuous colors! the sensuous beauty of the forest! the sensuous aroma of fine food. .ensu!l refers! usually unfavorably! to the gratification of the senses or physical appetites! especially in a self"indulgent or se$ual way the sensual e$cesses of the glutton! the sensual nightlife of the city; the sensual atmosphere of a singles bar; the sensual cravings of a drug addict. (he controversial *@<@ bestseller T$e .ensuous 6o&!n would have been

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS more accurately titled T$e .ensu!l 6o&!n because its e$plicit subject matter concerns the unabashed gratification of se$ual desire. #ere's how you can keep the two words straight )f you mean lovely! pleasurable! or e$perienced through the senses! use sensuous; if you mean self"gratifying or pertaining to physical desires! use sensu!l. Sensuous thoughts have a pleasant effect on your senses as well as your mind. Sensual thoughts are erotic! se$ually arousing! maybe even lewd. #ere's a sentence that can help you remember the distinction (he sensuous feeling of silk against her skin filled her with sensu!l desire. 6ow! before that sensuous sentence makes you break out in a sensual sweat! let's take a /uick look at a commonly misused word co&'rise. )n strict usage! co&'rise means to include! contain! consist of! be composed of. )t should not be used to mean to make up. 5o not say the Enited States is comprised of fifty states! or that fifty states comprise the Enited States. (he rule for co&'rise is that 2the whole co&'rises AcontainsC its parts; the parts co&'ose Amake upC the whole.3 (herefore you should say the Enited States co&'rises Acont!ins or consists ofC fifty states! or fifty states co&'ose Aconstitute or &!%e u'C the Enited States. 1hen you mean 2to make up!3 use that phrase or co&'ose or constitute. Ese co&'rise only when you mean to include or contain Fur city comprises a million residents; they watched a (H miniseries comprising five episodes; the report comprised three different proposals. 6ow let's proceed to the final ten keywords in Level ,.

6o'2 41( CURSORA <*UR)s/')ee?

Suick! hasty! not methodical! done rapidly with little attention to detail! passing /uickly over or through something that deserves closer e$amination. Synonyms of cursor, include $urried! $!'$!A!rd! sl!'d!s$! and su'erfici!l. &ntonyms include t$orou#$! c!reful! e8$!ustive! 'rolon#ed! and 'rotr!cted. 5on't be fooled by the sound of the word cursor,; it has nothing to do with curses or cursing. 1ursor, comes through the Latin cursorius! running! from the Latin currere! to run. (his Latin currere! to run! is also the root of the words course! a path on which one moves or runs; curriculu&! a course of study; and courier! a messenger who runs here and there delivering important documents or urgent news. %y derivation! cursor, means 2running about! not standing still!3 and the word was once used in this sense. (oday! however! cursor, is used to mean done rapidly with little attention to detail! passing /uickly over or through something that deserves closer e$amination.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS & cursory glance is a /uick! passing glance. & cursory reading is a hasty! superficial reading. & cursory e$planation is a hurried e$planation! one that covers the subject in a hapha+ard way. & cursory investigation is not methodical; it is done rapidly with little attention to detail.

6o'2 42( EACILLATE <EAS)4)la.t?

(o waver! fluctuate! be indecisive! show uncertainty! hesitate in making up one's mind (he strong leader is decisive; the weak leader vacillates. V!cill!te comes from a Latin verb meaning to sway to and fro. 1hen you vacillate you go back and forth mentally on an issue or /uestion. (he person or group that vacillates has difficulty coming to a conclusion or e$pressing a firm opinion.

6o'2 43( CLEMENT <*LEM)4nt?

Dild! calm! tran/uil! moderate! temperate! not severe or e$treme; also! merciful! lenient! inclined to pardon or forgive. 1le&ent comes from the Latin cle&ens! mild! and may be used to mean mild in two ways. You may say the weather is clement when it's mild or temperate; when it's rough or stormy it's incle&ent Ain"ILED"intC! not clement! not mild and calm. 1le&ent's second sense applies to a mild state of mind! one in which the person is inclined to be lenient or forgiving. & convicted criminal can only hope for a clement judge. )f you screw up at work! you hope your boss will be cle&ent! lenient! merciful. (he corresponding noun is cle&enc,! mildness! leniency! compassion 2(he lawyers asked the governor to show clemency and stay the e$ecution.3

6o'2 44( LUCRATIEE <LOO)0'/=)t4v?

Brofitable! producing wealth! money"making! remunerative Ari"DYFF"nur"uh"tivC. financially productive!

You've probably heard the phrase 2filthy lucre!3 which comes from Shakespeare. Lucre ALFF"kurC is an old word for money! profit! wealth. )n modern usage lucre used alone usually implies filt$, lucre! tainted money! ill"gotten gains. Lucre and the useful adjective lucr!tive come from the Latin lucru&! gain! profit. (hat which is lucrative is likely to make money! turn a profit. & lucrative job pays well; a lucrative business deal is profitable; a lucrative enterprise is a money"making enterprise.

6o'2 45( ALLOCATE <AL)/=)0a.t?

(o assign! designate! earmark! set aside for a specific purpose.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS "lloc!te comes from a Latin verb meaning to locate! determine the place of. (hat which is allocated has been assigned a special place or purpose. & person might allocate a bedroom in the house as a home office. %usy parents try to allocate time to spend with their children. Hoters pass bond measures to allocate funds for education! parks! or libraries. Fne measure of a successful company is how much money it allocates for product development.

6o'2 4 ( RECONCILE <RE*)/n)s.l?

(o make friendly again! restore friendly relations between! settle! resolve! bring into harmony or agreement. Reconcile comes from the Latin reconcili!re! to make good again! restore! repair. 1hen estranged partners reconcile! they make their relationship good again by restoring it! repairing what was wrong with it. 1hen two parties in a dispute reconcile their differences! they settle them and restore friendly relations. (he corresponding noun is reconcili!tion! a settlement! resolution! the act of restoring harmony or agreement. Reconcile also has two other useful senses. )t may mean to bring into agreement! make consistent 2(he jury found it hard to reconcile the defendant's confession of guilt the night of the murder with his profession of innocence during the trial.3 Reconcile may also mean to resign oneself to accept something undesirable 26ancy didn't want to live with her mother" in"law! but she reconciled herself to it and tried to get on with her life.3

6o'2 4!( ,ARAGON <,AR)/=)8a=n?

& model of e$cellence! perfect e$ample. P!r!#on applies to a person or thing so e$cellent that it serves as a model or e$ample of perfection. (he inventor (homas &lva Edison is a paragon of &merican ingenuity. )n her :amelot days! Gac/ueline Iennedy Fnassis was considered a paragon of beauty and style. (he 8ettysburg &ddress is a paragon of forceful! elo/uent speechwriting. & '!r!#on is a model of e$cellence! a perfect e$ample.

6o'2 4"( ANALOGOUS </n)NAL)/=)8/s?

Similar! akin! comparable AI&#D"pur"uh"buulC! corresponding partially! sharing some aspects of form! function! or content. &n !n!lo#, is a partial similarity! likeness! or resemblance that allows for a comparison between things You can draw an analogy between the human brain and a computer! between the human heart and a mechanical pump! or between an airplane and a bird.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 1hen we see an analogy between two things! we say they are !n!lo#ous ! similar but not entirely alike! comparable in some respects. "n!lo#ous does not apply to things that are identical. -or e$ample! brains and computers and birds and airplanes differ markedly in all but a few ways! but in those ways they are analogous. 1hen things are analogous they share certain features or particulars; they are similar enough to form the basis for a comparison. )f you say your company's management style is analogous to Gapanese management style! you mean the styles are alike in some respects but not in others. )f you tell a coworker that your job descriptions are analogous! you mean they are similar! comparable! alike in certain ways.

6o'2 4#( @IURNAL <2.)UR)n/l?

5aily! recurring each day! performed or happening in the course of a day. 0iurn!l comes from the Latin diurnus! belonging to or lasting for a day. (he ocean's tides and the rotation of the earth are diurnal; their cycles are completed in the course of a day. &t work your diurnal duties are the tasks you perform every day. )f your coworker Goanne complains every day about not getting a raise! that's her diurnal complaint. Berhaps if Goanne made reading Ver !l "dv!nt!#e part of her diurnal routine! she might eventually get that raise and get off your back. 0iurn!l is also used to mean active during the day! as opposed to nocturn!l! active during the night.

6o'2 53( ,RETEGT <,REE)te0st?

&n e$cuse! ostensible reason or motive! professed purpose. Prete8t comes through the Latin 'r!ete8tu&! an ornament! from the verb 'r!ete8ere! to pretend! literally 2to weave in front.3 %y derivation a 'rete8t is a front! a faade! something used for cover. &s the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C puts it! a prete$t is 2that which is assumed as a cloak or means of concealment; something under cover of which a true purpose is hidden.3 (yrannical leaders often invent prete$ts for invading or declaring war on other countries. )rresponsible employees will invent prete$ts for not coming to work. & supervisor who hates an employee's guts may try to come up with a prete$t for firing the person. & prete$t is an e$cuse! an ostensible reason designed to hide the real reason.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. (his time )'m going to give you the review word followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which of those three answer choices comes nearest the meaning of

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS the review word. &nswers appear on page <'.
1. 5oes cursor, mean unnecessary! offensive! or superficial4 2. 5oes v!cill!te mean to lubricate! to waver! or to deceive4 3. 5oes cle&ent mean gracious! fair! or mild4 4. 5oes lucr!tive mean profitable! prudent! or unethical4 5. 5oes !lloc!te mean to place! to assign! or to support4 6. 5oes reconcile mean to e$amine closely! to deduce from

evidence! or to make friendly again4

7. )s a '!r!#on a reproduction! a model of e$cellence! or the

highest point4
8. 5oes !n!lo#ous mean similar! identical! or out of proportion4 9. 5oes diurn!l mean daily! occasional! or constant4 10. )s a 'rete8t an introduction! an opportunity! or an e$cuse4

%y the way! did you keep track of your answers in this /ui+4 #ow about for each of the review /ui++es in this level4 7eview is the key to retaining the words you learn! and as the words in this program get more difficult! the amount of time you spend reviewing will determine whether you will fi$ those words in your vocabulary for life or forget them by tomorrow morning. So remember %e sure to reread each set of keyword discussions until you can answer at least eight of the /uestions in the corresponding /ui+ correctly.

)n the introduction to Level , we discussed how you can use newspapers and maga+inesotherwise known as periodical literatureto build your vocabulary. 6ow let's talk about how to get you reading more books. )n recent years! many busy professionals have begun listening to tape" recorded books while commuting or driving to and from appointments. (hat's certainly better than reading two books a yearthe average for &merican college"educated adultsor reading no books at all. Listening to a book on tape is also convenient and can save you valuable time. #owever! when it comes to vocabulary building! audio books won't help you very much. )t's too easy to concentrate just on getting the gist of what's being said and to ignore the words you don't know. Fn top of that! you may be hearing mispronunciations and absorbing them without reali+ing it. 1hat it comes down to is this )f you currently read fewer than si$ books a yearone every two monthsthen you need to rediscover the wonderful world of books and make recreational reading a part of your life. A6ote that

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS ) used the word recre!tion!l. )'m talking about reading for fun as well as for self"improvement.C #ere's how you can start 7ead your local newspaper's book reviews or subscribe to a maga+ine or out"of"town paper that reviews books. 6ot only will that help you find books you will enjoy! but the reviews themselves are often an e$cellent source of e$pressive words. &nother way to get yourself on a regular schedule of reading is to join a book club! where you are obligated to order a certain number of books each year. (hat can be an incentive to finish the books you start and also to read more widely. (he ne$t time you order a book or browse in a bookstore! be daring. Let your curiosity get the best of you. (ry something on a subject that you don't know much about but that pi/ues your interest. A)s the verb to 'i-ue familiar to you4 )t's pronounced like 'ee% and means to prick! stimulate.C )f you have trouble making that leap! how about reading a biography of someone you respect or admire4 &lso! let's not forget the value of fine fiction. &sk a friend or someone in the office to recommend a good novel. )f you like it! try reading other books by the same author. 6ow! ) should caution you that when it comes to fiction! ) don't put much stock in thrillers! romances! westerns! and war novels. 1ith the e$ception of mysteries! which are generally written by better"than"average writers for a higher"caliber audience! most genre or category fiction provides plenty of diversion but little edification AE5"i"fi" *AA"shinC. Look it up now if it's unfamiliar. 1hat! no dictionary handy4 (sk! tsk. (hese days there are few popular novelists who truly know their craft. )'ll never forget the time ) heard a radio interview with a best"selling author of westerns. 1hen the interviewer asked him to e$plain a few unusual words from the book! the author gave the wrong definitions. 1hat can you e$pect to learn from reading a book by someone like that4 -inally! ) encourage you to take advantage of the public library. %ecoming a regular patron of your local library is the simplest and least e$pensive way to broaden your knowledge of the world. 1hen was the last time you checked out a book4 )f you can't remember! then you're overdue for a visit. 8o down and get reac/uainted with the 5ewey 5ecimal System. &nd if you have kids! take them with you and introduce them to the children's section. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making the /uest for new words! good books! and useful knowledge an integral part of your personal and professional life. So now that )'ve told you what to read! let me say a few things about how to read. #ere are five principles to follow. ,'4n941le 1( Read outside of your specialty or area of expertise )t may sound strange! but most of what you read should not be directly

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS related to your work. %y all means! keep up with what's going on in your profession! but don't limit your reading to subjects you already know well. &re you familiar with (om Beters4 Beters is the author of! among other books! the best"selling management guide /n 98cellence; he also writes a syndicated column with the same title. )n one of those columns he discussed his strategies for making 2learning in the workplace3 a 2continuous e$ercise!3 strategies he felt would work even for those whose schedules are 2crammed from dawn till dusk.3 Beters concurs with me in recommending that you avoid reading too much in areas where you are 2already reasonably well versed.3 2(he most effective professionals!3 he says! 2know their own turf cold! to be sure. %ut their special added value! for clients and colleagues! is their ability to draw upon analogous ideas from disparate fields to form analyses about problems closer to home.3 6ot only does Beters make an important point! but in making it he also uses two fine words !n!lo#ous! which we discussed as word 0? of Level ,! and dis'!r!te A5)S"puh"ritC. &s you now know! !n!lo#ous means similar! comparable! alike in certain ways. 5o you know what dis'!r!te means4 &s you probably deduced from the /uotation! dis'!r!te means different! distinct! having incompatible elements or natures. Fccasionally you will hear educated people pronounce the word dis"B&7"it! with the accent on the second syllable. (his relatively recent variant has made its way into the dictionaries and is now standard. :areful speakers! however! use the traditional and preferred pronunciation! which places the stress on the first syllable. ,'4n941le 2( Go for variety 7emember the old saying! Hariety is the spice of life4 (o paraphrase that !d!#e A&5"ijC! variety is also the spice of reading. 1ith each book you read! try a different subject! or choose a subject you want to know more about and make a three" or four"book study of it. &lternating between nonfiction and fiction is also a good way to keep things interesting. &nd remember! in selecting your reading material! don't let yourself be manipulated by other people's tastes. You don't have to have all the bestsellers or all the classics on your shelf. You're not reading to keep up with the Goneses; you're reading to become a more informed! articulate! and successful person. ,'4n941le 3( Read what you enjoy (his is very important. You won't learn much from a book you force yourself to read. )f something doesn't hold your interest! put it down and read something else. 7eading shouldn't be a chore. )t should be a pleasure. ,'4n941le 4( Read with a dictionary

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS )f your dictionary is in the other room! it's too easy to get la+y and say the heck with it. 1hen your dictionary's right beside you! you can look up an unfamiliar word immediately. You don't have to lug your dictionary around wherever you go! either. Every educated person should own at least two dictionariesnot the paperback variety! either! mind you; too many of the words you'll look up won't be in there. Fne dictionary should be on your desk at the office! or wherever you do most of your writing and paperwork. (he other dictionary should be at home! within reach of the books and maga+ines you are currently reading. &s you read! underline or highlight words you don't know and words you aren't entirely sure of and look them up. )f you can't or don't want to mark up the te$t! or if you don't care to interrupt the flow of your reading! simply jot down any unfamiliar words on a bookmark or a slip of paperalong with the page numberand look them up at the end of your reading session. 5on't forget to write down the number of the page on which the word appears so you can find the word again and study how it is used in conte$t. ) don't work for any dictionary publishers! and )'m not trying to sell you a bill of goods here. ) can vouch from e$perience and une/uivocally guarantee that promptly checking the dictionary definition of unfamiliar words will greatly improve your reading comprehension and do wonders for your vocabulary. A%y the way! did you pronounce une-uivoc!ll, correctly4 See Level ,! word ,?.C ,'4n941le 5( Don't cheat yourself You should never 2read around3 words you don't know or that you t$in% you can figure out from conte$t. %ypassing a word you think you know because you've seen it once or twice before! or because you can figure out what the sentence means! is a bad habitone that in the long run can be detrimental to your vocabulary. Enfortunately! most people read around difficult words without reali+ing it. ) have even had the disturbing e$perience of meeting people who e$press pride that they can discern the general meaning of a passage without knowing the precise meanings of the words it contains. (hat! )'m afraid! is a delusion. %eing able to read around words is not a sign of intelligence; it is a sign of la+iness. -urthermore! the conse/uences of guessing what a word means can be /uite serious. -irst! you cheat yourself out of a precise knowledge of the language! and second! because the margin for error is so great! more often than not you will make the wrong guess. You know what you are doing then4 %uilding a vocabulary filled with incorrect definitionsT (hat kind of vocabulary leads straight to bad usage and embarrassment. So you see what ) mean when ) say that reading around words is nothing

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS but a colossal waste of time. &lso! the words you read around are often the words at the border of your vocabulary! the ones you are most receptive to learning and the ones you most need to check in a dictionary right away. (hey are the words you could pick up rapidly with a minimum of effort. #owever! if you skip over them! they remain locked forever in your passive vocabulary. (hen you never e$tend the boundary of your vocabulary and pave the way for learning more difficult words. So that's why ) say don7t c$e!t ,ourself when it comes to using the dictionary to abet your vocabulary development. )f you have the slightest doubt about what a word means! or how the writer used it! look it up. )f you find that the definition you had in mind is the correct one! that's cause for celebration. You have just added a new word! or a new definition of a familiar word! to your permanent active vocabulary. 6ow! before we move on to Level .! )Jd like to take a moment to tell you about two special techni/ues you can use to continue building your vocabulary after you've completed the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e program. (hey re/uire a modest investment of your time and energy! but they are e$tremely effective. You're probably familiar with the first techni/ue! the classic 2flashcard method.3 )t's as simple as it sounds. &ll you do is write every new word you find in reading or hear in conversation on an inde$ card. Fn one side write the word! and on the other side write the dictionary definition. AYou should also note how the word is pronounced! and perhaps include a sample phrase or sentence that illustrates how the word is used.C :arry as many of these word cards with you as is convenient! and take them out and test yourself several times a day for a few days! until you have memori+ed the meanings of all the words and feel comfortable with them. (hen file the cards for future reference! and start in on a new batch. Dy father used the flashcard method while attending the :urtis )nstitute of Dusic in Bhiladelphia! probably the most prestigious and e$clusive conservatory in the country. #e knew that the trade"off for training ten hours a day to become a top"flight professional musician was missing out on a well"rounded! liberal arts college education. (o make up for it! he took summer classes at the Eniversity of :hicago! read widely on his own! kept a record of any unfamiliar words he came across! and tested himself rigorously with the flashcards. Entirely on his own he ac/uired an e$cellent vocabulary! which undoubtedly was an important factor in his later becoming the principal harpist of the Detropolitan Fpera Frchestra in 6ew York :ity! a position he held for thirty"eight years until his retirement in the *@?=s. Berhaps intuitively my father understood that a powerful vocabulary will help you achieve more in lifeeven if your career doesn't appear to re/uire

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS strong verbal skills. )n short! ) believe my father is living proof of Gohnson F':onnor's theory that whatever your occupation! the level of your vocabulary is closely linked to the level of your professional success. 6ow for the second vocabulary"building techni/ue! which ) call the 2personal dictionary.3 1ith this method! you simply record all the new words you come across on a legal pad or in a notebook. )f you have a computer! you can start a personal dictionary file! which is easy to update and keep in alphabetical order. You can arrange your personal dictionary in any number of ways. You can show the words you've learned each month! show the words you've learned from each book you've read! or show which words you've learned from conversing with friends and business associates. #owever you choose to organi+e it! your personal dictionary is your individual record of progress! a measure of how much you've read! heard! and absorbed. (o sum up what we have discussed so far :arefully reading and reviewing each level of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! in the proper order! will put your vocabulary development into high gear. %ut if you want to keep your verbal skills humming along smoothly after you finish the program! you need to read more! use your dictionary! keep track of the words you learn! and review them fre/uently. &nd with that unambiguous tirade! we come to the end of Level ,. %e sure to review this level so you'll be fully prepared to take on the more challenging words ahead. &nd while you're at it! maybe you should also find your dictionary and give it a thorough dusting. )t wouldn't hurt to start consulting it while you're reading the rest of the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e program. Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level 2
*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. Yes. (o !dvoc!te means to support! be in favor of! defend by

argument. Fne may advocate any cause! either worthy or unworthy.

2. 6o. (o dele#!te means to entrust with authority or power! hand

over management or control to another.

3. 6o. (n'recedented means unheard"of! novel! new! having no

precedent or prior e$ample.

4. Yes. Poi#n!nt means piercing! sharp! keen! penetrating to the

senses! the mind! or the emotions.

5. 6o. *e ulous means unclear! ha+y! vague! indistinct! obscure. 6. 6o. 1l!ndestine means kept secret! done in secrecy! especially for

an evil! immoral! or illegal purpose.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 7. 6o. & tir!de is a long"drawn"out speech! especially a vehement and abusive one.
8. 6o. (n'recedented means unheard"of! never having happened

before. Recur means to happen again! especially at intervals or after some lapse of time.
9. 6o. /r!l means e$pressed through spoken words. T!cit means

unspoken! silent! implied or understood without words. 10.Yes. &n !lle#!tion is an assertion or declaration! especially one made without proof.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. -alse. +ulli le means easily deceived! fooled! or cheated. 2. (rue. :eni#n means kindly! good"natured! gracious! mild. 3. -alse. Peri'$er!l means e$ternal! on the outside or boundary of

something; hence! not essential! irrelevant.

4. -alse. Re uff means to refuse bluntly! reject sharply! snub! spurn. 5. -alse. &

eni#n person is gracious! good"natured. "ni&osit, means hatred! hostility! ill will! strong dislike. strength.

6. (rue. Tenuous means thin! weak! flimsy! lacking substance or 7. -alse. 1o&'l!cent means self"satisfied! smug! overly pleased and

concerned with oneself.

8. (rue. "c&e means the peak! summit! highest point. 9. -alse. 0efunct means dead! e$tinct! obsolete; no longer in

e$istence! effect! operation! or use.

10. (rue. (o ! et is to encourage! support! assist in achieving a

purpose. )t may be used of offering aid to good people or purposes as well to those that are bad.
*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. &ntonyms. =!##!rd means worn"out! tired! gaunt! emaciated. 2. Synonyms. 6!ive means to relin/uish or give up voluntarily. 3. &ntonyms. 1!rn!l means pertaining to the flesh as opposed to the

spirit! bodily! sensual! corporeal.

4. &ntonyms. .!nction means to approve! allow! permit! authori+e. 5.

Synonyms. "& i#uous means uncertain! unclear! doubtful! having an obscure or indefinite meaning.
6. &ntonyms. 4iserl, means hoarding money; the miserly person is a

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS penny"pincher! cheapskate! skinflint. .'endt$rift means wasteful! spending e$travagantly; a spendthrift is a person who thoughtlessly wastes money.
7. &ntonyms. (o &ollif, means to calm! soothe! pacify! appease. 8. &ntonyms.

"& i#uous means uncertain! unclear! indefinite. (ne-uivoc!l means clear and direct! definite! straightforward! having a single! obvious meaning! capable of being interpreted in only one way. or molded.

9. Synonyms. 4!lle! le means adaptable! capable of being shaped

10.Synonyms. Ver ose means wordy! long"winded.

*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. Port! le doesn't fit. Tr!nsient means temporary! passing! lasting a

short time.
2. PuAAle doesn't fit. *ettle means to irritate! annoy. 3. Revo%e doesn't fit. Revo%e means to take back! withdraw! cancel.

Re'udi!te means to reject! refuse! renounce! deny.

4. =ostile doesn't fit. I&'etuous means hasty! impulsive! rash! acting

suddenly with little or no thought.

5. .'endt$rift doesn't fit. .'endt$rift means wasteful! spending

e$travagantly. ;ru#!l means economical! spending carefully.

6. In!de-u!te

doesn't fit. inconsistent! out of place. less severe or intense.

Incon#ruous

means

inappropriate!

7. .,&'!t$iAe doesn't fit. (o !ssu!#e means to relieve! ease! make 8. 98'l!in doesn't fit. (o corro or!te means to confirm! support!

substantiate! make more certain or believable.

9. .$ow off doesn't fit. (o e& ellis$ means to decorate! dress

up! adorn! make more beautiful! elegant! or interesting.

10. Lustful doesn't fit. "v!ricious means greedy! miserly! covetous!

driven to accumulate wealth and possessions.

*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. 1ursor, means hasty and superficial! done /uickly with little

attention to detail.
2. V!cill!te means to waver! show uncertainty! hesitate in making up

one's mind.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 3. 1le&ent means mild! temperate! not severe or e$treme. 1le&ent may also mean merciful! lenient! inclined to forgive.
4. Lucr!tive means profitable! money"making! producing wealth. 5. "lloc!te means to assign! designate! earmark! set aside for a

specific purpose.
6. Reconcile means to make friendly again! settle! resolve! bring into

harmony or agreement.
7. & '!r!#on is a model of e$cellence! perfect e$ample. 8. "n!lo#ous means similar! comparable! alike in some respects. 9. 0iurn!l means daily! recurring each day.

10.& 'rete8t is an e$cuse! ostensible reason! a professed purpose designed to hide the real purpose.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level 2

1. 7emember the five principles for effective reading4 -ill in the

missing words
(1) 7ead UUUUUUUUUU of your specialty or area of e$pertise. (2) 8o for UUUUUUUUUU. (3) 7ead what you UUUUUUUUUU. (4) 7ead with a UUUUUUUUUU. (5) 5on't UUUUUUUUUU yourself. 2. 1hen you read! the best thing you can do to help build your

vocabulary is ?!@ look for words you don't know ? @ try to guess what words mean from conte$t read around words you don't know
(c) read books with difficult words 3. 1hich word means e$uding a fragrance! aromatic4 (a) adamant (b) redolent (c) poignant (d) ambient 4. 1hich one of the following words denotes a coin collector4 (a) prestidigitator

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (b) philatelist

(c) sommelier (d) numismatist 5. 1hich word means to report widely! spread the word4 (a) aver (b) (c) bruit (d) impugn 6. 1hich word means softening! soothing4 (a) enervating (b) (c) ebullient (d) effervescent 7. 1hich word means belonging or native to a particular country or

eschew

emollient

region4
(a) indigenous (b) ingenuous (c) inviolable (d) innocuous 8. 1hich word means arousing se$ual desire4 (a) (b) (c) (d) 9. (a) (b) impetuous (c) assiduous (d) incessant

clandestine carnal avaricious salacious 1hich word means means careful and persistent4 monotonous

10.1hich pair of words is not synonymous4

(a) antagonism! animosity

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (b) rudeness! rancor

(c) malice! malevolence (d) antipathy! enmity

11.1hat is the proper pronunciation of 'oi#n!nt4

(a) BFY"int (b) BFY6"yint (c) BFY8"nint (d) BFY6"int 12. )n convoc!tion! the prefi$ con" means (a) together (b)

against
(c) additional (d) same

13.1hich of the following is not characteristic of a tirade4

(a) )t is protracted. (b) )t is censorious. (c) )t is enigmatic. (d) )t is vituperative.

14.1hat is the proper pronunciation of cl!ndestine4

(a) klan"5ES"tyn (b) klan"5ES"teen (c) klan"5ES"tin (d) IL&6"des"tyn (e) IL&6"des"teen

15.Voc!l! voc!tion!l! and evoc!tive come from the Latin voc!re! which means
(a) to call (b) to speak (c) to feel (d) to describe

16.1ho wrote the classic guide! 4odern 9n#lis$ (s!#e4

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (a) 6oah 1ebster

(b) (heodore D. %ernstein (c) #. 1. -owler (d) Dark (wain 17. )n which phrase is 'eri'$er, used figuratively4 (a)the periphery of e$perience (b) the periphery of town

18.1hat is the n!dir4

(a) the lowest point (b) the highest point (c) the beginning (d) the end 19. )n modern usage! lucre usually implies (a) a great fortune (b) ill"gotten gains (c) a profitable venture 20. )n which part of a newspaper are you most likely to come across

words you can add to your vocabulary4

(a) the sports section (b) the society page (c) the editorial page (d) the advice columns

21.1hich of the following is le!st likely to make a person haggard4

(a) working too hard (b) eating too much (c) lack of sleep (d) malnutrition

22.I&'rovident! 'rodi#!l! 'rofli#!te! and s'endt$rift all mean

(a) foolish (b) unlucky (c) poor

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (d) wasteful 23.1hich word is not a synonym of ver ose4
(a) proli$ (b) voluble (c) garrulous (d) taciturn (e) lo/uacious

24.(he phrase 2a paragon of &merican ingenuity3 would best describe which person4
(a) &braham Lincoln (b) (homas &lva Edison (c) Ernest #emingway (d) Dartin Luther Iing! Gr.

25.1hat is the preferred pronunciation of "lived in s$ort5lived and lon#5 lived4

(a) with a short i as in #ive (b) with a long i as in strive

26.1hich of the following is a privative prefi$ meaning 2not34

(a) (b) con" (c) mis" (d) in"

sub"

27.1hat is the traditional and proper pronunciation of !ssu!#e4

(a) uh"S1&YM# (b) uh"S1&YG (c) uh"S1&#M#

28.(hree of the following words are related in meaning. -ind the unrelated word
(a) investigate (b) authenticate (c) corroborate (d) substantiate

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 29.1hich sentence illustrates the precise and proper use of co&'rise4
(a) 6ew York :ity comprises five boroughs. (b) 6ew York :ity is comprised of five boroughs.

30.1hich word properly refers to things e$perienced through the senses4

(a) sensuous (b) sensual

31.1ursor,! course! curriculu&! and courier all come from the Latin currere! which means
(a) to e$amine (b) to deliver (c) to run

?d@ to be steady 32.9ni#&!tic! cr,'tic! and e-uivoc!l are synonyms of which word4 (a) reticent
(b) ambiguous (c) ambivalent (d) tenuous

33.1hich word is an antonym of cursor,4

(a) protracted (b) hapha+ard (c) slapdash (d) superficial

34.Someone who v!cill!tes

(a) puts things off (b) is reluctant to speak (c) has difficulty making a decision (d) rushes ahead without thinking

35.1le&ent comes from a Latin word that means

(a) sweet (b) friendly (c) mild

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

(d) light Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& Score Ff .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

Level 3
1elcome to Level . of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. Let me begin by asking you an important /uestion 5o you know the name of your dictionary4 (hink about it for a moment. :an you remember the full name4 #ere's why ) ask )n the professional workshops )'ve taught )'ve found that most people haven't the slightest idea what the name of their dictionary is. 21ebster's!3 they tell me! and ) shoot back 25id you know that the name 6e ster is in the public domain! and there are easily over a do+en dictionaries called Q1ebster'sJ on the market4 1hich 1ebster do you own43 Dost people don't know the name of their dictionary or who publishes it. (hey may know if it's old or new! but they generally don't know if it's abridged or unabridged! or what its strengths and weaknesses are. (hat has always struck me as strange. 1ould you buy a car without knowing the name of the company that made it! or a tool without knowing how to use it4 Dost people agree that a dictionary is an essential resourceone that everyone should ownbut they rarely take advantage of all it has to offer. (he average college"educated person probably consults a dictionary once or twice a month. )n my workshops )'ve found that secretaries use a dictionary once or twice a week. (heir bosses! on the other handthe managers! e$ecutives! and professionalsmay crack the binding of a wordbook as infre/uently as once or twice a year. &s )'m sure you can guess by now! that spells disaster for anyone who wants to use the language with precision. T=e @49t4ona'. -ab4t Bart of achieving the verbal advantage is developing what ) call 2the dictionary habit.3 ) can assure you it is a beneficial addiction. 6o harm will come to you from using a dictionary to increase your knowledge of words. You should own at least two dictionarieskeep one at work and one at homeand make an effort to consult them regularly. A)f you work on a computer! you can use a dictionary on :5"7FD if you find that more convenient.C Look up any challenging words you come across in reading especially those you think you know and have been reading around! as we discussed earlier. You should also use the dictionary when you write. Let me underscore that last point. )f you write without consulting a dictionary! all sorts of embarrassing errors can slip by into the finished

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS product. & report! proposal! or memo in which words are misused or misspelled is irritating to read! and we all know that when it comes to making the right impression! even a little irritation can damage your credibility. ) should also stress that relying only on your computer's spelling and grammar checker is not enough. Spelling and grammar checkers are notoriously fallible. (hey often fail to e$pose common errorsfor e$ample! using it7s for its! t$eir for t$ere! and effect for !ffectand they fre/uently suggest 2corrections3 that are erroneous and sometimes ludicrous. Your checker will help you catch some mistakes! but it is no substitute for diligent use of a dictionary. ) once edited a book on business leadership by a prominent management consultant who has a doctoral degree. (hroughout the book! the author used the phrase 2a decisional criteria.3 5oes anything about that phrase strike you as objectionable4 )f you're thinking 2(hat sounds like jargon3 Aword 0< of Level *C! you're right. )t's an e$ample of speciali+ed! unnecessarily technical language. %eyond that objection! ) suspect that most readers would find the phrase innocuous. 6ow there's a fine word innocuous Ai"6&#I"yoo"usC. )t means harmless! not producing any ill effect! as an innocuous drug or an innocuous remark. Look it up and see if )'m right. &nd now let's get back to the phrase 2a decisional criteria.3 )t may seem innocuous! but in fact it contains two serious errors. -irst! the word criteri! is the plural of criterion. 2& criteria3 is wrong. You must say 2(his is my criterion3 AsingularC! and 2(hese are my criteri!3 ApluralC. 1ith a /uick peek into a dictionary! the author could have corrected the mistake. )n checking the definition of criterion! he also could have avoided the second blunder redundancyfor even if the phrase were corrected to 2a decisional criterion!3 it would still be redundant. & criterion is a standard on which a judgment or decision is based. 25ecisional criterion3 repeats the idea conveyed by the meaning of criterion alone. (ranslate the author's words into clear and simple English and you have the ridiculous phrase 2a standard for decision"making that pertains to making decisions.3 So you see! writing isn't easy! and even well"educated people can make mistakes if they don't take the time to e$amine their dictiontheir choice of wordsand check their usage and spelling in a dictionary. 5on't delegate this task to a secretary or assistant. You will learn a great deal from editing your own writing! you will avoid the embarrassment of turning out a shoddy product! and you will save yourself the time spent rectifying things down the line. (he more paperwork you have! the easier it is to overlook small but significant errors; therefore it's essential that you

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS make time to revise everything you writenot just the reports and proposals and briefs! which usually get the most attention! but also your everyday letters and memoranda. #ere's something helpful you can do your ne$t day on the job &sk a coworker whose language skills you trust to look over what you have written before it goes out the door. )n asking this favor you can offer to return it! and so begin to set up an editorial system that can wind up improving the /uality of writing in the entire office or department. & second and even third pair of eyes never hurt a piece of writing; in fact! every book! before it gets bound and published! is scrutini+ed by at least four personsthe author! editor! copy editor! and proofreader. Even then! a few errors still may appear in the finished product. 6obody's perfect! but the more conscientious you are about checking your writing and the more help you can get correcting it! the better off you will be. )n the long run it will pay off in many waysfrom making the right impression to satisfying clients or customers to getting others to understand your point of view. 6=49= @49t4ona'. S=o/l2 I UseJ So now that you are going to develop 2the dictionary habit!3 the ne$t /uestion to resolve is 21hich dictionary should ) use43 &lthough every dictionary has its strengths and weaknesses! for general purposes just about any current! hardcover dictionary will do. Baperback dictionaries! which are sometimes called 2pocket3 dictionaries! have limited vocabularies and are best used for checking spelling and pronunciation. :ome to think of it! ) could also say that their vocabularies are circu&scri ed! a word you will soon meet as keyword ** of this level. #ardcover dictionaries come in two si+es abridged and unabridged. Enabridged dictionaries contain up to four times as many words as abridged dictionaries! but they can be bulky and cumbersome! and unless you have a large desk! they are not well suited for use at the office. #owever! ) am une/uivocal Aword ,? of Level ,C! adamant Aword *' of Level *C! and even obstinate Aword .0 of Level *C in my belief that every self"respecting! word"conscious person should own an unabridged dictionary because of the breadth of information it contains. (he best place for one is on a table or counter in the living room or family room! where you can lay it open and thumb through it easily. -or general purposes! the best &merican unabridged dictionary currently on the market is T$e R!ndo& =ouse 0iction!r, of t$e 9n#lis$ L!n#u!#e ! second edition! published by 7andom #ouse. )f you become a serious word collector and you want to study the origin and development of words! you may want to ac/uire the second edition of the great /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r,! or /90! which is available in a compact! micrographic edition. )n the office most people use an abridged dictionary! usually called a 2desk dictionary3 or 2college dictionary.3 5esk dictionaries are easy to

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS handle and contain most of the linguistic information you will need on the job. Ff the many on the market today! the four most reputable are R!ndo& =ouse 6e ster7s 1olle#e 0iction!r,! published by 7andom #ouse; 4erri!&56e ster7s 1olle#i!te 0iction!r,! tenth edition! published by Derriam"1ebster; 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r,! fourth college edition! published by )58; and T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r,! third edition! published by #oughton Difflin! an oversi+ed desk dictionary mas/uerading as unabridged. -o7 to Rea2 a @49t4ona'. 6ow )Jd like to share with you a few tips on how to read a dictionaryin other words! how to get the most out of what it contains. & dictionary is an e$traordinarily detailed and comprehensive source of knowledge about language! a one"volume reference library. 6ot only does your dictionary define words! it also shows how they're pronounced! it e$plains where they came from! and it provides information on grammar! usage! and style. 1hen you look up a word! the first thing the entry tells you is the thing people most often overlook pronunciation. 5on't skip over the pronunciation to get to the definition. (he task of learning how to use a word begins with knowing how to say it right. )f you have trouble deciphering some of the symbols used to indicate pronunciation! don't worry. )'ll be giving you some help with that in Level '. (he ne$t thing the dictionary tells you is the part of speechwhether the word is a noun An.C! verb Av. or v .C! adjective A!d2.C! adverb A!dv.C! and so on. Dainly! this helps you save time finding the right entry or part of an entry. -or e$ample! if you look up the word level you will find three listings for the noun ! level! the verb to level! and the adjective level. (he part"of" speech label directs you /uickly to the definition you need. Esually before but sometimes after the word is defined there is another useful bit of information that most people unfortunately can't be bothered with the etymology AE("uh"MA-L"uh"jeeC. 9t,&olo#, is the history of a word or the study of the history of words. )t is often confused in pronunciation with ento&olo#, AE6"tuh"MA-L"uh"jeeC! which means the study of insects. ) have heard numerous college"educated professionals say ento&olo#, when they meant et,&olo#,. You see how a little slip of the tongue can result in a serious mistake4 7emember! there is no en" in et,&olo#,. )f you are committed to building a powerful vocabulary! you should take the time to read the etymology of each word you look up in the dictionary. &t first the foreign words will seem strange! but soon you will begin to see patterns and recogni+e relationships that will give you deeper insight into the language and help you decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS -or e$ample! the combining form &!l" comes from the Latin &!lus! bad! evil. )n English! when &!l" appears in a word it means bad! inade/uate! or abnormal! as in &!l'r!ctice! bad practice! &!l!d2ust&ent! inade/uate adjustment! and &!lfor&!tion! abnormal formation. Fnce you're familiar with &!l"! you have a clue to help you deduce the meanings of the harder words &!lef!ctor AMAL"uh"-&I"turC! a bad person! evildoer! criminal; &!l!droit AD&L"uh"@ROATC! inade/uately skilled! clumsy! awkward; and &!l!'ro'os AD&L"ap"ruh",O-C! not normal or appropriate to the situation! not apropos Aap"ruh"BF#C. )f vocabulary is the key to success! then etymologyword historyis the key to successfully building a large and e$act vocabulary. 6ow let's talk about the information everyone associates with a dictionary definition. ) want to stress here that you should always read all the definitions of the word you are looking up. Dost people tend to skip to the definition that fits whatever they have just read or written. 5on't sell yourself short. A7emember! from Level ,! my fifth principle for effective vocabulary building4 25on't cheat yourself.3C 7ead the entire entry. & word may have two or three or even ten different senses. Learning the other meanings of a word is like learning several new words instead of just one. 1hile we're on the subject of definition! let me introduce you to the words denot!tion A5EE"noh"TAA"shinC and connot!tion AI&#6"uh"TAA"shinC. (he denot!tion of a word is its precise! e$plicit meaning! its dictionary definition. (he connot!tion of a word is its implied meaning! including all the ideas! images! and emotions the word suggests. (he corresponding verbs are denote Adi"6F#(C and connote Akuh" 6F#(C. )n T$e 1!reful 6riter! (heodore D. %ernstein nicely distinguishes the two words. 20enote means! connote implies!3 writes %ernstein. 2(o denote is9 to furnish a factual! e$act definition. (o connote 9embraces all the overtones! flavors! and suggestions that are not e$plicit in the purely minimal dictionary definitions.3 )n short! knowing the denotation of a word helps us use it with precision and clarity. 8rasping its connotation helps us use it to better effectwith greater sensitivity! wit! or power. 5ictionary definitions stick chiefly to denotation; the connotation is something you'll have to wrestle with on your own. &s you ac/uire new words and learn what they denote! take care to consider what they connote! not only to you but to others. (wo more useful features in today's dictionaries are usage notes and synonym studies. Dost desk dictionaries include brief remarks on the proper and improper use of certain controversial words. )f you see a usage note after a dictionary entry! be sure to read it. %ut bear in mind that the opinions given in usage notes vary from dictionary to dictionary. Some are more strict and others more permissive. )f possible! compare notes in two or more dictionaries! and when in doubt! take the cautious routebe

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS circumspect Aword ,* of this levelCand avoid any usage that seems /uestionable or that you think other educated people may find objectionable. 6ow! let me ask you this Fff the top of your head can you differentiate the words #!t$er! collect! !sse& le! con#re#!te! !ccu&ul!te! !&!ss! &!rs$!l! and r!ll,4 7eading your dictionary's synonym studies will help you gain insight into the subtle differences in meaning among these and other groups of closely related words! which in turn will help you make precise distinctions in your choice of words. (he last dictionary feature )Jd like to bring to your attention is the supplement Aor sometimes supplementsC on style. Dost current desk dictionaries have one! yet most people have no idea this invaluable resource is there. :heck your dictionary's table of contents to find out where these few priceless pages are hidden. (he style guide e$plains in simple terms the rudiments of punctuation! capitali+ation! documentation of source material in footnotes and bibliographies! and proper forms of address. A&nd while you're checking your dictionary for the whereabouts of the style guide! do you also need to check on the word rudi&ents4C ) cannot overemphasi+e the importance of this information. &nyone who commits words to print Aand even e"mailC must have a solid sense of where to place commas and semicolons! how to use single and double /uotation marks! and when and when not to hyphenate and capitali+e. 5on't be caught with your periods or commas outside your /uotation marks. :onsult your dictionary's style guide whenever you have the slightest doubt about the mechanics of writing. (he point of all this talk about what's inside your dictionary is to impress upon you how much more you can learn from that book than simply what words mean and how they are spelled. (he dictionary is there to help you at every step of your journey toward mastery of the languageso use it often and enjoy the process of discoveryT &nd while you're e$ploring the dictionary! if you're confused by any of the symbols! abbreviations! or labels you come across! all you have to do is consult the e$planatory notes printed in the front of the book. 6ow let's get back to the business of building your vocabulary. #ere are the first ten keywords in Level .

6o'2 1( @E&RAA <24)&RAA?

(o pay! provide money for! cover the cost or e$penses of. P!, and defr!, are synonymous! but they are not interchangeable. You pay for a meal in a restaurant! you don't defray it. You pay your bills! you don't defray them. )n current usage defr!, means to cover the cost or e$pense of something! especially to provide money for a portion of that

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS cost or e$pense. -or e$ample! you might use an income ta$ refund to help defray the e$pense of a trip to Europe. & nonprofit corporation that receives a grant or donation might use it to defray the cost of office e/uipment and supplies.

6o'2 2( TACITURN <TAS)4)t/'n?

Silent! not talkative! holding one's tongue! reserved! uncommunicative! reticent A7E("i"sintC. :hallenging antonyms of t!citurn include #!rrulous Aword ? of Level 0C! lo-u!cious Aloh"I1&Y"shusC! effusive Ae"-YFF"siv! word *. of Level >C! and volu le AH&#L"yuh"bul! word * of Level 'C. T!citurn comes from the same Latin root as t!cit Aword @ in Level ,C. T!cit means unspoken! done or made in silence. T!citurn means silent by nature! preferring not to speak. T!citurn and reticent both mean not talkative! uncommunicative. Reticent suggests a disinclination to e$press one's feelings or supply information. T!citurn refers to a person who is habitually silent and withdrawn. & word of caution about reticent. (hough you increasingly hear people use reticent to mean reluct!nt! in careful usage these words are not synonymous. Reluct!nt means unwilling! hesitant! disinclined. Reticent means reluctant to speak.

6o'2 3( TERSE <'=.:es 74t= worse?

%rief and to the point! free of superfluous words! e$pressed in a pointed and polished way. Dore difficult synonyms of terse include concise! 'it$, AB)(#"eeC! succinct Asuhk"S)68I(C! and l!conic Aluh"I&#6"ik! word *? of this levelC. &ntonyms include lon#5winded! redund!nt! ver ose Aword .= of Level ,C! and 'roli8 Aword * of Level @C. 1oncise! succinct! and terse all suggest brevity! e$pressing something in a brief and direct way. 1oncise implies eliminating anything unnecessary or superfluous 2#er presentation was persuasive and concise.3 .uccinct implies getting the point across in the fewest possible words 2&n effective letter to the editor must be succinct.3 %y the way! )'m sure you've heard the beastly mispronunciation suh" S)68I(! which in recent years has become widespread among educated speakers. 8ood speakers don't say &SS"uh"dent for !ccident! uh"SEB( for !cce't! or suh"SEE5 for succeed! so there's no logical reason for saying suh"S)68I(. (ake care to pronounce the cc in succinct like %5s suhk" S)68I(.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS %ut let's get back to our keyword! terse. (erse writing or speech is brief! pointed! and polished. )t communicates smoothly and effectively! without digressions or e$cess words. Terse may also suggest e$pression that is blunt or brus/ue Arhymes with dus%C. & terse reply is brief and pointed! but it stops just short of being rude.

6o'2 4( BOON <'=.:es 74t= moon?

& blessing! timely and welcome benefit! something beneficial bestowed upon one! something to be thankful for. & oon once meant a favor or re/uest. )n stories of yoreof time long pastknights! courtiers! and all manner of supplicants would bow before their kings and /ueens and say! 2&s your humble servant! ) beseech you to grant me this boon.3 &re you wondering what su''lic!nt means4 & su''lic!nt ASE#B"li"kintC is a person who begs for something! and su''lic!tion is the act of begging for something humbly and earnestly. 8etting back to oon! the meaning 2favor! re/uest3 is now archaic Aahr" I&Y"ikC! or old"fashioned! and today oon is used to mean a blessing! a timely and welcome benefit! something to be thankful for! as in 2(his good weather is a boon3; 2#is efforts were a boon to their enterprise.3

6o'2 5( ,ROLETARIAT <,RO-)l/=)TAIR)ee)4t?

(he working class! especially the industrial wage"earning class! which earns its living by manual labor. (he adjective is 'rolet!ri!n AB7F#"luh" TAIR "ee"inC! of or relating to the working class. )n the philosophy of Iarl Dar$! the famous e$ponent Aek"SBF#"nint; do you need to look it up4C of communism! the proletariat comprises those members of society without property or capital who must sell their labor to survive. Prolet!ri!t comes through -rench from the Latin 'rolet!rius! which means a 7oman citi+en of the lowest class. (oday the word is still used to mean the lowest and poorest class of people in any society.

6o'2 ( -ETEROGENEOUS <-ET)/=)'o=)BEE)nee)/s?

Haried! composed of parts of different kinds! made up of unrelated or diverse elements! mi$ed! dissimilar! miscellaneous. (he opposite of $etero#eneous is $o&o#eneous A#F#"moh"BEE "nee" us! five syllablesC! of the same or similar nature or kind. (he prefi$ $o&o" means same! similar! like! as in $o&ose8u!l! attracted to the same se$; $o&o#eniAe! to blend! make similar or homogeneous; and $o&on,& A#&#D"uh"nimC! a word that is pronounced the same as another word but that has a different origin and meaning! such as f!ir and f!re.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS (he prefi$ $etero" means other! different! unlike! as in $eterose8u!l! attracted to the other se$; $eterodo8 A#E("ur"uh"dahksC! having an opinion different from the accepted opinion! the opposite of ort$odo8 AF7"thuh" dahksC; and $etero#eneous! varied! dissimilar! diverse! consisting of different elements or kinds.

6o'2 !( ,ITTANCE <,IT)Cns?

& small amount! portion! or share! especially a small or meager amount of money. 2#er inheritance was only a pittance3; 2#e received a pittance for his services3; 2Some people will work for a pittance if the job is rewarding.3 (hink of the pit of a fruit! which is small and hard! and you'll easily remember that a 'itt!nce is a s&!ll amount of money that is $!rd to live on.

6o'2 "( GLIB <'=.:es 74t= rib?

Smooth"spoken! speaking in a ready! fluent manner! with natural or offhand Synonyms of #li include su!ve! f!cile! l!nd! volu le Aword * of Level 'C! fli''!nt! and unctuous AE#68I"choo"usC. %y the way! ) really like the word unctuous. )t comes from the Latin un#ere! to anoint! which is also the source of the English word un#uent AE#68"gwentC! a medicinal ointment! salve AS&H or S&#HC. %y derivation unctuous means oily! fatty! having a greasy or soapy feel! and today unctuous is used to mean having a slimy! slippery! or smarmy manner. (he unctuous person appears agreeable or earnest! but in an affected! self" serving! and insincere way. Fur keyword! #li ! also has a slightly unpleasant aroma. )n general #li refers to the ability to speak or to something spoken in a smooth! easy! nonchalant way! but the word usually suggests a manner that is too smooth and easy to be convincing. 8lib answers may be thoughtless! ill" considered; glib proposals or solutions may be superficial; and a glib salesperson or a glib politician may be persuasive but insincere.

6o'2 #( ,ENC-ANT <,EN)9=4nt?

& liking! leaning! strong inclination! decided taste 2a penchant for sports!3 2a penchant for poetry!3 2a penchant for spicy food.3 Dore difficult synonyms of 'enc$!nt include 'ro'ensit,! a profound! often irresistible inclination; and 'roclivit,! a strong natural or habitual tendency! especially toward something objectionable or wicked. :areer criminals have a proclivity for violence. Successful businesspeople have a propensity for discerning the bottom line and making a profit. &nd many people have a penchant for chocolate! a strong liking! decided taste.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS

6o'2 13( SOLICITOUS <s/=)LIS)4)t/s?

:oncerned! showing care and attention! especially in a worried! an$ious! or fearful way. .olicitous suggests great concern! usually displayed by thoughtful care or hovering attention. )n this sense solicitous may be followed by the prepositions of! for! or ! out one may be solicitous ! out the outcome of an event! solicitous of a child! or solicitous for the welfare of another. .olicitous may also be used to mean eager! full of desire! willing. )n this slightly different sense it is followed by the preposition to and still conveys an$ious concern solicitous to gain the advantage; solicitous to know the results of the election; solicitous to go ahead with the plan.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following /uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page **=.
1. 1ould a year"end bonus help defray your holiday e$penses4 2. )s a garrulous or lo/uacious person also taciturn4 3. )s a terse speaker long"winded and tedious4 4. 1ould winning the lottery be a boon4 5. )s the aristocracy the opposite of the proletariat4 6. )s &merican society heterogeneous4 7. 1ill some people work for a pittance if the job is rewarding4 8. )s a glib speaker earnest and e$cited4 9. 1hen you have a penchant for something! do you find it

irritating or disagreeable4 10.:an you be solicitous about someone's health4 A @49t/: on @49t4on %ecause you are such an e$emplary Aword .@ of Level 0C student of vocabulary! ) know you have just looked up the word dictu& and discovered that it comes from the Latin dicere! to say! speak; that it means a formal pronouncement! an official opinion or decree; and that the plural is dict!. 5id you also check the word diction4 )t comes from the Latin dictus! the past participle of dicere! to say! speak! and it is often used today to mean vocal e$pression! specifically one's enunciation! the clarity and distinctness of one's speech. %ut the traditional meaning of the word! which is still in good standing! refers to one's selection of words with regard to clarity! accuracy! and variety. Your diction is your choice of words! manner of e$pression. )t differs from your vocabulary! which is the entire stock of words you possess. 8ood diction means using language that is clear! accurate! varied! and apposite A&B"uh"+itC! which means both relevant and appropriate. A(ake a moment to look up !''osite.C Boor diction means using a word or phrase in the wrong way or the wrong place! creating an inappropriate or illogical effect. Irre#!rdless is a classic e$ample of poor diction. 8rammarians have railed against this nonstandard word for years! but like a hardy cockroach it continues to crawl out of the illiterate woodwork into the light of conversation! and occasionally into the pages of the newspaper. (he proper word is re#!rdless! which means without regard. &dding the

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS privative! or negative! prefi$ ir" to re#!rdless creates a double negative. Irre#!rdless therefore means not without regard! or! more simply! with concern for. Ff course! that's just the opposite of what those who use irre#!rdless intend it to mean. Peruse Apuh"7FFMC also has become the victim of mounting abuse. Peruse once meant to use up! wear out! for the prefi$ 'er" means thoroughly! throughout! through to the end. You can see the prefi$ 'er" at work in the familiar words 'erfect! which combines 'er"! thoroughly! with the Latin f!cere! to make; and 'erenni!l! from 'er"! throughout! and the Latin !nnus! a year. (hus by derivation 'erfect means thoroughly made! and 'erenni!l means throughout the year. %ut let's get back to 'eruse. )n its traditional and still correct sense! 'eruse is a lovely word that means to read carefully and critically! e$amine closely! read through to the end. %ut in recent years people have begun using 'eruse to mean skim! browse! dip into or glance through. #ere's a sentence that misuses 'eruse! which ) found in a newspaper story on book collectors 2%uying at the rate of '= books a week has clearly made it impossible for him to read most of his purchases! though he strives at least to peruse each one.3 Broperly! the sentence should read like this 2%uying at the rate of '= books a week has clearly made it impossible for him to 'eruse most of his purchases! though he strives at least to s%i& each one.3 Boor diction is painfully apparent in the trendy substitution of the word reticent for reluct!nt. 1e discussed reticent earlier. 5o you remember what it means4 6ot talkative! not disposed to speak one's mind. )t's a synonym of t!citurn Akeyword , of this levelC! which you just learned means habitually silent or reserved. Reticent has come to be used by many educated speakers in place of the word reluct!nt. (hey say! 2) am reticent to talk about it!3 or 2#e is reticent to take action.3 (his substitution is a prime e$ample of what ) call the 2sounds" like syndrome!3 where a fancier word that sounds like a simpler word gradually takes over the simpler word's meaning! and sometimes loses its own specific meaning. (he confusion between reticent and reluct!nt is now so common that some dictionaries list them as synonyms. You should interpret that as recognition of the fre/uency of the error rather than as justification for committing it yourself. 5on't use reticent when you mean reluct!nt. You cannot be 2reticent to do something3 or 2reticent to speak.3 You can only be reluctant. & reluctant person is hesitant! disinclined! unwilling to do something. & reticent person is reluctant to speak.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS &nother error of diction ) am not reluctant to e$pose is the use of lo!t$e for lo!t$. ) have heard some of the most prominent broadcasters on radio and (H confuse and mispronounce these words! and ) have often seen the words confounded in printeven in the pages of such prestigious publications as T$e *ew )or% Ti&es. (he adjective lo!t$ Ano e at the endC is a strong synonym of reluct!nt. 1hen you are loath to do or say something! you are reluctant almost to the point of aversion or disgust. (he verb to lo!t$e Awith an e at the endC means to hate! despise. 1hen you loathe something! you find it disgusting or despicable. Lo!t$ and lo!t$e are distinguished not only in spelling and meaning but also in pronunciation. (he t$ in these words has a different sound. Lo!t$e ALF#(#C has a 2voiced3 t$ and rhymes with clot$e. Lo!t$ ALF#(#C has a 2voiceless3 t$ and rhymes with ot$. 5o not say you are loathe ALF#(#C to do something. Say you are loath ALF#(#C to do it. Last but not least! the words e&ul!te and i&it!te are fre/uently confused. (o i&it!te is to follow the e$ample of! take as a model. )f you imitate a person you act the same way that person acts. (o e&ul!te means to strive to e/ual or e$cel. )f you emulate a person you try to surpass or outdo that person's ability or achievement. (hus! a son may imitate his father's mannerisms! but emulate his skill in driving a car. & painter may imitate a masterpiece! or attempt to emulate the master. Your diction is important because it reflects the way you think. )n many situations! people judge you on your choice of words. )f you loathe ignorance but are loath to learn! you're not going to go very far. (o make a favorable impression! you must avoid imitating the poor habits of others and emulate the writers and speakers you admire. &nd one of the best ways to improve your diction is to read widely and peruse the dictionary.

Let's return now to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary. #ere are the ne$t ten keywords in Level .

6o'2 11( CIRCUMSCRIBE <s/')0/:)S*RAB or SUR)0/:) s0'.b?

(o limit! restrict! confine! hem in! fi$ the boundaries of. (he scri e in circu&scri e means to write! draw! and circu&" means around. Literally! circu&scri e means to draw a line around! encircle; figuratively! it means to enclose within narrow limits! restrict! confine the circumscribed routine of daily life; a law that circumscribes certain rights. You can see the combining form circu&" at work in many English words. 1ircu&st!nce combines circu&"! around! with the Latin st!re! to stand! and means literally 2that which stands around3; hence! a condition or factor

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS influencing a situation or surrounding an event. 1ircu&cision combines circu&" with incision to mean literally 2a cutting around.3 1ircu&vent combines circu&"! around! with the Latin venire! to go! and means to go around! bypass! especially in a clever or resourceful way 2She had to circumvent a lot of red tape to get the job done.3 -rom this somewhat circumlocutory ASE7"kum"LA-*"yuh"tor"eeC! or roundabout! discussion! can you guess the meaning of circu&n!vi#!te4 (hat's right )t means to navigate or sail around! as to circumnavigate the earth. Fur keyword! circu&scri e! means literally to draw a line around; hence! to enclose within narrow limits! fi$ the boundaries of 2& limited vocabulary can circumscribe your career and undermine your chances for success.3

6o'2 12( @EART- <'=.:es 74t= earth?

& lack! scarcity! insufficiency! inade/uate supply of something needed. & more difficult synonym of de!rt$ is '!ucit, AB&1"si"tee! word , of Level *=C. &ntonyms of de!rt$ include ! und!nce! sur'lus! e8cess! su'erfluit, ASFF"pur"&LOO"i"teeC! 'let$or! ABLE(#"uh"ruh! word *@ of Level <C! and surfeit ASE7"fit! word 0@ of Level ?C. 0e!rt$ is a noun formed from the adjective de!r. Something dear is precious! costly! highly valued. Literally! a dearth is a lack of something dear. 0e!rt$ is now used of any serious insufficiency or inade/uate supply a dearth of supplies; a dearth of hope; a dearth of opportunities in the job market.

6o'2 13( INGRATIATING <4n)GRAA)s=ee)AA)t4n8?

-lattering! attempting to win approval or curry favor! trying to gain acceptance! done to charm or please another. (he word unctuous AE#68I"choo"usC! which was discussed under #li ! keyword ? in this level! is a close synonym of in#r!ti!tin#. In#r!ti!tin# comes from the Latin in! which means in or into! and #r!ti!! grace. %y derivation in#r!ti!tin# means getting into the good graces of another. 5ictionaries and thesauruses often give c$!r&in#! 'le!sin#! and !#ree! le as synonyms of in#r!ti!tin#! but today the word is rarely used in a positive sense. )nvariably it has the negative suggestion of charming in an insincere way! pleasing in an attempt to win approval or curry favor! agreeable so as to get into the good graces of another 2Every time 5on walked by the boss's office or passed him in the hallway! he would flash a fake! ingratiating smile. (hat! and other unctuous gestures! soon made 5on's coworkers loathe him.3

6o'2 14( MERCENARA <MUR)s/=)NER)ee?

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 8reedy! done for payment only! motivated by a selfish desire for money or other reward. Synonyms include covetous and !v!ricious! which are discussed in word 0= of Level ,. 4ercen!r, is also close in meaning to the challenging word ven!l AHEE" nulC. Ven!l means corruptible! capable of being bribed or bought off a venal social climber; a venal politician. (he noun a &ercen!r, denotes a hired soldier! one who fights not for a cause or for love of country but for money. (he adjective &ercen!r, means done for payment only! motivated by greed 2#arry's interest in the deal was strictly mercenary.3

6o'2 15( EGTEM,ORIFE <e0)STEM)1/=)'.>?

(o improvise! to speak or compose with little or no preparation or practice! perform something in an offhand or unpremeditated way 2She delivered her speech using notes! but during the /uestion"and"answer session she e$tempori+ed.3 (o i&'rovise is the general word meaning to make up on the spur of the moment. You can improvise a speech! a tune on the piano! or a plan of action. 98te&'oriAe usually refers specifically to speaking in an offhand! spontaneous way. (he corresponding adjective e8te&'or!neous means spoken or composed with little or no preparation or practice. E$temporaneous remarks are impromptu! made up on the spur of the moment.

6o'2 1 ( ERU@ITE <t'a24t4onall.% ER)/=)@ATK no7 /s/all. ER)./=)@AT?

Learned! scholarly! possessing e$tensive knowledge ac/uired chiefly from books. 9rudite comes from the Latin erudire! to instruct! educate! polish! free from roughness or rudeness. (he corresponding noun is erudition! e$tensive knowledge ac/uired from reading books 2#e displayed his erudition with wit and grace.3 Beople and things can both be erudite. -or e$ample! erudite professors often write erudite studies of obscure subjects. 7eading Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will help you build an erudite vocabulary! which in turn will help you become a more erudite person! someone who possesses a wide store of knowledge. ) should point out that my pronunciation of erudite and erudition is slightly different from most educated speakers. (oday most people pronounce these words with a long u AIR"yoo"5Y( Aor AIR"yuh"C and &)7"yoo"@IS-

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS "un Aor &)7"yuh"C. (he interesting thing is that the speakers who prefer these long"u pronunciations rarely take pains to preserve the traditional long"u sound in dut,! !ssu&e! student! o''ortunit,! or 'relude Aproperly B7EL"yood! not B7&Y"loodC. Yet they have trained themselves to say AIR "yoo"5Y( and &)7"yoo"@IS-"un presumably because the cultivated sound of the long u complements the meaning of these words. (he long"u pronunciations of erudite and erudition are not incorrect. )n fact! they have been acceptable for several decades and all current dictionaries list them. #owever! to my hypercritical ear they smack of pseudosophistication! or sham erudition! because they ignore the etymologically significant rude dwelling within these words and illogically transform a short Latin u into a long English u. &nd so ) remain faithful to the older! though now less popular! pronunciations ER"uh"5Y( and E7"uh" @IS-"un. A-or more on the pronunciation of erudite! see my :i# :oo% of :e!stl, 4is'ronunci!tions.C

6o'2 1!( AUSTERE <a7)STEER?

Severe! somber! stern! serious! grim! grave! dour Aproperly rhymes with 'oor! not sourC. "ustere may mean severe or stern in appearance! manner! or practice. &n austere person is forbidding! somber! grave. &n austere lifestyle is characteri+ed by strict self"discipline or severe self"denial. &ustere surroundings have a dearth of creature comforts or decoration; they are grim and barren.

6o'2 1"( LACONIC <l/=)*A-N)40?

Esing few words! briefly and often bluntly e$pressed. L!conic comes from the 8reek l!%oni%os! a Spartan! a resident of the ancient city state of Sparta! which was renowned for its austere and warlike people. %y derivation l!conic refers to the SpartansJ reputation for rigorous self"discipline and reticence. Synonyms of l!conic include succinct! concise! terse! and 'it$,. 1e discussed some of these words earlier in this level! under terse Aword .C! but it's worth going over them again so you can clearly distinguish their meanings. .uccinct means e$pressed in the briefest! most compressed way possible a succinct update on the issue. 1oncise implies e$pression that is free from all superfluous words a concise letter of resignation. Terse adds to concise the suggestion of pointedness and polish a terse presentation. Pit$, refers to concise e$pression that is full of meaning and substance! that is both brief and profound pithy advice.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS L!conic e$pression may be either terse or pithy! but it also implies an abruptness that can seem brus/ue or indifferent. Gulius :aesar's three" word pronouncement! 2Veni> vidi> vici3 A) came! ) saw! ) con/ueredC! is one of the most famous laconic statements of all time. (here is also the anecdote about :alvin :oolidge! the thirtieth president of the Enited States! who was legendary for his taciturnity! e$treme reluctance to speak. &s the story goes! someone once approached :oolidge and said! 2Dr. Bresident! ) bet ) can make you say more than three words.3 1ithout hesitating or even cracking a smile! :oolidge shot back! 2You lose.3 6ow that's laconic wit. Like the ancient Spartans! the laconic speakers and writers of today are determined to use no more words than are necessary to get the point across! even at the risk of giving offense.

6o'2 1#( AMELIORATE </=)MEEL)./=)'a.t?

(o make or become better or more tolerable! improve! amend! correct! reform! rectify! raise the condition or state of. "&elior!te is used chiefly of improving something that needs help because it is inferior! oppressive! or intolerable. :ity officials may decide to ameliorate a run"down neighborhood. & charitable organi+ation may work to ameliorate the hapless condition of the homeless or the poor.

6o'2 23( EG,UNGE <e0)S,U-NB?

(o erase! delete! cancel; punch! strike! or wipe out; eradicate! obliterate. (o er!se means literally to rub or scratch out. You erase a blackboard or a pencil mark. (o c!ncel means literally to cross out with lines. You cancel a check or a clause in a contract. (o delete means to remove written material. Fn a computer you can delete a word! a paragraph! or an entire document with a few keystrokes or clicks of the mouse. (o e8'un#e means to wipe out something completely so it appears as though it had never e$isted to e$punge a name from a list; to e$punge all record of an event; to e$punge a word from your vocabulary.

Let's review the ten words you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page ***.
1. Listening

to

Ver !l

"dv!nt!#e

will

circumscribe

your

vocabulary.
2. )f a country has a dearth of food! its people may be starving.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS 3. (he ingratiating person uses flattery to win approval.
4. Dercenary motivations are high"minded and generous. 5. 1hen you speak off the cuff! you e$tempori+e. 6. &n erudite person lacks knowledge and cultivation. 7. (he happy"go"lucky person has an austere outlook on life. 8. & laconic speaker is long"winded and boring. 9. )f you ameliorate something! you make it better.

10.1hen you e$punge something! you remove all trace of it. 5id you remember to keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 5on't read ahead in the program until you can answer at least eight /uestions in these review /ui++es correctly.

#ere are the ne$t ten keywords in Level .

6o'2 21( CIRCUMS,ECT <SUR)0/:)s1e0t?

:areful! cautious! wary! watchful! carefully considering all circumstances before acting or making a judgment. Synonyms of circu&s'ect include discreet! vi#il!nt! and 'rudent Aword 0> of Level *C. Earlier in this level you learned the word circu&scri e! to limit! confine! restrict. &s in that word! the circu&" in circu&s'ect means around. (he second half of circu&s'ect comes from the Latin s'ecere! to look at carefully! observe. (he Latin s'ecere is also the source of the words s'ect!tor! one who looks on; s'ect!cle! something unusual to look at! an impressive display; and s'ect!cul!r! wonderful to behold. %y derivation! circu&s'ect means looking around carefully before making a decision or taking action! and that's the meaning of the word today. 1!reful implies close attention and concern; one is careful to pronounce words properly. 1!utious implies guarding against danger and risk; you should be cautious when crossing the street. 1ircu&s'ect implies a worried care! a nervous! wary cautiousness. (he circumspect person is concerned about unforseen circumstances and unfavorable conse/uences! and so is careful to avoid making an ill"considered move.

6o'2 22( IUIESCENT <07.)ES)4nt?

Still! /uiet! tran/uil! inactive! at rest or repose.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS &ntonyms of -uiescent include vi#orous! !ni&!ted! s'ri#$tl,! viv!cious! and e ullient Ai"%E#L"yint or i"%EEL"yintC. (he words l!tent! dor&!nt! and -uiescent are related in meaning. L!tent applies to something that has not yet been revealed a latent ability! a latent desire. 0or&!nt applies to something inactive or that seems asleep a dormant volcano! a dormant power. Duiescent suggests a temporary cessation of activity! a period of rest or repose the sea was /uiescent after the storm.

6o'2 23( &OIBLE <&OA)b/l?

& weak point! slight fault or flaw! minor failing! especially a weakness in a person's character. %y derivation foi le means the weak part of a sword! and it is related to the word fee le! weak! frail. & foible is not a serious defect in character but rather a minor flaw or weakness that is usually forgivable 2& penchant for rich desserts is her only foible.3

6o'2 24( &EREENT <&UR)v4nt?

Bassionate! having or showing great warmth or intensity of feeling! fiery! earnest! impassioned. Synonyms of fervent include ve$e&ent! !rdent! fervid! and Ae!lous AMEL"usC. &ntonyms of fervent include lu%ew!r&! listless! !'!t$etic! indifferent! i&'!ssive! and '$le#&!tic Afleg"D&("ik! word .. of Level @C. ;ervent and fervid both come from the Latin fervere! to boil! glow! and both are still used to mean very hot! boiling! glowing! burning. 1hen used of feelings! fervent suggests great warmth and earnestness. ;ervid is stronger and suggests intense! even violent emotion. & fervent speech or a fervent belief is fiery and passionate! but a fervid debate or a fervid protest is vehement! overheated! boiling over with passionate intensity.

6o'2 25( ,ROTRACT <1'o=)TRA*T?

(o draw out! drag out! e$tend in time! lengthen! prolong! especially to e$cess. &ntonyms of 'rotr!ct include ! A(7E#68"kaytC. revi!te! condense! curt!il! and trunc!te

Prolon# and 'rotr!ct both refer to increasing the duration of something. Prolon# suggests making it longer than usual! lengthening it beyond ordinary limits to prolong a meeting! a prolonged illness. Protr!ct comes

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS from the Latin tr!ct!re! to draw! drag around. )t suggests drawing or dragging something out needlessly! often to the point of irritation or boredom. & protracted trial is long and tedious. & protracted debate seems to drag on forever. &nd now! before you accuse me of protracting this discussion! ) shall curtail itcut it shortand move on to the ne$t word.

6o'2 2 ( OSTENTATIOUS <A-S)ten)TAA)s=/s?

Showy! e$tremely conspicuous! e$travagant! flamboyant; specifically! displayed or done in a flashy! vain manner. &ntonyms of ostent!tious include si&'le! 'l!in! &odest! and un!ssu&in# . Pretentious! 'o&'ous! and ostent!tious all refer to persons or things that are showy! e$travagant! and self"important. &ll three words are often used of style! as in writing! speech! fashion! art! music! or architecture. Pretentious means laying claim to a level of distinction or worth that is undeserved. (he pretentious person asserts his self"importance in a demanding! arrogant way. (hat which is pretentious draws attention to itself by strutting and bragging. Po&'ous means puffed up with e$aggerated self"importance. (he pompous person is full of solemn reverence for himself or his opinions. (hat which is pompous takes itself too seriously. /stent!tious emphasi+es conspicuousness and vanity. (he ostentatious person puts on an e$travagant show to impress others. Fstentatious clothing parades itself. &n ostentatious display of wealth is an e$aggerated! unnecessary show of wealth.

6o'2 2!( IUAN@ARA <*6A-N)2/=)'ee or *6A-N)2'.?

& state of uncertainty! perple$ity! or doubt. Predic!&ent! dile&&!! and -u!nd!r, all apply to situations or conditions that are difficult and perple$ing. & 'redic!&ent is a situation that is especially unpleasant or unfortunate 2Larry looked at his smashed"up car lying in the ditch! then at his mistress who was more smashed than his car! and he wondered how he had gotten himself into this predicament.3 0ile&&! Aword . of level 'C is often used today of any difficult problem or troublesome situation! but many good writers and speakers object to that as loose usage. 0ile&&! comes from the greek di"! meaning two! and le&&!! a proposition! and by derivation means a choice between two propositions. Strictly speaking! dile&&! should be used only of situations in which one faces a choice between e/ually undesirable alternatives! as 2(he soldiers who defended the &lamo faced a terrible dilemma to

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS surrender or die.3 & -u!nd!r, is a state of uncertainty or confusion that renders one unable to act. (o be 2in a /uandary3 means to be pu++led! full of doubts! and not sure what to do 2Gulie was in a /uandary over whether to look for a better job3; 2the thought of buying a new house put them in a /uandary they wanted a nicer place with more room for the kids! but could they afford it43

6o'2 2"( CENSURE <SEN)s=/'?

(o blame! condemn! find fault with! critici+e harshly! e$press stern disapproval of. Synonyms of censure include denounce! re'ri&!nd! and re're$end Arep"ri"#E65C. &ntonyms include co&&end! e8tol Aek"S(F#LC! and l!ud Arhymes with s!wedC. 1ensure is often used today to mean to reprimand formally! blame or condemn in an official manner! as 2(he Senate censured one of its members for unethical conduct.3 %ut you may also use censure less formally to mean to e$press stern disapproval of! critici+e harshly! as to censure an employee for lackadaisical performance. 1ensure usually implies condemnation of irresponsible behavior rather than condemnation of character. %e careful not to confuse the words censure and censor. (o censor ASE6"surC is to suppress or delete something objectionable! as to censor a book! or to censor unpopular opinions. (o censure ASE6"shurC is to blame! condemn! find fault with.

6o'2 2#( CAEIL <*AE)/l?

(o critici+e or complain unnecessarily! point out petty flaws! raise trivial or frivolous objections. Synonyms of c!vil include nit'ic%! ni##le! c!r'! and -ui le. &ll these words suggest making unnecessary criticisms or complaining about trivial things. & good editor corrects your grammar and punctuation but doesn't nitpick every sentence. & boss who niggles about every detail will eventually e$asperate the employees. #usbands and wives often carp at each other about household e$penses and domestic chores. Brofessors /uibble with their colleagues about minor points of scholarship. 6ewspaper critics will often cavil in their reviews just to assert their authority as critics. (o c!vil means to complain unnecessarily! point out petty flaws! raise trivial or frivolous objections.

6o'2 33( ASSIMILATE </=)SIM)4)la.t?

(o absorb! take in! incorporate! appropriate.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS )n physiology! !ssi&il!te means to absorb into the body! convert to nourishment! digest. )n general use! !ssi&il!te has two senses. )t may mean to absorb or take into the mind! comprehend! as to assimilate ideas! to assimilate new words into your vocabulary. )t is also commonly used to mean to adapt to or become absorbed by a system or culture 2&merican society is composed of generations of immigrants! some more assimilated than others.3 2#e feared that if he accepted the job! he would have to assimilate into the faceless machine of the bureaucracy.3

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. (his time )'m going to give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page ***.
1. 1ircu&s'ect and c!utious are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. "ni&!ted and -uiescent are9 3. ;l!w and foi le are9 4. ;ervent and i&'!ssive are9 5. (o 'rotr!ct and to curt!il are9 6. ;l!& o,!nt and ostent!tious are9 7. Du!nd!r, and 'redic!&ent are9 8. (o censure and to co&&end are9 9. (o c!vil and to -ui

le are9

10.(o ! sor and to !ssi&il!te are9 T=e EL1'ess Lane to Bette' @49t4on (o keep you on your toes about using the language properly! here's a little /ui+ ) think you'll enjoy. )'m going to ask you three /uestions! and in each one ) will make the same error of dictionmy choice of words. See if you can tell which word )'m misusing. #ere we go
1. 1ould you say there are more cars on the road now than there

were five years ago! or are there less4

2. 5o you think a stronger economy will cause less E.S.

companies to manufacture their products in foreign countries4 A) don't care whether you answer yes or no. Gust try to tell which word )'m misusing.C
3.(he last time you bought groceries! did you buy less than you did

the time before! or more4 Fkay! did you catch which word ) abused4 )f you guessed less! you're

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS right. )n each /uestion ) failed to make the proper distinction between less and fewer! a distinction that unfortunately is observed less and less these days by fewer and fewer people. Dany people incorrectly use less when fewer is re/uired. #ere's the difference. Less modifies /uantities! abstractions! things that are considered single or wholeless food! less time! less money. ;ewer modifies things that can be itemi+ed! enumerated! broken down into separate elements or parts fewer thoughts! fewer words! fewer mistakes. )n the /uestions ) posed a moment ago! instead of saying less ) should have said fewer cars! fewer companies! and fewer groceries! because cars! companies! and groceries all can be considered individually. (he use of less in place of fewer is so common nowadays that to many speakers fewer has come to sound stilted! even if they know it's correct. ) once edited a business manual that contained the following sentence 2&s prices increase! producers will offer more products for sale; as prices decrease! producers will offer less Aor fewerC products.3 (he author couldn't decide whether to use less or fewer! and so used both in a desperate attempt to satisfy all partiesthose who erroneously offer less products! and those who properly offer fewer of them. )f you think )'m just nitpicking or caviling about this fewerEless distinction! let me assure you that the error has a far"reaching effect on our daily lives. 1illiam Safire! who for years has been writing about language for T$e *ew )or% Ti&es 4!#!Aine! has said that 2the most power"intensive moment3 in the history of his column 2came when Safeway Stores was critici+ed for Q E$press Lane(en )tems or LessJ and promptly rectified the mistake.3 Safire boasted that 2millions of mothers take their tots through the checkout counters at that fine company under signs that now read Q(en )tems or -ewer.J3 ) never saw that correction in the Safeway stores where ) live. #owever! they did make one small change in the e$press"lane sign )t went from reading 2ten items or less3 to 2nine items or less.3 Berhaps out of guilt for compounding the error! a short while later Safeway sold out to the giant supermarket chain Hons. &ll was not lost! however. &fter the Hons people finished relocating the butter and spaghetti! rearranging the meat! and decorating the store with double"coupon banners! they finally got around to the wording on the e$press"lane signs. %ut instead of changing 2nine items or less3 to 2nine items or fewer!3 they simply ducked the diction issue altogether. (he e$press"lane signs now read! 26o more than nine items.3 ) hope you will take this little lesson on less and fewer to heart. (he ability

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS to distinguish between these words is one sign of a careful writer and speaker. Esing them properly won't make you less attractive or cause you to have fewer friends. &nd remember! the people who have less trouble in life are the ones who make fewer mistakes. So take care to use less when you're talking about /uantities! abstractions! or things that are considered single or whole! and use fewer when you're talking about things that can be itemi+ed! considered individually! or broken down into elements or parts.

&nd now it's time to move on and learn no fewer than the ne$t ten keywords in Level ..

6o'2 31( RESCIN@ <'4)SIN@?

(o cancel! take back! take away! remove; also! to render void! annul! repeal. Rescind comes from a Latin verb meaning to cut! and by derivation means to cut back or away; hence! to remove! cancel! take back something one has said or done. 1hen you rescind an order! rescind a contract! or rescind a law! you cancel it! make it void. 1hen you rescind a statement you take it back! remove it from the record.

6o'2 32( @ISCERNIBLE <24)SURN)4)b/l?

7ecogni+able! detectible! perceptible! capable of being recogni+ed by the senses or by the mind. Synonyms of discerni le include !''!rent! evident! distin#uis$! le! and &!nifest AD&6"i"festC. &ntonyms of discerni le include o scure! invisi le! indistinct! and i&'erce'ti le. 0iscerni le and the related words discern! discern&ent! and discernin# come from a Latin word meaning to sift! separate! distinguish between! and all of these words pertain to sifting or separating things in order to distinguish them. (he verb to discern means to recogni+e with the senses or the mind! especially to perceive something hidden or obscure the philosopher's goal is to discern the truth; the doctor's job is to discern the cause of a disease; the numismatistnAyCoo"D)M"muh"tist! an e$pert on coinscan discern the genuine from the counterfeit. (he noun discern&ent denotes the ability to make accurate distinctions or discriminate keenly and wisely. 5iscernment is what enables a good manager to hire the most capable! loyal employees. (he psychologist and the detective both must show discernment in reading people's character and assessing their motives. :hallenging synonyms of discern&ent include

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS !stuteness! !cu&en Auh"IYFF"menC! and 'ers'ic!cit, ABE7"spi"*AS"i" teeC. (he adjective discernin# means having or showing discernment! revealing knowledge or insight a wine taster must have a discerning palate; the person with a discerning eye has an e$ceptional ability to make subtle judgments or distinctions. (he adjective discerni le! our keyword! means distinguishable! perceptible! capable of being discerned 2(he faint light of dawn was barely discernible on the hori+on3; 2)ndustry analysts concluded that there was no discernible difference between the company's performance before and after the merger.3

6o'2 33( CATACLASM <*AT)/=)*LIF)H:?

& disaster! great mishap! catastrophe! violent upheaval. & dis!ster! a c!t!stro'$e! a c!l!&it,! a de !cle! and a c!t!cl,s& all refer to accidents! misfortunes! and sudden or violent changes. Let's e$amine these words in order. (he negative prefi$ dis" denotes the absence or reverse of what follows disli%e is an absence of affection! disco&fort is the absence of comfort! and dis!dv!nt!#e is the reverse of an advantage. )n the word dis!ster! dis" combines with the Latin !stru&! a star! to mean literally a reversal of the stars! an unfavorable horoscope; hence! an absence of luck! misfortune. (oday dis!ster refers to a great misfortune involving ruinous loss of life or property. (he sinking of the (itanic and the stock market crash of *@,@ were disasters. 1!t!stro'$e Akuh"(&S"truh"feeC combines the 8reek %!t!"! down! with stro'$e! turn! to mean literally a down"turning. Friginally c!t!stro'$e referred to the final turning point in a 8reek tragedy where things go down the drain. (oday c!t!stro'$e is used interchangeably with dis!ster! but properly dis!ster emphasi+es the unforeseen! unlucky aspect of an event and c!t!stro'$e emphasi+es its tragic and irreversible nature (he stock market crash of *@,@ was a disaster for 1all Street! but it was only the beginning of the economic catastrophe we now call the 8reat 5epression. & c!l!&it, Akuh"L&D"i"teeC is an event that produces great distress! hardship! or misery! particularly on a personal level (he death of a loved one is always painful! but there is no greater calamity than the death of a child. 0e !cle Adi"%&#"kulC refers by derivation to a violent breaking up of ice in a river. )t is often used today of any violent disruption or breakdown that leads to collapse or failure 2(he breakup of the former Soviet Enion was the debacle of communism3; 21hen :olosso :orporation laid off ,= percent of its workforce! company e$ecutives called it downsi+ing but

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS employees called it a debacle.3 Fur keyword! c!t!cl,s&! comes from a 8reek verb meaning to wash away or dash over. )n its original sense! still in good standing today! a c!t!cl,s& is a great flood! a deluge A5EL"yoojC! specifically the biblical flood that inundated the earth for forty days and forty nights. A%y the way! to inund!tepronounced )6"uhn"dayt or! less often! in"E#6"daytmeans to overflow or overwhelm.C )n current usage! c!t!cl,s& most often refers to a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change. (he adjective is c!t!cl,s&ic AI&(" uh"*LIF"mikC. & cataclysmic event may be geologicalsuch as a devastating earth/uake! fire! or floodor it may be social or political. Dany would say that 1orld 1ar )) was the greatest cataclysm in the tumultuous course of twentieth"century history.

6o'2 34( NARCISSISM <NA-R)s4)SIF)H:?

Self"love! e$cessive admiration of oneself. Synonyms of n!rcissis& include v!nit,! conceit! e#otis&! and !&our5 'ro're Aah"DFF7 B7&1B"ruh or B7&1B"urC. &ntonyms include $u& leness! &odest,! and $u&ilit,. *!rcissis& comes from 6arcissus Anahr"S)S"usC! a character in 8reek mythology who fell in love with his reflection in a pool of water. & n!rcissist is a person afflicted with narcissism! self"love! e$cessive admiration of one's appearance! abilities! or achievements. *!rcissistic is the adjective 2&my was sick of dating narcissistic men whose only topic of conversation was me! me! me.3

6o'2 35( INCRIMINATE <4n)*RIM)/=)na.t?

(o charge with a crime! accuse of wrongdoing! implicate! present evidence or proof of involvement in a wrongful act. You can see all but the last letter of the word cri&in!l in the spelling of incri&in!te. 1hen you incriminate someone! you accuse that person of doing something illegal or unethical. )ncriminating evidence corroborates a person's involvement in a wrongful act. &n incriminating statement is a statement that makes one appear guilty of wrongdoing.

6o'2 3 ( STIGMA <STIG):/=?

& mark of shame or disgrace! a moral blemish! a stain on one's character or reputation. .ti#&! comes directly from 8reek! and means literally a mark! brand! tattoo. )n its original but no longer common sense! sti#&! refers to a brand or scar made with a red"hot iron in the flesh of slaves and criminals. Later it came to be used of anything that branded a person as unwholesome or

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS disgraceful! a mark of shame! stain on one's character or reputation the stigma of divorce; the stigma of a bad credit rating. (he corresponding verb is sti#&!tiAe AS()8"muh"ty+C! to brand as shameful! set a mark of disgrace upon (he media rarely have an indifferent view of celebrities and politicians; they either praise them or stigmati+e them. (he plural of sti#&! is either sti#&!s or sti#&!t! Apreferably S()8"muh" tuh; )'ll elaborate in a momentC. .ti#&!s is the anglici+ed plural to !n#liciAe means to make English! conform to English modes of spelling! pronunciation! and usage. .ti#&!t!! the Latinate plural! is also an interesting word by itself. Specifically! sti#&!t! refers to marks resembling the wounds on the crucified body of Gesus :hrist that are believed to have been supernaturally impressed on the bodies of certain persons! such as St. -rancis of &ssisi. 6ow for a word of advice on pronunciation. -or the plural sti#&!t!! S()8" muh"tuh! with the stress on the first syllable! follows the Latin and 8reek accentuation and is the traditional English pronunciation. (he alternative pronunciation stig"D&#"tuh! with the accent on the second syllable! has been around since the *@,=s; it is now standard and listed first in some dictionaries. 5espite its popularity! however! stig"D&#"tuh is a pseudoclassical pronunciation; in other words! those who say it that way probably think they are following the proper classical accentuation. &lthough stig"D&#"tuh is not wrong! it carries a slight stigma of affectation. (here is no such stigma associated with the pronunciation S()8"muh"tuh! which ) recommend as having a longer tradition and greater authority.

6o'2 3!( BREEITA <BREE)4)tee?

Shortness! briefness! as the brevity of life! the brevity of a child's attention span. :revit, may also mean brief e$pression! shortness of speech! as 2-orcefulness and brevity are the most important characteristics of a good speaker.3 Synonyms of revit, in this sense include conciseness! succinctness Asuhk"S)68I("nis@! terseness! and 'it$iness. :rief and revit, both come from the Latin revis! short! the source also of the unusual word reve A%7EEH! rhymes with le!ve and #rieveC. & reve is one of the diacritical marks or symbols used to indicate pronunciation. )t's a small curve! like a tiny smile! placed over a vowel to indicate a short sound! as in the e in 'et or the ! in c!t. You've probably seen the breve many times in your dictionary without reali+ing what it is. 1ell! now when you see it again you'll know what it's called! and you will also know that the breve is a symbol for revit,! shortness! briefness.

6o'2 3"( ,ERIUISITE <,UR)074)>4t?

& benefit! incidental gain or reward; specifically! an e$pected or promised

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS benefit! privilege! or advantage received in addition to one's normal salary or wages. You may not have heard the word 'er-uisite before! but )'ll bet you're familiar with the noun 'er%! as in the phrase 2a job with good perks!3 meaning a job with good benefits and privileges. Gust as the word ennies has today become the popular! informal substitute for enefits! the word 'er% was created as a shorter! snappier! and informal synonym for 'er-uisite. %ut unlike enn, meaning benefit! which is recent slang and has yet to make it into a dictionary! 'er% dates back to the *?,=s. 6evertheless! 'er% did not appear in an &merican dictionary until the *@<=s! when 4erri!&56e ster7s T$ird *ew Intern!tion!l recorded it along with the label 2chiefly %ritish.3 Since then! however! 'er% has become fully standard in &merican usage! and because it has retained its informal flavor it is now more widely used than the original word! 'er-uisite. Per-uisite comes from a Latin noun meaning ac/uisition! and ultimately from a Latin verb meaning to ask or search for diligently. )n modern usage! 'er-uisite refers to a benefit or privilege accompanying a position. (he per/uisites of a job are the nice things you e$pect or that have been promised in addition to your salary. &n e$pense account! a company car! a commodious office! and a profit"sharing plan all are nice per/uisitesif you can get them.

6o'2 3#( IN@IGENT <IN)24)D4nt?

Boor! needy! penniless! impoverished! down"and"out. :hallenging synonyms of indi#ent include destitute and i&'ecunious A)D" pe"*AOO"nee"usC. (he impecunious person has little or no money 2Dany great writers have suffered through long periods of impecunious obscurity3; 2#e is a la+y! impecunious wretch posing as a gentleman.3 (he destitute person has no visible means of support 27alph's addiction to boo+e and gambling eventually left his family destitute3; 2the starving! destitute refugees of a war"torn nation.3 Indi#ent comes from the Latin indi#entis! in need! wanting. (he indigent person is down"and"out and in need of assistance or relief 2(hey built a new shelter for the homeless and the indigent3; 2Some people resent paying ta$es to support the indigent members of society.3

6o'2 43( CLAIREOAANT <0la4')EOA)4nt?

#aving e$ceptional powers of perception! unusually clear"sighted or discerning; specifically! able to see objects or events that others cannot! having e$trasensory perception or the power of divination. 1l!irvo,!nt comes through -rench from the Latin cl!rus! clear! and videre! to see. %y derivation cl!irvo,!nt means having the power to see clearly what others cannot. (he corresponding noun cl!irvo,!nce means

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS e$ceptional insight or perception! the ability to see things others can't. 1l!irvo,!nt may also be used to mean a person who supposedly possesses the power to see into the future! a medium! soothsayer. 1ith the advent of modern science! clairvoyance has fallen into disrepute. Yet economists continually attempt to be clairvoyant Athough they rarely areC! and many ordinary people e$perience occasional clairvoyant moments full of startling! e$ceptional insight.

Let's review the ten words you've just learned in another round of 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a word is followed by three ostensible synonyms. (wo of the three are true synonyms; one is unrelated in meaning. 5ecide which one of the three ostensible synonyms doesn't fit the word. &nswers appear on page **,.
1. (o rescind means to sei+e! cancel! remove. 2. 0iscerni le means recogni+able! perceptible! familiar. 3. & c!t!cl,s& is an uproar! catastrophe! disaster. 4. *!rcissis& means self"knowledge! self"admiration! self"love. 5. (o incri&in!te means to charge! e$pose! accuse. 6. & sti#&! is a design! mark! stain. 7. :revit, means shortness! briefness! rudeness. 8. & 'er-uisite is a benefit! favor! privilege. 9. Indi#ent means needy! poor! unlucky.

10.1l!irvo,!nt means uncanny! clear"sighted! discerning. 5id you keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 1ith eight or more correct answers! you may read on. Ftherwise! review the last ten keyword discussions.

6ow let's learn the final set of keywords in Level ..

6o'2 41( A@ROIT </=)@ROAT?

Skillful! clever! de$terous; specifically! showing skill in using one's hands or in using one's brains. Synonyms of !droit include deft! resourceful! in#enious! !rtful! and !de't Aword > of Level *C. &ntonyms of !droit include !w%w!rd! clu&s,! ine't! and &!l!droit AD&L"uh"@ROATC.

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS "droit comes from Latin through the -rench droit! right! and means literally 2to the right.3 #istorically! the English language has always favored the right hand as the better! more skillful hand. Yes! ) know that's unfair to southpaws! but my job is not to 2say it ain't so3 but to 2call Jem like ) see J em.3 (he fact is! a bias for right"handed words is ingrained in the language! which is one reason we don't say 2out in right field3 to mean cra+y! weird! unorthodo$. Let's take a brief look at some of these 2handy3 English words. (he Latin de8ter means on the right side! skillful. -rom de8ter we inherit the word de8terous! skilled with the hands or body. 6ow! here's where things get sinister for lefties. (he Latin sinister means left! on the left side! and also wrong! evil! unfavorable! adverse! the meaning of the English word sinister today. Beople who are ambide$trous are e/ually skillful or de$terous with both hands. :an you guess what the opposite of !& ide8trous is4 (he unusual word !& isinister means literally having two left hands! e/ually awkward with both hands. Latin is not the only language that favors righties and disdains lefties. (he -rench #!uc$e A8F#S#C means left! but also crooked! awkward! clumsy. +!uc$e entered English in the eighteenth century! and since then it has been used to refer to a person who is awkward! crude! or blundering! or to behavior that lacks culture or social grace. Fn the other hand Aso to speakC! from -rench we have also assimilated the word !droit! done with the right hand! and therefore skillful! clever! de$terous. "droit may refer to physical de$terity! but it is also often used of mental ingenuity; for e$ample! you can make an adroit maneuver in a wrestling match or in a game of chess. "droit also often implies e$hibiting either physical or mental de$terity to elude danger or e$tricate oneself from a difficult situation.

6o'2 42( ,LATITU@E <,LAT)4)t<.?oo2?

& flat! dull! ordinary remark! a trite statement or hackneyed saying! especially one uttered as if it were original or profound 2Bhil thought the management seminar was a big waste of time because the instructor kept repeating the same old platitudes he had heard many times before.3 Pl!titude comes from the -rench word for flat! and means literally 2a flat remark.3 Synonyms of 'l!titude include clic$N! truis& A(7FF"i+"'mC! and ro&ide A%7F#"mydC. Pl!titude also has several useful relatives. (he adjective 'l!titudinous ABL&("i"TAACOO"di"nusC refers to speech or e$pression that is dull! ordinary! commonplace! insipid! banal. (he verb to 'l!titudiniAe ABL&("i"TA ACOO"di" ny+C means to utter platitudes. &nd a 'l!titudin!ri!n ABL&("i"(AYCFF"di" NAIR"ee"inC is a person who habitually utters platitudes flat! dull! ordinary

GLOBAL RECRUITMENT & TRAINING CONSULTANTS remarks. )n Shakespeare's =!&let! the character Bolonius is considered a platitudinarian. )n bidding leave to his son Laertes! the pompous old adviser cannot resist sharing his favorite precepts! among them 26either a borrower nor a lender be!3 2(o thine own self be true!3 and 2(he apparel oft proclaims the man.3 (hese and many other e$pressions from Shakespeare have since become platitudesdull! ordinary statements uttered as if they were still meaningful and fresh.

6o'2 43( &ASTI@IOUS <fa)STI@)ee)/s?

E$tremely delicate! sensitive! or particular! especially in matters of taste or behavior; dainty! fussy! finicky! overnice fastidious table manners; a fastidious dresser; a fastidious worker who agoni+es over every detail of the job. ;!stidious may also mean hard to please! e$tremely picky or demanding! e$acting! critical to a fault a fastidious ear for music; fastidious in one's choice of friends; a fastidious client for whom a good job is never good enough. ;!stidious descends from Latin words meaning s/ueamish! disgusted! disdainful! and conceited. Dore than a trace of these unpleasant words remains in the way f!stidious is used today. (he fastidious person is so e$cessively concerned with details that he may become s/ueamish or disgusted if things are not just right. (he fastidious person may also be so hard to please! so critical and demanding! that she appears contemptuous of others. &ccording to the great 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! 2-astidious almost always means a somewhat proud or haughty particularity; a fastidious person is hard to please! because he objects to minute points or to some point in almost everything.3 .cru'ulous! &eticulous! 'unctilious! and f!stidious all suggest demanding standards and careful attention to every aspect or detail. .cru'ulous ASI7FF"pyuh"lusC means having scruples or principles;

hence! rigorously careful and e$act about doing what is correct and proper 2:ity officials called for a scrupulous investigation into the alleged embe++lement of public funds3; 2&ll employees must follow company regulations scrupulously.3 4eticulous Amuh"()I"yuh"lusC is often used today to mean painstaking! taking pains to attend to details or e$ercise care! as in 2(he report showed meticulous research!3 or 25octors must wash their hands meticulously before e$amining patients.3 %ear in mind! however! that &eticulous comes through the Latin &eticulosus! timid! from &etus! fear! and by derivation properly suggests e$aggerated attention to details or unimportant matters out of nervousness or timidity 2&lbert dressed for the interview with meticulous care! all the while reminding himself that making a good first impression was the key to getting the job.3 Punctilious Apuhngk"()L"ee"usC comes from the Latin 'unctu&! a point. -rom the same Latin 'unctu& comes the English word 'unctilio Apuhngk" ()L"ee"ohC! a fine point! nice detail. %y derivation! 'unctilious means e$act and often e$cessive attention to punctilios! to fine points or minute details! especially in observing customs! ceremonies! or procedures 2(he new e$ecutive director seemed to have Ro ert7s Rules of /rder memori+ed! for she cited chapter and verse as she guided the board through each item on the agenda with a stern and punctilious hand.3 ;!stidious means having e$tremely delicate! sensitive! or particular tastes; fussy! picky! or demanding in a condescending way. &s 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r,> second edition A*@.0C> puts it! f!stidious suggests 2a certain disdainfulness in rejecting what is displeasing to one's taste.3

6o'2 44( EEN@ETTA <ven)@ET)/=?

& bitter! protracted feud or rivalry. Vendett! comes through )talian from the Latin vindict!! revenge! vengeance! the source also of the English word vindictive Aword .@ of Level 'C! vengeful! seeking revenge. (he vindictive person feels he has been wronged and is disposed to retaliate; in certain cases this may lead to a vendett!! a long! bitter! and often violent feud. Vendett! refers specifically to the violent tradition! formerly practiced in )taly! Sicily! and :orsica! of revenging the murder of a relative by killing the murderer or a member of his family. Ff course! such private! e$tralegal vengeance usually leads to further retaliation! until a murderous rivalry ensues. %oth in )talian and in English! these protracted blood feuds are known as vendett!s. &nyone who's seen the +odf!t$er film trilogy knows that vendettas are still common among the &merican Dafia! and they can last for generations. )n English! vendett! may also be used more generally to mean any long!

bitter feud or rivalry! not necessarily between families and not necessarily attended by bloodshed 2(he mayor accused her opponent of waging a vendetta instead of a campaign.3 2&t first Steve was e$cited about his new managerial position with Eye"for"an"Eye )ncorporated! but he soon reali+ed that the company was run by backstabbing e$ecutives engaged in vicious departmental vendettas.3

6o'2 45( LUCI@ <LOO)s42?

:lear! easy to see or understand! plainly e$pressed. Lucid is also commonly used to mean clear of mind! mentally sound! rational! sane 2#is ninety"year"old mother is senile! but she still has some lucid days.3 Synonyms of lucid in the first senseclear! easy to understandinclude intelli#i le! co&'re$ensi le! li&'id AL)D"pidC! and 'ers'icuous Apur"SB)I"yoo"usC. &ntonyms include &ur%,! o scure! efuddled! ne ulous Aword ' of Level ,C! !& i#uous Aword ,' of Level ,C! and ! struse Aab"S(7FFS! word ' of Level <C! which means complicated! hard to understand. &nything that is clearly understood or plainly e$pressed can be described as lucid a lucid e$planation; a lucid /uestion; a lucid account of the issues. (he unusual but useful word 'ellucid Apuh"LFF"sidC intensifies the meaning of lucid; 'ellucid means e$ceptionally clear! e$tremely easy to see or understand.

6o'2 4 ( SALIENT <SAA)lee)4nt?

:onspicuous! noticeable! prominent; sticking or jutting out. Synonyms of s!lient include 'rotrudin#! &!nifest AD&6"i"festC! o trusive Auhb"(7FF"sivC! and 'rotu er!nt Aproh"(AYCFF"bur"intC. &ntonyms include incons'icuous! un!ssu&in#! uno trusive! indiscerni le! and unostent!tious Auhn"&#S"ten"TAA"shusC. .!lient comes from the Latin verb s!lire! to leap! jump! spring. (hat which is s!lient seems to leap out at you! jump into view! or spring forward to command your attention. Beople often have salient noses or other salient physical features. & salient characteristic is a person's most conspicuous or noticeable characteristic. & salient wit is forceful and prominent. .!lient may apply to things that are attractive or unattractive. Salient beauty and salient ugliness are both striking and conspicuous; they leap out at you with e/ual force.

6o'2 4!( CATEGORICAL <*AT)/=)GOR)4)0/l?

&bsolute! un/ualified! /ualifications. e$plicit; without e$ceptions! conditions! or

&ntonyms of c!te#oric!l include !& i#uous Aword ,' of Level ,C! and

dou tful! du ious! indefinite! eni#&!tic! and e-uivoc!l. )n the philosophy of logic! a categorical proposition affirms something absolutely without resorting to conditions or hypothesis. )n the philosophy of ethics! )mmanuel Iant's famous categorical imperative is! as the third edition of T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, puts it! 2an unconditional moral law that applies to all rational beings and is independent of any personal motive or desire.3 )n general usage! c!te#oric!l refers to statements or assertions that are absolute! un/ualified! direct and e$plicit. & categorical reply is direct and e$plicit; a categorical refusal is complete and unconditional; a categorical denial is absolute and un/ualified. &lthough c!te#oric!l may be used of any utterance that is absolute and un/ualified! today it often suggests a statement or state of mind that is rigid! narrow! arrogant! or arbitrary. & categorical decision may seem universal to some but unfair and arbitrary to others. &nd when someone calls a creed or opinion categorical! the implication is that some assert that it is absolute while others believe it is narrow"minded or false.

6o'2 4"( INSCRUTABLE <4n)S*ROO)t/=)b/l?

)ncomprehensible! unfathomable! e$tremely difficult to understand! not open to investigation or analysis. Synonyms of inscrut! le include &,sterious! i&'enetr! le! esoteric AES"uh"TER"ik! word ,@ of Level 'C! !rc!ne Aahr"I&Y6C! and ! struse Aword ' of Level <C. &ntonyms include co&'re$ensi le! lucid Aword 0' of this levelC! and 'ers'icuous Apur"SB)I"yoo"usC. Inscrut! le combines the negative prefi$ in"! which means not! with the Latin scrut!ri! to e$amine! inspect! search thoroughly. .crut!ri is also the source of the English words scrutiniAe! to investigate! e$amine closely! and scrutin,! a close e$amination. %y derivation inscrut! le means incapable of being scrutini+ed! not able to be e$amined or investigated. &nything that cannot be fathomed! that does not open itself readily to the understanding! may be called inscrutable. Dany of the workings of nature are inscrutable! even to biologists. #uman nature and the functions of the mind are still inscrutable to psychiatrists and neurologists. &nd even to philosophers and theologians the meaning of life is stilland probably always will beinscrutable. 6ow for some advice on usage :hances are you've heard inscrut! le used in the phrase 2an inscrutable smile.3 (hat's a clichN! a hackneyed e$pression. Enless you're trying to be humorous! it's best to avoid it altogether. 1hen you use inscrut! le! strive for an original turn of phrase. &nd one other word of caution )n the past! perhaps because of the popularity of the fictional characters -u Danchu and :harlie :han! the word inscrut! le was often applied to &sians or to the &sian race. You should be aware that today this use is considered not only clichN but also

derogatory and offensive.

6o'2 4#( CONSTRUE <0/n)STROO?

(o interpret! e$plain the meaning or intention of. 1onstrue comes from the same Latin source as the familiar words construct and construction. Fne less common meaning of the word construction is an e$planation or interpretation; in this sense! to put a construction on somethingsuch as a statement or an actionmeans to assign a meaning to it! e$plain its significance or intent. -or e$ample! in every case decided by the Enited States Supreme :ourt! the role of the justices is to put their particular construction on how the :onstitution shall influence the law of the land. %y derivation! the verb to construe means to put a particular construction on something! to interpret it! e$plain its underlying meaning or intention. Silence is often construed as agreement. &n ambiguous reply is difficult to construe. Some men insist on construing that when a woman says no! she really means yes. )f your boss asks you why you were late to work three days in a row! while you dream up an e$cuse you can buy time by responding! 2)'m not sure how to construe your /uestion.3

6o'2 53( ALLU@E </=)LOO@?

(o refer to something indirectly! make a casual reference. Synonyms of !llude include A)6"ti"maytC. &ntonyms include Ai"6AYCFF"mur" aytC. su##est! $int! insinu!te! and inti&!te indic!te! s'ecif,! det!il! and enu&er!te (o !llude and to refer are synonymous but differ markedly in usage. (o refer is to mention something specifically! point it out distinctly (he 5eclaration of )ndependence refers to 2life! liberty! and the pursuit of happiness3 as 2unalienable rights.3 (o !llude is to refer to something indirectly or casually! without mentioning it. & political candidate might allude that an opponent has a skeleton in the closet. )n a report or proposal you might allude to a study that supports your point without citing it directly. Someone who is afraid of heights might allude to a disturbing childhood e$perience as the source of the phobia. (he corresponding noun is !llusion Auh"LFF"+hunC. &n !llusion is an indirect! casual! or passing reference 2(he novel contains many allusions to Shakespeare3; 2Fnly by allusion did the article suggest that the company was in financial trouble.3

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. (his time )'m going to give you the review word followed by three words or phrases! and you

decide which of those three answer choices comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page **,.
1. )s an !droit maneuver skillful! /uick! or deceptive4 2. )s a 'l!titude a strong opinion! a trite statement! or an

embarrassing error4
3. )s a f!stidious person thoughtful and patient! pushy and

obno$ious! or fussy and demanding4

4. )s a vendett! a bitter feud! an official reprimand! or an apology4 5. )s a lucid remark humorous! clear! or insightful4 6. 5oes s!lient mean superior! well known! or conspicuous4 7. )s a c!te#oric!l statement contradictory! argumentative! or

absolute4
8. 1ould something inscrut! le be irreparable! incomprehensible!

or unusual4
9. 5oes construe mean to assemble! to interpret! or to agree4

10.1hen you !llude to something! do you reveal it! run away from it! or refer to it indirectly4 7emember that if you answered fewer than eight of the /uestions correctly! you should review the keyword discussions for this last section before moving on to Level 0. ,/tt4n8 Ao/' Ne7 6o'2s to 6o'0 6ow let's talk about the final stage in the process of vocabulary building putting your new words into action. 1hat are you going to do with all these new words you are working so hard to learn4 ) mentioned earlier how words are the tools of thought. (hey are! in fact! like finely engineered pieces of machinery in the sense that they are designed to perform a specific function with precision. )f a carpenter drives a large nail into a slender piece of wood! the wood will split. So it is with sentences. )f a word is too complicated or too simple! if it is forced or awkward! or if its meaning does not fit the conte$t e$actly! the sentence becomes faulty and useless! like that split piece of wood. (here's an anecdote my family has passed down for generations that illustrates this point. Dy great"grandfather was a dyed"in"the"wool Yankee from &ndover! 6ew #ampshire. #e divided his time between practicing law! dabbling in state politics! and running a small farm on which he employed! from time to time! a handyman named 8eorge. 1ell! one day 8eorge decided to build himself a new house. So that spring he went to work! sawing and hammering! and by harvest time the dwelling was finished. 8eorge invited my great"grandfather over to admire his handiwork. Dy great"grandfather walked slowly around the place!

inspecting everything. (hen he stepped back and e$amined the structure from a distance. 21ell! whaddaya think43 8eorge asked! worried by my great" grandfather's pu++led e$pression. 28eorge!3 said my great"grandfather! 2does that doorframe look a bit crooked to you43 2%y golly it does! now that you mention it.3 2&nd that window! there. )t seems to be lower than the one ne$t to it.3 2You know! you're right!3 8eorge replied. 2) never noticed that before.3 2&nd 8eorge! look at the roof. Seems to be sagging some! wouldn't you say43 (he poor handyman had to agree. 21ell43 said my great"grandfather. 8eorge was silent for a moment. 2You know! ) can't understand it!3 he said finally. 2(hem tools was all new.3 1ords are like tools also in the sense that if you care about them! keep them in good working order! and use them conscientiously! they will perform beautifully and never wear out. %ut if! like 8eorge! your tools are all new but you don't know how to use them properly! you are setting yourself up for a few unpleasant surprises. (hat's the challenge of taking the step from ac/uiring a new word to using it in your writing and conversation. #ow and when you use the words you learn will of course be your decision and your responsibility. %ut ) can offer you some guidelines that will help you put your new vocabulary into action right away! and help you enjoy doing it right and doing it well. (he first thing you should do with every new word is try it out silently in your mind several times before using it in speech or writing. Say you're in the middle of a telephone conversation and you think of an adroit way to slip in one of the words you've just learned. 8reatT You're on your way to mastering the word. %ut waitdon't use it yet. Let it pass this time! and make a mental note to check Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! and your dictionary! to be sure that your usage and pronunciation were correct. )f they were! then the ne$t time you can use the word with assurance. )f you didn't get it /uite right! listen to the keyword discussion again! then record the word and the definition on a flashcard and review it until you feel confident you can use it precisely. Sometimes the hardest part of learning new words is putting them in conte$t. (he problem with ac/uiring a miscellaneous assortment of words is that they tend to remain miscellaneous! floating in the gray matter of your passive vocabulary instead of being catalogued in the proper cubbyhole of your active memory. You need to create a vivid! personal conte$t for each word you learn! and this is where the power of association can help you. (ry making a list of a do+en or so new words! and ne$t to each one write something that particular word brings to mind. E$amples might include

people you know! places you've been! books you've read! e$periences you've had! or some image the word evokes from you. Fne effective method ) have employed in my own vocabulary building is associating a word with the circumstances in which ) first encountered it. 1here did ) read it4 1ho said it4 1hat was my reaction to the way it sounded or the way it was used4 %y using this method! ) have found ) can remember where and when ) learned a certain word! even as far back as my childhood. &nother helpful method is to keep a journal or personal notebook in which! as you record your thoughts and e$periences! you occasionally test out some of your new words! and so gain practice with them before putting them to more public use. #ere are a few other pragmatic suggestions to help you build confidence in employing your new vocabulary Got down three or four words you want to use on a given day! and on the way to work imagine a conversation with a coworker in which you use them! or try to incorporate them into a letter or report you have to write. )n your office! place your list of new words by the phone! the typewriter! or the computer! so you can refer to it as you conduct your business. -inally! if you encounter a new word in your reading and the passage in which you found it is especially interesting or meaningful to you! you might try memori+ing the passage and /uoting it in something you write or at an opportune moment in a meeting. Fne very important thing you must do with each word you learn is decide if it is better used in writing or in speech! or if you are comfortable using it either way. -or e$ample! a word like l!c$r,&ose AL&I"ri"mohsC doesn't occur often in speech! and has a literary and somewhat old"fashioned flavor. (herefore! in conversation! te!rful! &ournful! or even l!&ent! le would be more appropriate. Fn the other hand! the words lucid and 'ers'icuous can be used either in writing or conversation where the simpler word cle!r would not have the same power! precision! or style. )n conclusion! let me offer you a few words of advice on what not to do when you put your vocabulary into action. 5on't try to use a new word too soon! before you have studied it and tested it repeatedly in your mind. 1ait until you feel entirely comfortable with a word; otherwise you run the risk of misusing it and embarrassing yourself. 5on't use a new word just for the sake of using it. )f you suspect that a familiar word may be more appropriate in a given situation! use the familiar word. %e patient and the time for the new word will come. &lso! don't lard your sentences with difficult words simply for the effect. ) assure you that this sort of e$ercise is e$citing only for you! never for your listener or reader. 7emember that the goal of communication is to be lucid! not inscrutable. Like your wardrobe! your diction doesn't have to be

ostentatious to look good. (he final and very important 2don't3 is don't use your vocabulary to impress people. (hat's like flashing a wad of bills to show everyone how flush you are. (he person who shows off with words only annoys or intimidates others. (he big word is not always the better word; certain words are more appropriate in a given situation than in others. 1hen choosing your words! always consider the intelligence! education! interests! and concerns of the person you are speaking to or the people who will read what you write.
(hat's not to say that you'll never be able to use many of the words you learn. Fn the contrary! a large vocabulary will make you a more capable and versatile user of the language because you will have a greater selection of words to choose from and a better understanding of how to use them precisely.

& powerful vocabulary will help you communicate more effectively than ever before! provided you are sensitive to the subtleties of using the right word in the right place at the right time. ) assure you that if you continue with this program and make a conscious effort to read more and consult your dictionary! using your new vocabulary soon will become as natural as riding a bicycle or tying your shoes.

Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level 3

*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. Yes! it certainly would. 0efr!, means to pay! provide money for!

cover the cost or e$penses of.

2. 6o. +!rrulous and lo-u!cious mean talkative. T!citurn means

habitually silent! uncommunicative! reticent.

3. 6o. Terse means brief and to the point! e$pressed in a pointed

and polished way.

4. Yes! you bet it would. &

oon is a blessing! something to be thankful for! a timely and welcome benefit.

5. Yes. "ristocr!c, means literally 2rule by the best persons3; the

aristocracy comprises the wealthiest and most powerful members of society. (he 'rolet!ri!t is the working or wage" earning class! which comprises the poorest and least powerful members of society.
6. Yes! it is. =etero#eneous means varied! mi$ed! composed of

different kinds! made up of unrelated or diverse elements.

7. Yes. & 'itt!nce is a small amount of money. 8. 6o. +li

means smooth"spoken! speaking fluently in an easy! offhand manner! talkative in a nonchalant way.

9. 6o. & penchant is a liking! strong inclination! decided taste for

something. 10.Yes. .olicitous means concerned! showing care and attention! especially in a worried! an$ious! or fearful way.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. Etterly false. 1ircu&scri e means to enclose within narrow

limits! restrict! confine. (he goal of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is to broaden your knowledge of words. (rue. 0e!rt$ means a lack! scarcity! insufficiency! an inade/uate supply of something needed. 2. (rue. In#r!ti!tin# means flattering! attempting to win approval or gain acceptance! done to charm or please another.
3. -alse. 4ercen!r, means greedy! done for payment or reward. 4. (rue.

(o e8te&'oriAe means to improvise! speak without preparation! compose on the spur of the moment. knowledge ac/uired chiefly from books.

5. -alse. 9rudite means learned! scholarly! possessing e$tensive 6. -alse. "ustere means severe! stern! somber! grim! serious in

appearance or character.
7. -alse. L!conic means using few words! briefly and often bluntly

e$pressed.
8. (rue. "&elior!te means to improve! make more tolerable! rectify!

raise the condition or state of.

9. (rue. (o e8'un#e means to eradicate; obliterate; punch! strike! or

wipe out completely.

*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. Synonyms.

1ircu&s'ect means cautious! discreet! carefully considering all circumstances before acting or making a judgment. /uiet! tran/uil! at rest or repose.

2. &ntonyms. "ni&!ted means lively! energetic. Duiescent means still! 3. Synonyms. & foi le is a weak point! slight fault or flaw! especially a

weakness in a person's character.

4. &ntonyms. I&'!ssive means showing no sign of feeling. ;ervent

means passionate! earnest! showing great warmth or intensity of feeling.

5. &ntonyms. (o curt!il means to abbreviate! cut short. (o 'rotr!ct

means to drag out! lengthen! prolong.

6. Synonyms. /stent!tious means showy! e$tremely conspicuous!

e$travagant! flamboyant.

7. Synonyms!

but not e$act synonyms. & 'redic!&ent is an unpleasant or unfortunate situation. & -u!nd!r, is a state of uncertainty! perple$ity! or doubt. 8. &ntonyms. (o censure means to blame! condemn! find fault with! critici+e harshly! e$press stern disapproval of. 8. Synonyms. (o c!vil means to critici+e or complain unnecessarily! point out petty flaws! raise trivial or frivolous objections. 10.Synonyms. (o !ssi&il!te means to absorb! take in.
*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. .eiAe doesn't fit. (o rescind is to cancel! take back! remove! render

void! annul.
2. ;!&ili!r doesn't fit. 0iscerni le means recogni+able! detectible!

perceptible! capable of being recogni+ed by the senses or by the mind.

3. ('ro!r doesn't fit. & c!t!cl,s& is a disaster! great mishap!

catastrophe! violent upheaval.

4. .elf5%nowled#e doesn't fit. *!rcissis& means self"love! e$cessive

admiration of oneself.
5. 98'ose doesn't fit. Incri&in!te means to charge with a crime!

accuse of wrongdoing! implicate! present evidence or proof of involvement in a wrongful act.

6. 0esi#n doesn't fit. & sti#&! is a mark of shame or disgrace! a stain

on one's character or reputation.

7. Rudeness doesn't fit. :revit, means shortness! briefness! or brief

e$pression! shortness of speech.

8. ;!vor doesn't fit. & 'er-uisite is an e$pected or promised benefit!

privilege! or advantage received in addition to one's normal salary or wages.

9. (nluc%, doesn't fit.

Indi#ent means poor! needy! penniless! impoverished! down"and"out.

10.(nc!nn, doesn't fit. (nc!nn,! word 0 in Level *! means eerie! strange! mysterious. 1l!irvo,!nt means having e$ceptional powers of perception! unusually clear"sighted or discerning; specifically! able to see objects or events that others cannot.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. &n adroit maneuver is skillful! clever! de$terous. "droit means

showing skill in using one's hands or in using one's brains. 2. & 'l!titude is a flat! dull! ordinary remark! a trite statement! especially one uttered as if it were original or profound.
2. ;!stidious means fussy and demanding; hard to please! finicky;

e$tremely delicate! sensitive! or particular! especially in matters of

taste or behavior.
3. & vendett! is a bitter! protracted feud or rivalry. 4. & lucid remark is clear. Lucid means clear! easy to see or

understand! plainly e$pressed. )t may also mean clear of mind! rational! sane.
5. .!lient means conspicuous! noticeable! prominent; sticking or

jutting out.
6. & categorical statement is absolute. 1!te#oric!l means without

e$ceptions! conditions! or /ualifications.

7. Something

inscrut! le is incomprehensible! unfathomable! e$tremely difficult to understand! not open to investigation or analysis.

8. 1onstrue means to interpret! e$plain the meaning or intention of.

10.1hen you !llude to something you refer to it indirectly! make a casual reference to it.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level 3

1. 1hat does innocuous mean4 (a) not guilty (b) unhealthy (c) harmless (d) secret 2. 1hich pair of phrases shows the proper singular and plural forms4 (a) this criteria! these criterion (b) this criterion! these criterias (c) this criteria! these criterions (d) this criterion! these criteria (e) this criteria! these criterias

1hich word means one's choice of words! manner of e$pression4 (a) grammar
(b) enunciation (c) diction (d) synta$ 4. (he vocabulary coverage of paperback! or pocket! dictionaries is (a) anglici+ed

(b) obsolete (c) categorical (d) circumscribed 5. 1hich word means the history of a word or the study of the history

of words4
(a) (b) etymology 6. 1hich is not a meaning of the prefi$ &!l" (a) unusual (b) abnormal (c) inade/uate (d) bad 7. 1onnot!tion refers to (a) the e$plicit meaning of a word (b) the implied meaning of a word (c) the earliest meaning of a word (d) the various meanings of a word 8. +!rrulous! lo-u!cious! and volu le are antonyms of (a) platitudinous (b) caviling (c) taciturn (d) punctilious 9. )n careful usage! which word is not synonymous with reluct!nt4 (a) hesitant (b) disinclined (c) unwilling (d) reticent

entomology

10.1hich word is an antonym of terse4

(a) pithy (b) verbose (c) succinct (d) laconic

11.1hich is the proper pronunciation of succinct4

(a) suhk"S)68I( (b) suh"S)68I(

12.1hich word means the act of begging for something humbly and earnestly4
(a) e$tempori+ing (b) supplication (c) ingratiation (d) amelioration 13.)n

good usage! which preposition does not properly follow solicitous4

(a) on (b) to (c) of (d) for (e) about

14.1hich word means having an opinion different from the accepted opinion4 ?!@ mercenary
(b) indigent (c) heterodo$ (d) stigmati+ed

15.1hich pair of words is not synonymous4

(a) voluble! glib (b) unctuous! suave (c) bland! facile (d) ostentatious! flippant

16.Pro'ensit, and 'roclivit, are synonyms of

(a) foible (b) /uandary (c) penchant (d) per/uisite

17.%y derivation! cl!irvo,!nt means

(a) having the ability to speak well (b)

having the power to see clearly

(c) having e$ceptional intelligence (d) having no doubt or fear 18. 0iction and dictu& come from the Latin dicere! which means (a) to know (b) to say (c) to write (d) to choose

19.1hich word means relevant and appropriate4

(a) (b) fastidious (c) pellucid (d) gauche

apposite

20.1hat is the traditional and precise meaning of 'eruse4 to skim

(a) (b) (c)

to use up to read carefully to pu++le over ) am loath to do it. ) am loathe to do it. ) am loathed to do it. within between around under brevity per/uisite paucity plethora

21.1hich sentence is correct4

(a) (b) (c)

22.(he prefi$ circu&" means

(a) (b) (c) (d)

23.1hich word is an antonym of de!rt$4

(a) (b) (c) (d)

24.1hich word is not a synonym of &ercen!r,4

(a) (b) (c) (d)

avaricious scrupulous venal

covetous

25.E$temporaneous remarks are

(a) verbose (b) impromptu (c) rehearsed (d) digressive

26.1hich word denotes the opposite of l!conic4

(a) concise (b) succinct (c) garrulous (d) reticent

27.1ircu&s'ect! s'ect!cul!r! and s'ect!cle come from the Latin s'ecere! which means
(a) to enjoy (b) to look at (c) to be ama+ed (d) to wonder

28.1hich pair of words is not antonymous Aopposite in meaningC4

(a) impassive! ardent (b) phlegmatic! +ealous (c) vehement! listless (d) lukewarm! indifferent (e) fervid! apathetic

29.%y derivation! dile&&! means

(a) a pu++le (b)

a problem without a solution

(c) a choice between two propositions (d) an unlucky turn of events

30.1hich statement is true4 ?!@ 21e want fewer ta$es3 is correct usage.

? @21e want less ta$es3 is correct usage. ?c@21e want fewer ta$es3 and 21e want less ta$es3 are both correct usage.
31. Pers'ic!cit, and !cu&en are synonyms of (a) impecuniousness (b) (c) meticulousness

discernment

?d@ salience 32.1hich word means to make English4

(a) anglici+e (b) e$tempori+e (c) homogeni+e (d) platitudini+e

33.1hich word by derivation means a reversal of the stars! unfavorable horoscope4

(a) catastrophe (b) calamity (c) cataclysm (d) disaster

34.1hich word comes directly from a Latin word that means left! on the left side4
(a) ambiguous (b) sinister (c)

salient
(d) adroit

35.1hich word is an antonym of inscrut! le4

(a) abstruse (b) incomprehensible (c) lucid (d) esoteric Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions

correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Level 4
:ongratulationsT 1hy are congratulations in order4 %ecause you are making terrific progress. Since you began reading this book you have probably more than doubled your normal rate of vocabulary growth. You have also absorbed more useful information on language than most people learn in a year of college or several years on the job. &t the rate you're proceeding! your verbal skills soon will match those of the most intelligent and successful people you know. So keep reading! and remember always to review the material before moving ahead.

6o'2 1( ,ROEI@ENT <,RA-E)4)24nt?

(hrifty! economical! saving or providing for future needs. Synonyms of 'rovident include 'rudent! word 0> of Level *! and fru#!l! word .' of Level ,. Provident and the verb to 'rovide both come from the same Latin root. Fne meaning of the verb to 'rovide is to prepare for some anticipated condition in the future! as to provide for a rainy day. Provident means providing for the future! especially in the sense of saving money for some anticipated need 2&fter the birth of their first child! Sam and Sarah vowed to be provident and start putting aside some money every month for college and retirement.3

6o'2 2( IM,UTE <4:),AOOT?

(o charge or attribute! especially with a fault or misconduct! lay the responsibility or blame upon! ascribe! assign. Enlike the verb to credit! which has a favorable connotation! and the verbs to !ssi#n and to !scri e Auh"SI7Y%C! which are neutral! the verb to i&'ute often has a negative connotation. &ccording to the famous eighteenth"century essayist and le$icographer Samuel Gohnson! 21e usually ascribe good! but impute evil.3 A5o you need to look up le8ico#r!'$er4C (o i&'ute means to charge with something bad! attribute the blame for! lay the responsibility on 2(hey imputed their fourth"/uarter losses to sagging sales and fluctuations in the stock market3; 2Some critics impute the decline in verbal skills among young people today to watching too much television.3 (he corresponding noun is i&'ut!tion! a charge or accusation! the act of imputing! as 2:ompany officials vigorously denied the imputation of mismanagement.3

6o'2 3( ASTUTE </=)ST<A?OOT?

Shrewd! clever! perceptive! discerning! acute! keenly aware! /uick"witted. Dore difficult synonyms of !stute include s!#!cious Asuh"8&Y"shus! word < of Level ?C! 'ers'ic!cious ABE7"spi"*AA"shusC! and s!'ient AS&Y"pee" intC. "stute usually is used in a positive sense to mean showing keen intelligence and a shrewd ability to protect one's interests or avoid being deceived an astute investor; an astute negotiator; an astute observer of human behavior. Fccasionally it has the negative suggestion of clever in a cunning or self"serving way! as an astute self"promoter! an astute political operator.

6o'2 4( NEO,-ATE <NEE)/=)f.t% l40e knee a fight?

& beginner! novice! amateur! tyro; specifically! a new member of or convert to a religion. (here are several interesting words for various types of ine$perienced persons. T,ro A(Y"rohC comes from a Latin word meaning a recruit in the 7oman army! a newly enlisted soldier. T,ro is used today to mean a raw beginner! one who may be eager to learn but who is utterly incompetent. "&!teur A&D"uh"tur or "churC comes from the Latin !&!re! to love. %y derivation an amateur is a person who does something for the love of it rather than for money. &n amateur may or may not be skilled! but the word often implies a lower level of competence than e$pert or professional. & dilett!nte A@IL"uh"(&#6( or 5)L"uh"TA-NTC is an amateur practitioner of an art! such as music! painting! acting! dancing! or literary composition. 0ilett!nte is often used disparagingly of someone who dabbles in something and lacks the serious discipline necessary to e$cel. Like t,ro! both novice and neo'$,te refer to a person just starting out at something. T,ro emphasi+es the beginner's incompetence; novice emphasi+es the beginner's ine$perience; and neo'$,te emphasi+es the beginner's enthusiasm.

6o'2 5( ENIGMA <4)NIG):/=?

& mystery! pu++le! riddle! perple$ing problem! something or someone hard to understand or e$plain. &nything baffling! ine$plicable Apreferably in"EI"spli"kuh"buul! commonly )6"ek"S,LI*"uh"buulC! or inscrutable Aword 0? of Level .C may be described as an enigma 2She is an enigma to me3; 2(heir motives are still an enigma3; 2(he case presents us with one enigma after another.3

6o'2 ( CRE@ENCE <*REE)24nts?

%elief! acceptance! especially belief in a published report or acceptance of another's opinion or testimony 2)n recent years many medical studies have shown that reducing fat intake can help prevent heart disease! and there is now widespread credence among the public that a low"fat diet is more healthful.3 1redence! creed! credi le! and credulous all come from the Latin credere! to believe. 1redi le means believable! and credulous means willing to believe without /uestioning. 1reed! word ,* of Level *! refers to a declared belief or formal set of opinions 2:onservatism is his creed.3 1redence refers to belief itself! to acceptance of something stated or heard 2)t is dangerous to give credence to gossip.3 1redence is often used with the verbs to #ive or lend. 2She gave no credence to their claims.3 2#is neat appearance and confident manner lent credence to his story.3

6o'2 !( EENERATE <EEN)/=)'a.t?

(o respect deeply! revere! regard with awe and adoration. )n a strict sense! to vener!te means to regard as holy or sacred; to revere means to regard with great respect and honor. 1e revere great leaders! thinkers! and artists; we venerate holy persons! sacred writings! and religious or moral principles. (he adjective vener! le! worthy of veneration! of being venerated! is more loosely applied. )t is often used of something or someone old or long" established a venerable tradition is an old and deeply respected tradition; a venerable cause is longstanding and worthy of profound respect.

6o'2 "( GARRULOUS <GAR)/=)l/s?

(alkative! especially in a rambling! annoying! pointless! or long"winded way. +!rrulous comes from the Latin #!rrire! to chatter! babble! talk in a rambling and tiresome way. )n +oology Aproperly pronounced +oh"&#L"uh" jee! not +oo"C there is a genus of birds called +!rrulus. (his genus contains several of the common jays! which are known for their harsh! chattering call. %oth by derivation and by association! #!rrulous means chattering like a jaybird. (he garrulous person talks for the sake of talking! usually about trivial matters! and often babbles on when no one else is interested in listening. Synonyms of #!rrulous include ver ose Aword .= of Level ,C! lo-u!cious! volu le Aword * of Level 'C! and 'roli8 Aword * of Level @C. &ntonyms of #!rrulous include reserved! reticent! t!citurn Aword , of Level .C! and l!conic Aword *? of Level .C.

6o'2 #( TRENC-ANT <TREN)9=4nt?

Ieen! penetrating! vigorously effective! sharp and to the point.

Synonyms of trenc$!nt include forceful! !cute! and incisive. Incisive Ain"SY"sivC applies to e$pression that gets right to the point or penetrates the heart of the matter. 1uttin# and itin# imply harsh or sarcastic e$pression that hurts the feelings. Trenc$!nt! which comes from a -rench verb meaning to cut! suggests both the forcefulness of incisive and the sharp! painful implication of cuttin# and itin#. & trenchant analysis is keen and vigorous; a trenchant style is sharp and clear; a trenchant remark displays penetrating insight and has the ability to wound.

6o'2 13( AUTONOMOUS <a7)TA-N)/=):/s?

)ndependent! self"governing! not under the control of something or someone else. "utono&ous comes from the 8reek !utos! self! and no&os! law! and means literally self"ruling. -rom the 8reek !utos! self! comes the English combining form !uto"! which also means self. "uto" appears in many English words! including !uto io#r!'$,! a story of oneself! of one's own life; !uto#r!'$! one's own signature; !uto&o ile! literally a self"moving vehicle; !uto&!tic! literally self"thinking! done without conscious thought; and !utocr!c, Aaw"(&#I"ruh"seeC! not self"government but rule by one self or one personhence! dictatorship! tyranny! despotism A5ES"puh"ti+"'mC. (he corresponding noun !utono&, Aaw"(&#6"uh"meeC means self" government! independence. (he heart is an autonomous organ; it functions by itself. &n autonomous company is independent! not a subsidiary Asuhb" SI@"ee"E7"eefive syllables! not fourC of another corporation. 1hen the Enited States won its independence from 8reat %ritain! it became an autonomous nation.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following /uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page *'<.
1. 5oes the provident person save for a rainy day4 2. :an you impute an error to carelessness4 3. 1ould an astute observation point out the obvious4 4. )s a neophyte e$perienced4 5. )s an enigma easy to understand4 6. :an an unsupported rumor gain the public's credence4 7. 1hen you venerate something! do you critici+e it4 8. )s a garrulous speaker charming and sophisticated4

9. :an trenchant humor be both sarcastic and insightful4 10. )s an autonomous decision made independently4

6ow let's forge ahead and learn the ne$t ten keywords in Level 0. #ere they are

6o'2 11( ,ANACEA <,AN)/=)SEE)/=?

& cure"all! universal antidote! remedy for all diseases and difficulties. P!n!ce! comes from the 8reek '!n"! all! and !%os! cure! and today retains its literal meaning! cure"all. -rom the same 8reek '!n"! all! comes the English prefi$ '!n"! which appears in front of a number of English words a '!nor!&! AB&6"uh"RAM"uhC is literally a view all around; '!nt$eis& AB&6"thee"i+"'mC! from the 8reek t$eos! god! is the belief that all things are 8od! that 8od is universal; and a '!nt$eon AB&6"thee"un or "onC is a temple dedicated to all the gods! or all the gods worshiped by a given people. )n current usage '!nt$eon may also mean any group of highly respected or revered persons. 1hen novelist (oni Dorrison won a 6obel Bri+e in *@@.! she earned a place beside such esteemed writers as Ernest #emingway! 1illiam -aulkner! and Dark (wain in the pantheon of &merican literature. You have probably heard the common phrase 2a panacea for all ills.3 (he e$pression is redundant! because '!n!ce! by itself means a cure for all ills! a universal remedy. You may use '!n!ce! to mean either a cure"all for physical ailments or an antidote for worldly woes 2#is lawyer emphasi+ed that filing for bankruptcy would not be a panacea for his financial troubles.3

6o'2 12( E,-EMERAL <4)&EM)/=)'/l?

Short"lived! passing! fleeting! lasting for a short time. A%y the way! did you remember that s$ort5lived should rhyme with strived4 )f you've forgotten why this pronunciation is preferred! see tr!nsient! word .* of Level ,.C 9'$e&er!l comes from a 8reek word meaning daily! lasting or living only for a day. 9'$e&er!l is sometimes used in this literal sense! as in the phrase 2ephemeral literature!3 publications that come out every day! such as newspapers. Ephemeral literature is opposed to periodical literature! which refers to anything published periodicallyweekly! monthly! and so on. )n fact! the familiar word 2ourn!lis& by derivation means ephemeral literature! writing that pertains to the events of the day. <ourn!lis& and 2ourn!l come from the -rench 2our! day! as in the restaurant menu item soup du 2our! soup of the day. (hus the common e$pression 2daily journal3 is redundant! for by derivation 2ourn!l means something written or published each day. (oday e'$e&er!l is most often used in a general sense to mean

conspicuously brief in duration. Ephemeral ideas are popular for only a brief while; the jokes of late"night (H comedians are ephemeral! here today and gone tomorrow; an ephemeral trend in the economy or in fashion is one that passes swiftly away. Dore difficult synonyms of e'$e&er!l include tr!nsitor, Aword 0 of Level 'C! ev!nescent! fu#itive! and fu#!cious Aword ,0 of Level @C. -or more on these words! review the discussion of tr!nsient! word .* of Level ,.

6o'2 13( ONEROUS <A-N)/')/s% l40e honor us?

%urdensome! troublesome! oppressive! hard to bear! difficult to accomplish or endure an onerous task! an onerous assignment. /nerous comes from the Latin onus! a load! burden. 5irectly from the Latin comes the English word onus AF#"nusC! a burden! obligation! especially a disagreeable responsibility. /nerous means like an onus! and therefore burdensome! troublesome! difficult to accomplish or endure.

6o'2 14( LAITA <LAA)4)tee?

6onprofessionals! laypeople collectively! all the people outside of a given profession or speciali+ed field. (he adjective l!, means nonprofessional! not belonging to a particular profession. & lay opinion of a legal case is an opinion from someone who is not a lawyer or a judge. & lay diagnosis of a disease is a diagnosis proffered by someone who is not a medical professional. )n its original and most precise sense! l!it, refers to all who do not belong to the clergy! to religious worshipers in general. (oday l!it, may be used either in this way or to mean those who do not belong to a given profession.

6o'2 15( ,UNGENT <,UN)D4nt?

Sharp! penetrating! biting! acrid! caustic. Pun#ent comes from the same Latin source as 'oi#n!nt ABFY6"yintC and e8'un#ethe Latin 'un#ere! to pierce! prick. Pun#ent may refer to a literal piercing! to that which is sharp to the sense of taste or smell! or it may refer to a figurative piercing! to that which penetrates the mind or emotions. & pungent sauce is sharp to the taste! perhaps spicy! sour! or bitter. & pungent criti/ue or pungent humor is sharp and sometimes bitterly worded; it penetrates the mind or pierces the emotions in a direct and often painful way.

6o'2 1 ( ,ROSAIC <1'o=)FAA)40?

5ull! ordinary! uninteresting! unimaginative. Synonyms of 'ros!ic include co&&on'l!ce! $u&dru&! tedious! dr,! st!le! &ediocre! and &!tter5of5f!ct. &nd those are only the prosaic

synonyms of 'ros!ic. Dore difficult and interesting synonyms include insi'id! which means tasteless! bland; 'edestri!n; v!'id Arhymes with r!'idC! word .> of Level ?; and 2e2une Aji"GFF6C! word * of Level *=. Pros!ic may be used literally to mean consisting of prose or of the nature of prose! as opposed to poetry. %ecause poetry is considered lovely and lyrical and prose is considered uninteresting and unimaginative! 'ros!ic has come to be used figuratively to mean dull and ordinary. (oday 'ros!ic is most often used in this figurative sense. & prosaic performance is mediocre; a prosaic style is dry and stale; a prosaic e$planation is humdrum! tedious! or matter" of"fact.

6o'2 1!( C-ARLATAN <S-A-R)l/=)t4n?

& fake! /uack! imposter! fraud! humbug; specifically! a person who pretends to have a special skill or knowledge. (he words c$!rl!t!n and &ounte !n% are close in meaning and were once synonymous. 4ounte !n% Alike &ount ! !n%C comes from the )talian &ont!& !nco! one who gets up on a bench. %y derivation a &ounte !n% is a person who mounts a bench or platform and delivers a flamboyant sales pitch to attract customers and hawk his wares. )n its earliest sense! a c$!rl!t!n was a huckster who made elaborate and fraudulent claims about his merchandise. )n olden days! charlatans and mountebanks would travel about selling trinkets! relics! and panaceas; they were the proverbial snake" oil salesmen. Since the early nineteenth century! however! c$!rl!t!n has been used to mean a fake or a /uack! someone who pretends to have a special skill or knowledge and who covers up the fraud with an elaborate and sometimes intimidating verbal display. )n T$e 6iA!rd of /A! the 1i+ard is a classic e$ample of a charlatan. (oday charlatans and mountebanks continue to thrive not only at carnivals and on the street corner but in the office and the boardroom as well. (hey're the ones who are always giving you the glad hand and handing you a line. (he difference between them is that the mountebank makes an impressive verbal display in an attempt to sell you a bill of goods! while the charlatan makes an impressive verbal display to hide the fact that he doesn't have the skill or knowledge he claims to possess.

6o'2 1"( ,ER&UNCTORA <1/')&U-NG*)t/')ee?

Dechanical! routine! listless! done merely as a duty! performed in an indifferent! halfhearted! superficial! and often careless way! without interest or enthusiasm. Perfunctor, comes from a Latin verb meaning to get through! be done with. (he perfunctory worker is just trying to get through doing the job; the perfunctory teacher just wants to be done with the lesson; a perfunctory speech is mechanical! routine! delivered in a halfhearted! listless manner.

6o'2 1#( MORASS <:/=)RAS% '=.:es 74t= alas?

Literally! a swamp! marsh! bog; figuratively! something that traps! confines! or confuses! a sticky situation or troublesome state of affairs 2(here was always a morass of paperwork on his desk3; 2She penetrated the morass of red tape at city hall3; 2Some people consider middle age the morass of life3; 2(he project got bogged down in a morass of trivial details.3

6o'2 23( SO,-ISTRA <SA-&)4)st'ee?

5eceptive reasoning! subtle and misleading argument 2Hoters today want candidates who address the issues! not ones who engage in mudslinging and sophistry.3 .o'$istr, comes ultimately from the 8reek so'$os! clever! wise! the source also of the word so'$istic!ted. (he corresponding adjective is so'$istic Asuh"-)S"tikC or so'$istic!l Asuh"-)S"ti"kulC. )n ancient 8reece! the Sophists AS&#-"istsC were teachers of rhetoric! politics! and philosophy who were notorious for their deceptive and oversubtle method of argumentation. (he Sophists eventually came into contempt for accepting payment for their instruction. (he word so'$istr, retains the stigma imputed to the clever Sophists so long ago. (oday so'$istr, refers to speech or writing that is clever and plausible but marred by false or deceptive reasoning.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page *'<.
1. (here is no such thing as a panacea for the world's troubles. 2. &n ephemeral comment lingers in your mind. 3.

&n onerous job is interesting and enjoyable.

4. (o a doctor! lawyers and engineers are members of the laity. 5. Bungent food is mild and bland. 6. & prosaic story is original and lively. 7. & charlatan is capable! sincere! and reliable. 8. 1hen an employee's work is perfunctory! it's outstanding. 9. 1hen you're in a morass! you are swamped! stuck! or

confused. 10.& speaker who is adept at sophistry may be a charlatan. -/:1t. @/:1t. an2 M4ss T=4stlebotto:

Ep to this point we have e$amined a number of specific /uestions of usage. 6ow )Jd like to e$plore the concept of usage itself. Esage! like politics! is a passionate and controversial subject. &ny discussion of it is bound to bring out the prejudices of all involved. Everyone! it seems! has an opinion about how words should or should not be used! and like most opinions! some are more logical and sensible than others. Some people! for instance! embrace a do"as"you"please policy about language. (hey say! 2&s long as we communicate! what difference does it make43 Fthers maintain that anyone who has scruples about usage wants to standardi+e the language and is opposed to change. (hey believe that change is evidence that the language is living and growing! thus all change must be good. (he most adamant among this group become self"appointed advocates of change! and whenever someone /uestions a particular change they cry out that no one has the right to tamper with this natural evolutionary process. Fn the other side of the issue are the people who insist that rules are rules! tradition is tradition! and that any deviation from what should be or what has always been is yet another sign that the language is going down the tubes. (hese folks are the self"appointed guardians of the mother tongue. (he do"as"you"please! 2language must change3 folks constitute the permissive party. Bermissivists don't make value judgments about usage because they believe it's undemocratic. Ff course! they teach their children the difference between good and bad manners! and when driving they obey the rules of the road! but for some reason when it comes to language they believe it's unfair to insist that there is such a thing as right and wrong. (he rules"are"rules people constitute the purist party. Burists are cruel! grammar"worshiping taskmasters committed to upholding infle$ible standards and imposing them on everyone else. (hey cling obstinately to the ways of the past and revel in telling the rest of us to tuck in our verbal shirttails. Somewhere between these two e$tremes are the moderates who maintain that change is inevitable but not always sensible or for the better. (hese people believe that each case must be considered individually! and wherever possible and reasonable! standards should be upheld! distinctions should be drawn! and the integrity of the language should be preserved. &s you may have guessed by now! ) consider myself a moderate purist. ) don't believe all change is good and that anything goes! but ) also don't believe that rules are rules and that the English language is doomed because people aren't observing them. )n short! ) am neither a #umpty 5umpty nor a Diss (histlebottom. &llow me to e$plain those terms. )n Lewis :arroll's T$rou#$ t$e Loo%in# +l!ss! the se/uel to "lice7s

"dventures in 6onderl!nd! &lice and #umpty 5umpty have a conversation in which she critici+es how the eggman uses a certain word. 21hen ) use a word!3 #umpty 5umpty chides her! 2it means just what ) choose it to mean! neither more nor less.3 2(he /uestion is!3 says &lice! 2whether you can make words mean so many different things.3 2(he /uestion is!3 cries #umpty 5umpty! 2which is to be Dasterthat's all.3 (o be master or not to be master! and what kind of master to bethese are indeed the /uestions. #umpty is clearly heading for a fall if he thinks he controls the meanings of words and can use them any way he likes. Fn the other hand! anyone who believes usage is fi$ed and that the rules never change is e/ually cracked. (he caricature of this hidebound type is Diss (histlebottom! the creation of the late (heodore D. %ernstein! the distinguished editor who for many years wrote a column called 21atch Your Language3 for T$e *ew )or% Ti&es. Diss (histlebottom is the ruler"wielding schoolmarm of your childhood nightmares! the evil e$ponent of English grammar who plucked prepositions from the ends of your sentences! had a cow when you said 2ain't!3 and read you the riot act for using double negatives like 2) don't know nothinJ.3 %ut with her sanctimonious Aword '= of Level >C adherence to arbitrary Aword ,? of Level *C rules! Diss (histlebottom instilled in you as many falsehoods and as much confusion as the empty"headed #umpty 5umpty would have! had he been your instructor. 1hat is needed in any debate about usage is a compromise between the ideological e$tremes of Diss (histlebottom and #umpty 5umpty. 1e need to be aware of how words are actually used and at the same time improve our understanding of how they are best used. &nd we need to draw a distinction between usage and abusageone based on what seems natural as well as on what most people consider correct. (hat is a difficult row to hoe! for it means we must resist being arbitrary and instead investigate each issue and decide for ourselves. )t means each of us must rise above the temptation to make snap judgments and become more knowledgeable and scrupulous users of the language. So how the heck do ) do that4 you're wondering. #ow do ) become a 2knowledgeable! scrupulous user of the language34 A)f you need to brush up on the precise meaning of scru'ulous! see word .> of Level *.C 5on't worry. )t's not as daunting as it seems. (here's plenty of help out there if you want it! and the first step is to find out where to look for it and what to e$pect. &dvice on usage falls into one of two categorieseither 'rescri'tive or descri'tive. Let's start with the latter term. 1hen you open a dictionary! you are looking at a descriptive document. %y that ) mean the dictionary is a description of the words of a language at

a given time. 5ictionary editors! who are also called le$icographers! try to make their wordbooks objective records of the language. &s they see it! their job is not to make judgments but to hold up a mirror to the language and show you its reflection. (he dictionary gives you the facts! and then you decide how to interpret them. (hat's all fine and dandy; however! what the dictionary doesn't tell you is how you can use words with subtlety and style! and it doesn't teach you what distinguishes good writers and speakers from bad ones. & dictionary contains almost everything you need to know about words e$cept how to use them effectively. You could read the entire book and still be unable to create a dynamic sentence. &nd you could learn a hundred words a week! but if you have no idea what they connote or how to use them accurately! you will have no way of judging whether your usage is cultivated or crass. (hat is where prescriptive advice can help you. (o prescribe is to set down as a rule or directionnot to lay down an arbitrary law but to clarify what works and e$pose what does not. (o use the lingo of business! the prescriptive approach takes words out of the warehouse of the dictionary! puts them on the open market! and then hands us a sales report &re these words useful4 5o they do what they were made to do4 :an they compete with what's already on the shelf4 (he business of usage re/uires good management and constant evaluation! and a wise prescriptivist! like a smart consultant! can tell you which verbal moves will succeed and which will lead to ruin. (he proper goal of the prescriptive approach is not to dictate but to evaluate! not to cavil but to rectify! not to condemn but to ameliorate. Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will help you clean up your diction and clarify many nebulous distinctions! but ) urge you to build on what you learn here by e$ploring the works of some of the best commentators on style! past and present. & short list of them would include #. 1. -owler! %ergen Evans! 1illiam Strunk and E. %. 1hite Awho wrote the famous handbook T$e 9le&ents of .t,leC! 7udolph -lesch! 1ilson -ollett! Gac/ues %ar+un! (heodore D. %ernstein! #arry Shaw! 6orman Lewis! Edward 5. Gohnson! 1illiam and Dary Dorris! G. 6. #ook! Games G. Iilpatrick! 1illiam Minsser! :onstance #ale! Batricia (. F':onner! %arbara 1allraff! 7ichard Lederer! %ryan &. 8arner! and 1illiam Safire. (hese are some of the e$perts who have enlightened me! and much of the advice ) am sharing with you in this program ) have learned from them. (o sum up! the way you use words makes a telling statement about the kind of person you are. &nd if you want your words to manifest intelligence and confidence! then along with building your vocabulary you must make good usage a priority. ) should also point out that the difference between building your vocabulary and improving your usage is like the difference between buying

a piano and knowing how to play it. Bossessing the instrument of language does not ensure that you will be able to make music with it. 7eading! using your dictionary! and studying Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will give you the linguistic tools you need to tackle the job of communication. %ut to refine your skill with those tools you will need to heed the advice of the distinguished author! historian! and professor Gac/ues %ar+un. )n his book .i&'le !nd 0irect " R$etoric for 6riters A*@?'C! %ar+un writes that 2the price of learning to use words is the development of an acute self"consciousness.
6or is it enough to pay attention to words only when you face the task of writingthat is like playing the violin only on the night of the concert. You must attend to words when you read! when you speak! when others speak. 1ords must become ever present in your waking life! an incessant concern! like color and design if the graphic arts matter to you! or pitch and rhythm if it is music! or speed and form if it is athletics. 1ords! in short! must be t$ere! not unseen and unheard! as they probably are and have been up to now.

&nd with that priceless piece of advice! let's return now to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary and discuss ten more keywords.

6o'2 21( ,ROLI&IC <1'o=)LI&)40?

-ruitful! fertile! productive. &ntonyms of 'rolific include un'roductive! !rren! sterile! i&'otent A)D"puh"tintC! and effete Ai"-EE(C. Prolific comes from a Latin word meaning offspring! children! progeny. Prolific may mean producing many offspring or much fruit! as a prolific family or a prolific orchard. )t may also mean producing many products of the mind! as a prolific writer! a prolific composer. & prolific worker is a productive worker! one whose labor bears much fruit. & prolific period is a fruitful period! one marked by inventiveness and productivity.

6o'2 22( MUN@ANE <MU-N)2a.n or :/=n)@AAN?

Ff the world! worldly! earthly! material as distinguished from spiritual. Synonyms of &und!ne include terrestri!l! te&'or!l A(ED"puh"rul! stress the first syllableC! and secul!r. &n unusual and literary synonym is su lun!r, Asuhb"LFF"nur"eeC. .u lun!r, means literally beneath the moon! and so of the world; sublunary beings are creatures who abide on Earth. &ntonyms of &und!ne include loft,! $e!venl,! su li&e! celesti!l! et$ere!l Aword > of Level >C! and e8tr!terrestri!l! which means literally beyond the earth. 4und!ne is often used today to mean ordinary! humdrum! commonplace! banal! unimaginative! prosaic. &ll current dictionaries list this meaning! but

some commentators on usage object to it. (hey argue that &und!ne7s specific meaning should be protected! and the word should not be lumped with the many other words that mean ordinary and dull. )t is a criticism ) would advise you not to take lightly. Gac/ues %ar+un offers this sentence as an e$ample of the debasement of &und!ne 2& mundane se$ life can be compared to a (H dinner! but it's not a gourmet ban/uet.3 &ccording to %ar+un! 2se$ life! of whatever kind! is inescapably mundane! and so is a gourmet ban/uet.3 )n strict usage! &und!ne is reserved for things that are worldly as opposed to heavenly! material as opposed to spiritual! secular as opposed to religious. Dundane affairs are worldly affairs! not ordinary affairs. Dundane writing is not unimaginative or prosaic; it is concerned with worldly matters. %usiness is by nature mundane because it deals with concrete! material things rather than nebulous spiritual values. Bolitics is also mundane because it focuses on the issues and problems of the world.

6o'2 23( MARIA@ <MIR)ee)42?

:ountless! innumerable! infinite! consisting of a great or indefinite number. Friginally! the noun a &,ri!d specified ten thousand; in ancient 8reece a &,ri!d was a military division composed of ten thousand soldiers. (oday the noun &,ri!d is most often used to mean a great or indefinite number! as a myriad of troubles! a myriad of details to attend to. (he adjective &,ri!d means countless! innumerable! infinite! consisting of a great or indefinite number. 2Fn a clear night you can see myriad stars twinkling in the sky3; 2& chief e$ecutive officer has myriad responsibilities.3

6o'2 24( @ISSI@ENT <@IS)4)2ent?

5isagreeing! disaffected! dissenting! nonconformist. 0issident comes from the Latin dis"! apart! and sedere! to sit! and by derivation means to sit apart; hence! to withdraw one's approval or belief! disagree. (he noun a dissident refers to a person who disagrees with a prevailing opinion! method! or doctrine. (he word is commonly used today in politics and journalism of someone who opposes the policies and practices of his government. (he adjective dissident refers to the nonconforming and disaffected attitude of the dissident. & dissident opinion e$presses disagreement; it does not conform to accepted opinion. 5issident activities are activities undertaken in opposition to a prevailing doctrine or authority.

6o'2 25( LAU@ABLE <LA6)2/=)b/l?

Braiseworthy! commendable! worthy of approval or admiration. Synonyms of l!ud! le include &eritorious ADE7"i"TOR"ee"usC! e8e&'l!r, Aig"MED"pluh"ree! word .@ of this levelC! and esti&! le AES"ti" muh"bulC. &ntonyms of l!ud! le include conte&'ti le! de'lor! le Adi"

BLF7"uh"bulC! and i#no&inious A)8"nuh"MIN"ee"usC. (he verb to l!ud AL&15! rhymes with s!wedC means to praise! commend! e$tol Aik"S(F#LC. (he adjective l!ud! le means commendable! worthy of praise. Laudable actions! laudable motives! and laudable goals all are praiseworthy! commendable! deserving of approval or admiration. )n 4!c et$! Shakespeare writes! 2) am in this earthly world! where to do harmV)s often laudable! to do good sometimeV&ccounted dangerous folly.3

6o'2 2 ( INIMITABLE <4)NIM)4)t/=)b/l?

Enable to be imitated! copied! or reproduced; beyond compare. Synonyms of ini&it! le include un'!r!lleled! and sur'!ssin#. &!tc$less! unriv!led! 'eerless!

(he prefi$ in" often means 2in3 or 2into!3 as in the words in$!le! to breathe in; in#r!in! to rub in! fi$ in the mind; and in#ress A)6"gresC! the way in! the entrance. #owever! in5 is just as often privative AB7)H"uh"tivC; that is! it deprives or takes away the meaning of the word to which it is affi$ed. Like the prefi$ un"! the prefi$ in" often means 2not!3 as in the words infor&!l! not formal; in!udi le! not audible! unable to be heard; and in2ustice! something that is not fair or just. Fur keyword! ini&it! le! combines this privative prefi$ in" with the somewhat unusual word i&it! le! able to be imitated! to mean 2not able to be imitated.3 You may use ini&it! le to describe anything that is one"of"a"kind! individual! uni/ue. &n inimitable style cannot be imitated or copied. &n inimitable performance is unrivaled! incomparable Astress on 5co&5C. &n inimitable achievement surpasses all other achievements; it is matchless! beyond compare.

6o'2 2!( BA@E@ <BAA)242?

1orn out! tired! fatigued! weary! e$hausted; specifically! worn out by overwork or overindulgence. Fne meaning of the noun a 2!de is a worn"out or broken"down horse! a nag. (he verb to 2!de means to be or become like a worn"out or broken" down horse. (he adjective 2!ded means like that broken"down horse; specifically! worn out from overwork or overindulgence. 1hen you drive your mind too hard or abuse your body! you become jaded; but you can also become jaded from too much of a good thing! as 2(heir lovemaking left him jaded.3 )n current usage 2!ded often suggests weariness accompanied by an insensitivity or immunity to something unpleasant children jaded by abuse; seeing the conse/uences of so much violent crime had left the detective jaded.

6o'2 2"( MAO,IC <:.)A-,)40% '=.:es 74t= dry topic?

Short"sighted; not able to see the long"range picture; having a narrow or circumscribed view; lacking discernment! foresight! or perspective. Synonyms of &,o'ic include n!rrow5&inded! 'ur lind ABE7"blynd! rhymes with $er %indC! and o tuse Auhb"(AYCFFSC. &ntonyms of &,o'ic include ro!d5&inded! li er!l! toler!nt! c!t$olic Anote the lowercase cC! and l!titudin!ri!n AL&("i"(AYCFF"di"NAIR"ee"inC. (he adjective &,o'ic comes from the noun &,o'i! Amy"F#"pee"uhC! the common medical disorder known as nearsightedness. )n its literal sense! &,o'ic means nearsighted! affected with myopia. )n its figurative sense! myopic suggests mental nearsightedness! a lack of long"range vision! a mental outlook that is limited or narrow. (he myopic person lacks perspective and foresight; he can't see the big picture. & myopic approach to solving a problem is short"sighted; it lacks imagination and does not address long"term needs or goals. & myopic opinion is narrow"minded and prejudiced; it reflects only what the person who e$presses it wants to see. (he words 'ur lind! o tuse! and &,o'ic are close in meaning. Pur lind means partly blind! dim"sighted; like &,o'ic! 'ur lind may be used literally to mean half"blind or figuratively to mean lacking insight or imagination. / tuse comes from a Latin word meaning dull! blunt! and in modern usage o tuse is used to mean mentally dull! slow to recogni+e or understand something. 4,o'ic means short"sighted! having a limited perspective or narrow view.

6o'2 2#( @EMONSTRABLE <24)MA-N)st'/=)b//l?

:apable of being demonstrated! able to be proved. 0e&onstr! le is the noun corresponding to the verb to de&onstr!te. 5emonstrable facts can be demonstrated! presented clearly and shown to be true. & demonstrable statement or opinion is one that can be proved. %ecause that which is demonstrable can be demonstrated or proved! the word has also come to be used to mean obvious! apparent! self"evident! as in a demonstrable liar! a demonstrable fool 21hen Goe asked Sheila if she would have dinner with him! she took it as a sign of his demonstrable interest in her.3

6o'2 33( CALLO6 <*AL)o=?

)mmature! ine$perienced! unsophisticated! e$perience in and knowledge of the world. green! naive! lacking

1!llow comes from a Diddle English word meaning bald! and the word was formerly used of very young birds to mean without feathers! unfledged. (oday both c!llow and the word fled#lin# are used of persons! behavior! or things that are immature or ine$perienced. & fledgling is a young bird that has just ac/uired its feathers and is learning to fly. -rom that original sense! fled#lin# has come to refer either to a young and ine$perienced person or to something that is just getting off the ground! as a fledgling enterprise. 1!llow suggests an immaturity or ine$perience manifested by a

lack of sophistication. Beople who are callow know little of the ways of the world; they are green! still wet behind the ears. %ecause c!llow means immature! it sometimes also suggests childishness or foolishness. -or e$ample! a callow remark may be not only unsophisticated but also downright silly. Synonyms of c!llow in this unfavorable sense include 2uvenile Apreferably GFF"vuh"nil! but now also GFF"vuh"nyl! which was originally %ritishC! so'$o&oric AS&#-"uh"MOR"ikC! and 'uerile ABYFF7"ulC. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page *'<.
1. Prolific and !rren are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. 9!rt$l, and &und!ne are9 3. Innu&er! le and &,ri!d are9 4. 0issident and confor&in# are9 5. L!ud! le and de'lor! le are9 6. 4!tc$less and ini&it! le are9 7. 98$!usted and 2!ded are9 8. .$ort5si#$ted and &,o'ic are9 9. 0e&onstr! le and unverifi! le are9

10.1!llow and ine8'erienced are9 5id you remember to keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 )f you answered fewer than eight /uestions correctly! review the last ten keywords. B/st Bet7een Us% T=4s OneHs fo' Ao/ an2 Me 6ow for another 21ord to the 1ise.3 (his time we have a cautionary tale of good grammar gone awry. A"wr, is pronounced uh"7Y to rhyme with !''l,. 5o you know what it means4C #ere's the /uestion )Jd like you to consider 1hy is it that so many people insist on using the nominative rather than the objective case with the prepositions for and etween4 6ominative4 Fbjective4 1hat the heck is he talking about4 you're thinking. &ll right! )'ll put it in plain English. 1hy do people say 2for you and )3 and 2between you and )3 when good grammar re/uires 2for you and me3 and 2between you and me34 %elieve me! this is not an error the ordinary person makes. )t's a mistake committed almost e$clusively by educated folks who ought to know better.

(alk to any Goe %low on the street and )'ll bet he'll say! 2Gust between you and me! pal! there's somethinJ screwy goinJ on at city hall.3 Fr sit down ne$t to him at a bar and he'll say to the bartender! 2#ey Dac! how+about a round for my friend and me43 %ut give him a college degree! a professional position! and a house in the suburbs! and by golly the ne$t minute you'll hear! 2Let's keep this information between you and )!3 or 2) think this is a good investment for you and ).3 So! just between you and me! why is it that so many upwardly mobile types say 2just between you and )34 5id their si$th"grade teachers give them a demerit for saying 2it's me3 instead of 2it is )34 5id their mothers dock their allowance for telling a friend! 2You and me should go out and play34 1hatever the reason! if you are one of the many who have graduated from the unpretentious and proper 2just between you and me3 to the overrefined! pinky"in"the"air erroneousness of 2just between you and )!3 it's high time to get reeducatedor de educated! as the case may be. )n T$e 1!reful 6riter! (heodore D. %ernstein says that 2uncomprehending souls who have heard strictures about Q)t is meJ tend to think of QmeJ as a naughty word! particularly when it is associated with Qyou!J which they mistake for a nominative case. (hinking they are leaning over backward to be correct! they somersault onto their faces and come up with Q between you and ).J3 (hink of the nominative case as being the subject of a sentence. )n the sentence 2) am going!3 I is the subject and in the nominative case. )n the sentence 2You and ) are going!3 ,ou !nd I is a compound subject! and both words are in the nominative case. )n the sentence 2)t is for you!3 it is now the subject! and ,ou is in the objective case. )n the sentence 2)t's for you and me!3 the subject is still it! and ,ou !nd &e are in the objective case. (he problem is caused by the word ,ou! which can be either nominative or objective! but which in our misguided attempt to be proper we tend to treat as a nominative. )f all this grammar is so much linguistic jargon to your ear! just remember this rule of thumb 1henever something is etween someone else and you! or for someone else and you! say &e! not I 2(here's no difference between you and &e3; 2(he boss had only the highest praise for Bamela! 8regg! and &e.3 Fr try this little trick Eliminate the other people in the sentence and see how it sounds. )f you're about to say 2)t's for him and )!3 take out $i& and you'll hear that 2it's for )3 sounds wrong! which it is. ) know you would never say 2(hat's for )! not her!3 so take care to say 2(hat's for her and me.3 )f you observe this rule! you will never sound unnatural or pretentious. &nd that's my guaranteejust between you and me. 6ow let's return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the ne$t ten

keywords in Level 0.

6o'2 31( ACIUIESCE <A*)7ee)ES?

(o agree without protest! accept without argument or resistance! give in /uietly. Synonyms of !c-uiesce include consent! co&'l,! su &it! !ssent! and !ccede Aak"SEE5C. (he corresponding noun is !c-uiescence A&I"wee"ES "intsC. "c-uiescence means the act of ac/uiescing! passive agreement! /uiet acceptance. "ssent! !ccede! and !c-uiesce all mean to agree in slightly different ways. "ssent implies agreement reached after careful consideration or deliberation 2(he president of the company predicted that the stockholders would assent to the proposed merger.3 "ccede implies agreement in which one person or party gives in to persuasion or yields under pressure 2Danagement is not likely to accede to the union's demands.3 "c-uiesce implies agreement offered in spite of tacit reservations. (he person who ac/uiesces often is unwilling to agree but lacks the will or energy to resist 25espite her doubts about the plan! Lucy ac/uiesced3; 2%ob wasn't happy with the salary that Dercenary Dedia had offered him! but he knew he would have to either ac/uiesce or take an even lower"paying job.3 "c-uiesce is sometimes followed by the preposition in 2Fne member of the jury remained obstinate and would not ac/uiesce in the verdict3; 2(he chief e$ecutive officer ac/uiesced in the board of directorsJ decision.3

6o'2 32( ,ONTI&ICATE <1a=n)TI&)4)0a.t?

(o speak in a pompous and overbearing way! make pretentious or categorical statements! e$press one's opinion as though it were an official! authoritative decree. (he 7oman :atholic pope is also known by two other names the %ishop of 7ome and the pontiff AB&#6"tifC. Pontiff comes from the Latin Pontife8 4!8i&us! the high priest of 7ome. &s the leader of the 7oman :atholic :hurch! the pontiff is responsible for interpreting religious doctrine! or dogma! and issuing official decrees! called papal bulls. (o these official decrees the pontiff affi$es a seal called a bulla A%EEL"uhC. )n its original sense! to 'ontific!te means to be a pontiff! to fulfill the office of a pope and issue official decrees on church doctrine or dogma. -rom this the word came to apply in a disparaging way to anyone who speaks as if he were the pope issuing an official decree. %ecause only the pontiff has the absolute right to pontificate! 'ontific!te now means to e$press opinions or make judgments in a categorical! dogmatic way. )'ll save you the trouble of looking up do#&!tic! which is pronounced dawg"D&("ik Aor dahg"C. )t means opinionated! dictatorial! e$pressing an opinion as if it were fact. )f your boss pontificates in a meeting! that means he or she is speaking

dogmatically! in a pompous! pretentious! dictatorial manner. (he person who pontificates e$presses an opinion as though it were an official! authoritative decree 2(eenagers don't respond well when their parents or teachers pontificate.3 (he corresponding noun is 'ontific!tion Apahn"()-"i"*AA"shinC.

6o'2 33( @ELETERIOUS <@EL)4)TEER)ee)/s?

#armful! destructive! injurious! detrimental; especially! harmful to health or well"being. Synonyms of deleterious include ruinous! no8ious! 'ernicious Apur"6)S#"us! word *= of Level >C! and &!li#n!nt Amuh"L)8"nintC. &ntonyms include $e!lt$ful! !dv!nt!#eous! w$oleso&e! and s!lut!r, A SAL"yuh"(E7"eeC. 0eleterious comes from a 8reek word meaning destructive and may be applied to something that has a detrimental effect upon a person's health or well"being or to anything harmful or destructive. Smoking is deleterious! harmful to health. & divorce may be deleterious to children! injurious to their psychological well"being. &n impetuous statement may have deleterious conse/uences. -or e$ample! you may daydream about stomping into your boss's office and giving the old pontificating windbag a piece of your verbally advantaged mind! but doing that probably would be deleterious to your career.

6o'2 34( AMBIEALENT <a:)BIE)/=)l4nt?

Encertain! indecisive! having conflicting feelings or desires! simultaneously drawn in opposite directions! attracted to and repulsed by something at the same time. (he corresponding noun is !& iv!lence! a state of uncertainty or indecisiveness. Fne meaning of the combining form !& i" is 2both!3 as in the words !& ide8trous A&D"bi"@E*"strusC! skilled with both hands! and !& ivert A&D"bi"vurtC! a person who is both introverted! inner"directed! and e8troverted! outer"directed. "& iv!lent combines !& i"! both! with the Latin v!lere! to be strong. 1hen you are ambivalent on an issue! you have strong feelings both ways; you are simultaneously drawn in opposite directions. (he ambivalent person has conflicting feelings or desires! and therefore is uncertain! indecisive.

6o'2 35( ,ENSIEE <,EN)s4v?

(houghtful! absorbed in thought! especially in a deep! dreamy! or melancholy way. Synonyms of 'ensive include reflective! &edit!tive! wistful! and conte&'l!tive Akun"(ED"pluh"tivC. Pensive comes through an Fld -rench verb meaning to think from the

Latin 'ens!re! to ponder! consider! weigh in the mind. 1hen you are pensive! you are thinking deeply about something! pondering it! weighing it in your mind. Pensive! conte&'l!tive! and wistful all mean thoughtful! but in different ways. 6istful! which is related to the word wis$ful! suggests thoughtfulness marked by a strong and often sad longing or desire. 1hen two lovers are apart! they are often wistful. 1onte&'l!tive Astress the second syllableC! the adjective corresponding to the noun conte&'l!tion! suggests profound reflection usually directed toward achieving deeper understanding or enlightenment. Bhilosophers and prophets are contemplative. Pensive suggests a deep! dreamy! and often melancholy thoughtfulness. & pensive mood is characteri+ed by dreamy seriousness. 1hen you grow pensive you become lost in thought! and probably have a slightly sad! faraway look in your eyes. (he corresponding noun is 'ensiveness 2(he most salient characteristic in the poetic temperament is pensiveness.3

6o'2 3 ( IM,ROM,TU <4:),RA-M,)t<.?oo?

Dade up or done on the spur of the moment! uttered or performed without preparation! improvised for the occasion. Synonyms of i&'ro&'tu include off$!nd! e8te&'or!neous Aek"S(ED"puh"RAA"nee"usC. s'ont!neous! and

I&'ro&'tu comes from a Latin phrase meaning in readiness! at hand. %y derivation! something impromptu lies close at hand! ready to use when the occasion arises. )n modern usage i&'ro&'tu may apply to either spontaneous e$pression or activity an impromptu response is an offhand or off"the"cuff response; an impromptu performance is improvised for the occasion; an impromptu party is thrown on the spur of the moment. #ere's an image you can associate with the word i&'ro&'tu that may help you remember what it means )magine yourself at a dinner party or wedding reception! chatting amiably with the people around you! when suddenly everyone in the room turns toward you and starts chanting 2Speech! speechT3 &lthough you are unprepared! you rise to the occasion and deliver a few urbane remarks. 1hen your audience laughs at the right moment and applauds at the end! you are delighted. Your speech not only was impromptu! it was a triumph.

6o'2 3!( CONBECTURE <0/n)BE*)9=/'?

(o guess; especially! to make an educated guess; to form an opinion or make a judgment based on insufficient evidence. -amiliar synonyms of con2ecture include to su''ose! i&!#ine! sus'ect! and 'resu&e.

(o #uess! to s'ecul!te! to sur&ise! and to con2ecture all mean to form an opinion or reach a conclusion based upon uncertain or insufficient evidence. (o #uess is the least reliable and most random of these words. 1hen you guess you have a roughly e/ual chance of being right or wrong! and there is ample room for doubt about your opinion. (o s'ecul!te means to make a judgment based on observation and reasoning. 1hen you speculate you form a reasonable opinion by evaluating whatever facts are at hand! however dubious they may be. (o sur&ise means to come to a conclusion by using one's intuition or imagination. 1hen you surmise! you use your instinct and power of insight to make a judgment based on slender evidence. Fur keyword! con2ecture! comes from the Latin con"! together! and 2!cere! to throw! and by derivation means to throw something together. )n modern usage to con2ecture means to take whatever evidence is available and /uickly construct an opinion based on one's knowledge and e$periencein short! to make an educated guess. (he corresponding noun a con2ecture means an educated guess! an assumption or conclusion based on insufficient evidence.

6o'2 3"( SURRE,TITIOUS <SUR)/1)TIS-)/s?

Stealthy; characteri+ed by secrecy and caution; done! made! obtained! or enjoyed in a secret and often sly or shifty manner! so as to avoid notice. Synonyms of surre'titious include cr!ft,! furtive A-E7"tivC! covert Atraditionally and properly IE#"vurt! but now usually IF#"vurtC! under$!nd! and cl!ndestine Aklan"5ES"tin! word < of Level ,C. &ntonyms include evident! unconce!led! overt! ! ove o!rd! and &!nifest. .te!lt$,! furtive! cl!ndestine! covert! and surre'titious all mean secret! hidden from the knowledge or view of others. Let's e$amine their connotations in order. .te!lt$, is used of any secret or deceptive action that is careful! /uiet! slow! and designed to conceal a motive a cat stalks its prey in a stealthy manner; she heard the stealthy footsteps of a prowler outside the house. ;urtive adds to ste!lt$, the suggestion of /uickness and cunning. (he word comes from the Latin furtu&! theft! and that which is furtive e$hibits the craftiness! dishonesty! and evasiveness of a thief 2(heir furtive glances at each other during the meeting convinced Gim that there was something fishy about the deal3; 2Su+anne knew her date with &rnold was going to be a disaster when she caught him making a furtive attempt to look down the front of her dress.3 1l!ndestine applies to that which is done secretly to conceal an evil!

immoral! or illicit purpose a clandestine love affair; a clandestine plot to overthrow the government. 1overt applies to anything deliberately covered up or disguised! and often suggests an effort to conceal something illegal or unethical. 1hen we speak of an undercover operation! we usually mean a secret operation sanctioned by law! but when we speak of a covert operation! we usually mean one that is kept secret because it is criminal or corrupt. )Jd like to take a moment to e$plain why ) prefer and recommend the pronunciation IE#"vurt. (his is the traditional pronunciation! and it was the only way of saying the word recogni+ed by dictionaries until the *@<=s. Since thenand especially since the 1atergate scandal in the early *@>=s! when 2IF#"vurt operation3 was heard repeatedly on radio and television the variant IF#"vurt has become so popular that several dictionaries now list it first. &lthough few people today are aware that IE#"vurt was the earlier and only standard pronunciation! dictionaries still list IE#"vurt and many older educated speakers prefer IE#"vurt out of respect for the word's tradition! which dates back to the fourteenth century. )f youJd rather go with the flow on this issue! that's fineno one can say you're wrong; however! keep in mind that while IF#"vurt is recogni+ed by current dictionaries! another popular variant! koh"HE7(! is often not listed at all. Fn the other hand! if you are not afraid to distinguish yourself as a cultivated speaker at the risk of raising a few eyebrows! then ) invite you to join me in the righteous cause of preserving the traditional pronunciation! IE#"vurt. &nd now let's wind up this not"so"undercover discussion with a look at our keyword! surre'titious. )t comes from a Latin word meaning stolen! kidnapped! and ultimately from the Latin verb surri'ere! to snatch! pilfer! take away or withdraw secretly. %y derivation surre'titious means snatched while no one is looking! and in modern usage the word combines the deliberate! cautious secrecy suggested by ste!lt$, with the crafty! evasive secrecy suggested by furtive. (hat which is surreptitious is done or ac/uired under the table! in a sly or shifty way! so as to avoid detection 2-or years Baul was so surreptitious about his drinking that no one at work knew he had a problem3; 2(he general decided to launch a surreptitious attack under cover of darkness3; 2Larry was afraid the )7S would find out about his surreptitious real estate deals.3

6o'2 3#( EGEM,LARA <48)FEM)1l/=)'ee?

1orthy of imitation! praiseworthy! commendable! serving as a model of e$cellence! appropriateness! or correctness. Synonyms of e8e&'l!r, include ide!l! !d&ir! le! &eritorious ADE7"i" TOR"ee"usC! esti&! le AES"ti"muh"buulC! and l!ud! le Aword ,' of Level 0C. &ntonyms include s$!&eful! disre'ut! le! conte&'ti le! de'lor! le Adi"BLF7"uh"buulC! i#no&inious A)8"nuh"MIN"ee"usC! odious AF#"dee"usC! and $einous A#&Y"nis! rhymes with !nusC.

%y the way! $einous means reprehensible! wicked! evil! as a heinous crime! a heinous lie. ) have heard scores of educated people mispronounce it as #EE"nis! #EE"nee"us! and #&Y"nee"us. (he best ) can say about these pronunciations is that they are creative but wrong. (he only pronunciation recogni+ed by dictionaries is #&Y"nis! and anything else is utterly $einous! evil! wicked! reprehensible. 6ow back to our more pleasant keyword! e8e&'l!r,! which comes from the same Latin source as the word e8!&'le. %y derivation! something e$emplary sets an e$ample! and is therefore worthy of imitation. E$emplary conduct is praiseworthy. &n e$emplary performance is commendable. Ver !l "dv!nt!#e teaches you how to use words in an e$emplary manner.

6o'2 43( IM,ECCABLE <4:),E*)/=)b//l?

Berfect! faultless! flawless; free from faults or imperfections. &lso! unable to do wrong! incapable of sin. E/ually challenging synonyms of i&'ecc! le include uni&'e!c$! le and irre'ro!c$! le. :hallenging antonyms of i&'ecc! le include re're$ensi le! censur! le ASE6"shur"uh"buulC! and cul'! le AIE#L"puh"buulC. Earlier in this level ) told you about the prefi$ in"! which may mean 2in3 or 2into3 or have a privative function! depriving or taking away the meaning of what follows. I&'ecc! le combines this privative prefi$ in"! meaning 2not!3 with the Latin 'ecc!re! to make a mistake! do wrong! blunder! sin. %y derivation! i&'ecc! le means not able to make a mistake! incapable of sinning or doing wrong; hence! perfect! faultless. 6ow! if you've been reading carefully ) bet you're wondering why in the world )'m talking about the prefi$ in" when the prefi$ in i&'ecc! le is i&". 1ell! my verbally advantaged friend! your e$emplary guide through the oddities of the English language has the answer! and here it is 1hen the prefi$ in" is attached to a word beginning with the letter ! '! or &! the n changes to an &. (hus! i& !l!nced means not balanced; i&'ossi le means not possible; and i&&ut! le means not mutable! not changeable! fi$ed. Similarly! when the prefi$ in" appears before a word beginning with l or r! the n changes to an l or an r illo#ic!l means not logical; irre'ro!c$! le means not reproachable! without fault or blame! and therefore i&'ecc! le! perfect! flawless. So now that you know how the spelling of the prefi$ in" changes! ) suppose you're wondering w$, it changes. (he answer is simple ease of pronunciation. )f we had to say in peccable and in reproachable! it would be not only in logical but also nearly in possible. (he altered spelling of the prefi$ makes these and do+ens of other words easier to pronounce. 6ow let's take a look at the closely related words i&'ecc! le! i&&!cul!te! and inf!lli le! all of which employ the privative prefi$ in"!

meaning not. (he adjective f!lli le comes from the Latin verb f!llere! to deceive! lead astray! cause to make a mistake. )n modern usage f!lli le means capable of error or likely to be wrong! as human beings are fallible creatures. &ttach the prefi$ in" to f!lli le and you have the word inf!lli le! not fallible! not capable of making an error! unable to fail. &s your infallible guide through Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! ) assure you that this program is an infallible method of building your vocabulary. (he unusual noun &!cul! AD&I"yuh"luhC means a spot or stain. )ts direct Latin root! &!cul!! meant either a physical spot or blotch or a moral blemish! a stain on one's character. )n current usage &!cul! refers specifically either to a blemish on the skin or to a sunspot; the corresponding adjective &!cul!te means stained! blemished! impure! corrupt. &ttach the prefi$ in" to the adjective &!cul!te and you have the word i&&!cul!te! not maculate! unstained! spotless. &n immaculate house is spick"and"span; an immaculate comple$ion has no blemishes; an immaculate reputation or background is spotless! clean as a whistle. )n 7oman :atholicism! the )mmaculate :onception is the doctrine that the Hirgin Dary was miraculously conceived without the moral stain of original sin. &nd now for our keyword! i&'ecc! le. -rom its Latin root! 'ecc!re! to make a mistake! blunder! sin! English has also inherited three other words the noun 'ecc!dillo ABEI"uh"@IL"ohC means a small sin! minor fault or flaw; the adjective 'ecc!nt ABEI"intC means guilty! sinful! culpable; and the adjective 'ecc! le ABEI"uh"buulC means liable to sin or do wrong. Slap the privative prefi$ in" onto the unfortunate 'ecc! le and you have its more pleasant antonym! i&'ecc! le! incapable of sin! unable to do wrong! and therefore free from all faults or imperfections. )mpeccable taste is faultless; impeccable speech is flawless; an impeccable performance is perfect.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned by playing 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a keyword Ain it!licsC is followed by three definitions. (wo of the three are correct; one is unrelated in meaning. 5ecide which definition doesn't fit the keyword. &nswers appear on page *'>.
1. (o !c-uiesce means to agree! make do! give in. 2. (o 'ontific!te means to speak pompously! speak powerfully!

speak pretentiously.
3. 0eleterious means unnecessary! injurious! detrimental. 4. "& iv!lent means uncertain! indecisive! inconsistent. 5. Pensive means concerned! thoughtful! reflective.

6. I&'ro&'tu means improvised! spontaneous! unpredictable. 7. (o con2ecture means to suppose! presume! plan.

.urre'titious means furtive! wicked! stealthy.

8. 98e&'l!r, means salient! commendable! meritorious.

10.I&'ecc! le means perfect! fantastic! flawless. Get 74t= t=e ,'on/n94at4on ,'o8'a: (he program is getting /uite challenging now! don't you agree4 1ell! for a respite let's take a brief look at some commonly mispronounced words. &nd you just read one of themres'ite! which is properly pronounced 7ES"pit! with the accent on the first syllable! but which is often mispronounced ruh"SBY(! with the accent shifted to the second syllable. & res'ite is an interval of rest or relief! a lull! hiatus! as 2a vacation is a respite from work.3 (ake care to stress this word on the first syllable 7ES"pit. #ow do you pronounce the "#r!& in 'ro#r!&4 Dany speakers today slur it and say B7F#"grum. :urrent dictionaries now countenance this slurred pronunciation! so ) can't say categorically that it's wrong! but ) can state my dogmatic opinion B7F#"grum is illogical and sloppy. (he vast majority of speakers don't slur the "#r!& in tele#r!&! !n!#r!&! cr,'to#r!&! &ono#r!&! %ilo#r!&! &illi#r!&! and di!#r!&! so it only makes sense to be consistent and preserve the "#r!& in 'ro#r!&. Bronounce the second syllable to rhyme with $!&. Fne of the most common speaking errors is misplacing the accent or stress in a word. Displaced accents are rife among educated speakers today. Gust for fun! try this little test 5o you say in fluence or influ ence; !f fluent or afflu ent; su'er fluous or superflu ous; 'ref erable or prefer able; co& parable or com'!r able; for midable or for&id able; in tegral or inte# ral; $os pitable or hos'it able; !' plicable or ap'lic able; and last but not least! do you say e8 /uisite or e$ -uis ite4 )n every case! the first pronunciation is preferred. )f you check these words in a dictionary! you will find some of the second pronunciations listed! simply because so many speakers now misplace the accent in these words that dictionary editors feel compelled to record the practice. #owever! take it from me in flu ence! for&id able! prefer able! and all the rest are either trendy or flat"out wrong. (he traditional and cultivated pronunciations are in fluence! !f fluent! su'er fluous! 'ref erable! co& parable! for midable! in tegral! $os pitable! !' plicable! and e8 /uisite. 6ow let me ask you this 1hen you make a mistake! do you &)7 or do you E74 Broperly! the verb to err should rhyme with sir! not with $!ir. 5ictionaries have recorded pronunciation for about two hundred years. (he variant &)7 for err did not appear in a dictionary until the *@<=s; since then! it has become the dominant pronunciation. &lthough some commentators

argue in favor of &)7 on the grounds that it links the verb phonically with the noun error! many cultivated speakers and current authorities still prefer E7! and ) stand firmly with them. )n my book! to &)7 is human! to E7 divine. )f you're clever and you prefer to be right! then answer me this 1hen management and labor try to hammer out a contract! would you say they are engaged in nego"see"ations or in nego"s$ee"ations4 1hen people have strong! opposing views on an issue! would you describe the issue as controver"see"al or controver"s$!l4 )f you would have said nego" see"ations and controver"see"al! ask yourself this #ave you always pronounced these words like that! or did you unconsciously change your pronunciation at some point because you heard so many friends! coworkers! and broadcasters pronouncing them that way4 6ego"see"ate and controver"see"al are vogue pronunciations! by which ) mean they are trendy and pseudosophisticated. (o borrow a phrase from the great authority on language #. 1. -owler! they owe their vogue! or popularity! 2to the joy of showing that one has ac/uired them.3 1hy have so many people recently decided to say nego" see"ate and controver"see"al4 %eats me. &ll ) know is that these pronunciations! to /uote one noted authority on language! are 2prissy.3 (here is no good reason to follow the herd and adopt them. Stick with controver" s$!l and nego"s$ee"ate! which have served us for generations! and no one will ever stick it to you. &nd that goes for the word s'ecies too. (he alternative pronunciation SBEE"see+! now used by many educated speakers! has been heard since the mid"twentieth century. (he traditional pronunciation! SBEE"shee+! has been around since the word came into the language in the fourteenth century. 6evertheless! because of its popularity today among the overrefined! SBEE"see+ is recogni+ed by current dictionaries. 6ot one! however! lists it first. (hat makes my heart glad! for to my ear this sibilant SBEE"see+ sounds SF#"see"uh"lee am"%)S"ee"us and intellectually SFF" pur"-)S"ee"ul. )n my opinion! SBEE"see+ is just too B7ES"ee"us for words. (o sum up &s you can see! when it comes to pronunciation ) am a creature of an altogether different species ASBEE"shee+C. ) have my own program Adon't slur "#r!&C. ) don't think all pronunciations are comparable Astress on co&"C; ) believe some are preferable Astress on 'ref"C to others. 1hen ) hear someone err Arhymes with sirC! it hurts my e$/uisitely Astress on e8"C sensitive ears. ) have formidable Astress on for5C opinions! ) am not often willing to negotiate Anego5s$ee"aytC! and ) am certainly not afraid of being controversial Afour syllables! with "shul at the endC. &ll that may not make me popular or affluent Astress on !f5C! but at least )'ve done my homework and ) know what )'m talking about. )f you choose to follow my advice on pronunciation! no one can rightfully accuse you of slovenly speech. %ut that's enough pontification about pronunciation. 6ow let's take a look at some commonly confused words.

-irst! consider the verbs to i&'l, and to infer! which hordes of well" educated people have a murderous time distinguishing. (o i&'l, is to suggest! hint! indicate indirectly a person may say one thing and imply another! or someone may think you are implying something when you are not. -or e$ample! if you ask a coworker out for lunch! the person may think you are implying! hinting! that you want to get intimate when all you want is some company so you don't have to stare at the wall while you chew. (o infer means to deduce! conclude! draw a conclusion. You can infer! draw a logical conclusion! from evidence or known facts; you can also infer something from what someone implies. -or e$ample! if a client says he needs to think about an offer you have just made! he might be implying that he is unhappy with it! and you might infer that he may go to someone else. &s (heodore D. %ernstein puts it in T$e 1!reful 6riter! 2(he implier is the pitcher; the inferrer is the catcher.3 Someone who implies throws out a hint! a suggestion. Someone who infers catches that suggestion and makes a conclusion! deduction. 6ow let's differentiate between the words disinterested and uninterested . 6o one ever has a problem with uninterestedit simply means not interested. (he trouble starts when people use disinterested to mean the same thing as uninterested. 0isinterested means impartial! unbiased! not influenced by selfish motives. )n court you want a disinterested judge! not an uninterested one! and at work you want a disinterested bossa fair! impartial bossnot an uninterested one. -inally! let's distinguish between the words !n8ious and e!#er. 9!#er is rarely misused! but you will often hear !n8ious used in place of e!#er in such phrases as 2Dike is an$ious to see the new movie!3 or 2&manda was an$ious to get a promotion.3 "n8ious means full of an$iety! worried! nervous! concerned. 9!#er means showing keen interest or impatient desire. )n his helpful guide! T$e "''ro'ri!te 6ord! G. 6. #ook e$plains that 2we are an$ious AworriedC about harmful things that may happen! eager about things we want to happen.3 (hus! Dike should be eager to see the new movie! but an$ious about whether he'll be able to get a good seat. &manda should be eager to get a promotion! but an$ious about handling the greater responsibility of the job.

&nd now! after that long"winded lecture on pronunciation and usage! )'ll bet you're eager to learn more words! so before you get an$ious! let's return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the final ten keywords in Level 0.

6o'2 41( ATTEST </=)TEST?

(o affirm to be true! genuine! or correct; certify or authenticate officially;

stand as proof or evidence of. "ttest comes from the Latin !d! to! and test!ri! to bear witness! and ultimately from testis! a witness. -rom the same Latin testis! witness! English has inherited a number of other words! including testif,! testi&on,! testi&oni!l! and the legal terms test!tor A(ES"tay"turC! a person who has made a valid will! and intest!te Ain"(ES"taytC! which means not having made a legal will. %y derivation! !ttest means to bear witness to! give testimony! and today the word may be used in this literal sense! as to attest to someone's whereabouts! to furnish references who will attest to your skills and /ualifications. A6ote that in this sense !ttest is followed by to.C "ttest is also used to mean to affirm to be true! genuine! or correct! or to stand as proof or evidence of 2Dany studies attest the deleterious effects of saturated fat and cholesterol3; 2Dichelangelo's 0!vid is but one of many masterpieces that attest the greatness of this 7enaissance artist.3

6o'2 42( CO,IOUS <*O-)1ee)/s?

&bundant! plentiful! large in amount or number. Synonyms of co'ious Apruh"-YFFSC. &ntonyms AB&1L"treeC. include !&'le! ountiful! and 'rofuse include sc!nt,! &e!#er! s'!rse! and '!ltr, 1o'ious comes from the Latin co'i!! abundance! plenty! and means literally abundant! plentiful. -rom the same Latin co'i!! plenty! and cornu! a horn! comes the English word cornuco'i! AIF76"AyCuh"*O-"pee"uhC! a horn of plenty. #istorically! a cornuco'i! is a symbol of abundance and prosperity in the form of a goat's horn overflowing with fruit! flowers! and grain. )n modern usage! cornuco'i! is often applied to any overflowing stock or supply! as a cornucopia of menu selections! or a cornucopia of products and services. (he adjective co'ious may be used of anything that e$ists or is provided in abundance. :opious praise is abundant praise; a copious harvest is a plentiful harvest; copious information is a great supply of information; copious speech overflows with words.

6o'2 43( &ALLACIOUS <f/=)LAA)s=/s?

-alse! misleading! deceptive! invalid! based on a fallacy. Synonyms of f!ll!cious include erroneous Ai"7F#"nee"usC! s'urious ASBYFF7"ee"usC! unten! le Auhn"(E6"uh"buulC! illusor, Ai"LFF"suh"reeC! and so'$istic!l Asuh"-)S"ti"kulC. (he noun f!ll!c, A-&L"uh"seeC means a false or misleading idea! statement! or argument. ;!ll!c, and so'$istr, AS&#-"i"stree! word ,= of this levelC are close in meaning. & f!ll!c, is a misleading or deceptive

argument that violates the laws of reasoning. .o'$istr, refers to reasoning that deliberately uses fallacies! misleading arguments! to confuse or deceive. %oth f!ll!c, and the adjective f!ll!cious come from the Latin f!llere! to deceive! lead astray. (hat which is fallacious is based on a fallacy! and is therefore misleading! deceptive! false. (o the skeptical person! all statements! assumptions! and notions are fallacious until clearly proved otherwise.

6o'2 44( STOIC <STO-)40?

Showing no feelings! unemotional! unaffected by pleasure or pain! bearing pain or suffering without complaint. Synonyms of stoic include i&'!ssive! dis'!ssion!te! indifferent! !'!t$etic A&B"uh"T-ET"ikC! 'l!cid ABL&S"idC! l!n#uid AL&68"gwidC! '$le#&!tic Afleg"D&("ik! word .. of Level @C! and i&'ertur ! le. &ntonyms of stoic include !rdent! ve$e&ent AHEE"uh"mintC! Ae!lous AMEL"usC! fervid! and fervent Aword ,0 of Level .C. .toic and stoicis& ASTO-"i"S)M"'mC come from the 8reek sto!! a porch or covered walkwayspecifically! the famous Bainted Borch in ancient &thens where the doctrine of Stoicism was born. )n his 9n#lis$ Voc! ul!r, :uilder! Gohnson F':onnor e$plains that 2S(F):)SD9 was a school of philosophy founded by Meno about .=? %.:9. S(F):)SD is so named because Meno e$pounded his philosophy from the Bainted Borch! one of the covered walks about the &gora A&8"uh"ruhC! the public s/uare of ancient &thens. & S(F):9 was a follower of Meno! one who believed that men should be free from passion! unmoved by joy or grief! and submit without complaint to the unavoidable necessity by which all things are governed.3 )n modern usage! stoicis& means indifference to pleasure or pain; the noun stoic refers to anyone who e$hibits rigorous self"control; and the adjective stoic means showing no feelings! unemotional! bearing pain or suffering without complaint.

6o'2 45( RECRIMINATION <'4)*RIM)/=)NAA)s=4n?

& countercharge or counteraccusation. Recri&in!tion combines the prefi$ re"! which means 2back3 or 2again!3 with the Latin verb cri&in!ri! to accuse! bring a charge against! and means literally to accuse in return! accuse again. (he great 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r,! second edition A*@.0C! defines recrimination as 2an accusation brought by the accused against the accuser.3 7ecriminations! or countercharges! are perhaps most often heard today in political campaigns! international relations! and legal proceedings. )n modern usage! when we speak of mutual recriminations the word usually suggests a series of bitter denunciations e$changed in the course of fervid

debate. Recri&in!tion is the noun. (he corresponding verb is recri&in!te! to bring a countercharge against! denounce in return. (he corresponding adjective has two forms recri&in!tive Ari"*RIM"uh"6&Y"tivC and recri&in!tor, Ari" I7)D"i"nuh"tor"eeC.

6o'2 4 ( A&&INITA </=)&IN)4)tee?

:lose resemblance or relationship! a strong likeness! similarity! or connection! as the affinity of the )talian! -rench! and Spanish languages! an affinity among the painters of the )mpressionist school! an affinity between the blues and early rock and roll. "ffinit, may also mean a natural attraction to! or liking for! a person or thing! as an affinity for classical music! an affinity for the freewheeling literature of the %eat 8eneration! an affinity among neighbors in a close" knit community. Synonyms of !ffinit, in the sense of 2close resemblance or relationship3 include %ins$i'! corres'ondence! co&'!ti ilit,! and cons!n#uinit, AI&#6"sang"G6IN"i"teeC. Synonyms of !ffinit, in the sense of 2liking or attraction3 include 'enc$!nt Aword @ of Level .C! 'ro'ensit,! and 'roclivit,. "ffinit, comes from a Latin word meaning 2relationship by marriage!3 and dictionaries still recogni+e this literal sense although the word is not often used in that way. )n current usage !ffinit, usually means either a close relationship or likeness! or a natural attraction to or liking for a person or thing.

6o'2 4!( EOLATILE <EA-L)/=)t/lK B'4t4s= sa. EA-L)/=)t.l?

:hangeable! unstable! inconstant! likely to change or shift rapidly and unpredictably (he stock market is often volatile; a person may have volatile moods; the weather in 6ew England is notoriously volatile. Synonyms of vol!tile include fic%le! fli#$t,! c!'ricious Akuh"B7)S#"us! word ** of Level *C! err!tic! 'rote!n AB7F#"tee"inC! and &ercuri!l Amur" IYE7"ee"ulC. &ntonyms include st! le! fi8ed! ste!df!st! inv!ri! le! i&&ut! le! and -uiescent Akwy"ES"int! word ,, of Level .C. Vol!tile! which entered English in the early *<==s! has a volatile history! full of many shifts and changes in meaning. (he word comes from the Latin vol!re! to fly! and its original meaning was 2flying3 or 2having the power to fly.3 (oday vol!tile is rarely used in this sense! and instead we have the word vol!nt AHF#"lantC! which came into the language shortly before vol!tile from the same Latin vol!re! to fly. Vol!nt means flying! able to fly! or /uick! nimble! agile. (he fickle! unpredictable vol!tile then came to mean evaporating /uickly! easily vapori+ed! as a volatile oil or li/uid. )n the science of chemistry it is still used in this way! and today it would be unusual but not outlandish for

an essayist to write about the volatile morning dew! or for a weathercaster to speak of volatile fog or clouds! or for a (H chef to discuss the volatile nature of wine used in cooking. %y the mid"seventeenth century the inconstant vol!tile had ac/uired its most durable meaning changeable! unstable! inconstant! likely to change or shift rapidly and unpredictably. )n this sense it is a close synonym of c!'ricious and &ercuri!l. Fut of this notion of changeability and inconstancy! vol!tile gained two more meanings fleeting! vanishing swiftly! transient! ephemeral; and also lighthearted! lively and carefree! whimsical! prone to flights of fancy. )n the second half of the twentieth century vol!tile took on yet another meaning e$plosive! likely to erupt into violence. You will often hear vol!tile used this way in news reports about domestic or international affairs characteri+ed by tension and sporadic conflict. (his sense is an outgrowth of the meaning 2unstable! unpredictable!3 for when a situation is unstable or unpredictable it is often likely to e$plode or erupt in violence. -inally! in the *@@=s vol!tile ac/uired one more sense. &ccording to 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r,! third college edition! in the jargon of computer science vol!tile is used to mean pertaining to 2memory that does not retain stored data when the power supply is disconnected.3 5espite its capricious! changeable history! vol!tile has remained close to its roots. -or as )'m sure you can see! all the various senses of vol!tile incorporate the notions of flight! flightiness! and swift! unpredictable change suggested by the word's Latin root! vol!re! to fly. 1hen you see or hear vol!tile used! and when you use it yourself! remember that in all of its senses the word describes that which can swiftly fly away from one condition or mood into another. Vol!tile is the adjective; the corresponding noun is vol!tilit,.

6o'2 4"( SIUALI@ <S*6A-L)42?

5irty and run"down as a result of poverty or neglect! foul or filthy from lack of care! wretched! miserable! degraded. Synonyms of s-u!lid include seed,! un%e&'t! slovenl, ASLE#H"un"leeC! and dil!'id!ted Adi"LA,"i"5&Y"tidtake care to pronounce the last two syllables "d!ted! not "t!tedC. &ntonyms include unsullied! i&&!cul!te! and 'ristine AB7)S"teen or pri" S(EE6C. .-u!lid is the adjective; the corresponding noun is s-u!lor ASI1&#L"urC. .-u!lor means filthiness! foulness! degradation! a wretched! miserable condition resulting from poverty or neglect. .-u!lid comes from the Latin verb s-u!lere! which has various meanings! including to be rough or scaly; to be covered with filth; to be overgrown or dirty from neglect; and to wear mourning clothes. )n modern

usage s-u!lid has retained a taste of all these senses. S/ualid attire is rough and unkemptor! to use an informal term! grungy. S/ualid language is filthy or foul. & s/ualid neighborhood is slummy! dilapidated! dirty and run"down from neglect. &nd just as a person in mourning is sad and forlorn! s/ualid people or s/ualid conditions are wretched and miserable because they are poor! degraded! and pitiable. (he adjectives s-u!lid and sordid ASF7"didC are close in meaning. %oth words mean dirty! filthy! and run"down! but s-u!lid applies to that which is dirty and miserable because of poverty or neglect! while sordid suggests a filthy wretchedness resulting from a degraded or debased character.

6o'2 4#( EG,E@ITE <E*)s14)2.t?

(o speed up! hasten! facilitate! accelerate the progress of! handle or perform /uickly and efficiently 2(he company decided to e$pand its workforce to e$pedite production of its new product.3 &ntonyms of e8'edite include del!,! 'ost'one! $inder! ret!rd! sl!c%en! and 'rotr!ct Aword ,' of Level .C. 98'edite comes from the Latin verb e8'edire! to set free! disentangle! get ready for action. 1hen you e$pedite something! you free it from all hindrances or obstructions; you disentangle it from whatever is delaying its progress so that action can proceed. )n current usage! when you e$pedite a plan or a project it means you speed up its progress! hasten its completion. &nd when the boss says to you! 2Blease e$pedite the matter!3 that means the boss wants you to take care of the matter as /uickly and efficiently as possible.

6o'2 53( ABBECT <AB)De0t or ab)BE*T?

5egraded! brought low in condition or status; hence! lacking self"respect! contemptible! wretched. (he corresponding noun is ! 2ection Aab"GEI"shinC! a degraded! wretched! contemptible state. Synonyms of ! 2ect include de !sed Adi"%&YS(C! des'ic! le A5ES"pik" uh"buul; the stress properly is on the first syllableC! i#no le! #rovelin# A87&#"vul" or 87E#"vul"C! servile ASE7"vilC! and s-u!lid Aword 0? of this levelC. &ntonyms of ! 2ect include no le! di#nified! loft,! &!2estic! e&inent! and illustrious Ai"LE#S"tree"usC. )n Diddle English ! 2ect meant 2outcast.3 (he word comes ultimately from the Latin ! ! meaning 2away3 or 2off!3 and the verb 2!cere! to throw! and means literally 2thrown away! cast off.3 (he abject members of society are the outcasts! the undesirables! and the indigentthe people who have been thrown away or cast off because they seem to have no social place or worth. (his literal sense of thrown away or cast off led to the modern meaning of

! 2ect brought low in condition or status hence! degraded! wretched! or contemptible. &bject poverty is utterly wretched poverty. &bject conditions are hopeless and degrading conditions. &n abject coward is thoroughly contemptible. &n abject person has fallen so low that he has lost all self"respect. )f you behave toward someone in an abject manner! you are behaving in a groveling! servile manner! like a defeated dog that bares its neck and belly to the van/uishing dog.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. (his time )'m going to give you the review word followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which of those three answer choices comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page *'?.
1. 1hen you !ttest something! or !ttest to it! do you pass

judgment on it! affirm it as true! or e$amine it4

2. )s a co'ious supply meager! e$cessive! or abundant4 3. 1hen a statement is f!ll!cious! is it silly! misleading! or clever4 4. 1ould a stoic person be unemotional! unpredictable! or

inarticulate4
5. 1hen two people e$change recri&in!tions! do they e$change

compliments! insults! or countercharges4

6. 1hen things have an !ffinit,! do they have a lu$urious

appearance! a close relationship! or a refined /uality4

7. )s a vol!tile situation unstable! unusual! or unwholesome4 8. )s a s-u!lid environment confined and uncomfortable! noisy

and distracting! or dirty and run"down4

9. 1hen you e8'edite something! do you throw it away! speed it

up! or observe it closely4 10.&re ! 2ect conditions troublesome! degraded! or offensive4 7emember that if you answered fewer than eight of the /uestions correctly in this /ui+! you should read the last ten keyword discussions again. &lso! don't forget to review this entire level at least once before moving on to Level '.

6ow that we're almost done with Level 0! it's time towait a minuteT 5id you notice anything wrong with what ) just said4 5oes anything about the phrase 2now that we're almost done with Level

03 sound incorrect to you4 )f so! you may be an untapped member of the League of )nfle$ible Super"Buristsfor which the acronym! /uite appropriately! is L)SB. -or years hard"core purists have critici+ed the use of the word done to mean finished! as in the sentence 2)'m just trying to get the job done.3 )t's true! as they assert! that using done in this way is informal! but that in itself does not make it incorrect. Sometimes informal usage is inappropriate or objectionable! but as 7udolph -lesch argues persuasively in his classic guide! T$e "rt of Re!d! le 6ritin# A*@0@C! most good! clear writing and speech is largely composed of everyday! practical words. Doreover! it's a mistake to assume that every rule about language is a good rule! and the best writers know that it's sometimes necessary to break a rule to achieve a desired effect. So now let me tell you the story of done versus finis$ed. )n *@<'! the eminent usage commentator (heodore D. %ernstein echoed the sentiments of many educated speakers who had been pilloried by their parents and teachers for allegedly misusing done. 2(he word should not be used in good writing to mean finished or completed!3 %ernstein stated in T$e 1!reful 6riter. 2)t is proper to say! Q(he roast is done!J but this does not mean it is finished; it means the roast is sufficiently cooked.3 %y *@>>! however! %ernstein had changed his 2don't3 to a 2maybe.3 )n 0os> 0on7ts> !nd 4!, es of 9n#lis$ (s!#e! he noted that in *@<@ 2the usage panel of the &merican #eritage 5ictionary split '. to 0> percent in favor of9done to mean completed or finished.3 %ernstein continues 21ebster's unabridged! second edition O*@.0P labels it collo/uial! but the third edition O*@<*P finds nothing wrong with it. 6either do 1ebster's 6ew 1orld! the 7andom #ouse and the big F$ford English 5ictionary. (he verdict would seem to be that done in the sense of finished is well on the way to acceptability! if it has not already arrived.35iscerning observers of the language like %ernstein know that it's essential to /uestion change and resist it when it seems objectionable! but they also know that it's obstinate and myopic to maintain that something is unacceptable in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. )n *@?>! the R!ndo& =ouse 0iction!r, of t$e 9n#lis$ L!n#u!#e ! second edition! unabridged! confirmed %ernstein's conjecture in une/uivocal terms with a usage note that said! 2)n the adjectival sense! Q completed! finished! through!J done dates from the *0th century and is entirely standard.3 Fther current dictionaries concur and list the 2finished! completed3 definition without comment. %ased on that evidence! it would seem that the acceptability of done meaning 2finished3 is a done deal. &nd with that pronouncement! we are now done with Level 0. Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level 4

*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. Yes. Provident means thrifty! economical! saving or providing for

future needs.
2. Yes. (o i&'ute means to charge or attribute! especially with a fault

or misconduct! lay the responsibility or blame upon.

3. 6o. "stute means shrewd! clever! perceptive! discerning. 4. 6o. & neo'$,te is a beginner! novice! amateur! tyro; specifically! a

new member of or convert to a religion.

5. 6o. &n eni#&! is a mystery! pu++le! riddle! perple$ing problem!

something or someone hard to understand or e$plain.

6. Yes. 1redence means belief! acceptance! especially belief in a

published report or acceptance of another's opinion.

7. 6o. (o vener!te means to respect deeply! revere! regard with awe

and adoration.
8. 6o. +!rrulous means talkative in a rambling! annoying! pointless!

or long"winded way.
9. Yes. Trenc$!nt means keen! penetrating! vigorously effective!

sharp and to the point. 10.Yes. "utono&ous means independent! self"governing! not under the control of something or someone else.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. (rue. & '!n!ce! is a cure"all! universal antidote! remedy for all

diseases and difficulties.

2. -alse. 9'$e&er!l means short"lived! passing! fleeting! lasting for a

short time.
3. -alse. /nerous means burdensome! troublesome! oppressive! hard to bear!

difficult to accomplish or endure.

4. (rue. L!it, means all the people outside of a given profession or

speciali+ed field! nonprofessionals.

5. -alse. Pun#ent means sharp! penetrating! biting! acrid. 6. -alse. Pros!ic means dull! ordinary! uninteresting! unimaginative. 7. -alse. & c$!rl!t!n is a fake! /uack! imposter! fraud! a person

who pretends to have a special skill or knowledge.

8. -alse. Perfunctor, means mechanical! routine! listless; done

without interest or enthusiasm; performed in an indifferent! halfhearted! superficial! and often careless way.
9. (rue. Literally! a &or!ss is a swamp! marsh! bog; figuratively! a

&or!ss is something that traps! confines! or confuses! a sticky situation or troublesome state of affairs.

10. (rue. .o'$istr, is deceptive reasoning! subtle and misleading

argument.
*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. &ntonyms. Prolific means fruitful! fertile! productive. 2. Synonyms. 4und!ne means of the world! earthly! material as

distinguished from spiritual.

3. Synonyms.

4,ri!d means countless! consisting of a great or indefinite number. nonconformist.

innumerable!

infinite!

4. &ntonyms. 0issident means disagreeing! disaffected! dissenting! 5. &ntonyms. 0e'lor! le means wretched! grievous! lamentable!

worthy of severe disapproval. L!ud! le means praiseworthy! commendable! worthy of approval or admiration.
6. Synonyms. Ini&it! le means unable to be imitated! copied! or

reproduced; matchless! peerless! beyond compare.

7. Synonyms. <!ded means worn out by overwork or overindulgence!

tired! fatigued! weary! e$hausted.

8.

Synonyms. 4,o'ic means not able to see the long"range picture! having a narrow or circumscribed view! short"sighted.
9. &ntonyms. (nverifi! le means unable to be tested or proved true.

0e&onstr! le means capable of being demonstrated or proved. 10.Synonyms. 1!llow means immature! ine$perienced! unsophisticated.
*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. 4!%e do doesn't fit. (o !c-uiesce means to agree without protest!

accept without argument or resistance! give in /uietly.

2. (o s'e!% 'owerfull, doesn't fit. Bowerful speech is either

strong! clear! and persuasive! or simply loud. (o 'ontific!te means to speak in a pompous and overbearing way! make pretentious or categorical statements! e$press one's opinion as though it were an official decree.
3. (nnecess!r, doesn't fit. 0eleterious means harmful! destructive!

injurious! detrimental; especially! harmful to health or well"being.

4. Inconsistent doesn't fit. "& iv!lent means uncertain! indecisive!

having conflicting feelings or desires! simultaneously drawn in opposite directions.

5. 1oncerned

doesn't fit. Pensive means thoughtful! reflective! especially in a deep! dreamy! or melancholy way. the spur of the moment! improvised for the occasion! spontaneous.

6. (n'redict! le doesn't fit. I&'ro&'tu means made up or done on

7. Pl!n doesn't fit. (o con2ecture means to make an educated guess;

to suppose! presume; form an opinion or make a judgment based on insufficient evidence.

8. 6ic%ed doesn't fit. .urre'titious means stealthy! furtive! shifty! sly!

characteri+ed by secrecy and caution.

9. .!lient doesn't fit. .!lient means conspicuous! prominent! sticking

out. 98e&'l!r, means worthy of imitation; hence! praiseworthy! commendable! meritorious.

10. ;!nt!stic doesn't fit. ;!nt!stic means like a fantasy! and therefore

strange! e$travagant! or wonderful. I&'ecc! le means perfect! faultless! flawless! incapable of error or sin.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. (o !ttest means to affirm to be true! genuine! or correct; certify or

authenticate officially; stand as proof or evidence of.

2. & copious supply is a plentiful supply; co'ious means abundant!

large in amount or number.

3. & f!ll!cious statement is misleading! false! deceptive! invalid!

based on a fallacy.
4. & stoic person is unemotional; stoic means showing no feelings!

unaffected by pleasure or pain. 5. (hey e$change countercharges. & recri&in!tion is a countercharge or counteraccusation.
6. &n !ffinit, is a close resemblance or relationship! a strong likeness!

similarity! or connection. "ffinit, may also mean a natural attraction to! or liking for! a person or thing.
7. & volatile situation is changeable! unstable! inconstant; vol!tile

means likely to change or shift rapidly and unpredictably.

8. & s-u!lid environment is dirty and run"down as a result of poverty or

neglect! foul or filthy from lack of care.

9. 1hen you e8'edite something you speed it up! hasten its progress!

handle or perform it /uickly and efficiently. 10.&bject conditions are degraded. " 2ect means brought low in condition or status; hence! lacking self"respect! contemptible! wretched.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level 4

1. 1hich word means specifically an amateur practitioner of an art4 (a) tyro (b) novice (c) neophyte

(d) dilettante 2. 1hich word is an antonym of #!rrulous4 (a) verbose (b) laconic (c) lo/uacious (d) voluble 3. (he combining form !uto" means (a) other (b) alone (c) self (d) only 4. (he combining form '!n" means

one
(a) all (b) over (c) through 5. 1hich phrase is not redundant4 (a) a daily journal (b) the nonprofessional laity (c) a panacea for all ills (d) all of the above phrases are redundant 6. 1hich is not an accepted meaning of '!nt$eon4 (a) a collection of the best e$amples of something (b) all the gods worshiped by a given people (c) a temple dedicated to all the gods (d)

any group of highly respected or revered persons

7. Insi'id! v!'id! and 2e2une are synonyms of (a) abject (b) myopic (c) prosaic (d) deleterious 8. 1hich pair of words is not synonymous4 (a) fraud! fake

(b) humbug! charlatan (c) imposter! dissident (d) /uack! mountebank 9. 4ec$!nic!l! routine! and listless are synonyms of (a) (b) (c) ambivalent (d)

jaded onerous perfunctory

10.1hich statement does not apply to so'$istr,4

(a) it is clever (b) it is confusing (c) it is plausible (d) it is deceptive

11.Diss (histlebottom! the hidebound grammarian! is the creation of

(a) (heodore D. %ernstein (b) #. 1. -owler (c) 1illiam Safire (d) Lewis :arroll

12.1hat is a le$icographer4
(a) a writing instructor (b) an author of usage guides (c) a maker of dictionaries (d) an e$pert on word origins

13.1hich word is a synonym of &und!ne4

(a) sublunary (b) celestial (c) sublime (d) ethereal 14. )n ancient 8reece a &,ri!d was (a) a temple dedicated to all the gods (b) a period of fasting followed by a feast (c) a division of ten thousand soldiers

(d) a marathon

15.1hich pair of words is synonymous4

(a) laudable! deplorable (b) meritorious! ignominious (c) commendable! contemptible (d) e$emplary! estimable

16.1hich of the following is least likely to make someone jaded4

(a) abuse (b) inactivity (c) overwork (d) overindulgence

17.1hich word is a synonym of l!titudin!ri!n4

(a) purblind (b) obtuse (c) catholic (d) myopic

18.1hich sentences illustrate proper usage4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) (his is between you and me. (b) (his is between you and ). (c) (his is for Dary and me. (d) (his is for Dary and ).

19.%y derivation! the word 'ontific!te is related to

(a) the Stoic philosophers (b) the Bope (c) snake"oil salesmen (d) the Sophists

20.1hich word means e$pressing opinion as if it were fact4

(a) diurnal (b) disparaging (c) dogmatic (d) demonstrable 21.

)n !& iv!lent and !& ide8trous! the combining form !& i"means

22. (a) (b) other (c) both

around through

22.(o s'ecul!te! sur&ise! and con2ecture all mean

(a) to risk (b) to guess (c) to e$amine (d) to take for granted

23.1hich word is an antonym of surre'titious4

(a) manifest (b) furtive (c) clandestine (d) covert

24.1hich is the proper pronunciation of $einous4

(a) #EE"nis (b) #&Y"nis (c) #EE"nee"us (d) #&Y"nee"us

25.1hich word is an antonym of i&'ecc! le4

(a) perfunctory (b) e$temporaneous (c) culpable (d) jaded

26.1hich word means a small sin! minor fault or flaw4

(a) stigma (b) idiosyncrasy (c) macula (d) peccadillo

27.1hich word means a lull! hiatus4

(a) jade (b) respite

(c) abjection (d) ac/uiescence 28. )n 'refer! le! for&id! le! co&'!r! le! and !''lic! le! where does

the stress properly fall4

(a) on the first syllable (b) on the second syllable

29.(he /uestion 21hat are you inferring43 means

(a) 1hat are you deducing or concluding4 (b) 1hat are you suggesting or indicating indirectly4 (c) 1hat are you e$plaining or defining4 (d) 1hat precisely are you saying4

30.2&manda was UUUUUUUU to improve her verbal skills.3 )n careful usage! which word properly should fill the blank in that sentence4
(a) an$ious (b) eager

31.%y derivation! a cornuco'i! is

(a) an official decree (b) a horn of plenty (c) a worker of miracles (d) an artistic masterpiece

32.1hich word is an antonym of stoic4

(a) apathetic (b) astute (c) ardent (d) ambivalent

33.1hich pair of words are synonyms4 immutable! erratic

(a) protean! mercurial (b) capricious! invariable (c) flighty! /uiescent

34.(nsullied! i&&!cul!te! and 'ristine are antonyms of

(a) onerous (b) impeccable

(c) volatile (d) s/ualid

35.1on2ecture and ! 2ect both come from the Latin verb 2!cere! which means
(a) to accept (b) to judge (c) to throw (d) to make a mistake Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Level 5
1elcome to Level ' of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. )f you've been reviewing the material diligently! by now ) imagine you are comfortable with many of the words you've learned! and you probably have also noticed a marked improvement in your verbal awareness. %ut guess what4 1e're not even halfway through the program yet. (here's plenty of useful information and there are a lot more challenging words to comeso keep reading and reviewing and you will soon enjoy an even greater Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. Be9o:4n8 a C/lt4vate2 S1ea0e' Let's begin this level with a brief overview of the subject of pronunciation. Dy aim in broaching this topic is twofold to make you more aware of the importance of good pronunciation and to help you become a more careful! conscientious speaker. )s there a right way and a wrong way to pronounce a word4 5o words sometimes have more than one correct pronunciation4 )f so! are certain pronunciations betteror more correctthan others4 (he answer to these /uestions! in my opinion! is yes. Gust as there are good and bad ways to use words! there are right and wrong ways to pronounce them. )n some cases there is even a good! better! and best way! along with bad! worse! and worst. Dany linguists and le$icographers Adictionary editorsC would disagree

with me. %eing descriptive rather than prescriptive in their approach! they do not believe we should make value judgments about meaning! usage! or pronunciation. (he truth! however! is that they often do. Dany times a certain pronunciation will not be listed in a dictionary! or it will appear with a cautionary label such as 2nonstandard3 or 2substandard.3 :learly! that constitutes a value judgment. )t implies! 21e don't recogni+e this pronunciation as legitimate! prevalent! or proper in educated speech.3 5ictionary editors don't like to admit that they make these sorts of judgment calls! perhaps because they're afraid of being labeled 2undemocratic3 or 2snobbish.3 %ut when it comes to pronunciation! ) don't think people want to be told that anything goes. Dost of us are well aware that in many situations people will judge us by the way we speak! and for that reason most of us want to say it right. (herefore! when people consult a dictionary they e$pect to find what is considered acceptable and correct! and they appreciate whatever reliable advice they can get. (his awareness of the importance of using standard pronunciation is the first step in becoming what is often called a 2cultivated speaker!3 someone who cares enough about speaking well to invest some time and energy in learning how to pronounce words properly. Fne meaning of the verb to cultiv!te is to devote special attention to with the aim of improving! and the adjective cultiv!ted means refined by study and training! marked by skill and taste. :ultivated speakers are those who have arrived at their pronunciation not by imitation or guesswork but by study and practice. :ultivated speech means the manner in which such conscientious speakers concur on how words should be pronounced! and how that agreement is represented in the dictionaries. (he first goal of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is to add more words to your vocabulary; the second is to teach you how to use them properly and precisely; and the third is to set you on the path to becoming a cultivated speaker of the language. (his last goal is just as important as the others! especially if you do any public speaking or conduct a good deal of your business orally. )t's fine to know lots of words and how to use them! but you must also be able to pronounce them properly if you wish to avoid sounding eccentric! or even worse! foolish. Beople will understand you! but they will not consider you a careful speaker if you say9 #Y(# instead of #Y( Arhymes with %iteC for $ei#$t 1&#7S# instead of 1&#S# Awith no r soundC for w!s$ mis":#EE"vee"us instead of D)S"chi"vus for &isc$ievous Athe word has three syllables! not four! and the stress is on &is"C &I"ur"it instead of &I"yur"it for !ccur!te 57F16"did instead of 57F165 for drowned eye"5EE7 instead of eye"5EE"uh for ide!

i"7EH"uh"lint instead of i"7EL"uh"vint for irrelev!nt GFF"luh"ree instead of GFF"wuul"ree for 2ewelr, thee"&Y"tur instead of (#EE"uh"tur for t$e!ter 6FF"kyuh"lur instead of 6AYCFF"klee"ur for nucle!r )n each case above! the first pronunciation is a sign of a careless speaker. ) should also point out that of the three goals of this program! good pronunciation is the easiest to achieve. )t may take a while to learn the precise meaning and proper use of a given word! but you can memori+e and master its pronunciation in a minute. )n fact! knowing how to pronounce a word can sometimes help you remember its meaning. %ut the most challenging task isn't learning how to pronounce unfamiliar words. (he real work begins with learning to avoid mispronouncing words you already know. (he advice on pronunciation ) have included throughout Ver !l "dv!nt!#e will help. 1hen you have finished this program! however! you will have to commit yourself to improving your pronunciation on your own. (o prepare yourself for that! you need to do three things
1. Start paying closer attention to how other people speak. 2. Dake sure to check the pronunciation of every word you look

up in the dictionary.
3. Learn

how to interpret diacritical marksthe dictionaries use to indicate pronunciation.

symbols

-irst! pay attention to every word you read in this program. 1hen you see an unfamiliar word! note the transcription of the pronunciation ) give for it and try saying the word to yourself several times. (hen the ne$t time you have a dictionary handy! look up the word and read the pronunciation! the definition! and the etymology AE("uh" MA-L"uh"jee! a word you met in Level ,C! the part of the entry that covers the origin of the word. &s you train your ear to pay closer attention to pronunciation! bear in mind that accent is a natural part of cultivated speech. )n a large! diverse country like the Enited States! people from different regions are bound to pronounce certain words a bit differently. Some people make the mistake of assuming that a different accent constitutes mispronunciation. (here is indeed a general &merican standard for pronunciation! but in most cases it takes into account our regional differences. -or e$ample! although ) have lived in southern :alifornia for almost twenty years! ) was born and raised in 6ew York :ity and ) have also lived in 6ew England. %ecause ) spent my formative years in the East! my accent is! for the most part! an eastern one.

5epending on where you're from! you may pronounce the adjective &err,! the verb to &!rr,! and the name 4!r, all in the same way D&)7"ee Arhymes with $!ir,C. %ecause of my Eastern background! ) employ three distinct pronunciations for &err, ) say DE7"ee Ae as in &etC; for &!rr, ) say D&7"ee A! as in &!tC! and for 4!r, ) say D&)7"ee Arhyming with d!ir,C. (he point is! these are differences in accent! not mispronunciations; both ways of pronouncing these words are acceptable in cultivated speech. (he second thing you need to do to become a cultivated speaker is to pay close attention to the way words are pronounced by the people around you and by people on the airwaves. 1hen you listen to the radio or watch television! take note of people's pronunciation! and if something strikes you as different or unusual! jot it down and look it up later. )f you hear a friend or coworker use an unfamiliar pronunciation! take the time to check and see if it's in a dictionary. )t's best if you can check the word in more than one dictionary so you can compare their opinions on pronunciation. 5ictionaries don't differ much in their treatment of definition! but they can vary considerably in how they record pronunciation. %y doing this! not only will you learn the right way to pronounce the words you add to your vocabulary! you will also ameliorate your pronunciation of the words you already know. (o sum up )f you wish to become a better speaker! you must listen critically to the way you and others speak! and you must check your pronunciation in the dictionarynot just the pronunciation of the new words you learn but also of the words you know and think you are pronouncing correctly. #aving made that effort myself! ) can tell you it's a sobering moment when you discover you've been mispronouncing a familiar word for years. Fn the other hand! there's a profound satisfaction in knowing that you've uncovered an error and corrected it. -inally! there are two bad habits you must eschew at all costs. A 9sc$ew a word you met briefly in Level , and that you will meet again as keyword 0> of this levelmeans to avoid! abstain from! shun. )t is not pronounced e"S#FF! as a growing number of educated adults today mistakenly believe. (he traditional and proper pronunciation is es":#E1! like the letter s plus the word c$ew.C -irst! don't invent your own pronunciations. 1hen you come across a new word! don't guess how it's pronounced; that's like reading around an unfamiliar word and guessing what it means. A(hat's also probably how people started putting an erroneous s$oe in esc$ew.C Second! don't blindly imitate other people's pronunciation. 2Donkey"hear! monkey"say3 is a risky game. %ut don't just take my word for it. (ake it from the nineteenth"century &merican le$icographer 6oah 1ebster! whose name appears prominently

on the covers of so many of our dictionaries. )n his 0issert!tions on t$e 9n#lis$ L!n#u!#e! 1ebster wrote that people tend to model their speech after those 2whose abilities and character entitle OtheirP opinions to respect! but whose pronunciation may be altogether accidental or capricious.3 A%y the way! c!'ricious is properly pronounced kuh"B7)S#"us! not! as you fre/uently hear! kuh"B7EE"shus. (he second syllable should rhyme with wis$! not we.C Dimicking the pronunciation of people you admire may be the natural thing to do! but more often than not it will lead you into error. (hen you will mislead someone else! and that person will mislead someone else! until half the country is saying it wrong and dictionary editors eventually list it as standard. (he point is! just because a person is intelligent or accomplished doesn't mean he or she is also a cultivated speaker. Let me share an anecdote with you that illustrates what ) mean. 6ot long ago a fan of my :i# :oo% of :e!stl, 4is'ronunci!tions called me to relate a disturbing story. She said she was in her last year of medical school! and recently one of her professors had ridiculed her in front of the entire class for her pronunciation of a certain medical term. ) had researched the word and written about it! concluding that her pronunciation was correct and the professor's was wrong. (he professor may be an authority on medicine! but that doesn't make him an e$pert on pronunciation. Doreover! it's horrifying to think that he abused his authority by going out of his way to humiliate someone who! as it turned out! knew more about what she was saying than he did. (he lesson here is! don't take your own or anyone else's pronunciation for granted. 1hen in doubt! go to the dictionary. Un2e'stan24n8 @4a9'4t49al Ma'0s (he last thing you need to do to become a more cultivated speaker is learn how to interpret the diacritical marks or symbols that dictionaries use to show pronunciation. A(he word di!critic!l means 2serving to distinguish.3C Enfortunately! most people are baffled by diacritical marks! and because they are baffled they simply give up and ignore the whole /uestion of pronunciation altogetherwhich! as you can imagine! puts them at a distinct verbal disadvantage. (he truth is that learning to interpret diacritical marks is much easier than learning to read music or use a word"processing program. )n fact! if you can balance your checkbook and operate a H:7! then with a minimum of effort you can familiari+e yourself with diacritical marks. Inowing how to decipher these symbols will help you become a better speaker! so let me wind up this discussion by teaching you some of the most common ones. Dost people recogni+e the macron and the breve. (he &!cron AD&Y"krahn or D&Y"krunC is a hori+ontal line or dash placed over a vowel ! ! ! ! . (he macron represents the 2long3 sound of the

vowel as in d!te and f!te; as in even and &eter; as in ice and ni#$t; as in over and tot!l; and as in &usic and cute. (he reve A%7EEH! rhymes with le!veC is a small curved mark! like a tiny smile! placed over a vowel to represent the 2short3 sound of the vowel W as in c!t and $!t; as in 'et and let; as in $it and sit; as in $ot and not; and X as in u' and utter. (he diacritical mark people seem to have the most trouble with is the sc$w! AS#1&#C. (he schwa looks like a small letter e turned on its head in other words! printed upside"down and backwards . (he schwa is a versatile symbol used to indicate an unstressed vowel sound that is neither long nor short but lightened or obscure. -or e$ample! to represent the sound of ! in !#o! e in ite&! i in s!nit,! o in co&'l,! and u in focus! dictionary editors use a sc$w! A "g! "t m! sWn" "t! k m"pl! f"k sC. (he last two symbols you should know are the dieresis and the circumfle$. & dieresis Ady"E7"i"sisC is two dots printed over a vowel; it is also called an u&l!ut AEED"lowtC. (he dieresis most often is used over an ! to indicate an open or broad vowel sound! as in c!r AcYrC and f!t$er AfY"th urC; it may also appear over a u to represent an FF sound! as in flute AflZtC or roof ArZfC. (he circu&fle8 ASE7"kum"fleksC looks like the tip of a tiny arrow! or like an e/uilateral triangle with the hori+ontal bottom line removed . More precisely, it's a small c!ret Apronounced like c!rrotC! a mark used in copyediting to indicate that something needs to be inserted. (he circumfle$ sits on top of a vowel like a little hood. 5epending on the dictionary you use! it may appear over the vowels [! \! ]! or ^ when they are followed by the letter r to indicate that the sound of the vowel blends into the r. -or e$ample! [r is pronounced like !ir! as in c!re Ak[rC; \r is pronounced like e!r! as in de!r Ad\rC and 'ier Ap\rC; ]r is pronounced like or! as in store Ast]rC and door Ad]rC; and ^r is pronounced like ur in fur or ir in fir Af^rC. &nd now for an e$tremely important piece of advice 1henever you check a pronunciation in a dictionary! remember to look for the accent mark Aor marksC and note where the primary stress falls. Dany mispronunciations occur because people stress the wrong syllable. &s my mother was fond of saying when she corrected my pronunciation! 25on't put your accent on the wrong syl"L&#"ble.3 Dany speakers mistakenly say adD)7able! forD)5able! and comB&)7able when the words !d&ir! le! for&id! le! and co&'!r! le are properly pronounced &5mirable! -F7midable! and :FDparable. (hese mispronunciations could be corrected easily by consulting a dictionary.

(here are do+ens more mispronunciations in which the error is simply a matter of misplaced stress. -or e$ample! i&'otent Aproperly )D"puh"tintC is often mispronounced im"BF#"tint; dis'!r!te Aproperly 5)S"puh"ritC is often mispronounced dis"B&7"it; #ondol! Aproperly 8&#6"duh"luhC is often mispronounced gahn"5F#"luh; su'erfluous Aproperly soo"BE7"floo"us! stress on "'er"C is often mispronounced SFF"pur" &LOO"us! with primary stress on "flu"C and influence Aproperly )6"floo"intsC is often mispronounced in"-LFF"ints. You must become keenly aware of where the stress falls in a word! for it seems that almost every day some new error of this type crops up and gains currency. )n recent years ) have heard numerous broadcasters pronounce &!,or!l and elector!l with second" and third"syllable stress! respectively. (he traditional and proper pronunciations are D&Y"ur"ul! with first"syllable stress! and i"LEI"tur"ul! with second"syllable stress. )f you make sure to note which syllable receives the primary stress every time you look up a word! you won't be misled by these or any other eccentric or erroneous pronunciations you may hear. -inally! spend some time studying your dictionary's pronunciation key. (hough most dictionaries use the symbols ) have just discussed! there are always variations! and each key is individual. 7ead the section on pronunciation in the guide to your dictionary! which is part of the front matter the material preceding the vocabulary. 1hen you think you have a basic understanding of the key! turn to any page in the dictionary! find a word you don't know! and try to pronounce it. 5o the symbols make sense right away! or do you have to refer to the key for help4 )f your dictionary doesn't have a condensed pronunciation key printed at the bottom of each or every other page Aa very helpful featureC! ) suggest that you either affi$ a Bost"it note or 2sticky3 on the page in the dictionary's guide that contains the key or make a photocopy of the key and paste it to the inside cover of the dictionary. (hat way you'll easily be able to refer to the pronunciation key whenever you look up a word. 6ow that you know what to do to become a more conscientious speaker of the language! it's time to give you some more words you can use to embellish your cultivated speech. So! without further ado! here are the first ten keywords of Level '.

6o'2 1( EOLUBLE <EA-L)./=)b/l?

(alkative! talking much and easily! characteri+ed by a great and continuous flow of words. Synonyms of volu le include lon#5winded! #li Aword ? of Level .C! #!rrulous A8&7"uh"lusC! lo-u!cious Aloh"I1&Y"shusC! ver ose Aword .= of Level ,C! and effusive Ae"-YFF"sivC. &ntonyms include reticent! terse Aword . of Level .C! l!conic Aword *? of Level .C! and t!citurn A(&S"i"turnC.

Volu le refers to a person who talks freely and easily! and usually at great length. )t may also mean characteri+ed by a great and continuous flow of words; in this sense either speech or writing may be voluble.

6o'2 2( COMMISERATE <0/=)MIF)/=)'a.t?

(o sympathi+e! feel or e$press sympathy! show sorrow or pity for. & somewhat unusual synonym of co&&iser!te is the verb to condole Akun"5F#LC! which means to grieve in sympathy! e$press condolence. (o co&&iser!te comes from a Latin verb meaning to pity! and by derivation co&&iser!te means to share someone else's misery. 1o&&iser!te is often followed by wit$ 21hen Sally lost her job! her coworkers commiserated with her.3

6o'2 3( @ILEMMA <24)LEM)/=?

& predicament. )n general! any difficult problem or unpleasant situation; specifically! a predicament in which one must choose between e/ually undesirable alternatives. &s ) mentioned in my discussion of -u!nd!r, Akeyword ,> of Level .C! dile&&! is often used today of any difficult problem or troublesome situation! but many good writers and speakers object to that as loose usage. 0ile&&! comes from the 8reek di"! meaning two! and le&&!! a proposition! and by derivation means a choice between two propositions. Strictly speaking! dile&&! should be used only of situations in which one faces a choice between e/ually undesirable alternatives Elected officials often face the dilemma of either voting for what their constituents want and going against their conscience! or voting their conscience and losing the support of their constituents. Du!nd!r, AI1&#6"duh"reeC! -u!#&ire AI1&8"myr! rhymes with !# li!rC! and dile&&! all refer to complicated and perple$ing situations from which it is hard to disentangle oneself. Du!nd!r, emphasi+es confusion and uncertainty; someone in a /uandary has no idea what to do to get out of it. Du!#&ire emphasi+es hopelessness and impossibility. Literally! a -u!#&ire is a bog! a tract of soft! wet ground. 1hen used in a figurative sense! -u!#&ire refers to an ine$tricable difficulty. Someone in a /uagmire feels hopelessly stuck and unable to get out. %y derivation! a dile&&! is a choice between two e/ually undesirable! unfavorable! or disagreeable propositions. #amlet's famous dilemma was 2to be or not to be.3 :ollo/uial or informal e$pressions for the state of being in a dilemma include 2in a fi$!3 2in a pickle!3 2between a rock and a hard place!3 and

2between the devil and the deep blue sea.3

6o'2 4( TRANSITORA <TRAN)s4)TOR)ee or TRAN)>4)TOR)ee?

Bassing! temporary! fleeting! not permanent or enduring. (he words tr!nsitor,! tr!nsient! e'$e&er!l! and ev!nescent all mean passing! temporary. 9v!nescent AEH"uh"NES"intC comes from the Latin verb ev!nescere! to vanish! disappear! and refers to something that appears briefly and then fades /uickly away evanescent memories! evanescent joy. 9'$e&er!l Ae"-ED"uh"rulC means literally lasting only a day! but in a broad sense it refers to anything conspicuously short"lived Fur precious youth is ephemerallasting! it would seem! but a day. A5id you remember that s$ort5lived is properly pronounced so that 5lived rhymes with strived4C Tr!nsient A(7&6"shint! not (7&6"+ee"intC refers to anything that lasts or stays only for a short while a transient occupant! a transient event. Tr!nsient and our keyword tr!nsitor, both come from the Latin tr!nsire! to go or pass over! the source also of the familiar words tr!nsit and tr!nsition. Tr!nsitor, refers to something that by nature must pass or come to an end Life is transitory! and sometimes so is love.

6o'2 5( ,-ILANT-RO,IC <&IL)/n)T-RA-,)40?

:haritable! benevolent! humane; motivated by or done out of a desire to help or improve the welfare of others. (he corresponding noun '$il!nt$ro', means a desire to help others! especially through charitable giving. P$il!nt$ro', and '$il!nt$ro'ic both come from the 8reek '$ilein! to love! and !nt$ro'os! man. P$il!nt$ro', means literally 2love of mankind3; the adjective '$il!nt$ro'ic means literally 2loving mankind.3 You can see the 8reek '$ilein! to love! in such words as '$iloso'$,! literally love of wisdom; and '$il$!r&onic! literally loving or devoted to music. You can see the 8reek !nt$ro'os! man! in !nt$ro'olo#,! the study of mankind! of human customs! habits! and traditions; and !nt$ro'o&or'$ic A&6"throh"puh"MOR"fikC! shaped like or resembling a man or human being. (he words '$il!nt$ro'ic! $u&!nit!ri!n! !ltruistic A&L"troo"IST"ikC! and c$!rit! le all mean helping others. 1$!rit! le refers specifically to giving money to help others. "ltruistic suggests unselfish giving. =u&!nit!ri!n applies to persons or organi+ations devoted to reducing the pain and suffering of others. P$il!nt$ro'ic literally means motivated by a desire to help others; today the word is used chiefly of persons or organi+ations that make large charitable gifts! fund endowments! or finance humanitarian or cultural institutions.

6o'2 ( LET-ARGA <LET-)/')Dee?

Lack of energy! sluggishness! dullness! apathy! stupor; an abnormally dull! drowsy! inactive condition or state of mind. (he corresponding adjective is let$!r#ic! which means sluggish! drowsy! dull! apathetic 25an always felt lethargic after a big business lunch3; 21henever we visit the +oo! the bears and the lions seem lethargic3; 21eeks after getting over the flu! Emily still felt lethargic.3 &ccording to the third edition of T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, A*@@,C! let$!r#, 2may be caused by factors such as illness! fatigue! or overwork! but it manifests itself in drowsy dullness or apathy.3 "'!t$, A&B"uh"theeC and let$!r#, are close in meaning. "'!t$, suggests an indifferent state of mind! a thorough lack of emotion or concern 2&nalysts predict that voter apathy will result in a low turnout for the election.3 Let$!r#, is a prolonged state of dullness! inactivity! or lack of energy! a sluggish condition either of body or of mind 2(he 7enaissance roused Europe from the intellectual lethargy of the Diddle &ges3; 2&s every college professor knows! nothing can penetrate or cure the lethargy of the college student who has partied too hard the night before.3 Dore difficult synonyms of let$!r#, include tor'or A(F7"purC! so&nolence AS&#D"nuh"lintsC! l!ssitude AL&S"i"tAyCoodC! l!n#uor AL&68" gurC! and stu'ef!ction AS(AYCFF"puh"&A*"shinC.

6o'2 !( EGONERATE <e8)FA-N)/')a.t?

(o free from blame! free from a charge or the imputation of guilt! declare blameless or innocent. Synonyms of e8oner!te include !c-uit! ! solve! and e8cul'!te Aek"SIE#L"payt or EI"skul"paytC. 98cul'!te comes from the Latin e8"! meaning 2out!3 and cul'!! blame! and means literally to free from blame. (he word onerous A&#6"ur"us! like $onor us! not F#"nur"usC means burdensome! and the corresponding noun an onus AF#"nusC means a burden. 98oner!te combines the Latin e8"! out! with onus! a burden! to mean removing a burdenin modern usage! removing the burden of guilt.

6o'2 "( ,UGNACIOUS <1/=8)NAA)s=/s?

8iven to fighting! combative Akum"%&("ivC! /uarrelsome! ready and willing to fight. :hallenging synonyms of 'u#n!cious include contentious Akun"(E6" shusC! elli#erent Abuh"L)G"ur"intC! and ellicose A%EL"i"kohsC. &ntonyms include 'e!ce! le! cle&ent AILED"int! word 0. of Level ,C! and !&ic! le A&D"i"kuh"bulC. Pu#n!cious comes from the Latin 'u#n!re! to bo$! fight with the fists! and

still has the connotation of someone ready to put up his dukes. -rom the same Latin 'u#n!re! to fight! we inherit the word 'u#ilist ABYFF"ji"listC! a bo$er! someone who fights with his fists.

6o'2 #( CONTRITION <0/n)TRIS-)4n?

7emorse! penitence! repentance! deep and devastating sorrow for one's sins or for something one has done wrong. Penitence is sorrow for having sinned or done wrong; it is often temporary. (he penitent person may say 2)'m sorry3 today and sin again tomorrow. Re&orse is deep sorrow. (he remorseful person is tortured by a sense of guilt! and wishes he could erase what he has done. 1ontrition is even more intense than remorse. )t comes from a Latin verb meaning to crush! and by derivation means a crushing sense of guilt accompanied by a sincere! earnest desire to repent! make amends! and change for the better. 1ontrition is the noun; the corresponding adjective is contrite Akun"(7Y(! rhymes with ! li#$tC! remorseful! penitent! full of guilt! regret! and sorrow for one's sins or offenses 21hen Larry's wife found out about his mistress and his slea+y real estate deals and threatened to leave him! Larry was contrite and swore heJd mend his ways.3

6o'2 13( ABROGATE <AB)'/=)8a.t?

(o abolish by legal or authoritative action or decree. Synonyms of ! ro#!te include c!ncel! revo%e! re'e!l! !nnul! nullif,! and rescind Ari"S)65! word .* of Level .C. (o ! olis$ means to do away with to abolish slavery! abolish cruel and unusual punishment. Rescind! revo%e! and re'e!l all suggest a formal withdrawal. Rescind means literally to cut off you rescind an order. Revo%e means literally to call back you revoke a contract. (o re'e!l means literally to call back on appeal! and applies to something canceled that formerly was approved we repeal a law or an amendment. (o !nnul Auh"6E#LC and to ! ro#!te mean to cancel or make void. & marriage may be annulled. 7ights and privileges are abrogated! abolished by authoritative action or decree.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following /uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page ,=@.
1. 1ould a voluble person also be reticent4

2. :an you commiserate with someone who is unhappy4 3. )f you are faced with choosing between the lesser of two evils!

are you in a dilemma4 4. :ould the blooming of springtime flowers be described as transitory4
4. )s making money the goal of a philanthropic institution4 5. 5oes lethargy mean a state of e$citement or agitation4 6. 1hen a jury pronounces someone guilty! is the person

e$onerated4
7. )s a pugnacious person likely to pick a fight with you4 8. )s contrition a state of /uiet contemplation4

10.:an your house and property be abrogated4

#ere are the ne$t ten keywords in Level '

6o'2 11( O&&ICIOUS </=)&IS-)/sK 2o not sa. o=)&IS-)/s?

Bronounce the initial o of officious like the ! in !#o. Deddlesome! nosy! intrusive! interfering! prying; specifically! offering unwanted advice or unnecessary services! especially in a high"handed! overbearing way. (he officious person butts in and tries to tell others what to do! or offers help that others do not need. (he officious person is a meddler! a busybody 2Lucy was sick and tired of her officious supervisor! who would constantly peer over her shoulder and in a single breath tell her what to do! offer to help her do it! and then upbraid her for not doing it right away.3 A5o you know the precise meaning of u' r!id4 )f you have the slightest doubt! look it up now.C & more difficult and unusual word for this type of unpleasant person is -uidnunc AI1)5"nuhngk! second syllable rhyming with s%un%C. Duidnunc comes directly from Latin and means literally 21hat now43 (he /uidnunc always wants to know what's going on! the busybody is always sticking his or her nose into your business! and the officious person is always trying to manage your affairs.

6o'2 12( INTRACTABLE <4n)TRA*)t/=)b/l?

#ard to manage or control! stubborn! unruly. &ntonyms of intr!ct! le include o edient! co&'li!nt Akum"BLY"intC! &!lle! le AD&L"ee"uh"bulC! docile A5&#S"JlC! and tr!ct! le. (he antonyms tr!ct! le and intr!ct! le come from the Latin tr!ct!re! to drag around! haul! and also to manage! control. (he familiar words tr!ction

and tr!ctor come from the same source. %oth tr!ct! le and intr!ct! le are used chiefly of persons rather than things Tr!ct! le means obedient! compliant! easily managed; intr!ct! le means stubborn! unruly! hard to manage or control.

6o'2 13( ALTRUISM <AL)t'oo)4>)H:?

Selflessness! unselfish concern for the welfare of others. )n the philosophy of ethics! !ltruis& refers to the doctrine that promoting the welfare of society is the proper and moral goal of the individual. )n this sense! !ltruis& is opposed to e#ois& AEE"goh"i+"'mC! self"centeredness! specifically the doctrine that self"interest is the proper goal of the individual! that the only sensible thing to do in life is look out for number one. 9#ois& is distinguished from e#otis& AEE"guh"ti+"'mC! both in spelling and meaning. 9#otis& is e$treme self"involvement! e$cessive reference to oneself in speech or writing; the e#otist AEE"guh"tistC cannot stop talking about himself. 9#ois& implies self"centeredness! concern for oneself; the e#oist AEE"goh"istC cares only about his own needs! concerns! and goals. Egoism is unpleasant but less intense and disagreeable than egotism. Fn the opposite end of the spectrum is !ltruis&. (he !ltruist is selfless! highly moral! and puts the needs of others and of society first. "ltruis& is unselfish concern for others.

6o'2 14( ACCOLA@E <a0)/=)LAA@ or A*)/=)la.2?

&n award; sign of respect or esteem; e$pression of praise; mark of acknowledgment; anything done or given as a token of appreciation or approval 2&t the ceremony she received an accolade from the president for her work3; 2#e was showered with accolades after the success of his project.3 #ere's an interesting word story for you "ccol!de comes through -rench and )talian from the Latin !ccoll!re! to embrace! which comes in turn from !d"! meaning 2to!3 and collu&! the neck! the source of the word coll!r. Friginally! an !ccol!de was an embrace! specifically the ritual embrace used in conferring knighthood. &t one time this consisted of a ceremonial kiss and a light blow on each shoulder with the flat side of a sword. Later the embrace was dropped and the ceremony was limited to the tap on each side of the collar with a sword. -rom this ritual the word !ccol!de has come to mean any special recognition of merit! achievement! or distinction. Dy preferred pronunciation for !ccol!de is ak"uh"L&Y5 Alast syllable like l!idC! but there are no fewer than three other established! acceptable pronunciations &I"uh"layd! with the stress on the first syllable; ak"uh" L&#5! final syllable rhyming with rod; and &I"uh"lahd! stress on the first syllable.

6o'2 15( EERNACULAR <v/')NA*)./=)l/'?

(he native language of a people! especially! the common! everyday language of ordinary people as opposed to the literary or cultured language. (he noun vern!cul!r may refer to a native language as opposed to a foreign one! and the adjective vern!cul!r may mean native as opposed to foreign! as English is my vernacular tongue. Dore often! though! vern!cul!r is used of the common! everyday language of ordinary people. & vernacular e$pression is a popular e$pression! one used by ordinary folk. Hernacular literature is either popular literature or literature written in everyday as opposed to formal language. (he phrase 2in the vernacular3 means in ordinary and unpretentious language. 2)'m not going to do it3 is formal language. 2) ain't gonna do it3 is in the vernacular. 2#e doesn't wish to speak with anyone3 is formal language. 2#e don't wanna talk to nobody3 is vernacular. (hese e$amples of vernacular English are considered ungrammatical and substandard! and ) want to be careful not to give you the impression that bad English is the only form of vernacular English. (he vernacular comprises all language that is common and informal! any word or e$pression that ordinary people usewhether it is considered bad or good! acceptable or improper. )n 4odern 9n#lis$ (s!#e! #. 1. -owler describes the vernacular as 2the words that have been familiar to us for as long as we can remember! the homely part of the language! in contrast with the terms that we have consciously ac/uired.3 :alling someone a 2sharp cookie3 is the vernacular way of calling someone intelligent! perceptive! judicious Ajoo"5)S#"us! the ne$t keyword in this levelC! or sagacious Asuh"8&Y"shus! word < in Level ?C. Saying someone is a 2phony3 is the vernacular way of saying someone is a sham! an imposter! or a charlatan AS#&#7"luh"tin! word *> of Level 0C. (he vernacular of the East differs from the vernacular of the 1est! and often residents of different parts of the same state or city have their own vernacularcommon! informal! everyday language.

6o'2 1 ( BU@ICIOUS <Doo)@IS-)/s?

1ise and careful! having or showing sound judgment. Synonyms of 2udicious include sensi le! level$e!ded! 'rudent Aword 0> of Level *C! and discreet. &ntonyms include t$ou#$tless! fool$!rd,! i&'etuous Aim"BE:#"oo"usC! and te&er!rious A(ED"uh"RAIR"ee"usC. <udicious comes through the Latin 2udiciu&! judgment! from 2ude8! a judge. <ude8 and the Latin verb 2udic!re! to judge! pass judgment! are also the source of the English words 2ud#e! 2ud#&ent! 2udici!l! pertaining to a judge or to a judgment! and 2udici!r, Ajoo"@IS-"ee"E7"eeC! judges collectively or the judicial branch of government.

&s long as we're passing judgment on all these words! here's a spelling tip Everyone knows the word 2ud#e has an e at the end! but many &mericans don't seem to reali+e that there is no e in the middle of the word 2ud#&ent. (he %ritish Aand many :anadians who follow %ritish usageC prefer to retain this medial e and spell the word 2ud#e&ent. (he preferred &merican spelling! however! is 2ud#&ent. Fur keyword! 2udicious! means having or showing sound judgment. & judicious decision is a wise and careful decision. & judicious course of action is a sensible! levelheaded! prudent course of action.

6o'2 1!( C-RASALIS <*RIS)/=)l4s?

(he pupa of a butterfly; the stage in the development of the insect between the larval and adult stages! during which the insect is enclosed in a case or cocoon. 1$r,s!lis is now also used in a figurative sense to mean a sheltered and undeveloped state or stage of being 2Bromising young artists and writers have always had to break out of their creative chrysalis to achieve the recognition they deserve3; 2&fter four years at college she emerged from her chrysalis in the ivory tower into the wide"open world! fully mature and ready to accomplish great things.3 )n this general sense! c$r,s!lis is a useful word that can add a nice touch of style to your e$pression. %e careful! however! to use it precisely. (he danger lies in confusing c$r,s!lis with the words tr!nsfor&!tion and &et!&or'$osis ADE("uh"MOR&"uh"sisC. Listen to this sentence! which was written by a theater critic about a performance of 8eorge %ernard A%E7"nurdC Shaw's P,#&!lion 25irickson is convincing and eminently likable as Eli+a! deftly handling the chrysalis from street urchin to lady while! along the way! growing in confidence and independence.3 You cannot 2handle3 a sheltered and undeveloped state 2from3 one thing to another. 1hat the critic meant to describe was a change that resembled the transformation a butterfly undergoes from its larval AL&#7"vulC stage! when it is but a caterpillar! through its chrysalis! its stage of development in the shelter of the cocoon! and then to fully formed adulthood. (he proper word for that transformation is &et!&or'$osis. 1$r,s!lis means a sheltered state or undeveloped stage of being.

6o'2 1"( GENTEEL <Den)TEEL?

7efined! polite! well"bred! sophisticated! elegantly stylish or fashionable! pertaining or belonging to high society. +enteel came into English in the early seventeenth century from the -rench #entil! which at the time meant noble! polite! graceful. Friginally #enteel meant possessing the /ualities of those of high birth and good breeding. (hat definition is still listed in current dictionaries! but today

#enteel usually suggests an e$cessive or affected refinement! and the word is often applied to someone or something that is trying to appear socially or intellectually superior.

6o'2 1#( BOEIAL <BO-)vee)/l?

Derry! full of good humor! hearty and fun"loving! jolly! convivial Akun"H)H"ee" ulC. (he e$clamation 2by GoveT3 means literally 2by Gupiter!3 the name of the chief deity Aproperly pronounced 5EE"i"tee! not 5&Y"i"teeC in 7oman mythology! called Meus by the ancient 8reeks. -rom Gove! who was renowned for his love of feasting and merriment! we inherit the word 2ovi!l! literally like Gove! merry! good"humored! convivial.

6o'2 23( SUBTER&UGE <SU-B)t/')f.ooD?

& deception! trick! underhanded scheme. Synonyms of su terfu#e include str!t!#e&! !rtifice A&#7("i"fisC! and ruse Aproperly pronounced 7FFM to rhyme with news! not 7FFS to rhyme with looseC. %y derivation su terfu#e means to flee secretly! escape. )n modern usage the word applies to any secret or illicit plan or activity designed to conceal a motive! escape blame! or avoid something unpleasant 2Dystery and spy novels abound with myriad e$amples of the art of subterfuge.3 5on't soften the # in this word and say SE#%"tur"fyoo+h. (he final syllable! "fu#e! should rhyme with $u#e. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page ,=@.
1. &n officious person is industrious and reliable. 2. )t's hard to get an intractable person to do what you want. 3. )f more people were motivated by altruism! the world would be

a better place.
4. 1inning an outstanding service award or being selected as

employee of the month would be an accolade.

5. 2E$pressed in the vernacular3 means e$pressed in polite!

formal language.
6. 5riving under the influence of alcohol is a judicious act. 7. 1hen something emerges from a chrysalis! it is transformed. 8. 8enteel conversation is lively and good"natured. 9. & jovial person is haughty and domineering. 10. )f you discover that a coworker has been doing nasty! sneaky

things behind your back to make you look bad! then you are a

victim of subterfuge. 5id you remember to keep track of your score4 5on't read ahead in the program until you have answered at least eight of the preceding /uestions correctly.

)t's time now for a word to the wise on English pluralsspecifically! the formation of English plurals for words derived from Latin and 8reek. )s the plural of octo'us 2octopi3 or 2octopuses34 Should you say 2the media is3 or 2the media are34 )s the word !cteri! singular or plural4 (he answers are not always simple and clear! and for those who have had no instruction in classical languagesin other words! for most of us intuition is often the only guide. #ere! then! is some advice to direct you through this pluralistic ma+e. 1ords that end in "is in the singular change to "es in the plural !sis becomes !ses; t$esis becomes t$eses; crisis becomes crises; and neurosis becomes neuroses. )n each instance! the second syllable of the plural form is pronounced "eeA Alike the word e!seC. (ake care not to say 2this crises3 AI7Y"see+C when you mean 2this crisis3 AI7Y"sisC. &nother word of caution here 5on't get confused and apply this rule to the plural noun 'rocesses! for which the mispronunciation 2process"ee+3 is now often heard. Process is of Latin origin and not analogous Auh"6&L"uh" gus! word 0? of Level ,C to words of 8reek origin that end in " is . -urthermore! most dictionaries do not recogni+e the pronunciation 2processee+!3 and no pronunciation authority with a reputation to lose would countenance this faddish affectation. Bronounce the singular 'rocess as B7&#"ses Athe pronunciation B7F#"ses is %ritishC and the plural 'rocesses as B7&#"ses"i+. (he plurals of a number of English words that come from Latin end with the letter ! &edi! and !cteri! are common e$amples. (he phrase 2a deadly bacteria3 is wrong because !cteri! is the plural of !cteriu&. )t should be 2a deadly bacterium.3 Likewise with &edi!. (he &edi! are plural! so don't say 2the media is.3 (H is one medium! radio another medium! and print yet another medium. (ogether they constitute the media. 6ever! ever say 2medias.3 )n the case of the word d!t!! however! we have a draw. (raditionally! d!t! is a plural noun! like f!cts! and the singular is d!tu&. Entil fairly recently! careful writers and editors followed the traditional rule of treating d!t! as a plural! preferring 2(hese data are conclusive3 over 2(his data is conclusive!3 and 21e'll decide when all the data are in3 instead of 21e'll decide when all the data is in.3 (oday! however! the use of d!t! as a singular noun is so prevalent among educated speakersincluding scientists and researchers! who compile data for a livingthat in *@@,! <= percent of the esteemed Esage Banel of the "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, sanctioned the use of d!t! with a singular verb! and >> percent accepted it

in the sentence 21e have very little data on the efficacy of such programs.3 A9ffic!c,! pronounced E-"i"kuh"see! means effectiveness. )t is keyword .= of Level ?.C Burists may be upset by that vote! but there's no denying that a decided majority of educated speakers and writers now use d!t! as a synonym of infor&!tion. )'m still not wholly comfortable using d!t! with a singular verb! but ) have to concede that the folks who prefer to say 2the data is3 have a persuasive case. &fter all! !#end! A2things to be done3C started out as the plural of !#endu&! an item on an !#end!! but now !#endu& is nearly defunct Aword *@ of Level ,C and everyone uses !#end!! with the newly manufactured English plural !#end!s! as a singular noun meaning 2a list of things to do or a plan of action.3 &s the prolific Aword ,* of Level 0C writer and professor )saac &simov remarked in the *@?' edition of T$e =!r'er 0iction!r, of 1onte&'or!r, (s!#e! 21hat's the use of saying Q(hese data areJ when to say it will cause everyone who hears it to consider you illiterate4 Q5ataJ is plural in Latin! singular in English.3 6ow it's up to you to decide what seems natural and correct. )n the meantime! here are some /uick rulings on a few more problematic plurals -or the word s,ll! us! the English plural s,ll! uses and the Latin plural s,ll! i AS)L"uh"byC are both acceptable. -or octo'us! the English plural is octo'uses! which ) recommend. (he 8reek plural! now rarely heard! is octo'odes Aahk"(&#B"uh"dee+C. /cto'i A&#I"tuh"pyC! which is neither English nor 8reek but pseudo"Latin! is improper but recogni+ed by many dictionaries. -or the word for&ul!! the English for&ul!s is most common! with the Latin for&ul!e A-F7D"yuh"leeC now a rather pretentious alternative. (he same goes for foru& and st!diu&. (he anglici+ed foru&s and st!diu&s are preferred over the Latin plurals! for! and st!di! Aunless you happen to be talking about ancient 8reece and 7omeC. #owever! when you write more than one &e&or!ndu&! you may call them either &e&or!nd! or &e&or!ndu&s. A) prefer &e&or!nd!.C 1hen you are talking about insects and you want to say they have more than one antenna! the plural you need is !ntenn!e Aan"(E6"ee! last syllable rhyming with see! not fl,C. #owever! if you are referring specifically to the media reception contraption! the preferred plural is !ntenn!s. -or the plural of inde8! both inde8es and indices A)6"di"see+C are acceptable! although most usage authorities now consider indices pretentious in ordinary! nontechnical conte$ts. -inally! for !''endi8! the English plural !''endi8es and the Latin plural !''endices Auh"BE6"di"see+C are both correct! with usage being about evenly divided between them. )t is not true that appendices belong in books and appendi$es in bodies. Esage e$perts are divided in their recommendations! editors and doctors prefer one form or the other! and no

formal differentiation has yet been made. A-or the record! my money's on !''endi8es for both books and bodies.C

&nd now let's return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the ne$t ten keywords in Level '.

6o'2 21( EBULLIENCE <4)BU-L).4nts or 4)BUUL).4nts?

Lively enthusiasm! high spirits! bubbly e$citement. Synonyms include e8u er!nce! e8$il!r!tion! and effervescence AE-"ur"EES"intsC. (he words e ullition AE%"uh"L)S#"inC! e ullient Ai"%E#L"yint or i"%EEL" yintC! and e ullience all come from the Latin verb e ullire! to boil! bubble. (he noun e ullition literally means a boiling or bubbling up. )t may be used figuratively of an emotional outburst! as 2Lisa was delighted with her husband's amorous ebullition on their anniversary.3 (he adjective e ullient means bubbling with enthusiasm! overflowing with high spirits 2(he stadium was packed with thousands of ebullient fans.3 (he noun e ullience means bubbly enthusiasm! seething e$citement! irrepressible e$uberance 21hen Gack won the lottery! he could not contain his ebullience.3 9 ullience and e ullient are often mispronounced. 5on't say i"%FFL" yints and i"%FFL"yint! or i"%YFF"lee"ints and i"%YFF"lee"int. (he %FFL and %YFFL sounds Awhich rhyme with foolC are wrong. &lso! take care to eschew Aes":#FF! remember4C the sloppy mispronunciations E%"yuh"lints and E%"yuh"lint! which move the stress to the first syllable. )n e ullience and e ullient! the stress should fall on the second syllable! " ul"! in which the u may have the sound of the u in ul% or ull.

6o'2 22( IM,EREIOUS <4:),URE)ee)/s?

)mpenetrable! incapable of being entered or passed through; hence! unable to be moved or affected by something. Synonyms of i&'ervious include i&'!ss! le! i&'er&e! le Aim"BE7"mee"uh"bulC! and o'!-ue Aoh"B&YIC. &ntonyms include 'enetr! le ABE6"i"truh"bulC! '!ss! le! !ccessi le! 'er&e! le! tr!nslucent Atran+"LFF"sintC! and di!'$!nous Ady"&-"uh"nusC. &n impervious substance cannot be penetrated certain fabrics are impervious to water; a recording studio must be well insulated and impervious to e$ternal noise. )f you are impervious to pain! then pain does not penetrate your consciousness. &nd if your mind is impervious to reason! that means you cannot be moved or affected by any argument! no matter how persuasive.

6o'2 23( REMONSTRATE <'4)MA-N)st'a.t?

(o object! protest! reprove! rebuke! argue or plead against. (o e8'ostul!te Aek"SB&#S"chu"laytC and to re&onstr!te are close in meaning. (o e8'ostul!te suggests an earnest and sometimes passionate attempt to change someone's views or behavior by pleading and argument. (o re&onstr!te suggests a calmer and more reasoned attempt to show that someone is wrong or blameworthy.

6o'2 24( E&&ACE <e)&AAS?

(o rub out! wipe out! obliterate! erase! e$punge 2(ime gradually effaced the memory of the tragedy.3 (o eff!ce may also mean to make oneself inconspicuous! keep oneself out of the limelight 25uring the celebration! he effaced himself so his partner would get all the attention.3 (he self"effacing person stays in the background and behaves in a modest! retiring fashion. (ake care to distinguish the words def!ce and eff!ce. (o def!ce means to spoil the appearance of! ruin! disfigure! mar. (o eff!ce means to rub out! wipe out! erase! or to withdraw from notice! make oneself inconspicuous.

6o'2 25( C-IMERA <0.)MEER)/=?

& foolish fancy! fantastic notion or idea! figment of the imagination. Synonyms of c$i&er! include w$i&s, A1#)D"+eeC! crotc$et AI7&#:#" itC! &!##ot! and c!'rice Adiscussed in word ** of Level *C. )n 8reek mythology! the :himera was a fire"breathing monster with the head of a lion! the body of a goat! and the tail of a serpent. )n modern usage c$i&er! may refer to that monster or a similar fabulous creature! but more commonly it means an absurd and fabulous creation of the mind. & c$i&er! is a vain or idle fancy! an impossible or visionary idea. (he corresponding adjective is c$i&eric!l Aki"DE7"i"kulC! which means imaginary! fantastic! preposterous! absurd.

6o'2 2 ( INCORRIGIBLE <4n)*OR)4D)/=)b/l or 4n)*A-R)?

%ad beyond correction or reform! hopeless! irreformable; also! unruly! unmanageable! difficult to control. Synonyms of incorri#i le in the sense of 2bad beyond correction or reform3 include irredee&! le! irrecl!i&! le! unre'ent!nt! inveter!te Ain"HE("uh"ritC! and unre#ener!te AE#6"ri"BEN"uh"ritC. synonyms of incorri#i le in the sense of 2unruly! difficult to control3 include o stin!te Aword .0 of Level *C! willful! and intr!ct! le Aword *, of this levelC. (he adjective corri#i le means 2capable of being corrected! amended! or reformed.3 %y adding the privative AB7)H"uh"tiv! meaning 2depriving3 or 2canceling3C prefi$ in"! meaning 2not!3 to the adjective corri#i le! we get its

antonym! incorri#i le! not capable of being corrected! amended! or reformedand therefore hopelessly bad! irreformable! as an incorrigible drinker! an incorrigible practical joker. %ecause incorrigible behavior cannot be corrected or reformed! it also cannot be managed or controlled! and from that logical inference grew the second meaning of incorri#i le unruly! unmanageable! difficult to control. 1ild! unruly teenagers and spoiled children who will not mind their parents are often called incorrigible.

6o'2 2!( BUGTA,OSE <BU-*)st/=),O-For BU-*)st/=) 1o=>?

(o place side by side or close together! especially so as to compare or contrast. (he first half of the word 2u8t!'ose comes from the Latin 2u8t!! which means 2near! close by.3 (he second half! " 'ose! comes from the Latin 'onere! to put! place! the source also of the familiar word 'osition and the more challenging word 'osit AB&#M"itC. (o 'osit means to put forward as true! set down as a fact! as the 5eclaration of )ndependence posits that 2all men are created e/ual.3 %y derivation the verb to 2u8t!'ose means 2to place near! put close by.3 1hen you ju$tapose two or more things you place them side by side! usually for the purpose of comparing or contrasting them. Bainters often ju$tapose colors for a striking effect; philosophers and scientists ju$tapose ideas so as to evaluate them; a consumer might ju$tapose two products! place them side by side! to decide which one is better. (he corresponding noun is 2u8t!'osition AGE#I"stuh"puh"FIS-"inC.

6o'2 2"( CONEERSANT <0/n)EUR)s4nt?

-amiliar! ac/uainted! well"informed or well"versed. :onversant comes from the Latin convers!ri! to associate with! the source also of the verb to converse and the noun convers!tion. 1hen you are conversant with something you have had a conversation with it; you have associated with it! and therefore you are familiar or well ac/uainted with it. (he person who is conversant with astronomy or folklore or 7ussian history or the microcomputer industry is well informed and able to speak knowledgeably about the subject. 1onvers!nt and versed are close synonyms. 1onvers!nt is usually followed by wit$; versed is usually followed by in. Versed often suggests the familiarity that comes from e$perience. You can be versed in the ways of life! versed in the techni/ues of marketing or public relations! or versed in the culture of a foreign country. 1onvers!nt often suggests the familiarity that comes from having studied something or ac/uired information about it. You can be conversant with the work of a certain writer! conversant with economics! conversant with modern art! or conversant with current events.

6o'2 2#( ESOTERIC <ES)/=)TER)40?

)ntended for or designed to be understood only by a select group! known only by a few people; hence! not public! secret! confidential. Synonyms of esoteric include &,sterious! i&'enetr! le! inscrut! le Aword 0? of Level .C! cr,'tic AI7)B"tikC! ! struse Aab"S(7FFS! word ' of Level <C! !rc!ne Aahr"I&Y6C! and recondite A7EI"un"dytC. &ntonyms of esoteric include 'l!in! !''!rent! !ccessi le! &!nifest! discerni le Aword ., of Level .C! lucid Aword 0' of Level .C! and 'ers'icuous Apur"SB)I"yoo"usC. 9soteric comes from a 8reek word meaning 2inner!3 and by derivation means intended for or known only by an inner circle. &ccording to the *@*0 edition of the great 1entur, 0iction!r,! the word esoteric 2originally applied to certain writings of &ristotle of a scientific! as opposed to a popular! character! and afterward to the secret9teachings of Bythagoras; hence! O esoteric has come to meanP secret; intended to be communicated only to the initiated.3 %ecause esoteric refers to that which is secret or understood only by a few select people! in recent years the word has come to be used more generally to mean beyond most people's knowledge or understanding! highly comple$ and difficult to comprehend! as an esoteric theory or the esoteric language of computer programming. Dany educated people now use the word in this more general way! and there is nothing wrong with thate$cept that ) suspect most people who use esoteric today are not aware of the word's original! more specific meaning. (hus! you will have a leg up on them if you keep in mind the precise meaning of esoteric intended to be communicated only to the initiated. &n esoteric theory is comple$ and impenetrable because it is designed to be understood only by a select group. &n esoteric purpose is secret and mysterious because it is known only by a few chosen people. (he antonym or opposite of esoteric is e8oteric AEIS"uh"TER"ikC. 98oteric begins with the prefi$ e8o"! which means 2outer! outside.3 98oteric means e$ternal! popular! of the outside world or open to public view. E$oteric writing is intended for the world at large; it is communicated to or suitable for the general public. Esoteric writing is intended for an inner circle; it is understood only by a few people.

6o'2 33( AUS,ICIOUS <a7)S,IS-)/s?

-avorable! fortunate! marked by favorable circumstances or good fortune! conducive to success! boding well. (he ancient 7omans were! by modern standards! a highly superstitious people who believed in supernatural signs and omens and who often

consulted oracles! astrologers! clairvoyants Aklair"HFY"intsC! and soothsayers Athe soot$5 rhymes with trut$C when they wanted to know what the future held in store for them. Fne of the most popular fortune"tellers in ancient times was the !us'e8 A&1"speksC! who practiced a form of divination known in Latin as !us'iciu&! which meant the act of predicting the future by observing the flight of birds. )n English! the word !us'ice A&1"spisC means an omen or sign! especially a favorable one. -rom that sense !us'ice came to be used in the plural! !us'ices A&1"spi"si+C! to mean protection! guardianship! or sponsorship! as an investigation conducted under the auspices of the government. %oth the noun !us'ice and the adjective !us'icious come from the Latin !us'iciu&! which in turn comes from !vis! bird! and s'ecere ! to look at! observe. %y derivation !us'icious refers to that which an !us'e8! or bird"watcher! has said will have a favorable outcome. )n modern usage !us'icious applies to anything marked by favorable circumstances or good fortune. &n auspicious debut is a favorable debut! one conducive to future success. 1hen the telephone rings and the caller wants to buy your product or pay for your services! that's an auspicious call! one marked by good fortune. &nd when you meet someone at a party who later turns out to be an important business contact! that meeting can only be described as !us'icious! favorable! fortunate. (he adjectives !us'icious and 'ro'itious Apruh"B)S#"usC are close in meaning. Pro'itious by derivation means rushing forward or striving after somethingin the vernacular Aword *' of this levelC or in collo/uial Aword 0. of this levelC terms! 2going for it.3 )n current usage 'ro'itious usually refers to favorable conditions or a favorable time for doing something fishermen hope for propitious weather; stockbrokers are always looking for the propitious moment to buy or sell. "us'icious means favorable in the sense of boding well! giving indication of success. &n auspicious event is one that seems an omen of success! good fortune! or prosperity.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. 5ecide if the pairs of words below are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page ,*=.
1. 9 ullience and e8u er!nce are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. I&'ervious and !ccessi le are9 3. (o re&onstr!te and to !c-uiesce are9 4. (o eff!ce and to o liter!te are9 5. 1$i&er! and f!nt!s, are9 6. Irrefor&! le and incorri#i le are9 7. .e'!r!te and 2u8t!'ose are9 8. (nf!&ili!r and convers!nt are9

9. 9soteric and &,sterious are9

10.(nf!vor! le and !us'icious are9 Un4M/e 4s 6ea0 1hen people use words loosely! with no regard for their precise meanings! it can lead! as Gohnson F':onnor put it! 2to serious mistakes of understanding and judgment.3 )f your boss tells you to 'eruse a report! how do you know whether the boss means skim it or read it carefully and critically4 )f someone says he's disinterested! does that mean he's not interested or that he's fair"minded and impartial4 1hen people use reticent to mean reluct!nt! co&'rised of to mean co&'osed of! or ver !l to mean or!l! they are not being clever! novel! or stylish. (hey are being either la+y or pretentious. 8ood usage begins with learning the precise meanings of words and ends with respecting those meanings in your writing and speech. (ake! for e$ample! the word uni-ue. &ren't you thoroughly sick of it4 #aven't you had enough of uni-ue this! uni-ue that! everything being so ver, uni-ue4 ) certainly have. 1hy4 %ecause uni-ue is so overused its uni/ueness has worn out. 1herever you turn these days people are trying to be uni/ue by saying uni-ue and they are proving only that they have mastered the art of monotonous diction. (hey're being uni/ue on television talk shows! on every page of the newspaper! in every advertising circular! and at every happy hour. Yes! everywhere intelligent people are inserting uni-ue into their sentences as swiftly and predictably as a computer chip gets clapped onto a printed circuit board in an assembly line. %ut while a chip can store a great deal of information and instantaneously perform a variety of tasks! the word uni-ue! soldered to a sentence today! does only one thing bore! bore! bore. &s if the repetition of this word day in and day out is not enough! people have aggravated the situation by /ualifying just how uni/ue whatever they're talking about is. (hey say! 2Dy child is ver, uni/ue3; 2Furs is the &ost uni/ue product of its kind3; 2(his program is co&'letel, uni/ue.3 AYou will notice! please! that not once have ) called the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e program uni/ue. ) prefer to think of it as e$ceptional or peerless.C &t any rate! all these flaccid A-L&I"sid! not -L&S"id! meaning 2limp and weak3C modifications of uni-ue say just one thing to me Dost people tacitly acknowledge that uni-ue isn't uni/ue anymore! but they can't seem to come up with anything better. ) suppose it won't make much difference if ) point out that! properly! uni-ue should not be /ualified. T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, contains this e$ample of the gross Aand laughableC misuse of uni-ue 2Fmaha's most uni/ue restaurant is now even more uni/ue.3 (he sentence comes from advertising copy! where some of the most flagrant transgressions of

the language occur. Something may be more unusual! or the most e$ceptional! but it cannot be more or most uni/ue. (ni-ue comes from the Latin unicus! one! only! sole! from unus! one! and means unlike anything else! unmatched! one"of"a"kind. & thing cannot be more or less uni/ue than another thing; it is simply uni/ue. (he restaurant in Fmaha either is uni/ue or is notand most probably it is not. Ff course! if you consult the recent editions of 4erri!&56e ster7s 1olle#i!te 0iction!r, and R!ndo& =ouse 6e ster7s 1olle#e 0iction!r, on this issue! you will find lengthy usage notes devoted to rationali+ing the current infatuation with modifying uni-ue. Derriam"1ebster says! 2)n modern use both comparison and modification are widespread and standard!3 and 7andom #ouse concludes! 2Such comparison! though critici+ed! is standard in all varieties of speech and writing.3 1hat both dictionaries fail to note in their defense of modifying uni-ue is something any decent usage guide will tell you that uni-ue now needs modifiers because the word is addictive and its users re/uire increasing doses of uni/ueness. (ni-ue has been used so often as an elegant variation for unusu!l and unco&&on that it is no longer unusual or uncommon! and hardly elegant. (nusu!l and unco&&on mean out of the ordinary! rare. (hey can be modified. Something can be ver, unusual! or r!t$er uncommon! but it can't logically be very uni-ue! unmatched! incomparable! without e/ual or peer. Derriam"1ebster says something else interesting in its usage note 2Eni/ue dates back to the *>th century but was little used until the end of the *?th when! according to the F$ford English 5ictionary! it was reac/uired from -rench. #. G. (odd entered it as a foreign word in his edition A*?*?C of Gohnson's 5ictionary! characteri+ing it as Qaffected and useless.J3 )t doesn't surprise me that in the last two hundred years the word's standing has not improved. (hrough widespread acceptance uni-ue has e$changed affectation for tedium! and through widespread use its uselessness has only been affirmed. (hat uni-ue must now be dressed up to do its duty proves how feckless it has become. A%y the way! fec%less means weak! feeble! ineffective. )t combines the Scottish word fec%! effect! with the privative suffi$ "less to mean literally 2without an effect.3C %ut back to uni-ue. )f you agree with me that this feckless word is overworked and deserves a vacation! then join me in boycotting uni-ue wherever to use it would be weak. #ere's how you can do it (he ne$t time uni-ue is about to spring from your lips! pause for a moment and make the effort to summon another word can you think of anything better right now4 #ow about unriv!led! &!tc$less! 'eerless! un'!r!lleled! inco&'!r! le! sin#ul!r! or the delicious ini&it! le Ai"6)D"i"tuh"bulC4 (hese are truly elegant variations. (hey will make your sentence sparkle.

(hey will awaken interest in your audience. (hey will set you apart from the humdrum herd of 2uni/uealaliacs.3 %y the way! don't bother trying to find uni-ue!l!li!c Apronounced yoo" 6EEI"uh"LAA"lee"akC in a dictionary. )t's my nonce"word! a word ) made up for the occasion. ) created it by affi$ing uni-ue to the combining form "l!li!! which comes from a 8reek word meaning 2talk! chat!3 and in modern medicine is used to denote a speech disorder. -or e$ample! r$inol!li! A7Y" noh"LAA"lee"uhC is an abnormally strong nasal tone in a person's speech; ec$ol!li! AEI"oh"LAA"lee"uhC is the habit of repeating what other people say. So ) hope you will develop a temporary case of echolalia and repeat what )'ve said about uni-ue to as many people as you can. )f together we can manage to stem the tedious tide of uni/uealalia! it would be a singular! and perhaps even inimitable! achievement. 6ow let's return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the ne$t ten keywords.

6o'2 31( ITINERANT <e.e)TIN)/')4nt?

1andering! traveling about! moving from place to place! especially to perform work. Synonyms of the adjective itiner!nt include &i#r!tor,! w!,f!rin#! v!#r!nt! no&!dic Anoh"D&5"ikC! !& ul!tor, A&D"byuh"luh"tor"eeC! and the interesting word 'eri'!tetic ABE7"i"puh"TET"ikC. )'ll discuss 'eri'!tetic further in the tenth and final level of the program! so keep readingT Itiner!nt is also a noun meaning an itinerant person! a wanderer! wayfarer! someone who travels from place to place. (he words itiner!nt and itiner!r, Aeye"()6"uh"rair"eeC come from the Late Latin verb itiner!ri! to travel! go on a journey. &n itiner!r, is a route! a course taken on a journey! especially a detailed plan or list of places to visit while traveling! as 2(he travel agent prepared an itinerary for their trip to Europe! noting their transportation schedule and the hotels where they planned to stay.3 )n current usage itiner!r, is sometimes used loosely as a synonym of !#end!! but these words should be sharply distinguished. &n !#end! is a list of things to be done or dealt with! especially a list of items to be addressed in a meeting. &n itiner!r, is a list of places to go! a detailed plan for a journey. (he words itiner!nt! no&!dic! v!#r!nt! and !& ul!tor, all mean moving or traveling about. "& ul!tor,! from the Latin !& ul!re! to walk! means walking! able to walk around 21hen Ievin broke his leg the doctor said it would be at least three months before heJd be ambulatory again.3 V!#r!nt comes ultimately from the Latin v!#!ri! to wander! and means

wandering about with no fi$ed purpose. V!#r!nt is usually applied to people! such as hobos and tramps! who have no home or job and who wander about in a shiftless way. *o&!dic applies not to individuals but to tribes or groups of people who lack a permanent home! and who wander together from place to place to sustain themselves 2(he nomadic tribes of the desert must move from oasis to oasis to provide enough water for themselves and their livestock.3 Itiner!nt applies to people who travel from place to place to work or seek work! and the word usually suggests traveling on a regular course or circuit. &n itinerant preacher goes from town to town! spreading the gospel. )tinerant laborers must travel from place to place to do their work. )n the past! the legal system had many itinerant judges who traveled on a regular circuit to adjudicate Auh"GFF"di"kaytC cases in various far"flung districts.

6o'2 32( CULL <'=.:es 74t= dull?

(o pick out! select from various sources! gather! collect. 1ull comes from the Latin colli#ere! to gather! the source also of the familiar words collect and collection. (he verbs to cull and to #le!n are close in meaning. +le!n Arhymes with s'leenC was originally used in farming to mean to gather up the stray bits and pieces of a crop that remained after the reapers or gatherers had done their work. -rom that sense! #le!n came to mean to collect or gather mentally! especially to learn or discover something bit by bit! in a laborious fashion the investigator gathers facts to glean information; the historian gleans knowledge about the past by studying old records and documents. (he unusual noun a cull means something picked out or rejected as inferior or worthless! and in its original sense the verb to cull means to eliminate culls! as to cull livestock! to separate inferior specimens from the herd! or to cull lumber! to pick out and remove defective pieces. -rom that sense! cull came to mean to pick out so as to collect and keep! to select with an eye for retaining rather than rejecting. (oday we speak of culling useful information or culling ideas! meaning we gather that information or those ideas from various sources. 1hen you cull flowers from a garden you select and gather them! and when you cull interesting words from reading! you pick them out and collect them in your mind.

6o'2 33( ,ROMULGATE <1'/=)MU-L)8a.t or ,RA-M)/l) 8a.t?

(o make known! publish! proclaim! make public in an official manner. You may pronounce this word with the accent either on the second syllable or on the first. Bruh"DE#L"gayt is the original &merican

pronunciation; B7&#D"ul"gayt was imported from %ritain in the *@,=s. Since the *@<=s! B7&#D"ul"gayt has steadily eclipsed the traditional pruh"DE#L"gayt! and today B7&#D"ul"gayt is sanctioned by all dictionaries and preferred by many educated speakers. ADy sympathies! however! remain with pruh"DE#L"gayt.C Synonyms of 'ro&ul#!te include disse&in!te Adi"SED"i"naytC! and words share the meaning of bringing public! making it widely known. ruit

!nnounce! !dvertise! ro!dc!st! A%7FF(! like ruteC. &ll of these something to the attention of the (he verb 'ro&ul#!te has two corresponding nouns 'ro&ul#!tion AB7&#D" ul"GAA"shin or B7F#"mul"GAA"shinC is the act of making something public or widely known; a 'ro&ul#!tor A,RA-M"ul"8&Y"tur or! traditionally but now less often! pruh"DE#L"gay"turC is a person who makes something widely known! who proclaims or publici+es it. Pro&ul#!te comes from the Latin 'ro&ul#!re! to publish! proclaim. (he word applies chiefly to making something known in a formal or official way the government promulgates a new law or policy; religions promulgate their doctrine or creed; a corporation promulgates its financial status in an annual report to stockholders; and people often promulgate their opinions on radio talk shows and on the editorial pages of the newspaper.

6o'2 34( GRATUITOUS <8'/=)T<A?OO)4)t/s?

-ree! given without charge or obligation; also! without legitimate cause or reason! uncalled"for! unjustified! baseless! unwarranted. +r!tuitous comes from the Latin #r!tuitus! meaning not paid for! unprovoked! or spontaneous. 7elated English words include the adjective #r!tis A87&("is! not 87&#"tisC! which means free! without charge! and the noun a #r!tuit,! a gift or favor given in return for a service. &fter dining in a fancy restaurant! you leave the waiter a gratuity; after eating in a greasy spoon! you leave the server a tip. )n modern usage! #r!tuitous may be used to mean either given without charge or obligation! or given without legitimate cause or reason. 1hen your boss gives you an une$pected pay raise! it's a gratuitous blessing; if a friend offers you a free pair of tickets to a ballgame! they're gratuitous. Fn the other hand! a gratuitous remark or gesture is not given freely; it's uncalled"for! unwarranted. Likewise! a gratuitous assumption is baseless! and a gratuitous criticism is unjustified. 1henever you see or hear #r!tuitous used! be sure to consider the conte$t carefully to determine in which sense you should construe the word. ) shall conclude this discussion by offering you some gratuitous advice on usage. &fter you hear it! you may decide whether it was gratuitous in the sense of 2given freely3 or gratuitous in the sense of 2unjustified! uncalled" for.3

#ave you ever received a 2free gift3 or been given something 2for free34 Ff course you have! but are you also aware that when you accepted that 2free gift3 or that whatnot 2for free!3 you ac/uiesced in two of the most preposterous redundancies in the English language4 (hink about it for a moment. & #ift is something given free! a present. You wouldn't say a 2free present!3 would you4 (hat would sound ridiculous! which it is. Similarly! 2free gift3 is ridiculous because the phrase literally means 2something given free without charge.3 So why do so many people insist on saying 2free gift3 when a gift already is free4 )'ll tell you why because for years marauding hordes of advertising copywriters and marketers have assaulted us with this redundant phrase in every slea+y! gratuitous pitch they make on radio or television or drop into our mailbo$es! until our brains are so saturated with it that we can't look a gift horse in the mouth without calling it free. (hat! in a word! is mind control. (he /uestion now is! Shall we continue to let ourselves be subjugated by the mind"numbing mannikins of Dadison &venue! or shall we strike a blow for freedom in our own writing and speech by striking free from the redundant 2free gift34 ) hope you will consider that /uestion the ne$t time someone offers you 2something free for nothing.3 Likewise with the phrase 2for free3 used to mean 2for nothing.3 1illiam Safire! the columnist on language for T$e *ew )or% Ti&es 4!#!Aine! calls 2for free3 a joculism AG&#I"yoo"li+"'mC! which he defines as 2a word or phrase intended to be an amusing error that is taken up as accurate by the unwary.3 Safire posits that this joculism arose from a joke line from the *@.=s 2)'ll give it to you free for nothing.3 Gust as irre#!rdless began as a jocular play on the words irres'ective and re#!rdless and then weaseled its way into the speech of those who didn't reali+e irre#!rdless was a joke and not a legitimate word! so did the joke"phrase 2for free3 mutate from a facetious usage into a widely accepted one. Everywhere you turn today you hear educated speakers saying 2)'ll give it to you for free3 or 2Fnly a fool works for free3 without giving a second thought to the fact that! as Safire puts it! 2something is either free or for nothingnot both.3 (o that ) would add that if the pure and simple word free by itself doesn't satisfy your verbal appetite and you yearn for something more verbose! then use the formal 2without charge!3 the trendy 2cost"free!3 or the emphatic 2at no cost to you.3 So remember! my verbally advantaged friend! that there's no such thing as a free lunch! and there's no such thing as a 2free gift!3 because nothing in this world is 2for free.3 1hen it comes to language! one word is almost always better than two! even when they're free! without charge! and at no cost to you.

6o'2 35( NOMENCLATURE <NO-):en)*LAA)9=/'?

& system of names! especially a system of names used in a science! art! or branch of knowledge. *o&encl!ture combines the Latin no&en! meaning 2name!3 with c!l!re! to call! and by derivation means 2name"calling!3 not in a negative but in a neutral! disinterested sense. -rom the same source comes the unusual English word no&encl!tor ANO-"men"IL&Y"turC. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r,! 2in ancient 7ome candidates canvassing for office9were attended each by a nomenclator! who informed the candidate of the names of the persons they met! thus enabling him to address them by name.3 -rom that sense no&encl!tor came to be used to mean one who invents names for things! specifically a person who assigns technical names in scientific classification. *o&encl!ture is the system of names used by a no&encl!tor! the whole vocabulary of names or technical terms used in a given science! art! or branch of knowledge. Engineering! philosophy! economics! and chemistry all have distinct nomenclatures! as do music! carpentry! computer science! and plumbing. )n the eighteenth century! the Swedish botanist :arolus Linnaeus AI&7"uh"lus li"6EE"usC founded the binomial Aby"6F#"mee"ul! 2two"name3C system of nomenclature! which has since been adopted by many sciences.

6o'2 3 ( @ROLL <'=.:es 74t= bowl?

&musing! humorous! comical; especially! funny or witty in an odd or outrageous way. Synonyms of droll include ridiculous! ludicrous! f!rcic!l! and w!##is$. &ntonyms include so er! sed!te> st!id Apronounced like st!,edC! and !ustere Aword *> of Level .C. 0roll comes from a -rench word meaning a buffoon! a jester! or a wag. 0roll was once used as a noun to mean a buffoon! someone who clowns around telling jokes and performing amusing tricksthe kind of person that today we might describe as 2the life of the party.3 (he noun a droll is now old"fashioned! and in current usage droll is used as an adjective to mean amusing or witty in a /uirky! eccentric way. & droll person has a playful! lively sense of humor; a droll e$pression is an oddly comical e$pression; a droll remark is humorous in an offbeat way. (he corresponding noun is droller, A57F#"lur"eeC! which may denote either an oddly amusing /uality or something said or done in a slightly outrageous and amusing way.

6o'2 3!( INSATIABLE <4n)SAA)s=/=)b/l or 4n)SAA) s=ee)/=)b/l?

8reedy! hungry! unable to be satisfied or appeased. Synonyms of ins!ti! le include r!venous! vor!cious Avor"7&Y"shusC! un-uenc$! le! and un!''e!s! le. (he direct antonym is s!ti! le! capable

of being satisfied. -rom the Latin s!tis! which means 2enough! sufficient!3 English has inherited the antonyms ins!ti! le and s!ti! le! the verbs to s!tisf, and to s!ti!te AS&Y"shee"aytC! and the challenging noun s!tiet, Asuh"(Y"i"teeC. (o s!ti!te means to satisfy completely or somewhat to e$cess. 1hen you fill your hungry belly with a hearty meal! you are satiated with food. )f you occasionally feel that Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is stuffing your brain with more words than it can comfortably contain! then you're feeling satiated with words. %ut don't worry. ) don't think you'll reach the point of satiety. (he noun s!tiet, means a state of e$cessive gratification! satisfaction beyond what one normally desires. Fur keyword! ins!ti! le! means incapable of being satiated! not able to achieve satiety! unable to be satisfied or appeased in short! greedy! hungry! ravenous. (he human animal can be insatiable in many ways. You can have an insatiable appetite for food! or drink! or se$; you can have an insatiable desire to make money or achieve fame; you can have an insatiable hunger for attention; you can have an insatiable longing for the way things were; and you can have an insatiable thirst for knowledge or for learning new words.

6o'2 3"( BEGUILE <be)GAL?

(o deceive! delude! or mislead; also! to charm! amuse! or delight. Synonyms of e#uile in the sense of 2deceive! delude! or mislead3 include du'e and #ull! which were discussed in word ** of Level ,! and also $oodwin%! swindle! !& ooAle! ensn!re! and coAen AIEM"Jn! like cousinC. Synonyms of e#uile in the sense of 2charm! amuse! or delight3 include enc$!nt! enr!'ture! ent$r!ll Aen"(#7&1LC! and ensorcel Aen"SF7"sulC! also spelled ensorcell! a poetic word that by derivation means to practice sorcery upon. (he word #uile Arhymes with &ileC comes to us through Fld -rench! probably from an Fld English word meaning sorcery or divination. (he notion that the practitioners of sorcery are evil wi+ards has led to the modern meaning of #uile deceitful craftiness! treacherous cunning. (he prefi$ e" at the beginning of the verb to e#uile is an intensifier meaning 2completely! thoroughly.3 You can see this intensifying prefi$ e"in the words es&irc$! to smirch or stain thoroughly; efuddle! to completely fuddle or confuse; and ew!re! to be completely wary of! to be thoroughly on one's guard. )n its original sense the verb to e#uile means to deceive completely by means of #uile! crafty! treacherous cunning. )n 8enesis! the first book of the Fld (estament! Eve tells 8od! 2(he serpent beguiled me! and ) did eat.3 Since Shakespeare's time e#uile has also been used in a far less sinister way to mean to completely capture the attention of! to thoroughly divert or

distract! and so to charm! amuse! or delight. 5epending on the motives of the beguiler! when you are beguiled you may either be thoroughly charmed and enraptured or completely distracted and deceived. %eguiling eyes are captivating! fascinating eyes; beguiling words are crafty! deceptive! misleading words.

6o'2 3#( EIN@ICTIEE <v4n)@I*)t4v?

Seeking or wanting revenge! vengeful! characteri+ed by a desire to get even. Ven#eful and vindictive are close in meaning! and both words are used of people who have a strong desire for revenge or retribution. A Retri ution means repaymentspecifically! repayment in the form of punishment in return for a wrong.C (he ven#eful person wants to inflict an e/uivalent degree of suffering upon the wrongdoer in accordance with the famous code of #ammurabi A#&#"muu"RA-"beeC! the ancient %abylonian king! which stipulated 2an eye for an eye! a tooth for a tooth.3 (he vindictive person is less rational and more fervent. 1hen a vindictive person feels wronged he is driven to retaliate at all costs. :onse/uently! vindictive often suggests gratuitous or unjustified retaliation for an offense that is imagined rather than actual.

6o'2 43( RE,LETE <'4),LEET?

-ully or richly supplied! well"stocked! chock"full! filled to capacity. Synonyms of re'lete include stuffed! cr!&&ed! #or#ed! ! oundin#! ri&&in#! tee&in#! l!den! and surfeited ASE7"fi"tidC. Re'lete comes from the Latin re'lere! to refill! fill again! from re"! meaning 2again!3 and 'lere! to fill. -rom the Latin 'lere! to fill! and the adjective 'lenus! full! come the familiar English words 'lent, and 'lentiful! and the more challenging words 'lenitude ABLE6"i"tAyCoodC! an abundance! ample amount! and 'len!r, ABLEE"nuh"reeC! which means full or complete in all respects. Blenary powers are complete powers; a plenary session of :ongress is a fully attended session of :ongress. Fur keyword! re'lete! by derivation means filled to capacity! well"stocked! abounding. & river may be replete with fish; a house may be replete with furniture; a conversation may be replete with humor; a book may be replete with insight; a mind may be replete with wisdom; and a life may be replete with e$perience. Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! of course! is replete with words. (he words re'lete and fr!u#$t Arhymes with c!u#$tC are close in meaning but are used in different ways. ;r!u#$t comes from Diddle English and Diddle 5utch words meaning 2loaded! freighted! full of cargo.3 %y derivation fr!u#$t suggests carrying a heavy load. (hat which is fraught is burdened or weighted down a situation

may be fraught with danger; a person's face may be fraught with worry; a life may be fraught with pain and suffering. ;r!u#$t suggests great weight or emotional intensity! and is usually used of that which is burdensome or distressful. Re'lete! on the other hand! suggests great volume or mass! and may be used of any abundant supply. & train overflowing with passengers is replete with passengers! not fraught with them! but a relationship full of conflict is fraught with conflict! not replete with it. 7ecently! re'lete has come to be used to mean complete. (he words are not synonymous or interchangeable. 1o&'lete means lacking nothing! having all necessary elements! ingredients! or parts. Re'lete means well" stocked! fully or richly supplied. & multivitamin may come complete with all the minimum daily re/uirements. 1hen your body absorbs those vitamins! it is replete with them.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned by playing 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 Ff the three ostensible synonyms in each statement below! two are true synonyms and one is unrelated in meaning. 1hich one does not fit the word4 :ircle your choice. &nswers appear on page ,*=.
1. Itiner!nt means wandering! traveling! lost. 2. (o cull means to select! deceive! gather. 3. (o 'ro&ul#!te means to make known! make certain! make

public.
4. +r!tuitous means unsound! uncalled"for! unjustified. 5. *o&encl!ture means a system of classification! a system of

rules! a system of names.

6.

0roll means amusing! incredible! comical.

7. Ins!ti! le means greedy! desperate! hungry. 8. (o e#uile means to e$pose! deceive! mislead. 9. Vindictive means wanting to win! wanting to get even! wanting

revenge. 10.Re'lete means well"stocked! well"done! well"supplied. 7emember that if you answered fewer than eight /uestions correctly in this /ui+! you should read the keyword discussions again before moving ahead in the program.

#ere are the final ten keywords in Level '

6o'2 41( ,RECLU@E <1'4)*LOO@?

(o prevent! make impossible! e$clude or shut off all possibility of something happening. Synonyms of 'reclude include !vert! o vi!te A&#%"vee"aytC! and forest!ll. &ntonyms include incite! insti#!te A)6"sti"gaytC! and en#ender Aen"GE6"durC. Preclude comes from the Latin 'r!e"! meaning 2before!3 and cl!udere! to shut! close up. %y derivation 'reclude means to take steps beforehand to shut off or close the door on something. )n modern usage! 'reclude suggests preventing something by e$cluding or shutting off all possibility of its happening )mmuni+ation can preclude many fatal diseases. &n alarm system may decrease the chance that your car will be stolen! but it will not preclude it. (he framers of the E.S. :onstitution adopted the %ill of 7ights as a means of precluding the passage of any law that would infringe upon or abrogate the basic rights of citi+ens in a democracy.

6o'2 42( CASTIGATE <*AS)t4)8a.t?

(o punish or critici+e severely. Synonyms of c!sti#!te include c$!sten A:#&Y"sinC! c$!stise Achas"(YM or :#&S"ty+C! re u%e! re'ri&!nd! re'rove! and censure ASE6"shur! word ,? of Level .C. &ntonyms of c!sti#!te include !''rove! rew!rd! 'r!ise! co&&end! l!ud AL&15C! e8tol Aek"S(F#LC! and eulo#iAe AYFF"luh"jy+C. (he verbs to c$!sten! to c$!stise! and to c!sti#!te all mean to punish in slightly different ways. 1$!sten is related to the word c$!ste! pure! and by derivation to c$!sten means to punish in order to purify or make chaste. )n modern usage c$!sten usually suggests purifying by subjecting to harsh discipline! inflicting pain or suffering to improve the character of someone or something. Dilitary recruits are chastened during basic training; a preacher may chasten a congregation for its sinful ways; a mild heart attack may chasten the workaholic to slow down and take better care of himself. You may also chasten your mind or chasten your style! purify or subdue it by subjecting it to harsh discipline. (he verb to c$!stise was once used as a dignified word for inflicting corporal punishmentin other words! to punish by whipping or beating. )n the nineteenth century! teachers were permittedand often e$pectedto chastise students who misbehaved in class! and for much of the twentieth century! before the concept of the 2time"out3 became popular! spanking was considered an acceptable way of disciplining a naughty or obstreperous child. A5o you need to look up o stre'erous4 Suickgrab your dictionary and do it now.C (oday c$!stise may still be used to mean to inflict corporal punishment!

but more often the word suggests administering a strong verbal rebuke. 1hen a teacher chastises a student today! it's with harsh words! not a hickory stick. (he corresponding noun c$!stise&ent may be pronounced either :#&S"ti+"ment or chas"(YM"ment. :#&S"ti+"ment is the traditional pronunciation; chas"(YM"ment has been recogni+ed by &merican dictionaries since the late *@0=s. 1!sti#!te comes from the Latin c!sti#!re! to punish with words or blows. Like c$!stise! c!sti#!te was once used of corporal punishment! but today the word is nearly always used to mean to beat up verbally! critici+e severely! especially to subject to harsh public criticism. Boliticians often castigate their opponents during a campaign. Some reviewers may praise a book for its controversial ideas! while others may castigate it. )f the boss reads you the riot act in front of the whole office! consider yourself castigated. (he corresponding noun is c!sti#!tion! as 2a pugnacious radio talk show host with a vicious penchant for castigation.3

6o'2 43( COLLOIUIAL <0/=)LO-)07ee)/l?

:onversational; pertaining to! characteristic of! or used in spoken language; hence! informal! casual! natural. Akuh"LF#"kwee"umC! and collo-u, AI&#L"uh"kweeC all come from the Latin lo-ui! which means to speak! converse. Lo-ui is also the source of the word lo-u!cious Aloh"I1&Y" shusC! e$tremely talkative. (he noun collo-u, is a dignified synonym for convers!tion! but while convers!tion may apply to any e$change of spoken words! collo-u, usually refers to a more formal or intellectual discussion! the kind of talk that occurs between scholars or on television shows where journalists analy+e the news. 1hen you or ) talk with people at a party or over dinner! that's a conversation! but when 1illiam -. %uckley! Gr.! talked with his guests on 2-iring Line!3 that was a collo/uy. (he noun collo-uiu& means a gathering in which a collo-u, takes place! a conference or meeting for discussion! specifically a relatively informal meeting for the purpose of e$changing views on a subject. (he adjective collo-ui!l means conversational! of the spoken language! and therefore informal or casual. 7emember vern!cul!r! word *' of this level4 :ollo/uial speech is speech that uses the vernacular! the common! everyday language of ordinary people. (he corresponding noun collo-ui!lis& Akuh"LF#"kwee"ul"i+"'mC means a collo/uial e$pression! a bit of vernacular language! a word or phrase used in common! everyday! informal speech. (here are many thousands of collo/uialisms in the language! and you probably use do+ensmaybe even hundredsof them every day without thinking twice about it. -or e$ample! every time you say ,e!$ instead of ,es you are using a 1ollo-ui!l! collo-uiu&

collo/uialism! an e$pression more appropriate to informal speech than to more formal speech and writing. #ere's a dictionary usage tip (he ne$t time you look up a word and preceding the definition you see the abbreviation coll. or collo-.! that means the wordor the word used in that particular senseis a collo/uialism! and you may reasonably infer that it is characteristic of collo/uial or conversational language. )n concluding this discussion! ) would like to stress that collo/uial speech and collo/uialisms are not necessarily substandard or illiterate! as some ultrapurists might have you believe. (o begin with! without the collo/uial the English vocabulary would be circumscribed Aword ** of Level .C and stiff! and if there were some way to outlaw the use of collo/uialisms then communication between people of different backgrounds and levels of education would soon become impossible. (hen it probably would not be long before English went the way of Latininto e$tinction. Dost of our communication is spoken! not written! and a liberal dose of collo/uial or conversational words and e$pressions is what keeps a language fluid! fresh! and vital. Ff course! not all collo/uialisms are useful or acceptable to all speakers. Some collo/uialisms are objectionable because they suggest uneducated or coarse informality. & classic e$ample of that sort is the word !in7t. Fther collo/uialisms are objectionable because they're illogical! and here perhaps the best e$ample is the e$pression 2) could care less!3 which is commonly used in collo/uial or informal speech to mean 2) could not care less.3 )f you can care less! then that means you still have some caring left in you! whereas if you cannot care less! then you do not care at all! which is the sense those who use the improper collo/uialism mean to convey. (he point is! there are relatively few e$amples of e$ceptionable Ado you need to look that up4C collo/uial language. (he vast majority of collo/uial or informal e$pressions are not only acceptable but also useful and even necessary in conducting our day"to"day communication.

6o'2 44( OB&USCATE <a=b)&U-S)0a.t o' A-B)f/=)s0a.t?

(o make obscure! cloud over! darken! make unclear or indistinct. Synonyms of o fusc!te include confuse! co&'lic!te! &uddle! ewilder! s$roud! ecli'se! and !du& r!te Aad"E#D"brayt or &5"um"braytC. &ntonyms of o fusc!te include e8'ose! unveil! cl!rif,! and elucid!te Ai"LFF"si"daytC. (he corresponding noun is o fusc!tion A&#%"fuh"S*AA"shinC. #ave you ever heard the joke"phrase 2Blease eschew obfuscation34 (hat's an ironic way of advising someone to avoid jargon and communicate in clear and simple terms. / fusc!te comes from the Latin o fusc!re! to darken! and by derivation means to deprive of light! make dark or dim. )n modern usage o fusc!te may mean either to make something obscure or indistinct! or to make it

confused! muddled! or unclear. You can obfuscate the truth! obfuscate your meaning! or obfuscate your intentions. (hink of o scure when you think of the verb to o fusc!te3 / fusc!te may be pronounced ahb"-E#S"kayt or &#%"fuh"skayt. (he latter pronunciation! which has been heard in &merican speech since the early twentieth century! was originally %ritish. &lthough &#%"fuh"skayt was critici+ed and called erroneous by authorities of the *@,=s and *@.=s! it is now fully standard and preferred by many cultivated speakers.

6o'2 45( &ACILE <&AS)Cl% '=.:es 74t= castle?

Easy! easily done; performed or achieved in an easy! effortless way; working or acting in a smooth! free! and unrestrained manner. Synonyms of f!cile include -uic%! re!d,! fluent! ni& le! de8terous! e8'ert! and !droit Aword 0* of Level .C. &ntonyms of f!cile include difficult! !w%w!rd! unwield,! l! orious! ir%so&e! o stin!te Aword .0 of Level *C! onerous A&#6"ur"usC! intr!ct! le Aword *, of this levelC! and refr!ctor, Ari"-7&I"tur"eeC. (he adjective f!cile! the noun f!cilit,! and the verb to f!cilit!te all come through the Latin f!cilis! meaning 2easy to do!3 from the verb f!cere! which means 2to make3 or 2to do.3 &ll three words suggest ease of performance or action. ;!cilit!te means to make easier! help along! as 2She was hired to facilitate the project.3 1hen using f!cilit!te! remember that the word applies to an action or operation! not to the performer of it. )nstalling new production e/uipment will not facilitate the workers on an assembly line; it will facilitate assembly of the product. (he noun f!cilit, means de$terity! aptitude! ease of movement or action. (he word usually suggests a practiced ability to do something with /uick! skillful ease he plays the piano with facility; her facility in handling a tricky situation; an impressive facility with words. Fur keyword! f!cile! is often used of speech or the mind to mean able to perform /uickly and smoothly! as 2a facile wit!3 or 2a facile tongue.3 ;!cile is now often used in a negative sense to mean done or arrived at too easily! without sufficient care or effort a facile answer is smooth and easy to the point of being glib Aword ? of Level .C; a facile solution is simplistic or superficial. )n 4odern 9n#lis$ (s!#e! the classic guide by #. 1. -owler! first published in *@,<! -owler notes that the value of f!cile 2as a synonym for e!s, or fluent or Ode8terousP lies chiefly in its depreciatory implication. & f!cile speaker or writer is one who needs to e$pend little pains A_ whose product is of correspondingly little importC. & f!cile triumph or victory is easily won A_ comes to littleC.3

6o'2 4 ( CONEIEIAL <0/n)EIE)ee)/l?

Sociable! merry! festive. Synonyms of convivi!l include 2ovi!l Aword *@ of this levelC! and also #eni!l AGEE"nee"ulC! co&'!nion! le! !ff! le A&-"uh"bulC! and #re#!rious Agruh"8&)7"ee"usC. &ntonyms include unsoci! le! reserved! solit!r,! and !loof Aword ,= of Level *C. 1onvivi!l comes from the Latin conviviu&! a feast! ban/uet! which in turn comes from the prefi$ con"! meaning 2together!3 and vivere! to live. %y derivation convivi!l means gathering together to eat! drink! and be merry. )n modern usage convivi!l may mean either 2pertaining to a feast or festive occasion3 or 2fond of eating! drinking! and good company.3 & convivial atmosphere is a merry! festive atmosphere; a convivial person is a friendly! sociable person! especially someone who likes to sociali+e while eating and drinking.

6o'2 4!( ESC-E6 <es)C-OO% l40e s 1l/s t=e 7o'2 chew?

(o avoid! shun! abstain from; keep away from something harmful! wrong! or distasteful. 5on't be misled by the sound and spelling of esc$ew; the word has nothing to do with the act of chewingfor which the fancy synonym! by the way! is &!stic!tion AD&S"ti"*AA"shinC. 1hen you masticate your food! you chew it thoroughly. 9sc$ew comes through Diddle English from Fld -rench and Fld #igh 8erman words meaning to shun! avoid! or dread. &ccording to the third edition of T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r,! esc$ew suggests avoiding or abstaining from something 2because to do otherwise would be unwise or morally wrong.3 Dorally upright people eschew evil! teetotalers eschew alcohol! nonsmokers eschew tobacco! and vegetarians eschew meat which doesn't mean they masticate it but that they avoid eating it. )n recent years es"S#FF! like s Derriam" 1ebsterJs some people have begun pronouncing eschew as plus shoe! so that in *@@. one dictionary! :ollegiate 5ictionary! tenth edition! recogni+ed this mispronunciation along with the even more eccentric e"SIYFF Aalmost like !s%ewC. -or a thorough account of why you should eschew these variants! see the entry for esc$ew in my :i# :oo% of :e!stl, 4is'ronunci!tions . )n the meantime! remember that there is no s$oe in esc$ew Aand no s%ew eitherC. But a c$ew in it. You may recall that in the introduction to this level ) noted that there are two bad habits you must eschew at all costs. -irst! don't invent your own pronunciations! and second! don't blindly imitate the way other people pronounce words. )f you follow those two guidelines! you will have no trouble eschewing objectionable pronunciations and mastering the correct ones.

6o'2 4"( ,RO@IGIOUS <1'/=)@IB)/s?

Enormous! huge! tremendous! immense; e$traordinary in si+e! e$tent! force! or degree. Synonyms of 'rodi#ious include &!&&ot$! &onu&ent!l! coloss!l! #!r#!ntu!n! ele'$!ntine! $ercule!n! and :ro din#n!#i!n. (he last four synonyms are interesting words worthy of brief comment. +!r#!ntu!n Agahr"8&6"choo"inC comes from the name +!r#!ntu!! the hero of the famous satirical romance by -ranois 7abelais! published in *'.,. +!r#!ntu!! says the 1entur, 0iction!r,! is 2a giant of inconceivable si+e! who could drink a river dry. (he name is doubtless from Spanish #!r#!nt!! OthroatP! gullet.3 )n modern usage #!r#!ntu!n sometimes suggests gluttony! as a gargantuan feast! but it is perhaps most often used as a stronger synonym of #i#!ntic or enor&ous! as a gargantuan house or a gargantuan achievement. 9le'$!ntine AEL"uh"&AN"tin! also EL"uh"&AN"teen or EL"uh"&AN"tynC may mean pertaining to an elephant! but the word is most commonly used to mean resembling an elephant! and therefore huge! heavy! and awkward. & person may be of elephantine proportions or walk with an elephantine gait. & king"si+ed bed or an overlarge couch might also be described as ele'$!ntine! suitable for an elephant! immense. (he adjective $ercule!n Ahur"IYFF"lee"in or #E7"kyoo" LEE"inC comes from the name =ercules! the famous hero of 8reek mythology renowned for his great feats of strength and courage. %y derivation $ercule!n means worthy or characteristic of the mighty #ercules. & herculean task demands all your strength and stamina; a herculean effort is a mighty! powerful effort. A(he word is now usually spelled with a small $.C (he unusual word :ro din#n!#i!n A%7&#%"ding"NAG"ee"in! don't forget to pronounce the din#C refers to the gigantic inhabitants of the imaginary land of %robdingnag A%7&#%"ding"nagC in Gonathan Swift's +ulliver7s Tr!vels! or to anyone or anything e/ually enormous. %ecause of its literary flavor and peculiar sound! :ro din#n!#i!n Aalways spelled with a capital :C is probably best reserved for situations in which you want to achieve a humorous or satirical effect. -or e$ample! when your very large! very formidable &unt Eloise makes her thunderous entrance at your ne$t family reunion! you might greet her by saying! 2Dy dear! you look positively %robdingnagian this eveningT3 (he antonym of :ro din#n!#i!n is the more familiar word Lilli'uti!n AL)L"i",AOO"shinC! which also comes to us from Swift's +ulliver7s Tr!vels. &nd now back to our keyword. Prodi#ious comes through the Latin 'rodi#iosus! strange! wonderful! marvelous! from 'rodi#iu&! an omen! portent! sign. -rom the same source we have inherited the word 'rodi#, AB7&#"di"jeeC! a person of marvelous talent or wonderful ability. Since about *<==! 'rodi#ious has been used to mean huge! enormous! of e$traordinary si+e or e$tent! and also marvelous! wonderful! phenomenal! causing wonder or ama+ement. )n modern usage the conte$t

often suggests both senses a prodigious talent is both enormous and ama+ing; a prodigious accomplishment is both phenomenal and huge; prodigious energy is both astonishing and tremendous; and a prodigious event or a prodigious undertaking is often both e$traordinary and wonderful. 1hen you think of the word 'rodi#ious! consider this 1illiam Shakespeare composed twenty of his plays in only ten years! an output that can only be described as prodigious.

6o'2 4#( I@IOSANCRASA <I@)ee)o=)SING)0'/=)see?

& peculiarity! distinctive characteristic of a person or group! an identifying trait or mannerism. &n idios,ncr!s,! an eccentricit, AEI"sen"TRIS"i"teeC! and a -uir% AI1E7I! rhymes with s$ir%C all designate behavior that is peculiar or distinctive. Duir% is a mild term for any unusual trait! characteristic! or mannerism. :onstant use of u&! li%e! and ,F%now is a /uirk of adolescent speech. Fld people often have /uirks! odd preferences or strange ways of doing things. &n eccentricit, is a habit or characteristic that seems strange or peculiar because it differs from what is considered usual or normal. & friend of mine who is also a writer prefers to spell his name without the customary period after the middle initial. Ff course! every time he publishes an article he winds up in a battle with some copyeditor who insists on 2correcting3 this eccentricity. Fur keyword! idios,ncr!s,! comes from 8reek and means literally 2one's own peculiar temperament! habit! or bent.3 )n modern usage the word suggests a distinctive characteristic or identifying trait that sets a person apart. &n idiosyncrasy may appear somewhat strange or odd! or it may simply mark someone or something as individual and different from others a writer may have certain stylistic idiosyncrasies; a wine connoisseur can tell you the idiosyncrasies of a particular vintage; and to a person from the Didwest! the speech of someone from 6ew England is full of idiosyncrasies! peculiar or distinctive characteristics. Idios,ncr!s, is the noun; the corresponding adjective is idios,ncr!tic A)5" ee"oh"sin"*RAT"ikC! peculiar! distinctive! odd.

6o'2 53( A,,ROBATION <A,)'o=)BAA)s=4n?

&pproval! acceptance; especially! official approval or authori+ation. Synonyms of !''ro !tion include co&&end!tion! s!nction! r!tific!tion! and !ccl!&!tion A&I"luh"MAA"shinC. endorse&ent!

&ntonyms include re2ection! o''osition! dis!''ro !tion! renunci!tion! re'udi!tion! dis!vow!l! and ! 2ur!tion A&%"juu"RAA"shinC. (he noun !''ro !tion comes from the Latin !''ro !re! to approve! and

by derivation means approval. #owever! because of its Latin derivation! !''ro !tion is more formal and dignified than !''rov!l. :hildren seek the approval of their parents; the president of the Enited States seeks the approbation of :ongress or the electorate. 1hen you want the go"ahead on a plan! you ask your boss for approval. 1hen your plan succeeds and your boss rewards you with a raise or a promotion! that's approbation.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )n the /uestions below! the review word is followed by three words or phrases. 5ecide which of those three answer choices comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page ,**.
1. 1hen you 'reclude something! do you incorporate it! prevent it!

or avoid it4
2. )s a person who is c!sti#!ted critici+ed severely! treated

unfairly! or e$pelled4 3. 1hen something is e$pressed in collo-ui!l terms! is it incomprehensible! illiterate! or informal4
4. )f someone o fusc!tes an issue! does that mean the person is

evading it! making it unclear! or misinterpreting it4

5. )s f!cile speech effortless! fast! or unclear4 6. )s a convivi!l person e$citable! sociable! or silly4 7. )f you esc$ew something! do you consider it! eliminate it! or

avoid it4
8. )s a 'rodi#ious task or a 'rodi#ious accomplishment unusual!

enormous! or impossible4
9. )s

an idios,ncr!s, a similar characteristic! characteristic! or an obvious characteristic4

peculiar

10. )f you receive !''ro !tion for something! does that mean you

get noticed for it! get punished for it! or gain approval for it4 )Jd like to conclude Level ' with an important reminder on the subject of review. )n his years of testing the aptitudes and vocabularies of thousands of &mericans! Gohnson F':onnor discovered three general principles! or laws! of vocabulary development. F':onnor's first law states that it is possible to arrange the words of the language in order of difficulty. (he second law posits that people know all or most of the words of the language in order of difficulty up to a certain point! or degree of difficulty! beyond which they recogni+e few or no words at all. (he third law is that your rate of learning your ability to absorb and retain new wordsis greatest at the borderline! or boundary! of your vocabulary. (herefore! if you wish to e$tend the boundary of your vocabulary with

ma$imum efficiency and permanent results! you must spend at least as much time reviewing what you have learned as you spend learning it. &s with any other subject! in vocabulary building! review is the key to retention. :onsider the &odus o'er!ndi ADF#"dus &#B"uh"RAN"dy or "deeCa Latin phrase meaning 2the method of operation3of the athlete in training. Dost of it is review! going over the basics again and again so they become ingrained and automatic. (he tennis player hits a thousand routine groundstrokes before attempting to perfect a lob or refine a topspin on a serve. (he baseball player takes batting practice every day to review the fundamentals of hitting. &nd before the weightlifter can raise five hundred pounds! he must develop the muscle tone and stamina to do it by hefting four hundred and ninety pounds over and over again. So it is with raising the level of your vocabulary. Bracticeroutine and methodical practicemakes perfect. &s you proceed through Ver !l "dv!nt!#e and beyond into a regular schedule of reading and vocabulary building! be sure to review what you have learned at every step of the waynot just once! but as many times as it takes for the knowledge to become instinctive. )f you've assimilated all the keywords! synonyms! antonyms! and related words that )'ve discussed up to this point! then you can give yourself a hearty pat on the back! because you have raised your vocabulary level to at least the >'th percentilethe top /uarter of all educated adults. &nd if you've absorbed all the additional information on usage! pronunciation! grammar! connotation! and synonym distinctions that )'ve presented so far! then your level of verbal awareness has probably surpassed that of many of your friends and coworkers. &s you continue reading the program! ) hope you will keep this in mind (he difference between having verbal skills and having a verbal advantage is like the difference between the layperson and the e$pert! or the amateur and the professional. )t is the difference between competence and e$cellence. )n my e$perience! the person who cares about using language precisely is also the person who strivesat all times and in every endeavor for e$cellence. 1hatever your occupation! if you wish to succeed in it you must study and practice it seriously. %ut practical knowledge is only one"half of a complete! well"rounded professional development. %y now )'m sure you know what the other half is knowledge of words and the ability to use them wisely and well. )n the remaining challenging levels of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! ) will present a great deal more pragmatic information and introduce you to hundreds more useful words. You've made it this far with flying colors! so don't stop here. Goin me as we take the ne$t e$citing step on the path to becoming a confident and conscientious user of the language.

Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level 5

*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. 6o. Reticent means reluctant to speak. Volu le means talkative!

characteri+ed by a great and continuous flow of words.

2. Yes. (o co&&iser!te is to sympathi+e! show sorrow or pity for. 3. Yes. & dile&&! is a predicament; specifically! a predicament in

which one must choose between e/ually undesirable alternatives.

4. Yes. Tr!nsitor, means passing! temporary! fleeting! not permanent

or enduring.
5. 6o.

P$il!nt$ro'ic means charitable! benevolent! humane; motivated by or done out of a desire to help or improve the welfare of others.

6. 6o. Let$!r#, means lack of energy! sluggishness! an abnormally dull!

drowsy! inactive condition or state of mind.

7. 6o. (o e8oner!te means to free from blame! declare blameless or

innocent.
8. Yes. Pu#n!cious means combative! /uarrelsome! ready and willing

to fight.
9. 6o. 1ontrition is remorse! penitence! repentance! deep and

devastating sorrow for something one has done wrong. 10.6oor at least let's hope not. (o ! ro#!te means to abolish by legal or authoritative action or decree.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. -alse. /fficious means meddlesome! nosy! intrusive; specifically!

offering unwanted advice or unnecessary services! especially in a high"handed! overbearing way.

2. (rue. Intr!ct! le means hard to manage or control! stubborn!

unruly.
3. 5efinitely true. "ltruis& is selflessness! unselfish concern for the

welfare of others.
4. (rue. &n !ccol!de is an award! sign of respect or esteem! anything

done or given as a token of appreciation or approval.

5. -alse. (he vern!cul!r is the common! everyday language of

ordinary people as opposed to the literary or cultured language.

6. -alse. <udicious means wise and careful! having or showing sound

judgment.
7. (rue. & c$r,s!lis is the pupa of a butterfly! the stage during which

the insect is enclosed in a cocoon. -iguratively! a c$r,s!lis is a

sheltered and undeveloped state or stage of being.

8. -alse. +enteel means refined! polite! sophisticated! elegantly

stylish or fashionable! belonging to high society.

9. -alse. <ovi!l means merry! full of good humor! hearty and fun"

loving! jolly! convivial. 10.Sad but true. .u terfu#e means a deception! trick! underhanded scheme.
*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. Synonyms. 9 ullience means lively enthusiasm! high spirits! bubbly

e$citement.
2. &ntonyms. I&'ervious means impenetrable! incapable of being

entered or passed through; hence! unable to be moved or affected by something.

3. &ntonyms. (o !c-uiesce! word .* of Level 0! means to agree

without protest! accept without argument. (o re&onstr!te is to object! protest! argue or plead against.
4. Synonyms. (o eff!ce is to rub out! wipe out! obliterate! erase!

e$punge.
5. Synonyms. & c$i&er! is a foolish fancy! fantastic notion or idea!

figment of the imagination.

6. Synonyms. Incorri#i le means bad beyond correction or reform!

hopeless! irreformable; also! unruly! unmanageable! difficult to control.

7. &ntonyms. (o 2u8t!'ose is to place side by side or close together!

especially so as to compare or contrast.

8. &ntonyms. 1onvers!nt means familiar! ac/uainted! well"informed

or well"versed.
9. Synonyms. 9soteric means intended for a select group! known only

by a few people; hence! secret! confidential! or mysterious. 10.&ntonyms. "us'icious means favorable! fortunate! marked by favorable circumstances or good fortune.
*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. Lost doesn't fit. Itiner!nt means wandering! traveling about! moving

from place to place! especially to perform work.

2. 0eceive doesn't fit. (o cull means to pick out! select from various

sources! gather! collect.

3. 4!%e cert!in doesn't fit. (o 'ro&ul#!te means to make known!

publish! proclaim! make public in an official manner.

4. (nsound doesn't fit. +r!tuitous means without legitimate cause or

reason! uncalled"for! unjustified; also! free! given without charge or

obligation.
5. " s,ste& of rules doesn't fit. *o&encl!ture means a system of

names or a system of classification! especially a system of names used in a science! art! or branch of knowledge.
6. Incredi le doesn't fit. 0roll means amusing! humorous! comical!

witty! especially in an odd or outrageous way.

7. 0es'er!te doesn't fit. Ins!ti! le means greedy! hungry! unable to

be satisfied or appeased.
8. 98'ose doesn't fit. (o

e#uile means to deceive! delude! or mislead; also! to charm! amuse! or delight. revenge! wanting to get even.

9. 6!ntin# to win doesn't fit. Vindictive means vengeful! seeking

10.6ell5done doesn't fit. Re'lete means fully or richly supplied! well" stocked! chock"full! filled to capacity.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. 1hen you 'reclude something you prevent it! make it impossible!

shut off all possibility of its happening.

2. (o c!sti#!te someone means to punish or critici+e that person

severely.
3. 1ollo-ui!l means conversational; pertaining to or characteristic of

spoken language; hence! informal! casual! natural.

4. (o o fusc!te means to make obscure! make unclear or indistinct. 5. ;!cile means easy or easily done; performed or achieved in a

smooth! effortless way.

6. & convivi!l person is sociable. & convivi!l occasion or gathering is

merry! festive.
7. 1hen you esc$ew something you avoid it! shun it! abstain from it.

9sc$ew means to keep away from something harmful! wrong! or distasteful.

8. Prodi#ious means enormous; e$traordinary in si+e! e$tent! force! or

degree. 9. &n idios,ncr!s, is a peculiar or distinctive characteristic of a person or group; an identifying trait or mannerism. 10.You gain approval for it. "''ro !tion means approval! acceptance; especially! official approval or authori+ation.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level 5

1. 1hich word means refined by study and training! marked by skill

and taste4
(a) judicious

(b) cultivated (c) facile (d) eccentric 2. 1hat is the correct pronunciation of &isc$ievous4 (a) D)S"chi"vus (b) mis":#EE"vus (c) mis":#EE"vee"us 3. Fn which syllable does the stress properly fall in su'erfluous4 (a) su"

? @"per" ?c@"flu"
4. 1hich group of three words contains two antonyms and one

synonym of volu le4

(a) taciturn! verbose! garrulous (b) lo/uacious! terse! effusive (c) glib! laconic! reticent 5. 1hich word is not a synonym of tr!nsitor,4 (a) transient (b) ephemeral (c) itinerant (d) evanescent 6. (he '$il" in '$il!nt$ro', and '$il$!r&onic comes from the

8reek '$ilein! which means

(a) to love (b) to give (c) to sing (d) to celebrate 7. 1hich pair contains a word that is not a synonym of let$!r#,4 (a) torpor! stupefaction (b) lassitude! languor (c) apathy! ac/uiescence (d) somnolence! sluggishness 8. Pu#n!cious comes from a Latin word that means

(a) to argue (b) to be unruly (c) to be rude (d) to fight with the fists 9. 1hat is a -uidnunc4 (a) an itinerant person (b) an incorrigible person (c) a vindictive person (d) an officious person (e) a convivial person

10.1hich word comes from the ritual of conferring knighthood4

(a) e$onerate (b) accolade (c) judicious (d) altruism

11.1hich statement is never true of vernacular language4

(a) )t is familiar. (b) )t is common. (c) )t is scholarly. (d) )t is grammatical.

12.(he 7oman god Gupiter is the source of which word4

(a) judgment (b) jovial (c) justice (d) ju$tapose

13.1hat is the proper plural of &ediu&4

(a) medias (b) mediums (c) media

14.1hich are the two cultivated pronunciations of e ullient4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) i"%E#L"yint (b) i"%FFL"yint

(c) i"%YFF"lee"int (d) i"%EEL"yint (e) E%"yuh"lint

15.1hich word is an antonym of i&'ervious4

(a) diaphanous (b) tractable (c) opa/ue (d) obfuscated

16.I&!#in!r,! f!nt!stic! and 're'osterous are synonyms of

(a) droll (b) chimerical (c) auspicious (d) prodigious 17. Posit and 2u8t!'ose come from the Latin 'onere! which means (a) to tell! e$plain (b) to resist! oppose (c) to put! place (d) to give! offer

18.1hich word is not a synonym of esoteric4

(a) abstruse (b) inscrutable (c) arcane (d) idiosyncratic (e) cryptic

19."us'icious is related to !us'e8! a soothsayer of ancient 7ome who made predictions

(a) by interpreting dreams (b) by casting dice (c) by observing the stars (d) by observing the flight of birds

20.1hich word is a synonym of 'ro&ul#!te4

(a) chasten (b) glean

(c) bruit (d) e$postulate (e) adjudicate

21.1hy will you never! ever write or utter the odious phrase free #ift 4 ?!@ %ecause it is redundant! hackneyed! and ridiculous. A(he answer to this /uestion is gratuitous. You may have it free! or for nothing.C 22.1hat does the no&en" in no&encl!ture mean4
(a) law (b) words (c) name (c) knowledge

23.(he noun s!tiet, denotes

(a) thorough devotion (b) e$cessive gratification (c) utter confusion (d) un/uenchable desire

24.1hich set of words contains a word that is not a synonym of e#uile4

(a) ensnare! obfuscate! swindle (b) bamboo+le! enrapture! enchant (c) dupe! hoodwink! ensorcel (d) gull! co+en! enthrall

25.(he Latin adjective 'lenus! the source of re'lete and 'len!r,! means
(a) all (b) many (c) full (d) every

26.1hich word is an antonym of 'reclude4

(a) engender (b) cull (c) permit

(d) obviate

27.1$!stise and c!sti#!te were both formerly used of

(a) religious purification (b) corporal punishment (c) public humiliation (d) political debate

28.1hich word means a vernacular e$pression4

(a) obfuscation (b) chrysalis (c) (d) collo/uialism 29. ;!cile! f!cilit,! and f!cilit!te all come from the Latin verb f!cere!

idiosyncrasy

which means
(a) to work (b) (c) to flow smoothly (d) to make or do

to simplify

30.1hich words are synonyms4

(a) aloof! affable (b) genial! convivial (c) gregarious! solitary (d) reserved! jovial

31.1hat is the traditional! proper pronunciation of esc$ew4

(a) es":#FF (b) es"S#FF (c) e"SIYFF

32.1hich word comes from a character in a satirical romance by -ranois 7abelais4

(a) elephantine (b) prodigious (c) gargantuan (d) %robdingnagian

33.1hich word comes from Gonathan Swift's +ulliver7s Tr!vels4

(a) herculean (b) %robdingnagian (c) gargantuan (d) prodigious 34.1hich word is not a synonym of idios,ncr!tic4 (a) habitual (b) /uirky (c) distinctive (d) peculiar

35.1hich word is a synonym of !''ro !tion4

(a) repudiation (b) disavowal (c) acclamation (d) abjuration Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Level
1elcome to Level <! and the beginning of the second half of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. So far in our climb up the ladder of language we have ascended from words known by most college graduates all the way to words unknown to three"/uarters of adults. )f you felt edified by what you learned in the first half of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! then )'m sure that by the time you finish reading the second half you will feel verbally transformed. ) hope you're ready for an e$citing intellectual challenge! because from here on in the ascent will be steep and even more demanding. Level < begins at about the >'th percentile of the English vocabulary. 1hen you have mastered all the words through Level ?! your vocabulary will e/ual or e$ceed that of most e$ecutives and professionals! including those with advanced degrees. &nd when you complete the tenth and final level you will have progressed beyond @' percent of the entire population. Fnly a handful of people in every thousand will share your command of words.

2(hat's terrific!3 you're thinking! but another voice inside you may be wondering! 21hy do ) need to know all these difficult! unusual words4 1hat good are they to me if ?' or @' percent of the population doesn't understand them43 Bossessing a large and e$act vocabulary is pleasurable and reassuring for the same reason that it's pleasurable and reassuring to have money in the bankit's there when you need it! and you can rest easy that you'll never have to ask for a handout. (o take that analogy one step further! if words are like dollars! would you rather live on a tight budget! watching every nickel and dime and worrying about where the ne$t dollar's coming from! or would you rather have a walletful of words in all denominations that you can spend at your discretion4 Dany of the words you will learn in the second half of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e are not ones you are likely to need every day! and the keywords in Levels @ and *= are so advanced that you probably will use them only once in a great while. )nfre/uency of use! however! is not always a fair measure of a word's utility. )n figure skating the triple Lut+ is an e$tremely difficult maneuver! not often performed! but when a skater successfully accomplishes that jump it is the crowning moment of the program. (he same can be said of adding challenging and unusual words to your verbal repertoire. You may not use them often! but when the need arises you know that you can call upon them with confidence to provide an appropriate and even spectacular effect. -o7 6e A9M/4'e O/' Eo9ab/la'4es :hildren! much more than adults! have a natural ability for learning language. (hey are biologically programmed to pick up words! concepts! and impressions at a rapid rate. %ecause of their receptivity to language! children! and particularly preschoolers! can easily learn a second and even a third language. &ll youngsters have this remarkable talent. (he problem begins when the child goes to school and the so"called process of sociali+ation begins. (hen one language dominates! and the other! unless it is cultivated at home or in school! is gradually forgotten. (here is a lesson to be learned from this about language ac/uisition and development. 1hen you are a child! you learn hundredseven thousandsof words each year. &t a tender age! nearly every word is new! and the mind absorbs them all like a sponge. &s you learn to read! you come across scores of new words that e$press more comple$ ideas and subtle shades of thought. %y the time you finish high school! however! you have learned most of the words you know today! and the rate at which your vocabulary increases has slowed to only about one or two hundred words a year. )n college your vocabulary continues to grow! but at this slower rate. Dany of the words you learn in college are more common in writing than in speech! and in your academic writing you refine your ability to use them. )n graduate or professional school! vocabulary growth becomes even more restricted and speciali+ed! for at that point you are no longer e$posed to words from a variety of disciplines but are instead focusing your attention

on words related to a specific field! such as law! medicine! psychology! or economics. )n our professional lives! most of our reading and writing is confined to the workplace! where the problem usually is not how to improve the /uality and clarity of our communication but how to get it all done and out the door on time. Let's face it Dost people have time to read only what is re/uired in the day"to"day performance of the job! and much of that material! )'m sorry to say! is badly written! overwritten! and dull. (here's precious little continuing education to be found in a /uarterly report! a sales contract! a standard business letter! or a department memorandum. Simply put! what you read! write! and hear at work probably won't do much to improve your vocabulary. (o make matters worse! the average college"educated &merican reads only two books a year. Gudging by what sells in the publishing world )Jd wager that those two books are either how"to manuals or popular fiction. (hat kind of material may provide some relief from the daily grind! or some advice on how not to get pulveri+ed in the daily grind! but as ) mentioned in the first half of this program! it will do little or nothing for your vocabulary. 6ot only that! it may actually be deleterious! for many of today's bestsellers and mass"market books are so poorly written and edited that they may only reinforce certain bad language habits you have picked up over the years and encourage you to become la+y about learning new words. (hus! environment tends to confine our attention to familiar words and second"rate writing! and circumstance makes it difficult to do much serious reading outside the job. :onse/uently! our vocabulary growth rate slows way down because we are rarely e$posed to new words! and because we are no longer actively using many of the words we learned in school! we start to forget some of them. &s the %ritish novelist Evelyn 1augh once wrote! 2Fne forgets words as one forgets names. Fne's vocabulary needs constant fertilisation or it will die.3 Yes! sad to say! you can indeed forget words you once knew. 1hat happens is this 8radually! as you grow older! certain words you learned when you were younger begin to drop out of your active vocabulary and enter your passive vocabulary. A%y !ctive voc! ul!r, ) mean the words you are able to call upon from memory to use in conversation or in writing. Your '!ssive voc! ul!r, is your warehouse of inactive words! which include the words that are 2just on the tip of your tongue3 as well as those you know you've seen or heard before but can't /uite remember.C (his disappearing process does not affect your everyday vocabulary. You will not forget the meaning of food! clot$in#! and s$elter. (he words you lose will be the ones in your passive vocabulary and the ones at the threshold or boundary of your active vocabulary. (he good news is that! unlike your physical abilities! which begin to decline in your thirties and forties! research has shown that your vocabulary can and does continue to grow throughout your life. (he bad news is that the growth usually is so slow and gradual that it is hardly

noticeableonly a trickle of new words each year. )n short! once you are out of school! your vocabulary growth rate! which was so rapid in the early part of your life! becomes slow! unremarkable! and at times even stagnant. :learly such sluggish verbal development is unlikely to improve your chances of success or have any lasting influence on your career. (herefore! if you are convinced! as ) am! that vocabulary level is an important factor in determining personal satisfaction and career success! then you must make a concerted effort to seek out and learn new words! beginning with Ver !l "dv!nt!#e and continuing throughout the rest of your life. )f you strive conscientiously to build your knowledge of words! you can double and even triple your normal vocabulary growth rate! add countless words to your active vocabulary! and rescue from oblivion words that have slipped into your passive vocabulary. &ll it takes is a modicum of commitment and self"discipline! just a little bit of effort every day toward the goal. (he process is not unlike e$ercising the muscles of your body to retard the aging process and maintain optimum physical ability for your age. (he brain is! after all! like a musclethe one that commands the whole organism. )t! too! needs e$ercise and nourishment to function at its peak. &nd that nourishment must be in the form of words and ideas. ) have designed Ver !l "dv!nt!#e to help you preserve the words you are in danger of losing! teach you many more new ones! and show you how best to use those words to e$press your ideas. &s you read the second half of the program! ) think you'll find yourself paying closer attention to words and caring more about how you use them. &nd by the time you're finished ) think you'll agree that building your vocabulary is not only productive but also enjoyable. So! are you ready to begin the second half of your ascent to the acme of verbal facility4 #ere are the first ten keywords in Level <

6o'2 1( LEGER@EMAIN <LEB)/')2/=)MAAN?

Sleight of hand! a cleverly e$ecuted trick or deception. )n a general sense! the simple word &!#ic is a synonym of le#erde&!in. Dore challenging synonyms of le#erde&!in include 'restidi#it!tion and t$!u&!tur#,! which )'ll discuss Aand pronounceC in a moment! after ) tell you about the e$pression 2sleight of hand.3 (he word slei#$t ASLY(! like sli#$tC is related to the word sl,! and 2sleight of hand3 means literally slyness of the hand! a clever trick or illusion done with the hands. Le#erde&!in! 'restidi#it!tion AB7ES"ti"5)G"i"TAA"shinC! and t$!u&!tur#, AT-A6"muh"(E7"jeeC all refer to magic or deception! but each word has a more specific and precise meaning. T$!u&!tur#, comes from the 8reek word for miracle! and by derivation means the working of miracles. (he 'resti" in 'restidi#it!tion comes ultimately from the )talian 'resto! meaning nimble! /uick; the di#it in the middle of 'restidi#it!tion is the word di#it A5)G"

itC! which in one of its senses means 2a finger.3 %y derivation 'restidi#it!tion is nimbleness with the fingers! /uick"fingeredness. Prestidi#it!tion is used as a general synonym for le#erde&!in! sleight of hand! but sometimes it refers specifically to the art of juggling. Le#erde&!in comes from a Diddle -rench phrase meaning 2light of hand.3 (oday the word may refer specifically to adroitness with the hands! as in performing magic tricks! or to any display of clever skill and adroitness. -or e$ample! a surgeon! a musician! and an athlete all may display legerdemain. )n current usage le#erde&!in may also denote a cleverly e$ecuted trick or deception 2Larry hired a slea+y accountant who promised he could outwit the )7S by performing financial legerdemain3; 2(he first lesson of politics is Q1atch out for dirty tricks and other unscrupulous forms of legerdemain.J3 1hen you spell le#erde&!in! remember that it does not have an e at the end.

6o'2 2( ,UERILE <,AOOR)/l or ,AOO)/')/l?

:hildish! immature; hence! foolish! silly. Puerile comes through the Latin 'uerilis! meaning youthful! childish! from 'uer! a child. Synonyms of 'uerile in the sense of 2childish or immature3 include inf!ntile and 2uvenile. Synonyms of 'uerile in the sense of 2foolish or silly3 include in!ne Ai"6&Y6C! frivolous! !sinine! f!tuous A-&:#"oo"usC! so'$o&oric AS&#-"uh"MOR"ikC! and c!llow Aword .= of Level 0C. Inf!ntile! 2uvenile! and 'uerile all may be used in a general way to mean pertaining to childhood. Specifically! however! inf!ntile means pertaining to infancy! to babyhood or very early childhood; 'uerile means pertaining to the childhood years! the time between infancy and puberty; and 2uvenile means pertaining to preadulthood! the teenage years. You can see the words used in this specific way in the phrases 2infantile paralysis!3 2juvenile court!3 and 2puerile respiration!3 which is a respiratory murmur heard in healthy children that in adults is considered a sign of disease. (hese three words may also be used in a general sense to mean childish! immature! foolish! characteristic of youth. )n this sense! 2uvenile is the least negative; 'uerile implies harsher judgment; and inf!ntile is the strongest! suggesting the most disagreeable characteristics of childhood e$treme silliness and immaturity. -or e$ample! juvenile desires may be simply youthful desires! childlike thoughts in an older head. Buerile behavior is childish and inappropriate behavior! unbecoming of one's years; it may refer to children who act younger than they are! and it may only be temporary. )nfantile behavior! however! is e$tremely childish! and an infantile remark is foolish and stupid.

Puerile has two corresponding nouns 'uerilis& ABYFF7"ul"i+"'m or BYFF" ur"ul"i+"'mC and 'uerilit, Apyuu"7)L"i"tee or BYFF"uh"RIL"i"teeC. Puerilis& is a psychiatric term for the abnormal appearance of childish behavior in an adult. )n my considered but medically unsubstantiated opinion! puerilism is the chief occupational disorder of writers and actors. Puerilit, may be used in a general sense to mean childishness! immaturity; in civil law! 'uerilit, refers to the status of a child between infancy and puberty. %etween puberty and the established legal age of maturity! the child is a juvenile.

6o'2 3( COM,LICITA <0/:),LIS)4)tee?

:onspiracy! partnership in wrongdoing! criminal participation! direct association in guilt! the state of being an accomplice. 1ons'ir!c,! confeder!c,! collusion! and co&'licit, all refer to partnership or participation in disreputable or illegal activities. 1ons'ir!c, means the act of plotting and cooperating secretly! especially to achieve an unlawful! evil! or treacherous purpose! as a conspiracy to commit murder. 1onfeder!c, refers to people! groups! states! or nations united for a common purpose. )t may be used neutrally to mean simply an alliance! as 2FBE: is a confederacy of Diddle Eastern oil"e$porting countries.3 Suite often! however! confeder!c, is used in a negative sense to mean an alliance in wrongdoing! as 2a confederacy of terrorists bent on overthrowing the government.3 & collusion is a specific type of conspiracy a secret understanding in which one person or group plays into another's hands with the aim of defrauding a third party. -or e$ample! if witnesses in a legal trial or parties to a negotiation are in collusion! they are cooperating secretly while appearing to be adversaries. #ere it seems appropriate to digress for a moment to discuss the noun conniv!nce and the verb to connive! which today are often used interchangeably with collusion and the verb to collude. Strictly and traditionally! however! these words are not synonymous. 1onniv!nce and connive come from the Latin connivere! to wink at! and by derivation suggest the act of winking at wrongdoing. Friginally! and in my opinion properly! to connive is not to conspire or cooperate secretly in an unlawful act but to wink at it! to pretend not to see it or know about it and so give tacit consent or encouragement 2(hey bribed the doorman so he would connive at the burglary3; 2(he police department connived at organi+ed crime in the city.3 )n like manner! conniv!nce properly means the act of conniving! feigning ignorance of wrongdoing 2)llegal gambling would not e$ist in this town without the connivance of the authorities3; 21hen investigators e$posed the

plot to embe++le company funds! they accused the vice president of connivance.3 ) should point out here that my opinion of how connive and conniv!nce should be used is puristic! and to a certain e$tent wishful thinking. &ll current dictionaries countenance sc$e&e! 'lot! and cons'ire as synonyms of connive and sanction cons'ir!c, as a synonym of collusion. Dy point in raising this issue is not so much to condemn a minor implosion of language as it is to make you aware of the traditional definitions of connive and conniv!nce! which current dictionaries also countenance but which you may not have known until now. Dy aim is not to prevent you or anyone else from using connive to mean to plot or conspire. Dy simple! earnest hope is only that you will learn and remember its other! original meaning 2to feign ignorance of wrongdoing.3 &nd now back to our keyword! co&'licit,. )t comes from the Latin co&'lic!re! to fold up or fold together! the source also of the words co&'lic!te! which means literally 2to fold or twist together!3 and !cco&'lice! which means literally 2a person who is folded up3 and therefore involved. 1hereas conniv!nce suggests passive cooperation in something unlawful! co&'licit, denotes active participation or partnership in wrongdoing! the state of being an accomplice 21hen charged with conspiracy! the defendant professed his innocence and denied any complicity in the plot.3

6o'2 4( TRANSMUTE <t'an>)MAOOT or t'ans)MAOOT?

(o transform; specifically! to change from one nature! form! or substance into another! especially to a higher! better! or more refined one. (he verb tr!ns&ute combines the prefi$ tr!ns"! meaning 2across3 or 2beyond!3 with the Latin &ut!re! to change. Literally! tr!ns&ute means 2to change across the board3 or 2to change something beyond what it is.3 Tr!ns&ute was once used in the primitive science of alchemy A&L"kuh" meeC! which preceded modern chemistry! to refer to the changing of base metals or common elements into a higher form! as to transmute iron into gold. (oday the word is used generally to mean to completely change the nature or substance of something! especially to change it to a more refined or more desirable state You can transmute an idea into a reality! transmute sorrow into joy! or make a modest investment that over thirty years transmutes into a substantial nest egg for retirement.

6o'2 5( ABSTRUSE <ab)STROOS?

5ifficult to understand! hard to grasp mentally! incomprehensible! unfathomable. deep! profound!

&ntonyms of ! struse include &!nifest! discerni le Aword ., of Level .C!

lucid Aword 0' of Level .C! and 'ers'icuous! which )'ll discuss later in this level. :hallenging synonyms of ! struse include inscrut! le Aword 0? of Level .C! esoteric Aword ,@ of Level 'C! and also occult! cr,'tic! eni#&!tic! !rc!ne! recondite! and !cro!&!tic. Let's take a closer look at some of those rather abstruse synonyms! all of which apply to things that are secret and mysterious or difficult to understand. %y derivation esoteric AES"uh"TER"ikC means understood by a select group! intended only for the knowledge of a few; hence! secret! confidential! or beyond most people's knowledge or understanding. /ccult Auh"IE#L(! first syllable like ! in !#oC by derivation means hidden or concealed. (oday occult may be used either of that which is secret because it is hidden from view or of that which is secret because it is mysterious or incomprehensible. 1r,'tic AI7)B"tikC comes from the 8reek %r,'tos! hidden! which comes in turn from the verb %r,'tein! to hide. (he familiar word cr,'t comes from the same source and means a burial chamber hidden underground. )n modern usage cr,'tic applies to that which has a hidden meaning cryptic ideas are mystifying ideas; a cryptic message is an incomprehensible or coded message. (he noun eni#&! Ai"6)8"muhC and the adjective eni#&!tic AE6"ig"MAT "ikC come from a 8reek verb meaning 2to speak in riddles.3 &n eni#&! is something or someone like a riddle! a mystery! pu++le. 9ni#&!tic means like an enigma! and therefore perple$ing! pu++ling! ambiguous! or incomprehensible. 9ni#&!tic is perhaps most often used of something written or stated! but the word may also apply to actions and to people. "rc!ne Aahr"I&Y6C comes from the Latin !rc!n!! meaning 2shut! closed!3 or 2secret!3 and ultimately from !rc!! a bo$ or chest! especially a money chest. %y derivation !rc!ne means shut or closed up! and! like esoteric! !rc!ne is now used of that which is known only to a few people. (he word usually applies to knowledge or information! as an arcane theory. Recondite A7EI"un"dytC comes from the Latin recondere! to put away! conceal. )n modern usage recondite applies to that which is beyond the grasp of the ordinary person. (o most people! for e$ample! particle physics is a recondite subject. "cro!&!tic A&I"roh"uh"MAT"ikC is an abstruse and unusual synonym of esotericso unusual that you won't find it listed in most dictionaries. #istorically! !cro!&!tic applies to certain writings by the ancient 8reek philosopher &ristotle AAR"i"S(&#("JlC that were addressed to his disciples as opposed to his e$oteric AEIS"uh" TER"ikC writings! which were intended for a popular audience. "cro!&!tic comes from the 8reek !%ro!&!ti%os! which means 2designed for hearing only.3 &ccording to the encyclopedic

1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! &rtistotle's acroamatic writings 2were addressed to Qhearers!J that is! were intended to be read to his disciples or were notes written down after his lectures.3 )n a general sense! !cro!&!tic may refer to that which is esoteric! intended for and understood by a select group! recondite! beyond the grasp of the average person! and ! struse! e$tremely hard to understand. %y derivation ! struse means put or pushed away! and today the word connotes that which has been pushed out of the realm of comprehension. Scholars and scientists are fond of using abstruse academic jargon to discuss abstruse subjects and ideas. )f you buy a computer! the user's manual probably will be so abstruse that you'll wind up having to call the customer service hotline for help.

6o'2 ( E@I&A <E@)4)f.?

(o instruct! improve! teach! enlighten; especially! to instruct or improve intellectually! morally! or spiritually. &nything that improves the mind! the character! or the spirit can be described as edifying. )f you find an e$perience instructive! eye"opening! or uplifting! you can say that it edified you or that you found it edifying. You can be edified by a movie! a play! a book! a conversation! by traveling! or by working on an interesting project. &s ) noted in the first half of the program! if you want to learn more about the world and learn more words! then reading is the best way to edify yourself. %ut even entertainment can be edifying! although some forms of entertainment! such as watching reruns of 21heel of -ortune!3 probably won't edify you at all. (he corresponding noun is edific!tion! which means enlightenment intellectual! moral! or spiritual improvement 2Bublic libraries e$ist for the benefit and edification of all people3; 2#e was a philanthropist devoted not only to the material betterment of less fortunate members of society but also to their edification.3 E$cept when used humorously! the phrase 2for your edification3 should probably be avoided. )t has become a clichN! and often has a condescending overtone.

6o'2 !( SU,ERCILIOUS <SOO)1/')SIL)ee)/s?

#aughty! proud! scornful! contemptuous! disdainful. .u'ercilious comes from the Latin su'er"! meaning 2over! above!3 and ciliu&! eyebrow; by derivation it means with raised eyebrows! and therefore proud! haughty! disdainful. .u'ercilious suggests the proud! contemptuous attitude or e$pression of someone who thinks he's superior and who looks down at others with scorn 2Lucy's new supervisor had seemed /uite amiable in her interview! but to her dismay she soon found out he had a supercilious way of assigning her a project and then telling her! Q)f ) were you! )Jd do it like this.J3

6o'2 "( @ISSEMBLE <24)SEM)b//l?

(o disguise; conceal under a false appearance; speak or behave hypocritically; cover up the facts or one's true feelings or motives; mask under a pretense or deceptive manner. Synonyms of disse& le include to fei#n! !ffect! si&ul!te! c!&oufl!#e! e-uivoc!te Ai"I1)H"uh"kaytC! and 'rev!ric!te Apri"H&7"i"kaytC. (o dis#uise is the general word meaning to give something a false appearance so it won't be recogni+ed. 1e disguise our physical appearance! disguise facts! or disguise intentions. (o fei#n Arhymes with r!inC means to represent falsely! pretend that something e$ists or is real! as to feign interest! feign illness! feign innocence! or feign sleep. (o !ffect Auh"-EI(C means to put on a false appearance to make a certain impression! as to affect knowledge! affect a cultivated pronunciation! affect social superiority! or affect a carefree manner when your heart is breaking. Fur keyword! disse& le! comes from an Fld -rench verb meaning 2to appear different!3 and by derivation means to make something appear different from what it is. 1hen you dissemble the facts or dissemble your feelings! you conceal them under a false appearance. (he person who dissembles speaks or behaves hypocritically so as to cover up the truth.

6o'2 #( EACUOUS <EA*).oo)/s?

Empty! vacant; devoid of substance! interest! intelligence! e$pression! or meaning. Synonyms of v!cuous include l!n%! unintelli#ent! s$!llow! stu'id! senseless! in!ne! and f!tuous. (he corresponding noun is v!cuit, Ava"IYFF"i"teeC! emptiness! an absence of matter or intellectual content. V!cuous comes from the Latin v!cuus! empty. )n modern usage v!cuous is not used where e&'t, or v!c!nt would be appropriate. &n empty bo$ or a vacant apartment cannot be described as vacuous. V!cuous usually applies to a figurative lack of content! meaning! or interest. 1e speak of vacuous eyes! a vacuous discussion! a vacuous mind! a vacuous remark! or a vacuous proposal.

6o'2 13( CA,ACIOUS <0/=),AA)s=/s?

7oomy! spacious! ample! able to contain or hold a great deal. 1!'!cious may be used either literally or figuratively. 1hen used literally it is a synonym of s'!cious and roo&, a capacious house; their capacious office; an overcoat with capacious pockets. 1hen used figuratively! it is a synonym of ro!d and co&'re$ensive a capacious intellect; a capacious embrace; a capacious view; a capacious treatment of a subject.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following /uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page ,<*.
1. :ould the takeover of a company by another company be

described as a feat of corporate legerdemain4

2. )s a puerile remark likely to be taken seriously4 3.)f three people are involved in a crime! could one be charged with

the crime and the other two with complicity4

4. :an you transmute a thought into words4 5. )s abstruse writing clear and easy to understand4 6. :an eating well and getting enough sleep edify you4 7. :ould a supercilious gesture also be described as puerile4 8. )f you dissemble the truth! do you e$plain or reveal it4 9. )s a vacuous look an interested or intense look4

10.:an a capacious room and a capacious memory both hold many things4

%ecause your mind is capacious and not vacuous! ) think you'll find the ne$t ten keywords in Level < edifying and not abstruse. #ere they are

6o'2 11( MNEMONIC <n4)MA-N)40?

#elping or pertaining to the memory! assisting or improving the ability to recall. (he odd spelling of &ne&onic! with its initial &n! comes from 8reek. Eltimately! &ne&onic comes from a 8reek verb meaning to remember! and by derivation means 2mindful.3 )n 8reek mythology! 4ne&os,ne Ani"D&#S" uh"neeC is the goddess of memory and the mother of the nine Duses who preside over literature! the arts! and the sciences. (he adjective &ne&onic means assisting or pertaining to the memory. & mnemonic device is a memory aid! something that helps one to remember. -or e$ample! the old rhyme! 2(hirty days hath September! &pril! Gune! and 6ovember3 is a mnemonic device for remembering the number of days in a given month. (he term &ne&onics refers to any techni/ue or system for improving the memory. 6ow! if you can remember all that! you're doing well.

6o'2 12( SONOROUS <s/=)NOR)/s or SA-N)/=)'/s?

7esonant; deep! full! and rich in sound; having! or capable of producing! a powerful! impressive sound a sonorous voice; a sonorous speaker; the

sonorous bells of a cathedral. (he pronunciation S&#6"uh"rus! with the accent on the first syllable! is a %ritish import that began making its way into &merican speech in the late *?==s. (he traditional &merican pronunciation is suh"6F7"us! with the stress on the second syllable. 1hen it comes to &merican versus %ritish pronunciation! my policy is that %ritish speakers should use %ritish pronunciations and &merican speakers should use &merican pronunciations. Berhaps indicating agreement with that dictum! the four leading current &merican dictionaries all list suh"6F7"us first. 6evertheless! it must be said that first" syllable stress in sonorous is more commonly heard today! and probably will prevail.

6o'2 13( A@MONIS- <a2)MA-N)4s=?

(o warn or notify of a fault or error! especially in conduct or attitude; to critici+e or reprove gently but earnestly. Synonyms of !d&onis$ include !dvise! counsel! c!ution! !''rise Auh"B7YM! like ! 'riAeC! e8$ort Aeg" or ig"MF7(C! and e8'ostul!te Aek" SB&#S"chuh"laytC. (he corresponding noun is !d&onis$&ent! a gentle warning or mild criticism. (o !d&onis$ comes from the Latin verb !d&onere! to warn! remind; the word suggests putting someone in mind of something he has forgotten! done wrong! or disregarded by giving him a strong but gently e$pressed warning or reminder. You can admonish an employee for tardiness or for overlooking an error; you can admonish a small child to obey a rule; or you can admonish a friend who is working too hard to take it easy.

6o'2 14( ,ARA@IGM <,AR)/=)24: or ,AR)/=)2.:?

&n e$ample! model! or pattern. P!r!di#&! which gets its unusual spelling from 8reek! is used of an e$ample that serves to illustrate or e$plain something or that serves as a model or pattern. Scholars develop paradigms for their theories; a novel may be a paradigm of contemporary morality; an important e$perience can serve as a paradigm for evaluating later e$periences; and the successful strategy of one corporation may be the paradigm for another corporation's plan to restructure itself and redefine its goals. (he corresponding adjective is '!r!di#&!tic AB&7"uh"dig"MAT"ikC! which means e$emplary! typical! serving as a model or pattern. B&7"uh"dim is the original pronunciation! preferred by authorities of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. (he alternative pronunciation B&7"uh" dym came along sometime before *@== and appears to have originated in %ritain; it is now preferred by most educated speakers on both sides of the &tlantic. Dodern authorities and current dictionaries countenance both pronunciations! and you may say the word as you please.

6o'2 15( CIRCUITOUS <s/')*AOO)4)t/s?

7oundabout! indirect! not straightforward! following a roundabout and often e$tended course. :hallenging synonyms of circuitous include devious! &e!nderin# Amee" &6"dur"ingC! sinuous AS)6"yoo"usC! tortuous A(F7"choo"usC! ser'entine ASE7"pin"teen or "tynC! and l! ,rint$ine AL&%"uh"RIN"thinC! which means like a labyrinth or ma+e. (he adjective circuitous is formed by adding the suffi$ "ous to the familiar noun circuit. & circuit is a line or route that goes around and returns to where it started. Literally! circuitous means like a circuit! going around! following a roundabout and often lengthy course 2(hey took a circuitous route to avoid traffic3; 2#is argument was circuitous! going round and round and never getting to the point3; 2Looking back on her career! Bamela reali+ed that her path to success had been circuitous.3

6o'2 1 ( EIN@ICATE <EIN)24)0a.t?

(o clear from blame! free from suspicion of wrongdoing or dishonor! uphold or maintain the truth or innocence of something or someone in the face of criticism or imputations of guilt. )f you are accused of something but later the charge is dropped! then you have been vindicated. You can vindicate your good name or your reputation by clearing it from blame or suspicion. You can also vindicate a claim of ownership or your right to something by defending or upholding the truth of it. (he corresponding noun is vindic!tion 2)n a civil lawsuit! the plaintiff seeks restitution for an alleged wrong! and the defendant seeks vindication from the charges.3 (o vindic!te! to e8oner!te Aeg" or ig"M&#6"ur"aytC! and to !c-uit all mean to free from blame. "c-uit refers specifically to a judicial decision to release someone from a charge. 98oner!te implies removing the burden of guilt for a wrongdoing that may or may not have been committed. Vindic!te means to clear from blame! criticism! or suspicion of guilt by bringing forth evidence and proving the unfairness of the charge. Someone may be ac/uitted by a jury and e$onerated by his family and friends! but never vindicated in the eyes of the community.

6o'2 1!( BUCOLIC <b.oo)*A-L)40?

7ural! rustic! of or pertaining to country life. Synonyms of ucolic include '!stor!l AB&S"tur"ul! be sure to stress the first syllableC! 'rovinci!l Apruh"H)6"shulC! !#r!ri!n Auh"87&)7"ee"inC! id,llic Aeye"5)L"ikC! and "rc!di!n Aahr"I&Y"dee"inC. &ntonyms include ur !n! &unici'!l! civic! &etro'olit!n! and cos&o'olit!n.

:ucolic comes from Latin and 8reek words meaning a herdsman! shepherd! which in turn come from the 8reek ous! an o$. :ucolic may mean either '!stor!l! pertaining to shepherds! or rustic! pertaining to farming and country life. %ucolic poetry is poetry about the country or country folk; bucolic scenery is rural or rustic scenery. Sometimes ucolic is used in a depreciatory sense to poke fun at people who live in the country. 1hen supercilious city dwellers speak of bucolic manners or bucolic customs! they mean to imply that those manners or customs are crude or unsophisticated.

6o'2 1"( OSTRACIFE <A-S)t'/=)s.>?

(o banish! send into e$ile! e$pel from a place; to bar! e$clude! or reject from a group or from acceptance by society 2#is /uestionable conduct led to his being ostraci+ed by the other members of his profession3; 2&fter the embarrassing incident her friends began to avoid her! and eventually they ostraci+ed her from their social life.3 (he verb to ostr!ciAe! the corresponding noun ostr!cis& A&#S"truh" si+"'mC! and the related word 'et!lis& ABE("Jl"i+"'mC share an interesting history. Fstracism and petalism were forms of banishment employed by the ancient 8reeks. /str!ciAe and ostr!cis& come from the 8reek ostr!%on! a potsherd! a piece of broken pottery. Fstracism was practiced by the ancient &thenians as a way of removing from the city people considered dangerous or embarrassing to the state. :iti+ens would vote by writing the name of the person to be e$pelled on a potsherd AB&#("shurdC or earthenware tablet. %anishment was for a period of ten years! after which time the person was considered vindicated and free to return. Betalism was a similar mode of e$pulsion practiced in ancient Syracuse. Betalism differed from ostracism only in the method of voting! which was done by writing on an olive leaf instead of on a piece of clay! and in the length of the e$ile! which was for five instead of ten years. (he 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C notes that petalism was eventually repealed 2on account of its deterring the best citi+ens from participating in public affairs.3

6o'2 1#( ,LET-ORA <,LET-)/=)'/=?

&n e$cess! surplus! overabundance! oversupply. Synonyms of 'let$or! include su'er! und!nce! 'rofusion! su'erfluit, ASFF"pur"&LOO"i"teeC! and surfeit ASE7"fitC. &ntonyms of 'let$or! include sc!rcit,! insufficienc,! de!rt$ Aword *, of Level .C! and '!ucit, AB&1"si"teeC 2(he worst kind of boss is the one who offers a plethora of advice and a paucity of assistance.3 Plet$or! comes from the 8reek 'let$ein! to be full. )n medicine the word is used to mean an e$cess of blood in the body; in general usage 'let$or! may refer to any e$cess! surplus! or overabundance 2(his report contains a plethora of dull statistics.3 2(hroughout her career she was blessed with a

plethora of opportunities.3 2&merican consumers no longer give the bulk of their business to small! speciali+ed retailers! but instead prefer to shop at superstores that offer a plethora of merchandise at discount prices.3 Plet$or! is the noun; the corresponding adjective is 'let$oric Aple"(#F7" ikC. & plethoric harvest is an overabundant harvest! a bumper crop. Blethoric wealth is e$cessive wealth. Blethoric writing is verbose! inflated writing; it overflows with words or puffed"up self"importance. 1hen used of language! 'let$oric is synonymous with the words o& !stic Abahm"%&S" tikC and tur#id A(E7"jidC. Plet$or! is sometimes mispronounced with the stress on the second syllable! ple"(#F7"uh. 5ictionaries do not recogni+e this variant. %e sure to stress the first syllable BLE(#"uh"ruh.

6o'2 23( ,ROCLIEITA <1'o)*LIE)4)tee or 1'o=)?

&n inclination! liking! leaning; a strong natural bent or tendency! often toward something disagreeable! objectionable! or wicked. Synonyms of 'roclivit, include '!rti!lit, AB&7"shee"AL"i"teeC! 'enc$!nt ABE6"chint! word @ of Level .C! 'redis'osition! 'redilection AB7E5"i"LE* "shinC! and 'ro'ensit, Apro"BE6"si"teeC. %y derivation 'roclivit, means a sloping forward or downward; hence! a leaning! tendency! or inclination. )n current usage the word may have a neutral connotation! as a proclivity to study! a proclivity for music. Dore often! however! 'ro'ensit, is used in this neutral sense! and 'roclivit, usually suggests a strong natural bent or inclination toward something bad or wrong. -or e$ample! a person may have a proclivity for drinking or gambling! a proclivity to lie! or antisocial proclivities.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page ,<,.
1. & mnemonic device helps you remember something. 2. (he s/ueak of a mouse or the s/ueal of a pig is a sonorous

noise.
3. )t's illegal to admonish a child. 4. (he Enited States has served as a paradigm for many later

democracies.
5. 1hen you take a circuitous route! you proceed in a roundabout

manner.
6. & person who feels vindicated feels wrongfully blamed for

something.
7.& bucolic lifestyle is an unwholesome lifestyle.

8. Dost people would consider it a great honor to be ostraci+ed. 9. 1hen you have a plethora of food! you don't have enough.

10.Some people's proclivities are difficult to tolerate. 5id you remember to keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 )f you answered eight or more /uestions correctly! you may continue with Level <. Ftherwise! reread the last ten keyword discussions. ItHs G'ee0 to T=ee )f some of the words )'ve talked about so far in this level sound like 8reek to you! that's because they areT )n fact! some of the most delightful words in the English language are derived from 8reek! and particularly from 8reek names. Fne of my all"time favorites is Procruste!n Apro"I7E#S"tee"inC. Brocrustes Apro"I7E#S"tee+C was a robber of &ttica! says the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! 2who tortured his victims by placing them on a certain bed! and stretching them or lopping off their legs to adapt the body to its length.3 Dany were maimed upon BrocrustesJ bed until the 8reek hero (heseus A(#EE"syoosC tied the old bugger to his own bedposts for a permanent snoo+e. (oday Procruste!n means producing conformity by cruel or violent means! and to place someone on a Brocrustean bed is to use ruthless measures to make him conform. 6o less murderous in his manner of making people toe the line was 5raco A57&Y"kohC! a statesman of &thens whose legendary code of laws was un/uestionably Brocrustean. 5raco 2prescribed the penalty of death for nearly all crimes!3 says the 1entur,! 2for smaller crimes because they merited it! and for greater because he knew of no penalty more severe.3 -rom this arbitrary administrator of &ttic justice comes the word dr!coni!n Adra"IF#"nee"inC! meaning ruthlessly severe. & more pleasant influence on the language was e$ercised by the philospher Epicurus AEB"i"*AUUR"usC! the source of the word e'icure!n AEB"i"*AUUR"ee"in or EB"i"kyuu"REE"inC. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r,! Epicurus held that 2pleasure is the only possible end of rational action! and the ultimate pleasure is freedom from disturbance.3 &lthough Epicurus has come to be thought of as a votary AHF#"tuh"reedo you need to look it up4C of unrestrained indulgence! in a strict sense e'icure!nis& Amain stress on "cure" or on "re"C is distinguished from $edonis& A#EE"duh"ni+"'mC! which in common parlance AB&#7"luntsC means living for the moment. Epicurus advocated the renunciation of momentary pleasures in favor of more permanent ones! and his su&&u& onu& ASEED"um %F#"numC! or greatest good! was the pursuit of pleasure through the practice of virtue. (he word e'icure AEB"i"kyoorC! once used disparagingly of one devoted to sensual pleasure! is today used to describe a person with fastidious tastes! especially in food or wine. &ncient 8reece was also home to Byrrho AB)7"ohC! one of the great skeptic philosophers. #is doctrine! says the 1entur,! 2was that there is just

as much to be said for as against any opinion whatever; that neither the senses nor the reason are to be trusted in the least; and that when we are once convinced we can know nothing! we cease to care! and in this way alone can attain happiness. )t is said that Byrrho would take no ordinary practical precautions! such as getting out of the way of vehicles.3 )n modern English! P,rr$onis& AB)7"uh"ni+"'mC means absolute skepticism! universal doubt! and a P,rr$onist AB)7"uh"nistC is a person who doubts everything. English has also gained some gems from the geography of ancient 8reece. (he rural region of %oeotia Abee"F#"shuhC! says the 1entur,! was known for its torpid climate! which was 2supposed to communicate its dullness to the intellect of the inhabitants.3 &lthough three of 8reece's greatest men of letters#esiod A#EE"see"idC! Bindar AB)6"durC! and Blutarch ABLFF"tahrkCwere native %oeotians! &thenian city slickers reveled in reviling these bucolic folk. (oday the noun :oeoti!n Abee"F#" shin! like e oce!nC means a dull! ignorant person! and the adjective :oeoti!n means stupid! boring! obtuse. &ccording to %rewer's 0iction!r, of P$r!se !nd ;! le! :oeoti!n e!rs are 2ears unable to appreciate music or rhetoric.3 (he supercilious &thenians also disparaged the inhabitants of &rcadia Aahr"I&Y"dee"uhC and Soloi ASF#"loyC. Like the %oeotians! the &rcadians were a pastoral people! fond of music and dancing. (hey were considered the least intellectual of all the 8reeks. (he 8reek e/uivalent of the word "rc!di!n meant a shepherd or farmer! but it had the pejorative Api"GF7"uh"tivis your dictionary handy4C connotation of simple"minded bumpkin. &rcadia's reputation has since been vindicated. (oday the word "rc!di!n is a poetic or literary way of referring to the simplicity and innocence of rustic life. Soloi was an ancient 8reek colony in :ilicia Asi"L)S#"uhC! &sia Dinor! whose citi+ens were renowned for their horrible habits of speech. (hat they spoke a corrupt form of &tticthe &thenian dialectprobably only made things worse for them. (he 8reeks thought the people of Soloi rude! pushy! and foul"mouthed! and coined the word soloi%os to mean speaking or acting like an inhabitant of Soloiby e$tension! speaking incorrectly or behaving in an unrefined fashion. -rom the 8reeksJ bad"mouthing of these %.:. boors we inherit the word solecis& ASA-L"uh"S)M"'mC! which usually means a gross grammatical error! but which may also denote a social impropriety! as when someone snee+es in your face or belches audibly in public. &nother city of &sia Dinor! Laodicea AL&Y"ah"di" SEE"uhC! became infamous among early :hristians for its lip service to the Lord. &ccording to %rewer! the Laodiceans were 2indifferent to religion! caring little or nothing about the matter.3 1hen it came to believing in a higher power! Laodiceans responded with a primal shrug. (oday the word L!odice!n AL&Y"ah"di"SEE "inC may be used either as a noun to mean an indifferent or complacent person! or as an adjective to mean indifferent or lukewarm! especially in

matters of religion. 1ell! my Laodicean pupil! just think of all the solecisms you have already learned to avoid by reading Ver !l "dv!nt!#e and tell me that my edifying interlude on #ellenisms has fallen happily upon your %oeotian ears. &nd with that plethora of information on interesting words that have come to us from ancient 8reece! let's return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the ne$t ten keywords in Level <.

6o'2 21( COMMENSURATE <0/=)MEN)s=/')4t also 0/=)MEN)s/')4t?

Broportionate! corresponding in amount! measure! or degree; also! e/ual! of the same si+e or e$tent 2She wants to find a job commensurate with her abilities and e$perience3; 2#is paycheck was not commensurate with the number of hours he had worked.3 %y derivation co&&ensur!te means 2measured together!3 and therefore corresponding or proportionate.

6o'2 22( INCESSANT <4n)SES)4nt?

:onstant! uninterrupted! continuous! unceasing. Incess!nt combines the privative prefi$ in"! meaning 2not!3 with the Latin cess!re! to stop! cease! and means literally not ceasing! never"ending. Synonyms of incess!nt include inter&in! le! relentless! and unre&ittin#. &ntonyms of incess!nt include occ!sion!l! irre#ul!r! inter&ittent! incident!l! s'or!dic Aword *< of Level *C! fitful! and err!tic. 5ictionaries often list the words continuous and continu!l as synonyms! and today many educated speakers use them interchangeably. (hey are not interchangeable! however! and the ability to distinguish continu!l and continuous precisely is one sign of a careful user of the language. 1ontinu!l means happening again and again at short intervals. 1e speak of continual reminders! continual attempts! continual laughter! or the continual ringing of the telephone. 1ontinuous means uninterrupted or unbroken. 1e speak of continuous noise! continuous rain! a continuous effort! or the continuous rotation of the earth. 1ontinuous and incess!nt are close synonyms. (he 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C e$plains that 2continuous means unbroken! and is passive; incess!nt means unceasing! and is active.3 Fn one level that distinction is simple we say a railroad track or telephone cable is continuous! not incessant! because tracks and cables are inactive. %ut on another level the distinction can be /uite subtle and subjective. -or e$ample! we may say that a fever is continuous or incessant depending on whether we perceive it as a state or an activity. Similarly! the flow of a waterfall is continuous if viewed as a passive condition of a bucolic scene; it is incessant if looked

upon as an active condition within that scene. (he bland background music we typically hear in elevators! restaurants! and waiting rooms is continuous to those who don't mind it; but to those who are distracted or irritated by it! it's incessant! unceasing! constant! never"ending.

6o'2 23( SACO,-ANT <SI*)/=)f/ntK t=e last s.llable% )phant% as 4n elephant?

& flatterer! parasite! toady! fawning follower! hanger"on. 6o one knows the precise origin of the words s,co'$!nt and to!d,! but various theories and folk etymologies abound. &ccording to most sources! the word to!d, is related to to!d. &s the etymologist Goseph (. Shipley recounts the story in his 0iction!r, of 6ord /ri#ins A*@0'C! the charlatans and mountebanks of medieval times usually traveled with an assistant who would swallow! or seem to swallow! a live toad! 2so that the master could display his healing powers. (hese helpers were called to!d5e!ters; then the term came to mean a flattering follower!3 and 2the word has been shortened to to!d,.3 .,co'$!nt is thought to come from a 8reek word meaning to show figs. &s the legend goes! the &thenians passed a law prohibiting the e$port of figs from their city. Like many laws! this one was rarely enforced! but 2there were always found mean fellows!3 says %rewer's 0iction!r, of P$r!se !nd ;! le! 2who! for their own private ends! impeached those who violated it; hence s,co'$!nt came to signify first a government toady! then a toady generally.3 &lthough by derivation s,co'$!nt means an informer! today the word refers to people who attempt to gain influence or advancement by ingratiating themselves through flattery and servility 2Goanne warned Lucy her first day on the job that 7alph and 5iane were the office sycophants! always sucking up to the boss and stabbing people in the back.3 (he corresponding adjective is s,co'$!ntic AS)I"uh"&AN"tikC.

6o'2 24( TANGENTIAL <tan)BEN)s=/l?

6ot closely related! only slightly connected! digressive! divergent. )n geometry! the word t!n#ent refers to a line that touches a curve but does not intersect it. 1hen you 2go off on a tangent3 you make an abrupt change of course in what you are saying; you diverge! digress. T!n#enti!l may mean going off on a subject that is only slightly connected to the one under consideration! or it may mean slightly connected to or touching lightly on a subject. (angential remarks diverge from the subject in /uestion; they are only slightly connected to it. (angential information touches lightly on the subject but is not closely related or essential to it.

6o'2 25( TENABLE <TEN)/=)b//l?

5efensible! reasonable; able to be defended! maintained! or upheld. Ten! le comes from the Latin tenere! to hold! grasp. -rom the same

source come the unusual noun ten!culu& Ate"6&I"yuu"lumC! a pointed! hooked instrument used in surgery for lifting and holding parts! such as blood vessels! and the useful adjective ten!cious Ate"6&Y"shusC! which means holding firmly! as a tenacious grip or a tenacious memory. Ten! le means defensible! able to be maintained or upheld. (he logic behind a course of action may be ten! le! defensible! or unten! le! indefensible. (he legislature may pass a tenable law! one that can be upheld in the courts! or an untenable law! one that will be struck down. & tenable reason is a reason that can be defended! maintained! or upheld.

6o'2 2 ( IM,AL,ABLE <4:),AL)1/=)b//l?

)ncapable of being felt or understood! not able to be perceived either by the sense of touch or by the mind. Synonyms of i&'!l'! le include untouc$! le! i&'erce'ti le! and int!n#i le Ain"(&6"ji"buulC. &ntonyms include '!l'! le AB&L"puh"buulC! 'erce'ti le! &!nifest! and t!n#i le A(&6"ji"buulC. (he adjective '!l'! le means capable of being touched or felt! easily perceived or discerned. P!l'! le may be used either literally! as a palpable pulse or palpable heat! or figuratively! as a palpable error or palpable desire. I&'!l'! le combines '!l'! le with the privative prefi$ i&"! meaning 2not!3 and means not able to be felt or grasped! either with the fingers or by the mind. &n impalpable pulse is a sign of heart failure; an impalpable bree+e is so faint as to be imperceptible; an impalpable idea is not easily grasped by the mind. %oth '!l'! le and i&'!l'! le come from the Latin '!l'!re! to touch or stroke gently! the source also of the verb to '!l'!te AB&L"paytC. P!l'!te is used chiefly in medicine to mean to e$amine or e$plore by touch! as to palpate a limb or an organ. (he corresponding noun is '!l'!tion Apal"B&Y" shinC! the act of palpating! e$amining by touch.

6o'2 2!( O@IOUS <O-)2ee)/s?

#ateful! detestable! offensive! revolting! arousing strong dislike or aversion. (he English language has a plethora of words that mean hateful or offensive! so odious has many synonyms. #ere is a selection of them! ranging from the familiar to the not"so"familiar dis#ustin#! o no8ious! o 2ection! le! dis!#ree! le! conte&'ti le! re'ellent! re'u#n!nt Ari"BE#8"nintC! lo!t$so&e ALF#(#"sumC! ! o&in! le! ! $orrent Aab"#F7" intC! $einous A#&Y"nisC! o''ro rious Auh"B7F#"bree"usC! fl!#itious Afluh" G)S#"us! word 0< of Level @C! and last but not least! the thoroughly damning word e8ecr! le AEI"si"kruh"buulC. %y derivation e8ecr! le means e$pressing a curse! and today the word applies to that which is so horrible or wicked that it deserves to be cursed or damned.

/dious comes from the Latin odiosus! hateful! which in turn comes from odiu&! hatred! the direct source of the English noun odiu& AF#"dee"umC. /diu& and $!tred are synonymous! but odiu& refers less fre/uently to hatred directed toward someone or something else and more often to hatred e$perienced or incurred 2&lan's supervisor was a supercilious! draconian tyrant who did not seem to care that her employees regarded her with odium.3 (he adjective odious refers either to that which arouses hate! disgust! or displeasure or to that which is regarded as hateful! detestable! or offensive. &n odious remark is e$tremely unpleasant or offensive; an odious practice is a disagreeable or disgusting practice; an odious person is a person that others find hateful or detestable. (he corresponding noun odiousness means the state or /uality of being odious! as the odiousness of the crime. %e careful to distinguish odious from odorous both in spelling and usage. /dorous means emitting an odor! having a distinct aroma or smell. /dious means hateful! detestable! revolting. Fdorous armpits or odorous garbage may be odious! but there is nothing odious! hateful or offensive! about odorous flowers.

6o'2 2"( UBIIUITOUS <.oo)BI*)74)t/s?

E$isting or seeming to e$ist everywhere at the same time. ( i-uitous and none8istent are antonyms. Synonyms of u i-uitous include ever5'resent! univers!l! 'erv!din#! and o&ni'resent A&#D"ni" ,REF"intC. (he corresponding noun is u i-uit, Ayoo"%)I"wi"teeC! the state of being or seeming to be everywhere at once! omnipresence.

( i-uitous comes from the Latin u i-ue! everywhere. )ts closest synonym! o&ni'resent! links the combining form o&ni"! meaning 2all!3 with 'resent to mean present in all places at once. %ecause few things other than the air we breathe can accurately be described as ubi/uitous! e$isting everywhere at the same time! ubi/uitous is often used to mean seeming to e$ist everywhere at once! e$tremely widespread. -or e$ample! when telephones and televisions first came on the market they were considered novelties and lu$ury items! but today we see them everywhere! so we could say they are ubi/uitous. )n 8eorge Frwell's classic novel 1984! which depicts the horrors of life in a futuristic totalitarian state! the image of the dictator! %ig %rother! and the slogan 2%ig %rother is watching you3 are ubi/uitous; they seem to be in all places at once. ( i-uitous is also often used to achieve an e$aggerated effect. -or e$ample! a writer might state that the cockroach is a ubi/uitous insect! or that graffiti has become ubi/uitous in a neighborhood! or that fast"food restaurant chains are now ubi/uitous in our society. &nd if you ever have the e$perience of running across a certain person nearly everywhere you go! you could say that person is ubi/uitous.

6o'2 2#( RUMINATE <ROO):4)na.t?

(o turn over in the mind! think about again and again! consider carefully or at length. Synonyms of ru&in!te include to 'onder! conte&'l!te! &edit!te! deli er!te! &use ADYFFMC! co#it!te AI&#"ji"taytC! and &ull Arhymes with dullC. (he etymology of the verb to ru&in!te may surprise you. )t comes from the Latin ru&in!re! to chew the cud! and by derivation means to chew over and over again. )n the science of +oology Awhich is properly pronounced +oh"&#L"uh"jee! not +oo"C the word ru&in!nt A7FF"mi"nintC is used of animals that chew their cud! such as cows! o$en! sheep! goats! deer! giraffes! and camels. (hese ruminant creatures have multichambered stomachs! the first chamber of which is called the rumen A7FF"minC. 1hen a ruminant chews its cud! it is chewing food that has been swallowed! partially digested in the rumen! and then regurgitated into the mouth for thorough mastication. A&s you may recall from Level '! &!stic!tion means the act of chewing.C %y a logical e$tension! the verb to ru&in!te has come to mean to chew the cud mentally! to regurgitate a thought and turn it over and over in the mind. Gust as we often say that we chew on something! we often say that we ruminate on something 2&ging athletes may ruminate on the triumphs of their youth3; 21hen Gohn heard the rumor of

impending layoffs! he went back to his office and ruminated on his future with the company.3

6o'2 33( REMUNERATION <'4)MAOO)n/=)RAA)s=4n?

Bayment! compensation! or reward. Re&uner!tion is a suitable payment or reward for a service or something one has provided 2)t is rare that the effort a writer e$pends in writing a book is commensurate with the remuneration received for writing it3; 21hen people volunteer their services for a cause! the satisfaction they get from doing something they believe in is more than enough remuneration3; 2Dark took the job even though he knew the salary was not sufficient remuneration for the work he would have to do.3 Synonyms of re&uner!tion include rei& urse&ent! reco&'ense ARE* "um"BE6(SC! consider!tion! inde&nific!tion Ain"5ED"nuh"fi"*AA" shinC! and e&olu&ent Ai"D&#L"yuh"mint! word . of Level ?C. (he corresponding verb is re&uner!te Ari"DYFF"nuh"raytC! to pay or compensate for services rendered! trouble taken! or goods provided.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page ,<..
1. Pro'ortion!te

and

co&&ensur!te

are9synonyms

or

antonyms4
2. Incess!nt and inter&ittent are9 3. .,co'$!nt and to!d, are9 4. T!n#enti!l and unrel!ted are9 5. Indefensi le and ten! le are9 6. T!n#i le and i&'!l'! le are9 7. /dious and detest! le are9 8. ( i-uitous and none8istent are9 9. (o ru&in!te and to &edit!te are9

10.1o&'ens!tion and re&uner!tion are9 )f you answered fewer than eight of the /uestions correctly in this /ui+! remember to review the keyword discussions before moving ahead in the program.

6ow let's return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the ne$t ten keywords in Level <.

6o'2 31( ,ECCA@ILLO <,E*)/=)@IL)o=?

& small sin! slight offense! minor fault or flaw. Pecc!dillo means literally 2a small sin.3 )t comes through Spanish and )talian ultimately from the Latin 'ecc!re! to make a mistake! blunder! sin. -rom the same source English has also inherited three other useful words 'ecc!nt ABEI"intC! which means guilty! sinful! culpable; 'ecc! le ABEI"uh" buulC! which means liable to sin or do wrong; and its antonym i&'ecc! le Aword 0= of Level 0C! which means incapable of sin! unable to do wrong! and therefore free from all faults or imperfections. Synonyms of 'ecc!dillo include f!ilin#! fr!ilt,! and foi le Aword ,. of Level .C. &ll these words suggest a weakness! imperfection! or defect of character or habit. ;!ilin# implies a relatively minor but noticeable shortcoming Barents are never perfect; all have their failings. ;r!ilt, implies a weakness that can be e$ploited or that leads one to yield to temptation -railties are an inescapable part of human nature. ;oi le suggests a harmless or trivial weakness or flaw that can be easily overlooked You may regret your failings and try to keep your frailties in check! but you can laugh about your foibles. Fur keyword! 'ecc!dillo! is a small sin or slight offense that is easily forgiven & good manager knows how to distinguish between an employee who commits peccadilloes and an employee who causes problems. (he plural of 'ecc!dillo is 'ecc!dilloes! which is preferred by most &merican authorities and listed first in &merican dictionaries! or 'ecc!dillos ! the %ritish preference.

6o'2 32( SU,INE <soo),AN% l40e sue pine?

Lying down on the back! with the face turned upward 2#e preferred to sleep in a supine position.3 .u'ine! 'rone! 'rostr!te AB7&#S"traytC! and recu& ent Ari"IE#D"bentC all mean lying down in various ways. .u'ine takes its meaning directly from the Latin su'inus! lying on the back with the face up. -rom the Latin 'ronus! leaning forward! we inherit the word 'rone! which may mean inclined or tending toward something! as in the phrase 2prone to error!3 or it may mean lying on the belly! stretched out face downward 2(he dog lay prone on the rug! its chin resting on its paws.3 Prostr!te means lying flat! stretched out! either prone or supine. %ecause the word comes from the Latin 'rosternere! to throw down in front! cast down! in modern usage 'rostr!te denotes lying down flat either as the

result of physical or emotional e$haustion! or as an e$pression of submission! humble adoration! humiliation! or helplessness. %e careful not to confuse 'rostr!te with 'rost!te AB7&#S"taytC! the gland in men that contributes to the production of semen and helps control urination. &fter age forty! men should have regular checkups for prostate cancer! not prostrate cancer. Recu& ent comes from the Latin recu& ere! to lie back! recline. 1hen you are recumbent you are lying down in a comfortable position! usually supine or on your side (he ancient 8reeks and 7omans assumed a recumbent posture when taking their meals. Hisit any art museum and you are likely to see a portrait of a recumbent nude.

6o'2 33( BANAL <BAA)n/l or b/=)NAL?

:ommon! ordinary! unoriginal; flat! dull! and predictable; lacking freshness or +est. Synonyms of !n!l include trite! co&&on'l!ce! convention!l! $u&dru&! $!c%ne,ed! s$o'worn! stereot,'ed! insi'id Ain"S)B"idC! v!'id Arhymes with r!'idC! and ro&idic Abro"D)5"ikC! which means like a ro&ide A%7F#"mydC! a statement or idea that is stale and dull. &ntonyms of !n!l include cre!tive! i&!#in!tive! unconvention!l! unort$odo8! in#enious! innov!tive! novel! and 'it$, AB)(#"eeC. :!n!l! which came into English from -rench in the mid"eighteenth century! originally referred to the facilities shared in common by the serfs and tenants of a feudal manorsuch as the mill! the ovens! and the wine" press. )n this now obsolete sense! !n!l meant 2shared by all; used by the whole community.3 -rom this notion of commonality! !n!l soon came to be used as a synonym of co&&on in its sense of ordinary and unoriginal. (oday !n!l is used of anything that is flat! dull! and predictable! that lacks freshness or +est a television show! a song! a book! a movie! a remark! a conversation! a desire! a relationship! and even a person can be described as banal. 1hen you consider how many things in this world are dull! ordinary! and unoriginal! !n!l suddenly becomes a useful word to add to your vocabulary. Dost educated &merican speakers pronounce !n!l either %&Y"nal Arhymes with !n!lC or buh"6&L Arhymes with c!n!lC. (he variant buh"6&#L! the %ritish preference! is less fre/uently heard in &merican speech. (he variant %&6"ul Arhymes with c$!nnelC! preferred by several older authorities! is nearly obsolete. (he corresponding noun is !n!lit, Abuh"6&L"i"teeC! which means the /uality or state of being common! ordinary! and unoriginal! as the banality of prime"time (H! or the banality of workaday life.

6o'2 34( -ETERO@OG <-ET)/')/=)2a=0s?

#aving or e$pressing an opinion different from the accepted opinion; not in

agreement with established doctrine or belief. &s you may recall from the discussion of $etero#eneous! keyword < of Level .! the prefi$ $etero" means other! different! unlike $eterose8u!l means attracted to the other se$; $etero#eneous means consisting of different elements or kinds! diverse; and $eterodo8 means having another opinion or different beliefs. (he "do8 in $eterodo8 comes from the 8reek do8!! an opinion! which in turn comes from the verb do%ein! to think. -rom the same source come the rare English words do8, A5&#I"seeC! an opinion or doctrine! especially a religious opinion! and do8!stic Adahk"S&S"tikC! which means pertaining to opinion or to the formation of an opinion. ) wouldn't e$pect you to know those unusual words! but you may be familiar with do8olo#, Adahk"S&#L" uh"jeeC! which combines the 8reek do8!! opinion! with the verb le#ein! to speak. 0o8olo#, is used in :hristian worship to mean an e$pression of praise to 8od! usually in the form of a brief hymn or chant. (he antonym of $eterodo8 is ort$odo8! agreeing with established opinion! adhering to accepted beliefs. & heterodo$ custom or a heterodo$ view goes against the prevailing norm; an orthodo$ custom or view is considered proper or correct. (he prefi$ ort$o" means right! upright! proper! or correct. /rt$o" appears in a number of useful English words. /rt$odontics AF7"thuh"@A-N"tiksC is the dental specialty of correcting irregularities of the teeth. /rt$osco'ic AF7"thuh"S*A-,"ikC means having normal or correct vision. /rt$o#r!'$, Aor"(#&#8"ruh"feeC! which comes from ort$o"! right! correct! and the 8reek verb #r!'$ein! to write! means correct spelling; an orthographic AF7"thuh"GRA&"ikC error is a misspelled word or typographical mistake. -inally! the word ort$oe', AF7"thoh"uh"pee or or"(#F#"uh"pee or OR" thoh"EB"eeC! which comes from ort$o" and the 8reek e'os! meaning 2word!3 refers to the study of the proper pronunciation of words. %y the way! did you notice that there are no fewer than t$ree acceptable pronunciations of ort$oe',4 )t just goes to show you that when it comes to pronunciation! even the e$perts don't always agree. %ut that still doesn't mean you should embrace heterodo$ pronunciations! ones different from those acceptable to most educated speakers. (he adjectives $eterodo8 and $eretic!l Ahuh"7E("i"kulC both mean having or e$pressing a controversial opinion or belief! but the words differ in their intensity. =eterodo8 applies to that which differs in a way that does not necessarily challenge or threaten the norm. =eretic!l applies to that which differs from the norm in a way perceived as dangerously false! subversive! or evil. (he corresponding noun is $eterodo8, A-ET"ur"uh"5&#I"seeC! an opinion or belief contrary to what is accepted and established.

6o'2 35( GRAN@ILOIUENT <8'an)@IL)/=)074nt?

:haracteri+ed by lofty! high"flown language; full of grand or high"sounding words. Synonyms of #r!ndilo-uent include o& !stic Abahm"%&S"tik! word ? of Level >C! #r!ndiose A87&6"dee"ohsC! florid A-LF7"idC! and tur#id A(E7"jidC. &ll these words suggest speech or writing that is inflated! affected! or e$travagant. &ntonyms of #r!ndilo-uent include 'l!in5s'o%en! fort$ri#$t! un!ffected! and c!ndid. +r!ndilo-uent combines the word #r!nd with the suffi$ "ilo-uent! which comes from the Latin lo-ui! meaning 2to speak.3 %y derivation! #r!ndilo-uent means 2speaking in a grand manner.3 (he Latin lo-ui is also the source of lo-u!cious! talkative! and collo-ui!l Aword 0. of Level .C! which means pertaining to informal speech or conversation. %elieve it or not! the English language has more than twenty words that incorporate the suffi$ 5ilo-uent and designate different ways of speaking. Ff course! most of them reside /uietly in the depths of unabridged dictionaries and are rarely used! but here are a few you may find useful 4!#nilo-uent Amag"6)L"uh"kwintC comes from the Latin &!#nus! meaning 2great! large!3 and means speaking pompously! using grand or high"flown language. 4!#nilo-uent and #r!ndilo-uent are virtually interchangeable. -rom the Latin &ultus! meaning 2many3 or 2much!3 comes &ultilo-uent Amuhl"()L"uh" kwintC! using many words! talking up a storm; and from the Latin revis! meaning 2short!3 comes the word revilo-uent Abre"H)L"uh"kwintC! speaking briefly. 1hen you speak in an urbane! sophisticated manner! you are su!vilo-uent Aswah"H)L"uh"kwintC. 1hen you speak like a scholar or an e$pert on some subject! you are doctilo-uent. 1hen you speak solemnly or of sacred matters! you are s!nctilo-uent Asang"()L"uh"kwintC. &nd if you talk in your sleep! you are so&nilo-uent Asahm"6)L"uh"kwintC.

6o'2 3 ( LUGUBRIOUS <l/=)GOO)b'ee)/s?

Dournful and gloomy; e$pressing sadness or sorrow! often in an e$aggerated! affected! or ridiculous way. Synonyms of lu#u rious include dis&!l! &el!nc$ol,! dre!r,! funere!l Afyoo"6EE7"ee"ulC! doleful! dolorous A5F#"luh"rusC! disconsol!te Adis" I&#6"suh"litC! 'l!intive ABL&Y6"tivC! woeful! l!c$r,&ose AL&I"ri"mohsC! and s!turnine AS&("ur"nynC. &ntonyms of lu#u rious include c$eerful! 2u il!nt! 2o,ous! #leeful! &irt$ful! 2ovi!l Aword *@ of Level 'C! and s!n#uine AS&68"gwin! word ,* of Level *=C. Lu#u rious comes ultimately from the Latin lu#ere! to mourn or lament. (he word was coined about *<== and was at first merely a grandilo/uent

synonym for &ournful and sorrowful. %y the *?==s! however! it had come to suggest mournful! dismal! or gloomy in an e$aggerated! affected! or ridiculous way. &ccording to the second edition of 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, A*@.0C! the words lu#u rious and doleful 2have weakened from their original meaning! and are often used with a half"humorous connotation.3 -or e$ample! lu#u rious music is mournful or gloomy to an e$treme; the e$pression 21oe is me3 is now a lugubrious clichN; the mournful howling of a dog may be lugubrious; and if the e$pression on a person's face is lugubrious! it is sad or sorrowful in an affected! almost ludicrous way. (he corresponding noun is lu#u riousness; the adverb is lu#u riousl,! as 2#e spoke lugubriously about the company's financial condition.3

6o'2 3!( IN&INITESIMAL <IN)f4n)4)TES)4):/l?

(oo small to be measured or calculated. Synonyms of infinitesi&!l include tin,! &inute! &icrosco'ic! and &inuscule. &nd speaking of &inusculeand strictly speakingthis word is traditionally and properly pronounced with the stress on the second syllable mi"6E#S"kyool. (he pronunciation MIN"uh"SIYFFL! now common among educated speakers! probably came about as a result of the persistent misspelling of the word as &iniscule! as though it began with the prefi$ &ini". (his misspelling is now so widespread that most current dictionaries list it as a variant without comment! and many also give priority to the pronunciation with first"syllable stress. ) would argue! however! that the alternative spelling and pronunciation not only are at variance with the word's history but are also! /uite frankly! idiotic. 4inuscule comes from the Latin &inusculus Astress on "nus"C! somewhat small. Look in any dictionary and you will see that the noun &inuscule refers to a small! cursive script used in medieval manuscripts. -rom that sense it came to denote either a small or lowercase letter or something printed in lowercase letters. (he adjective &inuscule originally meant pertaining to that small medieval script or consisting of small letters; its antonym in this sense is &!2uscule Amuh"GE#S"kyoolC! which means written in capital letters. %y natural e$tension &inuscule also came to mean tiny! very small. Fur misspellings often mimic our mispronunciations! and in this case the evidence suggests that &inusculeprobably from association with the words &ini&u&! &ini&!l! and &ini!turecame to be mispronounced MIN" uh" SIYFFL and then later misspelled with the prefi$ &ini"! which means small. (oday the variant MIN"uh"SIYFFL is so popular that ) can't in good conscience tell you that it's wrong! but ) can at least admonish and implore

you to spell the word properly. (here is no &ini" in &inuscule! and even if you choose to say MIN"uh"SIYFFL! for goodnessJ sake remember that when you write the word it should be spelled like &inus plus "cule. 1ell! now that we've straightened out that &inuscule but not insignificant point of usage! )'m afraid that we've lost track of our keyword! infinitesi&!l. Ff course! that's not surprising because this rather large! thirteen"letter word means infinitely small and applies to that which is smaller than you can imagine. Enlike the words tin,! &inute! and &inuscule! which simply mean very small! and unlike &icrosco'ic! which means too small to be seen without a microscrope! infinitesi&!l is smaller still! and means specifically too small to be measured or calculated. Fccasionally you will come across a writer or speaker who is unaware of the specific meaning of infinitesi&!l and who uses it loosely. -or e$ample! in your local newspaper you might see a sentence like this 2Scientists detected an infinitesimal amount of mercury and lead in the city's tap water.3 %ecause infinitesi&!l properly applies to that which is too small to be measured or even detected! that sentence should read like this 2)n a test of the city's tap water! scientists determined that if mercury and lead were present! the amounts were infinitesimal.3

6o'2 3"( GOA@ <GO-@% '=.:es 74t= road?

(o prod or urge to action! stimulate! arouse! stir up. Synonyms of the verb to #o!d include to e## on! s'ur! incite! i&'el! and insti#!te AIN"sti"8&Y(C. &ntonyms of #o!d include soot$e! '!cif,! !''e!se! !ssu!#e Auh"S1&YG! word .> of Level ,C! and &ollif, AMA-L "uh"-YC. (he noun a #o!d is a pointed stick used to prod animals and get them to move. -rom that sense #o!d also came to mean a stimulus! spur! incitement! anything that urges or drives something on. (he verb to #o!d literally means to prick or drive with a goad; hence! to prod or urge to action. Someone can goad you to work harder! goad you to admit a fault or mistake! or goad you to the point of irritation or anger. )n 4e!sure for 4e!sure! Shakespeare writes! 2Dost dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on9.3

6o'2 3#( MALINGER <:/=)LING)8/'?

(o pretend to be sick or incapacitated so as to avoid work or duty; to shirk or dodge responsibility by feigning illness or inability. 5on't be misled by the presence of the word lin#er in &!lin#er. 5espite what some people mistakenly believe! to &!lin#er does not mean to linger! loiter! or hang around in a shiftless or threatening way. &lthough you might hear or read about 2drug pushers malingering near schoolyards3 or 2homeless people malingering downtown!3 don't believe it. (hose people may be loitering! but they are definitely not malingering! for &!lin#er means

to pretend to be sick or incapacitated so as to avoid work or duty. (he verb to &!lin#er comes from a -rench word meaning sickly! ailing! infirm! and is apparently related to the word &!l!d, AD&L"uh"deeC! which means an illness or affliction. (he corresponding noun is &!lin#erer Amuh" L)68"gur"urC! a person who malingers. 1hen &!lin#er and &!lin#erer entered English in the early *?==s! they were used of soldiers and sailors who shirked their duty by pretending to be sick. Ff course! malingering is popular among the entire workforce! not just members of the military! so it wasn't long before &!lin#er and &!lin#erer came to be used of anyone who dodges work or responsibility by feigning illness or inability.

6o'2 43( AEER </=)EUR?

(o state positively! declare with confidence. Synonyms of the verb to !ver include !ssert! !ffir&! !vow! 'rofess! contend! and !ssever!te. (o st!te means to e$press something in an e$plicit and usually formal manner. You state your answer or state your opinion. (o decl!re means to state publicly or out loud! sometimes in the face of opposition. You declare your intentions! declare your position! or declare your independence. (o !ssert means to declare forcefully or boldly! either with or without proof. You assert a belief or assert your rights. (o !ssever!te means to declare in a solemn! earnest manner. Lawyers asseverate their claims in court! professors asseverate their theories from a lectern! and preachers asseverate their spiritual advice from the pulpit. (o !ffir& means to state with conviction! declare as a fact based on one's knowledge or e$perience. You can affirm the truth! affirm your presence! or affirm the e$istence of something. Fur keyword! to !ver! means to state positively and decisively! with complete confidence that what one says is true. You can aver that you have never disobeyed the law; you can aver that you have always paid all your ta$es on time; you can aver that you have never used alcohol or drugs; and you can aver that there is life on the planet Dars. Ff course! if you aver all that! then other people probably will aver that you are either lying or off your nut! so it's always wise to watch what you !ver! state positively! declare with confidence.

Let's review the last ten keywords by playing 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a keyword Ain it!licsC is followed by three definitions. (wo of the three are correct; one is unrelated in meaning. 5ecide which definition doesn't fit the keyword. &nswers appear on page ,<..
1. & 'ecc!dillo is a small sin! small oversight! slight offense. 2. .u'ine means lying on the back! lying faceup! lying prone.

3. :!n!l means inappropriate! unoriginal! ordinary. 4. =eterodo8 means having an unaccepted opinion! having an

unconventional opinion! having an unreasonable opinion.

5. +r!ndilo-uent means high"minded! high"sounding! high"flown. 6. Lu#u rious means mournful! gloomy! grotes/ue. 7. Infinitesi&!l means tiny! invisible! minute. 8. (o #o!d means to order! urge! prod. 9. (o &!lin#er means to pretend to be sick! avoid work or duty!

hang around aimlessly. 10.(o !ver means to state positively! promise earnestly! declare confidently. So:e ,o4nte2 Re:a'0s Abo/t Usa8e &nd now! at this particular point in time! )Jd like to take a break from the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary to discuss several important /uestions of usage. #old on a minuteT 5id your verbally advantaged ear catch anything unseemly or untoward in that last sentence4 A%y the way! untow!rd! pronounced uhn"(F75! means improper or inappropriate.C 5id you find anything objectionable or erroneous4 A 9rroneous! pronounced i"7F#"nee" us! means wrong! mistaken! based on error.C &s you may already have guessed! the boo"boo occurs right off the bat in the phrase 2and now! at this particular point in time.3 (hat major %o+o no" no has the dubious distinction of being not only outrageously verbose but also a triple redundancy. )n the second edition of the =!r'er 0iction!r, of 1onte&'or!r, (s!#e A*@?'C! 1illiam and Dary Dorris astutely point out that during the 1atergate investigation in the *@>=s! 2the phrase !t t$!t 'oint in ti&e! used by numerous witnesses before the committee! became an instant clichN. &lthough used in seriousness by those testifying! it was mocked by the public.3 Beople in the *@>=s may have mocked the phrase !t t$!t 'oint in ti&e! but time passes! memories fade! and by the *@@=s this redundancy had become part of the national vocabulary. (oday you will hear educated speakers everywhere say 2at the present time!3 2at this point in time!3 and 2at this particular point in time3 when what they mean and what they should say is 2at present!3 2at this point!3 2at this time!3 or simply 2now.3 &nd nownot 2at this point in time!3 but nowlet's take a look at some commonly confused words. -irst! let's make sure you recall the distinction between continu!l and continuous! which we discussed earlier under incess!nt Aword ,, of this levelC. Fne means happening again and again at short intervals; the other means uninterrupted! unceasing. 5o you remember which means which4 1ontinuous implies an uninterrupted state

or activity; continu!l means occurring over and over at short intervals 2Education is a continuous! lifelong process.3 2#e finally gave in to their continual demands.3 2#is continual interruptions gave her a continuous headache.3 &t the beginning of this level we also discussed the word 'uerile Akeyword ,C. 5o you remember what it means4 5oes it mean childish or childlikeor both4 6o! it doesn't mean both! because careful speakers and writers distinguish between c$ildis$! which means immature! silly! foolish! and c$ildli%e! which means simply like a child! characteristic of a child. 1$ildli%e suggests the favorable /ualities of childhood! such as innocence and trust! whereas c$ildis$ suggests the negative /ualities! such as silliness and stubborness. 1$ildis$ and 'uerile are synonyms. 6ow! what about the difference between i&&i#r!te AIM"i"87&Y(C and e&i#r!te AEM"i"87&Y(C4 5o they both mean to leave a country and settle in another4 Yes! they do! but they differ in their emphasis and direction. (he i&" in i&&i#r!te means 2into!3 and the word means literally to go into a new country! migrate in. (he initial e5 in emigrate is short for e8"! which means 2out3; to e&i#r!te means to leave or go out of one's country! migrate out. I&&i#r!te is followed by the preposition to. You i&&i#r!te to a country! go into it to resettle. 9&i#r!te is followed by the preposition fro& . You e&i#r!te fro& a country! go out of it! leave it to settle in another. 1hen you emigrate from your native country you immigrate to another. &n e&i#r!nt is a person who emigrates from his native country to another country; he immigrates to the country in which he will resettle. 1hen the emigrant settles in a new country! he becomes an immigrant to it. Fur last pair of commonly confused words is e&inent AED"i"nentC and i&&inent A)D"i"nentC. (he trouble begins with their pronunciation i&&inent begins with i&5! like i&&i#r!te and i&it!te. 9&inent begins with e&"! like e&i#r!te and e&ul!te. %e sure to clearly say i&minent and e&inent. 6ow for their meanings. I&&inent means about to happen! impending; an imminent event is about to happen; it's threatening to occur. 9&inent implies loftiness! superiority! or distinction. &n eminent person is renowned! distinguished! superior to others; eminent deeds rise above average deeds! and therefore are remarkable! noteworthy; the right of eminent domain refers to the superior right of government to take over private property for public use. 6owand by that ) mean now! not 2at this point in time3 let's clarify the meanings and proper application of three commonly misused words tr!ns'ire Atran"SBY7C! condone Akun"5F#6C! and 'ro&iscuous Apruh"D)S"kyoo"usC. You have probably often heard tr!ns'ire used as a synonym of $!''en or occur! as in 2#e wondered what would transpire ne$t!3 or 2(hey told us what had transpired while we were gone.3 (his usage! though widespread! is unacceptable to many careful writers and speakers who know the precise meaning of the word. Since the mid"eighteenth century tr!ns'ire has meant to leak out! become known! come to light! pass from secrecy

into common knowledge. 1hen you ask 21hat transpired while ) was gone43 you are not asking what happened but rather what became known! what came to light. 1hen you say the newspaper story described all that transpired! you are not saying merely that it told what happened but rather what passed from secrecy into public knowledge. (his precise meaning of tr!ns'ire is useful and should be protected. Tr!ns'ire used as a synonym for $!''en is pretentious. Save tr!ns'ire for when you mean to pass from secrecy into knowledge! come to light! become known 21hen the facts about the 1atergate scandal transpired! the public reali+ed that the phrase Qat that point in timeJ was just an e/uivocal and pompous way of saying Qnow.J3 &nd now let's consider the word condone. #ow would you use the word4 :an you think of a synonym for it4 7ecently condone has come to be used as a synonym for !''rove or !cce't! when the proper meaning of the word is to e$cuse! pardon! forgive! overlook a fault or offense. Broperly! when you condone what someone says you pardon or forgive it! and when you condone someone's behavior! you e$cuse or overlook it. &nd now let's undress the word 'ro&iscuous. )n recent years it has been used to mean having se$ual relations with numerous partners! and now many people think that is the only meaning of the word. (hat is not the case! however; the traditional and precise meaning of 'ro&iscuous is indiscriminate! unselective! hapha+ard. (his narrowing of the meaning of 'ro&iscuous to apply only to a lack of discrimination in se$ual relations is a result of dropping the modifier 2se$ually3 from the phrase 2se$ually promiscuous.3 .e8u!ll, 'ro&iscuous means indiscriminate in one's choice of se$ual partners. %ut 'ro&iscuous by itself has no inherent se$ual connotation; it simply means characteri+ed by a lack of discrimination or careful selection. Fne's choice of friends! one's taste in food! or one's career decisions all can be promiscuous! indiscriminate! hapha+ard. Pro&iscuous is a close synonym of &iscell!neous. 1hereas &iscell!neous suggests a throwing together of different kinds! 'ro&iscuous suggests a complete lack of arrangement and selection. %oth a miscellaneous collection and a promiscuous collection are varied! composed of different elements. & miscellaneous collection! however! may be well"organi+ed. & promiscuous collection is put together randomly! with no thought for selection or arrangement.

&nd with that somewhat promiscuous assortment of information on usage! at this point in time9just kiddingT 6ow let's return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the final ten keywords of Level <.

6o'2 41( CACO,-ONA <0/=)*A-&)/=)nee?

& harsh! jarring sound! especially a harsh and unpleasant blend of sounds.

Synonyms of c!co'$on, include disson!nce A5)S"uh"nintsC! discord A5)S"kordC! dis$!r&on,! and stridenc, AS(7Y"den"seeC. &ntonyms include silence! tr!n-uilit,! serenit,! 'l!cidit, Apla"S)5"i"teeC! and -uiescence Akwy"ES"intsC! the noun corresponding to the adjective -uiescent Aword ,, of Level .C. 1!co'$on, comes from the 8reek %!%os! bad! and '$onG! sound! and by derivation means 2bad"sounding.3 You can see the influence of the 8reek '$onG! sound! in the English words '$onetic Afuh"6E("ikC! pertaining to or representing the sounds of speech; s,&'$on,! which means literally 2sounding together3; and tele'$one! which by derivation means 2a voice from afar.3 (he 8reek %!%os! bad! is the source of the English prefi$ c!co"! which appears in front of a number of interesting English words to mean 2bad3 or 2wrong.3 -or e$ample! c!co#r!'$, Akuh"IF8"ruh"feeC is bad writing; c!colo#, Akuh"I&#L"uh"jeeC is bad speaking or a bad choice of words; c!coe', AI&I"oh"uh"pee or kuh"IF#"uh"pee or *A*"oh"EB"eeC is bad pronunciation! as opposed to ort$oe', AF7"thoh"uh"pee or or"(#F#"uh" pee or OR"thoh"EB"eeC! good pronunciation; a c!con,& AI&I"uh"nimC is a bad or erroneous name; a c!codo8, A*A* "uh"5&#I"seeC is a wrong or unacceptable opinion Ac!codo8, is a synonym of $eterodo8,! which ) mentioned earlier in the discussion of $eterodo8! word .0 of this levelC; c!coecono&, AI&I"oh"ee"*A-N "uh"meeC is bad economy or bad management; and! last but not least! we have the fascinating word c!coHt$es AI&I"oh"EE"thee+C. 1!coHt$es combines the 8reek %!%os! bad! with et$os! habit! and means a bad habit! incurable itch! or an insatiable urge or desire 2Dary could overlook Gohn's fingernail biting! e$cuse his e$cessive smoking and drinking! and forgive his fre/uent use of foul language! but the one obno$ious habit she could not bring herself to condone was his addiction to channel surfing. (hat! in her estimation! was his most loathsome caco`thes.3 &nd now let's return to our keyword! c!co'$on,. &ny harsh! jarring sound! and especially any harsh and unpleasant blend of sounds! can be described as a c!co'$on, the cacophony of traffic; a cacophony of angry voices; the cacophony created by a major construction project; the cacophony of newborn babies crying in the nursery. (he corresponding adjective is c!co'$onous Akuh"I&#-"uh"nusC! having a harsh! unpleasant! jarring sound 2(he hungry animals in the barnyard together raised a cacophonous complaint3; 2)t seemed that every day the tran/uility of his well"manicured suburban street was disturbed by a cacophonous orchestra of lawnmowers! blowers! and edgers.3 Synonyms of c!co'$onous include disson!nt A5)S"uh"nintC! discord!nt Adis"IF7"dintC! r!ucous A7&1"kusC! and strident AS(7Y"dentC.

6o'2 42( RE&RACTORA <'4)&RA*)t/')ee?

Stubborn and disobedient! actively resisting authority or control! unruly! impossible to work with or manage. %ecause the human animal is so often stubborn! disobedient! and unruly! English abounds with words for these /ualities. Synonyms of refr!ctor, include willful! $e!dstron#! un#overn! le! re ellious! o stin!te Aword .0 of Level *C! intr!ct! le Aword *, of Level 'C! 'erverse! rec!lcitr!nt Ari"I&L"si"trantC! intr!nsi#ent Ain"(7&6"si"jint! word 0 of Level ?C! and contu&!cious AI&#6"tAyCoo"MAA"shusC. &ntonyms of refr!ctor, include o edient! su &issive! co&'li!nt! deferenti!l! &!lle! le Aword ,@ of Level ,C! docile Aword ,? of Level >C! tr!ct! le Asee word *, of Level 'C! !c-uiescent A&I"wee"ES"intC! and o se-uious Auhb"SEE"kwee"us! word . of Level >C. ) know that's a lot of words to stuff in your head! so let's take a moment to clarify some of them. Refr!ctor,! intr!ct! le! contu&!cious! intr!nsi#ent! and rec!lcitr!nt all suggest stubborn resistance to control. Rec!lcitr!nt comes from the Latin re"! meaning 2back!3 and c!lcitr!re! to kick! and means literally to kick back. (he recalcitrant person resists direction or control in a rebellious and sometimes violent manner. Intr!nsi#ent! both by derivation and in modern usage! means unwilling to compromise. (he intransigent person takes an e$treme position and will not budge an inch. 1ontu&!cious means stubborn in an insolent way. (he contumacious person displays willful and openly contemptuous resistance to established authority. E$amples of contumacious behavior would include insulting a police officer and ignoring a summons to appear in court. Intr!ct! le comes from the Latin tr!ct!re! which means to drag around! haul! and also to manage! control. Intr!ct! le implies passive resistance to direction. (he intractable person refuses to cooperate and must be dragged along. &n intractable problem does not respond to any attempt at a solution and stubbornly refuses to go away. Fur keyword! refr!ctor,! applies to anyone or anything that is stubbornly disobedient and that actively resists authority or control. #orses! mules! machinery! and children are often described as refractory! but the word may also be applied appropriately to many other things! such as materials that are resistant to heat or chemical agents! or a medical condition that resists treatment! as a refractory case of athlete's foot.

6o'2 43( ICONOCLAST <e.e)*A-N)/=)0last?

& person who attacks cherished or popular beliefs! traditions! or institutions; someone who destroys or denounces an established idea or practice. Iconocl!st comes from the 8reek ei%ono%l!stes! an image"breaker! a

person who smashes icons or images. Friginally the word referred to a person who destroyed religious images! or who was opposed to the use or worship of religious images. )n modern usage iconocl!st refers to a person who attacks! denounces! or ridicules cherished ideas or beliefs! or to someone who advocates the overthrow or destruction of established customs or institutions. Synonyms of the noun iconocl!st include r!dic!l! e8tre&ist! insur#ent Ain"SE7"jentC! and fire r!nd. (he corresponding adjective is iconocl!stic! attacking or opposing established or popular beliefs! customs! or institutions.

6o'2 44( ENEREATE <EN)/')va.t?

(o weaken! drain of energy! deprive of force or vigor. Synonyms of enerv!te include e8$!ust! de'lete! devit!liAe! and de ilit!te. &ntonyms include ener#iAe! invi#or!te! sti&ul!te! revive! enliven! !ni&!te! vit!liAe! and fortif,. 1henever ) am asked to appear on a radio show to discuss language or speak to a group about vocabulary building! ) like to point out that the simple act of reading is probably the best yet most underrated method of building word power. )f you want to learn more words! then you should read more and study words in conte$t; at the same time! however! when you come across a word you don't know! or a word you think you know! it's essential that you make the effort to look it up in a dictionary! because the conte$t can often be misleading or ambiguous. (o illustrate that point! ) like to relate an anecdote about a womanthe mother of a teenagerwho came to one of the author signings for my book Toot$ !nd *!il! a vocabulary"building mystery novel designed to teach high school students the words they need to know for the Scholastic &ssessment (est AS&(C. 2) think your idea of teaching vocabulary in the conte$t of a story is great!3 the woman told me. 2) can almost always figure out what a word means from conte$t! and ) hardly ever need to use a dictionary.3 1henever people assert that they can guess what a word means or that they rarely need to use a dictionary! ) see a big red flag with the words 2verbally disadvantaged3 on it. ) looked at the woman and said! 2) always encourage people to check the dictionary definition of a word! even if it's a word they think they know. )t's not always so easy to guess what a word means from conte$t! because the conte$t doesn't always reveal the meaning. Day ) give you an e$ample43 2Sure!3 the woman said! confident of her ability to guess what words mean and unaware of my devilish plot to e$pose that practice as a fallacy. 2&ll right!3 ) said. 2)'ll give you a word in the conte$t of a complete sentence! and you tell me what the word means. #ere's the sentence

Q&fter her e$citing night on the town! she felt enervated.J :an you tell me what enerv!ted means43 (he woman frowned! reali+ing that she had volunteered to go wading in verbal /uicksand. 2Em! well! ) guess if her night on the town was e$citing! she must have felt stimulated! or keyed"up! or maybe energi+ed. )s that what enerv!ted means43 :oldhearted in/uisitor and unflinching defender of the language that ) am! ) told her the truth. %ecause enerv!te sounds like ener#iAe! many people are tempted to think the words are synonymous when in fact they are antonyms. -rom my sample sentence! 2&fter her e$citing night on the town! she felt enervated!3 if you don't know precisely what enerv!ted means there's no way you can guess because the conte$t is ambiguous it's vague and capable of being interpreted in more than one way. (he point is! as )'ve said several times before in this program! if you want to build a large and e$act vocabulary! don't rely onl, on conte$t or on your intuition or on someone else's definition of a word. 1hen you have even a shred of doubt about a word! look it up. )t won't cost you anything to do that! and no one's going to peer over your shoulder and say! 2#ey! what's the matter! stupid4 You don't know what enerv!ted means43 Fn the other hand! someone might say 21hoa! get a load of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e"head digging through the dictionary again.3 )f something like that should ever happen! you can throw the book at the personliterallybut why ruin a good dictionary4 )nstead! you can rest easy in the knowledge that the insolent dullard already is eating your intellectual dustfor you! as a verbally advantaged person! know that reading! consulting a dictionary! and studying this book will invigorate! not enervate! your mind. (o enerv!te means to weaken! (he corresponding adjective is vitality or strength. drain of energy! deprive of force or vigor. enerv!ted! lacking energy! drained of

6o'2 45( LEEITA <LEE)4)tee?

Lightness or gaiety of manner or e$pression; specifically! a lightness or lack of seriousness that is inappropriate or unbecoming. Levit, comes from the Latin levit!s! lightness! which in turn comes from levis! light! the source also of the familiar words levit!te and levit!tion. Levit, occasionally is used literally to mean buoyancy! the state or /uality of having little weight! and it is also sometimes used to mean inconstancy! fickleness! or flightiness. )n current usage! however! levit, most often denotes a figurative lack of gravity! a lightness or lack of seriousness unsuitable to the occasion. Synonyms of levit, in this most common sense include silliness! foolis$ness! frivolit, Afri"H&#L"i"teeC! fli''!nc, A-L)B"Jn"seeC! to&fooler,!

trivi!lit,! and 2ocul!rit, AG&#I"yoo"LAR"i"teeC. &ntonyms include seriousness! e!rnestness! so riet,! sole&nit, Asuh"LED"ni"teeC! and #r!vit,. 1hen you are trying to fi$ a word in your mind and make it a permanent part of your vocabulary! it helps if you can associate it with a vivid image or e$perience. (he e$perience ) associate with the word levit, occurred way back in high school! which in my case was a small coeducational boarding school in western Dassachussetts. Fne night in the dormitory some friends and ) were up late! several hours after 2bedcheck!3 our prepschool term for 2lights"out time.3 1e were shooting the bree+e! laughing and joking! being loud and boisterous! and generally behaving in a puerile manner! when suddenly the door flew open and one of the English teachers stepped into the room. )nstantly! we all shut up. )n the long moment of silence that followed! the teacher looked at each of us like :lint Eastwood trying to decide whether some deadbeat has enough brains to pack his lunch. -inally he spoke. 2(his is no time for levity!3 he growled. 28o to your rooms and go to bed.3 (o this day! when ) think of the word levit, ) think of what that teacher said! and with a chuckle ) remember that levit, means foolishness! frivolity! a lightness or lack of seriousness that is inappropriate or unbecoming.

6o'2 4 ( EIUANIMITA <EE)07/=)NIM)4)tee?

:omposure! calmness! evenness of mind and temper. 9-u!ni&it, comes through -rench from the Latin !e-u!ni&it!s! calmness! which in turn comes from !e-uus! which means 2even3 or 2level!3 and !ni&us! which means 2mind3 or 2spirit.3 %y derivation e-u!ni&it, means precisely what it does today composure! calmness! evenness of mind and temper. Synonyms of e-u!ni&it, include 'oise! self5'ossession! serenit,! tr!n-uilit,! 'l!cidit, Apla"S)5"i"teeC! i&'ertur ! ilit, A)D"pur"(E7"buh"BIL "i"teeC! and s!n#5froid AsawAnC"-71&#C. &s ) imagine you can tell from its peculiar spelling and pronunciation! s!n#5froid comes from -rench. &lthough s!n#5froid means literally 2cold blood!3 it is used figuratively to mean coolness of mind. 9-u!ni&it, and co&'osure are close synonyms! but they differ slightly in their use. 1o&'osure implies self"control. 1e maintain our composure under trying circumstances. 9-u!ni&it, suggests an inherent mental and emotional balance! and applies to a person who stays calm and collected under all circumstances.

6o'2 4!( STRICTURE <STRI*)9=/'?

& criticism! critical comment! especially an unfavorable or hostile observation or remark.

Synonyms of stricture include re'roof! censure Aword ,? of Level .C! conde&n!tion! dis!''ro !tion A5)S"ap"ruh"BAA"shinC! c!sti#!tion AI&S"ti"GAA"shinC! o 2ur#!tion A&#%"jur"GAA"shin! word *, of Level >C! and !ni&!dversion A&6"i"mad"EUR"+hunC. &ntonyms include 'r!ise! co&'li&ent! co&&end!tion! !ccl!&!tion A&I"luh"MAA"shinC! and 'l!udit ABL&1"ditC. Pl!udit! !''l!use! and !''l!ud all come from the Latin 'l!udere! to clap the hands! e$press approval. & 'l!udit is an enthusiastic e$pression of approval or praise. )t's always pleasant to be on the receiving end of a plaudit! and it's always unpleasant to be on the receiving end of a stricture! an unfavorable criticism or hostile remark. .tricture comes from the Latin strictus! the past participle of the verb strin#ere! to draw tight! bind! the source also of the English words strict and strin#ent. .trin#ent AS(7)6"jintC means tight! constricted! or rigorous and severe. 1e often speak of stringent laws! stringent measures! stringent regulations! or a stringent economic policy. )n medicine! stricture is used to mean a contraction or narrowing of a duct or passage in the body. .tricture is also sometimes used as a synonym of li&it!tion or restriction! as 2to place strictures on imported goods.3 Dost often! though! stricture is used to mean a sharply critical comment! especially one that passes judgment or points out a fault in an antagonistic way 25uring the debate! he displayed admirable e/uanimity when responding to his opponent's strictures.3 %ear in mind that stricture is a noun! not a verb. )n other words! you cannot stricture something! but if you have an unfavorable opinion of a person or a thing! you can e$press your strictures! sharp criticisms or hostile remarks.

6o'2 4"( O,ULENT <A-,)./=)l4nt?

7ich! wealthy! very well"to"do! having substantial means. &ntonyms of o'ulent include indi#ent! destitute! and i&'ecunious! which are discussed under indi#ent! word .@ of Level .. (he adjectives o'ulent A&#B"yuh"lintC! !ffluent A&-"loo"intstress the first syllableC! and 'ros'erous all connote wealth and success. Pros'erous often is used interchangeably with wealthy! but in precise usage 'ros'erous means marked by continued success! thriving! flourishing. & prosperous business is a successful! thriving business! and because successful businesses are profitable it is also likely to be an affluent business. "ffluent! which comes from the Latin fluere! to flow! suggests a constant flow or increase of wealth accompanied by free or lavish spending. /'ulent comes through the Latin o'ulentus! rich! wealthy! and o'is! power! might! ultimately from the name /'s Arhymes with to'sC. )n ancient

7oman mythology! /'s was the goddess of the harvest and the wife of Saturn! the god of agriculture who presided over the sowing of the fields. %ecause of this etymological connection to agricultural abundance! o'ulent is sometimes used to mean ample or plentiful! but in current usage o'ulent most often applies either to a person who possesses great wealth and property or to a lu$urious or ostentatious display of great wealth. )f your lifestyle is affluent! you are making and spending large sums of money. )f your lifestyle is opulent! you already have plenty of moolah and you enjoy showing off what it can buy. (he corresponding noun is o'ulence! great wealth or a display of great wealth. & couplet from the eighteenth"century English satirist Gonathan Swift nicely illustrates this word 2(here in full opulence a banker dweltV1ho all the joys and pangs of riches felt.3

6o'2 4#( @IS,ARAGE <24)S,AR)4D?

(o belittle! depreciate! discredit! lower in estimation or value! speak of or treat as inferior. -amiliar synonyms of dis'!r!#e include ! use Auh"%YFFMC! ridicule! scorn! sl!nder! def!&e! and censure Aword ,? of Level .C. :hallenging synonyms of dis'!r!#e include deni#r!te A@EN"i"87&Y(C! &!li#n Amuh" LY6C! vilif, AH)L"uh"fy! word ., of Level @C! tr!duce Atruh"5AYCFFS! word 0, of Level @C! and c!lu&ni!te Akuh"LE#D"nee"aytC. YouJd never guess from looking at it! but the word dis'!r!#e is related to the noun 'eer! an e/ual! a person of e/ual status. Peer comes from the Latin '!r! meaning 2e/ual!3 the direct source of the familiar English word '!r! which is perhaps most often heard in the phrase 2on a par with!3 meaning on an e/ual footing. (he meanings of '!r and 'eer sit /uietly in the middle of the word dis'!r!#e! which comes from an Fld -rench verb that meant to marry une/ually! marry a person who was not a peer or on a par with your rank in society. (o marry an inferior person! someone beneath one's station! was the meaning of dis'!r!#e when the word entered English in the fourteenth century. Later it came to mean to degrade! lower in dignity or position! as 2(he prince disparaged himself by helping the servants prepare the meal.3 -rom those now"obsolete senses evolved the modern meaning of dis'!r!#e! to belittle! depreciate! lower in estimation or value. 1hen you disparage someone or something! you speak of it or treat it as inferior 2Some people claim astrology is a legitimate science; others disparage it as foolish superstition.3 (he corresponding adjective is dis'!r!#in#! as a disparaging remark or disparaging words. (he corresponding noun is dis'!r!#e&ent! as 2(he city council's plan for economic recovery received only disparagement in the press.3

6o'2 53( @ISCURSIEE <24s)*UR)s4v?

7ambling! roving! covering a wide range of topics! wandering from one subject to another. 5on't be confused by the presence of the word cursive in discursive. 0iscursive has nothing to do either with cursing or with cursive script! in which the letters are joined or flow together. 0iscursive comes from the Latin discursus! running about! the past participle of the verb discurrere! to run to and fro or in different directions. )n modern usage! discursive applies to speech or writing that runs to and fro or in many different directions. 0iscursive! desultor, A@ES"ul"(F7"ee! rhymes with wrestle stor,C! and di#ressive Adi"87ES"iv or dy"C are close in meaning. 0i#ressive means straying from the point! wandering away from the topic under consideration. 5igressive remarks about what you discussed in your last therapy session don't go over well in a job interview. 0esultor, means passing or leaping from one topic to another in an aimless! disconnected way. :onversation at a lively party is often desultory! and many of our dreams have a desultory /uality. 0iscursive means rambling or roving over a wide range of topics without developing a unified theme or making a central point 2&fter dinner and a few drinks! %en's father was prone to indulge in long! discursive monologues that always began with complaints about business and politics! then moved on to observations about sports! and eventually concluded after several more drinkswith a detailed assessment of the physical attributes of various female celebrities.3

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you the review word Ain it!licsC followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which one of those three words or phrases comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page ,<..
1. )s a c!co'$on, a bad habit! a harsh sound! or a similarity4 2. 1hen someone is refr!ctor,! does it mean that person is

outspoken! unruly! or unimaginative4

3. 1ould an iconocl!st be likely to defend! ignore! or attack a

popular custom or belief4

4. 5oes an enerv!ted person feel weak! nervous! or stimulated4 5. 5oes levit, mean a loss of control! the ability to stay calm! or an

inappropriate lack of seriousness4

6. )f you display e-u!ni&it,! does that mean you are fair! calm! or

undecided4
7. )s a stricture a criticism! a punishment! or an obligation4

8. )s an o'ulent person talkative! rich! or overweight4 9. )f you dis'!r!#e something! does that mean you evaluate it!

regret it! or belittle it4 10.1hen a speaker is discursive! does that mean the person is thoughtful! hostile! or rambling4 5id you answer at least eight /uestions correctly4 )f not! review! review! review. An Assa/lt on Impact Let's wind up this level with a slam"bang assault on the crushing effect of the word i&'!ct. )f a language genie ever were to appear and offer me one wish! ) think )Jd ask that we all immediately cease using the word i&'!ct in place of the nouns influence and effect and the verb to !ffect. Stunting the growth of i&'!ct may not be on your list of priorities for a better world! but ) am going a little daft enduring the earsplitting din of this word. Every day! a thousand times a day! something 2impacts3 something else! and every event has nothing less than a 2tremendous impact3 on our lives. )t's enough to shatter your nerves and rattle your bones. Dultiple impacts have made our daily discourse loud and dull! like the sound of ten thousand car horns blowing behind a fender"bender on the freeway. 1here is all this noise coming from4 Gust tune your brainwaves to the airwaves around you for a moment and you'll hear them! the evil 2impactors3 who have penetrated every rank of society! intent on 2impacting3 our malleable minds. Bompous professors and public officials lecture us about the 2social impact!3 the long"winded lawyer dwells upon the 2legal impact!3 the do"gooder is desperate to have 2a positive impact!3 the economist drones on about the 2fiscal impact3everyone is 2impacting3 everyone else into a /uivering stupor. &re we wholly deaf to the subtlety of language4 1hy do we insist on using a pile driver when a putty knife would do4 Fnce upon a time we e$pressed the influence of something calmly and clearly by saying that it had an effect! or that it !ffected something else. 6ow it is hammered into our heads day in and day out with the word i&'!ct. (he sad thing is that this powerful word! which connotes considerable force! has lost all of its forcefulness through incessant repetition. (he only power i&'!ct has retained is the ability to cause a headache. I&'!ct is what the celebrated grammarian #. 1. -owler would call a 2vogue"word.3 & vogue word is one that for no apparent reason becomes popular almost overnight. Fften it is an unusual or literary word! or one with a precise meaning! that is adopted as a sophisticated substitute for a common! everyday! hardworking sort of word. )n -owler's daythe early *@==sthe verb to intri#ue! which had meant to plot! scheme! or carry on a

clandestine love affair! became a vogue word used to mean to interest or fascinate. (hat may not raise many eyebrows today! but the point is that as language progresses we must keep a wary eye on these vogue words! charting their influenceor their impact! as the vogue would have itand passing judgment on their usefulness and force. 1ords like uni-ue! '!r!&eters! interf!ce! and 'ro!ctive are mighty popular these days! but are they clear and strong and useful4 Ff course! no one can wave a wand and change the course of language! but a little prudence can go a long way. Enless we give the overworked i&'!ct a well"deserved rest it won't be long before we hear about cars 2impacting3 on the freeway! an 2impactive3 piece of legislation! an 2impactual3 treatment for cancer! or the 2impactability3 of a new idea. &nd now that )'ve given the odious! banal! and ubi/uitous i&'!ct a thorough pounding! it's time to say good"bye to Level <. ) encourage you to review this entire level at least once before moving on. :areful and consistent review of the material in the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e program is the best way to avoid a 2positive impact3 and ensure a beneficial effect. Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level
*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. Yes it could! if the takeover was accomplished in a clever! tricky

way. Le#erde&!in means sleight of hand! a cleverly e$ecuted trick or deception.

2. 6o. & 'uerile remark is childish! immature! and therefore

foolish! silly.
3. Yes. 1o&'licit, means conspiracy! partnership in wrongdoing!

the state of being an accomplice.

4. Yes. (o tr!ns&ute means to transform! to change from one

state or form into another! especially a more refined or more desirable one.
5. 6o. Something ! struse is difficult to understand! hard to grasp

mentally! incomprehensible! unfathomable.

6. 6o. Eating and sleeping well may make you healthy! but good

health won't edify you. (o edif, means to instruct or improve intellectually! morally! or spiritually.
7. 6o. Puerile means childish or foolish. .u'ercilious means

haughty! scornful! contemptuous.

8. 6o! you cover it up or disguise it. (o disse& le means to

conceal under hypocritically.

false

appearance;

speak

or

behave

9. 6o. & v!cuous look is a blank or vacant look. V!cuous means

empty; devoid of substance! interest! or meaning.

10.Yes. 1!'!cious means roomy! spacious! able to contain or hold a great deal.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. (rue. 4ne&onic means helping or pertaining to the memory!

assisting or improving the ability to recall.

2. -alse. .onorous means resonant; deep! full! and rich in sound;

having! or capable of producing! a powerful! impressive sound.

3. -alse. Barents admonish their children all the time! and it's perfectly

legal. (o !d&onis$ means to warn or notify of a fault or error! especially in conduct or attitude; to critici+e or reprove gently but earnestly.
4. (rue. & '!r!di#& is an e$ample! model! or pattern. 5. (rue. 1ircuitous means roundabout! indirect! not straightforward. 6. -alse. (o vindic!te means to clear from blame! free from suspicion

of wrongdoing or dishonor.
7. -alse. :ucolic means rural! rustic! of or pertaining to country life. 8. -alse. %eing ostraci+ed is no fun. (o ostr!ciAe means to banish;

send into e$ile; e$clude or reject from a group or from acceptance by society.
9. -alse.

Plet$or! means an e$cess! surplus! overabundance! oversupply. often toward something objectionable or wrong.

10. (rue. & 'roclivit, is an inclination! a strong natural bent or tendency! *e.7o'2s 21$33 1. Synonyms. 1o&&ensur!te means proportionate! corresponding in

amount! measure! or degree; also! e/ual! of the same si+e or e$tent.

2. &ntonyms. Inter&ittent means happening at intervals! periodic.

Incess!nt means constant! uninterrupted! continuous.

3. Synonyms. & s,co'$!nt is a flatterer! parasite! toady! fawning

follower! hanger"on.
4. Synonyms. T!n#enti!l means not closely related! only slightly

connected! digressive! divergent.

5. &ntonyms. Ten! le means defensible! reasonable; able to be

defended! maintained! or upheld.

6. &ntonyms. T!n#i le means capable of being discerned by the

sense of touch or reali+ed by the mind. I&'!l'! le means incapable of being felt or understood! not able to be perceived either by the sense of touch or by the mind.

7. Synonyms. /dious means hateful! detestable! offensive! revolting!

arousing strong dislike or aversion.

8. &ntonyms.

( i-uitous means e$isting or seeming to e$ist everywhere at the same time. again and again! consider carefully or at length.

9. Synonyms. (o ru&in!te means to turn over in the mind! think about

10.Synonyms. Re&uner!tion means payment! compensation! reward.

*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. s&!ll oversi#$t doesn't fit. & 'ecc!dillo is a small sin! slight offense!

minor fault or flaw.

2. l,in# 'rone doesn't fit. Prone means lying on the belly! with the face

down. .u'ine means lying down on the back! with the face turned upward.
3. in!''ro'ri!te is the inappropriate word in this case. :!n!l means

common! ordinary! unoriginal; lacking freshness or +est; flat! dull! and predictable.
4. $!vin# !n unre!son! le o'inion doesn't fit. 1hen the )talian

astronomer 8alileo Agal"i"lee"ohC affirmed the copernican theory that the earth rotates on its a$is and revolves around the sun! it was not scientifically unreasonable; in the early *<==s! however! that theory was considered not only heterodo$ but heretical! and for e$pressing agreement with it galileo was imprisoned by the in/uisition and e$communicated by the church. =eterodo8 means having or e$pressing an opinion different from the accepted opinion; not in agreement with established doctrine or belief.
5. $i#$5&inded doesn't fit. +r!ndilo-uent means characteri+ed by

lofty! high"flown language; full of grand or high"sounding words.

6. #rotes-ue doesn't fit. +rotes-ue means distorted! ugly! outlandish!

or bi+arre. Lu#u rious means mournful and gloomy; e$pressing sadness or sorrow! often in an e$aggerated! affected! or ridiculous way.
7. invisi le doesn't fit. Dany things that are invisible to the naked eye

can still be measured or counted. Infinitesi&!l means tiny! minute; too small to be measured or calculated.
8. order doesn't /uite fit. (o order means to command or instruct. (o

#o!d means to prod or urge to action! stimulate! arouse! stir up.

9. to $!n# !round !i&lessl, doesn't fit. (o &!lin#er means to pretend

to be sick or incapacitated so as to avoid work or duty. 10.'ro&ise e!rnestl, doesn't fit. (o !ver means to state positively! declare with confidence.
*e.7o'2s 41$53

1. & c!co'$on, is a harsh! jarring sound! especially a harsh and

unpleasant blend of sounds.

2. Refr!ctor, means unruly! stubborn and disobedient! actively

resisting authority or control.

3. &n iconoclast would attack it. &n iconocl!st is a person who attacks

or denounces popular or established beliefs! traditions! or institutions.

4. &n enervated person is weakened. 9nerv!te means to drain of

energy! deprive of force or vigor.

5. Levit, is lightness or gaiety of manner or e$pression; specifically! a

lightness or unbecoming.

lack

of

seriousness

that

is

inappropriate or

6. )t means you are calm. 9-u!ni&it, is composure! calmness!

evenness of mind and temper.

7. & stricture is a criticism! especially an unfavorable or hostile

observation or remark.
8. &n o'ulent person is rich! wealthy! very well"to"do. 9. 0is'!r!#e means to belittle! lower in estimation or value! speak of

or treat as inferior. 10.0iscursive means rambling! covering a wide range of topics! wandering from one subject to another.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level

1. 1hich word by derivation means the working of miracles4 (a) prestidigitation (b) legerdemain (c) thaumaturgy 2. 1hich word means literally nimbleness with the fingers4 (a) legerdemain (b) thaumaturgy (c) prestidigitation 3. 1hich pair of words contains a word that is not a synonym of 'uerile4 (a) frivolous! inane (b) genteel! sophomoric (c) callow! asinine (d) juvenile! fatuous

4. 1hich pair of words is antonymous Aopposite in meaningC4 (a) perspicuous! lucid (b) cryptic! arcane (c) inscrutable! esoteric (d) manifest! enigmatic 5. (he "cilious part of su'ercilious comes from a Latin word meaning (a) eyebrow (b) proud (c) superior (d)

nose

6. 1hich word means spacious or comprehensive4 (a) vacuous (b) capacious (c) fatuous (d) superfluous 7. 1ho was the goddess of memory in 8reek mythology4 (a) Laodicea (b) &thena (c) Dnemosyne (d) Fps 8. 1hich pair of words is not synonymous4 (a) sonorous! sinuous (b) devious! circuitous (c) serpentine! meandering (d) labyrinthine! tortuous 9. 1hich word means to free from blame! remove a burden of guilt4 (a) disparage (b) ostraci+e (c) remunerate (d) e$onerate

10.1hat is petalism4
(a) revenge (b) a school of philosophy

(c) (d) flattery

a form of banishment

11.1hich word is not a synonym of 'let$oric4

(a) turgid (b) opulent (c) bombastic (d) grandilo/uent

12.1ho was the robber of &ttica who tortured people on his infamous bed4
(a) Brocrustes (b) 5raco (c) Byrrho (d) (heseus

13.1hich word means skepticism! universal doubt4 ?!@ solecism

(b) Byrrhonism (c) epicureanism (d) hedonism

14.1hich word is not a synonym of "rc!di!n4

(a) pastoral (b) bucolic (c) idyllic (d) %oeotian (e) agrarian

15.1hich word denotes a social impropriety or a grammatical error4 (a) pejorative

(b) Byrrhonism (c) solecism (d) ostracism

16.1hich word is closest in meaning to incess!nt4

(a) unceasing (b) continual (c) sporadic

(d) regular

17.1hat is a to!d,4
(a) a foolish person (b) an informer (c) a fawning follower (d) a despised person

18.Ten!cious and ten! le come from the Latin tenere! which means
(a) (b) to defend (c)

to bite

to propose

?d@ to hold 19.Something easily perceived or felt is

(a) tangential (b) palpable (c) imperceptible (d)

ubi/uitous

20.1hich set of words contains a word that is not a synonym of odious4

(a) abhorrent! abominable! flagitious (b) repugnant! loathsome! refractory (c) repellent! e$ecrable! obno$ious (d) objectionable! heinous! opprobrious

21.Ru&in!te comes from a Latin word meaning

(a) to boil slowly (b) to contemplate (c) to make a low! deep sound (d) to chew the cud

22.1hich word means lying down in a comfortable position4

(a) recumbent (b) malingering (c) opulent (d) prostrate

23.& ro&ide is a statement or idea that is

(a) imaginative and pithy (b) doleful and lugubrious (c) hackneyed and insipid (d) grandiose and bombastic

24.(he "do8 in $eterodo8 and ort$odo8 comes from a 8reek word meaning ?!@ thought
(b) custom (c) opinion (d) religion

25.1hich word comes from a Latin verb meaning 2to speak43

(a) grandilo/uent (b) cacoethes (c) cacophony (d) orthoepy

26.1hich set of three words contains a word that is not a synonym of the others4
(a) melancholy! dolorous! plaintive (b) woeful! funereal! lachrymose (c) doleful! saturnine! disconsolate (d) dismal! impecunious! lugubrious

27.&n infinitesimal amount of something is

(a) a substantial amount (b) an immeasurably great amount (c) a very small but measurable amount (d) an immeasurably small amount

28.1hat do malingerers do4

(a) they loiter (b) they pretend to be sick (c) they threaten or intimidate (d) they panhandle or steal

29.1hich word means to declare in a solemn! earnest manner4

(a) vindicate

(b) ruminate (c) asseverate (d) indemnify

30.1hich statement is f!lse4

(a) Something eminent is about to happen. (b) Something eminentis remarkable. (c) Something eminent is distinguished.

31.%y derivation! what does the '$on5 in c!co'$on, and '$onetic mean4
(a) word (b) (c) speech (d) sound

letter

32.1hich word means a bad habit! insatiable urge4

(a) recalcitrance (b) cacoethes (c) e/uanimity (d) animadversion

33.1hich pair of words is not antonymous4

(a) obstinate! malleable (b) refractory! intractable (c) (d)

ac/uiescent! perverse deferential! recalcitrant

(e) submissive! intransigent

34.1hich word is an antonym of enerv!ted4

(a) animated (b) bored (c) tired (d) curious

35.1hich word means coolness of mind! composure4

(a) acclamation (b) stricture (c) sang"froid

(c) levity Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Level !
T=e &4ve T.1es of Ab/sa8e (hroughout this level we will e$amine the subject of 2abusage!3 by which ) mean we will discuss some of the most common problems and errors of usage that plague the average educated person. &s ) see it! much of the abusage committed by the average educated user of English falls into five general categories A*Credundancy; A,Cthe 2sounds"like syndrome3; A.Cvogue words; A0C2adverbiage3; and A'Cjargon. &fter every set of ten keyword discussions in this level we will e$plore one of these categories! and ) will show you how to recogni+e and avoid the pitfalls it contains.

6o'2 1( RE@RESS <REE)2'es fo' t=e no/n% '4)@RES fo' t=e ve'b?
7eparation! compensation! satisfaction for a wrong done. Synonyms of redress include !&ends! reco&'ense A7EI"um"pentsC! retri ution! rectific!tion! re-uit!l Ari"I1Y("JlC! and -uitt!nce AI1)("JnsC. Redress may take the form of a monetary compensation or it may be an act or statement that makes amends! that repairs or compensates for a wrong. Fne may seek redress for a loss or injury! or one may demand redress for an insult. 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r,! third edition A*@@>C! notes that redress 2suggests retaliation or resort to the courts to right a wrong.3 (he verb to redress Ari"57ESC means to repair! set right! make amends for! as to redress grievances! to redress one's losses! to redress a wrong.

6o'2 2( ANOMALOUS </=)NA-M)/=)l/s?

)rregular! abnormal! out of place; deviating from what is usual or e$pected; not fitting in with a common type or conforming to a general rule. Synonyms of !no&!lous include inconsistent! unn!tur!l! eccentric

Aek"SE6"trikC! and ! err!nt Aa"%E7"intC. "no&!lous comes from 8reek and means literally 2not the same.3 Something that is anomalous stands out because it is not the same; it is irregular! abnormal! or out of place 2:ompared with the last five years! these statistics are anomalous.3 2)n that neighborhood full of ticky"tacky houses! the imposing old Hictorian mansion was architecturally anomalous.3 2Sometimes he was reluctant to e$press his opinion because he thought it would be perceived as anomalous.3 (he corresponding noun is !no&!l, Auh"6&#D"uh"leeC! which means a deviation from the norm! an irregularity 2&s the only female e$ecutive in a company dominated by men! #arriet was an anomaly.3 2#is penchant for flamboyant clothes made him an anomaly in his conservative profession.3 2)f there is no other life in the universe! then our planet is an anomaly.3

6o'2 3( OBSEIUIOUS </=b)SEE)07ee)/s?

Subservient! submissive! obedient; ready and willing to serve! please! or obey. #ere are some e$amples of how o se-uious may be used 21hen the king entered! all the members of the court bowed obse/uiously.3 2%ill's supervisor e$pected the employees to be obse/uious! attending to her immediate needs before dealing with anything else.3 21hen his wife found out about his affair! Larry tried everything he could think of to persuade her to forgive him! but she scorned all his obse/uious gestures and banished him from her bed.3 (he corresponding noun is o se-uiousness! which means subservience! obedience! an eager desire to serve or obey 2Eleanor was disgusted with Dichael's obse/uiousness whenever they entertained his boss.3 2Some companies reward obse/uiousness rather than initiative and independent work.3 Synonyms of o se-uious include co&'li!nt! servile! sl!vis$! in#r!ti!tin# Aword *. of Level .C! deferenti!l! f!wnin#! to!d,in#! truc%lin#! and s,co'$!ntic. &ntonyms include unrul,! defi!nt! intr!ct! le Aword *, of Level 'C! refr!ctor, Aword 0, of Level <C! rec!lcitr!nt Ari"I&L"si"trantC! and intr!nsi#ent Ain"(7&6"si"jent! word 0 of Level ?C.

6o'2 4( @I@ACTIC <2.)@A*)t40?

)nstructive! designed or intended to teach. Synonyms of did!ctic include edif,in#! 'rece'tive Apree"SEB"tivC! e8'ositor, Aek"S,A-"+i"(F7"eeC! $ort!tor, A-OR"tuh"(F7"eeC! and 'ed!#o#ic ABE5"uh"GA-B"ikC. Ped!#o#ic is the adjective corresponding to the noun 'ed!#o#ue A,E@"uh"8&#8C. & 'ed!#o#ue is a teacher! but today the word is sometimes used disparagingly to mean a teacher who is strict! narrow"minded! or dogmatic. (he adjective did!ctic comes from the 8reek did!%ti%os! skillful or adept

at teaching. )n modern usage did!ctic means designed or intended to teach. & didactic paradigm is a model or e$ample that serves to instruct. & didactic treatise is an instructive treatise! one that teaches a lesson! principle! or rule of conduct. (he ancient 8reek philosopher &ristotle believed that art should be didactic! for one of his famous precepts is that art should 2instruct as well as delight.3 0id!ctic often connotes morally instructive or edifying. & great work of fiction may be as didactic as it is entertaining. Sometimes did!ctic has the negative connotation of inclined to lecture others in a tedious or e$cessively moralistic way 2(he members of the committee soon grew weary of %arney's didactic manner of telling everyone how the organi+ation should be run.3 (he corresponding noun did!ctics means the art or science of teaching. (he word pedagogy A,E@"uh"8F#"jeeC may also refer to the art or science of teaching! but more often 'ed!#o#, means the teaching profession 2Hince and Ganet decided that after they were married they would both pursue careers in pedagogy.3

6o'2 5( TRUNCATE <TRU-NG)0a.t% l40e trunk N ate?

(o cut short! shorten by cutting or lopping off. Synonyms of trunc!te include condense! ! rid#e! ! revi!te! and curt!il. &ntonyms include len#t$en! e8tend! elon#!te! 'rolon#! and 'rotr!ct Aword ,' of Level .C. Trunc!te comes from the Latin verb trunc!re! to maim! mutilate! shorten by cutting off! which in turn comes from truncus. &s an adjective! the Latin truncus means maimed! mutilated! cut short or lopped off; as a noun! truncus denotes a tree that has been cut down! so that only the stump remains. Brobably because the history of trunc!te contains so much maiming and mutilation! the word usually suggests a more severe or substantial cutting or shortening than its synonyms condense! ! rid#e! ! revi!te! and curt!il. Ff all these words! curt!il comes closest to the severity of trunc!te. Trunc!te may refer to a cutting short in number! length! or duration. &n editor truncates an article or a book by cutting out large sections of it. & heart attack or severe illness can truncate a life! cut it short early or in its prime. &nd a company might decide to truncate its workforce! perhaps by cutting out several departments. Ff course! company e$ecutives would never use the word trunc!te. (hey would say they were downsi+ing! which makes it sound as if they're just putting the company on a low"fat diet instead of engaging in an act of corporate mutilation. (he corresponding adjective trunc!ted means cut short! abbreviated! terminated abruptly! as a truncated meeting! a truncated e$planation! a brief period of economic growth and prosperity truncated by recession.

6o'2 ( ABSTEMIOUS <ab)STEE):ee)/s?

Sparing or moderate! especially in eating or drinking 2(he doctor prescribed an abstemious regimen to reduce her cholesterol level.3 2&fter si$ weeks of being abstemious! he lost twenty pounds and felt ten years younger.3 " ste&ious may also mean characteri+ed by abstinence! not partaking or indulging! especially in alcoholic beverages 2(heir abstemious way of life was dictated by their strong religious beliefs.3 " ste&ious comes directly from the Latin ! ste&ius! which means abstaining from li/uor. (he corresponding noun is ! ste&iousness 2Hegetarianism is a form of abstemiousness.3 Synonyms of ! ste&ious include so er! te&'er!te! and !scetic Auh"SE("ikC. "scetic means rigorously abstemious! practicing strict and e$treme abstinence or self"denial.

6o'2 !( ET-EREAL <4)T-EER)ee)/l?

#eavenly! not earthly; hence! very light! airy! delicate! or refined. Synonyms of et$ere!l include celesti!l Asuh"LES"chulC! loft,! elev!ted! tenuous A(E6"yoo"usC! r!refied A7&)7"uh"fydC! and su li&e Asuh"%LYDC. &ntonyms include &und!ne Aword ,, of Level 0C! terrestri!l! and su lun!r, Asuhb"LFF"nur"eeC. )n one of its senses! the word et$er refers to an imaginary substance that the ancients believed filled the upper regions of space. )n this primitive cosmology! ether was the lightest and most subtle of the elements! which included earth! water! and fire. &t first the adjective et$ere!l meant pertaining to the ether! the upper regions of space! and therefore heavenly! celestial ethereal beings are heavenly beings! creatures or gods that inhabit the upper regions. Fut of this notion of elemental intangibility! et$ere!l came to mean very light! airy! of unearthly delicacy or refinement! as ethereal music! ethereal voices! ethereal beauty! or an ethereal presence or sensation.

6o'2 "( BOMBASTIC <ba=:)BAS)t40?

Bompous! pretentious! inflated! overblown. :o& !stic applies to speech or writing that is pompous! overblown! or pretentious! or to people who e$press themselves in this way. :o& !stic! #r!ndilo-uent Aword .' of Level <C! and tur#id A(E7"jidC all denote e$travagant language. Tur#id! which by derivation means swollen! is used of an inflated style that obscures meaning. +r!ndilo-uent suggests a self" conscious effort to be elo/uent through the use of high"flown language. :o& !stic suggests pomposity and pretentiousness that masks

a lack of substance; the bombastic person speaks in a verbose and self" important way! but says little or nothing. (he corresponding noun is o& !st A%&#D"bastC. Friginally! o& !st was a soft! silky material used for padding. (he word now means verbal padding! speech or writing that is wordy! puffed up! and pretentious.

6o'2 #( SENESCENT <s4)NES)4nt?

&ging! growing old! on the decline. (he adjective senescent comes from the Latin sene8! which means 2old.3 .ene8 is also the source of senile! e$hibiting mental impairment due to old age! and sen!te! which means literally 2a council of elders.3 .enescent may be used of persons! things! or ideas that are growing old! decrepit! or outworn! as a senescent leader! a senescent forest! a senescent custom! or a senescent industry. (he antonym of senescent is 2uvenescent AGFF"vuh"NES"intC! growing younger. (he corresponding noun is senescence Asi"6ES"intsC! which means the process of becoming old or the state of being old. 1rinkles! hair loss! persistent aches and pains! and the inability to remember what you ate for breakfast are all telltale signs of senescence.

6o'2 13( ,ERNICIOUS <1/')NIS-)/s?

5eadly! fatal! destructive! causing great harm or injury. Synonyms of 'ernicious include in2urious! ruinous! deleterious Aword .. of Level 0C! no8ious! !neful! &!li#n Amuh"LY6C! and noiso&e A6FY"sumC. &ntonyms include $e!lt$ful! w$oleso&e! s!lut!r, ASAL "yuh" (E7"eeC! and s!lu rious Asuh"LFF"bree"us! word 0? of this levelC. Pernicious comes through the Latin 'erniciosus! destructive! ruinous! and 'ernicies! destruction! disaster! ultimately from ne8! which means a violent death. %y derivation! that which is pernicious leads to destruction! ruin! or death. )n modern usage 'ernicious suggests an insidious! evil! or corrupting influence that harms or destroys by undermining and weakening. (he disease called pernicious anemia weakens the body's ability to absorb vitamin %*,. & pernicious influence is a deleterious! corrupting! or deadly influence. & pernicious habit is a harmful and potentially fatal habit. & pernicious rumor is insidious or evil. &nd a pernicious practice is destructive; it undermines the good intentions of others or corrupts society.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following /uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page .*?.
1. :an someone seek redress for a grievance4

2. )n a modern office! would a manual typewriter be an anomalous

piece of e/uipment4
3. 1ould an obse/uious person ever tell the boss to get lost4 4. )f something is didactic! does it teach you a lesson4 5. :an you truncate a piece of writing4 6. 1hen you indulge yourself! are you abstemious4 7. )s an ethereal sound harsh and unpleasant4 8. )s a bombastic speaker pompous4 9. &re teenagers senescent4

10.:an a virus be pernicious4 5id you remember to keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 Sa. It A8a4n% Sa: 6ow let's begin our discussion of abusage. (he first and perhaps most common category of abusage is redundancy. &s %ergen Evans puts it in " 0iction!r, of 1onte&'or!r, "&eric!n (s!#e A*@'>C! the adjective 2redund!nt means being in e$cess! e$ceeding what is usual or natural9OandP in grammar Othe nounP redund!nc, means the use of too many words to e$press an idea! such as co& ine to#et$er! !udi le to t$e e!r! or invisi le to t$e e,e.3 7edundancy is perhaps the most common error in educated usage; it is also the easiest to eschew. Sometimes the problem comes from not knowing the precise meanings of the words we use. -or e$ample! when you reali+e that s$uttle means 2to go back and forth!3 you see immediately that the common phrase 2to shuttle back and forth3 is a ludicrous redundancy. )n most cases! however! redundancy occurs because we are not listening carefully to what we are saying; it is the result of poor concentration. &ll most of us need to overcome redundancy is a little ear" training to help us hear the repetition of the verbal note in phrases such as 2at this point in time3 and 2audible to the ear.3 1hen you train your ear to listen for redundancies! it's easy to correct or eradicate them. &nd once your ear is tuned in! you'll marvel at how you ever could have been so hard of hearing before! and you'll wonder why so many people can't hear the redundant phrases phrases in their speech speech. (hat repetition was obvious! but the verbiage of redundancy is more subtle because it repeats the same ideas but in different words. 7emember! from Level '! my discussion of the advertising clichN free #ift4 1hen you step back and consider that free means you don't have to pay and a #ift is something given away free! then the phrase free #ift appears ridiculous. (he ubi/uitousness of this redundancy makes you wonderand you should wonder every time you hear itwhether there's a catch. )f

they're promising now to give me something free! then what are they going to ask me to pay for later4 )n his entertaining book T$e 6riter7s "rt A*@?0C! syndicated columnist Games G. Iilpatrick has one word to say about free #ift 2&aarghT3 (o get your ears warmed up to the pervasive problem of redundancy! allow me to present some choice e$amples. You will probably recogni+e many of these redundant e$pressions because they are so common in everyday discourse. Re'e!t !#!in #ow many times in your life have you heard someone say! 2:ould you repeat that again43 #ow many times have you asked that repetitive /uestion yourself4 %y the way! those were just rhetorical /uestions! so please don't answer them; it would pain me too deeply to learn how many times you've profaned the English language by repeating the re'e!t !#!in redundancy. &s any dictionary will tell you! re'e!t means 2to say again.3 (here's no need to say 2:ould you repeat that again43 unless the phrase 2that again3 is what you wish to hear repeated. (o avoid this pernicious redundancy! simply drop the word !#!in and say 2:ould you repeat that43 &dding 'le!se to your re/uest wouldn't hurt. #ave you ever listened to people inter!ctin# wit$ e!c$ ot$er4 ) hope not. Inter!ct by itself means to act upon one another! affect each other. &re you interested in rapid weight loss4 1ell! you can instantly lose three"/uarters of the four"word phrase 2interact with each other3 because the word inter!ct alone says it all. #as anyone ever told you to endorse a check on the back4 (he ne$t time someone says that to you! tell the person to take it back because endorse already means to write on the back of. You si#n a check payable to someone else! and you endorse a check payable to you. #ere's another redundancy ) hope will not stand the test of time '!st $istor,. #as there ever been a future $istor, or a 'resent $istor,4 P!st is an uneventful addition to the word $istor, because $istor, already means the events of the past. #ow about future 'l!ns or 'l!ns for t$e future4 1henever ) hear those phrases ) wonder if they're the opposite of '!st 'l!ns or 'l!ns for t$e '!st. & 'l!n is a scheme or method for accomplishing some objective in the future. (he all"too"common redundancy !dv!nce 'l!nnin# is a victim of the same futuristic trap. &ll planning is done in advance of action! so! taken literally! !dv!nce 'l!nnin# sounds as if it means planning before you start planning! or planning when you will begin to plan. Yet another old redundancy is the phrase new innov!tion. )f the unoriginal people who say 2new innovation3 would just stop in their banal tracks for a second and consider that an innovation is a new idea! method! or device! theyJd reali+e that when they say 2new innovation3 they are

saying! literally! a 2new new idea.3 5o you see how a precise word like innov!tion can so easily lose its power when people use it thoughtlessly4 (wo other redundancies )'m eager to put a stop to are continue on and its partner in crime! 'roceed on. %oth continue and 'roceed mean 2to go on! move ahead3; adding the word on is unnecessary because continue and 'roceed already imply onward motion. 1henever someone tacks on the word on after continue or 'roceed! to my ear it's like an oral tic or redundant twitch of the tongue. Doreover! speakers who develop the continue on> 'roceed on habit run the risk of going on and on ad infinitum A&5 in"fi"6Y"tum! endlessly! to infinityC. Even if you are now guilty of committing this redundancy! it's easy to get rid of. 1henever you say 2continue3 or 2proceed!3 just stop right there and don't go on. Fnce you become aware of redundancies! it seems as if they're everywhere. )n fact! to use one of our keywords from Level <! you could say that redundancies are ubi/uitous. #ere are some more redundant samples you can put in a mental file marked 2Say )t &gain! Sam.3 ) haved culled every one of them from 2educated speech and writing.3 7ead carefully now! because ) won't repeat these again Ajust kiddingTC
;ellow colle!#ue Your colleague is your fellow worker. 1oo'er!te to#et$er and coll! or!te to#et$er 1oo'er!te and coll! or!te both mean to work together. 1onfer to#et$er (o confer means to get together to e$change views. 1o& ine to#et$er 1o& ine means to mi$ together. Recur !#!in Recur means to happen again. 1o&'letel, un!ni&ous (n!ni&ous means to be in complete harmony or agreement. V!cill!te !c% !nd fort$ Aon an issue! matter! etc.C (o v!cill!te means to waver! go from one side to the other or back and forth. Re'ort !c% Eliminate !c%. (o re'ort means to carry back information and repeat it to someone else. Return it !c% Ato the store! etc.C (o return means to give back. Eliminate !c% again. "scend u'w!rd "scend means to go upward. 0escend down 0escend means to go down. 0windle down (o dwindle means to decrease or go down gradually. P!ssin# f!d & f!d is a brief or passing fashion. =oist u' and r!ise u' =oist and r!ise mean to lift up. Re!l f!ct or !ctu!l f!ct & f!ct is something real or actual! something demonstrable. 9ru't violentl, or e8'lode violentl, 9ru't and e8'lode mean to emerge or burst forth in a violent manner. 4utu!l res'ect for e!c$ ot$er 4utu!l res'ect says it all because &utu!l means 2for each other! given and received by each one.3 1o&'ete wit$ e!c$ ot$er 1o&'ete means to vie with another or others.

;in!l ulti&!tu& &n ulti&!tu& is a final demand. Visi le to t$e e,e and invisi le to t$e e,e 1hat else but the eye can something be visible or invisible tothe nose4 (nivers!l '!n!ce! or ! '!n!ce! for !ll ills )f you remember our discussion of '!n!ce! from Level 0! you'll remember that a '!n!ce! is a universal remedy! a cure for all ills. *ew recruit & recruit is a newly enlisted person. Te&'or!r, re'rieve Re'rieve means temporary relief. *ecess!r, re-uire&ent & re-uire&ent is something necessary. ;in!l co&'letion and fin!l conclusion 1o&'letion and conclusion both imply finality! so the word fin!l is superfluous. /'enin# #!& it & #!& it is an opening move or a remark intended to open a conversation. 9!c$ !nd ever, d!, Say 2each day3 or 2every day!3 not both. ;ro& w$ence )f the folks who say 2from whence3 looked up the word w$ence in a dictionary! they would see that it means 2from where3 or 2from what place.3 (his redundancy should not go back from whence it came. )t should go back whence it came.

%ut don't you go away! because here are some more common redundant phrases in which one word already says all that is meant l!r#e in siAe means l!r#e; s&!ll in siAe means s&!ll; few in nu& er means few; e8tend out means e8tend; e8'!nd out means e8'!nd; r!di!te out means r!di!te; c!ncel out means c!ncel; reduce down means reduce; ! consensus of o'inion means ! consensus; ! v!riet, of different c$oices means ! v!riet, of c$oices; and finally! in the phrases lin% to#et$er! &er#e to#et$er! and lend to#et$er! the word to#et$er adds nothing but baggage Say lin%! &er#e! or lend! and throw to#et$er in the trash. Some redundancies are so outrageous that it's hard to believe the writer or speaker cannot hear the repetition of meaning. 8et a load of these! every one of which ) assure you ) have either heard on radio or (H or seen in print
"rtifici!l 'rost$esis & 'rost$esis is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part! such as a leg. .tonecut lit$o#r!'$s & lit$o#r!'$ is an engraving made in stone. "n old !nti-ue &n !nti-ue is something old or old"fashioned. Prerecorded e!rlier Something prerecorded has been recorded earlier. Say 2prerecorded3 or 2recorded earlier.3 Previous 'reconce'tions & 'reconce'tion is a conception or opinion formed in advance! an opinion formed previously. =e w!s not '$,sic!ll, 'resent 1as he spiritually present4 5id he have an out"of"body e$perience4 5rop '$,sic!ll, and say you were not present. /&niscient %nowled#e of !ll t$in#s /&niscient Aahm"6)S#"intC means all"knowing! having knowledge of all things.

1o&'letel, !nni$il!te "nni$il!te means to destroy completely. 1urrent incu& ent &n incu& ent is a person currently holding an office. 5on't say 2present incumbent3 either.
Individu!l 'erson )f a person is an individual and an individual is a person! then 2an individual person3 must be a person who is a person. Esage e$pert (heodore D. %ernstein advises that it's best to use individu!l as a noun only when you mean to distinguish a person or persons from a class or category! as the individu!l and societ,! or benefits for cor'or!tions and individu!ls. )n all other conte$ts! use 'erson or 'eo'le.

=e wrote !n !uto io#r!'$, of $is own life 1hat other life could an autobiography be about but his own4 (he same goes for 2She wrote a biography of his life.3 & io#r!'$, is the story of another person's life. Dake it 2She wrote his biography.3 T$e, were dressed identic!ll, !li%e Beople are either dressed identically or dressed alike! but if they are 2dressed identically alike3 then they are dressed the same same! if you know know what ) mean mean.

)n conclusion! let me share with you just a few more ridiculous redundancies that ) don't think re/uire any comment. Your laughter and scorn will suffice.
=e $!s !n !''etite to e!t3 .$e is one of two twins3 6e $!ve ! 'o'ul!tion of 'eo'le to feed3 .$e is -uite 'o'ul!r wit$ t$e 'eo'le3 +iven t$e current 'ro le&s ri#$t nowI It $!''ened une8'ectedl, wit$out w!rnin#3

&re those redundancies 2incredible to believe!3 or are they simply incredible4 &s ) said beforeand at the risk of 2repeating myself again3 and making it difficult for us to 2interact with each other3once you become aware of redundancy it's easy to correct because the cure is simple deletion.

&nd now! my verbally advantaged! unredundant friend! it's time to say goodbye! so long! and ta"ta"ta to the Land of 7edundancy and return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the ne$t ten keywords in Level >.

6o'2 11( CAT-OLIC <*AT-)/=)l40 or *AT-)l40?

Eniversal! all"inclusive! all"embracing! comprehensive; specifically! broad" minded! tolerant! or all"embracing in one's sympathies! interests! or tastes. 1!t$olic! with a capital 1! refers to the 7oman :atholic :hurch! to the religion of :atholicism! or to a member of the :atholic :hurch. (he word c!t$olic! with a small or lowercase c! has nothing to do with religion. )t comes directly from Latin and 8reek words meaning universal! general! and suggests a broad"minded! tolerant! all"embracing outlook on life.

Synonyms of c!t$olic include o'en5&inded! li er!l! ecu&enic!l AEI"yoo"MEN"i"kulC! and l!titudin!ri!n AL&("i"(AYCFF"di"NAIR"ee"inC. &ntonyms include n!rrow5&inded! i#oted! i!sed! intoler!nt! do#&!tic Adawg"D&("ikC! and '!roc$i!l Apuh"7F#"kee"ulC. 9cu&enic!l and c!t$olic both mean universal! general! whole. 9cu&enic!l often refers specifically to religious universality! and especially to that which furthers or is intended to further the unity of :hristian churches or unity among religions. 1!t$olic Awith a small cC is the general word for universal in one's personal outlook! broad"minded in one's sympathies or tastes. (he catholic person is 2not narrow"minded! partial! or bigoted!3 says the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! but possesses 2a mind that appreciates all truth! or a spirit that appreciates all that is good.3

6o'2 12( OBBURGATION <A-B)D/')GAA)s=4n?

& harsh rebuke! vehement scolding or denunciation. Synonyms of the noun o 2ur#!tion include re'roof! re'ro!c$! u' r!idin#! vilific!tion! and vitu'er!tion. (he corresponding verb is o 2ur#!te AA-B"jur"8&Y( or uhb"GE7"gaytC. (o o 2ur#!te is to rebuke sharply! chide harshly! denounce vehemently. / 2ur#!te and o 2ur#!tion come from the Latin o "! against! and 2ur#!re! to scold or /uarrel. )n collo/uial termsthat is! in the vernacularwhen you are called on the carpet or you are read the riot act! you are on the receiving end of an o 2ur#!tion! a harsh rebuke! vehement scolding or denunciation.

6o'2 13( E&&USIEE <4)&AOO)s4v?

8ushing! overflowing! overly demonstrative! e$pressing emotion in an e$cessive or unrestrained manner. Synonyms of effusive include e8u er!nt! 'rofuse! e ullient Ai"%E#L"yint or i"%EEL"yintC! i&'!ssioned! ecst!tic! and r$!'sodic Arap"S&#5"ikC. &ntonyms of effusive include unde&onstr!tive! reserved! !loof Aword ,= of Level *C! indifferent! reticent! diffident! t!citurn Aword , of Level .C! and l!conic Aword *? of Level .C. (he adjective effusive and the corresponding noun effusion come through the Latin effusio! a pouring forth! from the verb effundere! to pour out or pour forth. (rue to its origin! in modern usage effusion denotes a pouring or gushing forth. (he word may be used of a literal gushing! as an effusion of gas or fluid! or it may be used figuratively of an unrestrained emotional outburst in speech or writing. 9ffusive is nearly always used figuratively to mean gushing or overflowing with emotion! overly demonstrative! as effusive praise! effusive greetings! an effusive style of writing 2&t the dinner party 5an's effusive

host couldn't stop telling everyone at the table what a great guy he was.3

6o'2 14( UMBRAGE <U-M)b'4D?

Fffense! resentment. Synonyms of u& r!#e include dis'le!sure! irrit!tion! indi#n!tion! and 'i-ue ABEEIC. (& r!#e is most commonly used today in the phrase 2to take umbrage!3 meaning to take offense. Fne takes umbrage at being slighted! either by a real or an imagined insult to one's dignity or pride 2#e took umbrage at the criticisms leveled against him in the meeting3; 2She took umbrage at his rude manner.3 You may also feel umbrage! resentment! at something! or give umbrage! offense! to someone else! but these constructions are less common.

6o'2 15( EICISSITU@E <v4)SIS)4)t<.?oo2?

& change! variation. Synonyms of vicissitude include !ltern!tion! fluctu!tion! and &ut!tion. %y derivation! vicissitude means 2change!3 and in modern usage a vicissitude is a change! variation! or an alternating condition occurring in the course of something. (he word is perhaps most often used in the plural! vicissitudes! to refer to the changes that occur during the course of something! the ups and downs. 1e speak of the vicissitudes of daily life! the vicissitudes of the stock market! or of a business surviving the viccissitudes of twenty turbulent years.

6o'2 1 ( CONTENTIOUS <0/n)TEN)s=/s?

&rgumentative! /uarrelsome! ready and eager to argue! bicker! or debate. 1ontentious! liti#ious! 'u#n!cious! dis'ut!tious! elli#erent! and ellicose all refer to /uarrelsome or hostile parties who are inclined to engage in argument or conflict. :ellicose A%EL"i"kohsC means having a warlike or hostile nature. (he ancient Spartans were a bellicose people. :elli#erent Abuh"L)G"ur"intC may mean either participating in fighting or provoking a fight or a war. & belligerent nation either engages in conflict or provokes a conflict. & belligerent look or a belligerent remark can lead to a fight. Pu#n!cious Apuhg"6&Y"shus! word ? of Level 'C by derivation means ready to fight with the fists; it suggests a temperamental inclination to fight or /uarrel 2&s a child Delvin was unruly! as a teenager he was deviant! and as an adult he became a pugnacious barroom brawler.3 0is'ut!tious A5)S"pyoo"TAA"shusC means inclined to dispute! and usually applies to people who engage in formal arguments or to anything involving formal debate. Scholars are often disputatious! and it goes without saying

that politics is disputatious. Liti#ious Ali"()G"usC means tending to engage in lawsuits or litigation. &lthough it is entirely appropriate to say that the legal profession is litigious! meaning that its business is to engage in lawsuits! in current usage liti#ious often implies an overeagerness to settle every minor dispute in court. 1ontentious Akun"(E6"shusC comes from the Latin contentio! striving! effort! and ultimately from contendere! to strain or strive against another. -rom the same source we inherit the verb to contend! to struggle! fight! strive in opposition! and the noun contention! which may mean either a struggle! opposition2(hey were in contention for the job3or an assertion made in an argument 2)t was his contention that if the company wanted to remain solvent! it should truncate its workforce.3 (he adjective contentious means always ready and willing to /uarrel! and suggests a persistent inclination to pick fights or arguments. You can be in a contentious mood! meaning you are in an argumentative mood; you can have a contentious coworker! one who is /uarrelsome; or you can make a contentious comment! one intended to provoke an argument. &ntonyms of contentious include 'e!ce! le! o li#in#! civil! toler!nt! !&i! le! !&ic! le A&D"i"kuh"buulC! enevolent Abuh"6EH"uh"lentC! e-u! le AEI"wuh"buulC! and for e!rin# Afor"%&)7"ingC.

6o'2 1!( OBEISANCE <o=)BAA)s4ntsO'e9o::en2e2O or o=)BEE)s4nts?

& gesture of respect or submission! or an attitude of respect and submission. Synonyms of o eis!nce include deference! $o&!#e A#&#D"ij; pronounce the $C! !dor!tion! reverence! and vener!tion AHE6"uh"RAA "shinC. / eis!nce comes from -rench and means literally obedience. )t was once used to mean obedience! or the power or right to demand obedience! but these senses are obsolete. / eis!nce now means a respectful! submissive attitude or a deferential gesture! one that shows respect for the superiority of another. / eis!nce is used chiefly of formal situations in which respect or homage is paid to a god! a ruler! a religious leader! or a person of great influence or power. & bow! a curtsy! and a genuflection AGE6"yuu" &LE* "shinC! a deferential bending of the knee! are all e$amples of obeisance! a gesture or attitude of respect and submission.

6o'2 1"( ASSI@UOUS </=)SIB)oo)/s?

#ardworking! industrious; done with persistent! careful! and untiring attention. Synonyms of !ssiduous include dili#ent! '!inst!%in#! 'erseverin#!

unre&ittin#! indef!ti#! le A)6"di"&AT"i"guh"buulC! and sedulous ASEG"uh"lusC. &ntonyms include l!A,! s$iftless! indolent A)6"duh"lentC! l!n#uid AL&68" gwidC! '$le#&!tic Afleg"D&("ik! word .. of Level @C! and otiose A O-"shee" F#S! last syllable rhyming with doseC. "ssiduous comes from the Latin !dsiduus! which means sitting continuously in one place! engaged in an occupation! and ultimately from the verb sedere! to sit down! the source also of the English words sed!te Asuh"5&Y(C and sedent!r, ASE@"Jn"(E7"eeC. %y derivation! !ssiduous means sitting down and working diligently until a job is done. )n modern usage !ssiduous means done with persistent! careful! and untiring attention! constant in application or effort. 1e speak of assiduous efforts! an assiduous reader! an assiduous student! or an assiduous worker. (he corresponding noun is !ssiduousness 2Bamela was delighted that her assiduousness earned her a promotion.3

6o'2 1#( @U,LICITA <2<.?oo),LIS)4)tee?

5eceit! cunning! double"dealing! hypocritical deception. Synonyms of du'licit, include tric%er,! dis$onest,! fr!ud! #uile A8YL! rhymes with &ileC! c$ic!ner, Ashi"I&Y"nur"eeC! c!suistr, AI&M#"oo"is"treeC! and &end!cit, Amen"5&S"i"teeC. (he noun du'licit, comes through the Latin du'licit!s! doubleness! and du'lic!re! to double! ultimately from du'le8! twofold! double. Literally! du'licit, means doubleness of heart or speech; in modern usage it refers to double"dealing! an act of deception in which one uses hypocritical or misleading words or actions to hide one's true intentions 2Steve was astounded at the duplicity of some of the salespeople! who seemed willing to say anything to close a deal.3 (he corresponding adjective is du'licitous AdAyCoo"BL)S"i"tusC! which means two"faced! deceitful. (he duplicitous person pretends to entertain one set of feelings while acting under the influence of another.

6o'2 23( INSOUCIANT <4n)SOO)see)4nt?

:arefree! nonchalant! lightheartedly unconcerned or indifferent! free from worry or an$iety! calm and unbothered. (he -rench phrase s!ns souci AS&A6Csoo"SEEC means without care or worry. (he English word insouci!nt combines the privative prefi$ in"! meaning 2not!3 with the -rench souci! care! worry! to mean literally not caring! free from worry! lightheartedly unconcerned 26anette dismissed &lbert's contentious interruption with an insouciant wave of her hand and went on with what she was saying.3 Insouci!nt sometimes implies a

carefree indifference or lack of concern for conse/uences 2Gim drove with an insouciant disregard for the speed limit and the ha+ards of the road that Baula found frightening.3 (he corresponding noun insouci!nce means lighthearted indifference! nonchalance! a carefree lack of concern 2%asking in &ngelina's ethereal presence! Beter e$perienced an insouciance he had never allowed himself to feel before.3

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page .*?.
1. & person can have catholic interests! and an idea can have

catholic appeal.
2. 1hen you agree with something! you e$press your objurgation. 3. Effusive speech or writing is restrained and concise. 4. 1hen you take umbrage at something! you take offense. 5. (he vicissitudes of life are its problems and challenges. 6. & contentious

person enjoys engaging in arguments or

debates.
7. &n obeisance is a display of disobedience or disrespect. 8. &n assiduous worker is inclined to be la+y or careless. 9. 5uplicity is a sign of a responsible! loyal person.

10.&n insouciant manner is a carefree! unconcerned manner. T=e So/n2s)L40e S.n2'o:e 6ow let's e$amine the second general problem of abusage! which ) like to call the 2sounds"like syndrome.3 (he sounds"like syndrome manifests itself when a word! usually one just a bit more refined that most people can handle! becomes confused with and then used as a pretentious substitute for another word that is similar in sound but different in meaning. )f the error is repeated by enough people! often the result is that we lose one perfectly good word with a deserving role in the language and wind up with two words that mean the same thing one the common word that has /uietly done its job all along! the other an ostentatious and officious upstart. )n short! the sounds"like syndrome refers to pairs of words that are consistently confused because of their similar sound! with one word tending to eclipse the meaning of the other. Let me give you a few e$amples of these commonly confused words. &s you read them! ask yourself if you can distinguish their meanings fortuitous and fortun!te;

!''rise and !''r!ise; co&'rise and co&'ose; de'rec!te and de'reci!te; enor&it, and enor&ousness; 'reci'itous and 'reci'it!te; and '!r!&eter and 'eri&eter. &ll right! are you confused enough yet4 )n each e$ample given! the two words do not have the same or even a similar meaning. Yet every day one member of each pair is wrenched from its proper place in the language and forced to do the work of the other! as if it were a nut or bolt in a piece of machinery that could fit here or fit there! and serve as well holding one part together as another. %ut words are not like nuts and boltsmass"produced! nondescript! interchangeable. (hey are more like the people who use themindividual! distinct! and irreplaceable. 1hy do such confusions happen4 -irst! because people make mistakes and appropriate the errors of others without reali+ing it. ) am not a member of the school that maintains there is a conspiracy at work to corrupt the English language. 6o one is out there plotting to spread bad usage. 1hat happens is that people hear or read something! and because they respect the person who said or wrote it! or they like the way it sounds! they think it must be right. (hen they leave it at that! unaware that what they have just assimilated may be a solecism. A&s you may recall from the discussion in Level < of words derived from 8reek names! a solecis& is a gross error of grammar or usage.C (he second reason these confusions happen may be attributed to human nature. %ecause people get bored using the same old words to say the same old things! and because they fear they will appear boring to others if they use the same old words everyone else uses! they start looking for novel ways to e$press themselves. (his restless eagerness to impress others often leads people to substitute an ostensibly more elegant word for a familiar one! or to e$periment with an unusual word they have not taken the trouble to learn. -or e$ample! they think! 2 ;ortuitous looks like fortun!te and sounds like fortun!te! so it probably means pretty much the same thing. )f we slip it in when we mean fortun!te! we'll sound more intelligent and no harm done! right43 )'m sorry! but that kind of logic just doesn't wash. (he arbitrary substitution or appropriation of a word! whether intentional or not! almost always has a deleterious effect upon the language. ;ortuitous means happening by chance! accidental! une$pected. (hough we usually use fortuitous to refer to what the dictionaries like to call 2happy accidents!3 and though we rarely use it to refer to a chance event of an unfortunate nature Afor instance! you wouldn't say 2a fortuitous earth/uake3C! the fact remains that in precise usage fortuitous is not interchangeable with fortun!te. &llow me to give you an e$ample that ) think will illustrate the point. )t's not unreasonable to infer from the phrase 2a fortuitous meeting3 that the meeting may be a fortunate! or lucky! one. %ut consider how the meaning of fortuitous becomes clear when ) finish the sentence in this way 2& fortuitous meeting with Dr. Bercival Sneed was the

cause of his death.3 (here's no way you can use fortun!te in that sentence! unless you are trying to be droll. A)f you need to remind yourself of the precise meaning of droll! it's word .< of Level '.C 6ow let's take a moment to distinguish the other pairs of words ) mentioned earlier as e$amples of the sounds"like syndrome. "''rise Auh"B7YMC and !''r!ise Auh"B7&YMC (o !''rise means to inform. (o !''r!ise means to evaluate or estimate the worth of. You apprise a coworker of what went on in the office while she was away. You appraise anti/ues! rare books! and works of art. 1o&'rise and co&'ose &s ) noted way back in Level ,! co&'rise properly means to include! contain! or consist of. )t should not be used to mean co&'ose! which means 2to make up.3 (he rule for co&'rise is that 2the whole comprises its parts; the parts compose the whole.3 5o not say the Enited States is comprised of fifty states! or that fifty states comprise the Enited States. Say the Enited States comprises fifty states! or the Enited States is composed of fifty states. 0e'rec!te A@E,"ri"I&Y(C and de'reci!te Adi"B7EE"shee"aytC (o de'rec!te means to e$press disapproval of. (o de'reci!te means to belittle! disparage! lessen in value. 1hen you deprecate something you show your disapproval of it; a deprecating look is a disapproving look. 1hen you depreciate something you belittle it! treat it as inferior or of little value; a depreciating remark is a disparaging remark! one that shows a lack of appreciation for something. 9nor&it, and enor&ousness Dany people erroneously use enor&it, to mean enor&ousness. 9nor&ousness means the state or /uality of being enormous! e$tremely large or great. 1e speak of the enormousness of the 7ocky Dountains or the enormousness of a project! not the enormity of them. 9nor&it, refers to something morally outrageous or appalling! a monstrous evil or offense. 1e speak of the enormity of a crime! or the enormity of &dolph #itler's diabolical 2final solution.3 Preci'itous Apri"S)B"i"tusC and 'reci'it!te Apri"S)B"i"titC Preci'itous means steep! like a precipice. Preci'it!te means rash! reckless! hasty! or sudden! abrupt! une$pected. (he problem occurs when 'reci'itous! steep! is used in place of 'reci'it!te! rash or abrupt! in such constructions as 2a precipitous decision to change jobs!3 or 2an escalating crisis heading precipitously toward war.3 & sudden or une$pected decision should be a precipitate decision! and a crisis that moves with reckless haste toward conflict should head precipitately toward conflict. Ese 'reci'itous only when you mean steep. & steep rise in profits is a precipitous rise. & precipitous decline in unemployment is a steep decline. P!r!&eter and 'eri&eter Dost people who use '!r!&eter have no idea that it's an obscure mathematical term that has been pressed into service not only as a substitute for 'eri&eter! which means a limit or boundary! but also as a pretentious synonym for c$!r!cteristic and fe!ture. &nd so today we hear and read such enormities of English prose as 21e have to work

within certain parameters!3 and 2(he design has several new parameters!3 when clearly what is meant is that the work must go on within certain limits AperimetersC and the design has several new features or characteristics. (o me! the word '!r!&eter sounds e$traterrestrial! and ought to be shot on sight. (o borrow a /uip from the respected language authority %ergen Evans! who borrowed his /uip from one of the greatest /uipsters! Dark (wain! you could start building a very e$pressive vocabulary just by leaving '!r!&eter out. )n closing this discussion of the sounds"like syndrome! ) should note that if you look up these or other commonly confused words in a dictionary! you may find them listed as synonyms! often without comment. 5on't be bamboo+led by that their e/uation in the dictionary does not necessarily justify interchanging the words or substituting one for the other; it is simply a reflection of their continual misuse by people who are not aware that careful writers and speakers take pains to preserve their distinctions in meaning. Ieep in mind that dictionaries! being descriptive rather than prescriptive documents! eventually will recogni+e common errors of usage! even though careful writers and speakers continue to eschew those errors and critici+e them. &nd with that verbally advantageous admonishment! let's proceed with the ne$t ten keywords in Level >.

6o'2 21( MARMI@ON <MUR):4)2a=n or MUR):4)2/n?

& loyal follower! faithful servant or subordinate! especially someone who is un/uestioningly obedient. )n ancient 8reek legend! the Dyrmidons were a people of the region of (hessaly A(#ES"uh"leeC who fought in the (rojan 1ar under their king! the great warrior &chilles Auh"I)L"ee+C. %rewer's 0iction!r, of P$r!se !nd ;! le notes that the Dyrmidons 2were distinguished for their savage brutality! rude behaviour! and thirst for rapine.3 A6ow there's an interesting word r!'ine A7&B"inC means pillage! plunder! the act of sei+ing and carrying off property by force.C (he /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r, traces Dyrmidon back to the year *0==! and shows that by the seventeenth century it had come to be used in a general sense to mean 2an unscrupulously faithful follower or hireling; a hired ruffian.3 (he Dyrmidons were perhaps in &lfred! Lord (ennyson's mind when he composed the famous lines in his *?'' poem 2(he :harge of the Light %rigade3 2(heirs not to make replyV(heirs not to reason whyV(heirs but to do and dieV)nto the valley of 5eathV7ode the si$ hundred.3 )n current usage! a &,r&idon! with a small &! is a loyal follower or an obedient servant! a person who follows orders or e$ecutes commands without /uestion and! if necessary! without scruple.

6o'2 22( NASCENT <NAS)4ntO'e9o::en2e2Oor NAA) s4nt?

%eginning to e$ist or develop; in the process of being born or begun; coming or having just come into being. Synonyms of n!scent include e&er#in#! d!wnin#! develo'in#! co&&encin#! e& r,onic AED"bree"A-N"ikC! inci'ient Ain"S)B"ee"intC! and inc$o!te Ain"IF#"it! word .' of this levelC. &ntonyms include !ncient! e8tinct! outworn! out&oded! !nti-u!ted! o solete! senescent Aword @ of Level >C! and !ntediluvi!n A&6"tee"di"LOO "vee"inC. "ntediluvi!n means of the time before the 5eluge A5EL"yoojC! the great flood described in the first book of the %ible! 8enesis; hence! e$tremely old or old"fashioned 2(he horse and buggy is an antediluvian mode of transportation3; 2%ob's father still prefers to write on an antediluvian manual typewriter.3 (here is nothing antediluvian about the word n!scent! which comes from the Latin verb n!sci! to be born. %y derivation! n!scent means in the process of being born! beginning to e$ist or develop. 1e speak of a nascent idea! a nascent republic! a nascent relationship! nascent an$iety! or nascent hope. (he corresponding noun is n!scenc, A6&S"in"see or 6&Y"C! which means birth or beginning 2(he year *>>< marks the nascency of &merican democracy.3

6o'2 23( ACCE@E <a0)SEE@?

(o consent! yield! give in or agree to. Synonyms of !ccede include co&'l,! su &it! !ssent! concur Aword *? of Level *C! and !c-uiesce Aword .* of Level 0C. &ntonyms include resist! dis!#ree! o''ose! 'rotest! contr!dict! dis'ute! dissent! wr!n#le! and c!vil Aword ,@ of Level .C. (he verbs !ccede! !c-uiesce! !ssent! concur! and consent all suggest agreement. 1onsent implies voluntary agreement You consent to another's wishes. 1oncur implies agreement reached independently 1hen you concur with a statement! you agree on your own without pressure from the person who made it. "ssent implies agreement reached after careful consideration or deliberation 1hen you assent to a plan! you agree to it after discussion or careful thought. "c-uiesce implies agreement offered despite tacit reservations the person who ac/uiesces often is unwilling to agree but lacks the will or the energy to resist. "ccede! our keyword! comes from the Latin !ccedere! to approach! come near. "ccede implies agreement in which one person or party gives in to persuasion or yields under pressure. 1hen you accede! you yield your position and give in to a demand or re/uest! often under pressure 2(hey acceded to the proposal on certain conditions3; 2&fter renegotiating various points! we acceded to the terms of the contract3; 2(he union refused to accede to the company's demands.3 "ccede may also be used to mean to attain or assume an office or title! as to accede to the throne! to accede to the presidency.

6o'2 24( MAGNANIMOUS <:a8)NAN)4):/s?

6oble! honorable! generous in overlooking injury or insult! high"minded! unselfish. Beople with an abiding faith in the goodness of human nature believe that we are noble! unselfish! and generous more often than we are ignoble! selfish! and grasping. (he English vocabulary! however! suggests otherwise. )n a language comprising well over a million words! there is a dearth of synonyms for &!#n!ni&ous. :halk up the words no le! $onor! le! #enerous! unselfis$! and $i#$5&inded! and the list is almost e$hausted; if you stretch things a bit you can add cour!#eous! e8!lted! and loft, for the noble! high"minded connotation of &!#n!ni&ous! and c$!rit! le! !ltruistic A&L"troo"IS"tikC! and eneficent Abuh"6E-"i"sintC for the generous! unselfish connotation. Fn the other hand! the language abounds with antonyms for &!#n!ni&ous. %rowse through any thesaurus and you will find a cornucopia AIF7"nAyCuh"*O-"pee"uhC of these ignoble! selfish words. #ere is a selection of my favorites vile! conte&'ti le! &!licious! des'ic! le Atraditionally and properly 5ES"pik"uh"buulC! i#no&inious A)8" noh"MIN"ee"usC! covetous AIE#H"uh"tusC! !v!ricious Aword 0= of Level ,C! &ercen!r, Aword *0 of Level .C! ven!l AHEE"nulC! vindictive Aword .@ of Level 'C! c$urlis$! sordid! ! 2ect Aword '= of Level 0C! servile! s,co'$!ntic AS)I"uh"&AN"tikC! and finally! because we can't go on with this forever! we have the utterly ignoble word 'usill!ni&ous ABYFF"si"LAN "i"musC! which means cowardly! weak! and mean"spirited. 1e will discuss 'usill!ni&ous further in Level @. (he noble word &!#n!ni&ous comes from the Latin &!#nus! great! and !ni&us! spirit! and means literally great"spirited. )n modern usage &!#n!ni&ous means having or displaying a noble and generous soul; specifically! showing noble generosity in overlooking injury or insult. )t applies either to persons who possess a generous! lofty! and courageous spirit! or to persons or actions that are unselfish! high"minded! and free from pettiness or vindictiveness. *o le and &!#n!ni&ous are close in meaning. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r,! no le e$presses that which 2in character and conduct9is appropriate to e$alted place!3 and 2admits no degree of the petty! mean! base! or dishonorable.3 4!#n!ni&ous 2describes that largeness of mind that has breadth enough and height enough to take in large views! broad sympathies! OandP e$alted standards. )t generally implies superiority of position as! a nation so great as the Enited States9can afford to be magnanimous in its treatment of injuries or affronts from nations comparatively weak.3 (he corresponding noun is &!#n!ni&it,! noble generosity! greatness or dignity of mind or heart 2#e is a man of such magnanimity that he will do everything in his power to aid a worthy cause! no matter how unpopular it

may be.3

6o'2 25( NONAGE <NA-N)4D?

)mmaturity! youth; especially the period of legal minority! the state of being a minor in the eyes of the law. *on!#e comes through Diddle English from &nglo"-rench! the language of the 6ormans! who con/uered England in *=<<. *on!#e combines the prefi$ non"! meaning 2not!3 with the word !#e to mean literally 2not of age.3 *on!#e may be used either generally to refer to any period of immaturity! or specifically to mean the state of being a minor. Beople in their nonage are under the lawful age for doing certain things such as marrying! making contracts! driving a motor vehicle! voting! or buying alcoholic beverages.

6o'2 2 ( INEECTIEE <4n)EE*)t4v?

Hehement or abusive language involving bitter! scathing accusations or denunciations. Synonyms of invective include sl!nder! def!&!tion! !s'ersion Auh"SBE7"+hunC! o 2ur#!tion Aword *, of this levelC! illin#s#!te ABIL "ing+" 8&Y(C! vitu'er!tion Avy"(AYCFF"puh"RAA"shinC! and o lo-u, A&#%"luh" kweeC. &ntonyms of invective include 'r!ise! co&&end!tion! !dul!tion A&G"uh" LAA"shinC! eulo#, AYFF"luh"jeeC! and enco&iu& Aen"IF#"mee"umC. Let's take a closer look at the words illin#s#!te! vitu'er!tion! and o lo-u,! which! like invective! denote various forms of abusive language. :illin#s#!te comes from the name of one of the ancient gates of the city of London! near which stood a fish market. &pparently! not only did this market smell foul! as fish markets often do! but legend has it that the vendors and patrons also stunk up the place by e$hibiting a proclivity for foul language. -rom those foul beginnings! illin#s#!te has come to mean abusive language that is filthy and obscene. Vitu'er!tion has no such odorous etymology. Vitu'er!tion comes from a Latin verb meaning to scold or blame! and today denotes either a prolonged and vicious scolding or harsh! abusive language that violently scolds or blames. / lo-u, comes from the Latin o "! meaning 2against!3 and lo-ui! to speak. / lo-u, refers to abusive languageand particularly abusive speechwhose e$press purpose is to defame or disgrace. )f someone tries to ruin your reputation by abusing you either in conversation or in print! that's oblo/uy. &nd when oblo/uy strikes! you can react with e-u!ni&it, Aword 0< of Level <C! which you will recall means 2composure! calm indifference!3 or you can respond with invective! bitter! vehement accusations or denunciations. )n .,non,&s 0iscri&in!ted! published in *?>@! :harles Gohnson Smith

e$plains that 2" use9is9personal and coarse! being conveyed in harsh and unseemly terms! and dictated by angry feeling and bitter temper. Invective is more commonly aimed at character or conduct! and may be conveyed in writing and in refined language! and dictated by indignation against what is in itself blameworthy. )t often! however! means public abuse under such restraints as are imposed by position and education.3 Dore than a hundred years later! Smith's distinction still holds 1hen someone uses coarse! harsh! or obscene language to disparage or intimidate another! we call it verbal abuse. 1hen the abuse occurs in a public conte$t! and takes the form of a bitter! vehement verbal attack that remains just barely within the bounds of decency! we call it invective. (hus! today we speak of a newspaper editorial full of invective; the invective e$changed in a bitter political contest; a snubbed author hurling invective at his critics; or an opinionated radio talk show host who issues a stream of invective against his ideological foes. Invective comes ultimately from the Latin verb inve$ere! which means to attack with words. -rom the same source comes the English verb to invei#$ Ain"H&YC. Like its Latin ancestor! to invei#$ means to attack violently with words! protest furiously or e$press angry disapproval. Invei#$ is always followed by !#!inst! as to inveigh against authority; to inveigh against an unfair company policy; to inveigh against an abuse of -irst &mendment rights.

6o'2 2!( MAC-INATION <MA*)4)NAA)s=4n?

& crafty or treacherous plot! malicious scheme! cunning design or plan to achieve a sinister purpose. Synonyms of &!c$in!tion include str!t!#e&! cons'ir!c,! contriv!nce! ruse Aproperly 7FFM! rhyming with lose and s$oesC! and c! !l Akuh"%&#L or kuh"%&LC. 4!c$in!tion comes from the Latin verb &!c$in!ri! to plot! devise! contrive to do evil! which comes in turn from the noun &!c$in!! a device or contrivance for performing work. -rom the spelling of the Latin &!c$in! it's easy to deduce that it is also the source of the familiar and versatile word &!c$ine! something devised to perform work. (he Latin &!c$in! also appears in a phrase that has been taken whole into English deus e8 &!c$in! A5&Y"uus eks D&#"ki"nuhC! which means literally 2a god out of a machine.3 )n his delightful book "&o> "&!s> "&!tJ =ow to (se L!tin to )our /wn "dv!nt!#e !nd to t$e "stonis$&ent of /t$ers A*@?'C! Eugene Ehrlich translates deus e8 &!c$in! as 2an unlikely and providential intervention!3 and e$plains that the phrase 2describes an une$pected occurrence that rescues someone or something from an apparently hopeless predicament.3 &lthough deus e8 &!c$in! is Latin! Ehrlich tells us that 2the e$pression has its origin in ancient 8reek theater9. 1hen the comple$ities of plot and character appeared incapable of resolution! a god was set down on stage by a mechanical crane to sort out things and make them right.3

Fur keyword! &!c$in!tion! means a crafty plot! malicious scheme! cunning plan to achieve a sinister purpose! as a machination to sei+e power. )n current usage the singular form is less common than the plural! &!c$in!tions 27alph's deviousness enabled him to climb the company ladder! but when his machinations finally were e$posed he found himself demoted to the mailroom.3 You might think that machinations are confined to the crafty worlds of business and politics and to the sinister arena of international espionage! but the word is also sometimes used in a literary or metaphorical way! in such phrases as 2the machinations of love!3 which can often be a treacherous business! or 2the machinations of our dreams!3 which are often devious! or 2the machinations of destiny!3 which may seem to plot against us. ) shall conclude this crafty lesson with an important pronunciation tip. :ertain educated speakers! probably misled by the sound of the c$ in &!c$ine! have adopted the pronunciation &!s$ination. (his beastly &!s$ ination is a classic e$ample of what happens when people learn the meaning of a word but don't bother to check the pronunciation in a dictionary. (hey simply looked at &!c$in!tion! saw the word &!c$ine inside! and decided to say &!s$ination! blithely assuming that their false analogy was right without pausing to consider that the pronunciation they have just invented might not be the one most educated speakers prefer. (hat! in a nutshell! is how eccentric pronunciations are bornand the worst thing about it is that the mispronouncers often flaunt their inventions! as if to show that they have placed their personal stamp on the language by making up a bi+arre way to say a word. Some dictionaries now recogni+e &!s$ination! but list it after the preferred pronunciation! in which the c$ is pronounced like % AD&I"i"NAA "shinC.

6o'2 2"( @OCILE <@A-S)Cl?

Submissive! obedient! compliant; easy to direct! manage! or supervise; following instructions. Synonyms of docile include !&en! le! deferenti!l! &!lle! le Aword ,@ of Level ,C! tr!ct! le! !c-uiescent! and o se-uious Aword . of this levelC. &ntonyms include willful! w!,w!rd! $e!dstron#! o stin!te Aword .0 of Level *C! intr!ct! le Aword *, of Level 'C! intr!nsi#ent Ain"(7&6"si"jint! word 0 of Level ?C! and refr!ctor, Aword 0, of Level <C. 0ocile comes through the Latin docilis! teachable! from docere! to teach! instruct. -rom the same source comes the word docent A5F#"sintC. & docent is either a teacher at a university who is not a member of the faculty! or a lecturing tour guide in a museum! cathedral! or some such place of cultural interest. %y the way! in your travels through museums and the like! you may hear the phrase 2docent guide!3 which is redundant. &

docent guide is a 2guide guide!3 because docent means a guide trained to lecture on what is being viewed. (hink of me as your docent in the museum of the English language. Fur keyword! docile! by derivation means teachable. )n modern usage docile has two closely related senses. )t may mean easy to teach or instruct! as a docile pupil! or it may mean submissive! obedient! as a docile pet! or a docile employeewhich is not to imply that employees in general are analogous to pets! but only that some employees are docile! easy to direct! manage! or supervise. (he corresponding noun is docilit, 2& dictatorship or totalitarian state derives its power only from the docility of the people.3 Fccasionally you may hear docile pronounced 5F#"syl. 5F#"syl is the preference of %ritish and :anadian speakers. (he preferred &merican pronunciation is 5&#S"Jl.

6o'2 2#( RE@OUBTABLE <'4)@O6)t/=)b//l?

-ormidable! fearsome! arousing awe or dread; hence! worthy of or commanding respect. Redou t! le comes through Diddle English from an Fld -rench verb meaning to fear or dread! and ultimately from the Latin du it!re! to doubt! waver in opinion or action! the source also of the words du ious! which means doubtful or /uestionable! and du iet, AdAyCoo"%Y"i"teeC! which means doubtfulness! uncertainty! wavering. Berhaps because the things we find dubious or that make us waver are often the same things we find disturbing or frightening! redou t! le has come to apply to that which we fear and respect because we doubt our ability to match! oppose! or overcome it. )n modern usage! redou t! le means fearsome! formidable Astress on for5! remember4C! commanding respect! and may apply either to people or to things. 1e speak of the legendary #ercules as a redoubtable hero; of drug abuse as a redoubtable social problem; of &)5S as a redoubtable disease; of the redoubtable genius of &lbert Einstein; of a rivalry between two redoubtable football teams; or of small airline companies facing redoubtable competition from the big carriers. )n current usage redou t! le sometimes is used to achieve a humorous! gently mocking effect. -or e$ample! back when Gohnny :arson was host of 2(he (onight Show!3 on which the actress Shelley 1inters was a fre/uent guest! ) remember :arson once cut to a commercial with this /uip 25on't go away! because we'll be right back with the redoubtable Shelley 1inters.3

6o'2 33( ,ROGNOSTICATE <1'a=8)NA-S)t4)0a.t?

(o predict; especially! to predict from signs! symptoms! or present indications. Synonyms of 'ro#nostic!te include foretell! forec!st! foresee! 'ro'$es,

A,RA-&"i"SYC! 'res!#e Apri"S&YGC! and v!ticin!te Ava"TIS"i"6&Y(C. Pro#nostic!te comes through Latin from 8reek! and by derivation means 2a knowing beforehand! foreknowledge.3 -rom the same source we inherit several related words. Pro#nostic Aprahg"6&#S"tikC! used as a noun! means an indication of something in the future. Esed as an adjective! 'ro#nostic means pertaining to or serving as the basis of a prediction! as prognostic powers or prognostic evidence. (he noun 'ro#nostic!tion Aprahg"6&#S"ti"*AA"shinC means a prediction! prophecy! forecast! as the prognostications of economists are not always reliable. Pro#nostic!tor Aprahg"NA-S"ti"I&Y"turC is a lofty word for 2a person who makes predictions.3 )f you want to be grandilo/uent! you could say the reporter who does your local weather forecast is a prognosticator! or that a coworker who is always making predictions about affairs in the office is the office prognosticator. -inally! the useful noun 'ro#nosis Aprahg"6F#"sisC means a prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease or medical condition. Pro#nosis and di!#nosis should be sharply distinguished. & di!#nosis is an assessment of a medical condition. 1hen you ask your doctor! 21hat's the diagnosis43 you are asking for the doctor's opinion of what is wrong based on a clinical analysis of signs and symptoms. 1hen you ask your doctor! 21hat's the prognosis43 you are asking the doctor to predict the likely course and outcome of the condition based on whatever treatment is administeredin other words! to tell you whether the problem will get better or worse. )n short! a di!#nosis describes the nature of the medical condition; a 'ro#nosis predicts its likely course and outcome. Fur keyword! 'ro#nostic!te! means to make a prognosis or prediction. Pro#nostic!te applies especially to the act of predicting from signs! symptoms! or present indications. Bolitical pundits attempt to prognosticate the outcome of an election. -inancial analysts prognosticate trends in the stock market. Your horoscope in the newspaper purports to prognosticate from the alignment of the planets what may lie in store for you that day. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page .*?.
1. "nt!#onist and &,r&idon are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. *!scent and senescent are9 3. (o !ccede and to consent are9 4. I#no&inious and &!#n!ni&ous are9 5. *on!#e and i&&!turit, are9

6. 1o&&end!tion and invective are9 7. Plot and &!c$in!tion are9 8. Intr!ct! le and docile are9 9. ;or&id! le and redou t! le are9

10.(o 'ro#nostic!te and to 'redict are9 )f you answered fewer than eight of the /uestions correctly in this /ui+! remember to reread the last ten keyword discussions before moving ahead in the program. A'e Ao/ 4n Eo8/eJ 6ow let's discuss the third category of abusage vogue words. %y 2vogue words3 ) mean words that for some reason suddenly become fashionable! and that people use constantly without considering whether they have any useful purpose or force. Hogue words may be old or new! long or short! but the one thing they have in common is their popularity! which leads to their being worn out by 2e$cessive and mechanical repetition!3 as 1ilson -ollett puts it in 4odern "&eric!n (s!#e A*@<<C. )n short! vogue words are the words that la+y writers and speakers reach for when they are trying to sound intelligent and original but don't have anything interesting to say. &s you may recall from my tirade in Level '! uni-ue is a prime e$ample of a vogue word. #ave you noticed how everything is 2so very uni/ue3 these days4 &pparently! the time has passed when something was just unusual or uncommon. (o top it off! the precise meaning of uni-ue is not simply 2unusual3 or 2uncommon3 but 2one of a kind! matchless! without peer.3 Fnce you know that! it doesn't make sense to /ualify uni-ue with such words as ver,! &ost! or so&ew$!t. #ow can something be very uni/ue or somewhat uni/ue if it already is peerless! one of a kind4 You may also recall! from the end of Level <! my objurgation regarding the vogue word i&'!ct. )n T$e 6riter7s "rt A*@?0C! Games G. Iilpatrick says i&'!ct has 2fastened like fatty tissue to the arteries of our language.3 #e's right. 6o longer can something have a plain effect; it must have a dull i&'!ct. 6o longer can we say that something influenced or !ffected us the banal vogue demands we say it i&'!cted us. )n my vocabulary! your teeth or your bones can be i&'!cted! wedged together; and an i&'!ct is a collision or violent blow. %ut those who follow the vogue have taken all the force out of this word and used it as a feeble substitute for influence or effect. (oday we are bombarded with environmental impact studies! warnings about the impact of inflation! and vicissitudes that may adversely impact the stock market. &s if that's not enough to make a verbally advantaged person contemplate the impact of a bullet on the brain! the i&'!ct virus now is mutating into even more pernicious formsT -or e$ample! ) have come across the word i&'!ctful in print! in an ad for a laptop computer that said! 2Bresentations are impactful. Engaging. )mpressive.3

1hy did that tin"eared writer use i&'!ctful4 1hat's wrong with saying the presentations are engaging and impressiveor for that matter! effective! outstanding! striking! splendid! gripping! stunning! sensational! or electrifying4 1hy invent such an ugly word when so many attractive ones are available4 Blease! dear reader! for the health and welfare of the English language ) implore you to abstain from using i&'!ct or any of its odious offspring. Fur ne$t vile vogue word is vi! le. (he precise meaning of vi! le is able to live! able to take root and grow! capable of independent e$istence! as a viable plant! a viable fetus! a viable culture! or a viable industry. (oday! however! people are using vi! le to mean 2possible! workable! doable.3 1hen ) hear about 2viable plans3 and 2viable alternatives!3 ) wonder where they're going to live! who's going to put them up. )f you want a fancy word for 'ossi le! try conceiv! le! and if you want a fancy word for wor%! le or do! le! try 'r!ctic! lepronounced in four syllables B7&I"ti"kuh"buul. 6e$t in the (op 0= of Hogue we have 2(he )+e %rothers3 &!8i&iAe! fin!liAe! 'rioritiAe! concretiAe! sensitiAe! o'ti&iAe! secretiAe! incentiviAe! and many more awkward and pretentious verbs ending in " iAe. )n T$e "''ro'ri!te 6ord A*@@=C! G. 6. #ook notes that "iAe is 2an unbeautiful verb ending! often critici+ed by writers on usage! yet fre/uently necessary! as criticiAe itself illustrates.3 )n T$e 1!reful 6riter! (heodore D. %ernstein wisely comments that the suffi$ "iAe can either help the language grow in a wholesome way! or make it grow 2stuffy and grotes/ue.3 1riticiAe! steriliAe! soci!liAe! and $os'it!liAe are useful because they streamline e$pression. & coinage like incentiviAe is not only ugly and outlandish but also unnecessary! because the language already contains words that e$press its meaning! such as e8cite! encour!#e! and sti&ul!te. 7emember! if you hear a strange bu++ing in your ears! watch out for a pompous and promiscuous use of the suffi$ "iAe. &ccording to devotees of the vogue! people don't talk! speak! or converse anymore. )nstead they di!lo#ue! as 21e dialogued about it for an hour over lunch.3 )'m sorry! but it's high time to put a mu++le on that one. Fther horrifying vogue words include interf!ce! which should not be allowed to show its face outside of computer science; &et$odolo#, used to mean method; decisioned used to mean decided; and 'ro!ctive! which the dictionaries now tell us means 2acting in anticipation3 of something but which the voguesters in business and government all seem to use to mean either 2acting to show that we're acting3 or 2acting as if we know what we're doing.3 (he poet 1. #. &uden once claimed that 2nine"tenths of the population do not know what .= percent of the words they use actually mean.3 ) would wager that most people use words like i&'!ct! 'rioritiAe! &et$odolo#,! and 'ro!ctive not because they're trying to use the right word but because they're trying to appear with it or smart. &s #. 1. -owler remarks in his classic guide! 4odern 9n#lis$ (s!#e A*@,<C! vogue words are 2words

owing their vogue to the joy of showing one has ac/uired them.3 -inally! there are the catch phrases that are so often repeated that they lose whatever shred of meaning or force they might have had. (hink about how often you have heardand perhaps usedthese phrases c!lcul!ted ris%! c!utiousl, o'ti&istic! credi ilit, #!'! co&&unic!tion #!'> t$e otto& line! -u!ntu& le!'! '$!se out! cuttin# ed#e! st!te of t$e !rt! &e!nin#ful di!lo#ue! 'eer #rou'! considered 2ud#&ent! f!ctors to e considered! decision5&!%in# 'rocess! le!rnin# e8'erience! 'ositive conse-uences! it re&!ins to e seen! and in re#!rd toor worse! the illiterate in re#!rds to. (hose are just a handful of the scores of fashionable but vapid or nebulous e$pressions that the careful writer and speaker rephrases or avoids. Ieep your eyes and ears open! and whenever you suspect that a word or phrase is becoming weak from overwork! it's a good bet that it's been bitten by the vogue. )n T$e 6riter7s "rt A*@?0C! columnist Games G. Iilpatrick relates an anecdote about former secretary of commerce Dalcolm %aldrige! who was so infuriated with the gobbledegook and doublespeak of the 1ashington bureaucracy that he issued a memo 2demanding Qshort sentences and short words! with emphasis on plain English! using no more words than effective e$pression re/uires.J (hus! for starters!3 writes Iilpatrick! %aldrige 2banned from departmental correspondence and papers such words as &!8i&iAe! institution!liAe! and interf!ce!3 along with such phrases as 2 otto& line and serious crisis and &!teri!l enclosed $erewit$ .3 ) can just see all the bureaucrats 2interfacing3 and 2dialoguing3 around the coffee maker! being 2cautiously optimistic3 about 2ma$imi+ing3 their 2bottom line.3 Somebody had to 2impact3 their 2parameters!3 right4 (here are two lessons to be learned here Look hard before you leap on the verbal bandwagon! and beware the ostentatious allure of the popular but enervated word. &s 1ilson -ollett writes in 4odern "&eric!n (s!#e A*@<<C! 21hen repeated use has worn down the novelty! the word we hear and the associations we sense are not what they were at first9. Skill in e$pression consists in nothing else than choosing the fittest among all possible words! idioms! and constructions.3 &nd with that fitting piece of advice on vogue words! let's return now to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary for the ne$t ten keywords in Level >.

6o'2 31( ENGEN@ER <en)BEN)2/'?

(o bring about! bring into being! give rise to! cause to e$ist! sow the seeds of. Synonyms of en#ender include 'roduce and #ener!te. &ntonyms include 'revent! su''ress! su due! -uell! and -u!s$ Arhymes with s-u!s$C. 9n#ender comes through Diddle English and Fld -rench from the Latin #ener!re! to beget! produce! bring to life. Friginally! en#ender meant to

beget by procreation! which is a fancy way of saying se$ual intercourse. A&nd who told you Ver !l "dv!nt!#e wasn't a se$y program4C 5ictionaries still list e#et! 'rocre!te! and 'ro'!#!te as synonyms of en#ender! but the sense of breeding offspring has fallen by the wayside! and since at least Shakespeare's day en#ender has meant to bring forth! give rise to! cause to e$ist. & rally in the stock market may engender hope among investors that the economy is improving. &n e$change of invective between nations can engender war.

6o'2 32( &ETI@ <&ET)42?

Stinking! foul"smelling; having an e$tremely offensive odor! as of something rotten or decayed. )n =!&let! Shakespeare could just as well have written 2Something is fetid in the state of 5enmark!3 e$cept that if he had! probably no one would /uote the line today. :hallenging synonyms of fetid include r!n%! r!ncid! &!lodorous! 'utrid ABYFF"tridC! noiso&e A6FY"sumC! &e'$itic Ame"-)("ikC! and #r!veolent Agruh"HEE"uh"lintC. &ntonyms include fr!#r!nt! scented! 'erfu&ed! !ro&!tic! and redolent A7E5"uh"lintC. ;etid comes through the Latin fetidus! which means 2stinking!3 from the verb fetere! to stink! have a bad smell. )n current usage! fetid is not used of any old bad smell but is usually reserved for an e$tremely offensive odor! such as that produced by rotting or decay. -or e$ample! bad breath makes you wrinkle your nose; fetid breath makes you gag. 1hen your garbage is odorous! it smells; when it's malodorous! it smells bad; when it's rank! it's really going sour; and when it's fetid! youJd better get rid of it before your neighbors call the health department. &nd now! because ) can read your twisted! puerile mind and ) know you are waiting for me to get to this yes! it's also true that a fart Awhich in this dignified programstop giggling nowTwe call 2a gaseous flatus e$pelled from the anus3C can also be fetid! foul"smelling. ) shall end this malodorous lesson with a pronunciation tip. You may occasionally see our keyword spelled foetid! and you may occasionally hear it pronounced -EE"tid. (hat's the %ritish spelling and pronunciation. )n &merican English we spell it fetid and prefer a short e -E("id.

6o'2 33( ,E@ANTIC <1e)@AN)t40?

&bsurdly learned; scholarly in an ostentatious way; making an inappropriate or tiresome display of knowledge by placing undue importance on trivial details! rules! or formalities. &fter that definition! you're probably thinking that your guide through Ver !l "dv!nt!#e sometimes is pedantic about language. &ll right! it's true. &s we pedantic types like to say! &e! cul'! AD&Y"uh IEEL"puhC! which is Latin for 2my fault.3 Fn the other hand! ) am also erudite! which as you learned in Level . means scholarly! possessing e$tensive knowledge

ac/uired chiefly from books. (hat's not such a bad combination for someone whose job is to help you navigate the stormy sea of English words. So! my verbally advantaged friend! if you want to emulate my grandilo/uent erudition! then please pardon my pedantry as ) e$plain that the adjective 'ed!ntic! and the corresponding nouns 'ed!nt ABE5"JntC and 'ed!ntr, ABE5"Jn"treeC! come through )talian and Latin from the 8reek '!id!#o#os! a tutor of children! the source also of the word 'ed!#o#ue A ,E@"uh"8&#8C! which may mean simply a teacher! or a teacher who is narrow"minded! dogmatic! andyou guessed itpedantic. )f we further break down the 8reek '!id!#o#os! we see that it is composed of '!is! '!idos! a boy or child! and !#ein! to lead or conduct! and means literally a leader or conductor of youngsters. -or the significance of that derivation! let's turn to the erudite and only occasionally pedantic 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C. 2&mong the ancient 8reeks and 7omans!3 says the 1entur,! 2the pedagogue was originally a slave who attended the younger children of his master! and conducted them to school! to the theater! etc.! combining in many cases instruction with guardianship.3 (his servile tutor of classical anti/uity eventually rose to become the modern pedagogue! a teacher or schoolmaster! but a stigma of pedantry meaning a slavish or dogmatic attention to rules and minor details of learningremained on the word. Berhaps that e$plains why! when certain members of the teaching profession went looking for a more dignified word for themselves than teacher! they eschewed 'ed!#o#ue and settled on three terms educ!tor! which is a good alternative; educ!tionist! which is a pompous one; and educ!tion!list! which is preposterous. %ut unless you happen to be a pedagogue! that's neither here nor there! and being the verbose pedant that ) am! ) digress. & 'ed!nt was originally a pedagogue or teacher! but that sense soon fell into disuse and a 'ed!nt became! as the 1entur, 0iction!r, puts it! 2a person who overrates erudition! or lays an undue stress on e$act knowledge of detail or of trifles! as compared with larger matters or with general principles.3 (he noun 'ed!ntr, refers to the manners or actions of a pedant. &ccording to the eighteenth"century )rish essayist and dramatist Sir 7ichard Steele! 2Bedantry proceeds from much reading and little understanding.3 Gonathan Swift! the author of +ulliver7s Tr!vels! defined 'ed!ntr, as 2the overrating of any kind of knowledge we pretend to.3 &nd the poet Samuel (aylor :oleridge AIF#L"rij! two syllablesC wrote that 2pedantry consists in the use of words unsuitable to the time! place! and company.3 (he adjective 'ed!ntic means absurdly learned; scholarly in an ostentatious way; making an inappropriate or tiresome display of knowledge by placing undue importance on trivial details! rules! or

formalities.

6o'2 34( CA,ITULATE <0/=),IC-)/=)la.t?

(o yield! surrender; specifically! to surrender on specified terms or conditions. (he verbs to c!'itul!te and to dec!'it!te both come ultimately from the Latin c!'ut! c!'itis! which means 2the head.3 0ec!'it!te sticks literally to its root and means to cut off the head. 1!'itul!te has sprouted from its root and means to list the terms of surrender under various headings in a document. &lthough some current dictionaries define c!'itul!te as 2to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms!3 in precise usage c!'itul!te means to yield or surrender only on stipulated terms! although the terms do not necessarily have to be drawn up in a document. 1hen armies or nations capitulate! they specify the conditions under which they will surrender. 1hen people accused of a crime accept a plea bargain! they capitulate by stipulating the terms under which they will yield to the prosecution and accept a conviction. &nd when two parties come to terms in a dispute! you can be sure that one party is the victor and the other has capitulated. (he corresponding noun is c!'itul!tion! the act of surrendering or yielding on specified terms or conditions.

6o'2 35( INC-OATE <4n)*O-)4t?

Gust begun; in an early stage of development; partly in e$istence; not fully formed; undeveloped; imperfect; incomplete. Synonyms of inc$o!te include ele&ent!r,! 'reli&in!r,! n!scent Aword ,, of this levelC! rudi&ent!r,! and inci'ient Ain"S)B"ee"intC. Inc$o!te comes from the Latin inco$!tus! just begun! not finished! incomplete; inco$!tus is the past participle of the verb inco$!re! to begin! take in hand! start work on. Since the si$teenth century! when inc$o!te entered English! the word has been used of that which has just begun or is in an early stage of development! and which is therefore imperfect or incomplete. &n inchoate state is an initial! undeveloped state; an inchoate idea is an idea not yet fully formed; an inchoate project is a project that is just getting off the ground.

6o'2 3 ( EG,ONENT <e0s),O-)n4nt?

& person who stands or speaks for something! a representative or advocate. 98'onent comes from the Latin e8'onere! to put forth! put on view! display. (he Latin e8'onere is also the source of the English verb to

e8'ound! which means to e$plain! interpret! set forth point by point! as to e$pound an idea or to e$pound the principles of business management. &n e$ponent may be a person who e$pounds! an e$plainer! interpreter! or commentator! but in current usage e8'onent more often applies to a person who stands or speaks for something! someone who represents! advocates! or promotes some idea or purpose (he leader of a political party is the e$ponent of its principles and goals; the pontiff is the e$ponent of 7oman :atholicism; the framers of the E.S. :onstitution were e$ponents of democracy and individual liberty; and :arry 6ation! the austere and abstemious nineteenth"century temperance crusader who chopped up saloons with a hatchet! was a radical e$ponent of abstinence from alcoholic beverages.

6o'2 3!( MEN@ACIOUS <:en)@AA)s=/s?

6ot truthful! lying! false! dishonest! deceitful. 4end!cious comes through the Latin &end!ciu&! a lie! from the adjective &end!8! which means lying! deceitful. %y derivation &end!cious means given to lying! disposed to falsehood or deceit. & mendacious person is a dishonest person! one who is prone to lie or deceive; a mendacious statement is an untruthful statement! a deliberate falsehood or a lie. Synonyms of &end!cious include fr!udulent! $,'ocritic!l! disin#enuous A5)S"in"BEN"yoo"usC! ev!sive! e-uivoc!l Ai"I1)H"uh"kulC! du'licitous AdAyCoo"BL)S"i"tusC! and 'rev!ric!tin# Apri"EAR"i"I&Y"tingC. &ntonyms include trut$ful! $onor! le! u'ri#$t! et$ic!l! virtuous! scru'ulous! and ver!cious Ave"7&Y"shusC. (he corresponding noun is &end!cit, Amen"5&S"i"teeC! untruthfulness! lying! deceit.

6o'2 3"( STRI@ENT <STRA)24nt?

Loud and harsh"sounding! grating! shrill. Synonyms of strident include e!rs'littin#! screec$in#! discord!nt! cl!&orous! c!co'$onous Akuh"I&#-"uh"nusC! vociferous Avoh"S)-"ur"usC! and stentori!n Asten"(F7"ee"inC. &ntonyms include f!int! su dued! &elodious! dulcet A5E#L"sitC! and eu'$onious Ayoo"-F#"nee"usC. .trident comes from the present participle of the Latin verb stridere! to make a harsh noise. &pparently! stridere was a versatile word in Latin! for ancient 7oman poets and writers such as Hergil AHE7"jilC! Lucretius Aloo" I7EE"shusC! and Fvid A&#"vidC used it to describe many sounds! not all of them harsh the grating of metal on metal; the whistling of the wind; the scraping or whining of a saw; the creaking of a wagon! a rope! or a hinge on a door; the whirring of a rock or an arrow propelled through the air; the braying of an ass; the trumpeting of elephants; the grunting of a pig; the hiss of a snake; and even the humming of bees.

(he words that English has inherited from the Latin stridere are not so versatile! and stick more closely to the core meaning of this ancient verb to make a harsh noise. -or instance! the noun stridor AS(7Y"durC may mean a harsh grating or creaking sound or! in medicine! a harsh sound made when breathing in or out that indicates obstruction of the respiratory tract. (he adjective stridulous AS(7)G"uh"lusC means making a harsh or shrill noise. &nd the verb to stridul!te ASTRIB"uh"L&Y(C means to make a shrill! high" pitched grating or chirping sound. :rickets and various other insects stridulate by rubbing certain body parts together. Fur keyword! strident! applies to any sound or noise that is disagreeably loud! harsh! and shrill a piercing scream! the screeching of brakes! the grinding of gears! the whining of a power tool! the wailing of a baby! or any loud! gruff voice that grates on your ears can be described as strident.

6o'2 3#( OLIGARC-A <A-L)/=)GA-R)0ee?

8overnment by a few; rule or control e$ercised by a few persons or by a small! elite group. /li#!rc$, comes from the 8reek oli#os! few! little! and !rc$ein> to govern! rule! and by derivation means 2government by the few.3 /li#!rc$, may denote rule or control e$ercised by a few people! a state or an organi+ation run by a few people! or the few dominant people themselves! and the word often suggests the hoarding of power for corrupt or selfish purposes. (hus we speak of an oligarchy within organi+ed crime; an oligarchy of the rich; or the oligarchy of the former Soviet Enion. -or the corresponding adjective! both oli#!rc$ic and oli#!rc$ic!l are acceptable. #ere's a pronunciation tip You may hear some speakers pronounce oli#!rc$, with a long o F#"ligarchy. (his recent variant is listed second in two current dictionaries; all other authorities! past and present! do not recogni+e it. Broperly! the initial o is short! as in olive and colle#e.

6o'2 43( RE&ULGENT <'4)&U-L)Dent?

Shining brightly! brilliant! radiant! resplendent. &dditional synonyms of reful#ent include #le!&in#! l!Ain#! s'!r%lin#! lu&inous! inc!ndescent! scintill!tin#! and corusc!tin#. )n case you're wondering about those last three! allow me to e$plain. Inc!ndescent A)6"kan"@ES"intC means e$tremely bright or glowing with heat. )t may sound peculiar to say so! but a light bulb! a person's mind! and a spiritual truth all can be described as incandescent. .cintill!tin# ASIN "ti" L&Y"tingC means throwing off sparks! sparkling or twinkling. You can have scintillating thoughts! scintillating conversation! or observe scintillating stars in the summer sky. 1orusc!tin# A*OR"uh"SI&Y"ting or *A-R"C means giving off flashes of light! flashing or glittering. &n impressive display of fireworks is a coruscating display; a flashy or brilliant performance can be

described as a coruscating performance. &ntonyms of reful#ent include dull! di&! o scure! #loo&,! and &ur%,! all of which ) know you know! so ) think )'ll commit an unpardonable act of pedantic obfuscation by muddling and bewildering you with these mind" boggling antonyms tene rous A(E6"uh"brusC! which means dark and gloomy; u& r!#eous Auhm"%7&Y"jusC! which means shady or overshadowed; su fuscous Asuhb"-E#S"kusC! which means dusky or somber; anddo you have room upstairs for one more4 cre'uscul!r Akri"BE#S"kyuh"lurC! which means pertaining to twilight! hence! characteri+ed by dim! waning! or glimmering light. Fur brilliant keyword! reful#ent! comes from the present participle of the Latin verb reful#ere! to shine brightly! which comes in turn from re"! meaning 2back!3 and ful#ere! to shine! flash! or gleam. You may use reful#ent literally to mean gleaming or shining brightly; for e$ample! someone can give you a refulgent smile! or you can e$plore a cave with the refulgent beam of a powerful flashlight. You may also use reful#ent to mean figuratively brilliant or radiant; for e$ample! you may know someone with a refulgent wit! or a person of refulgent beauty. (he corresponding noun is reful#ence Ari"-E#L"jentsC! brilliance! radiance! resplendence.

Let's review the last ten keywords by playing 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a keyword Ain it!licsC is followed by three definitions. (wo of the three are correct; one is unrelated in meaning. 5ecide which definition doesn't fit the keyword. &nswers appear on page .*@.
1. (o en#ender means to bring about! bring up! give rise to. 2. ;etid means ugly! rotten! stinking. 3. Ped!ntic

means showing off one's knowledge in inappropriate way! in an impressive way! in a tiresome way.

an

4. (o c!'itul!te means to yield! admit! surrender. 5. Inc$o!te means completed! undeveloped! just begun. 6. &n e8'onent is an advocate! a representative! an adversary. 7. 4end!cious means lying! bitter! false. 8. .trident means bold! harsh! loud. 9. /li#!rc$, means control by a small group! rule by a dictator!

government by a few. 10.Reful#ent means lu$uriant! radiant! brilliant. A'e Ao/ A2249te2 to A2ve'b4a8eJ

6ow it's time to take a look at the fourth category of abusage! which ) call 2adverbiage.3 &dverbiage is the overuse or awkward use of adverbs! words that modify verbsor to put it in nongrammatical terms! words that tell you how an action is performed. Dost! though not all! adverbs end in " l,. -or e$ample! in the sentence 2(hey listened carefully!3 c!refull, is the adverb modifying the verb to listen. )n the sentence 2#e used the word properly!3 'ro'erl, is the adverb modifying the verb to use. (here is nothing inherently wrong with adverbsas you can see from my pointed use of in$erentl, in that statement. A&nd by the way! in$erent is properly pronounced in"#EE7"int! not in"#&)7"int or in"#E7"int.C &dverbs can perform a useful service in e$pressing nuances of /uality or manner. (he 2adverbiage3 problem occurs when the adverb is part of a clichN! or hackneyed phrase; when it is an awkward creation! such as 2procedurally!3 2constructionally!3 2e$perientially!3 or 2opinionatedly3; or when adverbs are overused! as in this sentence 2&s the report clearly states! the only thoroughly and completely effective method for increasing sales rapidly is to competitively engineer and efficiently market our products.3 (hat horrendous sentence commits all three errorshackneyed use! awkward use! and overuse. Doral &dverbiage always weakens what you have to say. )n his stylebook .i&'le !nd 0irect A*@?'C! Gac/ues %ar+un offers these e$amples of adverbial clichNs to seriousl, consider! to utterl, re2ect! to t$orou#$l, e8!&ine! to e ! solutel, ri#$t! to &!%e 'erfectl, cle!r! and to sound definitel, interested. )n each case the adverb is superfluous; nothing is lost by removing it. )n fact! each phrase is strengthened as a result. 2) will consider it3 conveys more promise of serious attention than 2) will seriously consider it.3 2) reject the allegation3 is firmer and more confident than 2) utterly reject the allegation.3 2(o be right3 is unimpeachable compared with 2to be absolutely right!3 which suggests that there are degrees of rightness. &nd 2let me make one thing clear3 is a stronger statement than 2let me make one thing perfectly clear!3 because inserting the adverb 'erfectl, makes you sound either condescending or defensive. (ake a look at the following passage! which ) culled from the sales brochure of a company speciali+ing in 2instructional technology3by which they mean! in plain English! 2training programs.3 See if you can discern why and how the writing is flawed
O1eP understand the critical need for instruction that truly teaches what people need to know. Beople learn best when the instruction is designed so that it facilitates the learning process and when they thoroughly enjoy the learning activity.

(hat is terrible writing; unfortunately! it is typical of the thoughtless and careless way many educated and otherwise articulate people use the language. 5id you hear the vogue word! catch phrases! and adverbiage4 )n two sentences containing just thirty"eight words! the writer used the vogue word 2facilitates3; the catch phrases 2learning process!3 2learning activity!3

and 2critical need3; and two blundering bits of adverbiage 2truly teaches3 and 2thoroughly enjoy.3 (he verb f!cilit!te has been in the language for almost four hundred years; it's a decent word that comes in handy every so often. (he problem is that in trying to pump up their prose! people have overworked f!cilit!te nigh unto death. 1hy must we always facilitate something when the words $el'! su''ort! !ssist! and encour!#e are there to help! support! assist! and encourage us4 Likewise! can't we just enjoy learning without making it a process! an activity! or an e$perience4 &nd why is a need always critical4 1ill someone die if it isn't satisfied4 )f you said 2) have a critical need to go to the bathroom!3 the person you said it to probably would burst out laughing. Yet in a world where a crisis must be a 2serious crisis3 to merit attention! we fear a need will be ignored unless we say it's a 2critical need.3 -inally! we have the adverbiage problem. (he writer of those two miserable sentences tried to sound enthusiastic and convincing by using the phrases 2truly teaches3 and 2thoroughly enjoy3 but wound up being verbose and trite. )n a collo/uial e$change with a coworker about a movie you had seen! it would be natural for you to say you 2thoroughly enjoyed3 it and found it 2truly interesting.3 (hat's because speech is more informal! more wordy! and less precise than writing! which should be simple and directespecially if it's a sales pitch. 8ood! tight writing has no superfluous words; the practiced writer learns to cut them out! and the first ones to go are always adverbs. 1hat does t$orou#$l, en2o, say that en2o, can't convey by itself4 Likewise! trul, does nothing for the verb to te!c$you either teach or you don't teach. )n fact! trul, is so often used insincerely that it's hard to believe it contains any more enthusiasm than it does in the complimentary close of a letter! 2yours truly.3 Trul,! along with the adverbs !ctu!ll,! !sic!ll,! and re!ll,! are filler words that carry little or no weight by themselves; they are common in everyday! informal conversation! but in writing they should be used with caution! or not at all. (he lesson here is don't overwrite. &void overused words and overblown e$pressions. 5elete wherever possible. Strive to be clear and terse. Strong writing does its work unencumbered by hordes of adverbs! or! as in the case of 2critical need!3 by phrases e$aggerated or overused to the point of meaninglessness. &nd now it's time for another infusion of powerful words that will help you make your e$pression more muscular.

6o'2 41( NE,OTISM <NE,)/=)t4>)H:?

-avoritism shown to relatives. *e'otis& comes through -rench and )talian from the Latin ne'os! ne'otis! a nephew or grandson. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! 2the word was invented Oin the seventeenth centuryP to characteri+e a propensity of the popes and other high ecclesiastics in the 7oman

:atholic :hurch to aggrandi+e their family by e$orbitant grants or favors to nephews or relatives.3 )n current usage ne'otis& denotes favoritism shown to any relative! and the word usually applies to situations in business and public life where relatives are shown preference over nonrelatives and receive privileges or positions that they may not necessarily deserve. (hus! if you give your niece money to help her buy a house or persuade a friend to hire your unemployed brother! it's not nepotism. #owever! when you hire your brother the bricklayer as vice president of your sporting goods company! and when you give your niecethe high"school dropout who can't typea secretarial job and si$ months later promote her to office manager! those are flagrant acts of nepotism. (he corresponding adjective is ne'otistic A6EB"uh"TIS"tikC.

6o'2 42( RIBAL@ <RIB)/l2?

#umorous in a mildly indecent! coarse! or vulgar way. #ere's what three leading &merican dictionaries have to say about our humorously indecent keyword (he third edition of T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, A*@@,C says that ri !ld implies 2vulgar! coarse! off"color language or behavior that provokes mirth.3 4erri!&56e ster7s 1olle#i!te 0iction!r,! tenth edition A*@@?C! says that ri !ld 2applies to what is amusingly or pictures/uely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.3 &nd 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r,! third college edition A*@@>C! says that ri !ld suggests 2mild indecency or lewdness as might bring laughter from those who are not too s/ueamish!3 and refers especially to that which deals with se$ 2in a humorously earthy or direct way.3 Ri !ld has an appropriately earthy etymology. )t comes from an Fld -rench noun meaning a lewd or wanton person; this wanton noun comes in turn from an Fld -rench verb meaning to be se$ually abandoned; and this loose verb is related to an Fld #igh 8erman word that meant figuratively to copulate and literally to rub. &lthough #amlet's oft"/uoted line 2&y! there's the rub3 is not a reference to his ribald fantasies about Fphelia! many of Shakespeare's plays contain ribald jokes and puns whose mildly coarse and indecent se$ual overtones have provoked laughter from audiences for more than four hundred years. Synonyms of ri !ld include #ross! indelic!te! lewd! i&&odest! sensu!l! and o scene. %ear in mind! however! that o scene suggests lewdness or indecency that is strongly offensive! whereas ri !ld applies to coarse vulgarity that is humorous and only mildly indecent. &ntonyms of ri !ld include refined! decent! 'olite! t!steful! cultured! 'olis$ed! cultiv!ted! decorous A5EI"ur"usC! and ur !ne Aur"%&Y6C. (he corresponding noun is ri !ldr,! which means language or behavior that is humorous in a mildly indecent or vulgar way. Let me conclude this discussion with a pronunciation tip Some speakers

have adopted the indelicate spelling pronunciation 7Y"bawld! and certain dictionaries that cater to the gross whims of the vulgar masses now record 7Y"bawld. ) urge you to eschew this unrefined variant! and also to avoid the e/ually uncultivated 7)%"awld. (here is no r,e and there is no !ld in ri !ld . (he word should rhyme with scri led and dri led. &nd speaking of rhyme! for your verbal advantage! edification! and delight! ) have composed a ribald limerick to help you remember the proper pronunciation of the word
1illiam Shakespeare! whenever he scribbled! Esed a /uill that incessantly dribbled; 1hen his pen leaked a lot! )t made 1illy /uite hot! &nd he wrote something suitably ribald.

6o'2 43( AEUNCULAR </=)EU-NG*)./=)l/'?

Like an uncle! pertaining to an uncle! or e$hibiting some characteristic considered typical of an uncle. (he noun uncle and the adjective !vuncul!r both come from the Latin !vunculus! a mother's brother. You may use !vuncul!r to describe some characteristic of your own or someone else's uncle! but the word most often applies to anything suggestive or typical of an uncle. 1e speak of an avuncular smile! an avuncular slap on the back! avuncular concern! avuncular generosity! and avuncular advice. 2) want you for the E.S. &rmy3 is the finger"pointing! avuncular injunction of Encle Sam.

6o'2 44( SU,,LICATE <SU-,)l4)0a.t?

(o ask! beg! or plead for humbly and earnestly. Synonyms of su''lic!te include entre!t! 'etition! i&'ortune! and eseec$. (he verb to su''lic!te comes from the Latin su''lic!re! to kneel! get on one's knees! which in turn comes from su''le8! kneeling! on one's knees. %y derivation! to su''lic!te means to beg or plead for something on bended knee. -rom the same source we also inherit the word su''le ASE#B"JlC. Fccasionally su''le is used to mean yielding! compliant! or obse/uious! but it is now most often used either literally or figuratively to mean bending easily! limber! fle$ible! as a supple bough or a supple mind. (he corresponding noun su''lic!tion ASE#B"li"*AA"shinC means either a humble and earnest re/uest or the act of begging or pleading for something humbly and earnestly. & person who supplicates or who makes a supplication may be called either a su''li!nt ASE#B"lee"intC or a su''lic!nt ASE#B"li"kintC.

6o'2 45( IRASCIBLE <4)RAS)4)b//l or e.e)RAS)4)b//l?

Easily angered! hot"tempered! e$tremely irritable or touchy. Synonyms of ir!sci le include cr!n%,! test,! 'eevis$! 'etul!nt

ABE:#"uh"lintC! ir!te! c!nt!n%erous Akan"(&68I"uh"rusC! contentious Aword *< of Level >C! sn!''is$! c$oleric AI&#L"ur"ikC! c!'tious AI&B"shusC! and s'lenetic Aspli"6E("ikC. &ntonyms include c!l&! unruffled! 'l!cid! !&i! le! !ff! le! and e-u! le AEI"wuh"buulC. Ir!sci le and ir!te Aeye"7&Y(C both come from the Latin verb ir!sci! to be angry! which comes in turn from ir!! anger! wrath. (his Latin ir! is also the direct source of the English word ire Alike tire without the tC. & person who is full of ire! anger! may be either irate or irascible. 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, ! second edition A*@.0C! e$plains that an irate person 2is at the moment angry or incensed3; an irascible person 2is by temperament prone to anger.3 (hus! when something infuriates you! you are sei+ed by ire! anger! and you become irate! temporarily enraged. #owever! if ire burns within you constantly! if you are by nature easily provoked to anger! then you are irascible. Ir!sci le may also apply to that which displays anger or e$treme irritability 2Steve put up with 7andy's incessant stream of irascible remarks for as long as he could! but eventually enough was enough! and he became irate.3

6o'2 4 ( INEGORABLE <4n)E*)s/')/=)b//l?

7elentless! unyielding! merciless; not able to be stopped! changed! or moved by entreaty or persuasion. Synonyms of ine8or! le include unrelentin#! unswervin#! infle8i le! i&&ov! le! unco&'ro&isin#! intr!nsi#ent Ain"(7&6"si"jent! word 0 of Level ?C! o dur!te A&#%"dAyCuu"ritC! and i&'l!c! le Aim"BL&I"uh"buulC. &ntonyms include fle8i le! co&'ro&isin#! o li#in#! co&'li!nt! docile Aword ,? of this levelC! tr!ct! le! !c-uiescent A&I"wee"ES"intC! and co&'l!is!nt Akum"BL&Y"+intC. Ine8or! le comes from the Latin adjective ine8or! ilis! not moved by entreaty or supplication. %y derivation ine8or! le means not responsive to earnest pleas or humble prayers! and therefore relentless! unyielding. Ine8or! le and i&'l!c! le are close in meaning. I&'l!c! le is the stronger of the two; it applies to feeling! and means incapable of being pacified or appeased. &n irascible person might e$press implacable hatred or implacable resentment. Ine8or! le means incapable of being moved or changed by petition or persuasion! deaf to all pleas. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! ine8or! le 2e$presses an immovable firmness in refusing to do what one is entreated to do! whether that be good or bad.3 )t may apply to a person 2Goe pleaded with his manager to give him an e$tra day of vacation! but his manager was ine$orable.3 )t may also apply to a thing! as 2an ine$orable campaign to s/uash the competition and dominate the industry.3 )t may also be used

figuratively! as 2(he ine$orable hand of fate! the ine$orable voice of necessity! the ine$orable drifting of the sands of time! and the ine$orable winds of war all led him to his ine$orable doom.3 &nd in my ability to produce clichNs to illustrate this word! ) am also ine8or! le! relentless! unyielding! merciless.

6o'2 4!( ,AREENU <,A-R)v/=)n<.?oo?

&n upstart; specifically! a person who suddenly ac/uires wealth and power and rises to a higher class! but who is not accepted by the members of that class. P!rvenu comes from a -rench verb meaning to succeed! and means literally 2a person newly come into success.3 P!rvenu almost always is used in a negative sense of a person who gains wealth and standing! but who cannot gain the social acceptance of the wealthy and powerful. )n the eyes of the established elite! the parvenu is an upstartundeserving! uncultured! immodest! and often pretentious. (hose masters of the fine art of condescenscion! the -rench! have condescended to give English another useful term for this sort of person !rriviste A&7"ee"EEESTC. &s you may have deduced from that spelling! !rriviste means literally 2a person who has recently arrived.3 (he word crossed the English :hannel into the language about *@==! and is used today of someone who attains social prominence or a position of power sometimes by unscrupulous means and always without paying the necessary dues. %oth the parvenu and the arriviste are upstarts! but the difference between them is this (he parvenu usually ac/uires wealth and status by an accident of fatefor e$ample! through an une$pected inheritance! a business windfall or promotion! or by cleaning up at Las Hegas. Fnce arrived! the parvenu makes an awkward or pretentious attempt to gain social acceptance from the members of the class into which he has risen. (he arriviste! on the other hand! is a vulgar and often ruthless social climber who has clawed his way to the top and doesn't care what anyone thinks or says about it.

6o'2 4"( SALUBRIOUS <s/=)LOO)b'ee)/s?

#ealthful! wholesome! favorable or conducive to well"being. &ntonyms of s!lu rious include ins!lu rious! deleterious Aword .. of Level 0C! 'ernicious Aword *= of this levelC! no8ious! !neful! &!li#n! and noiso&e A6FY"sumC. .!lu rious! s!lut!r,! and w$oleso&e all mean good for your health. 6$oleso&e refers to that which benefits or builds up the body! mind! or spirit! as a wholesome diet! wholesome recreation! or the wholesome effects of building your vocabulary. .!lut!r, ASAL"yuh"(E7"eeC refers to that which has! or is intended to have! a corrective or remedial effect upon the health or general condition of someone or something! as salutary

advice or a salutary proposal to revitali+e the inner city. .!lu rious refers to that which is healthful! invigorating! or promotes physical well"being! as salubrious air! a salubrious climate! or salubrious e$ercise. %oth s!lut!r, and s!lu rious come from the Latin s!lus! health. (he noun corresponding to s!lu rious is s!lu riousness.

6o'2 4#( -A,ERBOLE <=.),UR)b/=)lee?

E$aggeration in speech or writing; especially! e$travagant e$aggeration that is intentional and obvious. (he corresponding adjective is $,'er olic A#Y"pur"BA-L"ikC! or! less often! $,'er olic!l A#Y"pur"BA-L"ik"ulC. Fccasionally! you will hear an educated speaker who has learned this word from reading! but who has not bothered to check its pronunciation in a dictionary! say $,'er owl. &ny sports fan will tell you that there's a Super %owl! a Sugar %owl! a :otton %owl! and a 7ose %owl! but there is no #yper %owl. (he only recogni+ed pronunciation is hy"BE7"buh"lee! and anything else is downright beastly. =,'er ole comes from a 8reek word meaning an e$cess! something that overshoots the mark. (his 8reek word comes in turn from a verb meaning to e$ceed or throw beyond. %y derivation! hyperbole is e$travagant language that e$ceeds what is necessary or overshoots the mark. &s %ergen Evans e$plains in his 0iction!r, of 1onte&'or!r, "&eric!n (s!#e A*@'>C! 2=,'er ole is the term in rhetoric for obvious e$aggeration. (here is no intent to deceive. (he e$travagant language is for emphasis only.3 %ecause hyperbole heightens the effect of what we say without obscuring its meaning! it's a popular rhetorical device! and many of the most shopworn e$pressions in the language are hyperbolic. #ere are just a few e$amples of hackneyed hyperbole I owe ,ou ! &illion t$!n%s; s$e w!ited for !n eternit,; $e w!s etern!ll, #r!teful; we !re forever inde ted to ,ou; I !& so tired I could slee' for ! wee% ; t$e, r!n f!ster t$!n li#$tnin# ; $e7s !s stron# !s !n o8; ,our riefc!se wei#$s ! ton; &, feet !re %illin# &e; $e s!id $eFd do it or die tr,in# . (hese and many more hyperbolic e$pressions are acceptable in informal speech and e$cusable in the most casual forms of writing! but in situations that demand more formal and precise e$pression! or in which an e$aggerated effect would be inappropriate! they should be scrupulously avoided. 6ot all hyperbole is clichN. (here are many memorable statements! withering insults! and powerful speeches that manifest an original! effective! and often striking use of hyperbole. )n T$e 9le&ents of .'eec$writin# !nd Pu lic .'e!%in# A*@?@C! Geff Scott :ook defines $,'er ole as 2an e$aggeration used to emphasi+e a point!3 and offers the following e$amples! among others -ormer (e$as senator! vice"presidential candidate! and secretary of the

treasury Lloyd %entsen once said! 2(he thrift industry is really in terrible shape. )t's reached the point where if you buy a toaster! you get a free savings and loan.3 -aye 1attleton! former president of Blanned Barenthood! once said! 2(hose Qjust say noJ Oto se$P messages are about as effective at preventing OteenP pregnancy as saying Qhave a nice dayJ prevents chronic depression.3 &nd the actor 7obert 7edford once /uipped hyperbolically! 2)f you stay in %everly #ills too long! you become a Dercedes.3 Some of the finest English poetry ever written also makes stunning use of hyperbole. Fne of Shakespeare's most glorious and hyperbolic passages occurs in "nton, !nd 1leo'!tr!! when Enobarbus describes the wondrous! irresistible beauty of :leopatra! who has sailed down the river :ydnus on an opulent barge. #ere is a selection from that passage
(he barge she sat in! like a burnished throne! %urned on the water the poop was beaten gold; Burple the sails! and so perfumJed that (he winds were lovesick with them9.
(he city cast #er people out upon her; and &ntony! Enthroned iJ thJ marketplace! did sit alone!

1histling to thJ air; which! but for vacancy! #ad gone to ga+e on :leopatra too! &nd made a gap in nature.

6o'2 53( SANCTIMONIOUS <SANG*)t4)MO-)nee)/s?

Self"righteous; holier"than"thou; characteri+ed by insincere or affected righteousness! virtuousness! or religious piety. .!ncti&onious comes from the Latin s!nctus! holy! sacred! and the word was once used to mean holy or sacred. )n modern usage! however! s!ncti&onious refers to insincere! affected! or hypocritical holiness or righteousness. Beople who are sanctimonious come off as self"righteous and holier"than"thou but do not practice what they preach. (he corresponding noun is s!ncti&on, ASANG*"tuh"DF#"neeC! righteousness or virtuousness that is affected or hypocritical.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you the review word Ain it!licsC followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which one of those three words or phrases comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page .*@.
1. )s ne'otis& a fascination with violent crime! a devious plot! or

favoritism shown to relatives4

2. )s a ri !ld remark foolish! indecent! or straightforward4 2. )f someone has an !vuncul!r manner! is it like a parent! like an

uncle! or like a teacher4

3. 5oes a su''lic!tin# person make e$cuses! make a humble

plea! or make a contribution4

4. )s an ir!sci le person hard to please! easily angered! or /uick

to take action4
5. )s an ine8or! le force relentless! powerful! or unpredictable4 6. )s a '!rvenu a beginner! an e$pert! or an upstart4 7. )s a s!lu rious environment wholesome! unsanitary! or clean4 8. 5oes $,'er ole mean an$iety! e$aggeration! or deception4 9. )s

a s!ncti&onious person self"righteous! impatient! or inconsiderate4

A ,a/94t. of Info':at4on% a ,let=o'a of 6o'2s 6ow let's e$amine the fifth and final category of abusage jargon AG&#7" gun! rhymes with !r#!inC. &s you may recall from our discussion of this word early in the program! 2!r#on Aword 0< of Level *C denotes a speciali+ed! abstruse vocabulary or any pretentious language that is unnecessarily difficult to understand. Gargon is the worm in the apple of e$pression; it is the refuge of the timid writer and the smokescreen of the self"important one. (he dense! inscrutable vocabulary of jargon e$cludes the average reader or listener. 1henever you read or hear jargon! you may reasonably assume that somebody doesn't want you to understand what's being e$pressed or is trying to disguise the dearth of content in the words. Let me give you some e$amples. #ere's the second sentence from the sales brochure passage ) /uoted earlier in our discussion of adverbiage 2Beople learn best when the instruction is designed so that it facilitates the learning process and when they thoroughly enjoy the learning activity.3 (hat twenty"three"word sentence! translated into simple and direct English! can be e$pressed in seven words 2Beople learn best when learning is fun.3 (he pernicious thing about jargon is that once you start using it! it warps your mindor! to borrow a line from one of my favorite folk songs! 2it will form like a habit and seep in your soul.3 )f some clearheaded person had suggested that seven"word clarification to the writer of the brochure! the writer probably would have said! 26o! that's too plain. )t doesn't have enough oomph. 1e need to make the company and its courses sound more important. #ey! ) knowT Suppose ) throw in the word f!cilit!te4 (hat's a big favorite among educators. &nd let's make learning sound more technical and scientific by calling it Qthe learning processJ and Qthe learning activity.J (hen if ) refer to what we teach as Qdesigned instructionJ93 &h! me oh my. Such is the self"deluding sophistry that leads us! as usage

e$pert (heodore D. %ernstein puts it! 2to wrap a paucity of information in a plethora of words.3 Later in the same brochure the writer shifts into high"flown gear and we find this pseudoscientific! jargon"infested sentence 2&nalysis!3 it reads! 2involves scoping the nature of the instructional re/uirements and specifying the tasks! the logistical support! and the instructional management system necessary to achieve goals within the uni/ue constraints of the client's environment.3 :an you believe this stuff4 )n plain English! all that means is 21e create courses that fit your needs.3 Everyone agrees that the best writing is simple and direct! but when it's time to put our thoughts on paper! most of us become like the person who shakes salt on his food before tasting it. 1e overseason our sentences with jargon! vogue words! redundancies! adverbiage! and clichNs! until our ideas lose their natural flavor and our e$pression becomes flat! verbose! and dull. &s the poet 5onald #all once wrote! 2)n our culture! lethargic prose is taken as evidence of seriousness or sincerity. (he heavier the subject! the paler the prose.3 (o illustrate #all's point! let's take a familiar passage from ) :orinthians! :hapter *.! in the Iing Games Hersion of the %ible 2(hough ) speak with the tongues of men and of angels! and have not charity! ) am become as sounding brass! or a tinkling cymbal.3 #ere's how those poetic words would be e$pressed in today's nebulous! unmetaphorical! bombastic! and jargon"riddled English 25espite the fact that my communication skills have been test"marketed and proven to be completely effective in a variety of goal"oriented management environments! if ) have not developed the crucial ability to personally interact with fellow colleagues in a highly sensiti+ed manner! nonterrestrial data suggest that my interactive verbal processing ability will not have a positive impact outcome"wise at this point in time! even in a win"win situation.3 ) hope that outrageous mishmash of overwriting and abusage made you chuckle. (he problem is! many educated people write and even speak like that. %ut enough said. )'m sure that by now you get the point Eschew jargon and say what you mean. &nd with that succinct counseland ) trust you pronounced succinct suhk"S)68I(! with the cc like %5swe come to the end of Level >. ) know that all along )'ve been drumming the importance of review into your head! but another nudge in the right direction never hurts. (o ensure full comprehension and retention of what you have learned! do yourself a favor and review this entire level at least once before moving on. Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level !
*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. Yes. Redress means reparation! compensation! satisfaction for

a wrong done.
2. Yes. "no&!lous means irregular! abnormal! out of place!

deviating from what is usual or e$pected.

3. &bsolutely not. / se-uious means subservient! submissive!

obedient; ready and willing to serve! please! or obey.

4. Yes. 0id!ctic means instructive! designed or intended to teach. 5. Yes. Trunc!te means to cut short! shorten by cutting or lopping

off.
6. 6o. " ste&ious means sparing or moderate! especially in

eating or drinking.
7. 6o. 9t$ere!l means heavenly! not earthly; hence! very light!

airy! delicate! or refined.

8. Yes.

:o& !stic overblown.

means

pompous!

pretentious!

inflated!

9. 6o. Senior citi+ens are senescent. .enescent means aging!

growing old! on the decline. 10.Yes. Pernicious means deadly! fatal! destructive! causing great harm or injury.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. (rue. 1!t$olic means universal! comprehensive; specifically!

broad"minded! tolerant! or all"embracing in one's sympathies! interests! or tastes.

2. -alse. &n o 2ur#!tion is a harsh rebuke! vehement scolding or

denunciation.
3. -alse.

9ffusive means gushing! overflowing! demonstrative! e$pressing emotion in an e$cessive or unrestrained manner.

overly

4. (rue. (& r!#e means offense! resentment. 5. -alse. (he vicissitudes of life are its changes or variations! its ups

and downs.
6. (rue. 1ontentious means argumentative! /uarrelsome! ready and

eager to argue! bicker! or debate.

7. -alse. / eis!nce means a gesture of respect or submission! or an

attitude of respect and submission.

8. -alse. "ssiduous means hardworking! diligent! industrious; done

with persistent! careful! and untiring attention.

9. -alse. 0u'licit, means deceit! cunning! double"dealing! hypocritical

deception.
10. (rue.

Insouci!nt

means

carefree!

nonchalant!

lightheartedly

unconcerned or indifferent.
*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. &ntonyms. &n !nt!#onist is an opponent. & &,r&idon is a loyal

follower! faithful servant or subordinate.

2. &ntonyms. .enescent means aging! growing old. *!scent means

beginning to e$ist or develop; in the process of being born or coming into being.
3. Synonyms. "ccede means to consent! yield! give in or agree to. 4. &ntonyms.

I#no&inious means shameful! dishonorable! contemptible. 4!#n!ni&ous means noble! honorable! high"minded! unselfish! generous in overlooking injury or insult. state of being a minor in the eyes of the law.

5. Synonyms. *on!#e means immaturity! youth; especially the the 6. &ntonyms. Invective is vehement or abusive language involving

bitter! scathing accusations or denunciations.

7. Synonyms. & &!c$in!tion is a crafty or treacherous plot! malicious

scheme! cunning plan to achieve a sinister purpose.

8. &ntonyms. Intr!ct! le means hard to manage or control. 0ocile

means submissive! obedient! compliant; easy to direct! manage! or supervise.

9. Synonyms. Redou t! le means formidable! fearsome! worthy of or

commanding respect. 10.Synonyms. (o 'ro#nostic!te means to predict from signs! symptoms! or present indications.

*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. :rin# u' doesn't fit. (o en#ender means to bring about! bring into

being! give rise to! cause to e$ist.

2. (#l, doesn't fit. ;etid means stinking! foul"smelling; having an

e$tremely offensive odor! as of something rotten or decayed.

3. In !n i&'ressive w!, doesn't fit. Ped!ntic means absurdly learned;

scholarly in an ostentatious way; making an inappropriate or tiresome display of knowledge.

4. "d&it doesn't fit. 1!'itul!te means to yield! surrender; specifically!

to surrender on specified terms or conditions.

5. 1o&'leted doesn't fit. Inc$o!te means just begun; in an early stage

of development; not fully formed; undeveloped.

6. "n !dvers!r, doesn't fit. &n opponent is an adversary. &n e8'onent

is a person who stands or speaks for something! a representative

or advocate.
7. :itter doesn't fit. 4end!cious means not truthful! lying! false!

dishonest! deceitful.
8. :old doesn't fit. .trident means loud and harsh"sounding! grating!

shrill.
9. Rule

, ! dict!tor doesn't fit. & dictator rules alone. /li#!rc$, means government by a few; rule or control e$ercised by a few persons or by a small! elite group.

10.Lu8uri!nt doesn't fit. Reful#ent means shining brightly! brilliant! radiant! resplendent.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. *e'otis& is favoritism shown to relatives. 2. )t's indecent. Ri !ld means humorous in a mildly indecent! coarse!

or vulgar way.
3. )t's like an uncle. "vuncul!r means like an uncle! or e$hibiting some

characteristic considered typical of an uncle.

4. & supplicating person makes a humble plea. (o su''lic!te means

to ask! beg! or plead for humbly and earnestly.

5. &n irascible person is easily angered. Ir!sci le means

hot"tempered! e$tremely irritable or touchy.

6. Ine8or! le means relentless! unyielding! merciless; not able to be

stopped! changed! or moved by entreaty or persuasion.

7. & '!rvenu is an upstart; specifically! a person who suddenly

ac/uires wealth and power and rises to a higher class! but who is not accepted by the members of that class.
8. &

salubrious environment is wholesome. .!lu rious means healthful! wholesome! favorable or conducive to well"being. e$travagant e$aggeration that is intentional and obvious.

9. =,'er ole means e$aggeration in speech or writing; especially!

10.& sanctimonious person is self"righteous; holier"than"thou. .!ncti&onious means characteri+ed by insincere or affected righteousness! virtuousness! or religious piety.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level !

1. Something that deviates from the norm is (a) abstemious (b) analogous (c) anomalous (d) hyperbolic

(e) pernicious 2. 1hich word is not a synonym of did!ctic4 (a) pedagogic (b) preceptive (c) e$pository (d) ascetic (e) hortatory 3. 1hich word is not an antonym of o se-uious4 (a) recalcitrant (b) (c) (e) refractory intransigent 4. 1hich word is a synonym of r!refied4 (a) bombastic (b) ethereal (c) effusive (d) senescent (e) catholic 5. 1hich word is an antonym of 'ernicious4 (a) malign (b) deleterious (c) salubrious (d) baneful (e) noisome 6. 1hich phrase is not redundant4 (a) cure for all ills (b) passing fad (c) consensus of opinion (d) from whence it came (e) opening gambit 7. 1hich word best describes a c!t$olic person4 (a) latitudinarian (b) docile

intractable sycophantic

(c) dogmatic (d) parochial 8. Reticent! diffident! and t!citurn are antonyms of (a) refulgent (b) effusive (c) laconic (d) irascible 9. 1hich word is not a synonym of contentious4 (a) disputatious (b) belligerent (c) litigious (d) mendacious (e) pugnacious

10.1hich word is a synonym of !ssiduous4

(a) indolent (b) languid (c) sedulous (d) phlegmatic (e) otiose

11.1$ic!ner, and c!suistr, are synonyms of

(a) invective (b) nepotism (c) duplicity (d) bombast (e) supplications

12.1hat is a genuflection4
(a) a blessing (b) a bending of the knee (c) making the sign of the cross (d) an act of deception (e) a prayer

13.1hich word means to inform4

(a) appraise (b) apprise

14.1hich word means rash! reckless or abrupt! sudden4 ?!@ precipitate

(b)

precipitous
(a) #ector (b) Fdysseus (c) Brocrustes (d) &chilles (e) 5raco

15. )n the (rojan 1ar! who was king and commander of the Dyrmidons4

16.Something antediluvian is
(a) inscrutable or impenetrable (b) fearsome and unstoppable (c) amusingly eccentric (d) old or old"fashioned

17.1hich word by derivation means great"spirited4

(a) catholic (b) magnanimous (c) pusillanimous (d) avuncular (e) sanctimonious

18.1hich word denotes abusive language that is filthy and obscene4

(a) invective (b) oblo/uy (c) billingsgate (d) vituperation

19.1hich word means to attack violently with words! e$press angry disapproval4
(a) coruscate (b) objurgate (c) bombast (d) inveigh (d) capitulate

20.1hich two words are synonyms of 'ro#nostic!te4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) scintillate (b) vaticinate (c) supplicate (d) presage (e) inchoate

21.1hich phrase does not properly apply to a deus e$ machina4

(a) une$pected resolution (b) sinister plot (c) divine intervention (d) unlikely occurrence

22.1hat is a docent4
(a) an itinerant teacher (b) a friendly! agreeable person (c)

a lecturing tour guide

(d) an assistant or servant

23.1hich word is an antonym of fetid4

(a) redolent (b) putrid (c) graveolent (d) mephitic (e) noisome 24. )n the phrase &e! cul'!! what does cul'! mean4 (a) fault (b) belief (c) mistake

?d@ responsibility 25.Someone who makes an inappropriate or tiresome display of knowledge is

(a) an e$ponent (b) a docent (c)

a parvenu

(d) a pedant (e) a myrmidon

26.1hich word is a synonym of inc$o!te4

(a) insouciant (b) refulgent (c) nascent (d) senescent

27.1hich set of three words contains a word that is not a synonym of the others4
(a) scrupulous! upright! ethical (b) mendacious! veracious! disingenuous (c) hypocritical! e/uivocal! duplicitous (d) evasive! prevaricating! deceitful

28.1hich two words are synonyms of strident4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) stentorian (b) euphonious (c) vociferous (d) tenebrous (e) irascible

29.1hich word means pertaining to twilight4

(a) inchoate (b) subfuscous (c) crepuscular

?d@ umbrageous 30.1hich is the traditional and proper pronunciation of ri !ld4

(a) 7Y"bawld (b) 7)%"uld (c) 7)%"awld

31.1hich two words pertain to a family member4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) nepotism (b) machination (c) parvenu

(d) avuncular (e) nonage

32.1hat is an !rriviste4
(a) a convert to a religion or cause (b) a vulgar and often ruthless social climber (c) an ostentatiously learned person (d) a faithful servant or subordinate

33.1hich three words are synonyms4

(a) unrelenting! implacable! obliging (b) compliant! compromising! obdurate (c) ine$orable! ac/uiescent! intransigent (d) tractable! complaisant! docile

34.1hich two hackneyed e$pressions are e$amples of hyperbole4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) happy as a clam (b) between a rock and a hard place (c) eternally grateful (d) to fight tooth and nail (e) to do it or die trying ( ) pain in the neck

?#@ to throw up one's hands 35.1hich word does not precisely apply to a sanctimonious person4
(a) hypocritical (b) disingenuous (c) unctuous (d) redoubtable (e) affected Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions

correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Level "
)n this level the going gets even tougher! but the tough keep on going. &re you ready for a real word"power workout4 )f you've been adhering to a daily routine of reading and reviewing the material! as ) recommended in the introduction! then by now you have appro$imately tripled your normal rate of vocabulary growth by adding do+ens of new words to your active vocabulary and resurrecting others from your passive vocabulary. )f you haven't been sticking to a routine! however! don't be discouraged. Even if you've been reading off and on and occasionally neglecting to review! it's still likely that since you began studying this book you've assimilated many more words than you would have in the same amount of time without the benefit of a disciplined! graduated program. &nd the fact that you've made it this far indicates that you're serious about improving your verbal skills and making a commendable effort to e$pand the boundary of your vocabulary. So! can you feel your verbal muscles getting firmer4 #ave you been test" driving some of your new words in your writing and conversation4 ) hope so! and ) also hope that each time you try out a new word you will make sure to double"check its definition and pronunciation in a dictionary to verify that you are using and saying it right. 6ow let me tell you what you can e$pect from the last three levels of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e. (he keywords! synonyms! antonyms! and related words that you will learn in Level ? fall appro$imately between the ?=th and @=th percentile of the English vocabulary. (he words in Levels @ and *= range from the @=th to @@th percentile. 1hat that means is that from here on in! we will be covering a selection of the most intellectually demanding words in the language! which are understood and used by the best"educated and most well"read members of society. So prepare to be challenged by what you're about to learn in these last three levels! and hang on to your hat! or your seat! or something firm nearby! because the leisurely segment of our linguistic tour is over. -rom here on ) intend to proceed with celerity! and ) hope you will follow me with alacrity. )f you're already hurrying to keep up with the words celerit, and !l!crit,! don't worry! because )'m going to tell you about them right now! as we begin our first set of ten keyword discussions.

6o'2 1( ALACRITA </=)LA*)'4)tee?

:heerful readiness! eagerness! or promptness in action or movement 2(he

duty of the firefighter is to answer every alarm with alacrity.3 Synonyms of !l!crit, include -uic%ness! liveliness! ris%ness! ent$usi!s&! !ni&!tion! Ae!l AMEELC! and celerit, Asuh"LE7"i"teeC &ccording to ;un% K 6!#n!lls .t!nd!rd =!nd oo% of .,non,&s> "nton,&s> !nd Pre'ositions A*@0>C! !l!crit, denotes 2that cheerful and hearty willingness from which -uic%ness and 'ro&'tness naturally result; hence! a prompt response. "l!crit, springs from some demand from without; e!#erness is spontaneous! springing from within; e!#erness to act may produce !l!crit, in responding to the call for action.3 "l!crit, and celerit, are close in meaning. %oth suggest 2/uickness in movement or action!3 says 6e ster7s *int$ *ew 1olle#i!te 0iction!r, A*@@.C. 1elerit, 2implies speed in accomplishing work; !l!crit, stresses promptness in response to suggestion or command.3 %ecause celerit, emphasi+es swiftness! you cross a busy street! complete a project! or run from danger with celerity. %ecause !l!crit, emphasi+es eagerness! liveliness! or promptness! you meet a challenge! return a telephone message! or respond to a call for help with alacrity.

6o'2 2( OBEIATE <A-B)vee)AAT?

(o prevent! make unnecessary! meet and dispose of! clear out of the way. / vi!te comes through the Latin verb o vi!re! to prevent! from the adjective o vius! in the way! the source also of the familiar English word o vious! which means literally 2lying in the way.3 (he verb to o vi!te suggests preventing a problem or difficulty from arising by anticipating it and taking effective measures to meet and dispose of it or clear it out of the way. You can obviate trivial objections by coming straight to the point. You can obviate a trial by settling out of court. (he necessity of attending a meeting can be obviated by a timely phone call.

6o'2 3( EMOLUMENT <4)MA-L)./=):4nt?

1ages! salary! payment received for work. Synonyms of e&olu&ent include co&'ens!tion! reco&'ense ARE* "um"BE6(SC! and re&uner!tion! word .= of Level <. 9&olu&ent comes from the Latin e&olu&entu&! the fee a miller received for grinding grain! which comes in turn from the verb e&olere> to grind out. %y derivation! e&olu&ent means 2that which is ground out by one's e$ertion.3 )n the daily grind of the modern world! e&olu&ent has come to mean wages! pay! compensation for one's labor. 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r,! second edition A*@.0C! notes that e&olu&ent 2applies to whatever profits arise from office or employment! as Qthe emoluments of a profession.J3 6ow that you know the meaning of e&olu&ent! and also the keywords 'er-uisite from Level . and co&&ensur!te from Level <! ) presume that the ne$t time you consider a new position you will make sure that the

per/uisites are attractive and that the emolument is commensurate with your e$perience and ability.

6o'2 4( INTRANSIGENT <4n)TRAN)s4)Dent?

Encompromising! refusing to come to an agreement! unwilling to modify one's position or give ground. Synonyms of intr!nsi#ent include irreconcil! le! un,ieldin#! die$!rd! $ide ound! o stin!te Aword .0 of Level *C! resolute A7EM"uh"lootC! ten!cious Ate"6&Y"shusC! rec!lcitr!nt Ari"I&L"suh"trintC! intr!ct! le Ain" (7&I"tuh"buulC! refr!ctor, Aword 0, of Level <C! and o dur!te A&#%" dAyCuu"ritC. &ntonyms include co&'ro&isin#! fle8i le! o li#in#! su &issive! co&'li!nt! &!lle! le Aword ,@ of Level ,C! docile Aword ,? of Level >C! tr!ct! le! deferenti!l! !c-uiescent A&I"wee"ES"intC! and co&'l!is!nt Akum"BL&Y"+intC. Intr!nsi#ent combines the privative prefi$ in"! meaning 2not!3 with the Latin verb tr!nsi#ere! to come to a settlement! and means literally refusing to settle! unwilling to come to an agreement! uncompromising. Resolute! ten!cious! o stin!te! intr!ct! le! refr!ctor,! o dur!te! and intr!nsi#ent suggest firmness or fi$ity in ascending intensity. (he resolute person is firmly settled in opinion! resolved to pursue a course of action. Ten!cious! which comes from the Latin tenere! to hold! suggests holding firmly; the tenacious person adheres persistently and sometimes doggedly to a belief or course of action. / stin!te implies stubborn adherence to an opinion or purpose and strong resistance to contrary influence or persuasion. Intr!ct! le means hard to lead or manage; the intractable person stubbornly resists direction. Refr!ctor, means stubborn and disobedient; a refractory person actively resists authority or control. / dur!te means stubbornly hardhearted; the obdurate person cannot be moved by appeals to the emotions. Fur keyword! intr!nsi#ent! combines the firmness of resolute! the persistence of ten!cious! the stubborn resistance of o stin!te! intr!ct! le! and refr!ctor,! and the hardheartedness of o dur!te. (he intransigent person takes an e$treme position and will not compromise or back down under any circumstances.

6o'2 5( MOR@ANT <MOR)24nt or MOR@)Cnt?

%iting! cutting! keen! sarcastic! scathing. &dditional synonyms of &ord!nt include incisive Ain"SY"sivC! c!ustic AI&1"stikC! trenc$!nt A(7E6:#"intC! virulent AH)7"AyCuh"lintC! and !cri&onious A&I"ri"MO-"nee"usC. 1hen you think of &ord!nt! think of gnashing teeth. 4ord!nt comes from

Fld -rench and Latin words meaning to bite! cut into! nip! or sting. (oday &ord!nt is chiefly used of speech or writing that is biting or cutting in a bitterly sarcastic way. 1e speak of mordant satire! mordant wit! mordant criticism! or a mordant cross"e$amination.

6o'2 ( SAGACIOUS <s/=)GAA)s=/s?

1ise! shrewd! perceptive; showing sound judgment and keen insight! especially in practical matters. Synonyms of s!#!cious include insi#$tful! discernin#! !stute Aword . of Level 0C! 2udicious Aword *< of Level 'C! 'erci'ient Apur"S)B"ee"intC! s!#e Arhymes with '!#eC! s!'ient AS&Y"pee"intC! and 'ers'ic!cious ABE7"spi" *AA"shusC. &ntonyms of s!#!cious include undiscri&in!tin#! undiscernin#! si&'le&inded! witless! in!ne Ai"6&Y6C! #ulli le! credulous AI7EG"uh"lusC! o tuse Auhb"(AYCFFSC! and !ddle'!ted AA@"Jl"B&Y"tidC. (he corresponding noun is s!#!cit,! wisdom! shrewdness! keen insight or discernment. .!#!cious comes from the Latin s!#!8! having keen senses! especially a keen sense of smell. )n its early days in the language! s!#!cious was used of hunting dogs to mean /uick in picking up a scent. (hat sense is long obsolete. %y *>''! when Samuel Gohnson published his famous dictionary! s!#!cious had come to mean! as Gohnson puts it! 2/uick of thought; acute in making discoveries.3 (o illustrate the e$panded sense! Gohnson /uotes the philosopher Gohn Locke 2Fnly sagacious heads light on these observations! and reduce them into general propositions.3 Fver the years since then! s!#!cious continued to ac/uire dignity! perhaps by association with the adjective s!#e! which means having or showing great wisdom. (oday! says the third edition of T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, A*@@,C! s!#!cious 2connotes prudence! circumspection! discernment! and farsightedness.3 (hat's a far cry from the hunting hounds of yore. Yet! as those words reveal! a faint odor of /uick"sniffing canine instinct still clings to the word. )n current usage! the sagacious person is no brooding scholar or musing philosopher but a shrewd! sharp"eyed! keen"witted person who displays instinctive wisdom! swift insight! and sound judgment regarding mundane or practical matters. (hus we do not speak of a sagacious treatise on the meaning of life! but rather of a sagacious comment on human nature! a shrewd lawyer who asks sagacious /uestions! or a business e$ecutive known for making sagacious decisionsin other words! wise and keenly perceptive decisions.

6o'2 !( ACERBIC </=)SUR)b40?

Sour! bitter! and harsh in flavor! tone! or character. Synonyms of !cer ic include t!rt! c!ustic AI&1"stikC! 'un#ent ABE#6" jintC! !strin#ent Auh"S(7)6"jintC! !crid A&I"ridC! and !cidulous Auh"S)G"AyCuh"

lusC. (he direct antonym of !cer ic is sweet. "cer ic comes from a Latin word meaning sour or bitter like unripe fruit. &cerbic may be used literally to mean sour or bitter tasting! as the lemon is an acerbic fruit. #owever! the word !cidic probably is more often used in this literal sense! and !cer ic usually is used figuratively to mean sour! bitter! and harsh in tone or character &n acerbic mood is a sour mood; acerbic words are bitter words; and someone who is acerbic has a harsh! unpleasant personality.

6o'2 "( EARIEGATE@ <EAIR)ee)/=)GAA)t42?

)n a broad sense! varied! diverse! showing variety of character or form; in a strict sense! spotted! streaked! or dappled; having marks or patches of different colors! as a variegated /uilt! a variegated cat! or a variegated design. (he verb to v!rie#!te is now often used figuratively to mean to give variety to! diversify. (he adjective v!rie#!ted is also fre/uently used in this way to mean varied! diverse! or multifaceted! as variegated interests! a variegated selection! or variegated accomplishments.

6o'2 #( SUCCOR <SU-*)/'% l40e sucker?

(o aid! help! relieve! give assistance to in time of need or difficulty! as to succor the wounded or succor the sick. (he noun succor means help! aid! relief! assistance in time of need or distress! as to give succor to the homeless on (hanksgiving. %oth the verb and the noun come from a Latin verb meaning 2to run to the aid of.3 &lthough succor and the slang verb suc%er have the same pronunciation! they are not related and are virtually opposite in meaning.

6o'2 13( IM,ORTUNE <IM)1o')T<A?OON?

(o trouble or annoy with re/uests or demands! make urgent or persistent entreaties or solicitations. (o remember the meaning of the verb i&'ortune! think of some annoying person who interrupts your life at an inappropriate moment and urgently asks you to do something you don't want to do. Salespeople importune you on the telephone when you're not interested and have better things to do. Banhandlers importune you on the street to beg for a handout. :hildren are e$perts at importuning parents when they are preoccupied with work or some pressing domestic chore! like cooking or paying bills. (he corresponding adjective is i&'ortun!te Aim"BF7"chuh"nitC! troublesomely demanding! persistent in a ve$atious way. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following

/uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page .<*.
1. )f someone said! 2You have a call from a fellow named Ed at

Bublishers :learinghouse!3 would you respond with alacrity4

2. :an diplomatic negotiations sometimes obviate war4 3. 5o volunteers receive emolument for their services4 4. )s it reasonable to e$pect an intransigent person to capitulate4 5. )s a mordant remark a flattering remark4 6. )s a sagacious business decision a smart decision4 7. 1ould an acerbic person say that life is sweet4 8. :ould a stock portfolio! the population of a city! and a horse all

be described as variegated4 9. :an you succor a sick child4 10.1hen you're working hard trying to meet a deadline on a project and people keep calling or interrupting you to ask you to do something for them! are they importuning you4 5id you remember to keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 -o7 @o Ao/ &eelJ 6ow let's take a moment to talk about feelings. Loose"lipped speakers and permissive writers may call me a fusspot! a nitpicker! or even an acerbic pedant! but ) am nothing less than intransigent when it comes to how ) feel. )n other words! ) make a clear distinction between feeling !d and feeling !dl,. 1hen ) am sick or distressed! ) say ) feel !d! and when the dentist gives me a shot that makes my mouth numb! ) say my mouth feels !dl,. )n his book T$e 6riter7s "rt A*@?0C! syndicated columnist Games G. Iilpatrick offers this e$planation of the distinction 2)f you feel !dl,! something is wrong with your sense of touch; your fingers may be numb! or callused! or glovedwho knows4 )f you feel !d! you're ill! depressed! worried.3 Iilpatrick also notes that 2the same distinction applies to other OlinkingP verbs! such as s&ell and t!ste. )f you smell !dl,! perhaps your nose is stopped up. )f you smell !d! try a hot soapy shower.3 Dr. Iilpatrick and ) are far from alone in our disdain for those who say they feel !dl, when they mean they feel !d. 1hen the editors of the second edition of the =!r'er 0iction!r, of 1onte&'or!r, (s!#e A*@?'C polled the members of their distinguished usage panel on this /uestion! three"/uarters of the panelists preferred 2) feel bad3 and rejected 2) feel badly!3 although a number of them admitted that they avoided the sticky

issue altogether by saying 2) feel terrible! awful! lousy! like death!3 and so on. Dany panelists voiced e$tremely bad feelings about 2) feel badly!3 calling it everything from 2a bit pedantic3 to a 2dainty"ism3 to downright 2godawful.3 (he novelist and professor )saac &simov had this to say 2Q -eeling badlyJ is the mark of an inept! dirty old man.3 (he compilers also /uote this bit of drollery from the literary critic and editor :lifton -adiman 25on't feel bad when you hear the broadcaster say he feels badly. Gust remember that all men are created e/ually.3 (he handbook of SBELL! otherwise known as the Society for the Breservation of English Language and Literature! of which ) am a vice president! contains this pithy! prescriptive advice on the use of !d and !dl, 2)t is incorrect to say Q) feel badlyJ unless you are referring to the act of feeling. )f you want to describe your physical condition! Q) feel badJ is preferred.3 1ould you like a mnemonic device to help you distinguish between !d and !dl,4 )n +r!&&!r for .&!rt Peo'le A*@@,C! %arry (arshis offers this 2memory key3 21e feel bad when we perform badly.3

6ow that you know that you will feel bad when you perform badly! ) don't feel bad about saying that learning the ne$t ten keywords in Level ? will make you feel good.

6o'2 11( ,ALLIATE <,AL)ee)AAT?

(o lessen the severity of! gloss over! make something seem less serious or severe! as to palliate suffering! to palliate an offense! or to palliate your troubles with drink. Synonyms of '!lli!te include soften! di&inis$! &iti#!te! and e8tenu!te. &ntonyms include worsen! intensif,! !##r!v!te! and e8!cer !te Aig"FAS "ur"%&Y(C. 98!cer !te and !cer ic! keyword > in this level! come from the same Latin root! and both suggest bitterness or harshness. (he adjective !cer ic means sour! bitter! or harsh in flavor! tone! or character. (he verb e8!cer !te means to increase in bitterness or severity! as to e$acerbate a problem or e$acerbate a conflict. (he verb to '!lli!te comes through the Latin verb '!lli!re! to cloak or conceal! from the noun '!lliu&! a cloak. P!lli!te was once used to mean to cover as if with a cloak! to shelter! hide! conceal. (his meaning is now obsolete! and today '!lli!te means to conceal or cloak the seriousness of something! make it appear less severe or offensive than it is! as to palliate a social indiscretion or palliate the enormity of a crime. )n modern usage! '!lli!te often connotes glossing over or disguising the seriousness of something by making e$cuses or apologies 2#er press agent issued a statement in an attempt to palliate her role in the scandal.3

6o'2 12( 6IFENE@ <6IF)Cn2?

5ried up! shriveled! withered! shrunken and wrinkled. (he verbs to wit$er! to s$rivel! and to wiAen all imply drying up. 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r,! second college edition A*@??C! e$plains that wit$er suggests a loss of natural juices 2(he grapes were left to wither on the vine.3 .$rivel suggests shrinking and curling as from e$posure to intense heat 21ith a heavy sigh! Scott removed the shriveled steak from the barbecue.3 6iAen A1)M"JnC suggests shrinking and wrinkling from advanced age or malnutrition. &lthough the verb to wiAen now is somewhat rare! its past participle! wiAened! is still often used of persons or parts of the body to mean shrunken and wrinkled! dried up by age or disease &n old person's face may be wi+ened! or someone's body may be wi+ened by cancer. #ere is a passage from my vocabulary"building mystery novel! Toot$ !nd *!il! in which the conte$t attempts to illustrate the meaning of wiAened 2&n ancient! wi+ened man shuffled into the room! supporting his stooped and shriveled frame with a stout oaken staff9#is face was sallow and deeply wrinkled; his cheeks were sunken and his crown was entirely bald. %ut for his eyes! which twinkled roguishly! he was a picture of death.3

6o'2 13( CA,TIOUS <*A,)s=/s?

-aultfinding! /uick to point out faults or raise trivial objections. Synonyms of c!'tious include c!r'in#! -ui lin#! c!vilin#! censorious Asen"SF7"ee"usC! and -uerulous AI1E7"uh"lusC. 1ritic!l! c!r'in#! and c!'tious all mean 2inclined to look for and point out faults and defects!3 says 6e ster7s *int$ *ew 1olle#i!te 0iction!r, A*@@.C. 1ritic!l! though often used in a negative sense! is in fact a neutral word the critical person tries to judge something fairly and objectively by weighing its merits and faults. Strictly speaking! a critical assessment is a fair! impartial assessment! and a critical e$amination may result in a supportive conclusion. 1ritic!l is so often used of harsh or unfavorable judgment! however! that the neutral sense of the word has nearly been lost; it would be nice if we took pains to preserve it. 1!r'in#! says 6e ster7s *int$! 2implies an ill"natured or perverse picking of flaws.3 1!'tious! which comes from the Latin c!'tus! the past participle of the verb c!'ere! to take or sei+e! 2suggests a readiness to detect trivial faults or raise objections on trivial grounds.3 #ere's an idea (he ne$t time you find yourself about to use critic!l in a negative sense! how about giving c!r'in# or c!'tious a try instead4

6o'2 14( EMEN@ATION <EE):en)@AA)s=4n?

& correction! alteration! change made to correct or improve! especially a change made in a piece of writing to correct an error or restore the te$t to

its original state. (he verb to e&end Aee"DE65C means to make corrections in a te$t. 9&end!tion may mean the act of emending! correcting and improving a piece of writing! or it may mean a correction made in a te$t.

6o'2 15( TRUCULENT <TRU-*)./=)l4nt?

-ierce! ferocious! especially in a brutal! bullying! threatening! or aggressively defiant way. (he corresponding noun is truculence A(7E#I"yuh"lintsC! fierceness! ferocity! brutal aggression. Synonyms of truculent include 'u#n!cious Apuhg"6&Y"shusC! elli#erent ! &!levolent Amuh"LEH"uh"lintC! r!'!cious Aruh"B&Y"shusC! and fer!l A-EE7" ulC. &ntonyms include $u&!ne! &erciful! co&'!ssion!te! enevolent Abuh"6EH"uh"lintC! and cle&ent AILED"intC! all of which suggest mercy or mildness! and also ti&id! de&ure Adi"DYFF7C! diffident A5)-"uh"dintC! !''re$ensive! and ti&orous A()D"ur"usC! all of which suggest shyness or fear. Truculent descends from Latin words meaning savage! fierce! cruel! or grim. )n current usage truculent applies to fierce! savage! or ferocious people or to behavior that is brutal! threatening! bullying! or aggressively defiant & truculent nation is a hostile! belligerent nation. & truculent look is a pugnacious or threatening look. & truculent philosophy of business is a brutal! aggressive! rapacious! winner"takes"all philosophy of business. )n his 0iction!r, of 1onte&'or!r, "&eric!n (s!#e A*@'>C! %ergen Evans offers this sentence to illustrate the meaning of truculent 2Fne of my superiors was a truculent fellow who would have loved being a storm trooper under #itler.3 Truculent is now also used of speech or writing to mean scathing! vicious! or vitriolic AH)"tree"A-L"ikC! as a truculent retort! a truculent editorial! or a truculent political advertisement.

6o'2 1 ( EG,URGATE <E*S)1/')GAAT?

(o cleanse by removing offensive material! free from objectionable content. Synonyms of e8'ur#!te include censor! 'ur#e! and owdleriAe. (he verbs to e8'ur#!te and owdleriAe are close in meaning. A :owdleriAe may be pronounced %F15"luh"ry+! first syllable rhyming with loud! or %F#5"luh"ry+! first syllable rhyming with towed. #istorically the weight of authority favors %F15"luh"ry+! which ) recommend.C (homas %owdler A%F15"lurC was an English editor who in the early *?==s published e$purgated! or cleansed! editions of the %ible and Shakepeare's works. Beople did not appreciate %owdler's e$purgation of the 8ood %ook and the bawdy %ard! so they took his name and made a

nasty word owdleriAe. (o owdleriAe is to remove material considered ris/uN! offensive! or obscene! but it connotes doing so out of a prudish or s/ueamish sense of morality. 98'ur#!te comes from the Latin e8'ur#!re! to cleanse! purify! and by derivation is related to the verb to 'ur#e! to free from impurities! and the adjective 'ure. (o e8'ur#!te means to cleanse by removing that which is objectionable. 1hen something is owdleriAed! that which is considered morally offensive has been deleted. 1hen something is e$purgated! that which is considered objectionable for any reason has been deleted. You can bowdleri+e Shakespeare by taking out the ribald humor! and you can bowdleri+e 5. #. Lawrence's novel L!d, 1$!tterle,7s Lover by removing the passages about se$; but you cannot bowdleri+e a te$tbook because presumably it does not contain anything ribald! erotic! or obscene. #owever! if people charge that a te$tbook displays a bias or draws conclusions that they find objectionable! they may attempt to e$purgate it! cleanse it by removing the offensive material.

6o'2 1!( RE,ROBATE <RE,)'/=)BAAT?

(horoughly bad! wicked! corrupt! morally abandoned! lacking all sense of decency and duty. Synonyms of re'ro !te include un'rinci'led! s$!&eless! !se! vile! de#ener!te! de'r!ved! irredee&! le! and incorri#i le. &ntonyms include virtuous! 'ure! ri#$teous! $onor! le! c$!ste! unsullied! and e8e&'l!r,. Re'ro !te comes from the Latin re'ro !re! to reprove! disapprove of strongly. )n theology! the adjective re'ro !te means damned! predestined for damnation! and the noun a re'ro !te means a person rejected by 8od and e$cluded from salvation. )n general usage! the noun a re'ro !te means a corrupt! unprincipled person! a scoundrel! and the adjective re'ro !te means morally abandoned! bad"to"the"core! lacking all sense of decency and duty.

6o'2 1"( S,URIOUS <S,AUUR)ee)/s?

-alse! counterfeit! artificial; not true! authentic! or genuine. Synonyms of s'urious include s$!&! o#us! '$on,! fictitious! f! ric!ted ! fr!udulent! illusor, Ai"LFF"suh"reeC! !'ocr,'$!l Auh"B&#I"ri"fulC! and su''osititious Asuh"B&#M"i"TIS-"usC. &ntonyms include #enuine Athere is no wine in #enuine; say GE6"yoo"inC! !ut$entic! v!lid! and on! fide A%F#"nuh -Y5C. .'urious by derivation means 2false! illegitimate.3 .'urious was once used to mean of illegitimate birth! bastard! and although dictionaries still list this sense! it is now rare. Since it came into the language about *<==! and most often today! s'urious is used to mean false! counterfeit! not authentic

or genuine. .'urious applies to that which is not what it claims or is claimed to be. & spurious document is not authentic or original! and may have been forged; spurious gems are counterfeit! not real or genuine; spurious statements are fabricated! made up; spurious feelings are affected or artificial; and a spurious charge is false! trumped"up! and should be repudiated.

6o'2 1#( EOLITION <vo=)LIS-)/n?

1ill! choice! decision! determination. )n Latin! the verb velle means to will or wish! and the word volo means 2) will.3 -rom these words comes the English noun volition! which may refer either to the power of using the will or the act of e$ercising it in making a conscious choice or decision. 2#e seems to lack volition3 implies that he is weak and unable to make a choice or determination. 2She came of her own volition3 implies that she e$ercised her will independently! decided on her own to come.

6o'2 23( INTER,OLATE <4n)TUR)1/=)LAAT?

(o insert! introduce; specifically! to insert words into a piece of writing or a conversation. (he corresponding noun is inter'ol!tion! an insertion of words into a piece of writing or a conversation. (he verbs to inter'ol!te! inter2ect A)6"tur"BE*TC! and inter'ose A)6"tur" ,O-FC all mean to insert or place between. (o inter'ose suggests the insertion of either a literal or figurative obstacle. You may interpose yourself between two people who are /uarreling! or circumstances may interpose an impediment or stumbling block that hinders your progress toward a goal. (o inter2ect suggests an abrupt insertion! and usually refers to speech. You interject an opinion! an idea! or a suggestion. (o inter'ol!te suggests a deliberate! careful insertion of words into a piece of writing or a conversation. 1ord"processing programs make it easy to delete or interpolate material and reformat what you have written. Inter'ol!te sometimes suggests altering a te$t by inserting something spurious! unrelated! or unnecessary Lawyers may insist on interpolating clauses in a contract! or an author may object to an editor's interpolation.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page .<*.
1. You can palliate an offense or a troublesome situation.

2. & wi+ened old man is a wise! sagacious old man. 3. & captious comment is an insightful! discerning comment. 4. Editors often make emendations in a manuscript. 5. (ruculent people are hostile! brutal! and defiant. 6. 1hen you e$purgate something! you speed it up. 7. & person who is reprobate is stubborn and uncooperative. 8. & legal charge! a work of art! and a statement can all be

spurious.
9. 1hen you do something of your own volition! you do it

independently and willingly. 10.(o inter'ol!te means to e$plain or restate the meaning of something.

Let's continue pumping up your word power with the ne$t ten keywords in Level ?.

6o'2 21( A@@UCE </=)@<A?OOS?

(o offer or cite as a reason! as evidence! or as authority for an opinion or course of action. %y derivation !dduce means to bring forward. )n modern usage! !dduce means to bring forward or cite something as a reason! as an e$ample! or as proof in a discussion! analysis! or argument. Lawyers adduce evidence to bolster their case. Boliticians adduce facts to justify their position on an issue. Scholars and scientists adduce the results of their research to prove their theories. )n writing a report proposing a new marketing plan for a company! an e$ecutive might adduce e$amples of similar marketing strategies that worked for other companies.

6o'2 22( MISCREANT <MIS)0'ee)4nt?

&n evil! unscrupulous! vicious person; someone without principles or conscience; a villain! criminal. %ecause the world contains so many evil! unscrupulous! vicious people! the language abounds with synonyms for the noun &iscre!nt! including but not limited to scoundrel! r!sc!l! ro#ue! $oodlu& A#EE5"lum or #FF5" lumC! $ooli#!n A#FF"li"gunC! neFer5do5well! v!rlet! r!'sc!llion! l!c%#u!rd A%L&8"urd or %L&8"ahrdC! des'er!do! sc!'e#r!ce ASI&YB"graysC! scoffl!w ASI&#-"lawC! &!lef!ctor AMAL"uh"-&I"turC! and re'ro !te! word *> of this level. 4iscre!nt! which entered English in the fourteenth century! comes

through Fld -rench from Latin! and combines the prefi$ &is"! which means 2bad3 or 2not!3 with the Latin credere! to believe. %y derivation a &iscre!nt is someone who does not believe. -or several centuries the word was used to mean a heretic! a person who rejects or flouts religious principles! but this sense is now archaic and since at least the time of Shakespeare &iscre!nt has been used to mean a morally bad person! a vile wretch! detestable scoundrel. (he adjective &iscre!nt! pronounced the same way! means villainous! evil! destitute of conscience.

6o'2 23( IUIGOTIC <0740)SA-T)40?

-oolishly impractical or idealistic! especially in an e$travagantly chivalrous or romantic way; inclined to pursue lofty! unreachable goals or far"fetched! unworkable schemes. Synonyms of -ui8otic include f!nciful! w$i&sic!l! vision!r,! uto'i!n! i&'r!ctic! le Aim"B7&I"ti"kuh"buul! five syllables pleaseC! and c$i&eric!l Aki"DE7"i"kulC. &ntonyms include re!listic! 'r!ctic!l! 'r!#&!tic! and utilit!ri!n. Dui8otic comes from 5on Sui$ote Akee"#F#"teeC! the hero and title of a seventeenth"century satirical romance by Diguel de :ervantes Asair"H&#6" taysC. 5on Sui$ote is an old man passionately devoted to the ideals of chivalryfighting evil and rescuing the oppressed. (he 5on does not reali+e that his code of honor has become outworn and been replaced with far less lofty! mercenary goals. 1ith his credulous but pragmatic s/uire! Sancho Ban+a AEnglish S&6"choh B&6"+uh; Spanish S&#6"choh B&#6" sahC! he sets forth on a /uest to save the world from wickedness. (he world! however! holds only ridicule for the visionary 5on! who winds up tilting at windmills and making speeches to the wind. (oday the adjective -ui8otic refers to a person who is e$travagantly idealistic or romantic! like 5on Sui$ote! or to an idea or goal that is so impractical and far"fetched as to seem foolish.

6o'2 24( SU,,URATE <SU-,)./=)RAAT?

(o fester! form or discharge pus. (his unusual word applies to wounds! boils! ulcers! or other lesions that become infected and discharge pus. A%y the way! lesion! pronounced LEE" +hun! means a wound! injury! infection! or harmful change in some part of the body.C 1hen a lesion suppurates! discharges pus! it is called su''ur!tion; and suppuration! if untreated or unchecked! may lead to a state of putrefaction ABYFF"truh"&A*"shinC. (he verb to 'utref, ABYFF"truh"fyC means to rot or decay; the adjective 'utrid ABYFF"tridC means rotten! foul"smelling! fetid; and the noun 'utref!ction means rotting! decomposition! foul"smelling

decay. Fkay! you can stop holding your nose now because this suppurating! putrid lesson is over and we're moving on to9

6o'2 25( MARTINET <MA-R)t4)NET?

& strict disciplinarian! taskmaster! rigid enforcer of rules and regulations. 4!rtinet comes from 8eneral Gean Dartinet! a seventeenth"century -rench drillmaster who became legendary for subjecting his troops to harsh discipline and for his rigid adherence to military rules and regulations. )n modern usage! &!rtinet may refer to a strict military disciplinarian! or more generally to any rigid! authoritarian enforcer of rules and regulations.

6o'2 2 ( COM,UNCTION <0/:),U-NG*)s=4n?

& twinge of regret caused by an uneasy conscience; a pang of guilt for a wrong done or for pain that one has caused another. Synonyms of co&'unction include re&orse! &is#ivin#! scru'le! and -u!l& AI1&#D! the l is silentC. & stronger synonym is contrition! word @ of Level '! which means repentance! deep and devastating sorrow for one's sins or for something one has done wrong. 1o&'unction comes through the Late Latin co&'unctio! a pricking of conscience! ultimately from the Latin verb 'un#ere! to prick! sting! pierce! or stab. (he Latin 'un#ere is also the source of the English words 'uncture! meaning to prick! pierce! or stab; 'un#ent! which means piercing or stinging to the smell or taste! as a pungent aroma; and 'oi#n!nt ABFY6" yintC! which means piercing or penetrating to the senses! the emotions! or the intellect. 1hen you feel the prick or sting of conscience or a twinge of regret for something you have done wrong! or when you feel a pang of guilt for causing pain to another person! that is a compunction 2&fter a year! 6ed still had compunctions about ending his relationship with Su+y.3 )f your conscience is clear and you have no regrets! you lack compunction 2Hanessa grew sick and tired of working for a martinet! and when she finally decided the time was right to /uit her job! she did so without compunction.3

6o'2 2!( MERCURIAL <:/')*AUUR)ee)/l?

Suick to change moods or change one's mind! having an unpredictable temperament. Synonyms of &ercuri!l include fli#$t,! i&'ulsive! fic%le! c!'ricious Awhich properly rhymes with delicious; it's word ** of Level *C! vol!tile Aword 0> of Level 0C! err!tic! and 'rote!n AB7F#"tee"inC. &ntonyms include st! le! fi8ed! ste!df!st! inv!ri! le! and i&&ut! le. 5oes anything about the word &ercuri!l sound familiar4 :an you guess

its derivation4 )f you're thinking that &ercuri!l is related to the word &ercur,! then you are a sagacious person! both in the current sense of wise! shrewd! perceptive! and in the obsolete sense of /uick in picking up a scentin this case! an etymological scent. (he ancient 7oman god Dercury! known to the 8reeks as #ermes A#E7" mee+C! was the messenger or courier of the gods! but he had many other responsibilities as well. #e was the deity A5EE"i"teeC who conducted the souls of the dead to the underworld! and also the god of commerce! travel! elo/uence! and thievery. A(hose ancient 8reeks and 7omans covered all the bases! didn't they4C Dercury is usually depicted wearing a winged helmet and winged sandals to show his fleet"footedness! and as #ermes he also carried a winged staff with two serpents coiled around it. (hat staff! which now serves as the symbol of the medical profession! is called a c!duceus Akuh"5AYCFF"see" usC. )'m sure that doctors today view the caduceus as a symbol of their devotion to providing swift! efficient health care! but ) must confess ) find it nothing short of hilarious that the medical profession has chosen a symbol from an ancient god who governed commerce! travel! elo/uence! and thievery! and who escorted the dead to their final resting place. %ecause of the various hats worn by the god Dercury! the adjective &ercuri!l has been used to mean everything from swift! /uick"witted! and elo/uent to shrewd! clever! and thieving. 5ictionaries still list these words under the definition 2having the characteristics attributed to the god Dercury!3 but in current usage the word most often is used to mean like the element mercury! which is also called /uicksilver. &s you know! mercury is used in thermometers! and it is highly reponsive to changes in temperature. Like the mercury in a thermometer! that which is mercurial is changeable! fickle! or capricious. (he mercurial person has an unpredictable temperament and is /uick to change moods.

6o'2 2"( NOSTRUM <NA-S)t'/:?

& /uack remedy or medicine; a panacea; hence! a dubious or dishonest plan or scheme for curing a social or political problem. *ostru& comes from the Latin noster> which means 2our.3 )n days of yore! the charlatan and the mountebanktwo unsavory types that ) discussed in word *> of Level 0would sell their panacea or cure"all by calling it a nostru&! meaning literally 2our remedy.3 &s a result! the word nostru& came to mean a medicine whose ingredients are kept secret and whose preparer makes e$aggerated claims about its effectiveness! which has not been proved. (hat definition is still in good standing! as a trip to any health"food store will prove. %ecause /uack remedies can be applied not only to the ills of the body but also to the ills of the body politic! in modern usage nostru& has also come to mean a dubious or dishonest plan or scheme for curing a

social or political problem. (hroughout society today! from the bars to the talk shows to the hallowed halls of government! you can hear /uacks! eccentrics! and downright weirdos proposing their nostrums for the ills of the world.

6o'2 2#( ,RO,ITIATE <1'/=)or 1'o=),IS-)ee)a.t?

(o appease! gain or regain the goodwill or favor of! cause to become favorably inclined. Synonyms of 'ro'iti!te include concili!te! '!cif,! &ollif,! 'l!c!te! and !ssu!#e Aword .> of Level ,C. &ntonyms include !lien!te! offend! !nt!#oniAe! estr!n#e! and dis!ffect. (he corresponding noun is 'ro'iti!tion! appeasement! conciliation! the act of getting into the good graces of. (he verb to 'ro'iti!te comes from Latin and means literally to soothe! appease! render favorable. -rom the same source comes the adjective 'ro'itious Apruh"B)S#"usC! which refers to favorable conditions or a favorable time for doing something! as a propitious time for buyers in the real estate market. )n modern usage! to 'ro'iti!te means to cause to become favorably inclined! to win the goodwill of someone or something despite opposition or hostility. (ypically! you propitiate a higher power! such as your boss! your parents! the )nternal 7evenue Service! or your god.

6o'2 33( E&&ICACA <E&)4)0/=)see?

Effectiveness; the power to produce a desired effect or result. 9ffic!c, applies to things that have the power to produce an intended effect. 1e speak of the efficacy of a drug! a scientific method! or an advertising campaign. (he corresponding adjective is effic!cious AE-"i" *AA"shusC! which means effective! capable of producing a desired effect or result! as an efficacious law! an efficacious policy! or an efficacious marketing plan.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page .<,.
1. (o cite and to !dduce are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. 4!lef!ctor and &iscre!nt are9 3. Pr!#&!tic and -ui8otic are9 4. (o fester and to su''ur!te are9 5. Pus$over and &!rtinet are9 6. 1o&'unction and re#ret are9

7. 1!'ricious and &ercuri!l are9 8. P!n!ce! and nostru& are9

9. "lien!te and 'ro'iti!te are9 10.(selessness and effic!c, are9 )f you answered fewer than eight of the /uestions correctly in this /ui+! remember to reread the last ten keyword discussions before moving ahead in the program. Na:e T=at 6o'2 Let's take a short break now from the keyword discussions for an e$cursion into the wonderful world of eponyms. 5o know what an eponym is4 9'on,& AEB"uh"nimC comes from 8reek and means literally 2named after.3 &n e'on,& is a word derived from a name! or a name that becomes a word. (he corresponding adjective is e'on,&ous Ai"B&#6"uh"musC So far in Level ? you have learned four eponymous words! words derived from names owdleriAe! which comes from (homas %owdler! the prudish e$purgator of Shakespeare and the %ible; -ui8otic! which comes from 5on Sui$ote! the romantic dreamer; &!rtinet! which comes from 8eneral Gean Dartinet! the rigid disciplinarian; and &ercuri!l! which comes from the fleet" footed! unpredictable 7oman god Dercury. You may recall that in the discussion of 'rodi#ious! keyword 0? of Level '! we covered four more eponymous words #!r#!ntu!n! from 7abelaisJ character 8argantua! the gluttonous giant; $ercule!n! from the mighty hero #ercules; and two eponyms that come to us from Gonathan Swift's +ulliver7s Tr!vels Lilli'uti!n! which means like the tiny inhabitants of the mythical land of Lilliput! and :ro din#n!#i!n! which means like the gigantic inhabitants of the mythical land of %robdingnag. -inally! in Level < you also learned several eponyms from ancient 8reece! including Procruste!n! which comes from Brocrustes! the brutal robber who stretched people's bodies or cut off their limbs to make them conform to the si+e of his bed; dr!coni!n! which comes from 5raco! the authoritarian statesman whose code of laws was so severe that it imposed the death penalty for nearly all crimes! great or small; e'icure!n! which comes from the philosopher Epicurus! who advocated the pursuit of pleasure through the practice of virtue; P,rr$onis&! which comes from Byrrho! the e$ponent of absolute skepticism; and solecis&! which comes from the rude and foul"mouthed inhabitants of Soloi. )n modern usage! a solecis& is a gross grammatical error or social indiscretion. &s the words Lilli'uti!n! :ro din#n!#i!n! and solecis& illustrate! eponyms can be formed from the names of places or whole populations as well as from the names of individuals. &mong the thousands of eponyms in the English language! two of the

most familiar are s!ndwic$ and sil$ouette. )t is said that the word s!ndwic$ was born when Gohn Dontagu! the fourth earl of Sandwich! grew hungry after a long night at the gaming table and instructed his servant to fetch him a snack consisting of slices of roast beef placed between two pieces of toasted bread. (he word sil$ouette comes from Etienne de Silhouette! a -rench minister of finance in the eighteenth century who imposed severe lu$ury ta$es and stringent austerity measures in an attempt to revive the -rench economy after the Seven YearsJ 1ar. &ccording to 7obert #endrickson! in his 0iction!r, of 9'on,&sJ *!&es T$!t :ec!&e 6ords A*@>,C! because Silhouette 2cut e$penses to the bone until they became mere shadows of their original selves!3 his name inspired the phrase l! sil$ouette! meaning 2on the cheap!3 and the phrase was applied to pants made without pockets! to coats made without folds! and to the ine$pensive shadow portraits that happened to be in vogue in Baris at the time. 1ould you like an all"&merican eponym4 (he useful word &!veric% comes from the surname of Samuel &ugustus Daverick! a gentleman rancher in nineteenth"century (e$as who neglected to brand his cattle. (he unbranded cows came to be called &!veric%s! and later the word was applied to any person who stands apart from the herd! a nonconformist. (he moral censorship e$ercised by the editor (homas %owdler was nothing compared with the campaign against vice waged by the man who gave his name to the word 1o&stoc%er, A*A-M"S(&#I"ur"eeC. )n his 0iction!r, of 9'on,&s! 7obert #endrickson e$plains that &nthony :omstock! who lived from *?00 to *@*'! was the founder of the 6ew York Society for the Suppression of Hice and 2a self"appointed crusader against immorality in literature.3 &fter helping to secure passage of the so"called :omstock Laws! which outlawed 2objectionable matter from the mails!3 :omstock became a special agent of the Bost Fffice! a position in which he 2had the power of an in/uisitor.3 &ccording to #endrickson! :omstock 2is said to have arrested three thousand persons over a forty"odd year career!3 and destroyed 2about *<= tons of books! stereotyped plates! maga+ines! and pictures3 that he deemed obscene. 2(he crusader particularly objected to O8eorge %ernardP Shaw's play! 4rs3 6!rren7s Profession! and Oin *@='P Shaw coined the word making good clean fun of his name.3 (oday! 1o&stoc%er, means 2narrow"minded! bigoted! and self"righteous moral censorship.3 )Jd like to conclude this e$cursion into the world of eponyms by telling you the story of the word c$!uvinis& AS-O6"vuh"6)M"'mC. 6icolas :hauvin was a veteran of the 6apoleonic wars! and a fervent follower of the emperor. &fter the defeat and e$ile of 6apoleon! :hauvin became so +ealous in his demonstrations of patriotism and allegiance to the fallen emperor that people began to ridicule him. 7obert #endrickson notes that :hauvin would have escaped national attention if several dramatists hadn't decided to mock him in their plays! and eventually :hauvin became the laughingstock of all of -rance. (he -rench coined a word for his blind love

of country! which soon made its way into English. (oday c$!uvinis& means over+ealous patriotism! and a chauvinist is a superpatriot! a person unreasonably and militantly devoted to his country. (hose are still the meanings of these words today. Since the *@>=s! however! the phrase &!le c$!uvinis& has been used to mean a +ealous and obno$ious belief in the alleged superiority of men over women. )n recent years! people have begun to drop the word &!le and use c$!uvinis& to denote a supercilious attitude of men toward women! and c$!uvinist to mean a man who treats women as inferior. (hat usage is unfortunate! for today many people think c$!uvinis& means only male chauvinism! and the original meaning of the word is now in jeopardy. (here is nothing wrong with adding a new sense to a word when there is clear need for it! but the addition ought not to be at the e$pense of an older meaning that still has a useful and precise function in the language. 6ow that you know the story of 6icolas :hauvin! ) hope you will take care to specify &!le c$!uvinis& when that is meant! and reserve the word c$!uvinis& to mean superpatriotism! over+ealous devotion to one's country. &nd now it is time to leave the land of eponyms and return to the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e vocabulary.

6o'2 31( TANTAMOUNT <TAN)t/=)MO6NT?

E/uivalent; having e/ual force! effect! or value. T!nt!&ount comes from an &nglo"-rench phrase meaning 2to amount to as much! be e/ual to!3 and ultimately from the Latin t!ntus! which means 2so much3 or 2so great.3 )n modern usage! when one thing is tantamount to another! it amounts to as much as the other! adds up to the same thing. )n his 0iction!r, of 1onte&'or!r, "&eric!n (s!#e A*@'>C! %ergen Evans notes that the words '!r!&ount and t!nt!&ount 2look deceptively alike but they mean very different things. P!r!&ount means supreme in rank! pre`minent Onow written 'ree&inent! without the dieresisP. T!nt!&ount means e/uivalent! as in value! force! effect! or significance. )t is usually followed by to A)our st!te&ent is t!nt!&ount to ! confessionC. T!nt!&ount is properly applied to acts and statements but not to material things.3

6o'2 32( ,ARIA- <1/=)RA)/=?

&n outcast; a person despised or rejected by society. P!ri!$ entered English in the early *<==s from T!&il A(&D"ulC! one of the languages of )ndia. )n the traditional social system of )ndia! people were divided into classes called c!stes Apronounced like c!stsC. Enlike in the Enited States! where there has always been a great deal of class mobility! downward as well as upward! until recently the )ndian caste system was rigid! and the pariah caste was one of the lowest on the social ladder. )ts

members worked chiefly as agricultural and domestic laborers and as servants to the %ritish when )ndia was a %ritish colony. (he third edition of T$e "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, A*@@,C notes that until *@0@ the pariahs 2were also known as untouchables.3 -rom this sense of social inferiority! the word '!ri!$ came to be used in English of any person despised or rejected by society! an outcast. &lthough '!ri!$ is often used to describe criminals! outlaws! degenerates! and derelicts! the word does not always connote lawlessness! abject poverty! or antisocial behavior. Young people can become pariahs at school if they don't wear the right clothing or do what is considered 2cool.3 )n the *@<=s! the hippies became pariahs in the eyes of the establishment because of their disdain for traditional values and opposition to the Hietnam 1ar. &nd in the *@'=s! during Senator Goe Dc:arthy's infamous witchhunt for :ommunist subversives! many people who worked in the #ollywood film industry were blacklisted and treated like pariahs! social outcasts.

6o'2 33( GERMANE <D/')MAAN?

7elevant! fitting! appropriate! precisely to the point. Synonyms of #er&!ne include 'ertinent! suit! le! !''lic! le A&B"li"kuh"bulC! !''osite A&B"uh"+itC! and !'ro'os A&B"ruh",O-C. &ntonyms include in!''ro'ri!te! unsuit! le! irrelev!nt! in!''lic! le! !lien! e8tr!neous! incon#ruous Ain"I&#68"groo"wusC! and &!l!'ro'os AD&L"ap"ruh",O-C. +er&!ne comes through Diddle English and Fld -rench from the Latin #er&!nus! which means 2having the same parents.3 1hen you have the same parents! you are closely allied by blood! and so related or akin. Fut of this notion of family affinity grew the modern meaning of #er&!ne! having a close relationship to the subject at hand! closely tied to the point in /uestion. +er&!ne! !''osite! 'ertinent! and relev!nt are close in meaning. Relev!nt is the weakest of the group and means simply related! connected! bearing upon a subject 2(he chair of the meeting asked the participants to keep their comments relevant and to refrain from bringing up tangential issues.3 Pertinent implies immediate! precise! and direct relevance 2Emily made several pertinent suggestions during the meeting that helped us focus on the problem.3 "''osite implies relevance that is particularly appropriate! timely! or suitable to the occasion 2Emily made some apposite observations about the competition that made us reconsider our marketing strategy.3 Fur keyword! #er&!ne! implies a close connection or natural relationship that is highly fitting or appropriate 2Emily also presented a great deal of germane information in her report3; 2(he judge chided the defense attorney for voicing opinions that were not germane to the case.3

6o'2 34( LICENTIOUS <l.)SEN)s=/s?

Se$ually abandoned; lacking moral restraint! especially in se$ual conduct. &pparently there is something sensual about the letter l! because therea are no fewer than nine synonyms of licentious that begin with l lewd! loose ! lustful! lec$erous ALE:#"ur"usC! l!scivious Aluh"S)H"ee"usC! li ertine ALIB "ur"(EE6C! lu ricious Aloo"%7)S#"usC! lic%eris$ AL)I"ur"ishC! and li idinous Ali"%)5"Jn"usC. &dditional synonyms of licentiousand believe me! )'m selecting only the more challenging onesinclude !wd,! w!nton! ri !ld Aword 0, of Level >! rhymes with scri ledC! 'rurient AB7EE7"ee"intC! de !uc$ed Adi"%&1:#(C! dissolute A5)S"uh"lootC! s!l!cious Asuh"L&Y"shusC! and concu'iscent Akahn"IYFF"pi"sintC. #ad enough se$y words4 &ll right! here are three antonyms of licentious to /uell your lust 'ure! c$!ste! and virtuous. Licentious comes from the Latin licenti!! freedom! leave! liberty! the source also of the English word license. %y derivation licentious means taking license! and the word implies doing something one is not supposed to do! especially something se$ually immoral. 5ictionaries will tell you that licentious may be used to mean unrestrained by law! morality! or rules of correctness or propriety! as a licentious poet or a licentious rap musician. %ut the truth is that in current usage licentious almost always connotes unrestrained se$uality. Licentious poets write lewd or lustful poems! and licentious rap musicians hip"hop through their se$ual escapades. & licentious person is someone who displays a lack of moral restraint regarding se$ual conduct.

6o'2 35( SU,ERANNUATE@ <SOO)1/')AN).oo)AA)t42?

7etired because of age! weakness! or ineffectiveness; old and worn out; outdated! outmoded! obsolete. Synonyms of su'er!nnu!ted include ti&eworn! !nti-u!ted AAN "ti"I1&Y"tidC! decre'it Adi"I7EB"itC! '!ssG Apa"S&YC! and effete Ai"-EE(C. .u'er!nnu!ted combines the prefi$ su'er"! meaning 2beyond!3 with the Latin !nnu&! a year! and by derivation means beyond the useful years. (hat which is superannuated is too old for use! work! or service. (he word may be used of a person who has reached the age of retirement! or of anything that has outlived its usefulness! that is old and worn out! as a superannuated car! a superannuated custom! a superannuated technology! or a superannuated idea.

6o'2 3 ( EGREGIOUS <4)GREE)D/s?

:onspicuously bad! remarkable or outstanding for some undesirable or offensive /uality. Synonyms of e#re#ious include fl!#r!nt! outr!#eous! e8cessive!

s$oc%in#! #ross! &onstrous! notorious! #rievous A87EE"vus! two syllables pleaseC! and !rr!nt A&7"untC. 9#re#ious comes from the Latin e#re#ius! not of the common herd! and therefore select or outstanding. 9#re#ious was once used to mean outstanding or remarkable! but this sense is long obsolete! and for at least three hundred years the word has most often been used to mean outstanding or remarkable in a bad way! conspicuously bad! offensive! or undesirable. 1hen you think of how many remarkably bad things there are in the world! it's surprising that e#re#ious isn't used more often. #ere are a few possible applications an egregious crime! an egregious lie! an egregious insult! an egregious fool! an egregious oversight! an egregious mistake! and an egregious breach of human rights.

6o'2 3!( EA,I@ <EA,)42% '=.:es 74t= rapid?

Lifeless! dull! boring! flat! stale; lacking spirit! interest! or flavor. Synonyms of v!'id include uns!vor,! insi'id! un'!l!t! le! trite! 'ros!ic Aword *< of Level 0C! 'edestri!n! and 2e2une Aji"GFF6! word * of Level *=C. &ntonyms include livel,! vi#orous! vivid! !ni&!ted! ro ust! viv!cious Avi"H&Y"shusC! and e&'$!tic. V!'id comes from the Latin v!'idus! which means spiritless! spoiled! flat. (he word has remained true to its Latin root! and in modern usage v!'id still applies to that which is lifeless! boring! or stale. (oday we speak of vapid conversation! vapid beer! a vapid remark! or a vapid look in a person's eyes.

6o'2 3"( CROTC-ET <*RA-C-)4t% '=.:es 74t= watch it?

&n odd notion or whim that one clings to stubbornly. (he corresponding adjective is crotc$et,. & crotchety person is full of crotchets! and therefore stubbornly eccentric. 1rotc$et, is often applied to cantankerous old people who are set in their eccentric ways. 1rotc$et comes from a Diddle English word meaning a staff with a hook at the end. )t is related to the familiar word croc$et Akroh"S#&YC! the form of needlework in which thread is looped with a hooked needle. 1rotc$et was once used to mean a reaping hook or a hooklike instrument. )n modern usage! however! the most common meaning of crotc$et is an odd notion or whim that hooks you or that you cling to stubbornly! as if with a hook. 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r,! third edition A*@@>C! says that crotc$et 2implies great eccentricity and connotes stubbornness in opposition to prevailing thought! usually on some insignificant point.3 & crotchet may appear insignificant to others! but if it's ,our crotchet! it's far from trivial.

(hink of all the eccentric people you know! young or old! who cling to some odd notion or peculiar way of doing something and you will see that to the people who hold them! crotchets are heartfelt convictions. )n T$e 6riter7s "rt A*@?0C! Games G. Iilpatrick includes a long chapter in which he lists! without e$cuses or apology! one hundred of his crotchets about usage. 2Every one9is as dear to me!3 he writes! 2as &udrey! the country wench! was dear to (ouchstone. She was an ill"favored thing! sir! but his own. )f ) am tetchy about the placement of onl,! that's it. )'m crotchety.3 &nd before your verbally advantaged guide gets crotchety about usage too! let's move on to the ne$t word.

6o'2 3#( E,IGRA,- <E,)4)GRA&?

&n inscription; especially! an inscription on a building or monument! or a brief /uotation at the beginning of a literary composition that suggests or is germane to its theme. 9'i#r!'$! e'i#r!&! and e'it!'$ are close in meaning but sharply distinguished in usage. &n e'it!'$ AE,"i"(&-C is an inscription on a gravestone or tomb in memory of the person buried. )n T$e 0evil7s 0iction!r,! a classic work of satirical le$icography! the acerbic and crotchety humorist &mbrose %ierce defined e'it!'$ as 2an inscription on a tomb! showing that virtues ac/uired by death have a retroactive effect.3 5orothy Barker! another &merican writer famous for her /uick! mordant wit! once proposed these two epitaphs for herself 2E$cuse my dust3 and 2(his is on me.3 9'i#r!& AE,)i"87&DC has two meanings. Friginally it referred to a short! witty poemfor e$ample! this two"line ditty by Fgden 6ash 2) like eelsVJ cept as meals.3 Later e'i#r!& also came to mean a short! pointed saying that displays terse wit or a clever twist of thought. Fne of the greatest epigrammatists AEB"i"GRAM"uh"tistsC! or writers of epigrams! who ever lived was the nineteenth"century poet and playwright Fscar 1ilde. #ere are three e$amples of 1ilde's epigrams 21hen people agree with me ) always feel that ) must be wrong.3 2(he only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.3 2O& cynic isP a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.3 Fur keyword! e'i#r!'$! is formed from the prefi$ e'i"! meaning 2on3 or 2above!3 and the 8reek verb #r!'$ein! to write. (his 8reek verb has influenced many English words! including electroc!rdio#r!'$! an instrument for recording the beating of the heart; ort$o#r!'$,! correct spelling; 'ol,#r!'$! otherwise known as a lie detector; and #r!'$olo#,! the study of handwriting. 1henever you see a word containing #r!'$! you can reasonably assume that it has something to do with writing. &n e'i#r!'$ by derivation means a writing on or above something; hence! an inscription. 1hen you see words engraved on a building! a

monument! or a statue! that's an epigraph. 1hen you see a brief /uotation placed at the beginning of a book! a chapter! a poem! or the like! that is also an epigraph.

6o'2 43( EG,ATIATE <e0)S,AA)s=ee)a.t?

(o elaborate! speak or write at great length. Synonyms of e8'!ti!te include discourse Adis"IF7SC! e8'ound Aek" SBF165C! and desc!nt Ades"I&6(C. (he verb to e8'!ti!te comes from the Latin e8'!ti!ri! to wander. 98'!ti!te originally meant to wander or walk about freely! but this sense is now rare. )n current usage e8'!ti!te suggests wandering at will over a subject. 1hen you e$patiate on something! you elaborate! go into detail! speak or write about it at great length. (he corresponding noun is e8'!ti!tion Aek"SB&Y"shee"AA"shinC. Let's review the last ten keywords by playing 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a keyword Ain it!licsC is followed by three definitions. (wo of the three are correct; one is unrelated in meaning. 5ecide which definition doesn't fit the keyword. &nswers appear on page .<,.
1. T!nt!&ount means e/ual! balanced! e/uivalent. 2. & '!ri!$ is an unlucky person! a social reject! an outcast. 3. +er&!ne means fitting! relevant! interesting. 4. Licentious means se$ually immoral! se$ually inhibited! se$ually

abandoned.
5. .u'er!nnu!ted means old and worn out! highly e$aggerated!

obsolete.
6. 9#re#ious means conspicuously out of place! conspicuously

offensive! conspicuously bad.

7. V!'id means lifeless! boring! unpleasant. 8. & crotc$et is a bad idea! an odd whim! a stubborn notion. 9. &n e'i#r!'$ is an inscription on a building! a /uotation at the

beginning of a book! something written on a gravestone. 10.(o e8'!ti!te means to go into detail! to e$plain briefly! to elaborate. 5id you remember to keep track of your score4 5o you need to review before continuing4

#ere are the final ten keywords in Level ?

6o'2 41( SINECURE <SA)n/=)*AOORO'e9o::en2e2Oo' SIN)/=)*AOOR?

& position that provides a good income or salary but that re/uires little or no work; in collo/uial terms! a cushy job. .inecure comes from the Latin phrase eneficiu& sine cur!! which means 2a benifice without cure.3 &nd what does that mean! you ask4 & enefice is an endowed church position or office that provides a member of the clergy with a fi$ed income or guaranteed living. & 2benefice without cure3 means a paid position for a member of the clergy that does not re/uire pastoral workin other words! the curing of souls. Bastors! vicars! rectors! and the like who were granted sinecures by their church did not have a congregation! and they were paid well to do little or nothing. .inecure is such a useful word that it was soon adopted by the laity to mean any position or office that has no specific duties or work attached to it but that provides an income or emolument.

6o'2 42( ,RE@ILECTION <,RE@)4)LE*)s=4n?

& preference! partiality! preconceived liking! an inclination or disposition to favor something. Synonyms of 'redilection include fondness! le!nin#! i!s! 're2udice! 'redis'osition! !ffinit, Aword 0< of Level 0C! 'enc$!nt Aword @ of Level .C! 'ro'ensit,> and 'roclivit,. Predilection comes through -rench from the Dedieval Latin verb 'r!edili#ere! to prefer. Enlike the words i!s and 're2udice! which are often used negatively! 'redilection has either a neutral or positive connotation and is used as a stronger synonym of 'reference and '!rti!lit, AB&#7" shee"AL"i"teeC. &ccording to the third edition of 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r, A*@@>C! a 'redilection is 2a preconceived liking! formed as a result of one's background! temperament! etc.! that inclines one toward a particular preference.3 You can have a predilection for anything you are naturally partial to or inclined to like! as a predilection for ice hockey! a predilection for solving crossword pu++les! a predilection for country music! or a predilection for )talian cuisine.

6o'2 43( IMBROGLIO <4:)BRO-L).o=?

& complicated or intricate situation; a difficult! perple$ing state of affairs; also! a misunderstanding or disagreement of a complicated and confusing nature. Synonyms of i& ro#lio include ent!n#le&ent! e& roil&ent! 'redic!&ent! and -u!nd!r, Aword ,> of Level .C. I& ro#lio comes through )talian and Fld -rench from Latin and means by derivation to entangle! confuse! mi$ up! embroil. 1hen i& ro#lio entered English in the mid"*>==s! it meant 2a confused heap!3 but this sense is now

rare. (he great /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r, shows that by the early *?==s i& ro#lio had come to mean 2a state of great confusion and entanglement; a complicated or difficult situation; a confused misunderstanding or disagreement.3 (he unraveling of an imbroglio is a common plot in many plays! novels! and operas! but there are plenty of imbroglios in real life as well. Fpen the newspaper on any given day and you will find stories of political imbroglios! financial imbroglios! marital imbroglios! and criminal imbroglios.

6o'2 44( INE&&ABLE <4n)E&)/=)b//l?

)ne$pressible! unable to be e$pressed or described in words. Synonyms of indescri ! le. ineff! le include unutter! le! uns'e!%! le! and

Ineff! le comes from the Latin ineff! ilis! which means unutterable! not able to be spoken. Fnce upon a prudish time! when (homas %owdler was bowdleri+ing Shakespeare and the %ible and &nthony :omstock was committing :omstockery on the E.S. Dail! the more refined members of polite society would call the legs of a piano 2limbs3 and refer to a man's trousers as 2ineffables.3 Dy! how times change. (oday women also wear trousers! and hardly anything is ineffable! especially on late"night (H. 5ictionaries note that ineff! le may mean too sacred to be spoken! as the ineffable name of a deity A5EE"i"teeC or an ineffable curse! but this sense is now infre/uent! and in current usage ineff! le almost always means ine$pressible! unable to be e$pressed or described in words. 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r,! second edition A*@.0C! notes that ineff! le usually applies to 2good or pleasant things!3 as ineffable beauty or ineffable joy! but it may occasionally apply to something unpleasant that is ine$pressible! as ineffable disgust.

6o'2 45( STOLI@ <STA-L)42?

6ot easily moved! aroused! or e$cited; showing little or no feeling or sensitivity; mentally or emotionally dull! insensitive! or obtuse. Synonyms of stolid include une&otion!l! unres'onsive! slu##is$! !'!t$etic! i&'!ssive! indifferent! and '$le#&!tic Afleg"D&("ikC! word .. of Level @. .tolid comes from the Latin stolidus! stupid! dull! unmoving. &ccording to 6e ster7s *ew 6orld 0iction!r,! third college edition A*@@>C! stolid applies to a person 2who is not easily moved or e$cited!3 and suggests 2dullness! obtuseness! or stupidity.3 Enlike stoic people! who display firmness of mind and character in their thick"skinned! unflinching indifference to pain and suffering! people who are stolid are not easily moved because they are oafs! dolts! louts! or half"wits. )n other words! a stolid person shows little feeling or sensitivity because the light's not on upstairs. .tolid is sometimes also applied figuratively to behavior or things that are

unresponsive! insensitive! or not easily moved. & stolid countenance or e$pression is unresponsive. & stolid bureaucracy is dense and insensitive to the needs of individuals. &nd stolid opposition is not easily moved.

6o'2 4 ( O&&AL <A6&)/l% l40e awfulO'e9o::en2e2O or A-&)/l?

1aste! garbage! refuse! rubbish. /ff!l comes from Diddle English and is a combination of the words off and f!ll. Friginally the word applied to anything that fell off or was thrown off in the process of doing somethingfor e$ample! wood chips in lumbering or carpentry! or the dross or scum that forms on the surface of molten metal. Since the early *0==s! off!l has also been used of the waste parts removed in the process of butchering an animal. -rom that unsavory sense! the meaning of off!l broadened to denote waste or garbage in general! anything thrown away as worthless. )n <ulius 1!es!r! Shakespeare writes! 21hat trash is 7ome4 1hat rubbish! and what offal43 5ictionaries still define off!l as the waste parts! and especially the entrails! of a butchered animal! and if you are fond of sausages! as ) am! ) hope it won't disturb you to know that many of them are made from off!l. #owever! the more general definition of the wordtrash! refuse! rubbish is now probably more common. (oday we dispose of our offal in sewers and landfills! and the offal of society gets sent to jail.

6o'2 4!( LISSOME <LIS)/:?

Limber! fle$ible! moving with ease and grace. Synonyms of lisso&e include ni& le! !#ile! su''le! and lit$e ALY(#! rhymes with writ$eC. Lisso&e! lit$e! and li& er are close synonyms. Li& er suggests moving or bending easily! as limber muscles! or a limber bough. Lit$e and lisso&e suggest moving with nimbleness! agility! and grace; of the two words! lit$e is more literal! lisso&e more poetic. 1e speak of a lithe runner; a lithe deer; a lissome dancer; a lissome tongue.

6o'2 4"( MELLI&LUOUS <:/=)LI&)loo)/s?

-lowing smoothly and sweetly! like honey. (he adjective &ellifluous comes through Diddle English from Latin and means literally flowing like honey. (he word has stuck like honey to its root! and in modern usage &ellifluous means honeyed or honey"toned! flowing smoothly and sweetly. 4ellifluous often applies to sounds or words! as a mellifluous voice! mellifluous music! a mellifluous speaker! or mellifluous writing.

6o'2 4#( SUR&EIT <SUR)f4t% l40e surf it?

(o supply! fill! or feed to e$cess! especially to the point of discomfort!

sickness! or disgust. Synonyms of surfeit include s!te and s!ti!te ASAA"shee"&Y(C! which may mean either to fill or supply to satisfaction or to fill or supply beyond what is necessary or desired. &dditional synonyms include stuff! cr!&! #lut! #or#e! c$o%e! inund!te! and clo,. (he verb to surfeit is derived from Diddle English and Fld -rench words meaning to overdo! e$ceed! and in modern usage surfeit means to feed! fill! or stuff to the point of discomfort! sickness! or disgust. You can surfeit yourself on a (hanksgiving feast. You can surfeit yourself with boo+e. You can watch episodes of the 2(hree Stooges3 until you are surfeited with slapstick humor. Fr you can read Ver !l "dv!nt!#e until your brain is surfeited with words. (he corresponding noun surfeit! pronounced the same way! is most often used to mean an e$cess or oversupply! as a surfeit of praise or a surfeit of products on the market.

6o'2 53( BLAN@IS-MENT <BLAN)24s=):ent?

-lattering or coa$ing speech or action; an ingratiating remark or gesture. :l!ndis$&ent comes through Diddle English and Fld -rench from the Latin verb l!ndiri! to flatter! caress! coa$! which comes in turn from the adjective l!ndus! which means flattering! fondling! caressing. %y derivation! l!ndis$&ent means speech or action that flatters! fondles! coa$es! or caresses in an attempt to win over or persuade a person. )n current usage the word is usually employed in its plural form! l!ndis$&ents! which the second edition of 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, A*@.0C defines as 2soft words and artful caresses.3 Enlike flattery! which is generally perceived as self"serving! blandishments are not necessarily insincere. (hey may be e$pressions of honest affection! kindness! or desire. 1hen you offer blandishments to your boss! to a friend! to your spouse! or to your lover! you are using gentle flattery and kind words to butter that person up. (he corresponding verb is l!ndis$! to coa$ with flattering or ingratiating statements or actions.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you the review word Ain it!licsC followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which one of those three words or phrases comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page .<..
1. )s a sinecure a period of unemployment! a job with many

responsibilities! or a position that re/uires little or no work4

2. )s a 'redilection a preference! a dislike! or an uneasy feeling4 3. )s an i& ro#lio a devious plot! a complicated situation! or an

elaborate plan4
4. &re ineff! le feelings private! overwhelming! or ine$pressible4 5. )s a stolid person unemotional! reliable! or stubborn4 6. 5oes off!l mean immorality! despair! or waste4 7. )f something is lisso&e! is it limber! delicious! or soft4 8. &re &ellifluous words dishonest! smooth! or foolish4 9.5oes surfeit mean to shut down! to skip over! or to feed to e$cess4

10.5oes l!ndis$&ent mean flattery! foolishness! or deceit4 )f you answered eight or more /uestions correctly! read on. )f not! review. T=e'e Is No oun 4n !ronunciation

1e shall wind up Level ? with a look at a few commonly mispronounced words. -irst! the word -uer,. (he noun -uer, means a /uestion or in/uiry; the verb to -uer, means to ask /uestions about! especially to resolve a doubt or obtain authoritative information. (he noun and verb are now so often mispronounced I1&)7"ee Arhymes with $!ir,C that this variant has made its way into a few current dictionaries. Entil /uite recently! however! dictionaries gave only one pronunciation! which ) recommend as preferable I1EE7"ee Arhymes with leer,C. 6ow let's look at consul and consul!te. & consul AI&#6"sulC is a diplomat! a person appointed by a government to live in a foreign city and serve his country's citi+ens and business interests there. 1onsul!te AI&#6"suh"litC refers either to the office or to the residence of a consul. (hese words are often mispronounced like counsel and counsel!te! as if the first syllable were coun" instead of con". (here is no counsel in consul and consul!te! and these words have nothing to do with counseling. So the ne$t time you journey abroad and need help from a representative of your government! go to the consulate and ask to see the consul. 1hen you want to borrow a book! do you go to the public library or the public li err,4 Let's hope you go to the public library ALY"brer"eeC! because there is no such thing as a li err,. (he beastly mispronunciation li err, is 2heard from less educated and very young speakers! and is often critici+ed!3 says the second! unabridged edition of T$e R!ndo& =ouse 0iction!r, of t$e 9n#lis$ L!n#u!#e A*@?>C. Enless for some reason you wish to appear less educated or very young! remember there is no err, in li r!r,. 6ow for something irrevelent about 2ewler, that may help you avoid several #rievious errors of 'ronounci!tion. (hat egregious sentence contained no fewer than four grievous errors of pronunciation! all of which are signs of a sloppy speaker.

-irst! we have the problem of transposed letters and sounds. )n the word irrelev!nt! be careful not to transpose the l and v and say irrevelent. ) don't think )'m being irreverent by averring that the proper pronunciation is i"7EL" uh"vint. )n the word 2ewelr,! don't transpose the l and the e in the second syllable and say GFF"luh"ree. (here is no 2ool! in GFF"wuul"ree. (o get it right! just say the word 2ewel and then add "ree. %y the way! in linguistics this transposition of letters and sounds in a word is called &et!t$esis Amuh" (&(#"uh"sisC. 6e$t! we have #rievous! which is often mispronounced 87EE"vee"us! even by educated speakers. (hese speakers are also prone to misspell the word by interpolating a spurious i #rievious. (he correct spelling has one i! #rievous! and the proper pronunciation has two! not three! syllables 87EE"vus. 6ow let's talk about 'ronounci!tion! which of course should be 'ronunci!tion. ) can't tell you how many times ) have been a guest on a radio talk show! fielding /uestions on language! when someone calls in to complain about some horrendous mispro"noun"ciation and rail about how people mispro"noun"ciate words. &las! modern medicine has yet to discover a cure for %oeotian ears! which you may recall is an eponymous e$pression for 2ears unable to appreciate poetry or music.3 (here is no noun in 'ronunci!tion! but there is a nun 'ro"nun5ci!tion. &nd there are also no such verbs as 'ronounci!te or &is'ronounci!te. Either you 'ronounce a word properly! or you &is'ronounce it. 1hen you 'ronounce words properly! you have good 'ronunci!tion; and when you &is'ronounce them! you are guilty of &is'ronunci!tion. )f you want to hear rampant mispronunciation! all you have to do is turn on your radio or television. Lately ) have heard numerous broadcasters mispronounce the words sie#e! refu#e! and refu#ee as SEEM#! 7E-" yoo+h! and 7E-"yoo"F-EE. 8ee whi+T (he problem here is the letter #! which should sound like the # in c!#e and re#i&ent! not like the # in coll!#e. %e careful to say SEEG! 7E-"yooj! and 7E-"yoo" BEE. A&lso acceptable is RE&"yoo"GEE! with the primary stress on the first syllable.C #ow do you pronounce succinct4 1hat about fl!ccid4 )f you say suh" S)68I( Aas if the word were spelled sussinctC and -L&S"id Aas if the word were spelled fl!ssidC go directly to the li err,! do not pass 28F!3 and learn how not to mispronounciate your words. )f you said suhk"S)68I( and -L&I"sid! you have my eternal gratitude and respect. A5id you catch that hyperbolic use of etern!l4C 6ow! why are suhk"S)68I( and -L&I"sid correct! you ask4 %ecause the rule for pronouncing double"c in a word says that the first c sounds %! the second like s; together they create the sound of %5s! as in the name <!c%son. (hus for success we say suhk"SES! not suh"SES; for !ccident we say &I"si"dent! not &S"si"dent; for !cce't we say ak"SEB(! not uh"SEB(; for eccentric we say ek"SE6"trik! not e"SE6"trik; and for !ccede! word ,. of Level >! we say ak"SEE5! not uh"SEE5. (he same rule holds for

succinct Asuhk"S)68I(C! brief! concise! and fl!ccid A-L&I"sidC! soft and limp. &nd that goes for the word !ccessor,! toodon't let me catch you saying uh"SES"uh"ree. )t's ak"SES"uh"ree. :onsidering that )'ve been laying down the law about saying it right! ) shall conclude my e$patiation on pronunciation by covering three words pertaining to the legal profession 2uror! vendor! and defend!nt. )n the courtroom! pompous lawyers and judges often pronounce these as GFF7" or! HE6"dor Aor ven"5F7C! and dee"-E6"dant Anote the final syllable in each caseC! and many members of the laity are now imitating them. (here ought to be a law against using these pretentious variants. 1hat's wrong with the common! everyday pronunciations GFF7"ur! HE6"dur! and di" -E6"dint4 (hey have been heard for centuries and are intelligible to everyone. (here is no need to overpronounce these words. 7emember! )'m giving you all this good advice because proper pronunciation is my fortea word that is traditionally and properly pronounced in one syllable! -F7(! just like fort. Yup! that's right. (he popular two"syllable pronunciation -F7"tayor worse! for"(&Yis erroneous. (he musical term forte comes from )talian and is pronounced in two syllables with the accent on the first syllable! like the )talian -F7"tay. ;orte is a musical direction meaning 2loud!3 as opposed to 'i!no! which means 2soft.3 (he English forte! one's strong point! e$pertise! comes from the -rench fort! strong. (his -rench fort entered English in the seventeenth century! and in the eighteenth century a final e was tacked on to the word by mistake. (hat spurious final e made the word identical to the )talian musical direction forte; hence! the eventual confusion in pronunciation. %ut most modern authorities continue to stand by the traditional distinction -F7"tay for forte the musical term! -F7( for forte meaning one's e$pertise or strong point. )f youJd like to make cultivated pronunciation your forte and learn about more beastly mispronunciations you should avoid! ) recommend my tome on the subject! T$e :i# :oo% of :e!stl, 4is'ronunci!tions A#oughton Difflin! *@@@C! which you should be able to find at your local bookstore or public library. &nd with that flaccid bit of self"promotion! we come to the end of Level ?. %y now your head should be surfeited with importunate admonitions on usage and pronunciation and overflowing with brave new words. ) also hope that your dictionary is beginning to show some signs of wear and tear. %efore moving on to the most difficult words in the program! you may want to spend some e$tra time reviewing! just to make certain you have assimilated all the keywords and additional information and are well prepared for the erudite and abstruse vocabulary coming up in Levels @ and *=. Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level "
*e.7o'2s 1$13

1. Yes indeed you would! if you think you might be the ne$t

million"dollar winner. "l!crit, means cheerful readiness! eagerness! or promptness in action or movement.
2. Yes. (o o vi!te means to prevent! make unnecessary! meet

and dispose of! clear out of the way.

3. 6o. 9&olu&ent means wages! salary! payment received for

work.
4. 6o. (o c!'itul!te means to yield under specified terms or

conditions. Intr!nsi#ent means uncompromising! refusing to come to an agreement! unwilling to modify one's position or give ground.
5. 6o. 4ord!nt means biting! cutting! keen! sarcastic! scathing. 6. Yes. .!#!cious means wise! shrewd! perceptive; showing sound

judgment and keen insight! especially in practical matters.

7. 6o! not on your life. "cer ic means sour! bitter! and harsh in flavor!

tone! or character.
8.Yes! they could. )n a broad sense! v!rie#!ted means varied! diverse!

showing variety of character or form; in a strict sense! variegated means spotted! streaked! or dappled; having marks or patches of different colors.
9. Yes. (o succor means to aid! help! relieve! give assistance to in

time of need or difficulty. 10.Yes! they certainly are. (o i&'ortune means to trouble or annoy with re/uests or demands! make urgent or persistent entreaties or solicitations.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. (rue. (o '!lli!te means to lessen the severity of! gloss over! make

something seem less serious or severe.

2. -alse. 6iAened means dried up! shriveled! withered! shrunken and

wrinkled.
3. -alse. 1!'tious means faultfinding! /uick to point out faults or raise

trivial objections.
4. (rue. &n e&end!tion is a correction! alteration! especially a change

made in a piece of writing to correct or improve it.

5. (rue. Truculent means fierce! ferocious! especially in a brutal!

bullying! threatening! or aggressively defiant way.

6. -alse. (o e8'edite! word 0@ of Level 0! means to speed up! hasten

the progress of. (o e8'ur#!te means to cleanse by removing offensive material! free from objectionable content.
7. -alse. (he adjective re'ro !te means thoroughly bad! wicked!

corrupt! and the noun re'ro !te means a person who is morally abandoned! who lacks all sense of decency and duty.
8. (rue.

.'urious means false! counterfeit! artificial; not true! authentic! or genuine. 9. (rue. Volition means will! choice! decision! determination.
9. -alse. (o inter'ol!te means to insert! introduce; specifically! to

insert words into a piece of writing or a conversation.

*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. Synonyms. (o !dduce means to offer or cite as a reason! as

evidence! or as authority for an opinion or course of action.

2. Synonyms. %oth words describe criminals or wrongdoers. &

&!lef!ctor is a person who has done something bad or illegal. & &iscre!nt is an evil! unscrupulous! vicious person; someone without principles or conscience.
3. &ntonyms. Pr!#&!tic means practical! realistic. Dui8otic means

foolishly impractical or idealistic; inclined to pursue unreachable goals or far"fetched! unworkable schemes.

lofty!

4. Synonyms. (o su''ur!te means to fester! form or discharge pus. 5. &ntonyms. Pus$over is an informal but useful word for someone

who is softhearted and easily manipulated. & &!rtinet is a strict disciplinarian! taskmaster! rigid enforcer of rules and regulations.
6. Synonyms. 1o&'unction is a twinge of regret caused by an uneasy

conscience! a pang of guilt for a wrong done or for pain that one has caused another.
7. Synonyms. 4ercuri!l means /uick to change moods or change

one's mind; having an unpredictable temperament; capricious! volatile! fickle.

8. Synonyms. & '!n!ce! is a cure for all ills. & nostru& is a /uack

remedy or medicine! or a dubious or dishonest plan or scheme for curing a social or political problem.
9. &ntonyms. (o 'ro'iti!te means to appease! gain or regain the

goodwill or favor of! cause to become favorably inclined. 10.&ntonyms. 9ffic!c, means effectiveness! the power to produce a desired effect or result.
*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. :!l!nced doesn't fit. T!nt!&ount means e/uivalent; having e/ual

force! effect! or value.

2. "n unluc%, 'erson doesn't fit. & '!ri!$ is an outcast! a person

despised or rejected by society.

3.Interestin# doesn't fit. +er&!ne means relevant! fitting! appropriate!

precisely to the point.

4. .e8u!ll,

in$i ited doesn't fit. Licentious means se$ually abandoned; lacking moral restraint! especially in se$ual conduct. 5. =i#$l, e8!##er!ted doesn't fit. .u'er!nnu!ted means retired because of age! weakness! or ineffectiveness; old and worn out; outdated! outmoded! obsolete.
6. 1ons'icuousl,

out of 'l!ce doesn't fit. 9#re#ious means conspicuously bad! remarkable or outstanding for some undesirable or offensive /uality. lacking spirit! interest! or flavor.

7. (n'le!s!nt doesn't fit. V!'id means lifeless! dull! boring! flat! stale; 8. :!d ide! doesn't fit. & crotc$et is an odd notion or whim that one

clings to stubbornly.
9. .o&et$in# written on ! #r!vestone doesn't fit. &n e'it!'$ is

something written on a gravestone. &n e'i#r!'$ is an inscription on a building or monument! or a brief /uotation at the beginning of a literary composition. 10.To e8'l!in riefl, doesn't fit. (o e8'!ti!te means to elaborate! go into detail! speak or write at great length.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. & sinecure is a position that provides a good income or salary but

that re/uires little or no work; in collo/uial terms! a cushy job.

2. & 'redilection is a preference! partiality! preconceived liking! an

inclination or disposition to favor something.

3. &n i& ro#lio is a complicated or intricate situation; a difficult!

perple$ing state of affairs; also! a misunderstanding disagreement of a complicated and confusing nature. e$pressed or described in words.

or

4. )neffable feelings are ine$pressible. Ineff! le means unable to be 5.& stolid person is unemotional or unresponsive. .tolid means not

easily moved! aroused! or e$cited; showing little or no feeling or sensitivity; mentally or emotionally dull! insensitive! or obtuse.
6. /ff!l means waste! garbage! refuse! rubbish. 7. Lisso&e means limber! fle$ible! moving with ease and grace. 8. Dellifluous words are smooth and sweet. 4ellifluous means flowing

smoothly and sweetly! like honey.

9.(o surfeit means to supply! fill! or feed to e$cess! especially to the point

of discomfort! sickness! or disgust. 10.:l!ndis$&ent means flattering or coa$ing speech or action; an ingratiating remark or gesture.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level "

1. 1hich word comes from a Latin word meaning 2the fee a miller

received for grinding grain34

(a) remuneration (b) per/uisite (c) emolument (d) commensurate 2. 1hich three words are synonyms4 (a)

hidebound! complaisant! tenacious

(b) intransigent! obdurate! recalcitrant (c) intractable! refractory! malleable (d) obstinate! resolute! ac/uiescent 3. 1hich word is not a synonym of s!#!cious4 (a) percipient (b) sapient (c) credulous (d) perspicacious (e) judicious 4. &n importunate person is (a) bitter (b) miserable (c) rude (c)

demanding

5. "l!crit, connotes all of the following e$cept for (a) /uickness (b) liveliness (c) promptness (d) eagerness (e) suddenness 6. 1hich word is an antonym of '!lli!te4 (a) mitigate (b) e$purgate (c) e$acerbate

(d) propitiate 7. & captious person could reasonably be all of the following e$cept (a) mordant (b) acerbic (c) acrimonious (d) reprobate (e) /uerulous 8. 1hich verb means to make corrections in a te$t4 (a) e$purgate (b) interpolate (c) emend (d)

bowdleri+e

9. "'ocr,'$!l and su''osititious are synonyms of (a) plausible (b) spurious (c) /ui$otic

?d@ sagacious 10.1hich word comes from a Latin verb meaning to will or wish4
(a) succor (b) volition (c) obviate (d) truculent

11.1hich words are not synonyms4

(a) malefactor! pariah (b)

reprobate! varlet

(c) rapscallion! scofflaw (d) blackguard! miscreant

12.1hich word is a synonym of -ui8otic4

(a) ethereal (b) chimerical (c) mercurial (d) vapid (e) utilitarian

13.1hat is 'utref!ction4
(a) confusion (b) purity (c) disagreement (d) decay

14.(he 8reek god #ermes carried a winged staff with two serpents coiled around it. (his staff now serves as the symbol of the medical profession. 1hat is it called4
(a) a nostrum (b) a sinecure (c) a martinet (d) a caduceus

15.1o&'unction! 'oi#n!nt! and 'un#ent all come from a Latin verb meaning
(a) to hurt or break (b) to annoy or bother (c) (d) to sense or feel

to prick or sting

16.1hich word is an antonym of estr!n#e&ent and dis!ffection4

(a) propitiation (b) suppuration (c) compunction (d) e$patiation

17.1hich set of words contains a word that is not eponymous4

(a) martinet! maverick! chauvinism (b) gargantuan! tantamount! epicurean (c) /ui$otic! sandwich! herculean (d) mercurial! silhouette! draconian

18.1hich word means narrow"minded! bigoted! and self"righteous moral censorship4

(a) (b) (c) e$purgation

Byrrhonism intransigence

(d) :omstockery

19.1hich word entered English from (amil! one of the languages of )ndia4
(a) offal (b) cavil (c) pariah (d) jejune

20.1hich word is a synonym of #er&!ne4

(a) apposite (b) prosaic (c) incipient (d) pernicious (e) stolid

21.1hich word is not a synonym of licentious4

(a) libidinous (b) lubricious (c) (d) lickerish (e) lissome ( ) lascivious

libertine

22.1hich word means outdated! old and worn out4

(a) vapid (b) inefficacious (c) superannuated (d)

wi+ened

23.1hich phrase is not an appropriate use of the word e#re#ious4

(a) an egregious fool (b) an egregious success (c) an egregious lie (d) an egregious mistake

24.1hat is an e'i#r!&4
(a) an inscription on a gravestone or tomb (b) a short! witty poem or a short! pointed! clever statement

(c) an inscription on a building or monument or a brief /uotation at

the beginning of a literary composition 25.1hich word is a synonym of e8'!ti!te4

(a) descant (b) variegate (c) mollify (d) blandish (e) adduce

26.%y definition! which of the following accompanies a sinecure4

(a) compunction (b) obsolescence (c) emendation (d) emolument (e)

predilection

27.1hich of the following statements does not properly apply to something stolid4
(a) )t is intransigent. (b) )t is apathetic. (c) )t is impassive. (d) )t is phlegmatic.

28.1hich word is a synonym of i& ro#lio4

(a) cacophony (b) machination (c) duplicity (d) /uandary

29.1hich of the following can be mellifluous4

(a) obeisance (b) blandishment (c) invective (d) refulgence (e) admonishment

30.1hich words suggest moving with nimbleness! agility! and grace4

(a) limber! lithe

(b) lissome! limber (c) lithe! lissome

?d@ lissome! limber! lithe 31.1hat did (homas %owdler do to the %ible and Shakespeare's works4
(a) #e palliated them. (b) #e e$purgated them. (c) #e emended them. (d) #e made interpolations in them. (e) #e made them /ui$otic.

32..!ted and s!ti!ted are synonyms of

(a) ineffable (b) incessant (c) surfeited (d) superannuated (e) spurious

33.1hich statement is correct4

(a) 1onsul is properly pronounced I&#6"sul. (b) 1onsul is properly pronounced IF16"sul. (c) 1onsul is properly pronounced I&#6"sul or IF16"sul.

34.1hich mispronunciation is an e$ample of metathesis4

(a) 87EE"vee"us for #rievous (b) GFF"luh"ree for 2ewelr, (c) LY"ber"ee for li r!r, (d)

pro"noun"ciation for 'ronunci!tion

35.1hich two statements are false4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) .ie#e is properly pronounced SEEM#. (b) Irrelev!nt is properly pronounced i"7EL"uh"vint. (c) Li r!r, is properly pronounced LY"ber"ee. (d) ;l!ccid is properly pronounced -L&I"sid. (e) Refu#ee is properly pronounced 7E-"yoo"GEE. Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Level #
Let's dispense with my usual wordy! tiresome! long"winded! boring! and verbose introduction! because this level begins with9

6o'2 1( ,ROLIG <,RO-)l40s?

1ordy and tiresome! long"winded and boring! verbose! using far too many and a great deal more words than are necessary and essential to get the point! such as the point may be! across! despite the fact that9 &ll right! alreadyT 6ow that was a proli$ definition if you ever saw one not to mention redundant. :hallenging synonyms of 'roli8 include circu&locutor, ASE7"kum"LA-* "yuh"tor"eeC! t!utolo#ic!l A(&1"tuh"LA-B"i"kulC! and 'leon!stic ABLEE"uh" NAS"tikC. &ntonyms of 'roli8 include concise! terse! 'it$,! succinct Asuhk"S)68I(! not suh"S)68I(C! and sententious Asen"(E6"shusC. Proli8 comes from the Latin 'roli8us! widely e$tended. Proli8 applies to longwinded speech or writing that is tediously discursive! desultory! or protracted. )f someone in a meeting talks on and on in a monotonous! boring way! that person is being proli$.

6o'2 2( A,OCRA,-AL </=),A-*)'4)f/l?

6ot genuine! counterfeit! illegitimate; specifically! of doubtful authenticity or authorship. .'urious ASBYEE7"ee"us! word *? of Level ?C is a close synonym of !'ocr,'$!l. Fther synonyms include un!ut$oriAed! un!ut$entic!ted! f! ric!ted! fr!udulent! and su''osititious Asuh"B&#M"i"TIS-"usC. &ntonyms include #enuine AGE6"yoo"inC! !ut$entic! v!lid! and on! fide A%F#"nuh -Y5C. (he "'ocr,'$! Auh"B&#I"ri"fuhC are fourteen books of an early translation of the Fld (estament into 8reek called the Septuagint ASEB" tAyCoo"uh"jintC. (he authenticity of these books was called into /uestion! and they were subse/uently rejected by Gudaism and considered

uncanonical! or not authoritative! by Brotestants. #owever! eleven of the fourteen &pocrypha are accepted by the 7oman :atholic :hurch. (oday! !'ocr,'$! Awith a lowercase !C refers to any writings of doubtful authenticity or authorship! and the adjective !'ocr,'$!l means not genuine! counterfeit! spurious an apocryphal document! an apocryphal statement! or an apocryphal story.

6o'2 3( CU,I@ITA <0.oo),I@)4)tee?

8reed! a strong desire for wealth or material things. Synonyms of cu'idit, include !v!rice! !c-uisitiveness! covetousness! and ven!lit, Avee"6&L"i"teeC. 1u'idit, comes from the Latin cu'idus! which meant desirous! longing! eager! and also eager for power or money! avaricious. (he corresponding Latin noun cu'ido! which means 2desire!3 is the source of :upid! the cherubic Ache"7FF"bikC god of love in 7oman mythology! usually represented as a baby or chubby young boy with wings and a bow and arrow. &lthough :upid and the English noun cu'idit, are related etymologically! in modern usage cu'idit, does not denote love or desire but rather an e$cessive love of money! a strong desire for wealth or material things.

6o'2 4( EERNAL <EUR)n/l% '=.:es 74t= journal?

Bertaining to spring! occurring in the spring; also! having the /ualities of spring fresh! warm! and mild. Vern!l has two challenging antonyms $i ern!l Ahy"%E7"nulC and $ie&!l A#Y"uh"mulC. =i ern!l and $ie&!l both mean pertaining to winter! wintry. (he ancient 7omans gave )reland the name =i erni! because the Emerald )sle seemed so cold and wintry to them. (he familiar verb to $i ern!te means to spend the winter either in a dormant state! after the manner of bears! or in a place with a milder climate. 1ould you like some words for your ne$t summer vacation4 9stiv!l Arhymes with festiv!lC means pertaining to summer! like summer! or belonging to summer! as estival flowers or an estival holiday. (he verb to estiv!te AES"ti"vaytC! which means to pass the summer! is the opposite of $i ern!te! to pass the winter. &nd moving right along through the year! we have !utu&n!l Aaw"(E#D"nulC! which means pertaining to autumn! to the fall. Fur keyword! vern!l! means pertaining to spring. (he vernal e/uino$ AEE"kwi"nahksC! which occurs in Darch and marks the beginning of spring! and the autumnal e/uino$! which occurs in September and marks the beginning of fall! are the times during the year when the sun crosses the e/uator and day and night are appro$imately the same length.

6o'2 5( TEMERITA <t/=)MER)4)tee?

7ecklessness! rashness! foolhardiness; reckless disregard for danger! risk!

or conse/uences. Synonyms of te&erit, include nerve! c$ee%! #!ll! !ud!cit,! $eedlessness! i&'rudence! i&'etuosit,! 'resu&'tuousness! and effronter, Ai"-7E#6" tur" eeC. &ntonyms include ti&idit,! !s$fulness! f!int5$e!rtedness! s$ee'is$ness! !''re$ension! diffidence A5)-"i"dintsC! and ti&orousness A()D"ur"us"nisC. (he corresponding adjective is te&er!rious A(ED"uh"RAIR"ee"usC. 1hen 8eorge 1ashington led his troops across the 5elaware 7iver! at the time it must have seemed temerarious! but history has since proved it was a sagacious military maneuver. Te&erit, comes from the Latin te&ere! rashly! blindly! heedlessly! and by derivation refers to rash or foolish boldness! a reckless bravado that underestimates the danger or conse/uences of an action. 5o you remember the end of the movie T$e +r!du!te! when 5ustin #offman runs into the church! bangs on the glass! stops the wedding in progress! and then jumps on a bus with Iatherine 7oss! the intended bride4 (hat was an act of temerity.

6o'2 ( RA,,ROC-EMENT <RA)1'o=s=)MA6<N??

7econciliation! a reestablishing of friendly relations 2She helped bring about a rapprochement between the hostile parties3; 2)n *@@.! there was a historic rapprochement between )srael and the BLF! and in *@@0! an e/ually significant rapprochement between )srael and Gordan.3 R!''roc$e&ent comes from a -rench verb meaning to bring together! and means literally to approach again. (he word has been used in English since the early nineteenth century! but it still retains its -rench flavor in pronunciation r!" as in rap;"'roc$e" with an s$ sound as in 'otion; and " &ent like &!w with "!w stopped in the nose 7&"prohsh"MA6<N?.

6o'2 !( @ISIUISITION <@IS)07)FIS-)n?

& formal discussion of or in/uiry into a subject; a discourse. 8eneral synonyms of dis-uisition include tre!tise! criti-ue! and co&&ent!r,. Dore specific synonyms include lecture! t$esis! or!tion! $o&il, A#&#D"i"leeC! tr!ct! &ono#r!'$! and dissert!tion. 0iscourse! dissert!tion! and dis-uisition all refer to formal discussions of or in/uiries into a subject. 0iscourse! which may refer either to writing or speech! means a formal treatise! lecture! or conversation. 0issert!tion may mean any lengthy discourse in writing! such as 6oah 1ebster's 0issert!tions on t$e 9n#lis$ L!n#u!#e! published in *>?@; however! in current usage dissert!tion most often refers to a formal thesis written by a candidate for a doctoral degree. 0is-uisition applies to any formal treatment of a subject! usually but not necessarily in writing.

6o'2 "( ,ROSCRIBE <1'o=)S*RAB?

(o prohibit! forbid! outlaw 2(he city council passed an ordinance proscribing the sale or possession of handguns3; 2)n certain societies! the practice of bigamy is not proscribed.3 Synonyms of 'roscri e include !n! denounce! dis!llow! conde&n! censure! ostr!ciAe! e8'!tri!te Aeks"B&Y"tree"aytC! and interdict A)6"tur" @I*TC. &ntonyms include 'er&it! toler!te! le#!liAe! !ut$oriAe! and s!nction. Proscri e comes from the Latin 'roscri ere! to post or publish the name of an outlaw or a person to be banished or put to death. %y derivation! that which is proscribed is outlawed! not permitted! denounced! or condemned. %e careful to distinguish the verbs to 'roscri e and to 'rescri e! which are opposite in meaning. Proscri e begins with 'ro" and is pronounced proh"SI7Y%. Prescri e begins with 're" and is pronounced pri"SI7Y%. & doctor may prescribe a certain drug! advise you to take it! or proscribe saturated fats! advise you to eliminate them from your diet. & prescription is an order to do something. & proscription is an order not to do it! a prohibition.

6o'2 #( MUNI&ICENCE <:.oo)NI&)4)s4nts?

8reat generosity! lavish giving. Synonyms of &unificence include '$il!nt$ro',! li er!lit,! enevolence! ountifulness! ounteousness! eneficence Abuh"6E-"i"sintsC! and l!r#ess! traditionally pronounced L&#7"jis but now more often pronounced lahr" GES. Either way! the # in l!r#ess should be said like the # in l!r#e. 5o not soften or -renchify the # and say lahr"M#ES; this particular affectation is regrettably popular today. (he word is sometimes spelled l!r#esse! after the -rench! but the preferred spelling is l!r#ess! without a final e. &iserlines &ntonyms of &unificence include stin#iness! s! 'enuriousnes close5fistedness AILF#S" as in close! nearC! s Apuh"6YEE7"ee"us"nisC! and '!rsi&on, A,A-R"si"DF#"neeC. 1e will discuss the noun '!rsi&on, and the adjective '!rsi&onious AB&#7"si" MO-"nee"usC in the ne$t set of keywords in this level. (he noun &unificence and the corresponding adjective &unificent Amyoo" 6)-"i"sintC come through the Latin &unificus! generous! liberal! bountiful! from &unus! a gift! present! or favor. 4unificent means characteri+ed by great generosity! as a munificent donation. (he noun &unificence suggests liberal or lavish giving! and may refer to the generous giving of money! favors! or hospitality.

6o'2 13( ,ROBITA <,RO-)b4)tee?

#onesty! integrity; fairness! straightforwardness! and sincerity in one's dealings with others. Synonyms of 'ro it, include u'ri#$tness! trustwort$iness! scru'ulousness! ver!cit, Avuh"7&S"i"teeC! and rectitude A7EI"ti"tAyCoodC. &ntonyms include i&'ro it,! the direct opposite of 'ro it,! and also dis$onest,! deceitfulness! unscru'ulousness! du'licit,! &!lfe!s!nce Amal"-EE"+intsC! and 'erfid, ABE7"fi"deeC. Perfid, means a breach of faith! treachery. =onest, implies truthfulness and an unwillingness to lie! deceive! or do wrong. Inte#rit, implies trustworthiness! reliability! and moral responsibility. Pro it, implies unshakable honesty and integrity; the man or woman of probity has been put to the test and found to be incorruptibly honest and upright! through adherence to the highest principles of conduct.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following /uestions and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page 0=*.
1. 5o proli$ speakers keep their comments short and sweet4 2. :an a book! a painting! and a story all be apocryphal4 3. )s it an act of cupidity when someone marries for money4 4. &re skiing and ice skating vernal activities4 5. )f you display temerity! are you being wise and cautious4 6. :an two belligerent nations seek a rapprochement4 7. 1hen you distribute a brief memorandum in the office! is it a

dis/uisition4
8. &re certain drugs proscribed by law4 9. 1ould living in an opulent mansion be a display of munificence4

10.:an you trust a person of probity4 5id you remember to keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 A B'4ef @4sM/4s4t4on on "onvince an2 !ersuade Let's take a moment to discuss an endangered distinction in the language that is worth preserving. Dany educated people have trouble distinguishing between the verbs to convince and to 'ersu!de. So many people now fail to make the proper distinction in their speech and writing that these words are now often used interchangeably and the fine difference between them is in danger of becoming lost.

)f you hear nothing wrong in the sentences 2) couldn't convince him to agree with me3 and 2She convinced him to go!3 then ) urge you to pay close attention to what )'m about to tell you. (he handbook of SBELL ASociety for the Breservation of English Language and Literature! of which ) am a vice presidentC e$plains that 2to convince someone is to bring the person to your point of view. (o 'ersu!de someone is to induce the person to do something.3 -or e$ample! if you are convinced that Ver !l "dv!nt!#e is a worthwhile program! then ) don't have to 'ersu!de you to finish it. )n 1o&&on 9rrors in 9n#lis$ !nd =ow to "void T$e& A*@0.C! &le$ander D. 1itherspoon! who taught English at %erkeley and Yale! writes that 2'ersu!de emphasi+es the idea of winning over. 1onvince emphasi+es the idea of proof by argument.3 1itherspoon offers these e$amples 2(hey persuaded me to go home with them. (hey convinced me that their candidate was the best by showing me his record! and persuaded me to vote for him.3 )n T$e 6riter7s "rt A*@?0C! syndicated columnist Games G. Iilpatrick offers three e$amples of the egregious misuse of convince for 'ersu!de 2(he court Qruled Donday against a leukemia victim who is trying to convince a woman to donate bone marrowJ3; 2She recently convinced him to take her to Donte :arloJ3; and 2)f Hene+uela can convince its banks to convert many of the short"term debts9J3 2YeccchT3 writes Iilpatrick. 2)n each instance! the proper verb was 'ersu!de.3 #ere's a good way to remember the distinction Persu!de usually takes an infinitive! meaning it is often followed by to You persuade someone to do something. 1onvince is never followed by an infinitive. You don't convince me to do something; you persuade me to do it. 1onvince should be followed by either of or t$!t You are convinced of the truth! or convinced t$!t something is important. &s Iilpatrick puts it! 2&n argument that is persuasive may not be convincing. %ut once we are convinced of something! persuasion has done its job.3 ) hope that my attempt to persuade you to preserve this distinction in the language has left you convinced that making it in your own speech and writing is the right thing to do. &nd now! my verbally advantaged friend! )'m convinced that ) won't have to persuade you to return to the vocabulary and learn the ne$t ten keywords.

6o'2 11( ,UISSANT <,AOO)4)s4nt or 1.oo)IS)4nt?

Bowerful! mighty! strong! forceful. Synonyms of 'uiss!nt include vi#orous! 'otent! d,n!&ic! and st!lw!rt AS(&1L"wurtC. &ntonyms include we!%! fee le! infir&! de ilit!ted! enerv!ted! fl!ccid A-L&I"sid! not -L&S"idC! and v!letudin!ri!n

AH&L"i"(AYCFF"di"NAIR" ee"inC. )n the seventeenth"century play T$e "lc$e&ist! %en Gonson writes 2) will be puissant! and mighty in my talk to her.3 Puiss!nt comes through Diddle English from an Fld -rench word meaning powerful. %ecause it is used chiefly in old poetry and scholarly dis/uisitions! current dictionaries sometimes label 'uiss!nt poetic! literary! or archaic. (hat doesn't necessarily mean you should avoid using it. Puiss!nt is a lovely word that if used in the right place at the right time can add flair and a dash of style to your e$pression. (he corresponding noun is 'uiss!nce ABYFF"i"sints or pyoo")S"intsC! power! strength! might. (here is also authority for the pronunciation B1)S"int for 'uiss!nt and B1)S"ints for 'uiss!nce. %ut to my ear! these two"syllable variants sound 'wiss, and are best avoided. You are better three"syllable pronunciations sanctioned above! authorities favor.off with one of the which most modern

6o'2 12( ,ECULATE <,E*)./=)la.t?

(o steal! embe++le; specifically! to steal or misuse money or property entrusted to one's care. (o 'ecul!te and to def!lc!te Ade"-&L"kaytC both mean to embe++le! to steal from or appropriate that which has been entrusted to one's care. 0ef!lc!te by derivation means to cut off with a sickle; hence! to misappropriate funds by fraudulently deducting a portion of them for one's own use. &lthough 'ecul!te comes from the Latin 'eculiu&! which means 2private property!3 in current usage the word usually refers to the embe++lement of public or corporate funds! or property entrusted to one's care 2-or twenty" five years old %arney balanced the books for the city! and just when he was about to retire with a good pension they caught him peculating from the public trough.3 (he corresponding noun is 'ecul!tion ABEI"yuh"LAA"shinC! the act of peculating.

6o'2 13( @I&&I@ENT <@I&)4)24nt?

Shy! timid! bashful! lacking in self"confidence! hesitant to speak or act. 5iffident comes from the Latin dis5! which in this case means 2not!3 and fidere! to trust! put confidence in. 0iffident was once used literally to mean distrustful! but that sense is archaic! and diffident now suggests lacking trust or confidence in oneself to speak or act. 5iffident people have difficulty asserting themselves or e$pressing their opinions.

6o'2 14( EENAL <EEE)n/l?

:orruptible! bribable! capable of being bribed or bought off! able to be obtained for a price.

Ven!l and &ercen!r, Aword *0 of Level ,C are close in meaning. 4ercen!r, means done for payment only! motivated by greed or a desire for personal gain 2& mercenary writer writes not for love but for the money3; 21hen Gim discovered that &lice had three e$"husbands who were all affluent plastic surgeons like him! he concluded that her interest in him was mercenary and called off their engagement.3 Ven!l comes from the Latin ven!lis! for sale! and means literally able to be sold. (he word is used today to mean able to be bribed! corrupted! or bought off! or characteri+ed by corrupt! mercenary dealings. & venal judge is corrupt! capable of being bribed; a venal politician is corruptible! able to be influenced by money or favors; a venal administration or a venal business deal is riddled with corruption and bribery. (he corresponding noun is ven!lit, Avee"6&L"i"teeC! a venal state or act. Ven!l and veni!l are often confused. Veni!l AHEE"nee"ul! three syllablesC comes from the Latin veni!! grace! indulgence! and means e$cusable! forgivable! minor! as a venial sin! a venial offense! or a venial error. Ven!l AHEE"nul! two syllablesC means corruptible! capable of being bribed or bought off.

6o'2 15( ,ARSIMONIOUS <,A-R)s4)MO-)nee)/s?

Stingy! miserly! e$tremely tight with money. &ntonyms of '!rsi&onious include #enerous! li er!l! o'en5$!nded! ountiful! eneficent Abuh"6E-"i"sintC! &!#n!ni&ous Amag"6&6"i"mus! word ,0 of Level >C! and &unificent Adiscussed in word @ of this levelC. Synonyms of '!rsi&onious include #r!s'in#! &one,5#ru 'inc$in#! close5fisted AILF#S" as in close! nearC! 'enurious Apuh"6YEE7"ee"usC! and ni##!rdl, A6)8"urd"leeC. in#! 'enn,5

Blease note that ni##!rd A6)8"urdC and ni##!rdl, are very old words of Scandinavian origin; other than an unfortunate resemblance in sound! they have nothing whatsoever to do with the offensive and derogatory term used by racists to insult &frican"&mericans. & ni##!rd is a miser; ni##!rdl, means stingy! begrudging every nickel and dime. (he noun '!rsi&on, A,A-R"si"DF#"neeC means e$cessive or unnecessary economy or frugality. (he adjective '!rsi&onious means very sparing in e$penditure! frugal to e$cess. (he eighteenth"century English essayist Goseph &ddison wrote! 2E$traordinary funds for one campaign may spare us the e$pense of many years! whereas a long parsimonious war will drain us of more men and money.3 )f you've ever known someone who wanted you to do a demanding job and grudgingly offered to pay you half of what it was worth! and not a penny more! then you know well what '!rsi&onious means.

6o'2 1 ( ,USILLANIMOUS <,AOO)s4)LAN)4):/s?

:owardly! lacking courage! timid! fainthearted! irresolute. Pusill!ni&ous is used of cowardly persons or actions that are especially ignoble or contemptible a pusillanimous deserter of a cause; a pusillanimous surrender; a mean"spirited and pusillanimous leader. (he corresponding noun is 'usill!ni&it, ABYFF"suh"luh"NIM"i"teeC.

6o'2 1!( EGTANT <E*S)t4nt% '=.:es 74t= sextant% )ant as 4n relevant?

E$isting! still in e$istence! not e$tinct! not lost or destroyed. 98t!nt comes from the Latin e8st!re! to stand out! which comes in turn from e8"! meaning 2out!3 and st!re! to stand. 98t!nt originally meant standing out! but this sense is now archaic! and in modern usage e8t!nt means standing out through time! still in e$istence! not lost or destroyed 2(hat law is no longer e$tant; it's not on the books3; 2She was surprised and pleased to find several e$tant relatives in the village where she was born3; 2(he only e$tant writings by this early 8reek philosopher may in fact be apocryphal3; 2&lthough Shakespeare's plays have been performed and enjoyed for more than four hundred years! nothing in his handwriting has survivednot one e$tant manuscript.3

6o'2 1"( MERETRICIOUS <MER)/=)TRIS-)/s?

(awdry! gaudy; attractive in a flashy or cheap way; falsely alluring; deceptively enticing. %y derivation! &eretricious means pertaining to or like a &eretri8 ADE7" uh"triksC! a prostitute. (his unusual &eretri8 comes directly from Latin and has been in the language for nearly five hundred years! but it is so rare today that you won't find it listed in most dictionaries. 4eretricious is still sometimes used in its literal sense! but most often the word refers to someone or something that has the gaudy appearance or tawdry /ualities of a prostitute! especially in a false or deceptive way. Deretricious eyes are falsely alluring; a meretricious idea is deceptively attractive; a meretricious style is cheap! flashy! and insincere. 4eretricious and &eritorious ADE7"uh"TOR"ee"usC are often confused! but they are nearly opposite in meaning. 4eritorious means worthy of merit! deserving praise; a meritorious action is a commendable action. 4eretricious actions are falsely alluring! superficially attractive! flashy but insincere.

6o'2 1#( GENO,-OBIA <FEN)/=)&O-)bee)/=?

-ear or hatred of strangers or foreigners! or of anything strange or foreign 2(heir $enophobia and temerity led them headlong into war.3 Leno'$o i! entered English at the beginning of the twentieth century. )ts antonym! 8eno&!ni! AME6"uh"MAA"nee"uhC! an inordinate attachment to

anything or anyone foreign! was coined thirty years earlier but is rarely used today. #owever! 8eno'$ili! AME6"uh"&IL"ee"uhC! which came into the language in the *@'=s! is still in good standing; 8eno'$ili! means love for or attraction to foreigners! foreign cultures! or foreign customs. Leno'$o i! combines the prefi$ 8eno"! which means alien! strange! with the suffi$ "'$o i!! which means fear. %y derivation! 8eno'$o i! is fear of anyone or anything alien or strange. & 8eno'$o e is a person who fears or hates strangers 2&n e$clusive community filled with vigilant $enophobes who fear any unfamiliar face.3 (he adjective 8eno'$o ic means affected with $enophobia 25uring times of national crisis! people have a tendency to become hostile and $enophobic.3 Dany educated speakersand for some reason! especially the highly educated onespronounce 8eno'$o i!! 8eno'$o e! and 8eno'$o ic with a long e MEE"no'$o i!! MEE"no'$o e! and MEE"no'$o ic. (hese pronunciations were not recogni+ed by dictionaries until the *@?=s! and although all current dictionaries now list them! not one lists them first. So take my advice and ignore those overeducated! innovative mispronouncers! who are probably foreign spies. (ake a Men approach and pronounce these words with a short e. Say ME6"o'$o i!! ME6"o'$o e! and ME6"o'$o ic.

6o'2 23( IUOTI@IAN <07o=)TI@)ee)4n?

5aily! recurring every day or pertaining to every day! as a /uotidian ritual; a /uotidian record of events; a /uotidian update or report; the /uotidian call to order. Duotidi!n! d!il,! and diurn!l Ady"E7"nul! from the Latin diurnus! of the day! word 0@ of Level ,C are synonyms. Duotidi!n comes from the Latin -uotidi!nus! daily! of every day. %ecause something that recurs daily soon becomes routine and ordinary! -uotidi!n has also come to mean of an everyday nature! and therefore ordinary! commonplace! trivial 2(he first presentation was elo/uent! but the second was dull and /uotidian.3 2&s he walked he heard the /uotidian clamor of the marketplace! where money is forever changing hands.3

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page 0=,.
1. & puissant opponent is weak and inferior. 2. )f you are caught peculating! you could go to jail. 3. 5iffident people never hesitate to speak their minds. 4. & venal person can be influenced by money. 5. )t's hard to persuade a parsimonious boss to give you a raise.

6. 1hen the chips are down and you need a friend! you can be sure

that a pusillanimous person will support you.

7. 5inosaurs are no longer e$tant. 8. Something meretricious is praiseworthy or commendable. 9. Leno'$o i! means dislike of one's neighbors.

10.& /uotidian duty is a duty performed every day. 6ow it's time for a respite Apronounced 7ES"pit! remember4C from your /uotidian task of vocabulary building. 1hile you're refueling your brain with o$ygen! let's take a look at a few foreign words and phrases. #ere are si$ useful e$pressions that English has borrowed from -rench f!u8 '!s; Mte noire; on &ot; Gl!n; -ui vive; and cou' de #rNce. 5o you recogni+e any of them4 A%y the way! all but the last! cou' de #rNce! are usually printed in roman rather than italic type this is roman; t$is is it!lic.C & f!u8 '!s Afoh"B&#C is literally a false step. )n English this phrase is used to mean an error or blunder! especially a social blunder! such as a tactless act or rude remark 25id you see his fau$ pas at the party last night43 2) think her criticism of the boss's idea was a fau$ pas.3 (he plural is spelled the same! but pronounced foh"B&#M. :Mte noire Abayt" or bet"61&#7C means literally a black beast! and means someone or something one especially dislikes! fears! or wants to avoid. 2Dath was my bMte noire in high school.3 2#e is my bate noire in this organi+ation.3 (he plural is Mtes noires! pronounced bayt" or bet" 61&#7M. :on &ot AbawAnC"DF#C means literally a good word. )n English it is used to mean a witty or clever remark. (he plural! ons &ots! is pronounced bawAnC"DF#M. l!n Aay"L&#A6Cor ay"L&#6C means spirited self"assurance! verve! vivacity 2#er work shows Nlan.3 21e like the new manager's Nlan.3 2#e plays the piano with Nlan.3 (here is an e$cellent Yiddish word for the negative side of Nlan that English has recently adopted c$utA'!$ Aor c$utA'!C! pronounced I# EE(S"pah with a raspy! guttural c$. 1$utA'!$ means nerve as opposed to verve! shameless self"assurance! audacity! impudence! gall. Someone who walks in! takes over! and tells everyone what to do has chut+pah. )n T$e <o,s of )in#lis$ A*@?@C! Leo 7osten relates the story of the defendant accused of murdering his parents who throws himself upon the mercy of the court! crying! 2) am an orphan.3 (hat's chut+pah. %ut back now to the -rench. Dui vive Akee"HEEHC is the sentry's challenge! 21ho goes there43 )n English we use the e$pression 2on the /ui vive3 to mean on the alert! ready and watchful! as 2She was on the /ui vive

for a better job.3 -inally! we have the cou' de #rNce AIFF"duh"GRA-SC. (he word cou' AIFFC means a blow! strokeespecially a brilliant stroke! a sudden! successful move or action. & cou' dFGt!t AIFF"day"TA-C is a sudden! successful overthrow of a government. 1ou' de #rNce means literally a stroke of mercy; specifically! it refers to the finishing stroke! the death blow! that brings a merciful end to something or someone 2&fter the failure of its last major product and a precipitous decline in the price of its stock! -au$ Bas :orporation is almost bankrupt. &ll people are wondering now is how and when the cou' de #rNce will be delivered.3 6ow let's take a brief look at si$ phrases from Latin that have made their way into the English vernacular !d infinitu&; 'ro te&'ore; sine -u! non; -uid 'ro -uo; c!ve!t e&'tor; and 'ro ono 'u lico. 5o you recogni+e any of them4 A%y the way! all these phrases! when not being presented as phrases to be defined! are usually printed in roman type.C "d infinitu& A&5"in fi"6Y"tumC means to infinity! endlessly! without limit 2(he meeting went on ad infinitum.3 A6ow there's hyperbole for you.C Pro te&'ore AB7F# (ED"puh"reeC means temporarily! for the time being; it is often abbreviated 'ro te& AB7F#"(EDC! as in an official title Gohn 5oe! :hairman of the %oard pro tem. .ine -u! non AS)6"ay kwah 6F#6C means literally 2without which not3; it refers to something absolutely necessary or indispensable 2(heir cooperation was the sine /ua non in the success of this project3; 2#is testimony was the sine /ua non of the case for the defense.3 & -uid 'ro -uo AI1)5 proh I1F#C is something given in return for something else! an e/ual e$change! a tit for tat 2(hey said they wouldn't close the deal without a reasonable /uid pro /uo.3 (he word c!ve!t AI&Y"vee"at or I&H"ee"atC is used in a general sense to mean a warning! caution! admonition. & c!ve!t e&'tor AEDB"torC is a c!ve!t! warning! to the e&'tor! the buyer; it means literally! 2Let the buyer beware.3 )n business! c!ve!t e&'tor refers to the principle that the seller of a product cannot be held responsible for defects in /uality or workmanship unless the product carries a warranty. Pro ono 'u lico AB7F# %F#"noh BFF"bli"koh or BE#%"li"kohC means 2for the public good.3 (he phrase is often shortened to 'ro ono and used as an adjective. -or e$ample! pro bono attorneys are those who forgo their customary professional fees to represent the indigent or seek redress for public grievances. Bro bono services are volunteer services! done for the good of the people and donated without charge. &nd now! fortiter in re> su!viter in &odo ! which is Latin for 2resolutely in action! gently in manner!3 let us proceed to the ne$t ten keywords in Level @.

6o'2 21( EGIGENCA <E*)s4)Den)see?

&n urgency! pressing need; a situation demanding immediate attention or action. 98i#enc, comes from the Latin e8i#ere! to demand! force or drive out! and by derivation means something one is demanded! forced! or driven to do. )n current usage we speak of an unforeseen e$igency; a financial e$igency; front"page newspaper stories focusing on the e$igencies of the moment. (he corresponding adjective is e8i#ent AEI"si"jintC! urgent! pressing! demanding immediate attention or action. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! an e8i#enc, is a situation of sudden urgency! in which something needs to be done at once. &n e&er#enc, is more pressing and therefore less common than an e8i#enc, . -or e$ample! every day the federal government deals with e$igencies in foreign affairs! but only occasionally must it respond to a national emergency. & crisis is an emergency on which the outcome of everything depends! as a midlife crisis! or an economic crisis.

6o'2 22( ,ULC-RITU@E <,U-L)0'4)T<A?OO@?

%eauty! loveliness! attractiveness. Pulc$ritude comes directly from the Latin word for beautiful. )n his famous and influential dictionary! published in *>''! Samuel Gohnson defined 'ulc$ritude as the 2/uality opposite to deformity.3 Pulc$ritude is a literary word that is usually applied to persons or things that have great physical beauty or e$ternal appeal a woman of pulchritude; the pulchritude of nature. Fccasionally it is used of something whose beauty manifests itself in a more subtle way! as the pulchritude of the soul. 1hat seems meretricious to you may possess pulchritude for another! for as the saying Asort ofC goes! 2Bulchritude is in the eye of the beholder.3 (he corresponding adjective is 'ulc$ritudinous ABE#L"kri"TAACOO@"J n" usC! physically beautiful or lovely.

6o'2 23( @ENOUEMENT <@AA)noo)MA6<N?Onasal4>e2 n% s4lent t?

(he unraveling or resolution of a plot! as of a novel or a drama; the outcome or resolution of any comple$ situation. &s you can tell from its vowel"laden spelling and nasali+ed final syllable! denoue&ent comes from -rench. (he word means literally 2an untying!3 as of a knot. Since its introduction into English in the mid"*>==s! denoue&ent has been used to mean the untying or unraveling of a narrative or dramatic plot! the final se/uence of events leading to a resolution of the story. (he 1entur, 0iction!r, offers this illustrative /uotation from the .!turd!, Review 2(he end! the clima$! the culmination! the surprise! the discovery! are all slightly different in meaning from that ingenious loosening of the

knot of intrigue which the word denoue&ent implies.3 )n current usage! denoue&ent has also come to apply to the outcome or resolution of any comple$ situation! as the denouement of a sensational trial! or the denouement of the negotiations.

6o'2 24( &UGACIOUS <f.oo)GAA)s=/s?

-leeting! passing /uickly away. Synonyms of fu#!cious include tr!nsient A(7&6"shint! word .* of Level ,C! e'$e&er!l Ai"-ED"uh"rul! word *, of Level 0C! tr!nsitor, ATRAN "si" (F7"ee or TRAN"+i"(F7"ee! word 0 of Level 'C! and ev!nescent AEH"uh" NES"intC. (he words fu#!cious and fu#itive come from the same Latin source! the verb fu#ere! to flee! fly away. &s a noun! fu#itive refers to a person who flees! especially from the law; as an adjective! fu#itive may mean either fleeing! running away! or passing away /uickly! not permanent! temporary. )n this last sense it is an e$act synonym of the more difficult word fu#!cious! fleeting! passing swiftly! lasting but a short time.

6o'2 25( TURBI@ <TUR)b42?

Literally! muddy! clouded! roiled! murky! as if from stirred"up sediment; figuratively! muddled! obscure! confused! not lucid. Tur id is often used of li/uids to mean muddy or clouded from having the sediment stirred up a turbid river; turbid wine. )t may also apply to air that is thick or dark with smoke or mist. -iguratively! tur id means muddled! disturbed! or confused in thought or feeling. )n this figurative sense! tur id sometimes is confused with the words tur#id A(E7"jidC and tu&id A(AYCFF"midC. %oth tur#id and tu&id mean swollen! inflated! and both may be used literally or figuratively. #owever! tu&id! perhaps because of its relation to the word tu&or! usually is used literally to mean swollen or distended. Tur#id usually is used figuratively of language or style that is inflated! pompous! pretentious! bombastic. Tur id never suggests swelling or inflation! but rather muddiness! cloudiness! disturbance! or confusion! as in the nineteenth"century poet Datthew &rnold's line 2the turbid ebb and flow of human misery.3

6o'2 2 ( IN@E&EASIBLE <IN)24)&EE)>/=)b//l?

6ot capable of being undone! taken away! annulled! or rendered void. (he words defe!s!nce! defe!si le! and indefe!si le come down to us through &nglo"-rench and Diddle English. (hey were used in Fld English law and are chiefly legal terms today. 0efe!s!nce is the oldest of the three; it means either the annulment or voiding of a deed or contract! or a clause within a deed or contract that provides a means for annulling it or rendering it void. 0efe!si le means capable of being invalidated! undone! or

rendered void. Fur keyword! indefe!si le! which employs the privative prefi$ in"! meaning 2not!3 means not defeasible! not capable of being undone! annulled! or rendered void. In!lien! le and indefe!si le are close in meaning and are often used interchangeably. &ccording to the second edition of 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, A*@.0C! 2that is indefeasible which one cannot be deprived of without one's consent; that is inalienable which one cannot give away or dispose of even if one wishes.3 -or e$ample! the E.S. :onstitution guarantees all citi+ens certain inalienable rights! such as personal liberty! freedom of speech! freedom of religion! and so on. 1hen you pay off a mortgage on a house and own it outright! you have an indefeasible title to the house! although you may give up or transfer that title by selling your home or putting the deed in someone else's name. In!lien! le means not able to be given away or transferred. Indefe!si le means not able to be taken away! undone! or made void.

6o'2 2!( @ISINGENUOUS <@IS)4n)BEN).oo)/s?

)nsincere! crafty! sly! not straightforward or frank. Synonyms of disin#enuous include wil,! su tle! sli''er,! dece'tive! $,'ocritic!l! fr!udulent! and &end!cious Amen"5&Y"shusC. (he direct antonym is in#enuous! sincere! open! straightforward! without artifice or guile. Fther antonyms include trut$ful! fr!n%! c!ndid! unselfconscious! un!ffected! and #uileless. (he corresponding noun is disin#enuousness. 0isin#enuous combines the prefi$ dis"! meaning 2not!3 with the Latin in#enuus! which means freeborn! of free birth; hence! noble! honorable! upright. -rom the Latin in#enuus! by way of -rench! English has also ac/uired the word in#Gnue AAN"+huh"6AYCFFC! which the 1entur, 0iction!r, defines as 2a woman or girl who displays innocent candor or simplicity; specifically! such a character represented on the stage! or the actress who plays it.3 &n ingNnue is an ingenuous woman. &n ingenuous person is a woman! man! or child who is free from restraint or reserve! and therefore innocent! straightforward! and sincere. & disingenuous person is not sincere or straightforward. 5isingenuous words are crafty! subtle! or deceptive.

6o'2 2"( SCURRILOUS <S*UR)4)l/s or S*U-)'4)l/s?

-oul"mouthed! obscene; using or e$pressed in language that is coarse! vulgar! and abusive. Synonyms of scurrilous include s$!&eless! indelic!te! lewd! s&utt,! ri !ld Aword 0, of Level >C! irreverent! insolent! dis'!r!#in#! derisive Adi"7Y"sivC! and contu&elious AI&#6"tAyCoo"MEEL"ee"usC.

&ntonyms of scurrilous include 'olite! refined! t!steful! cultured! so'$istic!ted! cultiv!ted! decorous A5EI"ur"usC! and ur !ne Aur"%&Y6C. (he adjective scurrilous comes from the Latin scurrilis! mocking! jesting! or jeering like a buffoon. .currilis comes in turn from scurr!! a jester! comedian! buffoon! especially one employed to entertain a rich person. %y derivation! scurrilous means talking like a buffoon. &nd what precisely is a buffoon! you ask4 &ny dictionary will tell you that a buffoon is a person who amuses or attempts to amuse others by clowning around and cracking jokes; however! the savvy le$icographers! or dictionary editors! at 7andom #ouse include a second definition 2a person given to coarse or offensive joking.3 (hat sort of buffoon is the one implied by the word scurrilous! which means! as the second edition of 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, puts it! 2using! or given to using! the language of low buffoonery; containing low indecency or abuse.3 Scurrilous language is coarse! vulgar! and abusive. & scurrilous rogue is a foul"mouthed joker who spouts insolent obscenities. (here are two corresponding nouns! scurrilit, Askuh"7)L"i"teeC and scurrilousness; both may refer to coarse! vulgar! and abusive language! or to an e$pression of foul"mouthed verbal abuse.

6o'2 2#( RECRU@ESCENCE <REE)0'oo)@ES)4nts?

& revival! renewal! fresh outbreak after a period of inactivity or /uiescence Akwy"ES"intsC. Recrudescence comes from the Latin recrudescere! to become raw again! break out again! open afresh. )n medicine! recrudescence is used of a wound or sore that partially heals and then reopens! or of a fever that abates and then breaks out again. 5oes recrudescence strike you as a word youJd never use because you can't imagine how youJd apply it4 1ell! let me give you a few suggestions. #ow about sports for the weekend warrior4 21henever Ien played basketball or softball without warming up properly! he suffered from a recrudescence of lower back pain.3 6ow let's try economics 2&nalysts disagree recrudescence of inflation will affect the stock market.3 on whether the

&re you in the retail business4 (ry this 2%ooksellers are delighted with the recrudescence of interest in high"priced coffee"table volumes! which accounted for a ,= percent increase in sales this holiday season.3 6ow let's take a stab at the fine arts 2Some critics are disturbed by the recrudescence of classical themes in contemporary literature and art! though others applaud it.3 &nd let's not forget fashion 2Dadonna may have revolutioni+ed our concept of fashion by turning underwear into outerwear! but it's unlikely that

she alone can effect a recrudescence of that most alluring of all e$terior female garments! the miniskirt.3 &nd finally! we have romance 2Seeing Gohn again after all these years! Sally felt a recrudescence of the love for him that she had suppressed since high school.3 You see4 Recrudescence isn't such an obscure! useless word after all! now is it4 (he corresponding verb is recrudesce A7EE"kroo"@ESC! to break out again! show renewed activity after an inactive period. (he corresponding adjective is recrudescent A7EE"kroo"@ES"intC! breaking out afresh! as a recrudescent epidemic or a recrudescent revolt.

6o'2 33( @E&ENESTRATE <2ee)&EN)/=)STRAAT?

(o throw something or someone out of a window. ) include this humorous but useful word in the event that you may be e$periencing a recrudescent urge to give up building your vocabulary and defenestrate Ver !l "dv!nt!#e from a swiftly moving vehicle. (he verb to defenestr!te combines the prefi$ de"! meaning 2out!3 with the Latin fenestr!! a window. (he corresponding noun defenestr!tion means the act of throwing something or someone out of a window.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page 0=,.
1. 98i#enc, and ur#enc, are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. (#liness and 'ulc$ritude are9 3. 0evelo'&ent and denoue&ent are9 4. ;u#!cious and fleetin# are9 5. Tur id and cle!r are9 6. Indefe!si le and void! le are9 7. 1!ndid and disin#enuous are9 8. .currilous and 'olite are9 9. Recrudescence and reviv!l are9

1e'll have to skip defenestr!te because it is the only word in the language that means to toss out of a window! and to my knowledge there also is no antonym. )f you answered seven or more /uestions incorrectly in this /ui+! you may either defenestrate this book or read the keyword discussions again. )f you

answered at least seven /uestions correctly! consider yourself verbally advantaged enough to move ahead in the program.

6o'2 31( @ILATORA <@IL)/=)TOR)ee?

5elaying! causing or intended to cause delay; also! slow! tardy! characteri+ed by delay or procrastination. 0il!tor, comes through the Latin dil!tor! a delayer! procrastinator! loiterer! from dil!tus! the past participle of the verb differe! to delay! put off. )n current usage! dil!tor, has two senses. -irst! it may mean causing or intended to cause delay (he purpose of a dilatory tactic is to delay action; the aim of a dilatory policy is to gain time; and unforeseen circumstances may have a dilatory effect on a project! causing postponement or delay. Second! dil!tor, may mean characteri+ed by delay or procrastination. 1hen you put off doing something until the last minute! you are being dilatory; when someone responds to your urgent telephone message two days later! that's a dilatory response; and if you pay a bill a month after it's due! that's a dilatory payment.

6o'2 32( EILI&A <EIL)4)f.?

(o defame! slander! attack with vicious! abusive language. Synonyms of vilif, include to dis'!r!#e! deni#r!te! sti#&!tiAe! &!li#n! revile! vitu'er!te Avy"T<A?OO"pur"&Y(C! c!lu&ni!te Akuh"LU-M"nee"&Y(C! and tr!duce Atruh"5AYCFFSC. &ntonyms include to 'r!ise! co&&end! l!ud! e8tol! #lorif,! eulo#iAe! and vener!te. Vilif, comes ultimately from the Latin vilis! cheap! worthless. (he word vile! in one of its senses! means of little value! and vilif, was once used to mean to make vile! render worthless! cheapen! degrade! but this sense is now obsolete. )n current usage! vilif, means to take cheap shots! make degrading or defamatory statements! render vile or worthless by attacking with vicious! abusive language. Vilif, is most often used of persons but it may also apply to things. & racist may vilify a certain ethnic group. & $enophobe may vilify foreigners or a particular foreign nation. &nd in &merica! the inalienable right of free speech allows a citi+en to vilify the president! and most citi+ens seem to take advantage of that right at one time or another. (he corresponding noun is vilification AH)L"i"fi" *AA"shinC! which means either the act of vilifying or a deliberate! vicious! and defamatory verbal assault 2Boliticians and celebrities often find themselves subjected to vilification in the media.3

6o'2 33( ,-LEGMATIC <fle8)MAT)40?

:alm and unemotional; having a sluggish! apathetic temperament; difficult to move to emotion or action. P$le#&!tic comes from the 8reek '$le#&!ti%os! pertaining to the humor '$le#& A-LED! silent #C. (his '$le#& is different from that slimy stuff you cough up when you have a cold. )n ancient and medieval physiology! there were four humors! or bodily fluids! thought to determine a person's health or disposition lood! also known as the sanguine humor! which made you upbeat! cheerful! and confident; c$oler Alike coll!rC! also known as yellow bile! which made you passionate or irascible; &el!nc$ol,! also known as black bile! which made you gloomy or dejected; and '$le#&! which made you either cool and indifferent or dull and sluggish. -rom this humor '$le#& we inherit the adjective '$le#&!tic! which by derivation means full of phlegm; hence! having a sluggish! apathetic temperament! calm and unemotional! difficult to move to emotion or action.

6o'2 34( A@EENTITIOUS <A@)ven)TIS-)/s?

&ccidentally or casually ac/uired! not belonging naturally to something! associated by chance! not inherent or integral. Synonyms of !dventitious include forei#n! e8trinsic! incident!l! e8tr!neous! fortuitous! and su'ervenient ASFF"pur"EEE"nee"intC. "dventitious comes from the Latin !dventicius! which means 2coming from without or from abroad!3 and by derivation is related to the word !dvent! which means an arrival! specifically the arrival or birth of Gesus :hrist or the season preceding the celebration of #is birth. "dventitious suggests something added or imposed from without! something e$ternal or e$trinsic that is accidentally or casually ac/uired. &dventitious information is additional and often unrelated information that you ac/uire casually or by chance in the course of investigating something. &dventitious blindness is caused by an accident! as opposed to blindness occurring at birth. &dventitious income or wealth is fortuitously ac/uired! and comes to you from some source other than wages or an inheritance.

6o'2 35( @ESICCATE@ <@ES)4)*AA)t42?

5ried or dried up! dehydrated! deprived of moisture. (he adjective desicc!ted is also the past participle of the verb to desicc!te! to dry thoroughly. %oth words come from the Latin desicc!re! to dry completely. 0esicc!ted may apply to food that has been preserved by drying or dehydration! such as fish! cereal! soup! or fruit. )t may apply literally to anything that has been thoroughly dried or deprived of moisture! as a desiccated plant! a desiccated mummy! or a steak desiccated on the barbecue. )t may also be used figuratively of something that is dried up or

deprived of vital juices! as a desiccated affection! a desiccated culture! or a desiccated mind. (he corresponding noun is desicc!tion! the act of drying or dehydrating.

6o'2 3 ( COMITA <*A-M)4)tee?

:ourtesy! civility! politeness! respectful and considerate behavior. 1o&it, comes through the Latin co&it!s! courtesy! friendliness! from co&is! courteous! kind! polite. 1o&it, may be used of courteous relations between spouses! roommates! neighbors! coworkers! and so on! but it is perhaps most often used in the e$pression co&it, of n!tions! which means courteous and friendly relations between nations involving recognition and respect for each other's laws and institutions.

6o'2 3!( S,ECIOUS <S,EE)s=/s?

&ppearing to be true! genuine! or correct but actually false or deceptive; superficially just or reasonable but not so in reality. .'ecious comes through Diddle English from the Latin s'eciosus! beautiful! splendid! handsome. .'eciosus comes in turn from s'ecies! outward appearance! and the verb s'ecere! to look at. %y derivation! something specious has an outward appearance that is beautiful! splendid! or handsome to look upon but that underneath is false! deceptive! or flawed. )n current usage! we speak of a specious argument! specious reasoning! a specious e$cuse! or a specious answer! meaning that these things seem reasonable! genuine! or true on the surface but in reality they are intended to mislead or deceive. .'ecious and 'l!usi le are close in meaning but not /uite synonymous 3 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, ! second edition A*@.0C! e$plains that 2s'ecious implies a fair appearance assumed with intent to deceive; that is 'l!usi le which is superficially reasonable or pleasing! with or without deceit.3 (he third edition of the "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, A*@@,C says 2a specious argument is not simply a false one but one that has the ring of truth. O(here isP a certain contradiction in hearing an argument described as o viousl, s'ecious or s'ecious on t$e f!ce of t$in#s ; if the fallaciousness is apparent! the argument was probably not plausible"sounding to begin with.3

6o'2 3"( NOISOME <NOA)s/:?

#armful to health or well"being! unwholesome! dangerous! destructive; also! foul"smelling! offensive! disgusting. Synonyms of noiso&e in the sense of 2harmful to health or well"being3

include injurious! ruinous! deleterious A5EL"i"TEER"ee"usC! no8ious! !neful! &!li#n! and 'ernicious. Synonyms of noiso&e in the sense of 2foul"smelling! offensive! disgusting3 include r!n%! r!ncid! 'utrid ABYFF"tridC! fetid A-E("idC! &!lodorous Amal"F#"dur"usC! and &e'$itic Amuh"-)("ikC. &ntonyms of noiso&e in both senses include s!lut!r, ASAL "yuh"(E7"eeC and s!lu rious Asuh"LFF"bree"usC. *oiso&e comes from Diddle English and by derivation means harmful! injurious! unwholesome! as a noisome pestilence! a noisome habit! or noisome beliefs. (hat has been the meaning of the word since it came into the language in the fourteenth century. Berhaps because it is related to the verb to !nno,! by the si$teenth century noisome also came to mean foul" smelling! offensive! disgusting! as a noisome stench or noisome breath.

6o'2 3#( CALUMNA <*AL)/:)nee?

5efamation of character! slander! a false and malicious statement or accusation meant to injure a person's reputation. Synonyms of c!lu&n, include !c% itin#! deni#r!tion! o lo-u, A&#%"luh"kweeC! and vilific!tion AH)L"i"fi"*AA"shinC. (he noun c!lu&n,! the adjective c!lu&nious Akuh"LE#D"nee"usC! and the verb to c!lu&ni!te Akuh"LU-M"nee"&Y(C all come through the Latin c!lu&ni!re! to accuse falsely! from c!lu&ni!! a trick. %y derivation! and in current usage! c!lu&n, means a tricky! nasty! false! and malicious accusation designed to hurt someone's reputation. )n *>'*! Samuel Gohnson wrote that 2to spread suspicion! to invent calumnies! to propagate scandal! re/uires neither labour nor courage.3 &nd *'= years earlier! in =!&let! 1illiam Shakespeare wrote! 2%e thou as chaste as ice! as pure as snow! thou shalt not escape calumny.3

6o'2 43( EGCORIATE <e0)S*OR)ee)AAT?

(o strip! scrape! or tear off the skin; hence! to rebuke or denounce harshly and severely. Synonyms of e8cori!te in the sense of 2stripping off the skin3 include ! r!de! c$!fe! sc!l'! #!ll! and fl!,. Synonyms of e8cori!te in the sense of 2rebuking or denouncing harshly3 include censure! c!sti#!te! and vitu'er!te Avy"T<A?OO"pur"&Y(C. (o e8cori!te! which comes from Latin! and to fl!,! which comes from &nglo"Sa$on! are close in meaning. %oth mean by derivation to strip off the skin! and in modern usage both have also come to mean to rebuke or denounce harshly! to attack or critici+e in a severe and scathing manner. ;l!, also means to whip or lash the skin. )f you flay an animal! you either strip off its skin or whip the hide off it. )f you flay a person! you whip that

person either literally! with a whip! or figuratively! with harsh and scathing words. )f you e$coriate an animal! you strip off its skin. )f you e$coriate your knee! you have skinned your knee; you have an abrasion. &nd if you e$coriate a person! you figuratively strip that person's skin off by delivering a harsh or severe rebuke or denunciation. (he corresponding noun is e8cori!tion.

Let's review the last ten keywords by playing 2Fne of (hese 5efinitions 5oesn't -it the 1ord.3 )n each statement below! a keyword Ain it!licsC is followed by three definitions. (wo of the three are correct; one is unrelated in meaning. 5ecide which definition doesn't fit the keyword. &nswers appear on page 0=..
1. 0il!tor, means delaying! unwilling! procrastinating. 2. (o vilif, means to e$pose! slander! defame. 3. P$le#&!tic

means calm and unemotional! sluggish and apathetic! tedious and boring. 4. "dventitious means accidentally ac/uired! not belonging naturally! happening at the right time.
4. 0esicc!ted means dehydrated! dried up! defunct. 5. 1o&it, means courtesy! generosity! civility. 6. .'ecious means apparently true! superficially reasonable!

un/uestionably correct.
7. *oiso&e means harmful! foul"smelling! unmanageable. 8.1!lu&n, means defamation of character! a terrible mistake! a

false and malicious statement. 10.(o e8cori!te means to reject completely! rebuke harshly! denounce severely. &re you weary of all these difficult words4 #ave ) desiccated your brain with adventitious verbal information4 #as your routine of reading and reviewing become dilatory4 )f you answered yes to any of those /uestions! then ) think you will appreciate9

6o'2 41( LASSITU@E <LAS)4)T<A?OO@?

1eariness! fatigue; a weak or e$hausted state or feeling; a sluggish rela$ation of body or mind. Synonyms of l!ssitude include listlessness! let$!r#, ALE(#"ur"jeeC! de ilit,! indolence A)6"duh"lintsC! inerti! Ai"6E7"shuhC! enerv!tion AE6"ur" EAA"shinC! tor'or A(F7"purC! and l!n#uor AL&68"gurC. 1ould you like an ultragrandilo/uent synonym for l!ssitude4 #ow about

oscit!nc,4 /scit!nc, A&#S"i"tin"seeC comes through the Latin oscit!re! to yawn! gape! open the mouth! from the Latin os! the mouth. Literally! oscit!nc, means the act of yawning or gaping; figuratively! it means sleepiness! drowsiness! or sluggishness. (he Latin os! meaning 2the mouth!3 is the source of another delightful grandilo/uent word that is entirely unrelated to this discussionbut you don't mind if )'m desultory! do you4 A&s ) mentioned in the discussion of discursive! word '= of Level <! desultor,! pronounced @ES"ul"(F7"ee! means skipping or leaping from one subject to another in a disconnected way.C &t any rate! this Latin os! the mouth! is also the source of the unusual English word oscul!tion A&#S"kyuh"LAA"shinC. /scul!tion denotes a pleasant act! something we all enjoy. 1ith that clue! and knowing that this act has something to do with the mouth! can you guess what oscul!tion means4 )f you're thinking the act of kissing! then you are a sagacious word sleuth indeed. 6ow let's get back to our keyword! l!ssitude! which comes from the Latin l!ssitudo! weariness! e$haustion. )n modern usage! l!ssitude denotes a weak or e$hausted state or feeling; a sluggish rela$ation of body or mind. Surfeiting yourself at the dinner table can cause lassitude! and on sultry summer days we often e$perience lassitude. ;!ti#ue! we!riness! and l!ssitude are close in meaning. ;!ti#ue usually is the result of physical or mental e$ertion; you feel fatigue after ten or twelve hours of assiduous labor. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! we!riness is 2the result of less obvious causes! as long sitting or standing in one position! importunity from others! delays! and the like. ;!ti#ue and we!riness are natural conditions!3 says the 1entur,! 2from which one easily recovers by rest.3 L!ssitude is 2the result of greater fatigue or weariness than one can well bear! and may be of the nature of ill health. (he word may! however! be used in a lighter sense.3 (o illustrate that lighter sense! the 1entur, /uotes these lines from the eighteenth" century %ritish poet! essayist! and physician Gohn &rmstrong 2#appy he whose toilV#as oJer his languid! pow'rless limbs diffusJdVa pleasing lassitude.3

6o'2 42( TRA@UCE <t'/=)@<A?OOS?

(o publicly disgrace or humiliate by making false and malicious statements; to make a mockery of; e$pose to public ridicule or contempt. Synonyms of tr!duce include def!&e! sl!nder! deni#r!te! &!li#n Amuh"LY6C! vitu'er!te Avy"T<A?OO"pur"&Y(C! c!lu&ni!te Akuh"LU-M "nee" &Y(C! and vilif,! word ., of this level. &ntonyms of tr!duce include 'r!ise! co&'li&ent! l!ud! e8tol! and !dul!te AAB"uh"L&Y(C. Tr!duce comes from the Latin tr!ducere! to lead across or lead in front of others; hence! to e$hibit as a spectacle! e$pose to ridicule! disgrace or humiliate in public. )n modern usage! tr!duce applies chiefly to making

false! malicious! and humiliating statements about people! as to traduce someone's honor! or a scathing editorial that traduces the mayor. (hose gossipy newspapers with the sensational! ridiculous headlines that you see in the supermarket checkout line speciali+e in scandalous stories that traduce well"known people. (he noun tr!duce&ent means the act of traducing! and a tr!ducer is a person who traduces! who makes false! malicious! humiliating statements.

6o'2 43( @IS-ABILLE <@IS)/=)BEEL?

(he state of being partly clothed; partial undress. 0is$! ille may also mean the state of being casually or carelessly dressed! as in one's night clothes or lounging attire. 0is$! ille comes from a -rench verb meaning to undress! which e$plains why it has all those silent letters. 0is$! ille entered English in the late *<==s! and as you can imagine! the word usually has a slightly se$y or titillating connotation. #ere are a few e$amples cited in the /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r,! which speciali+es in displaying the language in historical dishabille. -rom *<?0 2(o surprise his mistress in dishabille.3 -rom *>=? 21hat would she give now to be in this dishabille in the open air43 -rom *>@< 2#is lady made a thousand apologies for being OcaughtP in such a dishabille.3 -rom *?<* 2(he easy! confidential intercourse of her dishabille in the boudoir3 A%FF" dwahr! a woman's bedroom or private dressing roomC. &nd from *??' 2(he shortcomings of English costume pale before the dishabille of the 5utch colonial ladies.3 Little could the writer of that last e$ample have imagined the sometimes shocking dishabille! partial undress! that is commonplace in the worlds of entertainment and publishing today. &nd now! seeing as we've just discussed a rather prurient word A 'rurient! pronounced B7EE7"ee"int! means characteri+ed by or arousing lustC! it seems fitting to invite you to learn9

6o'2 44( SATURNALIA <SAT)/')NAA)lee)/=?

&n orgy! licentious merrymaking! unrestrained revelry. .!turn!li!! with a capital .! denotes the seven"day festival of Saturn celebrated in 5ecember by the ancient 7omans. &ccording to %rewer's 0iction!r, of P$r!se !nd ;! le A*?@0C! the Saturnalia was 2a time of licensed disorder and misrule9. 5uring its continuance no public business could be transacted! the law courts were closed! the schools kept holiday! no war could be commenced! and no malefactor punished.3 A& &!lef!ctor! pronounced MAL"uh"-&I"tur! is a criminal! outlaw! evildoer.C (hat week of abandon in ancient 7ome has led to a second sense of the word. 1hen spelled with a small s! s!turn!li! means any period or occasion of unrestrained revelry or licentious merrymaking; hence! an orgy. &mong &merican college students! the saturnalia is celebrated during the

vernal e/uino$! and goes by the name of 2spring break.3

6o'2 45( EGTIR,ATE <E*)st/'),AAT?

(o pull or dig up by the roots! root out! e$terminate! abolish or destroy completely. &lthough e8tir'!te means to root out! it has stayed close to its roots! for it comes from the Latin e8tir'!re! to tear up by the roots! which comes in turn from e8"! meaning 2out!3 and stir's! which means the stem and roots of a plant. (he word may be used literally! as to e$tirpate a tree! or figuratively! as to e$tirpate evil or a heterodo$ belief. 98tir'!te has two close synonyms er!dic!te Ai"RA@"i"I&Y(C and der!cin!te Adi"RAS"i"6&Y(C. %oth these verbs come from the Latin r!di8! the root of a plant. %y derivation and in modern usage! er!dic!te and der!cin!te also mean to pull up by the roots! uproot! and so to obliterate! annihilate! get rid of completely. 0er!cin!te suggests a violent uprooting or annihilation. You can deracinate your hair; a despotic government can deracinate dissent; and a war can deracinate a population. 9r!dic!te suggests resistance from the thing being uprooted or destroyed. :ampaigns to eradicate drug abuse and organi+ed crime often fall short of e$pectations. 98tir'!te suggests the intentional uprooting or e$termination of something deeply entrenched. Self"styled defenders of society! like the +ealous antivice crusader &nthony :omstock! are always on the lookout for some pernicious influence to e$tirpateobscenity! drugs! subversives! heretics! or heterodo$ beliefs. (he corresponding noun is e8tir'!tion AEI" stur",AA"shinC.

6o'2 4 ( &LAGITIOUS <fl/=)BIS-)/s?

E$tremely wicked; shamefully and scandalously criminal! vice"ridden! or corrupt. Synonyms of fl!#itious include !trocious! e#re#ious Aword .< of Level ?C! $einous A#&Y"nusC! di! olic!l! nef!rious Ane"-&)7"ee"usC! odious AF#"dee"usC! and e8ecr! le AEI"si"kruh"buulC. ;l!#itious comes through the Latin fl!#itiosus! shameful! disgraceful! infamous! from fl!#itiu&! a shameful crime! disgraceful action. ;l!#itious may be used of persons who are grossly wicked and guilty of atrocious crimes or vices. -or e$ample! in different ways and on a different scale! Gack the 7ipper and Goseph Stalin were both flagitious monsters. ;l!#itious may also be used of actions or things to mean shamefully wicked! villainous! or evil! as a flagitious crime! a flagitious obsession! flagitious thoughts. (he #olocaust was one of the most flagitious events in history.

6o'2 4!( ,ERI,ATETIC <,ER)4)1/=)TET)40?

1alking about! going from place to place on foot. Synonyms of 'eri'!tetic include !& ul!tin# and itiner!nt. Peri'!tetic comes from 8reek and means literally walking about. 1hen spelled with a capital P! Peri'!tetic refers to the ancient 8reek school of philosophy founded by &ristotle! who e$pounded his theories while strolling in the Lyceum Aly"SEE"umC in &thens. 1hen spelled with a small '! 'eri'!tetic means walking about! traveling on foot! as peripatetic e$ercise! a peripatetic police officer! or a grassroots political campaign that succeeded because of the peripatetic efforts of volunteers. Beripatetic may also be used as a noun to mean a peripatetic person! a pedestrian or itinerant! someone who walks or moves about on foot.

6o'2 4"( CAC-INNATE <*A*)4)NAAT?

(o laugh loudly and immoderately! laugh convulsively or hysterically. (o c$uc%le! #i##le! c!c%le! c$ortle! titter! snic%er! and sni##er all suggest moderate! restrained! or self"conscious laughter. (o #uff!w suggests loud! boisterous! unrestrained laughter. (o c!c$inn!te takes the joke one step further. 1hen you cachinnate! you shake with laughter! split your sides. :an you think of the last joke you heard that made you cachinnate4 (he verb to c!c$inn!te comes from the Latin c!c$inn!re! to laugh aloud. (he corresponding noun is c!c$inn!tion AI&I"i"NAA"shinC! immoderate! convulsive! or hysterical laughter. Dy earnest hope is that at least once in the course of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! something )'ve written will catch your funny bone off guard and induce a cachinnation.

6o'2 4#( MANUMIT <MAN)./=)MIT?

(o set free! liberate! emancipate! deliver from slavery or bondage. Synonyms of &!nu&it include uns$!c%le! unfetter! enfr!nc$ise! and disent$r!ll. &ntonyms include ensl!ve! ent$r!ll! su 2u#!te Aword 0. of Level *C! s$!c%le! fetter! &!n!cle AD&6"uh"kulC! and tr!&&el A(7&D"ulC. (he verb to &!nu&it comes through Diddle English and Fld -rench from the Latin &!nu&ittere! to free a slave! which comes in turn from &!nus! the hand! and &ittere! to send! let go. (o &!nu&it! to e&!nci'!te! and to enfr!nc$ise are close in meaning. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! to enfr!nc$ise 2is to bring into freedom or into civil rights.3 )n the twentieth century! &merican women

gained the right to vote! gained economic and professional influence! and in many other ways became enfranchised. (o e&!nci'!te 2is to free from a literal or figurative slavery.3 You can emancipate someone from bondage or emancipate someone's mind with knowledge. 4!nu&it has often been used interchangeably with e&!nci'!te! but it usually suggests a literal deliverance from bondage or slavery. &braham Lincoln's Emancipation Broclamation manumitted &merican slaves. )f you get fired from a crummy job! consider yourself manumitted.

6o'2 53( EG,IATION <E*)s1ee)AA)s=4n?

&tonement; reparation for a sin! crime! or offense. 98'i!tion comes from the Latin e8'i!re! to atone for! purify! engage in a ritual cleansing. (he corresponding verb is e8'i!te AE*"spee"&Y(C! to atone for! make amends for. #ave you done anything wrong lately4 &lienated a loved one4 Fffended a coworker4 (old a lie4 %roken a law4 )f you're feeling guilty about anything! if you have a compunction Aword ,< of Level ?C! a twinge of regret caused by an uneasy conscience! then 5r. Elster has the verbal cure for you e8'i!tion! the act of atonement or reparation for a wrong done. 5epending on the nature and severity of your offense! your e$piation may re/uire an apology! a punishment! or the wearing of sackcloth and ashes. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you the review word Ain it!licsC followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which one of those three words or phrases comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page 0=..
1. 5oes l!ssitude mean weariness! restraint! or freedom4 2. 5oes tr!duce mean to compel by force! make false and

malicious statements! or to infer from evidence4

3. )s a person in dis$! ille dirty! partly clothed! or at a loss for

what to say or do4

4. )s a s!turn!li! a feast! a diversion! or an orgy4 5. 5oes e8tir'!te mean to pull up by the roots! make an educated

guess! or keep away from4

6. )s something fl!#itious very insulting! totally unnecessary! or

e$tremely wicked4
7. 5oes 'eri'!tetic mean taking one's time! walking about! or

asking /uestions4
8. 5oes c!c$inn!te mean to object! to ridicule! or to laugh loudly4 9.5oes &!nu&it mean to e$cuse! to liberate! or to allow4 10. )s e8'i!tion acceptance! rejection! or atonement4

6=atHs Afoot 74t= #ffeteJ

Let's wind things up with a vocabulary /ui+ involving only one word effete Ai"-EE(! almost like ! feetC. 5o you know the precise meaning of this word4 #ere are five possible synonyms ?!@ wo&!nl,; ? @ worn out; ?c@ ele#!nt; ?d@ sno is$; ?e@ 'seudointellectu!l. (ake your pick and read on. (he answer may surprise you. 9ffete comes from the Latin effetus! worn out by bearing children! unable to produce offspring! which comes in turn from e8"! out! and fetus! productive. 9ffete formerly was used of animals to mean past bearing! and of soil or land to mean barren. (hese applications are now uncommon! though not archaic! and today precise usage most often employs effete in the figurative sense of e$hausted! having the energies worn out! barren of results! ineffective or unproductive. 2)f they find the old governments effete!3 wrote the %ritish statesman Edmund %urke! 2they may seek new ones.3 (he correct answer! therefore! is ? @ worn out. 5o you remember! from Level 0! my discussion of the 2sounds"like syndrome34 9ffete is one of its victims! and its case is particularly complicated because it is commonly confused not with one but with two similar"sounding words. (he first word people confuse with effete is effe&in!te. Some years ago ) was listening to a literary radio show hosted by a syndicated columnist. (he columnist asked his guest! the author of a biography of Dargaret Ditchell! who wrote +one wit$ t$e 6ind! whether Ditchell's fiancN was effete. 5o you think she thought he meant worn out! e$hausted! spent4 6ot for a minute. 8oing right along with the confusion! the biographer replied! 2Yes! Ditchell's fiancN had many effeminate /ualities.3 9ffe&in!te is a disparaging term applied to men to mean womanish! unmanly! not virile. )n Troilus !nd 1ressid!! Shakespeare writes! 2& woman impudent and mannish grownV)s not more loathJd than an effeminate man.3 (he second word people confuse with effete is elite Aay"LEE( or i"LEE(C. %y derivation elite means the choice or best part; the word is most often used of a group or class of persons. 2(he elite of society3 comprises persons of the highest social class! sometimes referred to collo/uially as 2snobs.3 ) heard a good e$ample of the confusion between effete and elite in another radio interview! this time on 6ational Bublic 7adio's 2&ll (hings :onsidered.3 (he interviewer was speaking with the editor of the notoriously stuffy and esoteric *ew )or% Review of :oo%s! and at one point she asked him if he thought his publication was effete. 5id he think she meant e$hausted! ineffective! washed up4 #ardly. #e replied that although the Review was highbrow fare! it did not intend to be snobbish or e$clusive and was undeserving of any such reputation it might have. -or those who already think effete means womanly! delicate! or overrefined! compounding that erroneous notion with the e/ually erroneous suggestion of snobbery or supercilious self"indulgence re/uires no great

leap of the imagination. -or millions of &mericans! the confusion of effete with elite was implanted in the *@>=s by 7ichard D. 6i$on's otherwise unmemorable vice president! Spiro &gnew! when! in a speech assailing opponents of the Hietnam 1ar! he uttered the words 2an effete corps of impudent snobs.3 &lmost overnight! 2effete snob3 became a catch phrase in the war controversy! used by the 2hawks!3 who favored involvement! to disparage the 2doves!3 who were against involvement. &s a result of this phrase's hasty dissemination by the media and its subse/uent absorption into the nebulous national vocabulary! effete now often suggests elitism and snobbery! an association entirely divorced from its true meaning depleted of energy or vigor! worn out. 1hat does it mean when some of the most prominent writers! editors! broadcasters! and politicians in the country fall prey to the 2sounds"like syndrome34 )s this a #umpty 5umpty case of 2a word means whatever ) choose it to mean34 Should we just lie backthat's right! lie! not l!,and say! 2&s long as we communicate! what difference does it make43 (hat! my verbally advantaged friend! is what is called a rhetorical /uestion! to which you already know my answer is a resounding no. So what can we conclude is afoot with effete4 (hough weakened by the presence in current dictionaries of such incongruous synonyms as effe&in!te! dec!dent! de#ener!te! and overrefined! the precise sense of this useful word is not entirely effete! e$hausted! ineffective! washed"up. 6ow that you know the story of how the 2sounds"like syndrome3 has infected effete! you must play doctor and decide how you are going to treat the word. &nd the ne$t time you hear effete used effeminately! or by an impudent snob! perhaps you will pass along this word to the wise. &nd while we're at it! here's another word to the wise %efore forging ahead with the final levelthe denouement! so to speak! of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! after which you will be manumittedtry to snap out of your pusillanimous lassitude and display your puissance and probity by reviewing this entire level. 5on't be dilatory or diffident or disingenuous with yourself. Life is too fugacious to be phlegmatic. 5o it nowT Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level #
*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. 6o. Proli8 means wordy and tiresome! long"winded and boring!

verbose! using more words than necessary to get the point across.
2. Yes. "'ocr,'$!l means not genuine! counterfeit! illegitimate;

specifically! of doubtful authenticity or authorship.

3. Yes. 1u'idit, means greed! a strong desire for wealth or

material things.
4. 6o. Skiing and ice skating are $i ern!l activities! meaning

winter activities. Vern!l means pertaining to spring! occurring in the spring; also! having the /ualities of spring fresh! warm! and mild.
5. 6o. Te&erit, means recklessness! rashness! foolhardiness;

reckless disregard for danger! risk! or conse/uences.

6. Yes. R!''roc$e&ent means reconciliation! a reestablishing of

friendly relations.
7.6o. & dis-uisition is a formal discussion of or in/uiry into a subject; a

discourse.
8. Yes. (o 'roscri e means to prohibit! forbid! outlaw. 9.6o. 5onating your mansion to a nonprofit organi+ation would be a

display of munificence. 4unificence means great generosity! lavish giving. 10.Yes. Pro it, means honesty! integrity; fairness! straightforwardness! and sincerity in one's dealings with others.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. -alse. Puiss!nt means powerful! mighty! strong! forceful. 2. (rue. Pecul!te means to steal! embe++le; specifically! to steal or

misuse money or property entrusted to one's care.

3. -alse.

0iffident means shy! timid! bashful! lacking in self" confidence! hesitant to speak or act. bought off! able to be obtained for a price.

4. (rue. Ven!l means corruptible! bribable! capable of being bribed or 5. Hery true. P!rsi&onious means stingy! miserly! e$tremely tight with

money.
6. &bsolutely false. Pusill!ni&ous means cowardly! lacking courage!

timid! fainthearted! irresolute.

7. (rue. 98t!nt means e$isting! still in e$istence! not e$tinct! not lost

or destroyed.
8. -alse.

4eritorious means praiseworthy! commendable. 4eretricious means tawdry! gaudy; attractive in a flashy or cheap way; falsely alluring; deceptively enticing. or of anything strange or foreign.

9. -alse. Leno'$o i! means fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners! 10. (rue. Duotidi!n means daily! recurring every day or pertaining to

every day; also! of an everyday nature! and so ordinary! commonplace! trivial.

*e.7o'2s 21$33 1.Synonyms. &n e8i#enc, is an urgency! pressing need; a situation

demanding immediate attention or action.

2.&ntonyms. Pulc$ritude means beauty! loveliness! attractiveness. 3.&ntonyms. 0enoue&ent means the unraveling or resolution of a

plot! as of a novel or a drama; the outcome or resolution of any comple$ situation.

4. Synonyms. ;u#!cious means fleeting! passing /uickly away. 5. &ntonyms. Literally! tur id means muddy! clouded! roiled! murky! as

if from stirred"up sediment. -iguratively! tur id means muddled! obscure! confused! not lucid.
6. &ntonyms. Indefe!si le means not capable of being undone! taken

away! annulled! or rendered void.

7. &ntonyms.

0isin#enuous straightforward or frank.

means

insincere!

crafty!

sly!

not

8. &ntonyms. .currilous means foul"mouthed! obscene; using or

e$pressed in language that is coarse! vulgar! and abusive.

9. Synonyms. & recrudescence is a revival! renewal! fresh outbreak

after a period of inactivity or /uiescence Akwy"ES"intsC.

*e.7o'2s 31$43 1.

(nwillin# doesn't fit. 0il!tor, means delaying! causing or intended to cause delay; also! slow! tardy! characteri+ed by delay or procrastination.
2. 98'ose doesn't fit. (o vilif, means to defame! slander! attack with

vicious! abusive language.

3. Tedious !nd

orin# doesn't fit. P$le#&!tic means calm and unemotional; having a sluggish! apathetic temperament; difficult to move to emotion or action. accidentally or casually ac/uired; not belonging naturally to something; associated by chance; not inherent or integral.

4. =!''enin# !t t$e ri#$t ti&e doesn't fit. "dventitious means

5. 0efunct doesn't fit. 0efunct means dead! e$tinct. 0esicc!ted

means dried or dried up! dehydrated! deprived of moisture.

6. +enerosit, doesn't fit. 1o&it, means courtesy! civility! politeness!

respectful and considerate behavior.

7. (n-uestion! l, correct doesn't fit. .'ecious means appearing to be

true! genuine! or correct but actually false or deceptive; superficially reasonable or just but not so in reality.
8. (n&!n!#e! le doesn't fit. *oiso&e means harmful to health or

well"being! unwholesome! dangerous! destructive; also! foul" smelling! offensive! disgusting.

9. " terri le &ist!%e doesn't fit. 1!lu&n, means defamation of

character! slander! a false and malicious statement or accusation meant to injure a person's reputation.

10.Re2ect co&'letel, doesn't fit. 98cori!te means to strip! scrape! or tear off the skin; hence! to rebuke or denounce harshly and severely.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. L!ssitude means weariness! fatigue; a weak or e$hausted state or

feeling; a sluggish rela$ation of body or mind.

2. Tr!duce means to publicly disgrace or humiliate by making false

and malicious statements; to make a mockery of; e$pose to public ridicule or contempt.
3. 0is$! ille means the state of being partly clothed; partial undress. 4. & s!turn!li! is an orgy! licentious merrymaking! unrestrained

revelry.
5. (o e8tir'!te means to pull or dig up by the roots! root out!

e$terminate! abolish or destroy completely.

6. Something

fl!#itious is e$tremely wicked; scandalously criminal! vice"ridden! or corrupt.

shamefully

and

7. Peri'!tetic means walking about! going from place to place on foot. 8. (o c!c$inn!te means to laugh loudly and immoderately! laugh

convulsively or hysterically.
9. (o &!nu&it means to set free! liberate! emancipate! deliver from

slavery or bondage. 10.98'i!tion is atonement; reparation for a sin! crime! or offense.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level #

1. 1hich word is an antonym of 'roli84 (a)sententious (b) (c)pleonastic (d)

tautological circumlocutory ineffable fugacious

2. 1hich word is a synonym of !'ocr,'$!l4 (a) (b) (b) spurious (c) scurrilous 3. 1hich word is an antonym of cu'idit,4 (a) avarice (b) munificence

(c) covetousness (d) venality 4. 1hich word means pertaining to summer4 (a) hibernal (b) vernal (c) estival (d) (e) /uotidian 5. 1hich words are antonyms4 (a)

hiemal

temerity! imprudence

(b) apprehension! timorousness (c) impetuosity! audacity (d) effrontery! diffidence 6. 1hich word is a synonym of 'roscri e4 (a) e$tol (b) interdict (c) obviate (d) manumit 7. 1hich words are synonyms4 (a) scrupulousness! malfeasance (b) uprightness! perfidy (c) probity! rectitude (d) veracity! duplicity 8. 1hich phrase misuses convince4 (a) convinced her to do it (b) convinced him of the truth (c) convinced her that it was important 9. 1hich word is an antonym of 'uiss!nt4 (a) opulent (b) stalwart (c) parsimonious (d) enervated

10.1hich word is a synonym of 'ecul!te4

(a) (b) defalcate (c) supplicate (d) desiccate (e) e$coriate

importune

11.1hich word means e$cusable! forgivable! minor4

(a) venial (b) venal

12.1hich words are antonyms4

(a) beneficent! bountiful (b) niggardly! generous (c) penurious! stingy (d) grasping! parsimonious (e) liberal! munificent

13.1hat is a meretri$4
(a) an award (b) a liar (c) a prostitute (d) a measuring device

14.1hat does the prefi$ 8eno" mean4

(a) (b) (c) (d)

wood animal abnormal strange fre/uent ordinary commonplace daily

15.1hich word is not a synonym of -uotidi!n4

(a) (b) (c) (d)

16.1hich phrase denotes something absolutely necessary or indispensable4

(a) (b)

bon mot /uid pro /uo

(c) (d) (e)

fau$ pas sine /ua non pro bono publico bate noire /uid pro /uo sine /ua non bon mot

17.1hich phrase denotes something given in return for something else4

(a) (b) (c) (d) coup de gr[ce (e)

18.1hich phrase denotes someone or something one especially dislikes or fears4

(a) fau$ pas (b) (c) (d) sine /ua non

caveat emptor bate noire

?e@ /uid pro /uo 19.1hich phrase means an error or blunder4

(a) bon mot (b) caveat emptor (c) (d) (e) sine /ua non

fau$ pas bate noire

20.1hich word is an antonym of &eretricious4

(a) pusillanimous (b) indefeasible (c) diffident (d) pulchritudinous

21.1hich of the following means the unraveling or resolution of a plot4

(a) dis/uisition (b) denouement (c) coup de gr[ce (d) deus e$ machina

22.9'$e&er!l and ev!nescent are synonyms of

(a) mellifluous (b) fugacious (c) ine$orable (d) ubi/uitous (e) peripatetic

23.1hich words mean swollen! inflated4

(a) turgid! tumid (b) turbid! turgid (c) tumid! turbid (d) turgid! turbid! tumid

24.1hich word means using coarse! vulgar! insolent language4

(a) flagitious (b) disingenuous (c) scurrilous (d) recrudescent (e) cachinnating

25.1hich word means causing or characteri+ed by delay4

(a) e$igent (b) miscreant (c) phlegmatic (d) dilatory (e) temerarious

26.1hich of the following is not one of the four humors4

(a) blood (b) phlegm (c) choler (d) apathy (e) melancholy

27.1hich word is an antonym of desicc!ted4

(a) phlegmatic (b) succulent (c) turbid (d) wi+ened

28.1hich word connotes an intent to mislead or deceive4

(a) specious (b) plausible (c) both specious and plausible

29.Pernicious and 'utrid are synonyms of ?!@ noisome

(b) salubrious (c) mephitic (d) deleterious

30.-our of the following five words are related in meaning. 1hich word has a different! unrelated meaning4
(a) traduce (b) vilify (c) (d) e$piate (e) e$coriate

calumniate

31.1hat is oscul!tion4
(a) yawning (b) kissing (c) watching (d) eating

32.(o be in dishabille is to be
(a) in a state of disorder (b) slightly into$icated (c) partly clothed (d) at one's wit's end

33.1hich words are not synonymous4

(a) atrocious! odious (b) e$ecrable! heinous (c) egregious! pusillanimous (d) flagitious! nefarious

34.1hich word is associated with a school of philosophy founded by &ristotle4

(a) pariah (b) peripatetic (c) saturnalia

?d@ lyceum 35.1hich two words mean to uproot! abolish! annihilate4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) manumit (b) defenestrate (c) cachinnate (d) e$tirpate (e) deracinate Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Level 13
A Ee'bal ,at on t=e Ba90 ) know how much time and effort you've been putting in reviewing and working hard to absorb all the challenging words and information )'ve been presenting! and you deserve a big verbal pat on the back for making it this far. %elieve me! your assiduousness will pay off down the line! for you will find the world opening up to you in wonderful! une$pected ways through your newfound insight into words. ) am also honored and delighted that you have stuck with the program and decided to accompany me on the final leg of this journey into the ethereal regions of the language. Fnly the most intrepid verbal e$plorers have the courage and the stamina to climb this high. Fnly the most stalwart and redoubtable ones have the determination to go on when the path becomes rocky and the air grows thin. 1e are now going to ascend to the acme of the English vocabulary. &lthough ) can't say we will 2boldly go where no man has gone before!3 ) can say we will boldly go where ninety"five out of every hundred people have never gone! for the words you are about to learn are known by fewer than one in ten educated adults. So be bold! be brave! step lively! and

above all! stay awake. (he last level was tricky! but this one is downright treacherous. )f you want to reach the peak of Ver !l "dv!nt!#e! then you must give this final part of the journey your full attention. -ollow me carefully now as we traverse our first ten keywords.

6o'2 1( BEBUNE <D4)BOON?

5ull! uninteresting! or unsatisfying; devoid of nourishment! substance! or significance. Synonyms of 2e2une include fl!t! st!le! !rid! insi'id! and v!'id Aword .> of Level ?C. <e2une comes from the Latin 2e2unus! fasting! hungry! barren! dry. -rom the same source comes the anatomical term 2e2unu& Aji"GFF"numC! the middle section of the small intestine! between the duodenum and the ileum. (he jejunum took that name! the dictionaries tell us! because in postmortem dissections it was found barren of digestive contents and therefore believed to be empty after death. (he adjective 2e2une was once used to mean hungry! fasting! without food! but that sense is obsolete and in modern usage 2e2une is used figuratively to mean barren of interest! dull and unsatisfying! devoid of nourishment! substance! or significance. & jejune diet lacks nourishment; jejune food is tasteless and unsatisfying. & jejune idea or a jejune method lacks appeal because it is devoid of substance or significance. & jejune movie or jejune novel is dull! uninteresting! insipid. )f you look up 2e2une in a current dictionary! you will also see another definition of the word youthful! childish! immature! puerile! as jejune behavior or a jejune response to a serious /uestion. 1hence comes this sense of the word! which is so clearly unconnected to the root meaning! barren of substance or appeal4 -or an answer let's turn to 1illiam Safire! the language maven of T$e *ew )or% Ti&es! who writes a column for that paper's Sunday maga+ine called 2Fn Language.3 Fn Fctober *<! *@@0! Safire reported that he had /ueried Gac/ues %ar+un! one of the world's foremost authorities on English usage! about this e$tended sense of the word! and the venerable professor responded that 2the meaning Qyouthful! childishJ for 2e2une3 had gotten into the dictionaries 2only as a concession to the misusers.3 &ccording to Safire! 2the original meaning of 2e2uneQempty of food! meagerJled to its modern sense of Qdull! insipid.J Brobably because the word sounded like 2uvenile! it picked up a meaning of Qpuerile! childish!J which!3 Safire asserts! 2is the way it is most commonly used today.3 AYet another e$ample of the insidious sounds"like syndrome at work.C Safire then poses the eternal /uestion regarding capricious usage 2Should we stand with the prescriptivists! as %ar+un suggests! and hold fast to the QproperJ meaning4 Fr do we go along with the language slobs!

adopting as QcorrectJ a mistake merely because it is so fre/uently made43 #ere's how Safire answers his own /uestion 2&t a certain point! what people mean when they use a word becomes its meaning. 1e should resist its adoption! pointing out the error! for years; mockery helps; if the meaning persists! though! it is senseless to ignore the new sense. ) say 2e2une means puerile now!3 Safire concludes. ) disagree with Dr. Safire! and stand with Dr. %ar+un on the side of reserving 2e2une for the meaning 2devoid of nourishment! substance! or significance.3 (hat is my crotchet! and )'m proud of it. #owever! although few people know the word 2e2une! ) will concede that many of those who do now use it to mean childish or immature; and therefore! as Dr. Safire suggests! resistance to this change in meaning may now be effete! and further mockery of it may be jejunewhich you may take as meaning either dull! insipid! or juvenile! immature. 1elcome to the war of words! my verbally advantaged friend. 1hat will be ,our strategy for this controversial word 2e2une4

6o'2 2( ,AUCITA <,A6)s4)tee?

&n insufficiency! scarcity! especially a serious or e$treme one! a dire lack. Synonyms of '!ucit, include de!rt$ Aword *, of Level .C! s$ort!#e! deficie nc,> and the challenging word e8i#uit, AEI"si"GAOO"i"teeC. (he noun e8i#uit, and the adjective e8i#uous Aeg"M)8"yoo"us or ek"S)8"yoo"usC come through the Latin e8i#uus! small! scanty! from e8i#ere! to measure out! demand. 98i#uous means e$tremely meager or scanty; an e$iguity is an e$tremely small or scanty amount. 98i#uit, and '!ucit, are close synonyms and are virtually interchangeable. P!ucit, comes through the Latin '!ucit!s! fewness! scarcity! from '!ucus! few. )n modern usage! '!ucit, may mean simply a scarcity or insufficiency! as a paucity of words! but it often suggests a serious or e$treme insuffiency! a dire lack. 1e speak of a paucity of supplies; a paucity of information; a paucity of funds; a paucity of natural resources in the region; or a paucity of orders leading to the decision to take a product off the market. &ntonyms of '!ucit, include su'er! und!nce! su'erfluit, ASFF"pur" &LOO"i"teeC! and 'let$or! Aword *@ of Level <C.

6o'2 3( MINATORA <MIN)/=)TOR)ee?

(hreatening! menacing; having a threatening or menacing aspect or nature. 4in!tor, and the even more unusual adjective &in!cious Ami"6&Y"shusC are synonymous and may be used interchangeably. %oth words come from the same sourcethe Latin &in!ri! to threatenand are related to the word &en!ce. Dinatory clouds have a threatening aspect! indicating heavy

rain or snow. Dinatory people are menacing by nature. & minatory look is a menacing look. Dinatory words are threatening words.

6o'2 4( ,UTATIEE <,AOO)t/=)t4v?

Supposed! reputed! commonly considered or regarded as such; deemed to be so but not proved. &ntonyms of 'ut!tive include cert!in! definite! un-uestion! le! indis'ut! le! indu it! le! incontroverti le! and irrefr!#! le Ai"7E-"ruh"guh"buulC. Put!tive comes from the Latin 'ut!re! to consider! believe! think! suppose. (hat which is 'ut!tive is commonly thought to be so! generally considered true but not conclusively proved. 1e speak of someone's putative parents; the putative perpetrator of a crime; a putative leader or a person with putative authority! meaning the person believed to be in control; and a putative discovery! meaning a discovery generally attributed to someone without proof. 1e might also speak of Msa Msa 8abor's putative age! the age she is commonly thought to bebut who can say for sure4

6o'2 5( LUCUBRATION <LOO)0.oo)BRAA)s=4n?

6octurnal labor; study! writing! or work done late at night. Lucu r!tion comes from the Latin lucu r!re! to work by candlelight. (he corresponding adjective! lucu r!tor, ALOO"kyoo"bruh"(F7"eeC means literally done by candlelight; hence! pertaining to nocturnal study or labor. (he corresponding verb to lucu r!te ALOO"kyoo"%7&Y(C means to work! study! or write into the wee hours. (o use a vernacular e$pression! lucu r!tion means burning the midnight oil. :ollege students often engage in lucubration! and meeting a deadline for an important project may re/uire an eleventh"hour bout of diligent lucubration. )n current usage! the verb to lucu r!te may also be used to mean to compose with laborious effort! and especially to write in a scholarly or pedantic fashion! as a professor of political science who lucubrates abstrusely from her ivory tower. (he noun lucu r!tion has also come to be used of anything produced by laborious study or effort! especially an elaborate! pedantic! or pretentious piece of writing.

6o'2 ( TROGLO@ATE <TRA-G)l/=)@AT?

& cave dweller; also! a person who lives or behaves in a primitive manner! or who lives in seclusion. (he corresponding adjective is tro#lod,tic A(7&#8"luh"@IT"ikC! pertaining to or characteristic of a troglodyte. Tro#lod,te comes from a 8reek word meaning 2one who creeps into holes.3 )n modern usage! tro#lod,te may be used in three ways. )t may refer specifically to a prehistoric cave dweller! as the 6eanderthals Anee" AN

"dur"(&1LMC were troglodytes. )n a broader sense! tro#lod,te may refer to anyone who lives in a primitive! degenerate! or debased manner or condition! or who is primitive! brutish! and displays a crude lack of sophistication regarding intellectual or cultural matters 2Simone couldn't talk to her coworkers about the novels! plays! concerts! and e$hibits she enjoyed because all the people she worked with were couch potatoes! soap opera junkies! mall rats! and troglodytes.3 Tro#lod,te may also refer to a person who chooses to live in seclusion! a hermit! recluse. (he billionaire #oward #ughes was a notoriousand notoriously eccentric troglodyte. 1ould you like two challenging synonyms for a person who lives in seclusion4 (ry !nc$orite AANG*"uh"7Y(C and ere&ite AER"uh"DY(C.

6o'2 !( ALEATORA <AA)lee)/=)TOR)ee?

5epending on luck! chance! or on some contingent event; hence! uncertain! unpredictable. )n law! an aleatory contract is an agreement whose conditions depend on a contingency! an uncertain event. &n aleatory sale is one whose completion depends on the outcome of some uncertain event. &leatory music leaves certain sounds up to the performer or up to chance. "le!tor, comes from the Latin !le!tor! a gamester! thrower of dice! crapshooter! which comes in turn from !le!! a game of dice. "le!tor, means literally depending upon the throw of the dice. )n current usage! !le!tor, may mean gambling or pertaining to gambling! as Las Hegas is the mecca of aleatory activity! but the word is probably more often used to mean depending on luck or chance! uncertain! unpredictable. &leatory investments are risky investments; an aleatory business needs good luck to succeed.

6o'2 "( &ARRAGO <f/=)RAA)8o= or f/=)RA-)8o=?

& mi$ture! especially a confused or jumbled mi$ture. Synonyms of f!rr!#o include con#lo&er!tion! &edle,! &is$&!s$! $od#e'od#e! &iscell!n,! 'ot'ourri! '!stic$e! and s!l&!#undi. ;!rr!#o comes from a Latin word meaning mi$ed fodder for animals! a jumbled assortment of grains. )n modern usage! f!rr!#o may be used literally or figuratively of any mi$ture! especially a confused! jumbled! or miscellaneous assortment of things 2& computer is an ama+ing tool for storing or sorting through a farrago of information3; 2Every day! the psychiatrist listens to an astonishing farrago of hopes! fears! dreams! wishes! doubts! and resentments.3 (he corresponding adjective is f!rr!#inous Afuh"7&G"i"nusC! mi$ed! jumbled! miscellaneous! heterogeneous! as a farraginous collection of notes or ideas.

6o'2 #( CANOSURE <SA)n/=)S-UUR?

& center of attention or interest! focal point. 1,nosure comes from the 8reek %,nosour!! a dog's tail! from %,nos! a dog. -rom the corresponding 8reek adjective! %,ni%os! we inherit the English adjective c,nic!l! which means literally like a dog. Bardon me if ) digress for a moment! but the words c,nic!l! c,nic! and c,nicis& have an interesting history that )Jd like to share with you. 1,nicis& was a school of ancient 8reek philosophy founded by &ntisthenes Aan"TIS"thuh"6EEMC of &thens! a pupil of Socrates. 2(he chief doctrines of the :ynics!3 says the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! 2were that virtue is the only good! that the essence of virtue is self"control! and that pleasure is an evil if sought for its own sake. (hey were accordingly characteri+ed by an ostentatious contempt OforP riches! arts! science! and amusements.3 (he most famous e$ponent of :ynicism was 5iogenes Ady" A-"ji"6EEMC of Sinope Asi"6F#"peeC! who took cynicism to an e$treme. )n his disdain for human selfishness and his pursuit of a simple life! 5iogenes is said to have slept in a tub! thrown away his only utensil! a cup! when he saw a peasant drinking from his hands! and wandered through the streets at midday with a lantern! telling those who asked what he was doing that he was searching for an honest man. &ccording to the third edition of the "&eric!n =erit!#e 0iction!r, A*@@,C! 5iogenes is also 2said to have performed such actions as barking in public! urinating on the leg of a table! and masturbating on the street.3 &pparently as a result of this doglike behavior! 5iogenes was nicknamed %,nos or %,on! meaning 2a dog!3 and the nickname was e$tended to the philosophy of :ynicism and its adherents. (oday when we call people cynical! we mean they are scornful or skeptical of people's motives or that they believe human beings are motivated only by selfishnessin short! that people are dogs. You will recall that our keyword! c,nosure! comes from the 8reek %,nosour!! a dog's tail. 1hen spelled with a capital 1! c,nosure refers to the constellation Ersa Dinor or to Bolaris! the 6orth Star! also called the polestar! which is part of this constellation. (he 6orth Star is the outermost star in the handle of the Little 5ipper! which the 8reeks apparently perceived as a dog's tail. Since ancient times the 6orth Star has been used as a navigational guide. (hus! c,nosure first came to mean anything that guides or directs! and then came to mean anything or anyone that is the center of attention or interest! a focal point 2#e was the cynosure of the party3; 2(his issue is the cynosure of the campaign.3

6o'2 13( BA@INAGE <BA@)4)NA-F- or BA@)4)NA-F-?

%anter; playful! teasing talk; good"natured joking or gently mocking conversation.

Synonyms of !din!#e include re'!rtee A7EB"ur"TEEC! r!iller, A7&YL"ur" reeC! and 'ersifl!#e A,UR"si"-L&#M#C. (he words !nter! !din!#e! 'ersifl!#e! and r!iller, all suggest 2good" humored jesting!3 says 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, ! second edition A*@.0C. :!nter implies light! playful mocking or ridicule; !din!#e suggests 2more trifling and delicate3 teasing or jesting; 'ersifl!#e refers to 2frivolous or flippant3 talk or writing; and r!iller, implies playful mockery that is 2keener and often more sarcastic.3

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether the correct answer is yes or no. &nswers appear on page 00,.
1. :an a person's writing be jejune4 2. )f there is a paucity of evidence against a defendant! does that

suggest the prosecuting attorney's case may be weak4

3. 1ould you like to receive a minatory letter from a lawyer4 4. &re a company's putative financial assets the assets it is

commonly thought to have4

5. 5oes lucubration mean the act of making investments that turn

a profit4
6. 1ould you like your daughter to marry a troglodyte4 7. )s the success of an aleatory enterprise guaranteed4 8. :an someone have a farrago of thoughts or feelings4 9. )s a cynosure something trivial that's likely to be ignored4

10.5o good friends ever engage in badinage4 Let's hit the verbal trail again with the ne$t ten keywords in Level *=. A5id ) mention that )'m a poet and you didn't know it4C

6o'2 11( -IERATIC <-A)/=)RAT)40?

Briestly; pertaining to or used by priests; reserved for holy or sacred uses. Synonyms of $ier!tic include cleric!l! &inisteri!l! '!stor!l AB&S"tur"ulC! ecclesi!stic!l! and s!cerdot!l AS&S"ur"@O-"tulC. (he prefi$ $iero"! often shortened to $ier"! comes from 8reek and means sacred! holy! divine. (his prefi$ appears in several interesting English words. =ierocr!c, A#Y"uh"RA-*"ruh"seeC means rule by priests! ecclesiastical government. =ier!rc$ A-A"ur"&#7IC means a person who rules over sacred things! a high priest! and also a person who occupies a high position in a hierarchy. =ier!rc$, A-A"ur"&#7I"eeC may denote religious rule or the organi+ation of a religious order into ranks and grades!

as the 7oman :atholic hierarchy! but today $ier!rc$, commonly refers to any organi+ed body or system strictly arranged in order of rank! power! or class. =ier!tic means pertaining to priests or to the priesthood! as hieratic vestments or hieratic rituals. =ier!tic may also designate a form of ancient Egyptian writing in which the traditional hieroglyphics took on a more cursive! or flowing! form. (he hieratic style was opposed to the demotic style. 0e&otic Adi"D&#("ikC comes from the 8reek de&os> the people! and means of the people! popular. -rom the same source comes de&ocr!c,! which means literally rule by the people! popular government. (he words de&otic and vern!cul!r are synonymous. )n ancient Egypt! the demotic style of writing was used by the people! the laity; the hieratic style was used by the priesthood. )n modern usage! de&otic may refer to speech or writing that is vernacular! popular! characteristic of the people. =ier!tic writings are priestly! sacred! holy.

6o'2 12( SATURNINE <SAT)/')NAN?

8loomy! sullen! or somber in appearance! manner! or temperament. Synonyms of s!turnine include #r!ve! &el!nc$ol,! &orose! t!citurn Aword , of Level .C! and '$le#&!tic Aword .. of Level @C. .!turnine means literally of or pertaining to the planet Saturn; in astrology! it means born under the influence of Saturn. &pparently this is not a happy influence! for today s!turnine is most often used figuratively to mean having a gloomy! sullen! or somber appearance or disposition. &ntonyms of s!turnine include &ercuri!l Aword ,> of Level ?C! and s!n#uine Aword ,* of this levelC.

6o'2 13( EGECRATE <E*S)/=)*RAAT?

(o denounce vehemently! declare hateful or detestable; also! to loathe! abhor! detest utterly. (he verbs to curse and d!&n mean to denounce violently! specifically to call down evil upon out of a desire for revenge. 98ecr!te! which by derivation means to put under a curse! suggests a furious or passionate denunciation! prompted by intense loathing 2(he opposition e$ecrates everything she stands for.3 2:iti+ens angry over the rise in violent crime gathered in the park to hear speakers e$ecrate drug pushers and gangs.3 21hen the dictator couldn't e$ecute his enemies! he e$ecrated them.3 (he corresponding adjective is e8ecr! le AE*S"uh"kruh"bulC! which means abominable! abhorrent! loathsome! utterly detestable. (he corresponding noun e8ecr!tion AEIS"uh"*RAA"shinC means a vehement denunciation or the act of e$ecrating! declaring hateful or detestable.

6o'2 14( EITIATE <EIS-)ee)AAT?

(o corrupt! spoil! ruin! contaminate! impair the /uality of! make faulty or impure; also! to weaken morally! defile! debase. Viti!te comes from the Latin vitiu&! a fault! vice. (hat which is vitiated may be literally faulty! defective! or spoiled! or it may be corrupt in a moral sense! vice"ridden! debased. )llogical thought can vitiate an argument; editorial interpolation can vitiate a manuscript; noisome smog vitiates the air; a pernicious habit can vitiate a person's life. )n law! a vitiated contract or a vitiated claim has been corrupted or violated and is therefore invalid! rendered ineffective. (he corresponding noun is viti!tion! corruption! spoliation! the act of vitiating or the state of being vitiated.

6o'2 15( EENIAL <EEE)nee)/l?

E$cusable! forgivable! pardonable! able to be overlooked. Veni!l comes from the Latin veni!! grace! indulgence! and means e$cusable! forgivable! minor or trivial enough to be overlooked. & venial offense can be pardoned; a venial error can be overlooked; a venial insult can be forgiven; and venial negligence can be e$cused. )n theology! veni!l is opposed to &ort!l. Henial sins are committed without full awareness or consent! and therefore are pardonable. Dortal sins e$clude one from grace! and cause the death of the soul. 5o you remember the word ven!l! keyword *0 of Level @4 %e careful not to get ven!l confused with veni!l. Ven!l AHEE"nul! two syllablesC means corruptible! capable of being bribed or bought off. Veni!l AHEE"nee"ul! three syllablesC means e$cusable! able to be overlooked.

6o'2 1 ( RISIBLE <RIF)4)b//l?

Brovoking or capable of provoking laughter. Synonyms of risi le include l!u#$! le! !&usin#! ludicrous! $il!rious! ridiculous! and droll Aword .< of Level 'C. Risi le! ridicule! and ridiculous all come from the Latin ridere! to laugh at. (o ridicule is to laugh at! make fun of. Ridiculous means e$tremely laughable! preposterous! absurd. &nd risi le means provoking or capable of provoking laughter! amusing! as a risible thought; a risible face; a risible speech 21hen (ed's supervisor told him that his risible remarks during staff meetings no longer would be tolerated! (ed decided that if his supervisor couldn't see that a staff meeting was one of the most risible forms of human interaction! then he would simply /uit and take his sense of humor elsewhere.3

6o'2 1!( LIONIFE <LA)/=)NAF?

(o treat a person as a celebrity or as an object of great interest or

importance. Fne meaning of the noun a lion is an important! famous! or especially interesting person. 2#e is a lion in his profession3 does not mean he is ferocious but that he is of great interest or importance. & lion of industry is a prominent industrialist. & literary lion is an important! celebrated writer. (he verb to lioniAe means to treat a person either as a celebrity or as an object of great interest or importance 2)f you want to be respected by millions! win a 6obel Bri+e. )f you want to be lioni+ed by millions! become a movie star.3 25espite all their scandals and foibles! the members of England's royal family are lioni+ed more often than they are vilified.3

6o'2 1"( CONTRETEM,S <*A-N)t'/=)TA-<N??

&n embarrassing! awkward! une$pected situation or event; a sudden mishap or hitch; an inopportune occurrence. )n collo/uial terms! a contrete&'s is something that happens in the wrong place at the wrong time! which leaves you high and dry 2(here was a contretemps at the party last night when Gohn got soused and started yelling at his wife.3 2(he company can survive a contretemps! but it must avoid a scandal at all costs.3 1ontrete&'s comes from -rench and by derivation means something 2against the time3 or 2out of time3; hence! something une$pected or inopportune. (he /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r, shows that when the word entered English in the late seventeenth century it applied to the sport of fencing and meant 2a pass or thrust9made at a wrong or inopportune moment.3 (hat meaning disappeared by the eighteenth century! and since then contrete&'s has meant something une$pected that occurs at an inopportune moment and creates an awkward or embarrassing situation. %ecause it is an unusual word! not often used in conversation! its pronunciation has never been fully anglici+edthat is! made to conform to English ways. :urrent dictionaries generally prefer the half"anglici+ed *A-N"truh"(&#A6C. (he plural is spelled the same but pronounced *A-N "truh"(&#A6CM. :ontretemps may vary in severity! but they are never on the same scale as a scandal or a crisis. :ontretemps are the common stuff of newspaper stories! for they occur fre/uently in politics and business. Sitcoms and romantic comedies also rely on contretemps to generate laughs and move the plot. (he workplace usually is good for one or two juicy contretemps a month! and if you like to sociali+e or get together with members of your family! then chances are you already are intimately ac/uainted with that utterly une$pected! embarrassing! and awkward situation known as the contretemps.

6o'2 1#( RO@OMONTA@E <RA-@)/=):a=n)TAA@ or ):/n)TAA@?

&rrogant boasting or bragging.

E/ually challenging synonyms of rodo&ont!de include r!##!docio> v!in#lor,> #!scon!de> f!nf!ron!de> and 2!ctit!tion.

luster>

Rodo&ont!de comes from 7odomonte! a boastful warrior king in %oiardo's /rl!ndo Inn!&or!to and &riosto's /rl!ndo ;urioso. (he name comes from the )talian rodo&onte! which means literally one who rolls away mountains. %y derivation! rodomontade is the arrogant boasting of someone who claims he can move mountains.

6o'2 23( -EBETU@E <-EB)4)T<A?OO@?

Stupidity! dullness! obtuseness! lethargy of mind or spirit. (he corresponding verb is $e et!te A-EB"i"(&Y(C! to make or become dull! blunt! or obtuse. (he corresponding adjective is $e etudinous A#E%"i" TAACOO"di"nusC! dull! stupid! obtuse. =e etude! $e et!te! and $e etudinous all come ultimately from the Latin $e es! blunt! dull. (hey are great words to use superciliously! when you want to be haughty and make someone else look dumbbut don't tell anyone ) told you that. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. :onsider the following statements and decide whether each one is true or false. &nswers appear on page 00,.
1. #ieratic writings are priestly! sacred writings. 2. & saturnine person is cheerful and optimistic. 3. 1hen you e$ecrate someone! you forgive a fault or offense. 4. Smog can vitiate the air! and smoking can vitiate your body. 5. & venial indiscretion is an ine$cusable indiscretion. 6. & risible statement is an unbelievable statement. 7. Dovie stars and pop musicians are often lioni+ed in the media. 8. & contretemps is a favorable or fortunate outcome. 9. )t's pleasant to listen to rodomontade.

10.#ebetude is the sign of a sharp mind. 5id you remember to keep track of your answers and calculate your score4 &'48=tf/l 6o'2s (o rouse you from your hebetude! let's take a moment to talk about fear. 1hen fears are e$aggerated or unnatural! they are known as phobias. P$o i! A-F#"bee"uhC comes from the 8reek '$o os! fear! dread! horror! flight. &s a combining form it can be joined with other elements to form a word meaning the fear! dread! or e$treme dislike of something. (he antonym of the combining form " '$o i! is "'$ili! A-)L"ee"uhC! from the

8reek '$ilein! to love. :i lio'$ili! is love of books; i lio'$o i! is fear or hatred of them. -or whatever you fear! there is! or can be! a phobia. :ommon phobias include cl!ustro'$o i! AIL&1"struh"&O-"bee"uhC! fear of enclosed space! and !#or!'$o i! A&8"uh"ruh"&O-"bee"uhC! fear of open spaces! public places! or crowds. A"#or!'$o i! combines "'$o i!! fear! with !#or! ! a marketplace or public s/uare in ancient 8reece.C You will recall that those fearful of strangers or foreigners! or of anything foreign or strange! suffer from 8eno'$o i! Aword *@ of Level @C. Leno'$o i! has a number of specific forms ;r!nco'$o i! A-7&68" kuh"C and +!llo'$o i! A8&L"uh"C mean fear of the -rench; +er&!no'$o i! AGE7"muh"nuh"C is fear of the 8ermans; <!'!no'$o i! Ajuh"B&6"uh"C is fear of the Gapanese; +reco'$o i! A87EI"uh"C is fear of the 8reeks; Russo'$o i! A7E#"suh"C is fear of the 7ussians; and "n#lo'$o i! A&68" gluh"C is fear of the English. &mong the many phobias with easily discernible meanings are !cterio'$o i! Abak"(EE7"ee"uh"&O-"bee"uh! fear of germsC; de&ono'$o i! A5EE"muh"noh"&O-"bee"uh! fear of demonsC; '$!r&!co'$o i! A-&#7"muh"kuh"&O-"bee"uh! fear of medicine or drugsC; s,'$ilo'$o i! AS)-"i"luh"&O-"bee" uh! fear of syphilis! or fear that one is infected with itC; ',ro'$o i! ABY"ruh"&O-"bee"uh! fear of fireC; Aoo'$o i! AFO-"uh"-F#"bee"uh! fear of animalsC; and neo'$o i! A6EE"uh"&O-"bee" uh! fear of anything newC. Dore abstruse phobias include !eron!usi'$o i! A&)7"uh"NA6"suh"C! fear of airplanes A!vi!to'$o i!! &Y"vee"AT"uh"! is fear of flying in themC; sitio'$o i! AS)("ee"uh"C! fear or dread of food; ! luto'$o i! Auh"%LFF" tuh"C! fear of bathing; so'$o'$o i! AS&#-"uh"C! fear of learning; !llodo8!'$o i! A&L"uh"5&#I"suh"C! fear of othersJ opinions; t$!n!to'$o i! A(#&6"uh"tuh"C! fear of death! from the 8reek t$!n!tos! death; !t!8io'$o i! Auh"(&I"see"uh"C! fear of disorder; d,s&or'$o'$o i! Adis" DF7"fuh"C! fear of deformity or anything misshapen; and der&!to'$o i! A5E7"muh"tuh"C! fear of skin. 5on't say 2gimme skin3 to a dermatophobe. (here are also plenty of thoroughly outrageous phobias. -or e$ample! phobiologists A-F#"bee"A-L"uh"jistsit's a real wordC have identified dusto'$o i! A5E#S"tuh"C! also known as ru'o'$o i! A7FF"puh"C! a dread of dirt; dis$! illo'$o i! A5)S"uh"%)L"uh"C! fear of disrobing in front of someone Aformed from dis$! ille! word 0. of Level @C; '$ile&!'$o i! Afi" LEE"muh"C! fear of kissing; and 5racula's hangup! st!uro'$o i! AS(&1" ruh"C! fear of crucifi$es. (hen! of course! there's '!nto'$o i!! fear of everything. ) could go on forever with these frightful words AhyperboleTC! but )'m afraid my time is up. AFh! no. (hat's c$rono'$o i!! fear of time! pronounced

I7&#6"uh".C ) shall leave you with the ultimate fear '$o o'$o i!! the fear of those who have nothing to fear but fear itself.

6ow let's move on to the ne$t set of keyword discussions! beginning with the utterly unfearful9

6o'2 21( SANGUINE <SANG)874n?

:onfident! cheerful! hopeful! optimistic. &s you may recall from the discussion of '$le#&!tic Aword .. of Level @C! in ancient physiology there were four humors! or bodily fluids blood! phlegm! choler Aalso called yellow bileC! and melancholy Aalso called black bileC. Early physicians believed that a person's health and disposition were determined by the relative proportions of these humors. .!n#uine originally meant having blood as the dominant humor in one's system; hence! having a ruddy! healthy comple$ion and a warm temperament. Eventually this sense evolved into the current meaning confident! cheerfully optimistic. .!n#uine and s!n#uin!r, ASANG"gwi"6E7"eeC are sometimes confused because of their common derivation! the Latin s!n#uis! blood. .!n#uin!r, means either bloody! accompanied by bloodshed and slaughter! or bloodthirsty! eager for bloodshed. .!n#uine either means blood"colored! ruddy! red! as a sanguine comple$ion! or! more often! filled with the uplifting humor of blood! and therefore confident! cheerful! optimistic.

6o'2 22( @EI,NOSO,-IST <2.1)NA-S)/=)f4st?

&n adept conversationalist! especially one who enjoys conversing at the table. You'll need to check a hefty unabridged dictionary to find the unusual words dei'noso'$ist! dei'noso'$istic Adyp"6&#S"uh"&IS"tikC! and dei'noso'$is& Adyp"NA-S"uh"-)M"'mC! which come from the 8reek dei'non! a meal! and so'$istes! a wise man. Like the word s,&'osiu& Asim"BF#"+ee"umC! which means literally a drinking party! and comes from the title of a Blatonic dialogue! dei'noso'$ist comes from the 0ei'noso'$ist!i of the 8reek writer &thenaeus A&(#"uh" NEE"usC! in which he details the conversation of a group of learned men who are dining together. -or your ne$t symposium! whether you plan to cook a gourmet meal or have a potluck! try inviting a few deipnosophists to liven up the conversation. ) have known many deipnosophists! ) am something of one myself! and in my book they fall into three categories the preprandial Apree"B7&6"dee"ulC deipnosophists! who e$cel at conversation over cocktails before dinner; the postprandial Apohst"B7&6"dee"ulC deipnosophists! who hit their stride and wa$ elo/uent after the plates have been cleared away; and the vulgar

deipnosophists! who talk incessantly through the meal! usually with their mouths full.

6o'2 23( &RANGIBLE <&RAN)D4)b//l?

%reakable! fragile! frail! delicate! easily damaged or destroyed. ;r!#ile applies to something so delicately constructed that it is easily broken. ;r!n#i le adds to this the idea of a susceptibility to being broken! even if the object in /uestion is not inherently delicate. (he solid steel of a car is frangible if struck by another car. (he heart of a brave and sanguine person might be frangible in an especially sad and poignant situation. (he unusual word fri! le A-7Y"uh"buulC means easily crumbled! crushed! or pulveri+ed. 5ried herbs are friable! as are the stiff! yellowed pages of an old book.

6o'2 24( A,O@ICTIC <A,)/=)@I*)t40?

&bsolutely certain! necessarily true! proved or demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt. Synonyms of !'odictic include incontest! le! incontroverti le! and irrefr!#! le Ai"7E-"ruh"guh"buulC. "'odictic is chiefly a technical term used in logic of a judgment that asserts its own necessity. 2Such judgments!3 cautions the 1entur, 0iction!r,! 2may be false.3 "'odictic is a lovely word! so much more forceful and decisive than certain or true! yet ) wonder what in life honestly can be called !'odictic! absolutely certain! necessarily true. :an you think of anything that is unarguably apodictic4 Berhaps only death and ta$es.

6o'2 25( &ULMINATE <&U-L):4)NAAT or &UUL):4)NAAT?

(o e$plode! especially to e$plode with invective and denunciations; to shout forth condemnation and censure. (he verb to ful&in!te and the corresponding noun ful&in!tion come through the Latin ful&in!re! to strike with lightning! from ful&en! a stroke of lightning! thunderbolt. ;ul&in!te was once used to mean to strike with lightning! but this sense is obsolete and in modern usage ful&in!te suggests the throwing of verbal thunderbolts! and ful&in!tion suggests a thundering verbal e$plosion 2(he speaker fulminated against corruption and vice3; 2(he dispute between the two nations has not reached the point of war! but there have been fulminations from both sides.3

6o'2 2 ( SCARI&A <S*AR)4)f.?

(o wound the feelings of; make cutting remarks about; distress by critici+ing sharply. Synonyms of sc!rif, include l!cer!te Aword .' of Level *C! fl!,! c!sti#!te! vitu'er!te! and e8cori!te Aword 0= of Level @C. (he corresponding noun is sc!rific!tion.

(he verbs to sc!rif, and sc!re are similar in spelling and sound but they are entirely unrelated in derivation and meaning. .c!rif, comes through Latin and 8reek words meaning to scratch! ultimately from the 8reek s%!ri'$os! a pencil or stylus. )n modern usage! sc!rif, has three senses! the first two literal and the third figurative. .c!rif, is used in medicine to mean to make a series of shallow cuts or punctures in the skin; certain vaccinations are administered by scarification. .c!rif, is also used in agriculture to mean to cut into the ground! loosen or break up the soil either to aerate it or in preparation for planting. Fut of these literal senses! which suggest scratching and scraping! sc!rif, came to be used figuratively to mean to scratch with words; hence! to wound the feelings of! make cutting remarks about! distress by critici+ing sharply.

6o'2 2!( -EB@OMA@AL <=eb)@A-M)/=)2/l?

1eekly; pertaining to a week or seven"day period. (he adjective $e do&!d!l! and the corresponding noun $e do&!d A -EB"duh"D&5C come from the Latin and 8reek words for the number seven. (he noun $e do&!d may mean a group of seven; for e$ample! a seven"member commission or board is a hebdomad. =e do&!d may also mean a seven"day period! a week. (he adjective $e do&!d!l means weekly hebdomadal duties are weekly duties; a hebdomadal occasion is an occasion that occurs once a week.

6o'2 2"( @IEAGATE <@A)v/=)GAAT?

(o wander! ramble! or drift about; hence! to digress. (he verb to div!#!te and the corresponding noun div!#!tion A5Y"vuh" GAA"shinC come from the Latin div!#!ri! to wander about! which comes in turn from dis"! meaning 2apart!3 and v!#!ri! to wander! ramble! roam. )n modern usage! div!#!te is a grandilo/uent synonym for wander or digress! and div!#!tion is a loftier word for a digression or the act of wandering or rambling. You may divagate literally! as to spend a summer divagating across the country. Fr you may divagate figuratively 2Leroy dreaded his eighty"year"old mother's hebdomadal phone call! because she would jabber and scold and divagate for an hour.3

6o'2 2#( IATROGENIC <e.e)A)t'/=)BEN)40?

:aused by medical e$amination or treatment. P!t$olo#ic!l! which means pertaining to or caused by disease! is the antonym of i!tro#enic. (he word i!tric Aeye"&"trikC means pertaining to medicine or medical doctors. (he combining form i!tro" comes from the 8reek i!tros! a physician; in English i!tro" means 2medical3 or 2medicine.3 (he combining form "#enic means 2producing3 or 2generating.3 %y derivation! that which is iatrogenic is produced by a medical doctor or generated by medical treatment.

I!tro#enic is used of ailments! maladies! or symptoms caused by medical treatment! especially one caused by a drug or surgery. &n iatrogenic disorder may be cause for a malpractice suit against the doctor whose treatment induced it.

6o'2 33( TERGIEERSATION <TUR)D4)v/')SAA)s=4n?

5esertion; specifically! the act of deserting something to which one was previously loyal! such as a cause! a party! or a religious faith. Synonyms of ter#ivers!tion include ! !ndon&ent and defection. (he noun ter#ivers!tion and the corresponding verb ter#ivers!te ATUR "ji" vur"S&Y(C come from a Latin word meaning 2to turn one's back.3 1hen you tergiversate! you turn your back on something to which you were previously loyal and become a deserter or a renegade. 1hen ter#ivers!te denotes the desertion of a religious faith or creed! it is synonymous with !'ost!tiAe Auh" ,A-S"tuh"(YMC. Ter#ivers!tion means the act of desertion! and the word usually applies to the abandonment of a cause! a party! or a religion. (hese words may also be used figuratively of language that is shifty and evasive! that does not take a firm stand. )n this sense! ter#ivers!te is a synonym of e-uivoc!te! which means to speak in a subtle and evasive manner; and the noun ter#ivers!tion is a synonym of e-uivoc!tion! which means a shifty or evasive statement! language that does not come straight to the point or take a firm stand.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you two words! and you decide if they are synonyms or antonyms. &nswers appear on page 00,.
1. .!turnine and s!n#uine are9synonyms or antonyms4 2. 1onvers!tion!list and dei'noso'$ist are9 3. Indestructi le and fr!n#i le are9 4. 0ou tful and !'odictic are9 5. (o w$is'er and to ful&in!te are9 6. (o l!cer!te and to sc!rif, are9 7. Duotidi!n and $e do&!d!l are9 8. (o di#ress and to div!#!te are9 9. I!tro#enic and '!t$olo#ic!l are9 10. Lo,!lt, and ter#ivers!tion are9

Go &48/'e &re you a number"cruncher4 6o! ) don't mean an accountant or a

computer. ) mean a person who abuses the word nu& er by not observing the proper distinction between the words nu& er and !&ount. 1ould you say 2the !&ount of people at the party3 or 2the nu& er of people at the party34 1ould you say 2the !&ount of things ) have to do today3 or 2the nu& er of things ) have to do today34 )f you chose nu& er! then you've called the right nu& er this time. )f you chose !&ount! you won't amount to much unless you follow my advice. *u& er refers to things that can be counted! itemi+ed! or enumerated; in other words! considered separately or individually. 1e speak of the number of people at an event! a number of things to do! a number of problems to solve! the number of grocery items in a bag! the number of papers on your desk! or the number of volts in an electric current. "&ount refers to things that are considered collectively! in other words! as a mass or whole. 1e speak of the amount of sugar in a recipe! the amount of trouble we are having! the amount of food we buy at the store! the amount of paper on your desk. (he word nu& er gives educated speakers and writers trouble in one other way; namely! when you hook it to a plural noun! should you use a singular or a plural verb4 #ere's a /ui+ to test your nu& er literacy 1ould you say a number of bo$es w!s sent or a number of bo$es were sent4 1ould you say the number of bo$es !re small or the number of bo$es is small4 1ould you say a low number of crimes w!s committed or a low number of crimes were committed4 1ould you say the number of tasks on my to"do list !re small or the number of tasks on my to"do list is small4 )f you chose the second sentence in each case! your nu& er literacy is e$cellent. #ere's the rule for using nu& er with singular and plural verbs 1hen nu& er is preceded by the indefinite article !! as ! number! the construction is plural and re/uires a plural verb ! number of things were done; ! number of people !re here; ! number of new employees $!ve joined the health club Anot $!s 2oinedC. 6ow! when nu& er is preceded by the definite article t$e! as t$e number! the construction is singular and re/uires a singular verb t$e number of things left to do is overwhelming; t$e number of people in attendance is fifty; t$e number of members in the organi+ation $!s decreased Anot $!ve decre!sedC. 7emember! ! nu& er is always plural; t$e nu& er is always singular.

6o'2 31( NACREOUS <NAA)0'ee)/s?

Bearly! consisting of or resembling mother"of"pearl.

Synonyms of n!creous include iridescent A)7"i"@ES"intC! which means having or displaying lustrous! rainbowlike colors! and the unusual word &!r#!rit!ceous AD&#7"guh"ri"TAA"shusC. R!ndo& =ouse 6e ster7s 1olle#e 0iction!r, A*@@@C defines &ot$er5of5 'e!rl as 2a hard! iridescent substance that forms the inner layer of certain mollusk shells! used for making buttons! beads! etc.3 4ot$er5of5'e!rl also goes by the name n!cre A6&Y"kurC. (he adjective corresponding to the noun n!cre is n!creous! pearly! made of or resembling mother"of"pearl.

6o'2 32( &AINEANT <&AA)nee)4nt?

La+y! idle! sluggish! good"for"nothing 21hen her thirty"year"old son refused to get a job and demanded more money as an allowance! Drs. Gones decided that enough was enough and it was time to kick her faineant offspring out of the house.3 :ommon synonyms of f!ine!nt include do5not$in#! s$iftless! slot$ful! and l!c%!d!isic!l! which is often mispronounced L&IS"adaisical. (here is no l!8 in l!c%!d!isic!l AL&I"uh"@AA"+i"kuulC. Dore challenging synonyms of f!ine!nt include let$!r#ic! indolent! so&nolent! tor'id! otiose AO-"shee"F#SC! and also $e etudinous A#E%"uh"TAACOO"di"nusC! the adjective corresponding to the noun $e etude A-EB"i"(AYCFF5C! word ,= of this level. ;!ine!nt comes from a -rench phrase meaning 2to do nothing.3 ;!ine!nt may be used as an adjective to mean la+y! good"for"nothing! or as a noun to mean a la+y person! an idler! sluggard. (he corresponding noun is f!ine!nce A-&Y"nee"intsC. ;!ine!nce means idleness! inactivity! indolence! or the la+y! do"nothing attitude of a faineant person. )f you look up f!ine!nt in a current dictionary! you may find it spelled with an accent! fainNant! and find the -rench pronunciation! fay"nay"&#A6C! listed first or even listed alone. -rankly! ) find that perple$ing! because two of the twentieth"century's most respected arbiters on pronunciation! the second edition of 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, ! published in *@.0! and Ienyon and Inott's Pronouncin# 0iction!r, of "&eric!n 9n#lis$! published in *@0@! both prefer the pronunciation -&Y"nee"int. ;!ine!nt entered English in the early *<==s. &fter nearly four hundred years! it's e$pected and sensible to anglici+e a word! make it conform to English custom. &nd when an anglici+ed pronunciation has e$isted in educated speech for a half"century or more! it doesn't make sense to retain or revive the foreign pronunciation. )t's one thing to use a twenty"dollar word in conversation; it's /uite another thing to use it with a pretentious Aand especially a -renchifiedC pronunciation. ;!ine!nt and f!ine!nce have earned their place in the language and they cry out for full anglici+ation. )t's high time we spelled them without an accent and pronounced them as assimilated English words.

6o'2 33( -IS,I@ <-IS)142?

:overed with stiff hairs! bristles! or small spines; rough and bristly. =is'id and $irsute A#E7"sAyCootC are close in meaning. =is'id comes from the Latin $is'idus! rough! hairy! bristly. &lthough the /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r, contains one figurative citation that refers to 2a hispid law!3 $is'id is used chiefly in a literal sense of leaves! plants! insects! animals! and occasionally human beings and inanimate objects to mean covered with rough! stiff hairs or bristles. (he nettle! with its small! stinging spines! is a hispid plant; although the spines of the porcupine are relatively large! the animal can fairly be described as hispid. =irsute comes from the Latin $irsutus! covered with hair! rough! shaggy. )n botany and +oology! $irsute and $is'id are synonymous. )n general usage! however! $irsute means e$tremely hairy or covered with hair 2&bigail told &ngela that she did not care for hirsute men.3

6o'2 34( LONGANIMITA <LA-NG)8/=)NIM)4)tee?

Long"suffering patience; the ability to calmly endure hardship or suffering. Lon#!ni&it, and for e!r!nce are synonyms. Lon#!ni&it, comes ultimately from the Latin lon#us! meaning 2long!3 and !ni&us! spirit! mind. %y derivation! a person who displays longanimity has the strength of spirit and mind to endure hardship or suffering for a long! long time.

6o'2 35( SCIOLIST <SA)/=)l4st?

& person who has only superficial knowledge of a subject! or who pretends to have knowledge. .ciolist and the corresponding noun sciolis& ASY"uh"li+"'mC come through a Latin word meaning 2a smatterer!3 and ultimately from the Latin scire! to know. %y derivation! and in modern usage! a sciolist is a person who has only a smattering of knowledge! and sciolis& means superficial or pretended knowledge. .ciolist may also apply to people who pretend to be more knowledgeable or learned than they are! or who make a pretentious display of what little they know. &s the saying goes! 2& little learning is a dangerous thing.3 (he sciolist is a person you want to either avoid or watch carefully! because a small mind containing only a smattering of knowledge is likely to think mean! small"minded thoughts.

6o'2 3 ( ,RO,INIUITA <1'o=) or 1'/=),ING)074)tee?

6earness in place or time! pro$imity Aword '= of Level *C; also! nearness or similarity in nature! kinship! close relation. )n Latin! 'ro'in-uit!s means either nearness! pro$imity! or friendship! relationship. -rom this Latin word comes the English adjective 'ro'in-uit,!

which is used to mean either nearness in place or time! or nearness of blood or nature. &ccording to the second edition of 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, A*@.0C! 'ro8i&it, 2denotes simple nearness!3 as the pro$imity of their houses! or living in pro$imity to downtown. Pro'in-uit, 2connotes close neighborhood3 and 2personal vicinity!3 as the propin/uity of marriage! the propin/uity of brothers and sisters! the propin/uity of vice on the mean streets of the big city! or the hebdomadal propin/uity of :hristmas and 6ew Year's 5ay. A7emember $e do&!d!l! word ,> of this level4 )t means weekly or pertaining to a week.C

6o'2 3!( &ACTITIOUS <fa0)TIS-)/s?

6ot natural or genuine! produced artificially. Synonyms of f!ctitious include s$!&! contrived! o#us! fr!udulent! and s'urious Aword *? of Level ?C. ;!ctitious comes through the Latin f!cticius! made by art! artificial! from the verb f!cere! to make. & factitious word is not genuine; it has been made up. & factitious need is artificially produced. & factitious smile is unnatural and manufactured for the occasion. &nd when something has factitious value! its value is not genuine or intrinsic but has been artificially created or imposed. &ccording to the 1entur, 0iction!r, A*@*0C! 2an !rtifici!l or f!ctitious demand in the market is one that is manufactured! the Ofactitious demandP being the more laboriously worked up; a factitious demand e$ists only in the invention of one and the imagination of another.3

6o'2 3"( ,LEGI&ORM <,LE*)s4)&ORM?

)n general! complicated or elaborate; specifically! like a ple$us or network. &ccording to R!ndo& =ouse 6e ster7s 1olle#e 0iction!r, A*@@@C! the noun 'le8us ABLEI"susC means 2a network3 or 2any comple$ structure containing an intricate network of parts!3 as 2the ple$us of international relations.3 )n medicine! 'le8us is used to describe various networks of nerves and blood vessels. Ple8us comes from the Latin 'lectere! to braid! intertwine! interweave. (he adjective 'le8ifor& combines 'le8us and the suffi$ "for& to mean formed like a ple$us or network. Ple8ifor& may be used in this sense! as the ple$iform nature of computer bulletin boards and online services. #owever! outside the fields of medicine and science! 'le8ifor& probably is more often used in a more general sense to mean having the /ualities of a comple$ network! and therefore e$tremely complicated or elaborate. 1e speak of the ple$iform nature of human relationships; a ple$iform bureaucracy; ple$iform negotiations; the ple$iform operations of a multinational corporation; or the ple$iform financial structure of 1all Street.

6o'2 3#( SUSURRUS <s//)SUR)/s?

& soft! subdued sound; a whispering! murmuring! muttering! or rustling sound.
! susurrus and a susurr!tion ASFF"suh"RAA"shinC are the same thing.

(he corresponding verb is susurr!te Asuu"SE7"aytC! to whisper! murmur; and the adjective is susurr!nt Asuu"SE7"antC! softly whispering! rustling! or murmuring. &ll of these soft"sounding words come from the Latin susurr!re , to whisper! murmer! mutter.
! susurrus or a susurr!tionpick the soft"sounding word you prefer

can apply to many things! because so many things create a whispering! murmuring! muttering! or rustling sound. #ere are three possible applications the susurrus in the library; the sussuration of the trees; as the lights dimmed and the curtain rose! a susurrus passed through the audience and then died away.

6o'2 43( TRITURATE <TRIC-)/=)RAAT?

(o grind! crush! or pound into fine particles or powder. Synonyms of tritur!te include 'ulveriAe! co&&inute A*A-M"i"6AYCFF(C! and levi#!te ALEE"i"8&Y(C. (o 'ulveriAe and to tritur!te are virtually interchangeable; both words suggest reducing something to fine particles or powder. PulveriAe comes from the Latin 'ulvis! dust! and by derivation suggests reducing something to dust. Tritur!te comes from a Latin word meaning to thresh grain or tread out corn! and by derivation suggests a violent beating! bruising! pounding! crushing! rubbing! or grinding action. 1hen used figuratively! 'ulveriAe is the more violent word! and means to destroy or demolish completely! as to pulveri+e an opponent. Esed figuratively! tritur!te suggests either a grinding or crushing into small pieces or a wearing down to nothing by friction 2#er job was triturating all her creative abilities3; 2#e triturated his financial assets until he was bankrupt.3 (he corresponding noun is tritur!tion A(7):#"uh"RAA"shinC. Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. )'ll give you the review word Ain it!licsC followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which one of those three words or phrases comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page 00..
1. *!creous means grimy! pearly! iridescent. 2.;!ine!nt means la+y! uncooperative! idle. 3. =is'id means bristly! hairy! bumpy. 4. Lon#!ni&it, means patience! endurance! long life. 5. & sciolist is a person with superficial knowledge! a person

without knowledge! a person who pretends to have knowledge.

6. Pro'in-uit, means propriety! pro$imity! nearness. 7. ;!ctitious means not natural! not original! produced artificially. 8. Ple8ifor& means widespread! complicated! elaborate. 9. & susurrus is a whispering sound! a murmuring sound! a

bubbling sound. 10.(o tritur!te means to grind up! make a mess of! crush into fine particles.

)f this review /ui+ pulveri+ed you! review the last ten keyword discussions. )f you answered at least eight /uestions correctly! read on. S4>able 6o'2s Some of us are lovers of the long word. 1e thrill at the sight and sound of the odd! the overblown! and the obscure. Like birdwatchers or butterfly collectors who traverse mountains! penetrate jungles! or trudge through swamps for a glimpse of some rare species! we slog through the daily mire of language hoping to lay eyes on a le$icographic dinosaur or linguistic Loch 6ess monster. (o us! the short! straightforward words we have been force"fed and made to regurgitate are like so many indistinguishable ants in an endless and tiresome trail of sentences. )f you are a secret or not"so"secret lover of the long word! then perhaps you already know that the long word for long words is ses-ui'ed!li!n ASES"kwi"pi"@AA"lee"inC. )t comes from the 7oman poet #orace's phrase ses-ui'ed!li! ver !! which means literally 2words a foot and a half long.3 .es-ui'ed!li!n may also refer to anything a foot and a half long! such as a ses/uipedalian hot dog. )f you enjoy munching on a foot"and"a"half"long word from time to time! here is a smorgasbord of ses/uipedalian monsters that should provide enough verbal nutrition to last you for months. ) invite you to try them out for si+e. -rom the -ancy 1ords for Simple )deas 5epartment come &ulie riet, ADYFF"lee"uh"BRA"i"teeC! which means femininity! womanhood; o nu il!tion Aahb"6AYCFF"bi"LAA"shinC! clouding over! obscuring; s!rcul!tion AS&#7"kyuu"LAA"shinC! weeding with a hoe; i&&ori#erous A)D" uh"RIB"uh"rusC! rude! uncivil! disobedient; and vivise'ulture AH)H"i"SE, "ul" churC! the act of burying someone alive. Fne of my favorites in this foot" and"a"half"long category is c$r,sele'$!ntine AI7)S"el"uh"&AN"tin or "teenC! which means made of gold and ivory. -rom the Etterly Futrageous 5epartment come ru8o&!ni! A%7E#I" suh"MAA"nee"uhC! the habit of grinding the teeth! especially in sleep or under stress; '$ilo'!trido&!ni! A-)L"uh"B&"tri"doh"MAA"nee"uhC! a fanatic case of homesickness; !A,#o'$reni! Auh"MY"guh"&REE"nee"uhC! the

psychoneurosis of single life; u8orodes'otis& Auk"SF7"oh"@ES "puh" ti+"'mC! wifely tyranny; or or,#&us A%F7"buh"RIG"musC! the sound of gas passing through the intestines! a gurgling in your gut; c!co'$ono'$ilist AI&I"uh"fuh"NA-&"uh"listC! a lover of harsh sounds; s!cerdoto'$reni! AS&S"ur"5F#"tuh"&REE"nee"uhC! clerical stage fright! fear of the pulpit! the mere thought of which is enough to make any preacher $orri'il!te Ahah" or haw"RI,"i"L&Y(C! get goosebumps; and finally! if you are mathematically challenged you can chew on the redoubtable word AenAiAenAiAenAic AME6" +i"ME6"+i"FEN"+ikC! which means the eighth power of a number. Berhaps by now you're wondering just how long can you get4 1ell! pretty doggone long. )'m not going to give you what some say is the longest word in the languageit's an esoteric chemical term that has *!*?' letters and would take almost a minute to pronounce. ) will leave you! however! with three of the longest pronounceable words around. (he rare and fascinating word !t$,siderodro&o'$o i! A%&(#"ee"S)5" ur"oh"57F#"muh"&O-"bee"uhC is formed from the 8reek !t$,! meaning 2deep!3 sidero! meaning 2iron!3 dro&o! meaning 2a course or track!3 and '$o i!! which means 2fear.3 %y derivation! !t$,siderodro&o'$o i! means 2fear of a deep iron course or track3; hence! fear of subways or underground trains. (he risible word floccinaucinihilipilification A-L&#I"si"6&1"si"6Y"hil"i"B)L"i"fi"*AA"shinC! which has twenty"nine letters! means the act of categori+ing something as trivial or worthless. )n his delightful book 1r!A, 9n#lis$ A*@?@C! 7ichard Lederer notes that floccin!ucini$ili'ilific!tion 2dates back to *>0* and is the longest word in the /8ford 9n#lis$ 0iction!r,.3 1eighing in at thirty letters is the heavyweight word $i''o'oto&onstroses-ui'ed!li!n A#)B"uh"B&#"toh"D&#6"stroh"SES"kwi"pi"@AA"lee"inC! which! appropriately enough! means pertaining to an e$tremely long word. 1riting down wonderfully worthless words like !t$,siderodro&o'$o i!! floccin!ucini$ili'ilific!tion> and $i''o'oto&onstroses-ui'ed!li!n can give you a bad case of #r!'$os'!s& AGRA&"uh"SB&M"'mC! which is the technical term for writer's cramp. ) hope all those big words haven't knocked the wind out of you! but if they have! here's a breath of fresh air &ll you have to do is learn ten more keywords and you will have completed the Ver !l "dv!nt!#e program and earned an honorary degree in grandilo/uence. So rouse yourself now from your hebetude and get ready for the final leg of Level *=.

6o'2 41( ,ROTEAN <,RO-)tee)4n?

#ighly variable or changeable; readily assuming different shapes! forms! characters! or meanings.

(he adjective 'rote!n is an eponymous word! a word derived from a name. )t comes from Proteus AB7F#"tee"usC! the name of a sea god in ancient 8reek mythology who could change his shape at will. (hat which is 'rote!n is changeable like Broteus! able to /uickly take on different shapes! forms! characters! or meanings. & master of disguise is protean! taking on the appearance of different characters; words can sometimes be protean! taking on different meanings; dreams are often protean! assuming different forms; a person's career can be protean! full of changes; and in my house at least! leftovers are decidedly protean! readily assuming different shapes or forms.

6o'2 42( CRE,ITATE <*RE,)4)TAAT?

(o crackle; make a crackling! snapping! or popping noise. (he verb to cre'it!te comes from the Latin cre'it!re! to crackle! creak! rattle! or clatter. -rom the same source we inherit the word decre'it Adi" I7EB"itC! which by derivation means having bones that creak and rattle from old age! and also the unusual word cre'it!culu& AI7EB"i"TA* "yuh" lumC! the rattle or rattling organ of the rattlesnake. (o cre'it!te means to do what the ads tell us the cereal does snap! crackle! and pop. (he corresponding adjective is cre'it!nt AI7EB"i"tintC! crackling or creaking! as the crepitant stairs of an old house. (he corresponding noun is cre'it!tion AI7EB"i"TAA"shinC! as the crepitations of firecrackers on the -ourth of Guly. )n medicine! a crepitation is the grating sound or sensation produced by rubbing together the fractured ends of a broken bone. FuchT Let's leave that painful image behind and move /uickly on to9

6o'2 43( NOCTIEAGANT <na=0)TIE)/=)84nt?

1andering at night. *octiv!#!nt comes from the Latin noctiv!#us! wandering by night! which comes in turn from no8! meaning 2night!3 and v!#!ri! to wander about. (his Latin v!#!ri is also the source of the English adjective v!#ue! literally 2wandering in thought!3 v!#! ond! a wanderer! and v!#!r, Atraditionally vuh"8&)7"ee! now usually H&Y"guh"reeC. & v!#!r, is an odd! whimsical idea or an unpredictable! capricious action or event! as the vagaries of the stock market. Fur keyword! the adjective noctiv!#!nt! means wandering in the night. %urglars! streetwalkers! and barhoppers are all noctivagant! but )'m sure you can come up with more pertinent applications for this rare but useful word. (he corresponding noun is noctiv!#!tion Anahk"()H"uh"GAA"shinC! the act of wandering in the night.

6o'2 44( &ULIGINOUS <f.oo)LIB)4)n/s?

Sooty! smoky; pertaining to! resembling! or consisting of soot or smoke. ;uli#inous comes from the Latin fuli#o! soot. (he word entered English in the *<==s and since then has been used both literally to mean sooty or smoky and figuratively to mean dark! dusky! or obscure. -uliginous air is filled with soot or smog. 1hen you clean the windows of your car! you wash off the fuliginous grime. & fuliginous bar is a dark and smoky bar. -uliginous ideas or thoughts are darkened as if by soot! and therefore are muddled and obscure.

6o'2 45( -ORTATORA <-OR)t/=)TOR)ee?

Encouraging or urging to some course of action; giving earnest counsel or advice. (he verb to e8$ort! the noun e8$ort!tion! and the adjective $ort!tor, all come from the Latin $ort!ri> to encourage! incite. (o e8$ort Aig"MF7(C means to urge or advise earnestly to do what is deemed right or proper! as public service announcements that e$hort people not to drink and drive. &n e8$ort!tion AE8"+or"TAA"shinC is a statement that e$horts! or! as 6e ster7s *ew Intern!tion!l 0iction!r, ! second edition A*@.0C! puts it! 2language intended to incite and encourage.3 &dolph #itler's racist and chauvinistic e$hortations led the 8erman people into 1orld 1ar )). (he adjective $ort!tor, means characteri+ed by e$hortations. & hortatory speech or sermon encourages or urges the audience to some course of action. & hortatory dis/uisition gives earnest counsel or advice.

6o'2 4 ( -ELIOLATRA <-EE)lee)A-L)/=)t'ee?

1orship of the sun. (he combining form $elio" comes from the 8reek $elios! the sun! and is used in English words to mean the sun. -or e$ample! $eliot$er!', A#EE" lee"oh"T-ER"uh"peeC is a form of medical treatment involving e$posure to sunlight. )n astronomy! $eliocentric Ahee"lee"oh"sen"trikC means regarding the sun as the center of our planetary system! as opposed to #eocentric Ajee"oh"sen"trikC! which refers to the pre":opernican notion that the Sun revolves around the earth. (he fascinating word $eliotro'is& Ahee"lee"ah"truh"pi+'mC is formed from $elio"! the sun! and the greek tro'os! a turning. $eliotro'is& refers to the tendency of plants to bend or move towardor in some cases! away from a source of light. Fur keyword! $eliol!tr,! combines $elio"! the sun! with the 8reek l!trei!! meaning 2worship.3 the corresponding noun is $eliol!ter Ahee"lee"ahl"uh" turC! a sun worshiper! and the corresponding adjective is $eliol!trous Ahee" lee"ahl"uh"trusC! sun"worshiping.

6o'2 4!( SCIAMAC-A <s.)AM)/=)0ee?

Shadow"bo$ing; the act of fighting a shadow or an imaginary enemy. .ci!&!c$, comes from the 8reek s%i!! a shadow! and &!c$e! a battle! contest! struggle. (his 8reek &!c$e is the source of the English combining form "&!c$,! which! when tacked on to a word! denotes a battle! contest! or struggle. T$eo&!c$, Athee"&#D"uh"keeC is a battle against or between gods; #i#!nto&!c$, AGY"gan"TA-M"uh"keeC is a war or battle between giants or superhuman beings; lo#o&!c$, Aluh"8&#D"uh"keeC! from the 8reek lo#os! meaning 2word!3 is a battle of words; and our keyword! sci!&!c$,! is a battle with a shadow! a contest with an imaginary enemy.

6o'2 4"( GLABROUS <GLAB)'/s?

Smooth and bald. +l! rous comes from the Latin #l! er! without hair! bald! and is used chiefly in biology of something that has a smooth surface without hair! down! fu++! or other projections. )n my humble opinion! a refined word meaning 2smooth and bald3 has the potential for many applications outside the realm of science. ) offer two e$amples to point you in the right direction 2(he ama+ing Dichael Gordan's glabrous head!3 and 2(he glabrous bodies of maidens in bikinis practicing heliolatry on the beach.3

6o'2 4#( ,ETTI&OGGER <,ET)ee)&A-G)/'?

& mean! tricky lawyer; especially! a lawyer who handles petty cases in an unethical! unscrupulous way. Pettifo##er is synonymous with the more familiar word s$,ster AS#YS" turC. (he proverbial ambulance"chaser is also a breed of pettifogger. (he corresponding verb to 'ettifo# A,ET"ee"-&#8C means to carry on a law practice in a petty! tricky! unscrupulous way; by e$tension! it has also come to mean to engage in chicanery Ashi"I&Y"nur"eeC or unethical practices in a business of any sort. (he noun 'ettifo##er, means the unethical! unscrupulous practices of a pettifogger! legal tricks or chicanery.

6o'2 53( E,ICENE <E,)4)SEEN?

#aving characteristics or /ualities of both se$es. 9'icene comes through Diddle English and Latin from a 8reek word meaning 2in common.3 %y derivation! that which is e'icene has characteristics in common with both se$es. Dany paintings and sculptures! both classical and modern! depict epicene figures. %ecause something that displays characteristics of both se$es is! by all rights! not a member of one se$ or the other! e'icene has come to mean not having the characteristics or /ualities of either se$! se$less! neuter! as an epicene hairstyle or epicene clothing. &nd because something se$less lacks se$ appeal! e'icene is also sometimes used disparagingly of style to mean lacking appeal or potency! feeble! flaccid! as an epicene novel or

epicene architecture. -inally! when applied to a manor at least to someone presumed to be a man biologically e'icene is always used disparagingly to mean not virile! effeminate. =er&!'$roditic and e'icene both suggest having characteristics of both se$es! but in different ways. =er&!'$roditic Ahur"D&-"ruh"@IT"ikC is the adjective corresponding to the noun $er&!'$rodite Ahur"D&-"ruh"dytC. =er&!'$rodite is an eponymous word; it comes from the name =er&!'$roditus Ahur"D&-"ruh" @A"tusC. )n 8reek mythology! #ermaphroditus was the son of #ermes A#E7"mee+C! the messenger of the gods! and &phrodite A&-"ruh" @A"teeC! the goddess of love and beauty. 1hile bathing one day! #ermaphroditus was the victim of a contretemps that united him in one body with a water nymph named Salmacis AS&L"muh"sisC. )n modern usage! a hermaphrodite is a person who has the reproductive organs of both se$es. 9'icene does not usually suggest having both male and female reproductive organs but rather having a range of characteristics of both se$es! emotional as well as physical. 9'icene may also be used as a noun to mean an epicene person! someone who has characteristics or /ualities of both se$es.

Let's review the ten keywords you've just learned. (his time )'ll give you the review word Ain it!licsC followed by three words or phrases! and you decide which one of those three words or phrases comes nearest the meaning of the review word. &nswers appear on page 000.
1. 5oes something 'rote!n have a powerful influence! assume

different shapes or forms! or have indistinct features4

2. 5oes cre'it!te mean to tremble! to crackle! or to beg4 3. 5oes a noctiv!#!nt person wander about on foot! wander about

in the night! or wander about while asleep4

4. 1hen something is fuli#inous! is it wicked! smelly! or sooty4 5. )s a $ort!tor, speech encouraging! amusing! or angry4 6. )s $eliol!tr, the worship of false gods! worship of celebrities! or

worship of the sun4

7. 5oes sci!&!c$, mean a mortal combat! shadow"bo$ing! or

talking to oneself4
8. )s something #l! rous smooth and bald! rough and bumpy! or

soft and lustrous4

9. )s a 'ettifo##er an incompetent doctor; a foolish old person; or

a mean! tricky lawyer4 10.5oes e'icene mean having deep wisdom! having characteristics of both se$es! or having a delicate! refined

sensibility4 7emember to review this entire level at least once before moving on with your life. &nd while you're at it! why not reread the whole book4 So:e &4nal ,'ono/n9e:ents Let's finish off the program with a final farrago of fulminations on pronunciation. ) must issue a special reminder here to be on the /ui vive regarding the word nucle!r. 5on't say 6FF"kyuh"lur! as if the word were spelled nucul!r. ) can't tell you how often ) hear people vilify this pronunciation Awhich does not reflect well on the people who use itC. )t is probably the most recogni+ed and abominated beastly mispronunciation in the language. 5on't undermine your newly ac/uired verbal advantage by mispronouncing nucle!r. (o get it right! think of nucle!r as a combination of new and cle!r 6FF"klee"ur A6YFF" for the first syllable is even more cultivatedC. )'m going to run through the rest of the list /uickly! so keep your eyes open and prepare your memory banks for rapid assimilation. .c$iAo'$reni! is properly pronounced SI)("suh"&REE"nee"uh! not SI)(" suh"&REN"ee"uh. (he accent properly should be on the first syllable in the words e8-uisite AEI"skwi"+itC and $os'it! le A#&#S"pit"uh"buulC. 1eather prognosticators who tell us about the !t&os"-EE7"ic conditions properly should tell us about the !t&os"-E7"ic conditions. (he accented syllable should sound like fer" in ferr,! not like fe!r. #ow do you pronounce 'relude4 5on't say B7&Y"lood; that's a vogue pronunciation. (he preferred pronunciation is B7EL"yood. -or envelo'e and envo, the pronunciations &#6"vuh"lohp and &#6"voy are pseudo"-rench; these words are thoroughly English and should be pronounced E6"vuh"lohp and E6"voy. 5on't pronounce the $ in ve$icle and $er ! and don't put a Aoo" in the beginning of Aoolo#, and Aoolo#ist! as so many speakers erroneously do. -or these Aoo" pronunciations to make sense! the words would have to have three o's Aoo5olo#,! Aoo"olo#ist. (he prefi$! however! is Ao5! pronounced +oh" to rhyme with #o. Say +oh"&#L"uh"jee and +oh"&#L"uh" jist. &lso! don't pronounce the e8tr! in e8tr!ordin!r,; the word has five syllables! not si$ ek"STROR"di"ner"ee. %e sure to clearly pronounce the $ in $u#e and $u&!n. Say #YFFG and #YFF"mun! not YFFG and YFF"mun. -or the abbreviation etc.! take your time and say et"SE("uh"ruh Afour clear syllablesC. )t's uncultivated to say et"SE"truh! and it's downright beastly to pronounce et like e% and say ek"SE("uh"ruh or ek"SE"truh.

You know the eating disorder many people call buh"LEE"mee"uh4 1ell! guess what4 (he proper pronunciation of uli&i! is byoo"L)D"ee"uh. (his medical term entered the language in the fourteenth century! and until the *@?=s byoo"L)D"ee"uh was the only pronunciation recogni+ed by dictionaries. )t may be disconcerting at first to be the only one in the neighborhood who says byoo"L)D"ee"uh! but you'll get used to it. You will also be right. 1hat you probably have heard called a SI)M"'m Afor sc$is&C is in fact a S)M"'m. %elieve it or not! since the *>==s authorities have preferred S)M"'m! and it is the first and sometimes the only pronunciation listed in current dictionaries. Last but not least! how do you pronounce the name of the Vis! credit card4 5o you say HEE"+uh or HEE"suh4 (he latter pronunciation! with a hard s as in vist!! is incorrect. Vis! comes directly from -rench! where a single s between vowels is soft! as in rose. (raditionally and properly! the s in vis! is soft as in visor! visit! and visi le. Say HEE"+uh.

&nd now! accolades are in order. ) want to congratulate you for choosing a challenging vocabulary"building program and sticking with it. 1onsider t$is )n the few pleasant hours you have spent reading this book! you have appro$imately tripled your normal vocabulary growth rate and learned more about the language than many people do in a lifetime. You have an impressive set of verbal tools now! and ) have shown you how to use them. %ut don't stop now. 1hen it comes to language! there is always room for improvement. ) e$hort you to review the portions of the program that you found most interesting or difficult! and also to read more! read widely! and make good use of your dictionary. Re&e& er 1ith a minimum of effort you can continue to e$pand the boundary of your vocabulary for the rest of your life! and your diligent study of words will help open the doors to knowledge and success. ) also would like to thank you for accompanying me all the way through this graduated tour of the English language. )f you enjoyed Ver !l "dv!nt!#e and feel you benefited from it! why not share this book with a friend! relative! or coworker4 6ow that you're so verbally advantaged! you'll need to find a few people with whom you can deipnosophi+e grandilo/uently and engage in floccinaucinihilipilification. ASay it three times and it's yoursTC %y the way! don't forget to take the posttest. 1hen you compare your score on the posttest with your score on the pretest! you will have a reasonable measure of your verbal progress. ) think you'll be astonished and delighted when you see how much muscle you have added to your vocabulary.

6ow! my friend! it's time for me to say farewell. )'ve enjoyed being your guide through the glories of the English language! and ) hope you've enjoyed the tour. &s the poet and word lover Gohn :iardi used to say! 28ood words to you.3 Ans7e's to Rev4e7 I/4>>es fo' Level 13
*e.7o'2s 1$13 1. Yes. <e2une means dull! uninteresting! or unsatisfying; devoid of

nourishment! substance! or significance.

2. Yes. & '!ucit, is an insufficiency! scarcity! especially a serious

or e$treme one! a dire lack.

3. 6o! ) don't think you would. 4in!tor, means threatening!

menacing; having a threatening or menacing aspect or nature.

4. Yes. Put!tive means supposed! reputed; commonly considered

or regarded as such; deemed to be so but not proved.

5. 6o. Lucu r!tion means nocturnal labor; study! writing! or work

done late at night.

6. 6o. (o answer yes! youJd have to be a troglodyte yourself. &

tro#lod,te is a cave dweller; also! a person who lives or behaves in a primitive manner! or who lives in seclusion.
7. 6o. "le!tor, means depending on luck! chance! or on some

contingent event; hence! uncertain! unpredictable.

8. Yes. & f!rr!#o is a mi$ture! especially a confused or jumbled

mi$ture.
9. 6o. & c,nosure is a center of attention or interest! focal point.

10.Yes! they often do. :!din!#e means banter; playful! teasing talk; good"natured joking or gently mocking conversation.
*e.7o'2s 11$23 1. (rue. =ier!tic means priestly; pertaining to or used by priests;

reserved for holy or sacred uses.

2. -alse. .!turnine means gloomy! sullen! or somber in appearance!

manner! or temperament.
3. -alse. (o e8ecr!te means to denounce vehemently! declare hateful

or detestable; also! to loathe! abhor! detest utterly.

4. (rue. (o viti!te means to corrupt! spoil! ruin! contaminate! impair

the /uality of! make faulty or impure; also! to weaken morally! defile! debase.
5. -alse. Veni!l means e$cusable! forgivable! pardonable! able to be

overlooked.
6. -alse. & risible statement is amusing! laughable. Risi le means

provoking or capable of provoking laughter.

7. (rue. (o lioniAe means to treat a person as a celebrity or as an

object of great interest or importance.

8. -alse. & contrete&'s is an embarrassing! awkward! une$pected

situation or event; a sudden mishap or hitch; an inopportune occurrence.

9. -alse. Rodo&ont!de means arrogant boasting or bragging. 10. -alse. =e etude means stupidity! dullness! obtuseness! lethargy of

mind or spirit.
*e.7o'2s 21$33 1. &ntonyms. .!turnine! word *, of Level *=! means having a gloomy!

sullen! or somber appearance or disposition. .!n#uine means confident! cheerful! hopeful! optimistic.
2. Synonyms.

& dei'noso'$ist is an adept conversationalist! especially one who enjoys conversing at the table. 3. &ntonyms. ;r!n#i le means breakable! fragile! frail! delicate! easily damaged or destroyed.
3. &ntonyms. "'odictic means absolutely certain! necessarily true!

proved or demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt.

4. &ntonyms. (o ful&in!te means to e$plode! especially to e$plode

with invective and denunciations; to shout forth condemnation and censure.

5. Synonyms. (o sc!rif, means to wound the feelings of; make cutting

remarks about; distress by critici+ing sharply.

6. 1ell! not e$actly antonyms! but definitely not synonyms. Duotidi!n!

word ,= of Level @! means daily! recurring every day or pertaining to every day. =e do&!d!l means weekly! pertaining to a week or seven"day period.
7. Synonyms. (o div!#!te means to wander! ramble! or drift about;

hence! to digress.
8. &ntonyms. P!t$olo#ic!l means pertaining to or caused by disease.

I!tro#enic means caused by medical e$amination or treatment. 10.&ntonyms. Ter#ivers!tion means desertion; specifically! the act of deserting something to which one was previously loyal! such as a cause! a party! or a religious faith.
*e.7o'2s 31$43 1. +ri&, doesn't fit. *!creous means pearly! consisting of or

resembling mother"of"pearl.

2. (ncoo'er!tive doesn't fit. ;!ine!nt means la+y! idle! sluggish!

good"for"nothing.
3. :u&', doesn't fit. =is'id means covered with stiff hairs! bristles! or

small spines; rough and bristly.

4. Lon# life doesn't fit. Lon#evit, means long life or the duration of life.

Lon#!ni&it, means long"suffering patience; the ability to calmly endure hardship or suffering.
5. " 'erson wit$out %nowled#e doesn't fit. & sciolist is a person who

has only superficial knowledge of a subject! or who pretends to have knowledge. 6. Pro'riet, doesn't fit. Pro'riet, means proper behavior or appropriateness! suitability. Pro'in-uit, means nearness in place or time! pro$imity; also! nearness or similarity in nature! kinship! close relation.
7. *ot ori#in!l doesn't fit. ;!ctitious means not natural or genuine!

produced artificially.
8. 6ides're!d doesn't fit. Ple8ifor& means complicated or elaborate;

specifically! like a ple$us or network.

9. "

u lin# sound doesn't fit. & susurrus is a whispering! murmuring! muttering! or rustling sound. (he words susurrus and susurr!tion are synonymous and interchangeable.

10.4!%e ! &ess of doesn't fit. (o tritur!te means to grind! crush! or pound into fine particles or powder.
*e.7o'2s 41$53 1. Something protean is highly variable or changeable. Prote!n

means readily assuming different shapes! forms! characters! or meanings.

2. 1re'it!te means to crackle; make a crackling! snapping! or popping

noise.
3. & noctiv!#!nt person wanders about at night. & so&n!& ul!nt

person wanders while asleep. & 'eri'!tetic person wanders about on foot. *octiv!#!nt means wandering at night.
4. Something fuli#inous is sooty! smoky. 5. =ort!tor, means encouraging or urging to some course of action;

giving earnest counsel or advice.

6. =eliol!tr, is worship of the sun. 7. .ci!&!c$, means shadow"bo$ing! the act of fighting a shadow or

an imaginary enemy.
8. Something #l! rous is smooth and bald.

9. & 'ettifo##er is a mean! tricky lawyer; especially! a lawyer who

handles petty cases in an unethical! unscrupulous way. 10.9'icene means having characteristics or /ualities of both se$es.

Rev4e7 Test fo' Level 13

1. 1hich word is a synonym of '!ucit,4

?!@ superfluity idiosyncrasy

(b) proclivity (c) e$iguity 2. 1hich word means to burn the midnight oil or to write in a scholarly

or pedantic fashion4
(a) e$patiate (b) lucubrate (c) fulminate (d) divagate 3. 1hich is not an accepted meaning of tro#lod,te4 (a) a prehistoric cave dweller (b) person who chooses to live in seclusion (c) a vain! boastful person (d) a brutish! unsophisticated person 4. 1hich word is a synonym of !nc$orite and ere&ite4 (a) priest (b) hermit (c) prophet (d) sailor 5. 1hich word is a synonym of &iscell!neous and $etero#eneous4 (a) ple$iform (b) aleatory (c) farraginous (d) protean 6. 1,nosure and c,nic!l come ultimately from the 8reek %,nos! which

meant
(a) dog

(b) popular (c) scornful (d) the 6orth Star 7. -our of the five words below are related in meaning. 1hich word

has a different! unrelated meaning4

(a) badinage (b) banter (c) raillery (d) rodomontade (e) persiflage 8. 1hich word is a synonym of de&otic4 (a) pedantic (b) vernacular (c) dictatorial (d) hierarchical (e) diabolical 9. 1hich word is an antonym of s!turnine4 (a) aleatory (b) taciturn (c) sanguine (d) phlegmatic

10.(he lion in lioniAe signifies a person who is especially

(a) ruthless (b) dangerous (c) important (d) successful

11.-our of the five words below are related in meaning. 1hich word has a different! unrelated meaning4
(a) gasconade (b) vainglory (c) fanfaronade (d) fulmination

?e@ jactitation

12.1hich word means weekly or pertaining to a week4

(a) hebdomadal (b) hebetudinous (c) hortatory (d) hieratic

13.(he combining form "'$ili! comes from the 8reek '$ilein! which means
(a) to love (b) to worship (c) to know (d) to fear

14.1hich word means the fear of disrobing in front of someone4

(a) pantophobia (b) philemaphobia (c) dishabillophobia (d) syphilophobia

15.1hich word by derivation means a drinking party4

(a) lassitude (b) deipnosophy (c) rapprochement (d) symposium

16.1hat does s!n#uin!r, mean4

(a) cheerful (b) confident (c) bloody (d) ruddy

17.1hich word means easily crumbled or crushed4 ?!@ factitious

(b) fuliginous (c) fugacious (d) friable

18.1hich word is a synonym of vitu'er!te and e8cori!te4

(a) hebetate

(b) scarify (c) triturate (d) fulminate

19.1hich word is the antonym of '!t$olo#ic!l4

(a) phlegmatic (b) iatrogenic (c) apodictic (d) hieratic

20.1hich word means the abandonment of a cause! a party! or a religion4

(a) tergiversation (b) badinage (c) heliolatry (d) defenestration (e) propin/uity

21.1hich two phrases show improper usage4 A(his /uestion has two correct answers.C
(a) the amount of paper (b) the amount of trouble (c) the amount of people (d) an amount of sugar (e) the amount of volts

22.1hich two words are not synonyms4

(a) torpid! hebetudinous (b) otiose! dilatory (c) somnolent! lethargic (d) faineant! indolent

23.1hich word means rough and bristly4

(a) nacreous (b) glabrous (c) risible (d) hispid

24. .ciolist and sciolis& come from the Latin verb scire! which means (a) to study (b) to pretend (c) to deceive (d) to know

25.1hich word suggests a soft sound4

(a) fulmination (b) cacophony (c) susurrus (d) cachinnation

26.1hat does c$r,sele'$!ntine mean4

(a) made of gold and ivory (b) belonging to an ancient time (c) massive and unwieldy (d) e$tremely generous

27.1hich Latin phrase means 2words a foot and a half long34

(a) verbum sat sapienti (b) ses/uipedalia verba (c) verbatim et litteratim et punctatim

28.0iv!#!te and noctiv!#!nt come from the Latin verb v!#!ri! which means ?!@ to divide
(b) to darken (c) to wander (d) to confuse

29.1hich word denotes speech that urges or advises earnestly4

(a) rodomontade (b) e$hortation (c) fulmination (d) contretemps

30.1hich word refers to the tendency of plants to bend or move toward a source of light4
(a) noctivagation

(b) tergiversation (c) lucubration (d) heliotropism (e) crepitation

31.1hat is lo#o&!c$,4
(a) shadow"bo$ing (b) the ability to endure hardship (c) the act of reasoning or deducing (d) a battle of words

32.1hich word suggests unscrupulousness or chicanery4

(a) meretricious (b) pettifog (c) vitiation (d) faineant

33.1hich word means having characteristics or /ualities of both se$es4

(a) troglodytic (b) comminuted (c) epicene (d) frangible (e) protean

34.1hich word denotes a vehement denunciation4

(a) e$hortation (b) e$purgation (c) e$ecration (d) e$piation (e) e$oneration

35.Something putative is
(a) thought to be so but not proved (b) corrupted or contaminated (c) apparently true but actually false or deceptive (d) absolutely certain (e) utterly detestable

Ans7e's

Eval/at4on

& score of .=K.' is e$cellent. )f you answered fewer than thirty /uestions correctly in this test! review the entire level and take the test again.

Ver !l "dv!nt!#eJ Ten 9!s, .te's to ! Powerful Voc! ul!r, :opyright b ,=== by 6etword! )nc. &ll rights reserved under )nternational and Ban"&merican :opyright :onventions. 6o part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means! electronic or mechanical! including photocopying! without the written permission of the publisher. &ll in/uiries should be addressed to 7andom #ouse 7eference! 7andom #ouse! )nc.! 6ew York! 6Y. Bublished in the Enited States by 7andom #ouse! )nc.! 6ew York. (he author gratefully acknowledges the following publishers for permission to /uote from the following copyrighted works )our *!tur!l +ifts! by Dargaret E. %roadley. :opyright b *@>,! *@>> by Dargaret E. %roadley. 7eprinted by permission of EBD Bublications! 5elaplane! Hirginia. T$e 1!reful 6riter by (heodore D. %ernstein. :opyright b *@<' (heodore D. %ernstein. 7eprinted with permission of Scribner! a 5ivision of Simon _ Schuster. (his book is available for special discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions or premiums. Special editions! including personali+ed covers! e$cerpts of e$isting books! and corporate imprints! can be created in large /uantities for special needs. -or more information! write to 7andom #ouse! )nc.! Special DarketsVBremium Sales! *>0' %roadway! D5 <",! 6ew York! 6Y! *==*@ or e"mail s'eci!l&!r%etsOr!ndo&$ouse3co&. Blease address in/uiries about electronic licensing of reference products! for use on a network or in software or on :5"7FD! to the Subsidiary 7ights 5epartment! 7andom #ouse 7eference! fa$ ,*,"'>,"<==.. Hisit the 7andom #ouse 7eference 1eb site at www.randomwords.com Library of :ongress :ataloging"in"Bublication 5ata Elster! :harles #arrington. Herbal advantage *= easy steps to a powerful vocabularyV:harles #arrington Elster. *st ed. p. cm. )ncludes bibliographical references and inde$. *. HocabularyBroblems! e$ercises! etc.). (itle. BE*00@.E0'0 ,=== 0,?.*dc,* =="='@*?? =@?>< e)S%6 @>?"=".=>"'<=@>"* 6ew York (oronto London Sydney &uckland v..=