Note the spelling, pronunciation, part(s) of speech, and definition(z)
of each of the following words. Then wdte the word in the blank
spaces in the illustrative sentence(s) following. Fina]]~ study the lists
of synonyms and antonyms.
absolve
(ab z~lv’)
(~) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
absolve
They assumed that their alibi would
them of suspicion.
SYNONYMS: acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon
ANTONYMS: condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate
2. caricature
(kar’ i ka chiJr)
(n.) a representation, such as a drawing, that exaggerates a
subject’s characteristic features; (v.) to present someone or
something in a deliberately distorted way
What began as a hasty newspaper caricat~.~’e
soon turned up on coffee mugs, T-shirts, and sweatshirts.
The satirical television program
the
movie star and made him seem clumsier than he really was.
SYNONYMS: (n.) cartoon, burlesque, lampoon
3. clangor
(klang’ at)
(n.) a loud ringing sound; (~) to make a loud ringing noise
For more than a century, American grade schools
summoned children to school with the
of a bell.
SYNONYMS: (n.) din, clamor, uproar
ANTONYMS: (n.) silence, stillness, peace and quiet
contiguous
(kan rig’ y6 as)
5. cupidity
(ky~ pid’ a t~)
(adj.) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time
Trouble arose over who should control the weeds and
bushes that rioted in the lot
to ours.
SYNONYMS: abutting, next door to
ANTONYMS: detached, apart, distant, remote
(n.) an eager desire for something; greed
You say that these catalogue prices show the quality
the goods, but I say they show the seller’s
SYNONYMS: avarice, rapacity, craving, lust
ANTONYMS: contentment, satiety, gratification
6. deleterious
(del a tir’ ~ as)
(adj.) harmful, injurious
Wishing can give zest and purpose to anyone’s life, but
wishful thinking can have a ~e~eter~ou~., effect.
SYNONYMS: detrimental, destructive, pernicious, damaging
ANTONYMS: helpful, beneficial, harmless, innocuous
Note the spelling, pronunciation, part(s) of speech, and definition(s)
of each of the following words. Then write the word in the blank
spaces in the illustrative sentence(s) following. Finally, study the lists
of ~ynonyms and antonyms.
(~) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
abeo ve
They assumed that their alibi would
them of suspicion.
SYNONYMS: acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon
ANTONYMS; condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate
2, caricature
(kar’ i ka chOr)
3. clangor
(klang’ at)
4. contiguous
(kan rig’ y~ as)
5. cupidity
(ky~) pid’ a t~)
(n.) a representation, such as a drawing, that exaggerates a
subject’s characteristic features; (~) to present someone or
something in a deliberately distorted way
What began as a hasty newspaper ¢~a~icatu~-e
soon turned up on coffee mugs, T-shirts, and sweatshirts.
The satirical television program caricatured the
movie star and made him seem clumsier than he really was.
SYNONYMS: (n.) cartoon, burlesque, lampoon
(n.) a loud ringing sound; (~z) to make a loud ringing noise
For more than a century, American grade schools
summoned children to school with the
of a bell.
SYNONYMS: (n.) din, clamor, uproar
AN~’ONYMS: (n.) silence, stiffness, peace and quiet
(adj.) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time
Trouble arose over who should control the weeds and
bushes that rioted in the lot
to ours.
SYNONYMS; abutting, next door to
ANTONYMS: detached, apart, distant, remote
(en thr~l’)
(ek sten’ y~ ~t)
(adj.) harmful, injurious
Wishing can give zest and purpose to anyone’s life, but
wishful thinking can have a
effect.
SYNONYMS: detrimental, destructive, pernicious, damaging
(~4) to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or
desirability of
She sanded and varnished the old table in order to
_ its appearance and value.
SYNONYMS: improve, elevate; ANTONYMS; diminish, degrade
(~) to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to iml
All the critics were
,t,-~al ~;~"
by the
performance and wrote rave reviews.
SYNONYMS; fascinate, attract; ANTONYMS: bore to tears, rep
(~4) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense
making partial excuses
The jurors believed that the y~)~ung man’s crime had L
committed under
circumsta[
SYNONYMS: moderate, mitigate, diminish, downplay
ANTONYMS: intensify, magnified, worsen, exacerbate
(adj.) implied or understood though unexpressed; witho~
doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contai
She never said so, but it was
she did not like conversations before her morning c
SYNONYMS: inferred, tacit, unspoken, unconditional
ANTONYMS; explicit, expressed, stated, revealed
11. incisive
(in s~’ sir)
(adj.) sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of
decisiveness and effectiveness}
.i ~: ~ ~e
I am truly thankful for your
about my report.
SYNONYMS; acute, cutting, perceptive
12. ir~imica~
(in im’i k~l)
(adj.) tendin9 to cause harm or obstruct developments
oppositional or adverse
Severa!
: c~
groups have tried
chaos and undermine democratic principles.
SYNONYMS: unfriendly, hostile, antagonistic, contrary
ANTONYMS: friendly, hospitable, kind
13. ostentatious
(~is ten t~’ shoe)
(adj.) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display,
The restaurant’s interior was so ~t~, t t~ous
the meager meal, when it came, seemed an aftert
SYNONYMS: flashy, overdone, affected, flamboyant
ANTONYMS; modest, plain, simple, demure, retiring
(n.) an eager desire for something; greed
You say that these catalogue prices show the quality of
the goods, but I say they show the seller’s
SYNONYMS: avarice, rapacity, craving, lust
ANTONYMS; contentment, satiety, gratification
6. ~eleterious
(dels tit’ ~ as)
(on hans’)
(p~r’ ~ g~n)
15. politic
(p~!’ a tik)
18. prosaic
(pr6 z~’ ik)
17. redundant
(ri dan’ dent)
(n.) a model of excellence or perfection
pala#o~
of scholarship, but I
I may not be a
do try my best.
SYNONYMS: deal. paradigm, model, good example
(adj.) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful,
expedient
In your angry state I think it would be
to say nothing, at least until you have calmed down.
SYNONYMS: tactful, diplomatic, judicious, circumspect
ANTONYMS: unwise, injudicious, imprudent, rash
(adj.) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter-of-fact,
straightforward; characteristic of prose, not poetic
I remember his singing voice as being on key and clear but
also
SYNONYMS: literal, pedestrian; ANTONYMS: remarkable, poetic
(adj.) extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive;
profuse, lush
Some
~;d~ ada¢~:
expressions, such as "hollow
tubing," are acceptable in the English language,
SYNONYMS: unnecessary, superfluous, verbose, prolix
ANTONYMS: terse, laconic, scarce, inadequate
18. sanctimonious (adj.) making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically
(saBk ta m6’ ne as) moralistic or pious, self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou
tone
Cautionary tales that take on a
often achieve the opposite of the desired result.
ANTONYMS: heartfelt, sincere, humble
19. scintillating
(sin’ ta I~t irj)
(win’ sam)
(adj., part.) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied
to mental or personal qualities)
She was known for her
conversation.
SYNONYMS: stimu at ng, glittering; ANTONYMS: dull, boring, insipid
(adj.) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a
childlike charm and innocence)
When my little brother wanted something badly, he became
as a puppy.
as
SYNONYMS: winning, delightful, prepossessing
ANTONYMS: unattractive, unappealing, repulsive
Select the bo~d~a~e word that better completes each sent
You might refer to the selection on pages 14 6-14 7 to see
most of these words are used in context,
In the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln asked a
few (in~, p~osais) questions that showed up
the fatal weaknesses in his opponent’s position.
The commander expected (ostentatio~s,
i.~.~!~t) obedience from his troops.
Rumors of "easy money" and "lush profits" to
be made in the stock market aroused the
(c~angor, ~idit~o~) of many small investors.
The proposed advertisement was supposed to
be "dynamic" and a "real eye-catcher," but I
found it utterly (po~itia, ~o~.~).
My five-year-old nephew enjoys telling (inimical,
oostso~_~[~t~atiou=~) stories about his travels to strange
lands in a giant balloon.
In 1858, Abraham Lincoln los
Illinois Senate race to Steph~
Douglas, who in turn lost his
the Presidency when Lincoln
against him in 1860.
8. Broccoli, considered by dietitians to be a (cup~dity, ,~.~r.o~) among veg
is packed with calcium and antiexidant properties.
7. As long as we are (en=...}hml~e..~_ ~, extenuated) by the idea that it is possible to get
something for nothing, we will not be able to come up with a sound economic p
Th~ severe drought and locust infestation proved to have a
ostentatious) effect on the harvest.
What we do now to remedy the evils in our society will determine whether or
are to be (a,,~b.~, enthralled) of blame for the injustices of the past.
When he demanded that i immediately "return back" the money I owed him,
him not merely unpleasant but (£~d~.~.~da~,~ winsome).
I will try to tell the story in a balanced way, without either exaggerating or
(scinti~}afing, sxtenu n_._g) his responsibility for those sad events.
12. Words about "tolerance" are empty and (~.~..gti,.~.~)oo:~, contiguous) whe
come from one who has shown no concern about civil liberties
13. The aspiring salesperson stood in front of the mirror for hours, practicing a
(~m~=~_~ p~’osaic) smile.
14. I’ve heard that if you sprinkle cinnamon in coffee, it (enthra!~s~ ~h~q9~e.e th
and diminishes the bitterness.
15. She delivered her lines with such artistry and verve that she made the rathe
commonplace dialogue seem (sei~,~!~,~ao~no~ dalete~’ious).
The synonyms and antonyms here do not appear on the Definitions pa
16. "In seeking to discredit me," I replied, "my opponent has deliberately (absolved,
caricatured) my ideas, making them seem simplistic and unrealistic."
Choose the word from this unit that is most nearly opp
meaning to the be#df#ce word or expression in the ph
Write that word on the line. Use a dictionary if necessa
17. We thought it best to buy a house that was close to my parents’ home, but not
(prosaic, ~s) to it.
18. My parents set up my older brother as such a (caricature,~) that I
despaired of ever being able to follow in his footsteps.
1. a person filled with generosity
2. a self-effacing character
19. isn’t it rather (gstentatious, redundant) to wear a Phi Beta Kappa key on a chain
around your neck?
S. charges aggravated by circumstances
20. A fresh coat of paint and some attention to the lawn would greatly (enhance,
absolve) the appearance of our bungalow.
5. battling isolated forest fires
21. Isn’t it logical to conclude that because poor eating habits have a (proeaic,
deleterious) effect on one’s health, you should not make snack foods the
cornerstone of your diet?
22. It is hardly (politic, clangorous) for someone who hopes to win a popularity contest
to go about making such brutally frank remarks.
23. I realized I was being kept awake not by the (paragon,.c~an~o~) of the city traffic
but by a gnawing fear that I had done the wrong thing.
24. Any conduct that is (inimical, sanctimonious) to school policy, including violation
of state laws, is grounds for immediate dismissal.
25. Our astute professor gave an (incisive, implicit) lecture on literary symbolism.
Choose the word from this unit that is the same or most nearly
the same in meaning as the be#df#ce word or expression in the
phrase. Write that word on the line. Use a dictionary if necessar~
~edu~ds
4. issuing succinct instructions
From the words in this unit, choose the one that best co
of the following sentences. Write the word in the space p
How can anyone be so foolish as to develop a smoking habit when it has
proven that cigarettes are
to health?
2. The fact that he had hungry children at home does net justify what he did,
does
exte~uat~
his crime.
3. In most contracts, there are
i~pticit
duties and obligat
must be fulfilled even though they aren’t expressed in so many words.
4. The
our hearts with terror.
of the fire bells as they echoed through the n
5. Because the gym is
from academic to athletic activities.
to the library, it is easy for m
1. bought lots that were adjoining
2. to intensify the taste of the sauce
3. an exemplar of team spirit
~sarago~
4. a trenchant report
i~scisive
5. a ~ive~y play of wit
7. a parody of his behavior
9. a smug accusation
10. an engaging smile
7. Her new hairstyle greatly
er~ha~cee
her appearance.
8. Until he rose to speak, the meeting had been dull, but he immediately enli
with his
wit.
6. the commonplace routines of housework
8. a book with the power to enchant
Because we had been told the new TV series was original and witty, we w
disappointed by the obvious and
situation come
unfolded on our screen.
e~’~thra~
sanctimo~ious
9. The jury may have found him not guilty, but the "court of public opinion" wi
absolve
him of responsibility for the crime.
10. We resented his
superior to everyone else.
self-assurance that he was mora
11. Detective stories seem to _
reads virtually nothing else,
her to such a degree that she
12. She did her work so quietly that it took us time to realize that she was a veritable
~,°~
of efficiency and diligence.
13. Though ranking officials on both sides hoped to reach a truce and prepare a peace
treaty, fringe groups refused to suspend their
__ activities.
14. His long nose and prominent teeth give the candidate the kind of face that
cartoonists love to
e~:ri°at~"~e
~Stic
15. There are some situations in life when it ~s
and wait for a better opportunity to assert yourself.
to remain quiet
16. Marie’s appealing personality and endearing manner make her quite
__ vb~s®m’:~ _ and engaging.
17. With that one _
~ comment, she brought an end to all the
aimless talk and directed our attention to the red problem facing us,
18. Over the years, his normal desire for financial security was gradually distorted into a
boundless
!9. "Evening dress is far too
for such an informal occasion,"
! thought to myself as I tried to decide what to wear that night.
20. To characterize the literary style of Edgar Allan Poe as "unique and one of a kind" is
certainly
redt~r~day~t
Answers zo
1. Look back at "The Facts in the Case of the Greatest Mystery Writer" (pages
146-147). Suppose you are one of Ivlr. Shippen’s students. You have to
persuade the class who the better mystery writer is--Poe or Doyle. Write an
argument in favor of one writer, using at least two details from the passage and
three unit words.
The term mystery is used to describe both a genre of fiction writing and
dements of existence that are not fully understood. The search for answers to
life’s "mysteries" has led to countless achievements in science, mathematics,
and the arts. In a brief essay, describe some ways in which the idea of
"mystery" can inspire new discoveries or artist!c creation. First, define your
understanding of what a "mystery" is. Support your essay with specific details,
your observations and studies, and the reading (pages 146-147). Write at
least three paragraphs, and use three or more words from this unit.
V’,,’ ~, ~ ~ proms[ ~:~2 is modeled on that of
The following excerpts are from The Marble Faun by No
Hawthorne. Some of the words you have studied in this
in b~dfa~ type. Complete each statement below the s,
circling the letter of the correct answer.
1. The story of this adventure spread abroad, and made its way beyond th
gossip of the Forestieri, even into Italian circles, where, e~ha~ced by a ’,
spirit of superstition, it grew far more wonderful than as above rec
Something that has been enhanced has been
~a~ improved
c. expired
b. belittled
d. weakened
"When women have other obiects in life, they are
not apt to fall in love, I can think of many women
distinguished in art, literature, and science,and multitudes whose hearts and minds find
good employment in less oste~tatioes ways,-who lead high, lonely lives, and are conscious of
no sacrifice so far as your sex is concerned."
If ~omething is osteatatioua, it is
a. unexceptional
~ flamboyant
b. foolish
d, frightening
3.... [H]Js voice appeared to fill the air, yet not with
an obtrusive c~ar~gor. The sound was of a
murmurous character, self, attractive, persuasive,
friendly.
A c~a~gor is a(n)
a. pleasant tone
c. angry announcement
~.}loud n@se
d. simple gesture
The Marble Faun is a rn
set in Rome, Italy.
"The disorder!" repeated Miriam. "There is none that ! know of save too n
strength, without a purpose for one or the othe~ It is my too ~edunda#t et
slowly--or perhaps rapidly--wearing me away, because I can apply it to
object, which ! am bound to consider my only one on earth, fails me utter
Energy that is redundant is NOT
a. sufficient
c. abundant
b. renewable
5. Donatello had not very easily been stirred out of the
~i
peculiar sluggishness, which e~thralls and
bewitches melancholy people.
If something enthraSI8 people it
~
~a~,enchants them
c, saddens them
Snap
the
code
b. sickens them
d. angers them