Essential Words for the GRE, 2nd Edition

BARRON'S The Leader in Test Preparation

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE

2ND EDITION

Philip Geer, Ed.M.

800 college- and graduate-level words you need to know for success on the Graduate Record Exam A diagnostic pretest to help you gauge the strength of your current vocabulary Extensive sentence-completion exercises with answers Words defined and used in context A concluding posttest with answers to help you measure your progress


CONTENTS

About the Author Philip Geer is an educator who h a s been teaching English language and literature for many years in high schools and junior colleges in the United States a n d abroad. He is also the author of several textbooks and test preparation books, including Wordjestl, Picture These SAT Words!, and Simon's Saga for the SAT, and is the founder of Mentaurs, an education consultancy that prepares students for various standardized tests ot verbal reasoning skills. You can contact Philip Geer at [email protected] and visit the Mentaurs Web site at www.mentaurs.com to learn more about building your verbal reasoning skills.

INTRODUCTION: MASTERING ADVANCED VOCABULARY FOR THE GRE 1-10

PRETEST 11-21 The excerpts and sample sentences included in this book are for educational purposes only. They should not be taken to reflect the views of either the author or Barron's Educational Series, Inc.

300 ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL GRE WORDS 22-24

© Copyright 2010, 2007 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc.

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

25-264

FINAL REVIEW 265-272

AH inquiries should be addressed to: Barron's Educational Series, Inc. 250 Wireless Boulevard Hauppauge, NY 11788 www.bunmsednc.com

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS 273-360

ISBN-13: 978-0-7641-4478-3 1SBN-10: 0-7641-4478-2 library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 2009039837 Library of Congress Cataloglng-in-Publicatlon Data Geer, Philip. ^ ^ Essential words for the GRE / Philip Geer. — 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7641-4478-3 ISBN-10: 0-7641-4478-2 1. Graduate Record Examination—Study guides. 2. English language-Glossaries, vocabularies, etc. 3 . Vocabulary—Problems, exercises, etc. I. Title. LB2367.4.G43 2010 378.1'662-dc22 2009039837 "TOTTED IN TOE UNITED STATES OT AMERICA 98765432 1

C O M M O N SUFFIXES 361-363

POSTTEST 364-374

ANSWER KEY 375-393

INDEX 394-396

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Introduction: Mastering Advanced Vocabulary for the GRE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Susan Geer for her invaluable assistance in the preparation of this book. I am grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material: Singapore Press Holdings for the article "Delving into the Mind of a Great Thinker, Chomsky" from The Straits Times Guide to Good English and Greater Knowledge, © copyright 2005. Harper San Francisco for an extract from The Historical Jesus, The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant, John Dominic Crossan, © copyright 1992 by John Dominic Crossan. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins publishers. Peter Saunders for extracts from Insights: A Comprehensive Approach to the General Paper, Peter Saunders and Philip Geer, Longman, Singapore, © copyright 1982.

As a student preparing for the verbal section of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), you have to practice the skills of analyzing information in a passage, understanding the relationships among parts of a sentence, and comprehending relationships between words and concepts in context. To do this, you should work through the skills section and practice tests in a reputable GRE General Test guidebook, such as Barron's GRE. You also need to read widely, thinking critically about what you read. You should read good periodicals, such as The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Time, The Economist, and Scientific American. In addition to reading these types of periodicals, you should read books that develop more extended arguments, such as Consilience, the Unity of Knowledge by the eminent scientist Edward O. Wilson and Beyond Freedom and Dignity by the influential modern thinker B. F. Skinner. Reading such material will increase your knowledge in important areas. It will also improve your ability to understand complex sentence structure and follow a sophisticated line of reasoning. If, as you read, you look up unfamiliar words in a good dictionary, your vocabulary will also improve. Speaking of vocabulary, is it important to have a good knowledge of advanced words to do well on the GRE? The answer is "Yes, definitely." The test places considerable emphasis on advanced vocabulary, especially in the antonym, analogy, and sentence completion questions. Let's take a look at some of these types of questions to see how important vocabulary is on the GRE. ANTONYM QUESTIONS In the antonym questions below, you must choose the answer that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the capitalized word.

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ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

DISINGENUOUS: (A) laconic (B) desultory (C) guileless (D) irascible (E) solicitous You may know the meaning of disingenuous from your knowledge of SAT-level words. If you know t h a t it m e a n s "not candid, crafty," you will know that you have to look for a word m e a n i n g "candid, not crafty." You may be able to eliminate (A) laconic u s i n g your knowledge of SAT-level words, b u t unless you know t h e m e a n i n g s of t h e other words, which are all GRE-level words, you will have difficulty arriving at the correct answer (C) guileless meaning "free of c u n n i n g or deceit." MENDACITY: (A) refulgence (B) perfidy (C) veracity (D) fractiousness (E) salacity To answer this question with confidence, you m u s t know t h e meaning of mendacity, a GRE-level word. If you don't know t h a t it means "untmthfulness," you will have difficulty selecting t h e correct answer (C) veracity, even if you know t h e meaning of this SAT-level word. Also, without a good knowledge of GRE-level vocabulary, it will b e difficult to eliminate choices. ANALOGY QUESTIONS In the analogy questions below, a related pair of capitalized words linked by a colon appears. You m u s t choose t h e answer t h a t gives t h e pair of words whose relationship is most like t h e relationship expressed in the original pair. MOUNTEBANK : CHARLATAN :: (A) necromancer : spirit (B) critic : reprobate (C) profligate : skinflint CD) m e n d i c a n t : benefactor (E) prevaricator: equivocator

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INTRODUCTION: MASTERING ADVANCED VOCABULARY FOR THE GRE

You might know t h e meanings of the original pair of words and understand t h e relationship between them, b u t unless you know the meanings of the difficult words necromancer, reprobate, profligate, mendicant, prevaricator, a n d equivocator you will not be able to arrive at the correct answer (E). SYLVAN : WOODS :: (A) sartorial: fashion (B) anachronism : time (C) juvenile : humor (D) sidereal : stars (E) dessicated : land Once again, if you don't know the meaning of the difficult words sylvan, sartorial, anachronism, sidereal a n d dessicated, you cannot arrive at the correct answer (D) to this question with confidence. SENTENCE COMPLETION QUESTIONS In the sentence completion question below, you m u s t choose one answer that correctly completes the sentence. It would be difficult to imagine two more different personalities: Liz is shy a n d taciturn, while Stan is outgoing and . (A) salubrious (B) laconic (C) specious (D) loquacious (E) doctrinaire Could you answer this question correctly without knowing the meaning of the advanced word in the sentence, taciturn (uncommunicative, not inclined to speak much), and the meanings of the five advanced words that appear in the answer choices? If you don't know the meanings of salubrious, laconic, specious, loquacious, and doctrinaire, you will be forced to guess the correct answer to this question, (D) loquacious, which means talkative. Not all sentence completion questions are so vocabularydependent, b u t you can expect quite a few to require a knowledge of very advanced words.

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ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

Let's take a look at another question t h a t requires a knowledge of advanced words. In most modern industrial countries, government intervenes in the economy by changing fiscal a n d monetary policy to the negative effects of t h e b u s i n e s s cycle, despite the fact that there exists no theory supported by conclusive evidence to explain the underlying c a u s e of the b u s i n e s s cycle. (A) remonstrate (B) exacerbate (C) disparage (D) juxtapose (E) mitigate If you don't know the definition of mitigate (to c a u s e to become less harsh, severe, or painful), you will n o t b e able to answer this question correctly. Also, the more words you know in t h e other answer choices, the more confident you c a n be in answering t h e question. Here's a question t h a t requires you to choose words to fill in two blanks. Some scholars deny t h a t there is a direct correlation between the scientific theory of relativity a n d intellectual fashions in the arts, pointing out t h a t many important modernist works such as Igor Stravinsky's symphony The Rites of Spring the theory of relativity. (A) ephemeral, .predicate (B) syllogistic.presage (C) seminal..antecede (D) dissonant..evince (E) anachronistic.subsume In this question, all of t h e answer choices are advanced words. It is not possible to answer this question correctly without knowing t h e meanings of these advanced words, especially t h e meanings of the correct answer choice (C) seminal (containing t h e seeds of later development) and antecede (precede).

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INTRODUCTION: MASTERING ADVANCED VOCABULARY FOR THE GRE

The final question below also requires you to fill in two blanks. The phrase "It's a matter of semantics" is often used to indicate that the real meaning of a statement is being lost in verbiage, often with the implication that there is or . (A) abscission, .miscellany (B) collusion, .neologism (C) exculpation..vacillation (D) obfuscation..equivocation (E) meritriciousness. .peculation Three key words in the sentence—semantics, verbiage, and implication— are advanced words. It would be impossible to figure out the central meaning of the sentence without knowing the meaning of semantics (the meaning and interpretation of words) and verbiage (an excess of words for the purpose)—and if you don't know the meaning of implication (that which is hinted or suggested) you will be hard-pressed to follow the logic of the sentence. Advanced vocabulary also plays a central part in the answer choices given for this question. Once again, this question would be impossible to answer without knowledge of the meanings of these difficult words. If you know that objuscation means the act of confusing or obscuring, and equivocation m e a n s the intentional use of vague language, the sentence makes good sense. READING QUESTIONS Next, let's consider a GRE-level reading passage and questions. It u s e s quite a lot of advanced vocabulary. Do you know the difficult words in the passage and in the questions t h a t follow it? To chop a stick, to catch a fly, to pile a heap of sand, is a satisfying action; for the sand stays for a while in its novel arrangement, proclaiming to the surrounding level t h a t we have made it our instrument, while the fly will never stir nor (5) the stick grow together again in all eternity. If the impulse t h a t h a s t h u s left its indelible m a r k on things is constant in our own bosom, the world will have been permanently improved a n d humanized by our action. Nature cannot b u t be more favorable to those ideas which have once found a n (10) efficacious champion.

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INTRODUCTION: MASTERING ADVANCED VOCABULARY FOR THE GRE ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

Plastic impulses find in this way a n immediate sanction in the sense of victory a n d dominion which they carry with them; it is so evident a proof of power in ourselves to see things and animals b e n t o u t of their habitual form and obe(15) dient instead to our idea. But a far weightier sanction immediately follows. Man depends on this for his experience, yet by automatic action he changes these very things so that it becomes possible t h a t by his action he should promote his welfare. He may, of course, n o less readily precip(20) itate his ruin. The animal is more subject to vicissitudes t h a n the plant, which m a k e s no effort to escape them or to give chase to what it feeds upon. The greater perils of action, however, are in animals covered partly by fertility, partly by adaptability, partly by success. The mere possibil(25) ity of success, in a world governed by n a t u r a l selection, is an earnest of progress. Sometimes, in impressing the environment, a m a n will improve it: which is merely to say that a change may sometimes fortify the impulse which brought it about. As soon a s this retroaction is perceived and the act (30) is done with knowledge of its ensuing benefits, plastic impulse becomes art, a n d the world begins actually to change in obedience to reason. —George Santayana

(1906)

1. Based on the information in the passage, which of the following statements would the a u t h o r be least likely to agree with? (A) Art is a n inherently irrational process. (B) Even the most esoteric works of art have their origin in the h u m a n impulse to act on n a t u r e , changing it to conform to a n idea in the mind. (C) Any viable theory of aesthetics m u s t take into account man's relationship to nature. (D) The effects of h u m a n action on n a t u r e can b e either beneficial or harmful to h u m a n s . (E) All living things are subject to the process of natural selection.

ft

2. The word sanction as it is used in line 11 most nearly means (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

penalization autonomy opprobrium approval excuse

3. The phrase plastic impulses as it is used in line 11 most nearly m e a n s (A) drives possessed by all living things to subjugate and exploit other living things (B) irrational and futile h u m a n drives to dominate intractable nature (C) h u m a n desires to shape malleable nature (D) pathological urges to pervert the proper functioning of the natural order (E) natural urges in h u m a n beings to depict their physical environment with verisimilitude This passage u s e s a lot of quite advanced vocabulary (indelible, dominion, retroaction, ensuing) a s well as some very advanced vocabulary [efficacious, plastic, sanction, precipitate, vicissitudes). You should already be familiar with the first group of words, while you may not know the more advanced words. Not knowing any of these words would make it difficult to understand this passage. The word plastic is especially important, because it expresses one of the central concepts discussed by the author—the h u m a n ability to consciously shape nature. Advanced vocabulary is also used in the questions. It is not possible to answer the first question without knowing the meaning of inherently, esoteric, viable, and aesthetics. (The correct answer is A.) You can arrive at the answer to the second question if you know the meaning of sanction in the passage. (The answer is D.) The third question contains a lot of advanced vocabulary [futile, intractable, malleable, pathological, verisimilitude), so once again it is not possible to answer this question with confidence without knowing the meanings of these difficult words. If you don't know t h a t malleable m e a n s capable of being shaped, you will not be able to decide t h a t choice (C) makes the best sense. From our analysis, it is clear that vocabulary plays a critical part In answering GRE Verbal Reasoning questions. Many of the questions make extensive u s e of advanced vocabulary. Therefore, what it boils down to is that, to give yourself a good chance to correctly answer questions with a lot of advanced vocabulary, you should learn the words t h a t are most likely to appear in such questions.

7 •

INTRODUCTION: MASTERING ADVANCED VOCABULARY FOR THE GRE

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

LEARN FREQUENTLY T E S T E D GRE W O R D S Let's look at the advanced words t h a t appeared in a sample verbal section of the GRE published recently by the Educational Testing Service. As a college graduate (or soon to be college graduate), you should already be familiar with many of these words. However, there are some with which you are probably not familiar. Look through the list. How many of these advanced words do you know? You probably know some of them, while others look familiar b u t you are not s u r e what they mean. Soon, you will have a chance to take a test to tell you exactly what your vocabulary situation is for the GRE. Words t h a t appear in bold are words that have appeared with t h e most frequency on the GRE over the past 25 years.

ahistorical ambiguity ambivalence anomaly anticipates arcane assuage austere belies causality confounds contentious conventional credulity cynical demarcation disingenuously dismiss disparaged ebullient eclecticism

exculpate exigent extraneous fastidious garrulous guilelessly hubris hypothesis ideological impaired inalienable inclusive innovator irredeemable irresolute judicious laconic laudable meticulously multifaceted munificent

nuances obliquely oracular orthodoxy paradoxical partisan pedestrian pertinacious predisposition problematic proponents recapitulates repudiate resolutely skeptic solicitous taciturn tensile unorthodox

HOW ESSENTIAL WORDS WILL HELP YOU DO WELL ON T H E GRE Essential Words for the GRE teaches 800 advanced words that frequently appear on the GRE. Each word h a s been carefully selected through reference to published GRE lists and on the basis of my many years of experience in preparing students for the test. These 800 words also appear in Barron's GRE Master Word List and High-Frequency Word List. The principle behind this book is that the best way to learn new words for the GRE is to see how these words are used in complex sentences and practice on exercise material that is similar in content, structure, and level of difficulty to that which appears on the actual test. Practicing on such material will improve your skills in understanding complex sentences and arguments, and increase your familiarity with important ideas t h a t appear on the GRE. This book teaches the important words you need to know in units of ten words each, along with their parts of speech, most commonly used definitions on the GRE, and illustrative sentences showing how words are used. The content, style, and tone of the illustrative and exercise material are consistent with t h a t of material appearing on the actual GRE. Because sentences generally deal with subjects in the arts, sciences, and social sciences, and definitions of important terms are provided, you will build u p your general knowledge while you learn important advanced words. Comprehensive exercises at the end of each unit ensure t h a t you know the words and provide practice in their correct use. Many of the words taught in a given unit reappear in subsequent units, both in illustrative sentences and in exercises, providing systematic reinforcement of learning. Keep a good college dictionary handy a s you work through this book. This will allow you to explore additional meanings of words you learn and fine-tune your understanding of nuances in meaning between similar words. Two of the best college dictionaries are The American Heritage College Dictionary (4th Edition) and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Edition). If you prefer to u s e a n online dictionary, the excellent American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, (4th edition) is available online for free at Bartelby.com. MASTERING HIGH FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Turn to 300 Absolutely Essential GRE Words on page 20 a n d check to see if it contains the high frequency words in bold from the list above. Yes, these words, or one of their forms, are all o n the list of the 300 words that appear repeatedly on the GRE and t h u s can be learned specifically for the test. These 300 words, a s well a s a n additional 500 Important, frequently occurring GRE words, will be t a u g h t to you in Essential Words Jor the GRE. 8

Other t h a n learning the difficult words likely to appear on the GRE, how else can you improve your chances of doing well on the GRE Verbal Reasoning test? The answer is simple: learning important word roots. Essential Words for the GRE features extensive information on word roots, prefixes, and suffixes in the High Frequency Word Roots section. This section contains a list of the 300 most important Latin and Greek

9

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

roots and prefixes t h a t commonly appear in English words. It also gives you hundreds of derivative words a n d includes exercises to improve your ability to make u s e of roots in remembering words you have learned in this book and in deciphering t h e meaning of words you don't know. In addition to being useful for s t u d e n t s taking the GRE, a knowledge of word roots provides a great foundation for the student embarking on a career in fields s u c h a s law, science, a n d medicine that use many specialized terms based on Latin a n d Greek. GETTING STARTED So, what do you do now? First, take the Pretest on the following pages. This will tell you how many advanced words you already know. The Pretest contains sentence completion exercises a n d reading passages with vocabulary questions. If you don't do well on the Pretest, it would be a good idea to get hold of a good book t h a t teaches a comprehensive list of college-level words, s u c h a s Barron's Wordfestl, a n d review these words before starting Essential Words for the GRE. Philip Geer [email protected]

Pretest It's time to test your readiness for graduate-level reading. Don't worry. If you aren't famaiar with the GRE words tested below, you can be sure you will learn them in Essential Words for the GRE. In the questions below, choose the answer that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the capitalized word. 1. OBDURATE (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

stubborn flexible ambivalent insouciant implacable

2. CODA (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

preamble addendum denouement encomium panegyric

3. ESSAY (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

suggest attempt give u p leave remember

4. ROCOCO (A) (B) (C) (D)

ornate limpid ostentatious arabesque

(E) austere

you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: http://gre-download.fcilogspot.com 10

11

PRETEST

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

5. PREVARICATE (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

quibble rationalize stultify tell the t r u t h forestall

In the questions below, choose the answer that gives the pair of words whose relationship is most like the relationship expressed in the pair oj capitalized words. 6. METTLESOME : SOLDIER :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

wise : sage erudite : professor sardonic : lawyer officious : governor pedantic : teacher

7. ONOMATOPOEIA : SOUND :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

mnemonic : memory simile : comparison physiognomy : face p a r r o t : action enunciation : pronunciation

8. TRYST : LOVER :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

assignation : p a r a m o u r meeting : company rendezvous : friend party : child exam : student

9. SKEPTIC : DOUBT :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

12

plutocrat: invest s y c o p h a n t : fawn raconteur : laugh zealot: vituperate egotist: brag

10. FILIBUSTER : TACTIC :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

ruse : subterfuge riposte : strategy litigation : law gerrymandering : quibble hieroglyphic : writing

Choose the best word or set of words to fill in the blanks in each of the sentences below. 11. The statement "India h a s recently made great progress in poverty" should be seen in the context of India's vast population of one billion, of which 320 million remain in poverty. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

mitigating.. discordant palliating.. ephemeral parrying..doleful ameliorating..equivocal alleviating..abject

12. In his book Knowledge and Wisdom, the distinguished twentiethcentury philosopher Bertrand Russell said, "Although our age far surpasses all previous ages in knowledge, there h a s been no increase in wisdom." (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

correlative articulate analogous prodigious imminent

13. Increased tariffs in the 1930s a collapse in world trade, the Great Depression. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

started.. augmenting incited..ridiculing instigated..forgiving caused..ameliorating precipitated..exacerbating

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PRETEST ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

14. The main impetus behind America's development of the hydrogen bomb was Edward Teller, a Hungarian refugee who had fled Nazism and who the system that was in place in the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc countries. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

disparaged..innocuous loathed..totalitarian nurtured.. authoritarian castigated..benevolent maligned..meritorious

15. Physicists now believe t h a t w h a t h a d been considered the most basic constituents of t h e universe are in t u r n comprised of even more fundamental units, called quarks— given m a t by a physicist familiar with J a m e s Joyce's novel, Finnegan's Wake. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

jocularly..epitome flamboyantly.. alias flippantly..epigram whimsically.. appellation pedantically.. anomaly

16. The English expert regards concern about slight redundancies as and senseless . (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

pedantic.quibbling cryptic, .aggrandizing sophistical, .elucidating sophomoric.tempering sordid..abrogation

18. In the final stage in the impeachment process of a n American president, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the Senate, which sits as a body to a jury to decide whether to convict the president. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

idealistic malevolent prurient concomitant analogous

19. The geological theory of uniformitarianism is the antithesis of the geological theory of catastrophism; it asserts that it is that natural law a n d processes do not fundamentally change, and t h a t what we observe now is essentially the same a s what occurred in the past. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

benevolent ludicrous relevant blatant axiomatic

20. It is interesting to and the (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

the bromide,* "Haste makes waste" , "Better safe than sorry."

coalesce..axiom obfuscate..sobriquet circumvent, .maxim juxtapose..platitude consolidate..aphorism

17. According to the view of the nineteenth-century apologist for capitalism, w a s a n unfortunate b u t unavoidable of both capitalism a n d of t h e n a t u r a l order of the world. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

abnegation..ramification subjugation, .precept indigence..concomitant privation..grandiloquence penury, .transgression

*A bromide Is a commonplace remark or Idea. IS

ESSENTIAL W O R D S FOR THE GRE

Read the following passage carefully. Then answer the questions that follow. The term "the arts," when used to classify a group of academic disciplines at schools and universities, subsumes the study of languages, history, and literature, while universities use the term "fine arts" to refer to painting and sculp(5) ture as an object of study. Elsewhere the term "the arts" includes painting and sculpture (usually grouped together as "the plastic arts"), music and literature, and is often extended to embrace dance, mime, and cinema; the word "artist" being used to refer to a practitioner of any of these. (10) Art is commonly opposed to science (as "subjective," where science is "objective") and its sense is distinguished from etymologically related words such as "artifact," "artificial," and "artisan." 21. The word "subsumes" as it is used in line 2 most nearly means (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

assumes to be true makes inferior to undermines includes in a less comprehensive category incorporates in a more comprehensive category

22. The word "plastic" as it is used in line 7 most nearly means (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

artificial superficial malleable related to performance whimsical

23. The word "etymologically" as it is used in line 12 most nearly means (A) related to insects (B) related to the study of the relationship between art and language (C) related to the study of the connotations of words (D) concerned with the dichotomy between art and science (E) related to the origin of words

PRETEST

24. Based on the information in lines 10-13 ("Art... artisan"), which statement would the author be most likely to agree with? (A) Two words can be related etymologically but have different meanings. (B) The word "art" has only an accidental and tangential similarity to the words "artifact," "artificial," and "artisan," since it originated from a different word. (C) Artifacts can only be studied subjectively. (D) "Artisan" is an older word than the modern word "artist." (E) The words "artifact," "artificial," and "artisan" are not cognate. Read the following passage carefully. Then answer the questions that follow. You may have heard the cynic's version of the golden rule, namely, he who has the gold makes the rules. That is the thrust of this treatise on power by 75-year-old Noam Chomsky, a professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts (5) Institute of Technology (MIT). He has written more than 30 books on linguistics and current affairs, including the bestselling Language and Politics (1990), Manufacturing Consent (1994), and 911 (2001). Once called "arguably the most important intellectual alive" by The New York Times, this (W) very politically incorrect academic has taught at MIT since 1955, immediately after graduating with a Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently one of MITs institute professors, which means he can teach in any department of the university. But, as he notes wryly in (15) this book, "If I even get near political science, you can feel the bad vibes starting." The book is an edited collection of his lectures and tutorials from 1989 to 1999. Published as a book for the first time, his talks offer high-definition snapshots of the ills (20) of the twentieth century, even as he slices through history to serve up unpalatable truths—like how America's founding fathers actually loathed the idea of democracy, why the United States hires rogue states to fight its wars, and why nation-states are the wrong political model for a post(25) modern world.

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ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

PRETEST

He reserves one of his biggest knives for t h e media, which he takes methodical stabs a t for being dictated by the desires of the elite. With the same vigor, t h e gleeful icono,o™ c l a s t * e U s his students why there is not only no such thing (30) as afreelunch, but also no such thing as a free market. As he puts it: "Of course, the 'free market" ideology is very n ? T K ^ S a W e a p o n a « a t a 8 t the general population (in the u.o.j oecause it's an argument against social spending, agalnst as «m ILlf^* 1 "t11 P°°r PT^o eu abr °ad. because we 0 fbKm and 2 ^ 1 .*£ **• * * • have to follow these rules, then j u s t go ahead and rob.them." and w f ^ T 8 * ! W O T l d ' S c u r r e n t economic star. China, S to Ht?° P c^f b m t a 1 ' " ^ s o * * • no profit in cozying d

theaues«o„' -H J ' ° n t t h m k w e s h o u l d b e askmg W WC ta, rove relations should S ^ ° P "tth China?' We n ther qUCStlons tion^ao^e^ ft° ^ ^ ^ kind of relat o h a v e mth

Th T! * China?'" f45j ton U ^ v S s ^ ^ T ^ * * m ^ b o o k l s that o f * " * * m a n X S J S S H " ^ Ftatatoteta. a bright young historC j S T ^ ^ f T S U l ? d e b y " P 0 - 0 * ^-selling said 5 2 £ S S ^ 5 2 d b o o k ^ V™ '-memorial lem was that her w o ^ L ^ ^ a c h a r l a t an. The probim ica's flnesTtaSZSi^ ^ t r a c e d by most of Amer1 1 1 0 1 1 1 mstoria^ ^ b ^ t t " ^ wrtter Saul BeUow « * wasalcmtocall^Se^fr^'ar **' ^ ^ e m ' s expose of this K S S t i i S ^ 0 ? l u e s t l o n - a n d - a n s w e r format «• between ChomX^d H ^ ° f ^tellectual repartee breaks the S ^ ^ . ^ ^ ^ » « l i n p o r L ^ . "^^thon soliloquy^ 5 *L,Would otherwise be his fuch a r a g b a g S e S X t T ? * 8 ^ I n d e e d » h i s m i n d i s ? • • * ^ ^ n O W a t a f ? I S . n 0 t a b o v e Pondering such

b«y. u^rtXchl^ C e i t a i n *** < Mentioned 1 ^ ^ 2 , 2 ? . " T ? «

n 0 to t fe

efound

«uod *h 6 • « , ! ! j * t e him, there are n o t many thinkers matt..

to be committed to one overriding goal: To make sure that the rich folk are happy—because unless they are, nobody else is going to get anything. "So, if you're a homeless person sleeping in the streets of (75) Manhattan, let's say, your first concern m u s t be that t h e guys in the mansions are happy—because if they're happy, then they'll invest, and the economy will work, and things will function, and then maybe something will trickle down to you somewhere along the line. But if they're not happy, (80) everything's going to grind to a halt...basically, that's a metaphor for the whole society." 25. The word "linguistics" as it is used in line 4 most nearly means (A) rhetoric (B) the study of language (C) political science (D) alchemy (E) aesthetics 26. The word "unpalatable" a s it is used in line 21 most nearly means (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

arcane shocking insipid unpleasant jejune

27. The phrase "rogue states" a s it is used in line 2 3 most nearly means (A) American states that seceded from the United States in the nineteenth century (B) states with purely mercenary motives (C) states with a high proportion of rogues in their population (D) nation-states that don't adhere to rules agreed to a n d followed by most modern nation-states (E) nation-states founded on egalitarian principles 28. The word "iconoclast" a s it is used in lines 28-29 most nearly means (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

a conformist a person who attacks views held sacrosanct by most people a misanthrope a person with orthodox views a cynic 19

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

29. The word "soliloquy" a s it is used in line 57 most nearly means (A) inanity (B) stupidity (C) criticism (D) harangue (E) Uterary or dramatic speech by one character 30. The word "apathy" as it is used in line 68 most nearly means (A) disease (B) corruption ! S f b s e n c e o f a consensus UJJ lack of concern (E) demagoguery

End of Pretest

ao

PRETEST ANSWERS 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. E 5. D 6. B 7. D 8. A 9. B 10. E

11. E 12. A 13. E 14. B 15. D 16. A 17. C 18. E 19. E 20. D

21. E 22. C 23. E 24. A 25. B 26. D 27. D 28. B 29. E 30. D

YOUR PRETEST SCORE 1-5

CORRECT ANSWERS: VERY POOR

6-9

CORRECT ANSWERS: POOR

10-14

CORRECT ANSWERS: BELOW AVERAGE

15-18

CORRECT ANSWERS: AVERAGE

19-23

CORRECT ANSWERS: GOOD

24-27

CORRECT ANSWERS: VERY GOOD

28-30

CORRECT ANSWERS: EXCELLENT

••• 300 ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL GRE WORDS

300 Absolutely Essential GRE Words aberrant abeyance abscond abstemious admonish aesthetic aggregate alacrity amalgamate ambiguous ambivalence ameliorate anachronism analogous anomalous antipathy apprise approbation appropriate artless ascetic assiduous assuage attenuate audacious austere autonomous aver banal belie beneficent bombastic boorish burgeon burnish buttress cacophonous

inert ingenuous inherent innocuous insensible insinuate insipid insularity capricious discrete intractable castigation disingenuous intransigence catalyst disinterested inundate causality disjointed inured chicanery dismiss invective coagulate disparage irascible coda disparate irresolute commensurate dissemble laconic compendium disseminate lassitude complaisant dissolution laud conciliatory dissonance lethargic confound distend levee connoisseur distill levity contention doctrinaire log contentious dogmatic loquacious conundrum dupe lucid conventional ebullient magnanimity convoluted eclectic malingerer craven efficacy malleable decorum effrontery maverick deference elegy mendacious delineate elicit metamorphosis denigrate embellish meticulous derivative empirical misanthrope desiccate emulate mitigate desultory endemic mollify diatribe enervate morose dichotomy engender mundane diffidence ephemeral negate diffuse equanimity neophyte digression equivocate obdurate dirge erudite obsequious disabuse esoteric obviate discerning eulogy occlude discordant euphemism officious discredit exacerbate onerous discrepancy exculpate opprobrium you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revi:;ed GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: exigency extraneous facetious facilitate fallacious fatuous fawning felicitous flag fledgling flout foment forestall frugality gainsay garrulous goad gouge grandiloquent gregarious guileless gullible harangue homogeneous hyperbole iconoclastic idolatry immutable impair impassive impede impermeable imperturbable impervious implacable implicit implode inadvertently inchoate incongruity inconsequential incorporate indeterminate indigence indolent

http://gre-downldad blogspot.com

oscillate ostentatious paragon partisan pathological paucity pedantic penchant penury perennial perfidious perfunctory permeable pervasive phlegmatic Piety placate plasticity platitude plethora plummet pragmatic precarious precipitate precursor presumptuous prevaricate pristine probity problematic prodigal proliferate propensity propitiate propriety proscribe pungent qualified quibble quiescent rarefied recalcitrant recant recondite refractory 23

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

refute relegate reproach reprobate repudiate rescind resolution reticent reverent sage salubrious sanction satiate saturate secrete shard skeptic solicitous

soporific specious spectrum sporadic stigma stint stipulate stolid striated strut subpoena substantiate supersede supposition tacit tangential tenuous tirade

torpor tortuous tractable transgression truculence vacillate venerate veracious verbose viable viscous vituperative volatile warranted wary welter whimsical zealot

800 High-Frequency GRE Words UNIT 1 abate v. to decrease; reduce NASA announced that it would delay the launch of the manned spacecraft until the radiation from the solar flares abated. abdicate v. to give u p a position, right, or power Romulus Augustus, the last Western Roman emperor, was forced to abdicate the throne in 476 A.D., and the Germanic chieftain Odovacar became the de facto ruler of Italy. The appeals judge has abdicated his responsibility to review the findings of the high court. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences de facto: in fact, whether by right or not; exercising power without being legally established (Latin: from the fact)

aberrant adj. deviating from what is normal When a person's behavior becomes aberrant, his or her peers become concerned that the individual is becoming a deviant.

may

Aberration is a n o u n meaning something different from the usual or normal. For centuries, solar eclipses were regarded as serious aberrations in the natural order. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences deviant: a person whose behavior differs from the accepted standards of society

24

you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: http://gre-down|)ad. blogspot.com 25

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

abeyance n. temporary suppression or suspension 1 6

mUSt

tuM his or her

th^fn'T- ^ the facts m a case have been

Judgment presented.

in abeyance

a b s t i n e n c e n. the giving u p of certain pleasures The monk's vow of abstinence includes all intoxicating substances.

until all

abject adj. miserable; pitiful REVIEW 1

Gr vover^, tfM3eCk'S nouelThe * p e s of Wrath portrays the abject Poverty of many people during the Great Depression.

Matching Match each word with its definition:

abjure v. to reject; abandon formally known a^tTn

V*

****»»

oamraljuHn^20beCOme

S o c

^ of Friends

* U'& Citizen-

UP ^ZlfZ^VntTlTs: other p a r t o f a p t a T ' ° f C U t U n g ; *

he or sh

e

* ™*t take an

C Untry

°

(commonly

^ ***

t0

^

natural separation of a leaf or

l

W * S f c i ™ * l ? ° ? " " " T h o m a s G - Wl^ham. have response to h e ^ v o ^ ^ a / a t e c f e s t o n „ „ „ a d a p U v e plant

•— ^

« * Social Sciences P r o

t t o n put

forward

as a starting pointforS t S l S ^ ^ ^ adaptive: relating to H by which a s p e c i f taprovts it",' ^ ^ t e r a t i o n * structure or habits environment " " P " " * * its condition in relationship to its

ab

« C O n d V. t o dfnar*

LO aepart secretlv A warrant is out fnr th„

abate abdicate aberrant abeyance abject abjure abscission abscond abstemious abstinence

a. b. c. d. e. f.

to abandon formally temporary suppression to give u p a position or power giving u p of certain pleasures to depart secretly miserable; pitiful to decrease gh. moderate in appetite i. the act of cutting j - deviating from what is normal

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

The verb abscise means to cu, off or away.

Terms from t h e Av+o e \ hypothesis: form a JTT ^ ^

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

abate abjured

abdicated absconded

aberrations abscission

abeyance abstemious

abject abstinence

1. The 90-year-old monarch the throne to allow his son to become king. 2. Psychotherapy relies on psychological rather t h a n physiological approaches to curing mental . 3. Implementation of the new plan h a s been held in pending an investigation of its effectiveness to date. 4. Ms. Johnson's lifestyle helped her to a m a s s a fortune. 5. The crew of the vessel waited for the storm to before going on deck to make repairs. 6. The alcoholic's physician recommended total from liquor for her patient. 7. The documentary filmmaker was accused of using misleading footage to make it appear that nearly everyone in the country lived in conditions. 8. The judge said he would reduce the convicted woman's sentence if she all association with those convicted of treason.

27

wm^mi^^^^^— ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

9. The senior surgeon performed the difficult . 10. The audit of the bank's financial records led investigators to suspect that someone had with $100,000. Sense or Nonsense h

e

11 SentCnCe makCS

^Hut f sS1(SENSE) ^ S n fif itfHdoes,

L

'S^^SSH^

I

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences geophysicist: one who specializes in the physics of the earth and its environment

d SenSe o r not

g°° - not. and put N (NONSENSE) if it does

Pati6ntS

^

abatC bef re

' ^

ocean is continually generated by igneous processes at the crests of the mid-oceanic ridges, causing a steady accretion of the crust.

° «***

igneous: in geology, relating to the formation of rocks by solidification from a molten state. The word igneous is from Latin ignis (fire).

2

ity S PlanS f r ' u ^ tuhTe t W ° « * » « * « » have been p u t in abeyance e c ?o n o 'm q ^, l c outlook is more favorable. _ _ u

' ^ S e ^ s f m S 4

8

™

CaUSCd hCr t 0

^

' o ^ h i r n a s t s t T ^ T d tbBt h e formally o i m s past statements on the issue

acce

Put °n

ten

P°unds

P t e d ^ d abjured all

S d i i a u S ^ rre s^ nt hs ie 1 m 1 e m b e r S ° f * * ^ * a t they would be the c a s T ^ P ° b i l i t i e s if they did not reach a verdict in

accrue v. to accumulate; grow by additions Regulating the growth of large companies when they begin to become monopolistic is a difficult task for government in a capitalist county; if it limits monopolies too much, the nation's firms could become less competitive than foreign companies that enjoy the advantages accruing from greater monopolies.

UNIT 2 abysmal adj. very bad

fr market system ied ^Srs^issr r *«* *« ^hileZt ^ T Zl^tt ?? ° ° y ° ^ <*»** ^ "' 9

P

e d eC n m

pe ec

t0

than W e s t e r ^ ^ p S m

J*w m l S ^ L ? " ^

SCtCnCCS

of goods and s e r v S ™ e i S l f

1

*"

^

to

SSfa s h i s t o

'

' " *

8 o e W

** r

^ *"

d

c

" ^

e

8ctene«

d e m a n d

Planned ^ ° <*tion, - S ^ S n ^ S ^ S ^ ? ta W h i c h d g e t h e r termforp l ^ ^ ^ ta nomyis command

" " d supply r

e

d

* *"*** ^ * e Production, altoplanned in advance. economy."

SyStCm SS^^^^SSS^ * W h * h a country's ntr Ued b the government ° y Pnvate owners rather t h a n

accreti<

« n. g r o w t h ^ Z T ~ In the 1960s the A m i ! ^

28

ta

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences monopolistic: having exclusive control over a commercial activity.

" ^ ^ t nic/l t h e

"

new crust in the

adamant adj. uncompromising; unyielding Despite widespread opposition to his plan, the political party's leader is adamant that the party must move to the center to appeal to moderate voters. adjunct n. something added, attached, or joined Speed walking, cross-country running, and marathons are normally regarded as adjuncts of track and field athletics since races in these sports are not normally held on a track. admonish v. to caution or reprimand The judge admonished the jury to discount testimony that had been ruled inadmissible. adulterate v. to corrupt or make impure The unscrupulous company sells an adulterated version of the drug, and doesn't inform consumers that they are getting a less efficacious drug than they think they are getting. 29

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

aesthetic adj. relating to beauty or art ^mbers

of the English aesthetic °fthe

b e u J ^ T ^

d CMne

movement, such as Oscar Wilde,

°Jart-f°r

°

not be

^ZTc^&S*" be'au'uM. 18 ^

*n O U n

art s

t h a t m e a n S a conce

'

sake

-

eJhlfor

™

which is the

«* ^se «~

P « o n of what is artistically

p S o i S d e ^ w n C ^ K ° n ° f W h a t i S b e a u t i f u l : " is also a branch of pmiosophy dealing with beauty and art, and standards in judging them.

I

Z

Gothic^

^

T

l

^

Z

^

*****

SCienCeS

* ' ^

die t : £ £ £ s ^ ^ spaces, and light In Htl ! that was p o p S ' i ^ t ^ C Gothic n o ^ w ^ ^ T _ J ^ ^ ^ r e o f

« * " *iS

* ^

' * » d • — Sciences

v e i y popuiar in the iate Mid

-

features a s pointed arches, soaring * * t e r m r e f e r s t 0 a genre of fiction * ^ e a r 1 ^ " ™ t e e n t h centuries. ^ o o m < mystery, and horror.

^fected adj. pretentious, phony It hnc h„„

J

.

teads to ^ a Z r a T a ^ ^ ^

^ ^

d

n

e

S

S

:

1

^

g

:

S

^PloywrS^uZZe^cT/t' SUlVeS

'

^

t

l ^ ^

^

e

o n

socaUed

K

"proper English'

C

^ ^ ^ f o r the ancient

other ^ ^ d m ^ e r s ^ f K T ! ^ ^

"**

REVIEW 2 Matching

13. 42

n

abysmal accretion accrue adamant

"

^

adjunct admonish adulterate aesthetic affected affinity

e. to corrupt or make i f. increase in amount g- pretentious h. fondness i. uncompromising J- to caution

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

dominated Srom^avn^LT^u^ European art and architecture Jrom approximately the twelfth to the fifteenth century.

regarded ^

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

abysmal admonished

accretion adulterated

accrued aesthetic

adamant affected

adjunct affinity

1. The film is marred by the actor's English accent. 2. In Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights the characters Heathcliff and Catherine feel such a n for each other that they almost literally cannot live without each other. 3. Over the years the university's computer system h a s grown so much by that no one person h a s a complete understanding of it. 4. The committee on education reform recommended that the school introduce more a r t courses to develop students' awareness. 5. The poet the critic for failing to appreciate the subtle changes in his poem's meter. 6. Tom's savings account h a s $3,000 in interest over the last ten years. 7. The band's playing was so that they were booed off stage. 8. The English teacher is about one thing: students m u s t correct all the errors in written work that she returns to them. 9. Over the last 20 years or so consumers have increasingly demanded food that is not with additives. 10. Nearly half of the college courses in America are taught by professors. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

*' 8 ^ by additions - yerybad c - e l a t i n g to beauty or art ds °™ethingaddedy **

b

1. In many ways Aristotle's aesthetic dictums have never been surpassed. 2. Beth is so a d a m a n t about the plan that she is willing to give it u p at the first opportunity. 31

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS 3

CXPenSiVe r e s t a u r a n t ' French 2 w faccent £ ^ to ^ impress customers

w

e r e told to affect a

5 S t S i t U d C n t S 1 W e t 0 b C a d m o n i s h e d for their good work. 5. State law requires that whole milk be 100o/0 adulterated.

allay v. to lessen; ease; soothe Improvements in antivirus software have allayed many people's fears of having their computers "infected" with malicious software. alleviate v. to relieve; improve partially

UNIT 3

According to some commentators, one of the weaknesses of capitalism is that, although it is very efficient at increasing absolute wealth, it is not as successful at alleviating relative poverty; thus, a person living in a slum in America may be reasonably well off by historical standards, but he might perceive himself to be poor compared to members of the bourgeoisie, whom he sees regularly buying luxury goods that he is not able to afford.

aggrandize „. to make larger or greater or^ratcTofZZ™ ^ f ™ * * of the U.S. Constitution was that e w e ^ S L ^ Z r T " ^ ** to ^andize itself at the a ^ e g a t e adj. amounting to a whole; total P^ W

A

^TaZtssfs^T^ e

"

"

PnVate

- «** »

is also^a verb meaning to collect into a m a s s .

r e m e

^ ^

a

— — i n g collective m a s s or sum.

eagemess:speed

^isr* r*^

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences bourgeoisie: the social order dominated by the property-owning class. The term is associated with Marxism, the political and economic philosophy of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, but today it is often used disparagingly to suggest materialism and philistinism (an unenlightened and smug attitude toward culture). alloy n. a combination; a mixture of two or more metals Scientists formulate alloys to create properties that are not possessed by natural metals or other substances.

tQSk f

° SUu^S S J ^ ^ * ^ ™ **to««* « fte

into S d : a s e ^ m t ^ y m a S ^

1 0 8 0

^

based on chan

g * g metal

None of their / H e n l J , , T / t t c m o d e m s c i e ™ e of chemistry, ^caused tu,o peonT " T S i ^ ^ ^ * e mysterious alchemu Barbara to fall * tolJ ^ d^entfrom one another as Rob and

f ^ % : Modern s c i e n t i s t I r " * ^ ^

—

Sciences

^ ™ f y f r o m the word "alchemy."

allure n. the power to entice by charm Political groups in the United States often lobby Congress to use the allure of America's vast market as an incentive for countries to pursue policies in accordance with American policies. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences lobby: a group whose members share certain goals and work to bring about the passage, modification, or defeat of laws that affect these goals Allure is also a verb meaning to entice by charm. The adjective is alluring. The idea of a clockwork universe is very alluring to some people because it explains how the universe was created, yet allows human beings to live in it without believing in supernatural intervention.

32 33

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences

^^^^S?^^created

by God Accordtag

-

tog to the laws nT^ f e a t e d ' ^ universe continues to r u n accorde i g h t e ^ c e m uP ^ lOVS e i Py WE c° aP Ul lma or vtoe « " E ^ g h t e n m e n t , an use of r e L n ^ a ^ ° ™ e n t t h a t emphasized the ^ ^ « f f l m t a e j c c e p t e d beliefs and traditions. ^amate

, . to combine into a unified whole

• ^ W2SXSSST were amal9amated ™° - b i ^

o d , unclear or doubtful in meaning

9od o / ^ ^

BUddhlSt d

t t

^ t Z T

god is sometiJs

tSSu^SS^

^ AuotoWtesuoro. tke

^

Terms from the Av*«. O *

'

^ ^

^

JapCm

' "***

—"

SCiCnCCS MoHayana BuddHist: a ^ ^ T * ' " * ^ G maj r JJ regards the historical B „ H H T ° E d i t i o n s of Buddhism. nCaI B u d d h a Buddha. a s a manifestation of the celestial

REVIEW 3 Matching Match each word with its 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

aggrandize aggregate alacrity alchemy allay alleviate alloy allure amalgamate ambiguous

- cheerful willingness - a combination p e rtoenticeb

D

d S m r ,1

fe

1? T ^

unH

C:

ych^

^

-^er^:r

& punting i

aggrandize alleviate

aggregate alloys

alacrity allure

alchemy amalgamate

allay ambiguous

1 • The of France is great; millions of people around the world study its language and culture. 2. With the organic chemistry test coming up soon, Maria knew she had to start studying for it with . 3. The computer manufacturer donated 100 computers to the innercity school to the problem of children not having access to the Internet. 4. The corporation's CEO claimed that his purchase of a personal jet airplane was not meant to personally him. 5. By what remarkable artistic did the interior decorator transform the drab living room into a room of vibrant color and light? 6. J o h n ' s role in the affair is ; it is not clear whether he took an active part in it or was merely an advisor. 7. The final plan is an of the ideas of everyone in the class. 8. Modern have helped make cars lighter and more resistant to corrosion. 9. To the public's fears that his health was failing, the prime minister played tennis every day and invited reporters to be present. 10. Now separate entities, the 12 colleges will to create a single university. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

definition: a

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

a u°n- i greater fiedwhoie

to a

whole

tapr Ve

°

P^rtiaUy

1. The allure of gold is so great that hardly anyone is buying it. 2. The governor is concerned that one agency of government is aggrandizing itself at the expense of other agencies. 3. The judge instructed the witness to make an ambiguous statement so that everyone could be clear about what she meant. 4. The alacrity of J o h n Milton's Paradise Lost makes it one of the great epic poems in English. 5. The charity was set u p to alleviate the suffering of the poor.

34 35

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 4

ambivalence n. the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes. John felt some ambivalence about getting married before finishing college. The adjective is ambivalent In public opinion surveys in the United States, scientists rank second only to physicians in public esteem, yet much of the public Z ^ ^ r 3 * ambi«olent about some of the implications for society QJ Big Science'and its related technology. ambrosia n. something delicious; the food of the gods pun^am^^°n

°fJklvors *" t h e Moroccan baked eggplant was

The adjective Is ambrosial "a^^^X^^

^

che

r

re

H° P P°*"" "*"* >* called an

" " T ^ ^ W M a - a n d ^ e f e ^ ^ ^ the delicious and ! 8 S 2 £ 5 ! ! 0i rSe *e k * • * S * w ***** Immortality. Jf^??* « * M . m « i » a sweet liquid •fc W ar. deKcloiis drink. •meliorate v. to improve ***.

"SaZnon^Tu^^H^

"izatton programs.

war

P Gad

f '

fa c o

°

" ^ t o n in a few

™™}s to the public and initiating immu-

ouuea •"£?•„ "* agreeaWe: °"*«*« suited •"«? young torfler is a m m KI

^ e sb/fetowtett rm^resl^99eStk,mfor

*«»«*» ^ r

d^oped ^untries^aTtliT^ *"* ^^ory by people in few generations ago. ^ 1ndoor Panting, u>ere Larries only a

amulet n. ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits The early Christian Church forbade the use of amulets, which had become common in the Roman Empire at the time the Christian Church began to develop. anachronism n. something out of the proper time Some experts regard the retirement age of 65 as an anachronism at a time when people in the developed world have much longer life expectancies than previously. analgesic n. medication that reduces or eliminates pain Aspirin (the trademark of the drug acetylsalicylic acid) is a powerful analgesic that was introduced in 1899 and is still one of the most effective medicines available to alleviate pain, fever, and inflammation. analogous adj. comparable The psychology researcher's experiment postulates that the brain is analogous to a digital computer. Analogy is a noun meaning a similarity In some ways between things that are otherwise dissimilar. The idea of evolution in nature is sometimes misconstrued and applied by analogy to other areas in which there is scant evidence for its existence; a notable example of this is Social Darwinism, in which it is argued that society is like nature, and thus people, like animals, are competing for survival, with those who are genetically superior at surviving and reproducing. Analog is a noun meaning something that is comparable to something else. Some commentators have posited the existence of an analog to the Protestant work ethic in Chinese culture, which they call the "Confucian work ethic," to explain the economic success of some countries with large Chinese populations. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Social Darwinism: a theory in sociology that individuals or groups achieve advantage over others as the result of genetic or biological superiority Protestant work ethic, a view of life that encourages hard work and a rational view of the wor|d as a way to achieve material success Confucian: a system '^0^0^00^^$&.teachings.of the ancient Chinese sage C a a f i i c l ^ # l J p ^ " f t - 3 ^ ' * > f c | e «* &*»% i^elattanships. 37

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

.

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

anarchy n. absence of government; state of disorder « « ! ^ * m e r i £ m P^sopter Robert Nozick does not advocate eparchy; rather, he argues for the merits of a minimal state that would not violate the natural rights of individuals.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. ambivalent amulet

The adjective anarchic means lacking order or control. a i ^ t ? n f , f m i , t h 0 l q 9 y speculated that Dionysos was createdm a projection of the pleasure-loving, anarchic aspect of human natw*.-

—. S2SS5? ^

'

i

6. -

are oppressive and shmSi K t ? e , t h e o r y that all forms of government.' this theory orZ a £ ^ K a b o l l s hed. It also means the advocacy * P bl1ng about MostZT, "arefatam. ^ tf£SS£^ * " * * * • * — - f c t a . to be a tenable

7. 8.

REVIEW 4 Matching Match each word with its 1. ambivalence 2. ambrosia 3. ameliorate 4. amenable 5. amenity 6. amulet anacbj-onfcina 8. 9. 10. anarchy

9. 10. definition: a- agreeable; cooperative b. medication that reduces pain ^ e « t a t e of having conflicting emotional attitudes d absenc ' e of government ^ ^ a s a c h a r . a g a . s t g . t ^ S ^ ^ ^ P - P e r t i m e h

- eomparable J- something delicious -" Sdmeth^thattn«aeaSescomfort

amenable analogy

amenities anarchy

1. Many people have an attitude to war: it causes great suffering, yet appears at times to be the only solution to a serious problem. 2. During the revolution the country began to slip toward

r»™ ^™ *"?*<** *#**«**<*•. and Social Sciences 1 1 1 8 to o f Z e S ^ ^ s S f g^ ^ ^ a n s . ^ n y s o s was the so^f g0d w l n T ^ T e ^ S ^ a 2 T ** ^ ° f «W*Jlture. fertility^ reg3rded as a D i o n y S T S ? }Z P * 4 ™ o f the arts. *\ 1 3 1 1 6 1 1 1 0 4 1 0 1 rites c ^ J S S i ^ ? ^ ^ that held secret 1

M orgies offrenzledrevehy dranteir

ambrosia ameliorate anachronism analgesic

The soldier attributed his survival through three battles to an he had found in Borneo. After fasting for 24 hours, Wayne said that his first bite of steak tasted like . "I'm afraid all I can do for your headache is prescribe an to relieve the pain," the doctor told her patient. The governor drew an between a family and society, pointing out that both need a leader if they are to function smoothly. The antithesis of the principle of art for art's sake is social realism, which feels a heavy responsibility to identify, and even , social ills. The history professor is to student suggestions for the topic of the term paper. The editor discovered an in the script; set in 1944, it contained a reference to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima In 1945. Many modern tourists like to have all the of home when they travel.

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Amulets have been used for centuries to generate electric pxjwer. 2. The economist drew an analogy between a family spending beyond its means and a government running a deficit. 3. Although the government program was intended to help the poor, in reality it has only ameliorated their situation. 4. John is ambivalent about whether to apply to graduate school or look for a job after receiving his degree. 5. A group of anarchists called for the overthrow of the government. 39

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNITS

antipathy n. dislike; hostility Heathcliff, the protagonist of Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights, feels great antipathy for Edgar Linton, the man who marries the woman he loves.

anodyne n. something that calms or soothes pain ^Jorne people use alcohol as an anodyne to numb their emotional Anodyne is an adjective that means relaxing, or capable of soothing

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences protagonist: the main character in a work of literature

o ^ tc o t f o ^ ! f 0 n f ^ e r fe remar^ anodyne; all he does is mouth outh comforting, politically correct platitudes, saying nothing of substance' anomalous adj. irregular; deviating

from

apathy n. indifference Apathy was high in the election because there was no major controversy or issue to arouse voter interest

the norm

^SS^S^T^thS ~ ~ " ~ ^havior of the salaytngjtwas merely a short-term effect of the stress of battle. ine noun is anomaly.

The adjective is apathetic. One criticism of the welfare state is that it makes people overly reliant on government, with the result that democracy is gradually weakened as citizens take a more apathetic and detached view of politics.

^ ^ j o Z ^ ^ ^ t ^ ^antty-s ability to clone is much more rneat 2 ^thetfal scenario: a pig that produces span wouUtec^ullJry P* c ™ be cloned, but the pig's life

M l t e

^ 4 ^ n

g

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences welfare state: the provision of welfare services by the state (that is, the government)

that comes before

e . J * ** ^ ^ Q / p r S ^ 1aVT°fed ™Phasis on the individtrtbuted to make t t e ^ ^ ' T * "V** of the bourgeoisie, conh had te JfJwn movement within X ^ ' ^^cedents in the CathoUc Church t^^P^norner^^^T - **> « rnuch " ^ He original churchT Powerful churches that grew to

.; JI5e^-#»mie~ite~&IZ—" B&nmaton, a s j x t e e o f t ^ • * • • • • • . « , *

apex n. the highest point In English literature, classicism reached its apex in the poetry of Alexander Pope and the other Augustans. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences classicism: an aesthetic tradition that values simplicity, elegance, restraint, and order Augustans: a period of English literature from around 1700 to 1789. Satire was a feature of the writing of many authors of this period. Two notable authors of the Augustan Age were Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift.

• Soclal

Mmiom

""Sir "*••a*** f

apogee n. the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point The Ottoman Empire reached its apogee in the seventeenth century, when it controlled a territory running from Budapest to NorthAfrkXL 41

.-'•„

»•.*'•

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Ottoman Empire: a n empire that arose in Anatolia (which corresponds to the Asian portion of modern Turkey) in t h e fourteenth century, destroying the Byzantine Empire. By t h e early sixteenth century it controlled much of Persia, Arabia, Hungary, t h e Balkans, Syria, and Egypt. 1 egm H 5>Ti??H Lu t e r S 6 , ***** s^Z spelled apophthegm)

(Pronounced AP-uh-them and also

Br/«S; f t J l e . b e s f- f c r i 0 ^ Political apothegms was written by the ACtOTV Power tends to c w w corrupts e ^ T absolutely." 'ft " °™Pt ™* obscbite power

2.

3.

4. 5. 6.

appease v. to calm; pacify; placate Cmci2ed B m s h Ch^Z^TZ ^ **"* Minister Neville Chamberlamfor trymg to appease Adolf Hitler in the 1930s.

REVIEWS

8.

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 34. 56.

anodyne anomalous antecedent antediluvian antipathy apathy

H J d. e< f

-

7. 89!0.

apex apogee apothegm appease

£ !" j-

9.

md

ference Prehistoric somethin g that comes before to pacify hosti lKy point in orbit most distant from body bein g orbited some t h i n g that soothes pain the Ugliest point ^gular terse, witty saying

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in t h . M anodyn apathT r e M m h l2

7.

SeT

0

"

8

~ « «pogee

, SCntence * ^ . antediluvian antipathy apoth«tfm« ' -

- - BeH S S ^ - ^ o - t , ™ e,r„ r t ^ w Jers< ^ ' one of the world's

10.

most advanced scientific and technological laboratories, which had its in the great laboratories created in the late nineteenth century by people like Thomas Edison. In "Strange Meeting," one of Wilfred Owen's poems about World War I, the speaker says that he h a s no for the foe he killed in battle. The students are trying to overcome public on the issue by setting u p exhibitions about it in shopping centers. The scientist asked the lab technician to check the results again. To angry voters the legislature approved a tax cut. The English teacher showed his class the classic film On the Beach, b u t many of the students had trouble appreciating it because of what one student called its " black and white film technology." The eighteenth-century British writer Samuel J o h n s o n is famous for his sage , such a s "If you are idle, be not solitary; if you are solitary, be not idle." The pastor's comforting words at the child's funeral were an for the grieving family. When the spacecraft reaches its in its orbit around Earth, another craft will be launched from it on a voyage to Mars. Many religions view h u m a n beings a s standing at the of creation.

Sense o r Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. The simple electric circuit consists of a battery and an anodyne. 2. Although the scientist's career a s a researcher had long since reached its apex, she continued to give valuable guidance to younger scientists. 3. The g u n is capable of firing deadly apothegms that can rip enemy soldiers apart. 4. The anomalous test results mean that the rocket is ready to launch. 5. Anthropologists believe that the tribe used animal sacrifice to appease t h e angry gods.

43

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 6 appellation ru name bones JwtkvT^J^ °fa p e r s o n wUh the appellation Ken1 6 Washi S ^ T h T f ^ °f »9ton * 1996 haTraled important questions about who the earliest people to populate America were.

apposite adj. strikingly appropriate and relevant dfctfoflarte

^ S ^ e r X ^ ^ ° ° s ond a thesaurus before findmg the perfectly apposite word he was looking for. apprise u. to inform teepfZ nal^n^^u01** Mues sinaer Dinah Washington eJure "Pprised of the racism black Americans had to

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Carbon-14 dating: determining the actual or relative age of an object, of a natural phenomenon, or of a series of events through the use of the isotope carbon-14, which occurs naturally ardor n. great emotion or passion The twentieth-century American poet Wallace Stevens said, "It is the unknown that excites the ardor of scholars, who, in the known alone, would shrivel up with boredom," arduous adj. extremely difficult; laborious The task of writing a research paper is arduous, but if it is broken down into logical steps it becomes less daunting.

approbation n. praise; approval * £ £ Z 2 Z £

%£«H°™

* "* ^hest

approbation an

REVIEW 6 Matching Match each word with its definition:

is pronounced uh-PROrfyree-itPree'ayt people^ a

The

adjective appropriate

g army a

PP«>Priated supplies from the houses of the local

Propos adj. relevant toa^*""**

«* «**«r

aeclaredthatthepurposeoflfeis

arabesque n orn t A Position ta w h i c h oanee ? e e g S ; f e J ^ g intertwined curves; a ballet m bj * e weight of the body g akeodeA * k while the other supports

archeology n ^-H S occu S ^d

44

th

appellation apposite apprise approbation appropriate apropos arabesque archeology ardor

10. arduous

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i.

relevant confiscate great emotion or passion ornate design name laborious strikingly appropriate and relevant praise the study of material evidence of past human life i. to inform

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

*,

dancer 8 1 6 V l d e n C e * * » *

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9-

h

—

life

^ S T * * * b e c a ^ e i S ^ Sfthe , 0 8 3 5 , 0 ° ° « e a r s ' but it is of millions of years agtT* ° Passes studied in this field

appellation apropos

apposite arabesque

apprised archeology

approbation ardor

appropriated arduous

1. Some people felt the remarks were out of place, but others thought they were perfectly . 2. The president ordered his chief of staff to keep him of any changes in the situation. 45

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

3. The English professor has started on the task of writing book-length commentaries on all 37 of William Shakespeare's plays. 4. During an economic "bubble" there is a great for speculative investing. ' —— provides anthropologists with important information about prehistoric cultures. 6. The city __ p r i v a t e l a n d t o b u i l d l o w . c o s t housing. e ls o n e ' — of the fundamental ballet poses. • former U.S Supreme Court Justice Byron White was given the Q ^T~T~Z Whizzer" when he played football in college. 9. The fashion book contains the perfect, image to g represent 100 famous designers 10. The young scientist is working 80 hours a week to gain the of her peers. Sense or Nonsense ^ t s l ^ S i f itaHh S e n t 6 n C e m a k e s S ° o d s e n s e or not. l ENSE) * * d o e s ' ^ Put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

^ ^XlslX^^teS^°ny ' Sste^nor^6800118

i

m modern

because nothln tatt

g

archaeology is whether God

« 5 ^ t f a ^ I ^ s ^ 5 t ^ S ^ l l o e i I M k w " U s w 9 collided s P ectacu '

l Jpo^SsupS£e "?T™* ^ ^ °f Mt EvereSt • jack."11^1"

has

a* opposite meaning from "Jim was hit by

UNTT7

capitalism has trained people to perceive human artifacts as commodities, and has alienated people from nature, their true humanity, and their creations. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Marxist: a follower of Marxism, the political and economic philosophy of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. In Marxism the concept of class struggle plays a central role in understanding society's inevitable development from bourgeois oppression under capitalism to a socialist and ultimately classless society. artless adj. guileless; natural The source of the meaning of artless as guileless is the poet John Dryden, who wrote of William Shakespeare in 1672: "Such artless beauty lies in Shakespeare's wit... ." ascetic n. one who practices self-denial Muslim ascetics consider the internal battle against human passions a greater jihad than the struggle against infidels. Ascetic is also an adjective meaning self-denying or austere. The writer's ascetic lifestyle helped her to concentrate on finishing her novel. The noun is asceticism. One tradition of asceticism derives from the belief that the body is fundamentally bad and must be subjugated to the soul. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences jihad: the religious duty of Muslims to defend their religion (Islam) by war or spiritual struggle against nonbelievers

« • * n. a specialized vocabulary used hv Wrtt Ya group ers of crime firH * asperity n. severity; harshness; irritability 6 < **s to create a n e S ^ S ^ °** °f
M- a n d

item made by human craft s t s contend « w

aspersion rx. slander; false rumor The Republic of Singapore is a young democracy, and its leaders often respond strongly to journalists and others who cast aspersions on their integrity. 47

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

assiduous adj. diligent; hard-working The assiduous people of Hong Kong live in a territory with one of tne highest per capita incomes in the world. assuage v. to make less severe OaNoucmber 2J, 1864, during the Civil War, President Abraham uncofrt wrote the following in a letter to Mrs. Bixby of Boston, who had ^ftvesons in battle: 'I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage m * ^ ^ qf|, OUr bereavement and leave you only the cherished bUed ^T2,IqL ^ tost and ** sotemn pride that must be yours * have late so cosuy a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom." astringent adj. harsh; severe a s ^ ^ n t " * ? himselfwh^ he shaves, so he uses an astringent aftershave to stop the bleeding. REVIEW7 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 8. 9. !0-

argot arrest artifact artless ascetic asperity aspersion assiduous assuage astringent

Fifl-ins

"**

c d. ef. gh. »• j.

^em made by h u m a n craft to make less severe to stop; seize hard-working harshness specialized vocabulary used by a group harsh; severe one who practices self-denial

arrest

*"•"' "pwte» t *• 2 2-

a. guileless; natural b. slander

£2£U

-*-

—•

~wmasy assuage astringent *»e young actor's brilliant ™,*__ ^S^T^^SSS^S^ —youngboy h o u r s of £«*Mertag that the t^SLtS^9 ™*™ rehearsal. ""^

--• • - ^ fUSwteaE^&Iii^ v,.

3. In his book Confessions, Saint Augustine tells of his sinful life before he was converted to Christianity and began to live an and virtuous life. 4. Mate, a popular beverage in South America, is similar to tea b u t is less and often contains more caffeine. 5. Some scholars have argued that the idea of romantic love is a n of culture, unique to the West, with its origin in the European tradition of courtly love; however, sociological research h a s shown that romantic love exists in most cultures. 6. The new drug is able to the development of cancerous cells. 7. China's leaders talked with a group of American congressional representatives to fears that China plans to threaten American military preeminence. 8. The study's conclusion is that more females attend college t h a n males because girls tend to apply themselves more to their studies t h a n boys. 9. Much of the from the field of information technology that previously was familiar only to experts in the field is now used in everyday conversation ("Internet Service Provider," for example). 10. The report in the newspaper cast on the candidate. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. The hungry people gratefully received the aspersions from the charity. 2. The crew of the submarine bid their families farewell before setting off on their long argot. « 3. The poet Walt Whitman quotes J o h n Burroughs's comment on the writer Henry David Thoreau: "He improves with age—in fact, it requires age to take off a little of his asperity, and fully ripen him." 4. "My comments on your book were merely astringent, not venomous," the critic said to the author. 5- The writer J a m e s Boswell is so famous for his assiduous recording of Samuel J o h n s o n ' s words that the word "Boswell" now refers to a person who admires another so greatly that he or she records their words and deeds.

**—<* * e i r attacks on 40

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 8

because it gives us a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives that helps us to survive.

asylum n. place of refuge or shelter The Stoic, accused of seeking asylum in the consolations ofphilos opny, rebutted this charge, saying that Stoicism is simply the most prudent and realistic philosophy to follow. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, a n d Social Sciences S b m i t t T ° i . S t o i c i s m < a Pantheistic philosophy emphasizing submission to divine will and freedom from emotion o r S n i s ^ »ft ™ ^ ' ^ r e a P P e a r a n c e of a characteristic in an e S r t s a t ^ e V e ^ g e n f & t i ° n S ° f a b s e n c e = Individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence *>me modern political theorists reject nationalism as a tribal atavism a t t e n u a t e v. to weaken 9rfatyanttetua^T'Pment another s£™n

all WS

even s ° *™^ that have been transmitted by one station and received by

audacious adj. bold; daring "De^r?ZTa\Z7s^r^nder forces in World War II.

EnVtn

avarice n. greed Successful investment bankers are sometimes accused of avarice; their defenders, however, say that they are simply very good at what they do and should be rewarded accordingly. aver v. to affirm; declare to be true Yogis aver that everyone has a guru, whether it be a person, God, or the experiences of the world, that helps him or her practice the yoga that is in accordance with his or her nature, and assists on the path toward enlightenment.

Rommel

""dacious

was know " « the surprise attacks on Allied

T e r m s from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences theory of evolution: the theory that living things originate from other similar organisms and that differences between types of organisms are due to modifications in successive generations. A central tenet of Darwinian evolution is that surviving individuals of a species vary in a way that enables them to live longer and reproduce, thus passing this advantage to future generations (Natural Selection).

austere adj. stern; unadorned Deism is an austere hchof+u Phy of the Age of Enlighten™ * reJlectS the Predominant philosoenment: a erned by rationality. universe symmetrical and gov-

T e r m s from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences yogis: a yogi is the Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language) name for a man who practices yoga. A woman who practices yoga is a yoginl guru: a personal spiritual teacher. The term is also used to refer to a trusted advisor or an authority. yoga: spiritual practices in the Hindu and Buddhist religions that are believed to help one to attain higher awareness and union with God

.—.

__________j_~'^"i J «asizea reason

°

autonomous adj. s e ^ ^ I ~ 7 T ~ & mde e Some biologists h„ 1 P ndent 50

y

avocation n. secondary occupation Dan became so proficient at his avocation—computer programming— that he is thinking of giving up his job as a teacher to do it full time.

n the

~

theory of evolution

"

avuncular adj. like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant Walter Cronkite, who was the anchorman of CBS News during much of the 1970s and 1980s, had an avuncular manner that made him one of America's most trusted personalities. 51

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

REVIEW 8 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

asylum atavism attenuate audacious austere autonomous avarice aver avocation avuncular

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. 1j.

stern; unadorned return of a trait after a period of absence greed secondary occupation bold; daring like an uncle self-governing; independent place of refuge to affirm to weaken

Fin-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence asylum .A . atavism atten autonomous a™,*!™ «*te audacious austere •vance avers avocation avuncular 1- It is important to have an , „

3

- SS5T —^i^^ESSS"-.-

: ..had

4. The t 5 IS P p u l a r - Many^ecSe^fr^ ° * " " students. PUrSUC a n tbttt i s v e i from t h * o o S S t o y different 6. The United States and RH*,, ,. l0ng hlstories of offerin 7

-

to^cCs If IT ^

- T n ^ a ^ e i l t T ^ l ° f P^cution. ** ^ b e S ^ ^ f ^ t a the world is an

9 io -

F ^ X S t t S z !<>• Aspirin has the power to a ~~

»• • " »
T

g

one,

- ^ - t e r is the * °af i d e a l l s m and spiritualism. fever.

" & E N SE) if it does not.

" « - * mg!^,**?*?.*****

2. Before giving testimony at a trial, each witness must solemnly aver that he or she is telling the truth. 3. Shortly after taking office in 1977, President Jimmy Carter fulfilled his campaign promise to pardon young men who had sought asylum in Canada because of their opposition to the war in Vietnam and to the military draft. 4. There is a strong tradition that physicians should practice medicine to ease human suffering rather than be motivated by avarice. 5. The singer's voice was so attenuated by the PA system that she could be heard even outside the stadium. UNIT 9 axiomatic adj. taken for granted In nineteenth-century geology, uniformitarianism was the antithesis p/catastrophism, asserting that it was axiomatic that natural law and processes do not fundamentally change, and that what we observe now is essentially the same as what occurred in the past. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences uniformitarianism: a geological theory popular in the nineteenth century. Uniformitarianism holds that geological processes have slowly shaped the Earth and continue to do so. catastrophisnv a theory that was a rival to uniformitarianism. It postulates an Earth formed in a series of unique, catastrophic events. bacchanalian adj. pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry. For some people New Year's Eve is an occasion for bacchanalian revelry. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Bacchus: known as Dlonysos to the ancient Greeks, Bacchus was the god of agriculture, fertility, and wine. He was worshipped by an emotional cult that held secret rites called Bacchanato-wild orgies of frenzied revelry, drunkenness, and debauchery. Bacchanalian is dertYedvfrom BacchaMMa. : v, ; -'

ofthe atavtenitathe 53

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

I banal adj. commonplace; trite «$ The writer has a gift for making even the most banal observation i seem important and original. .I banter n. playful conversation The governor engaged in some banter with reporters before getting to the serious business of the news conference. bard n. poet t ^ f e a t *?mIS °fEn9Ush literature have all been masters of the techniques of verse. bawdy adj. obscene anterbur T a a S ^ i S r ^ l CentertQin y0ne ^ is the story of a group of ' ^ n ^ t o l V Z ^ o™0™ with stories raZingfim me holytothe bawdy, on theirjourney to Canterbury Cathedral

beatify v. to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to ^

v

£

^

£

?

S

° s""«*yscuvthe appearance

h

™d next to last step on the path to

^Vu£tTT*VUl**' Sh^—ner century French ^ S T *"* bedizened

**•££ I'isS^isr r^

« a seuenteenth-

veiyiarge powerfui Amer

^

tou^rd increased prtoaa^^2** * t a business was rnment P^-flenemtfonJ, rwZb^^T ^ " s ^ i e s f*** as beUeved that rb3aijs induS "Wfemore&&ntZdn££Xl!l"** P ' oumedcompanies i n S S J S J S * * ^ ^ ^ QovernZtntb

** ft »« to contradict- ntfsren

.-*..*

MIM-HF

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

axiomatic bacchanalian banal banter bard bawdy beatify bedizen behemoth belie

a. b. c. d. e. f.

playful conversation give a false impression pertaining to riotous or drunken activity dress in a vulgar, showy manner obscene commonplace huge creature gh. taken for granted i. poet J- to bless; sanctify

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. axiomatic bawdy

bacchanalian beatification

banal bedizen

banter behemoths

bard belie

Wh

Beatification is the noun. s a ^ o ? a t i 0 n fe * • Second

REVIEW 9

1. The comedian dropped the jokes from his routine for his appearance on national television. 2. The Ted Hughes was appointed Britain's Poet Laureate in 1984. 3. Women in nonpolygamous societies often express amazement that several women could share one husband without friction, taking it as that couples are the norm, and that any departure from it must be wrong. 4. At first, college seemed to all the good things Steve had heard about it in high school; gradually, however, he came to like it. 5. First IBM, next Microsoft and then Google became the of the computer industry. 6. The TV show's producer tries to steer a middle path between making a typical program and being so original that much of the audience is lost. 7. The queen decided to herself with expensive jewelry for the ball. 8. In the Roman Catholic Church, the final stage in the path to sainthood is canonization, which occurs after . 9. The college's annual spring break party in Florida is a/an affair. 10. The world leaders enjoyed some friendly — before getting down to the serious business of the negotiations. 55

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Sense or Nonsense

I^fsl^Nsn "f f f

Sentence makes

1 b ( S E N S E ) rf xt d o e s

L

tapris^enr8 t a

-

. ^ d put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

beatifled

years

3

CVei erS n h a s CertaIn ' regarded r ^ S S ' by b vmost ^ f people T P as ° fundamental rights is axiomatic. C nW

?kB

«

Crew often

sentenced to ten

' ^heSs

^

e

j m y aad

^ ^

2

5' The Z t «

8 b

S°

bolster v. to give a boost to; prop up; support The president has visited the state several times to bolster sagging popularity there.

od sense or not

exchange banter during long

rCgUlarly h o l d

debated by s c h o l a ^ ^

bacchanaUan parties,

SCVeral a U t h

°rS

i s stl11

" ^

UNIT 10 beneficent adj. kindly; doing good The theoloqian d i s n i c c ^ «, qUeSflm omntootent God aaUouTb^H^ ° / u , h y a *««fk«* «"d UOU,S b a d t h l n o s to happen to 9 o o d people. bifurcate u. to divide into two parts

^ 5 ^ 1 ^ M/Urcate their discipline into m dem - ^ W s of study that werfnSJT ° Pastes; the former are the 611 tous breakthroughs ofthZlT*™ ^eloped before the momena s Albert Einstein, NUterJE™ U ^ t i e t h ^ntury by scientists such Wemer He rated the age of modern 7ys£? *™berg, which inauguBifurcation is the noun. Some people reqard th w ™>r*in accordance wUh^hfm^31"^* PM°"*hy on animals as tonal Western view sZe^Z^m?Ciemte **» than the tradi™°» and nature. * tf does not Posit a radical bifurcation of blandishment n. flattery ^spite

the salesperson

blanaishments **mne**s,

^ „ Donna did not buy

Blandish is the verh

m'me^tocoaXwithflattery. adj. bore,, because of freaue^ , Verb

««*

" ^ '"ode ft a rule neuer to o p ^ ^ f

to

"*^

« * o c * he seems

his

bombastic adj. pompous; using inflated language Nearly lost in the senator's long, bombastic speech were several sensible ideas. boorish adj. rude; insensitive Bob apologized for his boorish behavior at the party, saying he hadn't realized that it was such a formal occasion. bovine adj. cowlike Following the slow-moving group of students up the long path to the school's entrance, the word "bovine" popped into the English teacher's mind. brazen adj. bold; shameless The brazen student irritated his teacher by saying that he could learn more from a day spent "surfing" the World Wide Web than a day spent in school. broach v. to mention for the first time Steve's boss knew that she couldn't put off warning him about his poor performance and decided to broach the subject the next time she saw him. REVIEW 10 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

beneficent bifurcate blandishment blase bolster bombastic boorish bovine brazen broach

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

flattery cowlike kindly; doing good bold bored because of frequent indulgence mention for the first time give a boost to rude; insensitive divide into two parts pompous; using inflated language

N 57

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE

GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins riu-ins

4. The general visited the troops to bolster their morale before the crucial battle. 5. Jim is so blase about the upcoming GRE test that he is studying six hours a day for it.

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. b«meficeiice bombastic L

bifurcation booriah

blandishments bovine

blase brazen

bolsi*^ broach*. H V H W M

UNIT 11

H ? °SfCh r " 1 ^ * * l a c r o s s e t e a m not to become even though they had won a school record 20 matches the previous season.

a

m th^lSiL~~7irr American politics between a tradition * toSST ^ m t e r f e r e n < * in the affairs of other countries is CaI1StiC S t r e a k t b a t S S Stot help i other * ? I dcountries ^ ^ to u s e American power

hto

:

setun U

ws

Metodli £r!n — * g P ^ **

t b W f £ h H ? d a t l 0 n to p r o v I d e An-ndal help to. among other uungs fight disease in the Third World. 4. Amanda went out with her boyfriend for two years before she 5 ^T~^ * « «*|ect of marriage. 6

& - 2 K y J S 2 T , , » ' « - S - « l e a d e r Joseph«* overcome resistant t « uT ~ • • a n d threats to re Politburo memters Pressive policies among his fellow . takeover

8

l t l st s a s s e t s

peonl* ,i™„ «,_ 8-- Many peorie T _._,^ " ^ Were assets.-

WwKfito £ ^ f T Wh

the entire movie

««**« * the

° ^ ^

loutU

y to each other through

bucolic adj. characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral The south end of Toronto's beautiful High Park is a bucolic expanse of land that is perfect for anyone wanting a quiet walk.

;

burgeon v. to flourish After World War II, the increased speed of industrialization and the burgeoning world population resulted in such an increase in pollution that it began to be recognized by some people as a threat to the human habitat, Earth. burnish v. to polish The poet T. S. Eliot burnished his reputation as one of the master poets of the twentieth century with Four Quartets, four long poems published between 1936 and 1942. buttress v. to reinforce; support Some critics of the American legal system argue that the requirement of proving guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt" is too difficult a criterion to use, and buttress their case by citing the fact that objective studies suggest that only a very small number of criminals are successfully prosecuted.

"* « K 5 ^ ^ ^ was doing her best .—_______ "=» serious and solemn but not 10 T h e Prosecutor's case was a credible witness. " • by the new testimony of

cacophonous adj. unpleasant or harsh-sounding The dissonant harmonies of the greatjazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk might seem cacophonous to some listeners, but to many jazz aficionados they are sublime.

Sense or Nonsense

A cacophony is a jarring, unpleasant noise.

7_f»assBffl_K_,_ 2

Sr^^

I r e d a S t h e e m b

°

< i , n , e n t o f

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences aficionados: people who are enthusiastic admirers or followers

»^>enceand c

-^«^^^_n_%__*_J«»wp-.«»* f

*»

r

•>

if

i

* ** *

** V

*

»

adge v. to beg; sponge An enduring image of the Great Depression in America is the outof-work man cadging money with the line, "Hey, mister, can you spare a dime for a cup of coffee?"

*

I

•'

'.* • >• ;, i ^i^___&3S£_i^-iCv. j i >3ftafifliai£Sb.»_rt ••J ... ..-.?••;. j

.

59

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

REVIEW 11

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences S S S S S Tn a\Vei * I a r g C e C O n ° m i C d e c l i n e t h a t * « * " in 1929. t, ns such as Sed^ateTw ° , Great Britain, J a p a n , and the af&Cted measuSfof e c o n o ^ r * * * * * declines in ^ all mea ures of economic prosperity (such as employment and profits). callous adj. thick-skinned; insensitive the ^ l e S ^ o / o ^ r ^ " 0 6 8 * ** " ^

^IZltZsT calumny"

°

h a U e m a d e h i m callous

<***

mallCi US aCCUSati n: SlandCr

°

°

pure

snou;

** *"* "*' ^ ^ ' thou shalt not escape —William Shakespeare, Hamlet Act III, Scene 1 (Hamlet addressing Ophelia)

C M

^ o s " p o S f a r i e r a t e l y miSleading St0iy V** big 9°oLrn^nf>irX^tJ° ** associated with the old canard Washington can solve all of America's problems.

a group of literary works P r i n C i p l e ; a b a s i s or standard for judgment; Canons of aesthptir t the R o c o c o for example, valued ornate art"* ^ *** years: Period' gather the^cenTol canono? w ^ * * W e S t e r n e s t e r n civ Canon is also an adecti ^ation

W o r l d to a

" a t t e m ^ to into one collection.

The system of civil /n,„ • . * * * alive in thi M i ^ Z ^ t T * ** R°m™ E™P™ and was Canomcalis an adjective m e • ^ ^ ^ 0 / ^ Churchbel The Engfish p r o / e s s o r ^ " ™ ? °nging to a group of literary works.

* * *—___________^ » « * tofaL ^ ^ 2 Ter

™^*om^i^ r ^r~r;— ie

rococo: r e f e r s

to a s t y k

J*'*°

~-^^!!!^^ 60

SrSTT ^^™ °^ ^nrers that are not canonical .

» < * * . and Social Sciences

e word is often

f

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

bucolic burgeon burnish buttress cacophonous cadge callous calumny canard canon

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

to polish to reinforce to beg false, misleading story established principle characteristic of the countryside insensitive to flourish unpleasant or harsh-sounding false, malicious accusation

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. bucolic cadge

burgeoning callous

burnish calumny

buttress canard

cacophonous canon

1. The of modern communications has made fiber optics nearly indispensable because of its ability to transmit vast a m o u n t s of information. 2. The link between economic boom and war is used by Marxists to their view that capitalism thrives on war, and to some degree, encourages it in periods of low economic activity. 3. How many times have you heard the old 'Those who can, do; those who can't, teach"? 4. A traditional olive farm is a sight: big trees spaced fairly far apart providing good cover for grass and grazing animals. 5. The student is well known for his tendency to money from his friends. 6. The company's new advertising campaign is intended to its image as a dynamic, forward-looking firm. 7. The movie star sued the newspaper for printing about him. 8. The task the poultry farm worker looked forward to the least was going into the hen yard at feeding time. 9- The public relations director's comments that the inmates had hanged themselves as a public relations stunt was widely regarded a s showing a disregard for life. !0. The nineteenth-century French composer Hector Berlioz has become a central figure in the Western musical . 61

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Sense or Nonsense

SJ^SiJSS^

each sentence makes

g°

cardinal adj. of foremost importance The cardinal rule of any weight-loss diet must be limiting the intake of calories.

od sense or not

-

fut b (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. L

« n T Y ; ° T d ° d d * b u t l a c t u a " y enjoy the cacophonous sound of an orchestra tuning up.

i S P a l n t i l l g a bncohc m s h h o u r sce ?" w C ^ " e in Manhattan. ___ A We saried our canard around the world last year.

n S l T ? ?5 1 C i a l S m C h i n a " * s e e m e d about the burgeoning numbers of old people in their country ' e a S t a S 1 ^ ? 1 . h i s P° s i t i °n in the pharmaceutical company by earning a Ph.D. m chemistry. UNIT 12 cant a. insuxcere talk; language of a particular group ^

^

^

^inst

What

carnal adj. of the flesh or body; related to physical appetites The yogi's goal is to achieve nirvana through among other things, the overcoming of carnal desires. Terms front the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences nirvana: ideal condition of rest, harmony, or joy. Nirvana is from Sanskrit nirvanam (a blowing out), as in the blowing out of a flame. According to Buddhism and Hinduism, in order to reach nirvana one must extinguish the fire fueled by the ego, which causes suffering, ignorance, delusion, and greed.

the. carping v. to find fault; complain Cost-benefit analysis owes much of its origin to utilitarian thought; despite the carping of critics that such analysis is based on faulty premises, the technique has proved useful in many areas.

C m e fr m A ^ * t cttfeen rfll^SlSrSf*** ° ° °ld French ) **toaga U>&io*te%2*^ **»&<* refers to a person who -,. mi u s e d l n a neutral wav H« ddle-class attitudes. It can be : tfet someone is riot'wplSSJ* * freqUently u s e d t o s u ^ e s t

^^rr^'-^^^^ed JMan

y of us have in Stereo e old man who is constan^u^^ ^ of the cantankerous ontty complaining about something or other. capricious adj. flckle ^Prictous adi. fi,Wo The rule of law is regarded h g / s 9reat achievements aS ^ " e* * " 9 Dorians as one ofhuman^nger subJect fo c a p f ^ " f « * * fts fnceptton citizens are no P e n a W e s

/mters

Coprte is a noun meanin* ^ ° compulsively. " * » * * - inclination to change one's mind ^tesin^/ashforiseem w » caprice as much as anycaptious adj. faultfinding- tat ,, Thepedantfc a n d ^ ^ f t 0 e n t r a P ' as in an argument

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Cost-benefit analysis: the process of weighing the total expected costs against the total expected benefits of one or more actions in order to choose the best option utilitarian: the ethical philosophy that human activity should be aimed at achieving the greatest good for the greatest number. Jeremy Bentham was the founder of the theory and his student John Stuart Mill was its most famous proponent. Mill used the theory to argue for social reform and increased democracy. cartography n. science of making maps Satellites in Earth orbit take pictures of topography that have greatly aided cartography. caste n. any of the hereditary social classes of Hindu society; social stratification The dalits, formerly known as untouchables, are at the bottom of the thousands of castes that make up Indian society.

63

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Caste is also an adjective. Most modern corporations employ a sort of caste system, with senior executives at the top and ordinary workers at the bottom.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. cant carnal

cantankerous carping

capricious cartography

captious caste

cardinal castigated

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences 01 1 m a i n o a s t e s o r h e r I?!!!^/ ? "m H i n d u e d i t y groups (and thousands a S t e s I™ > society that restrict the occupations of members and limit their interaction with members of other castes, there are four main castes: Brahmans (priests and teachers) Ksatriyas (noblemen) Vaisyas (merchants and traders) Sudras (laborers)

f m S e ^ d^t a n",Ht aa ar l J a n S " ° r " ^ t o u c h a b l e s " are considered S suS a ^ , f t o d against. They toil in lowly occupauons such a s cleaning u p waste and leatherworking. castration, „. punishment; chastisement; criticism receZa

a t ^ T * * ""* " * *

toatf

*W

the

'Ration

REVIEW 12 Matching Match each word with its definition: 123. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

cant cantankerous capricious captious cardinal carnal carping cartography caste casttgation

t b

f f o r e m ° s t importance flckle

" J s c i e n c e o f making m a p s insincere talk e> o f the fl esh or body hereditary social class ?' c o m P 1 alning h - punishment *' i r r i t a b l e J- faultfinding

they

1. The military employs a type of system with generals at the top and privates at the bottom. 2. Commentators dismissed the speech as the mere of someone desperately trying to be reelected. 3. The English teacher is so pedantic and in her marking that her students have become discouraged. 4. It is a postulate of science that the laws of nature are not and that the universe is not chaotic. 5. According to this book the rule of good writing is to be clear. 6. Rococo painting often reflects the great pleasure the French aristocracy took in all things . 7. The ability of modern to produce very accurate maps of the Earth's surface h a s been a boon to navigators. 8. The boss the worker for losing the important client's file. 9. The b a n d decided to continue to play in their new style despite the of critics who said it was a sell-out to commercial interests. 10. The old m a n is always getting into arguments with people.

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1- The judge is respected by legal scholars for her capricious rulings. 2. The cantankerous old m a n seems to like nothing better than arguing with the checkout clerk in the supermarket. 3. Cartography h a s helped scientists gain a good understanding the fundamental workings of the h u m a n brain. 4. A cardinal rule of hiking is to never hike alone. 5- The painting's caste gives it the mood of a Rembrandt.

65

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 1 3 c h a ^ r ™ "'

aVlolentu

stMfelTto^

ReV lution

°

Pheaval °f J 789

th

a t causes great destruction and

was

a

cataclysm

whose effects an

catalyst n. something causing change i a n ^ S S ^ f T^UStS °fthe R o m a " t i c movement were the libertarian ideals of the French Revolution. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, a n d Social Sciences ied one and <*n i* r w , • T n e m o v e m e n t was a very vary deSCrtbed i na was a revSt a i n S H ^ w words. Romanticism vidual and t h e ^ t ^ n T ^ f ^ TeaS°n a n d e m P h a « ^ d the indiR goodness of man a n d S omantics also stressed the inherent Romantic p o e t ^ n ^ ? 6 ^ V a l u e d f r e e d o m highly. Important William W o ^ r r t r f ^ P V t ncUe J ™ " * Blake' J ° h " KeatS' posers include Hector R~ I °-* y- Famous Romantic comHector Berhoz, Franz Liszt, and Frederic Chopin. uoertonan: libertarians nl dom. They believe that n r f ^ ? e & t i m P o r t a n c e on individual freefreedom unless that n e Z U m i t a t i o n s should be placed on a person's P

he

freed0m

^ n c h f e ^ . """' ' c r ; (I789 more generally. W e s t e r n ^ , ? * ? * ' - 1 7 9 9 ) in French, and was replaced by r e p u b l t c a S n f 1?"' F r a n C e ' S a b s o l u t e nionarchy re ar as a major turning point T u ? ' . g a e d by most historians C « * « * » . as * e ™ J ™ r * ™ p 0 S r ° n ' U S t e r i n g ta " *

ca,

~rirr f

"™1%

:w,thout

o/bans oT, m a r r C t e , , , '

~"

narrta9eS

^ e

Ji

66

a

" ^ "<™ ' ^ «"*«<"-

COUS,nS ( be

Chal ed

^ -

jormed an informal caucus tn w discuss their difficulties.

mV 1Vlng a Cause

°

^

d

caustic adj. sarcastically biting; burning The columnist's caustic comments on government policy did not win her any friends among government officials. celestial adj. concerning the sky or heavens; sublime Astronomers make use of the Doppler effect to measure the velocities and distance from Earth of stars and other celestial objects. T e r m s from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Doppler effect: change in the wavelength and frequency of a wave a s a result of the motion of either the source or receiver of the waves

centrifugal adj. moving away from a center As the empire expanded, there was an ever-increasing stress as remote colonies sought autonomy.

centrifugal

centripetal adj. moving or directed toward a center Astronomers calculate that the centripetal force exerted by the Earth's gravity on the Moon will keep the Moon in orbit around the Earth for billions of years. champion v. to defend or support Robin Hood is famous for championing

the underdogs of England.

REVIEW 13

°

causal „ w •

and crime, on the other hand: in his Laws he quantified his argument, contending that the income of the rich should be no more than five times that of the poor, and he proposed policies to limit extremes of wealth and poverty.

' a n d Political

discontent

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

cataclysm catalyst categorical caucus causal caustic celestial

a. involving a cause b . absolute c. concerning the sky or heavens d. moving toward a center e. violent upheaval i- moving away from a center g- defend or support 67

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

8. centrifugal 9. centripetal .0. champion

h, something causing change 1. sarcastically biting J- smaller group within an organization

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. cataclysm caustic

catalysts celestial

categorical centrifugal

caucus centripetal

causal championed

1. Since its founding in 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) has the rights of women. 2. A study finds that people who exercise more tend to be healthier: Its authors raise the question, "Are these individuals healthier because they exercise-a link—or do they exercise more because they are healthier to begin with?" 3. "My position is . - the C E O s a i d ., ^ n o t gJkm ms company to be bought out." 4 caUed ' ShemiCai enzymes, occur naturally in cells, changing one molecule into another w S ^ ! ? "* ** * * ^ ^ o f a ^ g e meteor with the Earth a 6 Z f 7~ * * " W * end all life on our planet. SOCiol ho^L °g i s t s « « studying the effects of a homogenous population on society

3. Catalysts for change on the school board blocked attempts to implement reforms. 4. In 1054, ancient Chinese astronomers recorded their observation of many important celestial events, such as the supernova that created the Crab Nebula. 5. The newly discovered species of caucus is remarkable for its ability to survive for months with almost no water. UNIT 14 chasten v. to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue The child's behavior improved after she had been chastened by punishment. chicanery n. trickery; fraud The governor ordered an audit to investigate alleged financial chicanery. chivalry n. the qualities idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallantry toward women Chivalry was rooted in Christian values, and the knight was bound to be loyal to Christian ideals; the Crusades enhanced this idea, as knights vowed to uphold Christianity against heathens.

Stati n COUl be rotatedtocreate

from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences "*** chivalry:Terms 8* S T ^ S ° ? The code of chivalry dictated how a knight should act; this code enjoined the knight to defend the Church, make war against ps^^ss^^-^^^' 9 infidels, perform scrupulously feudal duties, and in general cham9- The parliament's minoritv « 1 ' * „

10

tog government policy

" 3XCX*~

issued a re

whenworktag

**

Port

condemn

"

bstances

-

pion virtue against evil. Crusades: military expeditions by Christians in the Middle Ages to win the Holy Land from the Muslims

8«we or Nonsense does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. " u * « ^ S o T d f f t o f l S ^ I S ^ " " " f i W B l force to separate 2. A study in West*™ A ^_ , relative masses. betwe^ t a £ ^ a ^ " ! 8 ^ h e d a causailelationship I M | ^ rf^ ^ 1 ^ ' ^ d r i v i n g ^ d an increased

churlish adj. rude; boorish According to the chivalric code, a knight was never «VPOsedtobe churlish, especially toward noble ladies, to whom he was supposed to be unfailingly gentle and courteous. circuitous adj. roundabout According to Hindu philosophy, some souls take a circuitous path through many births to reach God. 89

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

clairvoyant n. one who can predict the future; psychic Edgar Cayce was a famous clairvoyant ^ f f° int° spiritual realm.

U tmnce

durin

9

which

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

who some people believe he

was

*" ^uch with a

chastened clairvoyant

chicanery clamor

chivalric clique

churlish cloistered

circuitous coagulates

clamor n. noisy outcry teSZrnrX^TilyearS ° r S ° the voices clamoring for better protection of the Earth's rainforests have increased dramatically. Clamor is also a verb meaning to cry out noisily. The crowd clamored

their disapproval of the plan.

clique n. a small, exclusive group

h

^ffiXX s^^sr™

d that nec,iqueo/

°

*

cloister v. to confine; seclude The writer cloistered

herself in a country house to finish her novel

fr mtheWOdir

^ i T r r ^^ ^ ^ °

tions as arrant, ^

"

^a^^*™™™Philanthropic

noun cloister means a monastery

or

1. The idea of the gentleman is derived from the ideal that a m a n should be honorable, courteous, brave, and loyal, especially to women. 2. Egg white when heated. 3. The college newspaper is dominated by a of students who seem to be interested mainly in sports. 4. Over the last few years there has been a in the media about increased global warming. 5. After robbing the store, the thief took a route back to his house in case anyone was following her. 6. Mr. J o n e s tends to be before he has had breakfast. 7. The government's budget deficit was covered up by ; several items were moved off-budget and unrealistically high revenues were projected. 8. The dictator of the small country was by the great power's show of naval strength in the harbor of his country's capital city. 9. We all said that Claire must be after she predicted the exact score of the football game. 10. The scholar lives a life among his books.

founda-

CWIVent

coagulate „. thicken; congeal after a wound J ^ ^ n i ? * ? ^ ^ to coa9ulate about 20 seconds sustamed, thus preventing further bleeding. REVIEW 14

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Matching Match each word w«h !• 3 4 5 6'• 8. 2

chasten chicanery chivalry churlish circuitous clairvoyant clamor clique

10 S f T

1U

- coagulate

lte

defi„ 1U o„ : a

"

rude;

boorish °nfine tric kery; fraud rou ndabout correct by punishment nois y outcry thicken; congeal

b- t o c C

-

d-

^ *• S-

1. The chivalric code commanded knights to be brave, generous, and faithful. 2. Blood is coagulating around the wound. 3- The United States is an open, cloistered society that prides itself on being tolerant of a wide range of views. 4. Herb's boss chastened him with a raise of $10,000 dollars a year. 5- Sta^e magicians often use clever tricks to make it appear that they are clairvoyant.

?' S S f " '? eaUzed ^ knighthood

'• s m a l l - exclusive groun & p J- Psychic

71

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 15

coalesce v. to cause to become one thaT^^^'ru6^^

Said

t l

^ Americans must be vigilant*

collage n. artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; an assemblage of diverse elements The cubist Juan Gris is noted for his use of collage to create trompe l'oeil effects—the illusion of photographic reality.

mus undermine those of society as a whole. fa

S ""g £ g ^tnat s u summarizes m n S S ^ or° concludes *"** ° see^S ^

r musical

composition; some-

^ S ^ COmpOSer Per NorgardS Sixth Symphony return to the serene sounds of the opening.

codify v. to systematize fro^

StatB

feflfeIatUre

mted to

<*>«& regulations governing banW

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences cubist: a movement in art in the twentieth century that represented subjects from several points of view rather than from a single perspective. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braques were the two most influential cubist artists. trompe Voeih a French term meaning "deceive the eye." It refers to a style of portraying objects in a way that deceives the observer into believing it is the object itself.

Codification is the noun. The most inftuentinl r.r^t:a

^.

Code in France whTh C^^ficatlon of cm law was the Napoleonic English-speaking counMr"™?^ paradiamfor law in the noninfluence on most ofthlZ Q / r u r ° P e and had a generally civilizing fCOVntnesinwh Codified . ™ *h it was enacted, ^oaified ,is„ «the adjective. Common law is the s u ^ m Jr i WS that based on court decisionT^ ° originated in England; U written laws. ^^ and on customs rather than on codified Terms ^ n ^ ^ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~— —^ cm law: a system of w ^ ^ ^ c e s , and Social Sciences continental Europe, ffe U 8 * 5 * ?°m R o m a n l a w that is used in ' £ " £ J ^ b a s i s of c , ^ ^ ^ °f Louisiana, and several other /: P ^ e n t , which are the bT s £ 5 * t U t e m t h e r tbat custom and 1&W Napoleonic Code- French , ^ " "** uniform the p ^ S ^ Sr r ^ ^ N a P ° l e ° n in 1804. It commontou,-b ^ - . ance. —

_ _ _ _ 1 _ _ ^ ^ J « a e r t V e d from r u l m g s by judges

^

commensurate adj. proportional In the United States, malpractice suits have raised the cost of medicine because doctors must pay more for insurance, and thus increase their fees commensurately. compendium n. brief, comprehensive summary The Mozart Compendium: A Guide to Mozart's Life and Music by H. C. Robbins London is a convenient reference for finding information about the life and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. complacent adj. self-satisfied Although Tom received an "A" on his midterm exam, Professor Donovan warned him not to become complacent since the work in the second term would be harder. complaisant adj. overly polite; willing to please; obliging Although France and Germany have a close relationship, neither would consider the other a complaisant ally. complement n. something that completes or makes up a whole Some people envision chess developing into a game played at the highest levels between teams of humans and computers, each complementing the other and providing investigators with insight into the cognitive processes of each.

* * coflnteant ofwhat^l +uUy a Christmas present Jwnat the otheris doing.

n

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

REVIEW 15

9. It is important that a person accused of a crime be of his or her legal rights. 10. Modern Singapore is a multiethnic of Malays, Indians, Chinese, and many other groups.

Matching matcning l\*^+„u Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4 5. 678. 910.

coalesce coda codify cognizant collage commensurate compendium complacent complaisant complement

a

to s

b

Cause to

ystematize become one asse m b l a g e of diverse elements 0Verl y Polite ^ o r t i o ^ self-satisfied ?' something that m a k e s u p a whole something that summarizes *' b r l e f ' c o m p r e h e n s i v e summary J- Informed; conscious " °" d f

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. After three months of training, the battalion coalesced into a formidable fighting force. 2. The collage portrays the university's history since its founding in 1766. 3. A widely held belief is that an employee's pay should be commensurate with his or her qualifications and experience. 4. It is unwise to become complaisant and assume you will do well on the GRE j u s t because you did well on the SAT or ACT. 5. During World War II German naval commanders radioed codas to their submarines containing the location of Allied ships.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill i„ «, u, a to fill m ^ b l a n k ^ e a c h s e n t e n c e coalesced Coda co loUag^ commens™™* <«fication cognizant c complaisant eo^ES? °°H>endium compTacent L

The final chapter of th~ • the author r e a c t s o r f h f ! ? ^ ' 8

2- TnTforme"

^ 61

d

b o o k ls

m a t e r t a l

^

compliant adj. yielding The young negotiator is trying to learn the skill of being open to proposals by the other side without seeming too compliant.

in v tap rtaTi e r ce

^

dCSCribes

passinonsnSer^ " - A recent theorv f v, o^eet c o m d e 7 ^ o w * e

a

UNIT 16

°

^ ^-

***** a s "Now a m o o n

__•

lg

4 5 biUlon

4- ^ ' X e * * ^ a l f y ° y ^ s ago tocause m t o the Moon workerv C O m e r s t o n e s of canitaliT^ PtellSmiSthec 5 A^oftrire^dssho^be onvicuonthata N a n r Z i^°rta^ -Twith his or her contribution. Went 6- When J / 7 ™** one is s t u d v l n

m

t o effect i n * , ^ ^German Burgerliches ^ ^ e German E m p i r 7 i n 1900.

compunction n. uneasiness caused by guilt The American psychiatrist Frank Pittman said, "Men who have been raised violently have every reason to believe it is appropriate for them to control others through violence; they feel no compunction over being violent to women, children, and one another." concave adj. curving inward Concave lenses are used in glasses to compensate for myopia (nearsightedness).

a c o m

conciliatory adj. overcoming distrust or hostility The leader of the country made conciliatory statements the world that his country did not intend to acquire nuclear

assuring weapons.

concoct v. to invent The various human cultures have concocted a great many explanations to describe the beginning of the Earth, life, and humanity. 75

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

concomitant n. existing concurrently ties arose as conn^-l a Kernes

[

My

REVIEW 16 °fevo^tton

a a ^ Z a T o t ^ s Z ^ T ^ AltB

homm^TlT?"

'

Sclence8

H°^dae(^afa^^

' "

d

Ude

orangutans, and h u m a ^ T

'

is that such aWt ""*

""*

*"*"

Social Science. chim an es

P ^ '

&

condone , to overlook voluntarily; forgive Mahatma Gandhi belief • £ to condone violence of nZ £ *? P^ciple o/ahimsa and refused _ ^ _ _ _ _ ^ a n y t a n ^ e u e n if used in a just cause. Tewas from t h e A r t T ^ l ^^% Mahatma Qamto^mmJ^' *******' « * d Social Sciences J tastrumentaJ i n fodia's s ^ w ^ I n d l a n P° U t i c al leader who was * ™ ^ c h a r n p ^ 8 aton s a - a belief m H J „ A ^ J a l noninjury t o ^ ^ i . and Buddhism that adv, tiv^^'

from tbe Arts e " » * » * a model of the o r J , * C e 8 ' " » * Social Sciences **•«% ^ ^ a v e r s e stating that it began _ _ _ _ _ J * ^ e ^ a n d i n g since then

C

«*WM ad, „ , , dice is to «nw

,

"B^

Ve and consciousness,

""Weft sist er ~ in r

•MPP&tess.

Matching Match each word with its definition:

«""!/ with whom they can live in

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

compliant compunction concave conciliatory concoct concomitant condone confound congenial conjugal

a. b. c. d. e. f.

gh. i. J-

curving inward yielding baffle; perplex to invent to overlook voluntarily pertaining to marriage agreement overcoming distrust or hostility similar in tastes or habits uneasiness caused by guilt existing concurrently

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. compliant concomitant

compunction concave conciliatory concocted condoned confounded congenial conjugal

1. It appears that bureaucracies are today a necessary evil, a of modern society. 2. Amateur radio operators must be with federal laws as administered by the Federal Communications Commission. 3. The novel's plot centers around a woman's search for bliss. 4. One of the main goals of military training is to train soldiers to kill without . 5. The dating service matches men and women with interests. 6. For centuries, Fermat's last theorem mathematicians. 7. The story Bud about having been abducted by Vegans in search of Earth's greatest knowledge was not deemed by his professor an acceptable excuse for not handing in his term paper. 8 - A lens with two . surfaces is called a biconcave lens. 9- Some people believe that the use of nuclear weapons should never be . !0. After ten years of feuding with her neighbor, Mrs. Clampett decided enough was enough: as a. gesture, she baked a cake and brought it over to her neighbor.

77

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Since the enemy had made a number of conciliatory gestures, we had no option but to attack them in return. 2. The prison allows conjugal visits on weekends. 3. This amateur radio transceiver's complex menu system has me completely confounded. 4. How the mind concocts new ideas is still a mystery to both psychologists and philosophers. 5 ' Jon ° p t i c a l ^ s c o p e s complex system of lenses contains both concave and convex lenses. UNIT 17 connoisseur n a n p r « m «™ Person of ^ o r m ^ T ^ ^ ^ Z l l ^sofrTe^Zt6*6*

^ ^

by

^

^

^

G 9h

° '

" "

^

R

™b™dt'

'

consecrate v. to declare sacred In his Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln said of the soldiers who died in the Battle of Gettysburg in July, 1863: "We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live...But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract." contend v. to assert One of the most famous philosophers to argue for ethical relativism was the German Friedrich Nietzsche, who contended that the lightness of a particular action is dependent on the circumstances of the time and culture in which it occurs. Contention is a n o u n meaning an assertion. The study's contention is that obesity is America's biggest health problem.

«* T e r m s from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences ethical relativism: the view that there is no objective truth in issues of what is right or wrong

COnS

^ P t „ \ P e r S ° n C ° m p u l s o r i l y r o l l e d for military service ^ m ^ o n V c Z ^ J * * * " * Organization for Women) is ft* ^ ng male only conscripts violates the principle of gender equal®

Friedrich Nietzsche: nineteenth-century German philosopher. Nietzsche is best known for his doctrine of "the Superman," which held that superior people should reject the "slave morality" of traditional Christianity in favor of a new morality centered on the individual.

^e^enchwm^ " ^ ^ t0 ^ * PCrSOn f ° r military ^ B cons and had to p u t T i s ^ e r f ^ ; ^ ° " " * * ^ripted into the artillery CCd Studles World War I * abeyance for the duration of Conscription is the noun. During the War of 1812 A m ~ • national conscription tn ' mencan Political leaders considered successfully argued befo^r™™* State m i f i K a s - b"t Daniel Webster unconstitutional and t ^ t h ™ 8 8 that such a measure would be _ _ ^ ^ ^ J ^ t n u s the proposal was rejected.

contentious adj. quarrelsome; causing quarrels When genetic engineering began in the 1970s, there was a contentious, and sometimes acrimonious, debate among scientists themselves about its dangers. T e r m s from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences genetic engineering: the use of various methods to manipulate the DNA (genetic material) of cells to change hereditary traits or produce biological products

Terms from t h e A r t 7 ~ c I s —~~ S Cial ScienceS Worof J822:awarfouohTh •, ' *** ° British E m United States from I s T t o 1 ^ ^ P * e and the W ln conscription: forced enllstmJ "' ^ ^ * ^emate. scription originated d u r w T ° i P e ° p l e to ** military. Modern cona - * * W e b s ^ Araertcant P — befo,* the o ^ —• ———___

c

ReV 1UU n

-

° ° P * * - leader c Uica to avert

durtog

the

°ntiguous adj. touching; neighboring; connecting without a break There are 48 contiguous states in the United States of America.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

continence n. self-control; abstention from sexual activity Saint Augustine's famous line 'Give me chastity and continence, ITH^-U T " " ^ s o m e t t m e s " s « i to highlight the idea that action is desirable at some point, but not at present contrite adj. very sorrowful for a wrong intornT^^S ^ o u t ^ ^

the

™nvicted

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. connoisseur contentious contumacious

conscripted contiguous conundrums

consecrated continence

contends contrite

™™ to a life sentence, the judge took he did «ot se<™ to be at all contrite

1. The appropriate function of literary criticism is a issue, even among critics themselves. 2. The art critic that the art of what are called less sophisticated cultures has an immediacy that is often lacking in contumacious adj. disobedient; rebellious civilized art, perhaps because it is less self-conscious, intellectual, p i ^ ^ n L e ^ e e n t h C e n t U ^ Great Britain tried unsuccessjm toand stylized. tHeir mle c c ^ Z d t ZZ^9^^ ^ contumacious Ameri3. In Israel, women as well as men are into the armed m9 event ^ ^Hy to the establishment of a separate nation forces; however, men can be made to serve in combat, whereas women serve in a noncombat capacity. conundrum , riddle; puzzle with no solution 4. One of the great in economics is how to achieve full 6171 S Statement resents employment without high inflation. withTa ^nT^ ^ "™ ^ ^ P "» 5. The monk pledged himself to a life of • 6. The dream holiday of the wine is a trip to France to REVIEW 17 visit famous chateaux in the region of Bordeaux. 7. The king ordered his army to quell the rebellion by his Matching subject. Match each word with its definition: 8. The landowner had the abandoned house to his house torn down. 1. connoisseur 9. The Cardinal the cathedral in 1676. a. self-control 2. conscript 10. The sinner prayed every day for God to forgive her. b. to declare sacred 3. consecrate 4. contend c- touching; neighboring Sense or Nonsense 5. contentious a- disobedient; rebellious Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. C " P e y s °n compulsorily enrolled for Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. military service 6- contiguous f 7 - quarrelsome - continence 1- There is nothing that a connoisseur of fine cigars hates more than §• Person of informed and discriminating smoking the finest Cuban cigars. taste 8. contrite 2. Conscription is seen by many people as a last resort to be used 9 - contumacious h- Puzzle with no solution when a n army m u s t absolutely be raised and sufficient forces canJ 0 . conundrum ' V e r y s ° n y for a wrong not be provided by a volunteer army. J- to assert 3. Canada and the United States are contiguous. 4- The meeting was so contentious that the proposal was passed in a few minutes and without objection. 5- Cynthia contends that jogging is the best way to keep physically fit. thefQCt

that

80 81

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 18 S q u e

0

" * * ° b s e ™ d * * group; custom; accepted

" $£?**

tha^rnaZ)^IT1*? " ^ H e n r i R o ^ e a u demonstrates a na«*te c o ^ S n S S ^ T°re ^ ^ * < * ^ sophistication o/hfchiy complex ux,rfcs that make use of all the conventions of their gerZ. C " n a l

is an adjective meaning customary or commonplace

sh^Z^^ZlTnXadUemmaJOr^amers S jGCt t0 the sa ^ p o s f S ^ ^ l ^ ^ ™ rosea on soldiers who fight conventional

H e ^ ^ T ^

Art8

'

Sclence8

'

M d

°S "ties of war: rules as those wars?

S o c ^ Scieaces

and mobile. * f t j m e r i X ^ J ? m a I 1 ^ " P 8 o f s o l d l e r * that are flex*! v e r o n a l war. ^ ^ w t h e r e te no front line as there Is in con-

e together: tend

"•"X^r^ r " ^

COnV

u^oys, in certain ^

S

areas

^eQ4'''

CUrV6d

* -*

^ o / C h £ n a <™* m d t a are rivals in ^ ^ ^terests conuerae

°UtWard

"conueac-coacaue!-16"5 " * *

0ne conucx

and

one

concave side is

convivial adj. sociable s

Pfcere/ 0 r diptm^t^SSQdor

fe

to

cornucopia n. horn overflowing with fruit and grain; state of abundance The U.S. economy has produced a cornucopia of employment opportunities. cosmology n. study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe Albert Einstein downplayed the strength of the evidence for quantum theory because a universe governed by laws that are inconsistent in their application was not congruent with his personal cosmology. Cosmos is a n o u n meaning the physical universe regarded as a totality. Shakespeare embodies the incredible confidence and vitality of Renaissance artists and writers, depicting the entire cosmos, not intimidated by its vastness. Cosmic is an adjective meaning relating to the physical universe, especially as distinct from Earth, and suggests infinite vastness. The gods of ancient Greece were concerned not only with cosmic events, but also with the ordinary events of everyday life. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences quantum theory: a theory in physics based on the principle that matter and energy have the properties of both particles and waves

m

Renaissance: the period of revival in art and learning that occurred in Europe during the fourteenth to the seventeenth century

M

covert adj. hidden; secret The CIA gathers information about foreign intelligence through many means, including covert ones.

P ™ i d e a convfola! atmoREVIEW 18

convoluted adj. twisted- . , Unraveling thT implicated " * « * o/modern S ^ " * " ^

1

^

^

Code

* « i e o / t t e great achieve

copious ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

coquette n. AJershe

TOrt

^

^

b

U farmers in the parched land-

h0fUrtS

«ilS^^K 0 to e S l ? * «" «**!** avrerer

^fiom

the theater.

^ ^ ^ ^ r that real life was

Matching Match each word with its definition: 12. 3. 4. 5 6. 7 8 -

convention converge convex convivial convoluted copious coquette cornucopia

a. b. c. d. e. f.

complicated curved outward study of the universe to approach; come together horn overflowing with fruit and grain practice widely observed in a group g- abundant h. woman who flirts 83

•us

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

9. cosmology - covert

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

hidden; secret L j . sociable

10

UNIT 19 covetous adj. desiring something owned by another The astronomer is covetous of the time that his colleague gets for research using the Hubble Space Telescope.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. nti0nS

on^« copious

conver

es

g coquette

convivial cosmology

convoluted covert

1. One need not know anything of medieval Christian

to

eC1

great G

convex cornucopia t h i c cath

Covet is the verb. The latest model cell phone is designed to make people covet it so much that they go out and buy it even though their present phone is perfectly adequate.

2

cozen v. to mislead by trick or fraud; deceive The writer H. L. Mencken pointed out that a common strategy of politicians is to cozen the people by exaggerating the seriousness of a problem and then offering a solution that, conveniently, only they can provide.

I', io^c^eTe^T U S 6 d t 0 C ° - c t H f ^ t e d n e S S . lndlvid with a wide variety o F p ^ " a l s who are comfortable 6. Stella takes / 1ULCS m m i 0 1 7 In Robert B S V T T - ; notes in all ofner her classes. classes

craven adj. cowardly In the Hindu epic poem the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna warns the hero, who is reluctant to fight, that refusing to fight would be a craven act.

w f , off that f r ^ f age. legacy

°

e d r a l s , edifices that are a supreme

" with°Se° f ^ m a y S C e m C O n t r i v e d t o a Person who is unfamiliar q P W I rT~: -of the form of art he is observing. 3- Fyodor Dostoevski's The Possessed h a s a fascinatingto though — , plot.

w,S L e t t e r ' ^ " " " " " ° n e h e , s ° " 8. The plainclothes detective tnnV r ^ • a ^ h has a r e p u ^ T s T t r a " * " 10. Tropical rain forests contain a 7~ ' that have proven to be e f f e c t i v e ^ d l c ^ e T

P

^

^

SUbStanCCS

credo n. statement of belief or principle; creed The credo of Google is "Don't be evil."

Sense or Nonsense K

t

£

^

credence n. acceptance of something as true One of the lessons in Aesop's fable "The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf" is that if a person "cries wolf" too many times without real danger being present (that is, raises too many false alarms) people will be less likely to give credence to future alarms raised by that person.

^

~ Z*T ^ sense or not. ' * * P u t N NONSENSE) if it does not. 1- Every Sunday mornine St y s half a doz the corner bakery. e n fresh coquettes at 2- After the technicianTetfaced th ^ reflector telescope, it wo?k e d fme ^ COnVeX k n S i n m y 5" CS

• g o v e r n m e n t launched the c o v e r ^ e r a t l o n ^

great

fanfar,

daunt v. to discourage; intimidate; dishearten Do not let the difficulty of learning the 800 words in Essential Words for the GRE daunt you. Daunting is a n adjective that means discouraging or disheartening. Earning a Ph.D. is a daunting The adjective dauntless

^ Jl

C

•X 84

°

n V l V l a l h O S t

0 1 0

— - s u r e e v e i . o n e enjoyed the p a r , -

^ — d poetiy to become _

popuiar

^

task, but it can be done.

means fearless.

dearth n. scarcity In his book The Affluent Society, published in 1958, the economist J - K. Galbraith pointed out that in America affluence is located disproportionately in the private sector, leaving a dearth of resources available for the public sector. 85

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

debauchery n. corruption a l{fe

d ^ s C S V?

d h

°f * ™<*ery

unta he discovered a spinM

decorum n. proper behavior 6 5 8

d e c ^ m ^

^

the

natt n

°'

^Presidentgenerally

has an air of

The adjective is decorous. M »

» to malign;

- h o coZXi

h a r m

3

^

^

reputaUon

S 1 ^ 7 t e ' s t S e T .

def med

^

'

™" " *

REVIEW 19 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 6 7. 8. 9 10.

covetous cozen craven credence credo d aunt dearth debauchery decorum defame

a. cowardly u -b ' scarcity ^ t o intimidate; discourage d - d e siring something owned by another j ; - a c c e p t a n c e of something a s true *' t o h a r m someone's reputation g ' corruPtion h ' t o mislead by trick or fraud ]• statement of belief or principle; creed J- Proper behavior

fill-ins Choose the best word to fin • " " " ^ ^ — h "I v e t s cozens

-—H 1

*«*

££»

r

-^usesontanvvoun.

"

,m

cred„ de&,,,1,

*

e

S i ^ — - Potent, J S a S a ss £ * f « - » • there is a 2 ThP; lor the young women of the • ™* general called his advisor's , 3

- ^S^

P t c

r h

°

p o s a l

le a t

of a c o w a r d U ^ e S t i 0 n

^ e same price

tbat

eded b

he

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1- The u n s c r u p u l o u s newspaper regularly defames public figures to boost circulation. 2. The candidate was elected governor on a platform of moral purity and debauchery. 3. The company's credo is 'The buyer is king." 4. No one called the boxer craven after he asked the referee to stop the bout; he had been knocked down six times and was bleeding profusely. 5. A trial should be conducted with decorum. UNIT 2 0

sentence.

r.„«

4. To make the task of writing the book less , the author broke the task into a number of small tasks he could do one at a time. 5. I admit that the professor's statement is baffling; however, it should be given some because of his towering reputation in the field. 6. The principal reminded the students to conduct themselves with during the guests' visit. 7. The amateur radio operator a new ICOM 7800 highfrequency transceiver costing more than $10,000, but his wife says he can afford only the Kenwood 570D costing about $1,000. 8. The novelist follows the that plot proceeds from character. 9. The students went to Fort Lauderdale for a week of . 10. The journalist was sued for a police officer in his article.

surrender "the

y far superior prod-

default v. to fail to act Economists have pointed out money to help banks in danger might encourage banks to take they will be "bailed out" by the

the danger of using government of defaulting on a loan: such help excessive risks on the future, knowing government.

deference n. respect; regard for another's wish There was a movement to condemn slavery among some of the writers of the Declaration of Independence, but despite many misgwngs, the proposal was dropped in deference to the objections of a number of people. 87

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

r^J^n ^ ^ ^ ^ t 0 S U b m i t t o * * ^ h ^ o f m o t h e r due to respect or recognition of the p e r s o n s authority or knowledge. lo.^firm°WX9

faU;yer

deferred

to

the *eu> of the senior partner in Ik

defunct adj. no longer existing Ue

co™„Cn™ ^P^anosticatlng that Moore's Law, which says becnmo * L ^ ^ 9 Power doubles every 18 months, will soon mercial ZrZn u tenuity of engineers, coupled with comS /ar SUCCeeded ^ l Z Z : i " " ° * *™»**B ^ law from delineate v. to represent or depict ^

^

^

Z

^

uncertainT*8^

I

X

" ^ ****'

that it is impossible t n m ^object, - c h a

4em

r ^ °Jthe ^ c e r t a i n t y principle, by Werner Heisenberg.

t

c e a m 1937

s l t e

Sciences

n

t

m

' «*<* Social Sciences

< * u a n t u m mechanics stating

^C^rSnt

P r m

°

P e r t , e S O f a q U a n

"

the next Qenerationthere"] ^ T 9 EuroPean countries indicate that in support retired people. datively fewer working people to Demography is the study of h i , ™ demography mate Population. 0fthe knowle geography and statsZ^6 dge of other fields such as

^anpoet, 0

^Zc 7inT w

88

* * * mte' demographers say 9reat *r population than it does.

a S S X ^ H S PraiSed sin

9-

* ** a

^^essentially Jthe

denigrate v. to slur someone's reputation According to a recent biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous leader felt a need to denigrate women. denizen n. an inhabitant; a regular visitor The U.S. Census Bureau has the responsibility of collecting information about the denizens of the United States. denouement n. outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature The book tells the story of what was for Europe a rather embarrassing denouement to the Crusades. REVIEW 20

^ X ? f c ^dto populatlon batoM

the worn would now hZTaZj? demotic adi *^

demur v. to express doubt The Supreme Court's decision was not unanimous; one justice demurred, saying that the majority decision used specious reasoning.

^ Z o e T w ^ ° «*""» poet who was able to "make the

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 910.

default deference defunct delineate demographic demotic demur denigrate denizen denouement

a. b. c. d.

to express doubt respect; regard for another's wish an inhabitant relating to the study of human population e. to slur someone's reputation f. failure to act g. to represent or depict h. outcome i. pertaining to people j . no longer existing

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. default demotic

deference demurred

defunct denigrated

delineated denizens

demographic denouement

1. The of a novel by crime writer Mickey Spillane is generally very violent. 89

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

2. ^ ^

e

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

^ ^ e n s u s

provides planners with important

3. On his first scuba d ^ K e n n y was happy to find that the 4 S o ^ T ^ T " , • S 6 a d W n 0 t a p P e a r t o b e hostile. ment ^ e t * U I P m e n t has made vacuum tube equipmm St a r e M 0ther applicluol^ ° ^ ^ v e i y specialized 5. The political science professor , * a the United Nnti^o + , P l a n t o reorganize make

tempo^Sd

"^

reflect

* *rea^ °f "K °»

8. Rather than nri. her job, Ruth^rkeToTTt ^ *Zr e *** ^ P a v m e n t s after losing e m e n t ihat lower monthly payments ^ avowed her to make

a^v^ r __

ectedtosWgreat

Sei

» e or Nonsense Indicate whether earh Put S (SENSE) if it d o e H n T 6 ? ^ S g o o d s e n s * or not. does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1- The denouement at th» K «. me "nteMt. ^Staling of the story really caught my "• H

-

W

*

^

*

*

p ir

1

to the populaTu^lstog.

* sss^r " ^"

proportIonofold

Derivative is also an adjective. The critic dismissed the new novel as dull and derivative. The verb derive means obtained from another source. One of the attempts to create a lingua franca resulted in Esperanto, a synthetic language whose vocabulary is created by adding various affixes to individual roots and is derived from Latin and Greek, as well as Germanic and Romance languages. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences linguafranca:a language used as a medium of communication between peoples of different languages affixes: word elements that are affixed to the beginning (prefixes) or the end (suffixes) of words to refine the meaning or change the word's grammatical form Romance languages: the Romance languages, or Indo-European languages that descended from Vulgar Latin, include Italian, Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, their many dialects, and the pidgins and Creoles (mixed languages) that developed from them. The term "Romance" is from Vulgar Latin romanice loqui (vulgar languages derived from Latin). desiccate v. to dry completely The dry desert air caused the bodies of the dead animals to desiccate quickly. desuetude n. state of disuse NASA is considering apian to refurbish booster rocketsfromthe Apollo Program that have fallen into desuetude.

UNIT 21 deride y. to mock Innovation often r*>

Am^S^0*o / w ^ « t e ^ ^ S

derivative n. something derived; unoriginal The drug morphine—considered by doctors to be one of the most effective analgesics—is the principal derivative of opium, which is the juice in the unripe seed pods of the opium poppy.

desultory adj. random; disconnected; rambling The jury had difficulty following the witnesses' desultory testimony. 9enq/

P a n t e d their idea

deterrent n. something that discourages or hinders During the Cold War, the Untied States maintained a large number Qf nuclear weapons as a deterrent to aggression by the Soviet Union and its allies. 91

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

detraction n. the act of taking away; derogatory comment on a person's character a^tY^bZkSPOnded

*" a

teter

t0

^

CritiCS

ton5

liSt

°f

^tractions

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. derided deterrent

derivative detraction

desiccated diaphanous

desuetude diatribe

desultory dichotomy

diaphanous adj. transparent; fine-textured; insubstantial; vague rfr^Z0^ Y^ Ui many SOldiers went to war w«h diaphanous dreams of glory, but found instead horror and death. diatribe n. bitter verbal attack

eu^/SSiT^ ** a ^^ ^ ^ What h€ CaUed * dichotomy n. division into two usually contradictory parts P Wh ar9Ues bea7ee n tteZt" T"* phenomena. ° oetween the mmd and *2 physical

that

there

* " dichotomy

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences

Z^XtFJ!^ __~^lSUCtl

a sI m n d

** **°* *at *°basic entities

^ d matter or good and evil)

REVIEW 21 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

92

deride derivative desiccate desuetude desultory deterrent detraction diaphanous diatribe dichotomy

a. b. cd. et-

1. In his book Supernature the British biologist Lyell Watson argues that the between nature and the supernatural exists more in the h u m a n mind than in reality. 2. The two areas of the room are separated only by a curtain. 3. Scientists are studying the bones to see if they are the remains of a person. 4. Some studies suggest that capital punishment is a against murder. 5. The critics the movie as "a waste of $100 million dollars." 6. The poet describes his work as because it draws on the work of many other poets. 7. The two men walked along the beach, engaged in — conversation. 8. The rise of Irish nationalism has probably helped bring the Irish language back from the it was falling into in the nineteenth century. 9. The prime minister's against foreign influence in the country lasted three hours. 10. The only from the excellence of the climate is the rainy winter.

something that discourages bitter verbal attack to dry completely random; disconnected the act of taking away unoriginal

g- division into two contradictory parts h. state of disuse »• transparent; J- to mock

fine-textured

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. In many traditional societies women wear diaphanous clothing to hide their bodies. ,. 2. Early attempts to communicate by the use of electromagnetic waves were derided by many people as ridiculous. 3- The book is a long, desultory narrative recounting its a u t h o r s life. . .„ 4- The s e ^ o r ' s speech was a diatribe against the increasing influence of government in everyday life. 5- South Korea maintains a large military force as a deterrent against North Korean aggression. 93

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

UNIT 22 diffidence n. shyness; lack of confidence Asa result of the strength of his opposition to the Vietnam War Senator Eugene McCarthy overcame his diffidence and ran against President Lyndon Johnson for the Democratic nomination jor president. diffuse v. to spread out Fren^hRelofutS1"1^

" ^ ^

^

diffuSed

throuah

societ

a er

y

fi

the

Discern is a verb t h a t means to perceive something obscure. Superficially, expressionism can appear to be unrealistic because of its extreme distortion of reality, but upon closer examination, an inner psychological reality can often be discerned. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences expressionism: an artistic style in which the artist expresses emotional experience as opposed to his or her view of the external world. Expressionists often use distortion and exaggeration. El Greco, Van Gogh, and Edward Munch are examples of expressionist artists.

Diffuse is also an adjective meaning wordy; rambling; spread out. This essay is so diffuse it is difficult to follow its central argument. digression n. act of straying from the main point novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. The Pirsig contains 1 diaressions m n ttopicsTrZ . n c —-fascinating digression f™ ** ^nain story thatPvsm discuss ™^9 as Platonic philosophy. Terms from the Arts. Sciences, and Social Sciences

1ideassuch beLty d

"^ssx s a SmaU P ] S X h e l d r^H ^

O S

SttrtSSE?

°

P h y

°fHato'

m

- -

« * * " * Greek philoso-

"" ^^ "P"^. «*>»* -

dirge n. funeral hymn The

^rsj~2-—*«.

symphony

portray-

disabuse v. to free frnm ^ 10 iree Irom a misconception i he chairman of the Fprimi D Congress to disabuse hZmS f " ^ te testi^ony before fthe that the b cycle had been e l S ^ r ° ^ ^ e s s mmated by the unprecedented period of prosperity.

discomfit v. to make uneasy; disconcert The young man was discomfited being the only male in the play. discordant adj. not in tune In a pluralistic society there exists a cacophony of voices, each shouting to be heard.

discordant

discredit v. to dishonor; disgrace; cause to be doubted The candidate's attempt to discredit his opponent by spreading damaging rumors about him failed. discrepancy n. difference between The book studies the discrepancy in values and outlook between men who fought in the war, whether voluntarily or not, and those who remained civilians. REVIEW 22 Matching Match each word with its definition:

to free from a misconception to spread out to make uneasy act of straying from the main point difference between the WOrk Stanley Kubrick, whoVrSjc^dfT^ of producer shyness * • Strangelove, A C ^ T ^ Z n t ^ " ™ ' g- not in tune h funeral hymn ii to dishonor; disgrace L exhibiting keen insight and good judgment you can find all NEW GRE books in pdf ETS revised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: 94 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

diffidence diffuse digression dirge disabuse discerning discomfit discordant discredit disci

http://gre-download.blogspot.com

a. b. c. d. e. f.

95

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill " LU mi diffidence diffuse discerning dSclmfi, A g dta ««nflted

in the HIO„L. • m m e blank m each sentence. M~ i ^ressions dirge disabuse discordant discredited discrepancy

*• Auditors are investigating the stated e a r n i n g an*,•+

3- The b ^ y e d T

*"»"** ^

u 1 between the companys

^

baSed

°n

Sales

"

a tt h e s o l d i 4. Some reader* *™ 7 e r ' s funeral. other s ^ S e T u b T e c t T S S ^ * ? " ™ * * * -d Robinson s Mar other readers, however f m d t h T ^ ' * "logy: beautifully written. fascinating, illuminating and 5. Historians of science «t„H„ +u modern science as weU as t W ° T ^ h a V e b e c o m e a c c e P t e d by h&t h a v e b e e n 6- One of the aims of th IT ! • dents b e ^ t l ^ ^ ^ t u r e course is to help stu7- The study s u g g e l t s l h l t ^ o m e n ^ o nnt f A m d i n m e n to be an attractive quality. 8. The intravenous drug will in about 20 minutes. ~ — — through the patient's body 9. Many people are 10. The governor t r a v e l e T ^ T ~ 3 Y t h e i d e a o f their own death.

g

«- £ r ^ s ;^r <° °*

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether P a nu

7;—•.•assBaasKsL. ^- I here is a great die £fcnt ta ^ tJZSfg between fc ^ . ^ stud 3- Good writers often u « . H ' <>nt. * « « » ^ J T ^ ^ ' o h e i p k e e T ^ r **• ' n e opposition partv Men • _,

« * • * -
of t h e

h e -

discussion »

< * * * the

UNIT 2 3 discrete adj. constituting a separate thing; distinct Like the physicist, the abstract artist strives to identify the discrete elements of reality and to understand how they interact. discretion n. quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions; circumspection; freedom to act on one's own In nineteenth-century Britain gentlemen were expected to behave with discretion. disingenuous adj. not candid; crafty When a person starts a sentence, "I don't mean to appear disingenuous," one might be tempted to suspect that the person is being just that. disinterested adj. unprejudiced; objective The newspaper reporter looked for disinterested witnesses to the events so that she could get an objective account of what had happened. disjointed adj. lacking order or coherence; dislocated The technique of telling a story through a disjointed narrative is a technique best left to masters of the modern novel such as James Joyce and William Faulkner. dismiss v. put away from consideration; reject Investigators dismissed the man's account of a visit to another planet aboard an alien spacecraft as the product of an overactive imagination. disparage v. to belittle Though sometimes disparaged as merely an intellectual game, philosophy provides us with a method for inquiring systematically into problems that arise in areas such as medicine, science, and technology. disparate adj. dissimilar Many technological projects are interdisciplinary, requiring a knowle dge of fields as disparate as physics and biology, disparity is a n o u n meaning the condition of being unequal or unlike. The huge income disparity in the world is clearly illustrated by the fact that the assets of the world's 200 richest people exceed the combined income of 41% of the world's population. 97

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

dissemble „.

t o pretend;

disguise one's motives

you tTteUnZZZZZ^h lb6lieVe y°U are «—«**** H* me the whole truth about what happened that night" disseminate „. to spread; scatter; disperse f e ^ d £ S S ?PearSd «* ***** J** in India nr gnOUt Asia b tag that it was arrZZ, l °? y Buddhism, it is interestWest, Platonism S h ^ " ^ ^ u e " « « < philosophy of the such as the S X ^ "**>*»* early Christian thinkers

Terms from the Arts c^il Scien Platonism: th P T*-I ! < * s . and Social Sciences SUCh a s b e a u t

ideas

y and truth are copies of transcendent

REVIEW 23 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

discrete discretion disingenuous disinterested disjointed dismiss disparage disparate dissemble disseminate

ab ' c d -

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Peking order or coherence ^Prejudiced; objective dissimilar to belittle

to spread; disperse f. circumspection g. to pretend h n ° t candid; crafty constituting a separate thing;s distinct to reject

Fill-ins O - o s e „ * best w „ r d t o """"o

«*««„

8

e b I a n k

" e a c h sentence.

S o l v e d in the V i e t r ! ^ ^ * * * ° f

h o w

^

2. The great increase in travel in modern times makes it difficult to determine how and where a disease originated, as well as how it was , so that measures can be taken to mitigate its effects. 3. The novel's narrative is so that many readers have trouble following it. 4. Scientific laws identify a common fundamental element in seemingly phenomena. 5. The historian describes her method as "not so much the study of events b u t rather the study of relationships between those events." 6. The judge the evidence as not relevant to the case at hand. 7. The school lets its teachers use considerable in designing lessons for students. 8. The investigating committee ruled that the governor "had been " in not providing important information to them. 9. The noted director Stanley Kubrick, who turned down the chance to go to college when he was 17, formal education, saying, "I never learned anything at all at school." 10. The girl when her date asked if she had ever been kissed.

1- The technician dissembled the computer to find out what was wrong with it. 2- The battalion's commander told his men to use their own discretion in selecting enemy targets. 3 - Diplomats m u s t be discrete to do their job effectively. 4- The disingenuous student must work harder than other students to make u p for his lack of ability. 5- The writer was proud to have her work disparaged by leading critics. UNIT 2 4

United

dissident n. person who disagrees about beliefs, etc. Some of the most notorious concentration camps in history were the °ulag camps used by the Soviet Union to control dissidents.

98 99

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, a n d Social Sciences Union S ^ 9 2 0 s C e r n e l a ^ f ^ "T* * * * ^ - Established in used * L r i L n ^ 7 S t e m h a d 4 7 6 C a m P s throughout the country used to imprison people considered a threat to the state

dissolution n. disintegration; debauchery

noTZT^^ZTL iSt

doctrinaire adj. relating to a person who cannot compromise about ° ** *~ points of a theory or doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding The doctrinaire Marxists say that capitalism is merely a temporary phenomenon on the road to socialism.

- X ' S ^ ^ refers to a conflict For example a soldier ,H' , . ^ e e n one s beliefs and one's actions. beUeVeS that a forced to mLhteZZ » ^ing is immoral but is by his superiors might experience cognitive dissonance. distend v. to expand; swell out m

^

advanced

sta

9e

of starvation often have

distended

distill v extract the essential elements in his book Men of Idea.,- c:„ m ^ Creat rs Philosophy, Bryan MaaeTm ° of Contemporary thinkers such as W T ^ T ? P fo * * * * " t h e e s s e " c e o / teadfr» Chomsky. ' Vwe,JohnSearle, Iris Murdoch, and Noam

his

sitting in ^ Z p l l ^ * * * ^ diverge v. to vary-

go

secretary was not

in H W

A famous l Z £ A l f ^ ^ ^ fr°m « " s a ™ point Anenoon Nor To/cen"; " * * * * - J r o m Robert Frosfs The Road Two roads diverarH ,„ D^-Bence Is the „ o u n .

^ -•

Psychological tests «;h t

an<x

100

divulge v. to make known something that is secret Under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war cannot be tortured and forced to divulge information.

diSSOlUti0n fthe

dissonance n. discord; lack of harmony

bellies.

divest v. to strip; deprive; rid The candidate for secretary of defense pledged to divest himself of the shares he held in defense-related companies.

"• and the uirtue o j mercy, on the

REVIEW 24 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

dissident dissolution dissonance distend distill distrait

7. 89. 10.

diverge divest divulge doctrinaire

a. unyielding; dogmatic b . to extract the essential elements c. disintegration d. to strip; deprive e. to expand; swell out f. to go in different directions from the same point g. inattentive; preoccupied h . to make known something secret i. person who disagrees about beliefs j . lack of harmony

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. dissidents distrait

dissolution diverged

dissonance divested

distended divulge

distill doctrinaire

1- How the poet J o h n Keats was able to so much beauty and wisdom into his poetry remains a mystery. 2- The members' vote of no confidence in the ruling government led to the of parliament. 3- The m a n who ate more than 50 hot dogs to win the hot dog eating Dell competition gained 7 pounds and had a . y ° few days. - ., 4- According to the child psychologist, _ between family and school is normal. 101

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

5. The psychologist's patient himself of the secrets he had been carrying within for 30 years. 6. During World War I many people in the United States considered conscientious objectors to be radical ?

fr m Bob s ' ™ w life 7 7 ^ 7 ^ ° ' a*61" ^ e y graduated from W a S d r a f t e d and s e n t t o fi IZT "?} Z ' ght in Vietnam and she went to Paris to do a Ph.D. in French literature.

E m S T ? S C e m e d t 0 b C m e l a n c h ° l y and . so I asked him what was troubling him. 9 m n 0 t PUbUcl " noXTn ^ y l i s t e d ™d h ^ e no major debt d t0 m u c h o t h ^ t f T T about their sales and other matters to financial markets 10 ' m a k ^ t h ^ I S 1 U C k y e n ° U g h t o e n J ' o v P e a c e - « ™ y even one day make the discovery, to the horror of free-enterprisers w T a U s ^ 1 " 6 P l T C r S a M r e - ibat ^ h ^ c ^ e d capitalism and allSm b t h Ca able U , h r i r C A lAmerican ^ economist) ° P of working quite well." U.KK. L Galbraith, Sense or Nonsense TO|

'

2' ' d ^

g

r

rf

d o

"

doe8

„Xor*!!_

- 2£ss%£%£

dogmatic adj. stating opinions without proof Since every case is unique, jurists must not be dogmatic in applying precedents to make their decision, but instead must base their decision on a combination of such precedents and the facts of the case at hand. Dogma is a n o u n meaning a belief asserted on authority without evidence. Religions whose dogma specifies a time of the creation of the world have found difficulty in reconciling their view of creation with that of modern science.

' " " " P«t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 0 n

mOS

- ac^x°cuim:r^!_f

3

doggerel n. poor verse In his book Poetic Meter and Poetic Form, the literary citric Paul Fussell quotes this bit of doggerel from a U.S. Army latrine during World War II: Soldiers who wish to be a hero Are practically zero. But those who wish to be civilians, Jesus, they run into millions.

PO

Ucal l s s u

views sto,y" d,stends« .itsb u t their pening houreto

'

°

y books ofthe Hindus a iong „°f *:teachings r h of Hinduism. '*

4. The foreisn eovern™. 7 g n t S '" * " " " " " ^ ^ ^ * K * e h„pe of L S b S ; C c o u „ t 5. The reporter documented her s t o r v a h T " scnpts of interviews ^ ^ h tranh f - ^ b o u t ^ p u o n UNIT 25

T e r m s from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences The original meaning of dogma was "that which seems good." In Christian theology it came to mean truths known by divine revelation and taught by the Church.

dormant adj. inactive There is a considerable body of evidence showing that many diseases, such as ulcers, asthma, and hypertension have a large psychological component; the working hypothesis is that they represent rnanifestations of dormant emotional disturbances. dross n. waste; worthless matter; trivial matter

document

a t e c t her

f°r

her condition.

One of the ways the dross among blogs on ^ ^ ^ ^ 7 out from the worthwhile ones is through links good blogs provide to other good blogs. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences bl

Pg: short for weblog, an on-line journal

102 103

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

dupe v. to deceive; trick

effete ad/, depleted of vitality; overrefined; decadent In 1969, U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew denounced people protesting against the Vietnam War: "A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals."

ebulltau adj. exhilarated; enthusiastic

REVIEW 25 eclectic adj. selecting fr„ m

varlous

Matching Match each word with its definition:

sources

Neo-Platonism~an eclectic fh.vw Pythagorean, Aristotehan t nT "

^ ^ " " ^

o/Platonic,

C patton through union oflteToJZT* ° " a c h f e u e S ^ t u a < emmd J uie SOUL with the ultimate source of existence

Terms from the Ari-s <s«H eDCeS Platonic: refers to the h i ' "* S o c i a l S c i e n c e s pher who held that brJrh i 0 ^ ° P l ? L 0 f P l a t o ' ^ ancient Greek philosoaS - d truth are copies o f ^ S S ^ ^ ^ Pythagorean: refers to th P v,i B.C. philosopher and m a t h ? ^ ? S ° P h y o f Pythagoras, a sixth-century » terms of L t h n T e u c ™ ^ S a C s h ^ s . ^ ^ 0 ^ d e S C r i b e d r e a l i t y Aristotelian: refers to the h i entist and p M o s o n ^ Z ' S S ° f A r i s t o t l e an ancient Greek scim h a d a e m thought, especially m S e ! ^ ? 1 » « * influence on WestStoic: refers to Stoicism a ^ ^ ^ - d scienCC f Greece tau ht * * the highest good to virtue t S ° ?**** ^ ^ 1S b a s e d o n Stoic S believed that the w W l t J I knowledge. The that governs nature and a S f ™ S ? h a r m o n y with Divine Reason ing fortunes of life. * " * m d l f f e r e n t to suffering a n d the changdlrect relahon'wiS ^ ^ ^ a c t k _ _ _ _ ^ ^ ^

x

of

Pitting oneself into principle of life

effervescence n <*t + ~ bubbtog a s g a s e s c a ^ ° f high spirits or iiveUness; the process of

osZlZT" «™— ***** ^ „ ^ ™

e

* « v e is effervescent.

—'

to a blodc

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

document doggerel dogmatic dormant dross dupe ebullient eclectic effervescence effete

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

to deceive poor verse provide with written evidence to support state of high spirits selecting from various sources stating opinions without proof exhilarated inactive depleted of vitality worthless matter

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. documented duped

doggerel ebullient

dogmatic eclectic

dormant effervescent

dross effete

1- Clinical psychologists provide treatment for psychological disorders, and today can choose from an array of psychotherapies; often they are , choosing elements of therapies best suited to each particular case. 2- Police investigators . the case with photographs and recorded interviews. 3 - The country's leaders the people into thinking it was necessary to declare war. 4 - Even the of a great poet like John Milton is interesting. 5 - It is interesting to observe how some traditions remain strong, while others gradually become • 6 - The philosopher Bertrand Russell once observed that people are often most about things that it is least possible to be certain about. „ , 7 - Julia's . personality makes her one of the college s most popular students. 105

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

8. The doctor suspected that the patient had once contracted malaria, but that the disease was now 9. One of the traditional functions of literary critics is to help sepafrom the KI u 3 worthwhile among the many books published every year. 10 ' ? S ° n HS^,te 5 a S C b a 1 1 f a n s W f e r e after their team captured the College World Series in J u n e 2006. Sense or Nonsense

Ch S6ntenCe makeS ^fsl^Nlmf S°°d Senseiforitnotdoes - not. Put S (SENSE) if itrH does, and put N (NONSENSE) L

madeP°llS Z Z r t T ^ '

2

' Sper t ht e s n e t lf d U P e d * * *""***

3

" ^e^rT1^^^7

tato

iS h i S

thlnkin

§

she had

' t^mmi^d^^

5

' Se^SS

^_ S ° p h e r

ebUlUent

has a

^

^

since she wrote

elegy n. poem or song expressing lamentation Adonais is a pastoral elegy written by Percy Bysshe Shelley in the spring of 1821 after he learned of the death of his friend and fellow poet John Keats. elicit v. to provoke; draw out The Socratic method is designed to elicit responses that guide the student toward understanding.

haS

**«"« * *

t0 fmd Several s o u r c e s

4

P

** *

egotistical adj. excessively self-centered; conceited The critics accused the writer of being egotistical only about herself

^

documenting the

^ ** P r i e s t P r o n O U n C e d

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Socratic method: a method of seeking the truth about a subject through systematic questioning. Often it results in the questioning of assumptions. The Socratic method is attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates.

well-deserved reputation for being elixir n. a substance believed to have the power to cure ills The doctor said that her prescription would help to alleviate my condition but that I could not expect it to be an elixir.

UNIT 26 efficacy n. efficiency; effectiveness urea against the seriousness The adjective is efficacious.

of its side

effects.

are not, a researche^Zpl?!^^UbJects benefiting while others are is in a "no-win" situation t ^ l ^ ^ n t feelings, since he or she the choose between on the one h H ° Sltuation' experimenter must 9 Uing more continuing the experiment ™w I inclusive results by hand administering the drug thoThtsZ^P Ven °°Z ' St°Ppin9 * °nd e have not received it. ° &cacious to those who

Elysian adj. blissful; delightful In Book VI of Virgil's Aeneid, the hero Aeneas descends to the Underworld where he meets the soul of his dead father, Anchxses;m the Blysian fields and learns from him thejuture of the Roman race. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences

Ekisian fields or Elysium: in Greek and Roman m ^ o l o ^ n ^ L r o i c refers to an otherworld where the spirits of the v i r t u e s ^ * * * * dwell after being transported there without experiencing deatn Elysium is described in Homer's Odyssey a s a place ofeternal effrontery n . shameless boldness- nr P « * spring where the souls of heroes and others who are blessed[hyMfoe In her essay the stud h Presui*ptuousness gods wander blissfully. Homer placed Elysium at thewestern edge tHe e targehj a waste of time. *** -ffr°ntery to argue that school is of the Earth near the stream of Oceanus, w h i l e - ^ « ^ £ G m * Poets, such a s Hesiod and Pindar, placed it in ^ ^ ° l " L in ^ t e i ^ 6 ^ t 0 S 6 e * * » »torelation to oneself; Blessed, or the Fortunate Islands, of the Western O ^ U t e m the Aeneid, Virgil describes it a s being located in the realms dead under the Earth. fiom ^ S ^ ^ S ^ ^ ^ f ^ b e d as a moving away 1710 °J the larger world. 1AA

107

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

emaciated adj. thin and wasted for^e^ZZ^

03

C m a C i a t e d aJter

be

^fed

only tread and u^

embellish _. to adorn- d adding details ' e c o r a t e ; enhance; make more attractive by need to embellish

v**™ ^

" ^

S

° P°werM

that the writer felt no

REVIEW 26

6. It seems to be almost a natural human trait to a good story to make it an even better story. 7. The politician h a s found a grassroots approach to garnering support to be most . 8. The teachers were shocked when the student council had the to p a s s a motion stating that teachers were using outdated methods of instruction. 9. The novel portrays an world in which suffering and death have been eliminated. 10. The poet wrote an for the soldiers who had given their lives for their country.

Matching Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Match each word with Us d e „ „ i u o n : 1- efficacy 2- effrontery 3 - egoism 4 - egotistical 5 ele gy 6 - elicit 7- elixir 8 - Elysian 9 - emaciated !0. embellish

a

- b l i s s * u l ; delightful - s o n S expressing lamentation J s u b s t a n c e that cures ills d - s e e i n g things in relation to oneself e - shameless boldness f - excessively self-centered g " t h m and wasted h -t o P r °voke; draw out *" efficiency b

J

FiU-ins

t 0 a d 0 r n : e n h a

'

^e

'. h t h e ^ ^ . .

«maoi«ted

07h——-—-

!

!

^

^

^

-

"

the

h

**

S

ar

V

w

.mbeHlsb

travded around tofant

moves from

UnderStand

fr°™ the bored . ^ I " ^ 4 stud - The aid ents.

^-portraits

^

to an Increased ahn.H ? a t

3- •£££_

3. Some people are considered egotistical simply because they are not conceited. 4 - The poem contains an allusion to an elixir that was believed to make a person immortal. 5. The scientist embellished the results of his experiment with data that had not been subjected to rigorous testing. UNIT 27

Choose the best word tofin•

£ « = . semn g J

1. No one could solve the efficacious math problem. . 2. In her second account of events, the witness emaciated her story.

** *"•"**"'

a s able tn uie to

—

a response

«»t _ _ _ / "——— because he does only

emollient adj. soothing; mollifying The politician's speech is filled with emollient phrases to make his message more palatable. Emollient is also a n o u n that means an agent that soothes or makes m °re acceptable. empirical adj. derived from observation or experiment Some people erroneously cite the theory of relativity a s support for e thical relativism, whereas in reality the former is a scientific theory, w hile the latter is a moral issue, and thus by its nature is not subject to empirical verification. ^iricism is a n o u n meaning the view that experience is the only *°Urce of knowledge. It can also mean the employment of empirical me thods, as in science. 109

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences theory of relativity: the theory of the relative a s opposed to the absolute character of motion and mass, and the interdependence of matter, space, and time

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Freudians: followers of Sigmund Freud, the nineteenth-century physician who pioneered the study of the unconscious mind. Some central ideas of Freudian psychology are given below. repression: a psychological process by which desires and impulses are kept out of the conscious mind and kept in the subconscious mind

emulate v. to imitate; copy Bionics uses technology to emulate nature, but sometimes a similar process occurs in reverse, in which scientists use technology as a heuristic tool to better understand natural processes. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Bionics: the application of biological principles to the design of electrical or engineering systems heuristic: relating to a speculative formulation guiding the investigaion o r solution of a problem; educational method in which students learn irom their own investigations

neuroses: a mental disease that causes distress but does not interfere with a person's ability to function in everyday life. In Freudian psychology, a neurosis results from an ineffectual strategy adopted by the *Ego to resolve conflict between the *Id and the *Superego. *Ego: in Freudian psychology, the part of the mind that tries to match the desires of the Id with what is required by reality *Id: in Freudian psychology, the part of the mind that is the source of psychic energy that comes from instinctual drives and needs *Superego: in Freudian psychology, the part of the mind that opposes the desires of the Id. It is based on the childhood process by which a Person makes the values of society part of his or her personality.

encomium n. a formal expression of praise er^mP^fTiTte\aSked ^ "P^hwriter encomium for the retiring general

to compose an

endemic adj. inherent; belonging to an area Malaria, once endemic to the area, has now been largely eradicated enervate v. to weaken C O coMTeiZTteWG:lRUSST ™ ™ ^ s counted on the bitter enervate German soldiers invading their country.

engender v. to cause; produce

enhance v. to increase; improve Although it is widely believed that the primary objective of the researchers developing the Internet was to secure the American nuclear missile system, in fact their main goal was to foster science by enhancing the ability of technology to disseminate information among scientists. entomology n. the scientific study of insects Considering that there are approximately 925,000 species of insects (more than all other species combined), entomology is a vast field of study. enunciate v. to pronounce clearly m everyday speech the sounds of many words are not dearly.

enunciated

REVIEW 2 7 hatching Ma tch each word with its definition: *• emollient - empirical

2

110

a. to increase; improve b. inherent; belonging to an area 111

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

3. emulate 5 ' 6. 7. 8.

c

endemi U m enervate engender enhance

.agent ^ ^ soothes acceptable

or m a k e s

more

d e

' SCientiflC s t u d y of i n s e c t s - derived from observation or experiment f. t o c a u s e ; p r o d u c e g .to p r o n o u n c e d e a r l h. to w e a k e n

9. entomology 10. enunciate

to imitate; copy i w™„i J. lormal expression of praise L

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

™ £ g g eengendered TgltL S T * enhance L

enC miUmS

°

entomologist

"** enunciate

r w e n t t ^ * P 1 " 0 * ^ rate in the nineteenth and technolo ^ o f e s s ^ l T™' ^ t s increasingly the n 0 for ™ p l e ^ 8n f a ^ r ^ ^ of science by establishing, n i S d t ^ ° ? a s s ° c i a t i o n s and publications that puonsned peer-reviewed articles. ' e o r m e c t e ^ e n t ^ H 1 1 1 1 ™ 1 U S e r S i s ^ b u i l d i * g of a network able W h i c h ted S e t ^ ^e CSyStem ' t0 would greatly

^^^atTafi?c^e

^ ^ "* ™*

s

3. It has been said that CharW r> emancipated science f r o T t ? T T ' V h t u a 1 ^ single-handedly, by being fiercdvTrii m 6 l d e o l ° g i e s of philosophy and religion

i i **^%3£^*

fy

evidence

4. M a „ e

wh0

5- ^ ^ ^ n ^

^ d

(o

e

^ S

thinking rejec ng ' " f

* preva&'

species, and relying solely on

counwes

^ ^ ^

eonve^on f o r

o- Faced with h. . ' ered taxes o T u b ^ e t e n ^ S u n e mployment, the government lowt0 encoura e 7. Much of the tragedy of Z ^ g economic growth, fanatical racism Holocaust can be attributed to the bv 8. _ the Nazis. t o p~p~ 1 1 to b e around the world s W r W ^ f . * P o l i s h e d in newspapers hlS d e a t h in 20 9- The veteran mediator * f °5that rarely fcflTS^'V™™ ** * • _ approach

- ^ ~

H - a r d b ^ r E d S T wW Urs o n" 1S^ mt 0 g e t h e r

— specializing in ants

1. Knowing the entomology of a difficult word can help you remember it. 2. Carrying the 50-pound pack in the 95° Fahrenheit heat enervated the infantryman. 3. The Supreme Court ruling has engendered new debate on the controversial issue. 4. When learning to speak a new language, it is a good idea to enunciate words clearly. 5. It is advisable to see a doctor before traveling to countries in which malaria or other infectious diseases are endemic. UNIT 28 ephemeral adj. short-lived; fleeting Impressionist painters such as Claude Monet share with the Romantics an affinity for nature, but the Impressionists took a more scientific interest in it, attempting to accurately depict ephemeral phenomena such as the play of light on water. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences impressionist: refers to Impressionism, a movement in art that began in France in the late nineteenth century. Impressionism seeks to portray the visual effects of light reflected on subjects. Claude Monet is one of the most famous Impressionist painters. The term can also be used to refer to literature that tries to convey a general impression of a subject rather than a detailed one and to musical compositions that create impressions and moods.

s p e a k e r s to not

y

10

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

«Pistemology n. b r a n c h of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge A major question in epistemology is whether the mind can ever 9ain objective knowledge, limited as it is by its narrow range of se nse experience. Suable adj. steady; unvarying; serene Throughout the crisis the president remained equable. D ° not confuse equable with equitable, which means fair, or just, °r impartial. 113

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS Nstay CQn be Seen beaten {Z^T "fT"* « a dialectic faire rTkeTfrfe Zrr*****?? " P^es. who want to leave the untram 7m?^M°Zat*?efh ™ted by restrictions (believing ofTdis^utinn T uu memberS °fthe society>' ^ e*Pone2

?m£™TslZZ*XWant

to ensure that

™ °f

dinlo « T T l l i W m ^

A Uf S C l e n C e S
^stTo^C°nteXt'

^

*

'

^

r e f e r s to

°

the action of opposing

^ffiS^KM politics ' doctrine *at -

It is based on the b S e f S S '? ^1 i en Ct eOr nf e mr ei nC c e rbdye rgovernment. tCndS> when u i K t o t u S ^ ^ ^ r ° ° the maximum w e l l - b e i n e f o r I t *?S ° r r e g u l a t i o n - to secure community as a whok? ^dividual and therefore for the

equanimity „. composure; calmness Emergency room doctor* nnw „ equanimity when treating j J J u W * * "* *"***

to

Waintain

**

W

Terms S e

fe

°Aen ™*d to indicate ^ * ^rbiage, often * obfi*scation or equivocation. b e

Great erudition sagacious.

does not necessarily mean that a person is

esoteric adj. hard to understand; known only to a few Epidemiologists, using esoteric statistical analyses, field investigations, and complex laboratory techniques, investigate the cause of a disease, its distribution (geographic, ecological, and ethnic), method of spread, and measures for preventing or controlling it. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Epidemiologists: experts in the branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations essay v. to make an attempt; subject to a test The composer began work on a sonata, a form she had not previously essayed.

equivocate v. to intentionally use v a ^ i The businessperson has language equivocates and can be / n T ^ a rePutati°n as someone who never d exactl what The noun ia • ^ ° y ^e promises. n e n o u n ls equivocation. that th^?e7mitan^^m{^manticS'' with the implicahonthaUteZ^9^

The noun is erudition.

tost

fr0™^^^^

™ ^ - Interpretation of a w o ^ r ; " " ' • " * ' S C i e n C e S ntence or — — — — _ _ _ _ ' ' other language form

« - « • « 9 . learned; scholarly Frederick Copfestnr, «_ r P ^ -as u n d o , ^ ^ £ ^ f^*«ne History of Philosooj the m o s t erudite peopte a>io ever toed.

estimable adj. admirable; possible to estimate Alistair Cooke's book Six Men contains character studies of estimable modern figures including H. L. Mencken, Humphrey Bogart, and Adlai Stevenson. REVIEW 28 Matching Match each word with its definition: ephemeral Pistemology

e

equable equanimity equivocate errant erudite esoteric essay estimable

a. admirable b. branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge hard to understand c. d. steady; unvarying; serene e. to intentionally use vague language f. mistaken g. to make a n attempt h. short-lived; fleeting i. learned J- composure; calmness

114 115

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. ephemeral errant

epistemology erudition

equable esoteric

equanimity essayed

equivocate estimable

1. Much slang originates in a specific group a s a sort of argot that allows that group to share something 2

' 1 * ? ! ? ^ 1 S l a n g iS • there are many examples of <* X ^ ^V ? k6, a n dC Sa a n d e v e n c o m e s t o b e accepted as legitimate. S S T 7 ^ - « * ^ n d e r of the Ramakrishna Math, an Indian order of monks, counseled that one should try to maintain 4 TW " coura 5

~ 'eVm " mlSSile

m tcyto

^

circumstances. ° y e d after it veered off

h a d t0 b e destr

"for^° f t h e S ° C i e t y ° f J C S U S ( ° f t e n c a l l e d J e ^ « s ) , are famous Whl h service o f G o d ~ ° ^ b e l i e v e s h ° u l d be used in the

UNIT 29 ethnocentric adj. based on the attitude that one's group is superior The words "primitive" and "savage" reflect an ethnocentric bias in Western culture that regards societies that do not have Western science and technology as inferior because they have not achieved as much material success as Western societies. The noun is ethnocentrism. During certain periods of Chinese history, foreigners were considered to be "barbarians"; perhaps this ethnocentrism made it difficult for the Chinese to accept innovations from other countries. etiology n. causes or origins The etiology of mental illness is complex because of the diversity of factors—social, biological, genetic, and psychological—that contribute to many disorders.

' S g h T m t o h n ^ r ^ PrOViding with new m i n d aCqUires 7 S t ^owledge. said to~SeTh '' ^ m C i f y ° U W a n t t o m a r r y m e o r n o t - " R u t h 8. The infant „T„n • her life. walking u p a stairs for the first time in

etymology n. origin and history of a word The origin of the word "barbarian" reflects the ethnocentrism of the ancient Greeks; its etymology is that it comes (through Latin and French words) from the Greek word barbaros, meaning non-Greek, foreign.

9. Perth, Australia is often cited as a pleasant place to live because in m. T ; climate. 10. Chris Evert was an • . , Wimbledon titles. tennis player who won three

eugenics n. study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve these qualities The science fiction novel describes a military eugenics program designed to create a race of "super-soldiers" possessing intelligence, strength, and other qualities far in advance of the ordinary person.

6

Sense or Nonsense ^ttms^TtlTr m a k C S g ° 0 d S e n s e or not. ' * d ° e S > ^ P u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. L n e S b ^ u Tsurgeon , L t C i Pisl i epistemoloov * * a d o c t o r m u s t - a s t e r to 9 nbecome* ,. 2. The young history Ph D ranHiH • • supervising professor w h ? ' 1S n 0 t a s e r u d l t e a s his a P P 6 a r Sto that happened in hTstoty ^ w j u s t about everything 3. The literary critic essavpri +uT~ 4. In view of the factThlTf ^ n ° V e l m h e r review. m reporter was pleasedt h e n f S ° ° f t e n ephemeral, the S me book form. J _ ° ° f h e r work was published in 5. The logic of the argument i« 0 ~ g U m e n t ls s o with it. errant we cannot help b u t agree

eu

logy n. high praise, especially of a person who has recently died After the death of Abraham Lincoln, many eulogies of him appeared in newspapers throughout America.

euphemism n. u s e of agreeable or inoffensive language in place of unpleasant or offensive language An illustration of the tendency toward euphemism is the change (reflecting the political concerns of the day) in the accepted appellation Of poor countries from the unambiguous poor, to undeveloped, to underdeuetoped, to less developed, to developing. eu

Phoria n. a feeling of extreme happiness There was euphoria in the professor's house after it was learned th *t she had received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

116 117

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

euthanasia n. mercy killing Modern medicine's ability to prolong life has raised ethical questions, such as "Is euthanasia ever morally justifiable?" evince v. to show plainly; be an indication of The student's response to the teacher's question evinced his ignoranee of the subject. evocative adj. tending to call to mind or produce a reaction Somerset Maugham's short stories are often evocative of exotic places such as Pago-Pago and Gibraltar. Evocation is the noun. Some literary critics believe that Charles Dickens' use of caricature makes his characters one-dimensional, but others see these characters as evocations of universal human types that resonate powerfully with readers' experiences of real people. The verb is evoke. ^ ^ ^rmS "l°adfd km9ua3e" ™d "charged language" are used to l^JTZ1?96 ^ has S° man^ annotations formost readers that t Z ^ ^ h S O r n ^ T r t0 " * tt Without « * * * « "Wtoi associations, which will distract attention from the topic under discussion. Term, from the Arts. Sciences, and Social Sciences one^nensional relating to a portrayal of a character that lacks depth

REVIEW 2 9 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. ethnocentric 2. etiology 3: etymology 4. eugenics 5. eulogy 6. euphemism 7. euphoria 8. euthanasia

a. h * c .

origins hi^u — * * * * * based on attitude that a person or f o u P l s superior leelm § o f extreme happiness f t e n d m g t o Produce a reaction I- use of inoffensive language in place of unpleasant language ?' ° n 0 n a n d **&»& of a word h. mercy killing

9. evince

i. study of factors that influence hereditary qualities j . to show plainly

10. evocative

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. ethnocentrism euphemisms

etiology euphoria

etymology euthanasia

eugenics evinces

eulogy evocative

1. "Folk " is the term used by linguists to refer to popular theories of how words originated or changed their meaning. 2. The book describes the among Allied soldiers after Japan surrendered in 1945. 3. The Oxford Dictionary of the English Language _ the scholarship of a large team of dedicated scholars. 4. The diversity of factors involved in triggering cancers makes it difficult to be certain of the of a particular case of cancer. 5. Alexander Graham Bell advocated a form of : from his research, he concluded that deafness was hereditary and in 1881 he recommended that deaf people be prohibited from getting married. 6. The novel includes many descriptions of New England in winter. 7. The captain's of the dead soldier described his bravery in battle. 8- In order to discourage the college requires students to take three courses dealing with other cultures. 9- Advances in medical technology have made the question of whether is morally justifiable an important issue in many countries. 10. Modern warfare h a s produced such as antipersonnel mines for mines t h a t rip soldiers* bodies into shreds with bits oi metal and collateral damage for noncombatants killed as a result of war. Sense or Nonsense mdicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ^ t S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1

- The phrase "domestic helper" can be considered a euphemism for "maid." 2 - The patient was given euthanasia before undergoing major surgery.

118 119

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS 3

' S k e d ^ o ^ n 1 1 1 ^ S ^ i U m r ° S e t 0 a f e v e r P i t c h a s ^ e seconds ticked^downon the college football team's 12th straight

4

' SaracJef ^ !

5

' ^

7

™

d

^

ab

"** :

^

°Ut

the m a

^

no

^

flaws

in

^

exigency n. crisis; urgent requirements Astronauts must be prepared for exigencies their spacecraft's life support system.

such as damage to

dead man's

m e r e s t in anything outside

UNIT 3 0

existential adj. having to do with existence; based on experience; having to do with the philosophy of existentialism Existential writers such as Jean-Paul Sartre have argued that human beings are free, but that this freedom entails a burden of responsibility that makes them anxious.

exacerbate v. to aggravate; make worse Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Existentialism is a philosophical movement that stresses individual experience in relation to the world. Existential thought is very varied, but often concerns itself with the ideas of freedom, responsibility, and the isolation of the individual self.

bUmin9 ^SZ^Zt^^V^ -ffossiljuels has atmos he the naturally ocZr^L^ T " ** P ^ exacerbating g r e e n h U S e effect in Earth's reclntp^t ° " ^ has predominated

9reenhlZ:£T*l"* warms the pianet

exact

T'™*' PFOCeSS b y W h i c h a

U. t o fnrr>*» +V.«

*- - ™ x r « ' °"

in the country.

^

a c t e d

°»* — - Sciences P 1 *™* s atmosphere

emand

atax

Qf

obtai

^ - ^ —*

exorcise v. to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences A modern parallel to the shaman is the psychiatrist, who helps the patient exorcise personal demons and guides him toward mental wholeness.

10% from every adult male

Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences haman: a tribal healer who Is believed to be able to enter the world of good and evil spirits. Shamans often enter a trance and practice divination. s

comment: "Wh^ occuvatin^i , " " ^ A W o u s H u * f e y ™ ^ this «* abso^o^ o / a i r t L X ^ ^ ^ t o ^ e x a c t l n * than exculpate u. to clear nfKi uo C l e a r o f blame; vindicate The report exculpated tho tBI TKT ofanf the investigation. y wrongdoing in its handling oj " ^ ^ • ^ s t a b l e ;

abhorrent

be ^ 9an to use rock instruments, „„. _ onsiaered it an execrable travesty. ^ o rInlt . . to urge by strong appeals 943U.S. General r £ ° * to invade mie™ g ^ e Sjatton exhorted American troops

^

^

M

^

s

t

^m eT< r ^ r i c a n s o l ^ r ^ e l Zr e? U l?n t fe a " d ^ was — r e d ^ " ^ counterparts " courageous than

e

*patlate v. to speak or write at length Every year the book club invites a famous author to come to expatiate on the art of writing.

^Patriate v. to send into exile lfl e pronunciation is ek-SPAY-tree-ayt. People seeking asylum in another country are sometimes expatriated. Expatriate is also a n o u n meaning a person living outside his or her 0w n land. 1116

Pronunciation is ek-SPAY-tree-it.

Th adjective is also

expatriate. 121

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

REVIEW 30

9.

writers such as Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre tend to focus on the individual human condition as opposed to human social interaction. 10. The defendant's attorney brought forward new evidence that her of the crime.

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 2

exacerbate

a. crisis; urgent requirements b . to clear of blame c . relating to existence d . t o make worse e speak or write at length f . to urge by strong appeals g. t o force ^ p a y m e n t o f h . to send into exile L to free from bad influences j . detestable

exact

exculpate execrable exhort exigency existential exorcise expatiate expatriate

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. The builder exculpated the ground to build a foundation for the house. 2. The football fans exhorted their team's defense to keep the opposition from scoring a touchdown. 3. The expedition to Antarctica brought equipment to help deal with any exigency. 4- The philosopher's existential approach stresses an objective, rational approach to seeking truth. 5. The expatriate loves her country so much that she has never set foot on foreign soil.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. eS^ncf1116 exigency

C

?Cting existential

e

*c*Pated exorcises

execrable expatiate

exhorted expatriate

UNIT 31 L

2

3

S

ready for a^y

tS

m

°

tt0,

" ^^

^

^

i sa

concise reminder to be

expiate v. to atone for The pilgrims undertook their long journey to expiate their sins.

' ^ o v e r f i ^ ^ l ^ ^ 6 to/ndfa- M i s s Q ^ s t e d , one of the novel s important characters, ^ h a t s h e „alls h e r psychological "bothers" by com^glole^swf* tneirtderrying

Expiation is the noun.

' 5 t i t r b l f ™ r r S s " " to™**** ^andoning their farms ^eadyovercrowded c i t i e l ^ n ^ ^

explicate v. to explain; interpret; clarify The literature exam requires students to explicate three poems th ey studied in class and one they have not studied. Explication is the n o u n .

4

" ^ " d s ^ t S o r ^ f ^

5. ^i^tiTj7n*r

d

1888 and lived £ L

b

- Hie principal exams.

7- ^

^

^

e

|

~ n

t

the itaiy radi* toequipment is _ ^

f

ta

°

* "U f n l t e d

StateS

-

f

^^

*

t t, Q

* ,J students to study hard for the final

was amazed that the professor could

8- i^c^virigTn Z g condmons. * ** 122

^

1S n o t b u

T *P O e m

S l U m S o fM e

expository adj. explanatory There is no one model of expository prose that a student can emukte. since each piece of good writing is unique. e

*tant adj. i n existence; not lost Unfortunately for Bible scholars, there are no extant writings of Jes us Christ

Contail

^ g only 12 words. * c ° City live in

e

mporaneous adj. unrehearsed 1 enjoyed the speaker's extemporaneous remarks more than her Spared speech, because they gave me insight into her personality 123

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

^aSS*^ ^ dBd8l0na ^ made d^ ^ «™ extirpate v. to root up; to destroy Pr S 0rpr0miSed ex^teIo^ ° T m the state. extirpate corruption

VOters

that

I* «****

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 0.

extemporaneous extirpate extraneous extrapolation extrinsic facetious

e. humorous f. to explain; interpret g- not inherent or essential h. explanatory i. to atone for ]'• not essential

extraneous adj. not essential d

t 0 CUt

Ut

rioTZ T? *"* easily on ° a ^aneous matenot^SUSS^^Si readers could find information given subject e X t r a

n

f estimatIon b

^ ! ""• ! * ^ ° ine economists e r f r n i » i - * ' grow by 4% next year.

y Projecting known information suggests that the economy luffl

The verb is extrapolate. Strict determinists belies th„+ •+ • ssU)le to extrapolate the fi,*,™ * P° ' b^ed

Vement feUery

onPreseTc£!Z™

at least theoretically, at m

°

°

* the " ™ e r S 6

a e t e r m ^ ^ ^ "" * * ^ ^ ^ — * » < * * Sciences "eiermmists: followers of the belief t w n eVents are determlned by causes external to the yjfll

"^^eS^T lnherent ° r eSSential the phenllmen^n*

*

deSigned

to

delude factors that are extrinsic to

facetious adj. humorous The comedian's faceti*,.* Kept the audience amusloT COmments

a

°out prominent

politicians

REVIEW 31 Matching Match « c h W 0 r d w I t h l t s d e f l n m o n 1. expiate 2. expUcate "• cApucate 3

- «-Apusitory expository — - extant

4

a

nre " U-""'-"carsea hearsed . act of estimation by projecting known ^formation —""i«ictuon r tt oor o o t J root up; to destroy J u . ito n f>v< 0+ existence; not_lost

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. expiate explication extirpate extraneous

expository extrapolating

extant extrinsic

extemporaneous facetious

1- Joan's comments are so subtle some of u s have trouble telling whether she is being or not. 2. If you would like to read a profound of English Romantic poetry, a good book to read is Harold Bloom's The Visionary Company. 3. To solve the mystery of who had committed the crime, the detective systematically eliminated evidence. 4. Three modern masters of writing are Bertrand Russell, C. S. Lewis, and Lewis Thomas. 5 - The book contains all the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. 6- The students were assigned to give a / a n talk on a subject of their choice. 7 - Many of the comic book heroes of the 1950s pledged to —— evil wherever they found it. °- Being born to a wealthy family can be considered a / a n advantage to a person. The priest advised the m a n to perform penance to —. his sins. 10, from present trends, scientists predict that the star will explode 100 million years from now. ^ * s e or Nonsense naicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ^ t s (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. l

o ' 3.

u

Pon investigation, we found that the extant of the problem was ^ a s great a s we h a d feared. The two events t h a t occurred in 1969 were extemporaneous. — • v » i » . W V*AC4.t, W V V U 1 1 V U " * .m. w w -• "-• Using complex mathematical extrapolations, astronomers predict that the asteroid will p a s s by the Earth at a distance of 400,000 miles 125

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

4. The book contains clear explications of 20 difficult poems. 5. Thenew ruler made it a priority to extirpate gangs of c r i m i n a l

fauna n. animals of a period or region When humans introduce fauna from one habitat into another habitat, the ecological balance is upset.

UNIT 3 2 fawning adj. seeking favor by flattering The boss has a reputation for hiring fawning

facilitate v. to make less difficult 096

WUH

per^onafrZ^ ^ p S l t coZn

c

7 ^

r

the

avaUab

^

s^ z;rr%:s^

of relatively inexpensive the ahili *y oforlinary

eWormatU}nwith

% J t a 0 t o t o d

emh

NigM

^ples^ZZZl ^^ LaaloUvil

^ " L ^

"**

^r

d

^

na

° ^

^

idCa r fect:

°

Premise

superior to others.

the

' character Malvolio factotum in the house of

mer

felicitous adj. suitably expressed; appropriate; well-chosen The Gettysburg Address is full of felicitous phrases such as "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

™ ~ -*

factotum n. a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman Pl

employees.

fading

that some races are inherently

The noun fallacy means an incorrect idea. Critics of the "strona" a th ore guilty of a loaical fnru. m r o P i c P r i n c *Ple argue that its proponents

feral adj. existing in a wild or untamed state Feral dogs returning to an untamed state after domestication sometimes form packs, becoming a threat to humans. fervor n. warmth and intensity of emotion American soldiers were welcomed back to the United States with fervor after the end of World War II. The adjective fervent m e a n s full of strong emotion, or impassioned. The fervent libertarian believed that government is a necessary evil that should be constrained from excessive interference in the affairs of individuals. REVIEW 32

anthropic principle- t h e T ^ ble universes are f a v o r a h T ? ^ only some have inteUi^nt „K follows that the J l ^ S ^ __^^^^j«suited

^

^

*** *"**

Sciences ° « " of possi° r e a t l 0 n o f l i f e ^ d that of these exiStS S ^ ^ ^ ^ ' " to the evolution of intelligence. nly a limited n u m b

m

Ut n0t Z,ThPAt '0Wed * , " n o vm av att ee cdl the beginning" of each" ^»h ™ l ks out at the ^ s t e n t s and thinks of^ilT* ^ teacher °° QJ ajallowfeld, ready to be cultivated.

f a t U

° ^ ^

fatuoul

f

^ W y

comment1

self-satisfied "*

mderst(mi

Matching Match each word with its definition: !• facilitate • fa ctotum 3 - fallacious ^ f a l l °w 5 - fatuous !?• f a u n a '• fawning • felicitous feral

"%

no

one took seriously his

n 10

- fervor

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j

foolishly self-satisfied existing in a wild state to make less difficult suitably expressed based on a false idea or fact plowed but not sowed person who does all sorts of work seeking favor animals of a period or region w a r m t h and intensity of emotion

127

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. facilitate fauna

factotum fawning

fallacious felicitous

fallow feral

UNIT 3 3

fatuous fervor

1. The _ of Australia includes quite a number of species introduced from Europe. 2. The bishop's secretary tries to be respectful of his superior's office without being . 3

d - — ° g s have become a problem in the more rural areas of Hong Kong, where people buy dogs as pets onlyy to later abandon them. 4. The general's aide-de-camp functions as the general's .. 5. President J o h n F. Kennedy expressed the idea of duty to the country in these words: "Ask not what your country can do lor you; ask what you can do for your country." 6. Carbon-14 dating is predicated on the assumption that the amount of carbon-14 in the atmosphere remains constant, but recently this has been proved 7. The football team's leading running back blocks and r u n s with equal

8. The teacher was becoming tired of her students' response to literature. 9. The black box on commercial airliners, which records flight and engmeermg data, is usually painted a bright color to iinding it after a crash. 10. The farmer could not afford to let any of his fields lie • Sense or Nonsense

p^IcsaLwNse^ if r f

s e n t e makes

r

g°°d sen- - -t.

Hut S (SENSE) if l t does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. S t m S T n °f t h C T e s t i S a t i v e committee announced, "I will S i s c o ^ e d ^ ! ! ° n U n t i l ^ * * f a c t 0 t u m s m ^ « * * have been 2. Vegetarians eat only fauna

fetid adj. having a bad smell Many people find the smell ofLtmburger cheese

fetid.

fetter v. to bind; confine The poet William Blake believed that each person creates "mindforged manacles," fettering his or her natural instincts and spirit. The noun fetter m e a n s something that restricts or restrains. The adjective fettered m e a n s bound or confined. fiat n. arbitrary order; authorization The dictator rules almost entirely by fiat. fidelity n. loyalty; exact correspondence Monks joining the Franciscan Order pledge fidelity and rules of the Order.

to the ideals

filibuster n. use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law The senator threatened that his filibuster would include a full reading of his eight-volume autobiography. finesse v. to handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy; to use finesse, that is, refinement in performance Engineers decided that the problem could be finessed by using tighter materials. fissure n. crevice Geologists measure the width of the fissure regularly to monitor "lavement of the Earth's plates in the area,

L

^ 8 v. to droop; grow weak Noticing that the students' 9ave them a short break.

attention was flagging,

the professor

3. ^ p r e s i d e n t ' s chief speechwriter is admired for his felicitous

4

- sssss ssasr^

was

first

** *-«*

5. The farmer let his field lie fallow for three years.

128

ft- beginner; novice coach said that some of the team's fledglings wouldplay c ^ txXuniay's game. ^ adjective fledgling m e a n s immature or inexperienced.

in

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

flora n. plants of a region or era Singapore's Botanical Gardens contain an extensive collection of the flora of Southeast Asia.

9. The boxer is known for relying more on than strength. 10. The appearance of in the rock suggested to geologists a movement in the Earth's crust.

REVIEW 33 Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Matching Match each word with its definition:

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

fetter flat fidelity filibuster finesse fissure flag . fledgling flora

a. use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law b. crevice c. arbitrary order d. to droop; grow weak e. loyalty f- to bind; confine g. plants of a region or era h. to handle with deceptive strategy i. having a bad smell j - beginner; novice

Fill-ins

1.

ta&eu^asenate,

8

fledgling

flora

a two-thirds vote is required to break a

2. M ^ u ^ e T a r e breeding in the

pond

' ^nTsloTTs^s^ 4

' ^toreZ8 PrimC ^ ^rCfleCted 5- The m a r a t h o n ~ ^ n ^ o ^ a n ^ ^ ^ g the finish line. °

W

much easier it would ^ COnsensusab ° u t two miles from

6. The •uch^ch^TboS?meeSgsaSSlgned

t0 C

°Ver

m u n d a n e

UNIT 34 florid adj. ruddy; reddish; flowery As he grew older, the novelist eschewed the florid, ostentatious style of his youth in favor of a more direct and sparse style.

Choose the best word to fill to the blank to each sentence.

ua

1. We all enjoyed the fetid smell of the meal being cooked. 2. Members of the minority party in the Senate were so much against the legislation that they threatened to filibuster. 3. The libertarian believes that modern democratic governments place unacceptable fetters on individual liberty. 4. The president gave a speech to rally flagging public support for the war. 5. The fledgling soldiers gradually became accustomed to army life.

eventS

vey of the * u m v e r s i t y have carried out a comprehensive sur8- He r e f u s e d ! ^ * * * ****• by the conventions of society.

flourish n. an embellishment or ornamentation The Sophists often gave interminable speeches futt of rhetorical flourishes. Fhurish is also a verb meaning to grow vigorously, or to thrive. Capitalismflourished in the eighteenth century in Europe and the United States as the industrial revolution created a prodigious amount °f wealth that, for the first time in history, was in the hands of ^downers. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Sophists: fifth-century B.C. Greek philosophers {Sophistes meant "^Pert or deviser) who speculated on theology, science, and metaphysics. Many people came to dislike the Sophists, accusing them 01 d i s honest reasoning. The word sophistry means reasoning that s subtle and seemingly true b u t is actually incorrect.

130

131

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

flout v. to treat scornfully P

C M e t C r a n d P o e t i c F o r m the

JZ P ^ ^ °f^ n~£> discusses + poetic conventions.

distinguished literary the dangers poets face when they flout

flux n. flowing; a continuous moving di!ecuoT

CUltUreS

tUne

c o n c e

*

^^

e

d as a flux moving in one

foment v. to incite; arouse the^ounZy™™*

aXUSed

tHe

news a

P P*r

of fomenting

florid forbearance

forestall v. to prevent; delay * £ S Z % % ^

on economic downt^n

b»

formidable adj. menacing; threatening C e n ^ ^ ^ the ^ited States had economic and military power.

forswear v. renounce; repudiate When she became a IT«; n-n Julia or other countries and ni^fr^Tb f ^ore allegiance to all Pledged t0 de e to do so. f "d the United States if called upon founder „. to sink; fail; collapse "

"

foment forbearance forestall formidable forswear founder

c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

patience a continuous moving fail; collapse to treat scornfully to renounce; repudiate to prevent; delay ruddy; reddish to incite; arouse

unrest in

tha 9reat COUra e be^autTJt^T6* u ° *nd forbearance would required to see the war through to a successful conclusion.

^

flout flux

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

forbearance n. patience

becornTaTrmld^ me ajormidable

345. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

b

^

changes in thejluid world o T ^ h ^ o t g ^

"

y

^ernment

<***"**

flourishes forestall

flouts formidable

flux forswear

foment foundered

1. Rhetorical are generally frowned upon under the canons of modern English. 2. The negotiations when agreement could not be reached on the central issue. 3. The head football coach and his staff spent the week devising a way to break down the defense of the next week's opponent. 4. Peace activists are working to get governments to the use of nuclear weapons. 5 - The education system is in a state of , as administrators struggle to keep u p with changes in society. 6. Negotiators worked frantically to the outbreak of hostilities. 7 - The country accused the neighboring country of employing agents 0 -——______ revolution. 8 - The student's essay the rules of written English. 9 - The governor urged the people of the state to show during the crisis. A • _ _ _ _ _ style is generally best avoided when one is writing a business letter or report.

REVIEW 34 Matching Match each word with its definition; 1. florid 2132

J j J * or Nonsense aicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ut a (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. l

flourish

emb

f' ^ e U i s h m e n t or ornamentation b - menacing; threatening

- °ood Scottish whiskey m u s t be fomented for at least 12 years. 1 ^ company was foundered by a Scot who came to America to 1828. 133

••••••••^^•^^•••••^^••^1 ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS 3

' S K ^ ° " fl°Uting *** l a w ' " t h e w a r d e n told the prisoner, you 11 be spending a lot more time behind bars " its m o r e 350 « , ~ NffVy'S S C V e n t h F l e e t ^ than 50 ships and 350 aircraft, possesses a formidable amount of firepower pS dfsrinlt ^ f S t Cin ° n *class. * first discipline problems the

da

of s c h

^

fulsome adj. so excessive as to be disgusting The actor was embarrassed by the fulsome praise he received after winning the Academy Award for best actor.

° o 1 to forestall

UNIT 3 5 fracas n. a loud quarrel; brawl the^J01™ fractious P

^

W6re

Called

*

t0 break

U

P af™«*

that had erupted in

adj. quarrelsome; unruly; rebellious ;

S

Naders decked

toftrst

fresco n. a painting done on plaster th a s ^ e n t Z t ^ f a ^ s T ? latest period of fresco painting, and Giotto. V"*** such as Michelangelo, Raphael,

frieze n. ornamental band on a wall One of the best-known frieze n „ the^ outer wal1 in Athens, is a 521 ffw w « °fthe Parthenon fthe P honoring Athena. ^ ^ ° ^ a t h e n a i c procession Terms from t h e A j t s ~ ^ * H T I Parthenon- the chi f e n c e s , and Social Sciences Ple in Athens' * ° f t h e goddess Athena on the Acropolis Panathenaic: relating to the Panathin honor of the Greek g« Vd M 1 .^f1 e n a e a - ^ Athenian festival held Athens " ^ ° d e s s A thena, the patron goddess of

w

or y

db

SGnd

the

froward

child to the

frugality n. thrift **£» ^ ^ ^ { o Z ^ Z e C t a ^ ^ 134

1

^

buying,

fusion adj. union; synthesis A hydrogen bomb requires tremendous heat to trigger the fusion reaction, which is provided by the detonation of a fission bomb. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences fusion: In physics, nuclear fusion is the process by which multiple nuclei join together to form a heavier nucleus, resulting in the release of energy. fission: splitting into two parts. In physics, nuclear fission is a process where a large nucleus is split into two smaller nuclei. In biology, binary fission refers to the process whereby a prokaiyote (a single-celled organism lacking a membrane-bound nucleus) reproduces by cell division

™tile adj. ineffective; useless; fruitless To some non-philosophers, the discipline seems frivolous and futile because it produces no tangible benefits. REVIEW 3 5 Matching Match each word with its definition:

!• fracas - fractious 3- fresco 4- frieze 5- froward 6- frugality 7 - rulrninate 8 - fulsome 9 - fusion 10 - futile 2

*° t sr^ : zr* *•*-** -— vice-principal for disciplining. *"* l°

fulminate v. to attack loudly; denounce The senator fulminated against what he termed "foreign meddling in America's business."

frugality

a. painting done on plaster b. so excessive as to be disgusting c. stubbornly contrary d. useless e. quarrelsome; unruly f. ornamental band on a wall g. to denounce h. synthesis i. loud quarrel J- thrift 135

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins

UNIT 36

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

gainsay v. to deny; dispute; oppose *?Ct,i01,S fulminated

£uZtv frugality

freSCO

M e z e

fulsome

fusion

1. The philosopher's conclusion is that it is to try to understand the ultimate meaning of e x i s t e d 2. The genesis of the computer revolution lay, to a large extent, in —

oi

' ba^lnTro^^ PCOPle

5 ^7

0

^ " * ^ * * *** "a

^

after the

difflcult

Pitcher

hlt a

M

- r t u e to practice.

r e S l S t e d CVeiy effort

° f ltS

rider t o m a k e

"

6. Archaeologists are studying the u- v. «. u „m LUU ui £ive thprr, o i w * -y s m e which they hope will Undei Standlngofllfeinanci 7 Tr^e^r/ff " e n t Greece, 0110 banqUCt Warned her h w^uldlete i ? ^' *? o « t s that she

8

' tan5nr^S^T£^.party

9. The reformer rf distributed s o T ^ a U y T 10. The earliest form of paintings in tombs.

have r e v e n t e d a consensus

• toiy

*" ^ ,„ u- .

p

l n W h i c h W e & l t h iS

'

The children gamboled

on the lawn while their parents ate lunch.

The noun gambol m e a n s frolicking about.

*

;

^

gyP

gauche adj. coarse and uncouth; clumsy What is considered gauche in one culture might not be considered gauche in another culture; for example, burping is considered rude in America but is acceptable in China. geniality n. cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability Hosts of television talk shows are generally people who possess a 9reat deal of geniality.

gerrymander v. to divide an area into voting districts in a way that kvors a political party An argument against the practice of gerrymandering is that it tends to make it difflcult for the party that is out of power to regain Power.

techniques aI,ows u s , „ enjoy

2- We had^to futannate the house to kffl the

garrulous adj. very talkative; wordy The garrulous houseguest made it difficult for us to get much work done on the project.

tian wal1

«*NSE> if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if tt does not. E

gambol v. to frolic; leap playfully

The adjective genial m e a n s having a pleasant or friendly disposition. Was E

Sense or Nonsense

t

the fact that she put great effort into the

science and technology

' foUowlhl^thT

'• i

No one can gainsay project.

^ward futile

hmecl.

^

had

^ted

3. The froward phild refuses tn ««. • u J 4. The country's l e a d ^ C l^u z S ^ * * ? ^ ^ *" — reduce private debt. e n s to practice frugality to help 5. There were quite a few fi,«i~ ** Wright brothers. _____ attempts at manned flight before the

*^ °dj- fluent in a n insincere way; offhand Sharon's parents were not satisfied by her glib explanation of why s t e had not been able to study for the exam, goa

<* v. to prod; urge on Goaded by his friends into trying out for the football team as a uwk-on, Jeff went on to become an all-American linebacker. er

136

adj. sheer; light and delicate, like cobwebs „J>°™e experts in NASA believe that what they call a gigantic jftosamer spacecraft" could be constructed in space using extremely ^ ^ W materials. 137

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

gouge v. to tear out; scoop out; overcharge The store is able to gouge its customers because it is the only store in the area that carries that particular line of merchandise.

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

REVIEW 36 Matching Match each word with its definition: 2. 34. 56. 7. 8 9.' 10.

S o l garrulous gauche geniality gerrymander glib goafj gossamer gouge

*• t t 0 t e a r ° U t : o v e r < * a r g e * to T ^ ^ H ^i ^ d. very talkative ddiCate hke C bWCbS t Tl ^ ^ ' ° f to frolic; leap playfully g * fluent in an insincere way ? ' c h e e r f u I n e s s ; kindliness !" C O a r S e a n d u n c ° u t h j - to divide into voting districts so that a political party is favored

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in th* KI I • " LO mi m the blank in each sentence. gainsay gambol garruln,,* ^ gouged gub f^T?"8 gauche geniality goaaed gossamer gerrymandering 1. The wjt P S di ess the m^ideTitloTell a ^f SS & ™g from his account of 2- Semi-tame d e e r " ^ ^ ^ 3. The host's " : " m t h e l u s h S r e e n fleld. 4. The s u s p e c t s l ^ T T - ™ p r e s s e d everyone at the parry, to the d e t e c t C X p l a n a t l ° n s o ^ d e d suspiciously _ _

5

SSs

Srd

that remain

-

be hibited so sam

p-

6. Jim's friends ! ** e over the years. 7- The pilot a s s u T e T n ^ a t u T J r d?e r^S ^ * * M a r i n e S support the aircraft ! J 2 L u^ —wings would m y d UbtS 8- The p r o t a g o n i s t T t n ^ Hl lss a s h I"* ^ ° tered and ,, , Y woman who becomes flus9- Engineers

138

10. No one can the fact that China has made great progress in improving the lives of its people over the past half century.

OTmal

social

situations. a new channel for the stream to follow.

1. Ted gamboled away his savings in Atlantic City. 2. The river gerrymanders through Ocean County. 3. After goading on the problem for several days, the mathematician hit on a solution. 4. The garrulous baseball announcer told a record 26 anecdotes in the course of a single game. 5. The dean applauded the students for their gauche, decorous behavior. UNIT 3 7 grandiloquent adj. pompous; bombastic The orator abandoned grandiloquent phrases and instead uses simple and direct language. gregarious adj. sociable A recent anthropological theory is that human beings are 9regarious creatures that are comfortable living in groups of wound 150 individuals. grouse v. 0

to

complain

Instead of grousing your congressional

about the policy, do something about it: write representative.

Grous

eisalsoanoun. The lieutenant told his men "If you have any grouses, take them to the captain." e e

s s adj. free of cunning or deceit; artless to d" 6 °fthe charms °f ^e novel is that the guileless ae feat the scheming villain.

hero manages

«* noun meaning deception or trickery. tying poker well requires guile as well as skilL "• outward appearance; false appearance; pretense *» Greefc mythology, the god Zeus often appeared to mortal women Whom he was attracted in strange guises: as a swan, he made 139

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

love to Leda of Sparta, with other women he took on the form of a shower of gold, or a bull, or thunder and lightning. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Zeus, known to the Romans as Jupiter, was the head of the Olympian pantheon and the god of weather. An amorous god, his liaisons with goddesses, nymphs, and mortal women produced many offspring, including Perseus, Heracles, Hermes. Ares, the Fates, and the Muses. Leda was the wife of King Tyndareus of Sparta. Her union with Zeus produced Helen and Polydeuces. gullible adj. easily deceived l b

m

erS

0fthe

— **™*to- *>*

e^nZToVll}^

halcyon adj. calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous tHe HalCy n years // u^enZlTrnkeS ° ^mediately after World War when Amenca was at peace and the economy was booming.

r?T* °f tkhi en g f i s h e r - ! t a l s o «• ^ e name of a ^ ^ *ngflsfaer that symbolizes life an.

In f o I k ^ T fr°m t h C * * S c l e n C e s * * * * * * • * s c i e n c e s iS a c a l m ^ ^ ^ ^ that brings peace and solstice. w h e T ^ X ^ T ^ d a y S ^ ^ t h e « m e of winter The expressions ^ Z ? Z £ ^ " * *» " «*> *% y n years des of time that are tranquil and ha ° c r i b e s penods G i ^ M d ^ 8 ^ r herself into the s e a w h L

harangue n. long, pompous speech; tirade The football team sat silently listening to their coach's half-time harangue about poor tackling, dropped passes, and lost opportunities to score.

REVIEW 37

gustatory adj. affecting the sense of taste

^

The questioning of scientific and religious orthodoxy by scientists such as Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin led to stupendous advances in both geology and biology, as these fields freed themselves from the fetters of hallowed, but fallacious, assumptions about the age and development of the Earth and life.

audie

r1n^ l! ^y T^ ™e believed the young performer's claim that he had composed "Hey, Jude. *

^Sc^a0?^ renTwaf

hallowed adj. holy; sacred

n

" ^ A^l c y obnCe t r a c e d b a c k to a n c i e n t ^ ^alcyone) who threw d e a d

bod

of h e r

husband

Ceyx, the King of ThessTlv w v f ^ ^ y Pitying Alcyone, t h e T d s L ^ f ^ ^ * a ^P™**' both her fishers (halcyon) a n d i h J ^ and Ceyx into kingrem ined m t h and had young While Alrv f e sea where they mated ^ s t ^ the sea, Aeolus keenernf ^ e s eCag gwSi na dn sd b r o o d e d o v e r t h C winds so that the ocean *Zi ' restrained these _ _ _ _ ^ n s u r f a c e would remain calm and peaceful.

Matching Match each word with its definition: J

3 4 -

grandiloquent gregarious grouse guileless 5l § ui se 6 - gullible 7 - gustatory 8- halcyon 9- hallowed °- h a r angue 2

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

free of deceit affecting the sense of taste long, pompous speech easily deceived calm and peaceful pompous; bombastic outward appearance to complain holy; sacred sociable

fill-ins h

°ose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

S

l 0 q u e n t

gUUlble

gregarious gustatory

grouse halcyon

guileless hallowed

guises harangue

1

"Anyone with a about my marking can see me in my office after class," the law professor told her class. • S e a r c h e r s have found that many p r i m a t e s - s u c h as chimpanzees and h u m a n s , for example—are — • whlle others, like the orangutan, live largely solitary lives. * ^ field in France is by the graves of the brave soldiers who fought and died for their country.

140 141

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

4. Abraham Lincoln's famous adage-"You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the t i m e . " - c a n be paraphrased: m e r e are a lot of _ _ p e 0 p i e m the electorate, but there are also some people who insist on knowing the truth " 5. The president governs with the adage phrases don't house the homeless" always in mind. 6. The restaurant critic called the dish "a m^

1 1 1 8 t0

" ^

^ ^

G

°d

appears

' wSiPth0efwS0H f U ^ e d ^ S m i i S to to my ° class. ', ^ ^ coming

Scholars have traced many of the hermetic Greece to Egypt.

The orthodox view among scientists is that the ancestors of the great apes and humans evolved solely in Africa; however, recently a competing, heterodox view has arisen theorizing that they also may have evolved in Euroasia.

throughout history in

hieroglyphics n. a system of writing in which pictorial symbols represent meaning or sounds; writing or symbols that are difficult to decipher; the symbols used in advanced mathematics The deciphering of hieroglyphics on the Rosetta Stone in 1822 was a great step forward in understanding hieroglyphics.

about

Ume

^

of

^ d e n t tardiness y™ < « ^ e , don't bother

Sense or Nonsense

^fslLtseE)eifrietadh s e n t e r makes e°°d — - -t.

traditions of ancient

heterodox adj. unorthodox; not widely accepted

triumph "

8. In Somerset Maugham's story "The Facts of Life" a young man triumphs over a crafty, worldly-wise young woman who tries to steal his money. 9. In retrospect, the prosperous 1950s seem like years to many Americans. 10

hermetic adj. tightly sealed; magical

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences raasetta Stone: a granite stone inscribed with the same passage _ ^ t i n g in two Egyptian languages and one in classical Greek. Comparative translation helped scholars to gain a much better understanding of hieroglyphics.

rut b (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. G u ^ t a t o ^ w i n d s

m a d e i t d i f f l c u l t tQ

^ ^ ^

^

^ t e adj. covered with hair One of the most obvious differences between humans and closely mated species such as chimpanzees is that the latter are hirsute, wute the former have relatively little hair.

^

S

!l 0 n i c adi- relating to exaggerated emotional behavior calculated le ct; theatrical arts or performances „, W J e n e u e r the star of the movie does not get her way on the set, bne Mes into a histrionic fit.

for

UNIT 3 8

n

harrowing adj. extremely distressing; terrifying inejourneu "inwnrrl" tn described as more harroL^ ^ *** unconscio1^ mind has been m9 the most explore the Earth. dangerous voyage to herbivorous adi rpiatin« + t. gtoa h e r on plants bivore, an animal that feeds mainly Most researchers now believe that tha and humans was a stror^^Te^^^Z^^ 142

***"

°un histrionics m e a n s emotional behavior done for effect. his sou?the trionics and tell me how you really feel," the woman wat0 her angry husband. SfcTf** 1 * n' a u t o m a t i c maintenance by an organism of normal ature, chemical balance, etc. within itself Jj[» example of homeostasis in mammals is the regulation ofgluk the blood *J*J"? * > which is done mainly by the liver and insulm " ° « « by the pancreas. fcomih, ' "• Se rmon; tedious moralizing lecture; platitude " * Pastor's homilies have been published in an anthology. 143

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

homogeneous adj. composed of identical parts; uniform in composition Pluralists in America argue that the country's institutions can withstand great diversity, and even be strengthened by it, while those who argue for a more homogeneous society believe that such a situation results in unhealthy contention and animosity between groups. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Pluralists: followers of pluralism, the belief t h a t it is beneficial to have a variety of distinct ethnic and cultural groups in society

REVIEW 38 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. harrowing

a

3* hermItic° U S

b

4 heter d c' h i ™, ° * 7. histrionic g , omeostasis 9. homily 10. homogeneous

.

unorthodox

' C X t r e m e l y distressing c. relating to exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect d com P ° s e d of identical parts „ " ^ ^ ""* g- sermon

haSr

a b i l i t y o f a c e U t Q m a l n t a i n i t s internal . ^ r i u n i i. relating to a herbivore, a n animal that • fefs on P 1 ^ J. relating to a system of writing using pictorial symbols h

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in th* KI , . " to mi in the blank in each sentence. wSS^ST h e r m e t i c heterodox h i e r o g l y p h * n °mc <»meostatic homily homogeneous 1- This Sunday's ,, , s Samaritan. ^ ^ t h e parable of the Good 2. The " s u b j e c t e ^ u d 7 I s ^ S i h ? ^ 0 n " r e f e r s t o a number of interrelated 3- The t h e o l o g y *' ^ ^ ^ ****<>&• Church. " ~ — — c o n d u s i o n s were censured by the

W^te"*

4. Many primatologists believe that early human beings were , living on fruit, seeds, and nuts. 5. J. R. R. Tolkien's story The Lord of the Rings recounts Frodo Baggin's journey to carry the One Ring from Rivendell to the Crack of Doom and destroy it before the evil Sauron could get his hands on it. 6. Some educators believe it is best to group students according to their ability, while others prefer grouping. 7. Anthropologists believe that early human beings were . 8. The removal of waste products by excretory organs such as the lungs and kidneys is a n important process in mammals. 9. The UFO researcher claims to have found writings inscribed on the side of an alien craft that resemble • 10. Most mothers are astute at judging whether their child's tears are genuine or merely . S«nse or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1- Stan's herbivorous diet consists mainly of hamburgers and steaks. 2 - In the seventeenth century, a voyage by ship from London to New York was a harrowing experience. 3 ' Many patients are turning to homeostasis as an alternative to traditional medicine. 4 - The heterodox pastor teaches only doctrines approved by his church. 5 Hie ' roglyphics on the Egyptian pot indicate it was used to store records of the pharaoh's accounts. UNIT 39 yperbole n. purposeful exaggeration for effect The American tradition of the tall tale uses hyperbole to depict a Wld in which the inhabitants and their deeds are larger than UJe, 08 befitting a people inhabiting a vast landscape. c

°noclastic adj. attacking cherished traditions The linguist and political commentator Noam Chomsky has been ^cribed as gleeJi^y iconoclastic because of the zeal with winch ^ attacks many of the central beliefs of American society.

144

145

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

An icon is an image or representation. The internal combustion engine is a ubiquitous feature of modern industrial society, helping the automobile to become an icon of the twentieth century, loved by many people but loathed by environmentalists. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences The icons of the Eastern Orthodox Church are usually portraits of holy men and women that worshipers u s e a s a help to focus their prayers. A person who smashes such a n object is a n iconoclast, which comes from the Greek word eikonoklastes meaning "breaking of an image." Iconoclastic has come to be used more generally to refer to an attack on any cherished belief.

idolatry n. idol worship; blind or excessive devotion During the Protestant Reformation images in churches were felt to be a form of idolatry and were banned and destroyed. igneous adj. produced by fire; volcanic The presence of igneous rocks on the beach suggests that there was a volcanic eruption in the area millions of years ago.

impair v. to damage; injure Alcohol has been shown to seriously impair the functioning of the brain. impassive adj. showing no emotion The judge sat, impassive, listening to the man's emotional account of the crime. impecunious adj. poor; having no money The businessman's biography tells how he went from being an impecunious student in the 1980s to one of the richest people in America. impede v. to hinder; block The development of the western region of China has been by a lack of trained workers. REVIEW 3 9 Matching

Match each word with its definition: *• hyperbole - iconoclastic 3 - idolatry 4 - igneous 5 - imbroglio 6 ' immutable 7 - impair 8 - impassive • impecunious °-impede 2

imbroglio n. complicated situation; an entanglement „ n ^ i f 0 t q £ m a ? y ?JSomerset Maugham's stories consists of an unravelmg of an imbroglio in which the main character finds himselj immutable adj. unchangeable

become a tabula rasa on uenvtonmeT , f i T 2 —if6*""MarS' ** WiUvalues and beliefs in a new &

immutabl

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences

impeded

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

complicated situation to damage purposeful exaggeration for effect worshipping idols to hinder unchangeable attacking cherished traditions poor volcanic showing no emotion

PiB-ins Ch

S u t c T T a b u T a ^ ^ * " e W *"*

tablet

f r o

~ ^

not m

-

k e d

^

external

^ o l e Stable

The noun is irnrnutability. enao^se^Z^6^. and ^ ^ c

S

°ose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

*"* r S

iconoclastic impaired

idolatry impassive

igneous impecunious

imbroglio impeded

1 lt the

^

Mutability of species was ^ ^ ^ ^ m i s t s , botanists,

would be to say that scientists have gained a perfect understanding of the process of h u m a n evolution; however, it » fair to say t h a t over the last century and a half a reasonably Clear Mea of it h a s emerged. 147

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

2. The artlst is P6 applying for a grant so that she can continue painting full-time. 3 Anthropologists, mindful of the danger of ethnocentrism, avoid the use of emotionally charged words such a s " ". 4. The president warned Congress that the United States should not become mvolved in the diplomatic 5. This week's essay topic is "War h a s [ h u m a n progress." 6. The philosopher searches for t r u t h s , striving to gain a comprehensive view of reality. solidifies " ^ ^ 8. The F^r^~T^Tr- book

formed de

w h e n molten

rock cools and

b u n k s the belief t h a t all of America's

Cd ferVently ta d e m o c r

9 T^e T

*cy.

fniwj?f^at-—IZ through the entire murder trial, carefully considering the evidence presented. tudentS toSncent^ ^ their^studies * * ^is ^ o f m a n v h i §y h s c h ° o 1 f ssleep. to concentrate on b

a lack 0

Sense or Nonsense

impervious adj. impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected We were amazed how Laura could sit at the noisy party studying organic chemistry, impervious to the noise around her. impinge v. to strike; encroach Scientists have found chimpanzees to be a territorial species; individuals that are not members of a group impinging on the territory of that group are normally met with aggression. implacable adj. inflexible; incapable of being pleased Once an implacable foe of capitalism, the People's Republic of China in recent years seems, in practice if not in principle, to have embraced it. implausible adj. unlikely; unbelievable To say that Napoleon Bonaparte achieved what he did merely because he was compensating for his shortness is simplistic, reductionistic, and implausible.

^ f s l s E t s t i n r f S C n t e n C e m a k e s g ° o d - n s e or not. « i t S (SENSE) if rt does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Terms from t h e A r t s , Sciences, and Social Sciences reductionistic: attempting to explain complex phenomena by simple Principles

L S r e t c t n r i r 6 •^yPerb°le t o e m b e l l i s h ^ e i r achievement so 9 Zrl m e electorate will vote for them.

nature" ^f**

^

eVolution

3

*> b T ^ n immutable law of

taWhlCh a Single

'SSS^a^g^^ 4 " 2S2SKS^ 5. Since he regularl Pher Socrates can* bTde^u e aesc

^ -^ f*«* — ^ ^

prescribed. ^ s d o m , the philosoH n b e d as an iconoclast. COnventional

UNIT 4 0 ^ ^ ^ • - P o - i b l e

"nplicit adj. implied; understood b u t not stated Implicit in the review is the idea that the writing of serious literate is a moral undertaking. ^ implication is that which is hinted at or suggested. The guiding principle of common law is that decisions of previous courts should be followed unless there are compelling reasons for ^ 9 differently, which by implication would invalidate the earlier rulings.

to penetrate

by nJicl^ZftwT1! ! 2 ! U , a r e te s a f d to ^ impermeable jiware sent over the Internet

Plode v. collapse inward violently The building was imploded in order to make way for the construc-

to attach

" ^ of a new apartment Buddha counseled thnt S ^ ¥ e ' s vicissitude^.

fhrou

14*

^

,_

S

^

to r e m a i n

imperturbable

e

complex.

noun is implosion.

W a t i o n n. curse . The convicted man was taken away by court officers, uttering ""Precations against the jury that had found him guilty.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

impute v. to relate to a particular cause or source; attribute the fault to; assign as a characteristic Primatologists generally impute relatively high intelligence to chimpanzees based on, among other things, the ability of chimpanzees to recognize themselves in a mirror.

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

REVIEW 40 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. ^ 5. o. 7. 8. 910.

impermeable imperturbable impervious impinge ,rv,^i ^i implacable implausible implicit implode imprecation impute

a.

SS

1- It seems t_ as the h u r r i a T r ^ i r , 2.

ta

AaMe

v w*

h

encrf)ach

c. c u r s e H +„ „ • t o c o l l a p s e inward violently e. to^ r • I ;mp°Sfle t0 PenCtrate f/ t 0 a t t n , b 1 U t e * * f a u l t t o ^ - p a b e of b e i n g ^ ^ , J- not easily disturbed

Fill-ins Choose the best word to ffll

*SS?

1. The young soldiers were amazed how their captain sat, imperturbable, through the heavy enemy bombardment, chatting and playing cards. 2. Cornered by the police, the fleeing suspect began to utter imprecations. 3. Before the development of radio, the idea that people could speak to each other over thousands of miles was generally regarded as implausible. 4. Everyone in the class likes Professor Wilson because of her fair, flexible, and implacable marking. 5. The first mate warned the captain of the submarine that implosion was imminent.

uni^

b. to

UNIT 41

the blank ,n eaeh sentenee.

m,,

i<

! f" - "-•**-« tap>«*" implosions

imprecations impute

a s aresucomplex ! organe ssuch s rf

m e p e o p l e ihat

r,uUo ,rzux SSKffi* Sometimes seen as

a

"° «* p-

s of scie are working to rem^uTJn c e , many theologians 3 d 1Vergent in the H * « * * of science and religion. f a of dem liberty o c r a c y is the notion of individual

4. Submarines are pressuri^n f

* » _ the p r e s s ^ e T w ^ SKS™"^** o. When you look at a <=+ +u is on t W r l S f * was 50 years in the past 6

5

'

° ^ t - y e a r s away, the light that S ^ l m a g e o f the s t a r a S &

- ^rC ^ » * * « * * surfaee tnakes 7. Joe, . i s l a n d U o l i e r ^ ° TeaSOn' m s i s t e d on trying to swim to the ISO

8. An important attribute of a leader is the ability to remain in a crisis. 9. People often great cleverness to cats. 10. Frustrated by his inability to gain revenge on his enemies, all George could do was hurl at them.

.

inadvertently adv. carelessly; unintentionally The songwriter says that it is easy to inadvertently "tefody of another song when composing. incarnate adj. having bodily form Christians believe that Jesus Christ was God

use the

incarnate.

•nchoate adj. imperfectly formed or formulated In his book Chronicles, Bob Dylan describes the process of how s °me of his songs went from an inchoate state to finished, wellProduced songs. "fcongruity n. state of not fitting There is an incongruity between the poem's solemn tone and its "ght-hearted theme. Th e

adjective is incongruous. Jhe assumptions underlying J o n a t h a n Swift's definition oj literary st yl*~The proper words in the proper order"-recognize that there

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

are many effective styles, but that the effectiveness of each is dependent on the context within which it is found: for example, the rambling, exuberant style of Walt Whitman's poem "Song of Myself wouM be incongruous in Alexander Pope's The Rope of the Lock, with its dependence on sustained wit and irony

indolent adj. habitually lazy; idle An argument against welfare is that it encourages people to be indolent. REVIEW 41

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences •Jonathan Swift: Anglo-Irish writer (1667-1745) known today mainly tor his prose satires such as Gulliver's Travels Wah' Whitman: American poet (1819-1892) widely regarded as one of the nation s greatest writers. His most famous work is Leaves of Grass i ^ ^ Z r , p e \ E n ^ s h P° e t (1688-1744) known today mainly for his satirical poetry, most notably The Rape of the Lock inconsequential adj. insignificant; unimportant m^bu^T9*?** ^ WOmen Seemed inconsequential at the time, but m retrospect it led to one of literature's great collaborations.

S H ^ i S ™ *

1 1 5 6

s y ^ m ^ u l t d ^

S

°mething

int

° *»**"* thing already in

* ^ ™tobi°"raphy, Chronicles, he

incursion n. sudden invasion

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. inadvertently 2. incarnate 3. inchoate 4. incongruity 5. inconsequential 6. incorporate 7. incursion 8- indeterminate 9. indigence !0. indolent

a. imperfectly formed b. to introduce something into another thing already in existence; combine c. insignificant; unimportant d. sudden invasion e. habitually lazy; idle f. carelessly; unintentionally g. poverty h. having bodily form i. uncertain; indefinite j . state of not fitting

Pill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. ^advertently ^consequential ^ n t

incarnate incorporates indolent

inchoate incursions

incongruous indeterminate

1

relentless^l^Z ^ * ? * * " " ^ *"° ^ *" « between the twosideS WMtJina1^- c°-lamitous wars were fought indeterminate adj. uncertain; indefinite

indigence n. poverty Most economists believe thnt th u . to expand employment opplrtn^s " ^ * *"**** *"****** * The adjective is indigent For opproxtmatehj 2n% nf+u W m S whom are indigent mmmjtrit maZ^n ° ' P°P"^«on, nearly all of 9ood health. ' ^n is the main impediment to achieving 152

- In view of the fact that in most elections fewer than half the eligible voters cast their ballot, it would appear that many citizens consider their vote to be • 2 - h societies that place a high value on hard work, people who s Pend most of the day sitting around chatting are often considered to be m t o ' During an ice age, the polar ice caps make re gions that are temperate at other times. 4 - The study of human evolution the latest research from primatology, anthropology, and related fields. 5 - The writer is approaching that age at which one cannot accurately be described either as young or middle-aged. D In - retrospect, it seems that a country founded on the Principle of liberty condoned slavery. • ^tronomers believe that the solar system formed out of an mass of dust and gas. 153

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

8. The typesetter. o m i t t e d a line from the poem. 9. Many people consider Adolf Hitler to have been evil 10. The new welfare program is targeted to help the truly in the population.

ingenuous adj. naive and trusting; lacking sophistication The conman could not bring himself to take advantage of the ingenuous boy.

Sense or Nonsense h SCntenCe makeS I^SE^f g°° d Sense iforitnotdoes « i t b (SENSE) if itfndoes, and put N (NONSENSE)

not.

L

« 5 e - ^ C t ! 1 0 d l°U U S C t o m e m ° r i z e the information is inconsequen2 ? ? • u , S C h 6 r t 0 l d h C r C l a s S ' " a s l o n S a s " works." ' ' t t f J J r The,uHiftorical Jes"* by J o h n Dominic Crossan incorpoi n H n H w m e S ! ° l 0 g y ° f ^ ^ g 1 * 8 o f a n u ™ b e r of fields, taduduig anthropology, history, and theology. 6 1 1 kldiCateS ^incursions r ^ n 1 1 1 1into ^ 6 territory. our

that

*** e n e m y h a s been making

4

' W i e r i n f C n t h a i l C d t h C u n P r e ^ d e n t e d economic growth as 5 X m n g m l n e W e r a o f industry and indigence." ' \hel°uZ t w 6 ^ i 6 1 " 8 a t t e m P t t 0 articulate a n inchoate vision of the future that was beginning to form in her mind. UNIT 42

inherent adj. firmly established by nature or habit Some studies of random numbers generated by computers suggest that an inherent order exists in nature, since certain patterns appear that one would not expect in a random system, but skeptics dismiss such patterns as either artifacts of imperfectly designed experiments, or as the attempt of the human mind to impose a pattern where there is no intrinsic order. innocuous adj. harmless The bodyguard looked innocuous enough, but under his jacket were several weapons that could kill an attacker in seconds. insensible adj. unconscious; unresponsive The gas is intended to render enemy soldiers

insensible.

insinuate v. to suggest; say indirectly; imply # V you read his speech carefully you will see that the senator is insinuating that his party has taken the wrong path.

ineluctable adj. not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable ^

Z

^

Z

^

ineluCtabl

*

^ h that every creature that is

inert adj. unable to move; sluggish qu2S^^s2?52?by

his

™

b

to 9et

^

an

answer

t0 h

™ C n C l ^ w m e a n i n g d i S i n c l i n a t i o n to action or change, years b ^ o r ^ t f S ^ T ° C C U T O d * * * « * * ^ e d s 0 ' a simUar level of technology ^ h ^ ^ n T ^ 1 ^ reached ttr]butable bureaucrat inenla^ A] *> cultural factors such as value on the status quo ^ " ° U i t U r e t h a * P ' a c e d a hfe,h

i

i

Sociai M C

• ^ ™ ^^ l !^r j -* .

154

~ -

^ " g s t e t e o f affairs (Latin, state in urfifch)

*

ksipid adj. lacking in flavor; dull # ironically, the book about how to write lively, engaging prose is an insipid piece of writing. ^souciant adj. indifferent; lacking concern or care Considering the gravity of the situation, Nancy's colleagues could n °t understand her insouciant attitude. sularity n. narrow-mindedness; isolation The insularity of many tribes in New Guinea allows anthropoky 9*ts to study cultures that have been relatively uninfluenced by the Modern world. REVIEW 4 2

Etching atch ea c h word with its definition: 1. Uteluctahlp e 2. i j j ^

a. to suggest; say indirectly b. indifferent; lacking concern 155

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

ingenuous inherent innocuous insensible insinuate insipid insouciant insularity

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

unable to move unconscious; unresponsive lacking in flavor; dull n o t to be avoided or escaped firmly established by nature or habit narrow-mindedness; isolation ^ j trusting naive harmless

UNIT 4 3

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. ineluctable insensible

inert insinuating

ingenuous insipid

inherent insouciance

innocuous insularity

1. The referee stopped the bout after one boxer was rendered 2

C

U tiy S

makes

" I ? °? ^ ' , " difficult for its people to accept ideas from different cultures 3. Indonesians who travel to America sometimes find the food so that they add chili to it t e r n e t S y **' r e l i e S ° n P ^ p l e to sign up and spend money for which they get essentially nothing in return, o. Scientists are still studying the question of how life arose from matter. 6 a p 6 U z e d to ' b^ST* « ««.Mge for that she was ?

" wnve^look^f 1 1 ^

many faShi

°n

m

°dels

a f f e c t s e e m S m e a n t t0

8

" ^ U ^ ^ l ^ T ^ ^ 1 ^ r e t i m e s the best therapy is * r S i l f c o u r ^ ° n a 1 ' r e a s s u r i n S the patient that the illness will S - n t S g ™ 5 S a FeSUlt °f * * b o d y ' s P o ^ r s of 9. We cannot escape the * * * S°me°ne * i Q group has betrayed o u T c I u ^ ' that ttTs° C h e m i C a l

is

P r e s ent in the drug in such minute amounts

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each c Put S (SENSE) if it H " I „ l T e m a k e s good sense or not. does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. !• The mathematician hQO A ^ Problem. devised an ingenuous solution to the 186

2. Innocuous weapons such as the hydrogen bomb are capable of killing millions of people in an instant. 3. The professor's comment on the student's essay read, "An insensible and incoherent piece of writing." 4. Spicy, insipid dishes are popular throughout Southeast Asia. 5. In today's interconnected world, countries that remain insular face the risk of falling behind technologically.

insuperable adj. insurmountable; unconquerable Attempts by the United States to develop an antibaUistic missile system have met with limited success because of the almost insuperable difficulties presented by the speed of the approaching warhead that must be intercepted. intangible adj. not material When considering what occupation to pursue it is prudent to consider intangible rewards as well as financial ones. interdict v. to forbid; prohibit; to confront and halt the activities, advance, or entry of Under U.S. law, interdicted goods can be seized by customs officials. internecine adj. deadly to both sides The U.S. Civil War (1861-1865) was an internecine conflict that kad to the deaths of 620,000 soldiers out of the 2.4 million who fought in the war. kterpolate v. to insert; change by adding new words or material The book The Five Gospels was produced by having leading Bible scholars vote on which sayings of Jesus they believe to be authentic and which they believe to have been interpolated by other writers. kfcttegnum n. interval between reigns; gap in continuity Those who believe that Western culture represents the culmination of history are not disheartened by considering teM°JP™™* dominant civilizations, believing that these were ™^*»?rr%^ "}1he march of humanity from the cave to a united worldfounded on Western principles.

157

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

intimate adj. marked by close acquaintance Intimate is pronounced IN-tuh-mit. During the 1990s Bob Dylan and Jerry Garcia became good, though not intimate, friends. The noun is intimacy. The American artist Grandma Moses, although considered by art experts to be deficient in technique, achieved an admirable intimacy with her subject matter. The verb intimate means to make known subtly and indirectly. It is pronounced IN-tuh-mayt. The editor intimated made in the book.

that substantial changes would have to be

intractable adj. not easily managed General practitioners are equipped to deal with most psychosomatic disorders, but in intractable cases a psychiatrist is consulted. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences psychosomatic disorder: a disease with physical symptoms believed to be caused by emotional or psychological factors intransigence n. stubbornness; refusal to compromise s o ^ s b^kedoZne90ttati0nS

^

^

°* ^

of

intransigence,

introspective adj. contemplating one's own thoughts and feelings inln^tU^

Words

T ™

" T a ^ Z Z d .

worth's

re& SpeCtiuel

°

y

great poem The Prelude is an « * * " * « to thoughts and feel-

REVIEW 43 Matching Match each word with its definition:

*

4. internecine

Y H d. not material

interpolate interregnum intimate intractable

9. intransigence 10. introspective

e. f. g. h.

deadly to both sides marked by close acquaintance interval between reigns contemplating one's own thoughts and feelings i. to forbid j . to insert

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. insuperable interregnum

intangible intimate

interdicting internecine intractable intransigence

interpolated introspection

1- The of both sides means that there will be no progress in the peace talks. 2. Over the years the boss and her assistant have become friends as well a s colleagues. 3. Since, according to the theory of relativity, an object traveling at the speed of light would have infinite mass, astronauts traveling at that speed would, presumably, face difficulties. 4. Military intelligence officers played a major role in spies attempting to p a s s top-secret intelligence to the enemy. 5. In addition to providing a salary, a job often provides benefits such a s camaraderie with colleagues. 6. Scholars disagree on whether the text is entirely the work of the original author or contains passages by later writers. 7 - The book analyzes the struggles within Christianity throughout its history. 8 - The injunction "Know Thy Self," which was inscribed over the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, suggests that for spiritual advancement it is necessary to engage in .— • 9 - The ^ _ _ _ _ between the two empires was a period of near anarchy. !0- Although the majority of Americans are members of what has been called the "affluent society," poverty remains an Problem, with a sizable minority of people living below what is considered to be a n acceptable standard of living. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ^ t S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

^su™untable

3. interdict

5. 6. 7. 8.

mana

h

&d

The king's interregnum lasted 22 years, during which time he Presided over a happy and peaceful kingdom.

158 159

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

2. Greater intransigence on the part of both sides will increase the chance of an agreement. 3. The problem seemed intractable at first, b u t after we analyzed it as being the result of a number of smaller problems, we were able to solve it. 4. The old text contains a number of interpolations by a rival group seelang to justify their views. 5. Many African countries are beset by internecine conflict between nval tribes.

irascible adj. easily angered The irascible old man complains every time someone makes a little noise. irresolute adj. u n s u r e of how to act; weak The president admonished Congress, saying that although it faced difficult choices it must not be irresolute. itinerant adj. wandering from place to place; unsettled According to state law, companies hiring itinerant workers must provide adequate housing for them.

UNIT 4 4 inundate v. to cover with water; overwhelm dfZTrS *ZtHe a r i d °reaS caUedf°r the government to build a W ter t0 ini9ate their cr nZi h u °Ps o-nd provide hydroelectric K S ^ e r ' t h i s P 1 ^ " * s opposed by environmentalists, who d beCaUSe

onwUdWe

*

WOlM

have

an

adverSe

eff6Ct

inured v. hardened; accustomed; used to thes^ht n / ' r ' 8 ^ ^ army' the < * " * * * * the sight of men dying in the battlefield.

had

™t become inured to

invective n. verbal abuse C Uto ed b^Ztt^Tr^36 ° T Participants not to engage in invective, out rather m reasoned and decorous discourse.

inveigh v. to disapprove; protest vehemently deci-

inVei9lBd

th

*ir professor into postponing

the testfor

inveterate adj. confirmed; long-stand,™- H , g The columnist is an inve^rat , ^ " ^ Wonoclast w tions conventional wis™ ^o continually

t0 P r O V k e ^ZptucT * "* Most publications in the °r/n/^w c* «. **—

160

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 34. 5. 6. 7 8 9 J 0-

inundate inured invective inveigh inveigle inveterate invidious irascible irresolute itinerant

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

to disapprove; protest vehemently hardened; accustomed wandering from place to place to overwhelm verbal abuse confirmed; long-standing u n s u r e of how to act; weak likely to provoke ill will easily angered to win over by flattery

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

inveigle „. to win over by flattery or coaxing a uVekStUdentS

REVIEW 44

jnindated iterate 1

ques-

inured invidious

invective irascible

inveigh irresolute

inveigle itinerant

- The talk show host u s e s to anger his guests so that they say things they ordinarily would not. 2 - ^e y o u n g m a n gets into a fight practically every weekend. 3 - The book makes comparisons between French and American culture. 4 - The writer spent his twenties a s a / a n salesperson traveling throughout the Midwest.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

5. The country's leaders regularly against "the corrupting influence of Western decadence." 6. Some developing countries argue that they lack the capacity to compete in a completely free world market, and that in such a situation their domestic market would be with foreign goods to the detriment of local manufacturers. 7< ^? gambler, every year Tom offers his family a choice of two vacation destinations—Las Vegas, Nevada, or Atlantic City, New Jersey. 8. War has raged for so long in the country that people have become _ _ _ to violence. 9. The president warned the nation that we m u s t not be in our determination to prevent terrorism. 10. I was amazed how Charlie, Doris, and Marcia managed to __ Fred into playing bridge, a game he finds completely boring. Sense or Nonsense ic e

Sft s1^N^ f T?

sent

T

e makes

s°

od sense or not

-

n i t b (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Sam inured himselfforone million dollars before going on the s dangerous expedition.

2

" SeTpp™61"' ** aPPk ° r C h a r d hireS itmerant workers t0 pick

3

4

' S h t f T T k e r n e d that students are being inundated with a o m u c h information that they have trouble maJdng sense

* i n v e c S e 1 : 6 ! ! ^ 1 1 ^ *" ^

5

^ ° n * CUre

' ^ r u t ^ S S n g * « ~ * "

for V a r i o u s

^

°f

that they m u s t not be

The noun jaundice refers to a medical condition often due to liver disease and characterized by yellowness of the skin. jibe v. to be in agreement The auditor checked the company's account books to make sure that they jibed with the tax return it filed. jocose adj. fond of joking; jocular; playful The English words jocose, jocular, and joke all come from derivatives of the Latin noun jocus, lohich means "jest" or "joke," but the etymology of the word jocund is unrelated to these. Jocose (fond of joking; jocular; playful) is from Latin jocosus (humorous, merry, sportive), from jocus. Jocular (fond of joking; playful; speaking injest) is from Latin jocularis (jocular; laughable), also from jocus. Jocund (mirthful; merry; light-hearted; delightful) is Jrom jocundus (pleasant, agreeable), from juvare (to delight). juggernaut n. huge force destroying everything in its path Some people in Britain regard American English as a juggernaut sweeping through the British Isles, destroying British English junta n. group of people united in political intrigue The country's ruling junta consists of a general, an admiral and the mayor of the capital city. juxtapose v. place side by side To illustrate their case, opponents of functionalism juxtapose the Products of modern architecture and those of classical architecture, s "ch as the Parthenon, or those of medieval architecture, such as the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. e nou n juxtaposition m e a n s a side-by-side placement.

UNIT 4 5 Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences factionalism: twentieth-century aesthetic doctrine in architecture, functionalists believe t h a t the outward form of a structure should follow its interior function.

itinerary n. route of a traveler's journey

S^SSfS'^dlscoloraUon of"*skta: •**" Norman's exoeriencp««„• f ^ him a jaundiced u f e u T o ^ h u ^ S S T " 162

dWln9

thewarhaS

gbxn

rc. fame; glory; honor .Kudos won by Bob Dylan include an honorary doctorate in music jTom Princeton University.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

labile adj. likely to change Blood pressure in human beings is, to varying degrees,

labile.

laconic adj. using few words The laconic actor seemed to be a good choice to play the strong, silent hero in the western. REVIEW 4 5 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. itinerary 2. aundiced

a. to b e

•f 4. ocose

affcaaeat side

c. fond of joking; jocular

7S o

e.

having

f

fame:gloi

"

8 kudos O S C

g

' 1

9. labile 10

ta

d. l i k e l y tQ c h a n g e

• Juggernaut

.

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

b. to p l a c e side b y

be

gr

yellowish discoloration of the skin

a

y

° U P °f p e o p l e f a tra

J ' Z™ f

un

i t e d in political intrigue

er S J Urney

? '

°

*• using few words j . huge force destroying everything in its path

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in tu~ KI„ I • uiu io nu m the blank in each sentence. itinerary jaundiced Hbe , J" 0 ** iuxtanos^H 1 ! jocose juggernaut juxtaposed kudos labile laconic L w a ^ / a ^ T * * S C V e r a l * * ? EWorld War II, the German army y defeati stop it. " —~ ' e n g any force that tried to 2. A military ^ , d the obvious c h n w +„ i 8 7 ^ m a n n e r made him iCe t 0 Pla Santa play. ° y Claus in the faculty Christmas

v i s t t T o ' E S r A u ^ h ^ T n w ^ t 0 E d i n b u r g h , Scotland included a 5. The p s y c h o Z S d S T ^ "* B d t a b « ^ Castle. _ P ^ o l o g i s t s diagnosis was that Eric was emotionally 6. The textual scholar compare them. "

*. "

7. Infectious hepatitis is a viral form of hepatitis that causes fever and makes a person's skin . 8. Most scientists regard the Noble Prize as the highest they can receive. 9. It is difficult for a person who tends to be to learn how to speak a new language. 10. Listening to the witness' testimony, the judge discovered that it did not with the account of the incident he had given to the police.

. " v o translations in order to

1. The young jazz trumpeter decided he should learn to "talk the jibe." 2. The juggernauts performed amazing feats of legerdemain that had the children laughing all afternoon. 3 - In a healthy individual body temperature is not labile. 4 - The host h a s decided to seat people at the formal dinner so that people who tend to be laconic sit next to individuals that are more garrulous. 5. Thirty years on the police force has given Captain Lucas a jaundiced view of life. UNIT 46 te v. to t h r a s h verbally or physically The critic lambasted the movie in her column, calling it "the most utsipid, jejune JUm made in our generation." •ascivious adj. lustful The court ruled that the movie could be censored because its sole aim was to promote lascivious thoughts. tude

n. lethargy; sluggishness After the death of his wife, Steven suffered a three-month period of lassitude and depression. tei

»t adj. present b u t hidden; potential .Sofne experts in human psychology believe that we are just begin^9 to explore the latent powers of the human mind.

184

165

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

laud v. to praise

Fill-ins

The literary critic lauded Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, callZ w T *? "e>**<*es the tension between a person's life as a social being and his or her individual consciousness." lethargic adj. inactive wer^Ztha^UrJlightfi0mNeW

*"*

t0 Sinaa

P°re'

the passengers

levee n. an embankment that prevents a river from overflowing fromnfl^S£UISyStem °fleVeeS to the onl" way to prevent the river from flooding the area during periods of heavy rain. levity n. light manner or attitude ser^Tsutec^Sagm°rfindin9

m

« * " " " * <**-*»

in the

™St

liberal aa+ tolerant; broad-minded; generous; lavish wS^aT^8 SwSTeST ^ entrepreneurs ca^Z:

S

^ U W UOt be t0° Stri^ent' °r "* enough people n ttW ther hand the '° ° ' y s h o ^ ^ t be too vM take unreasonable^ risks and waste

libertine n. one without moral restraint

REVIEW 4 6 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. lambaste 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

lascivious lassitude latent laud lethargic levee levity liberal libertine

a- embankment that prevents a river . f f r ° m o v e r fl°wing thrash verbally or physically C to praise J d - lustful *' m a c t i v e f ' tolerant f- P r e s e n t b u t hidden; potential light manner or attitude person !' without moral restraint J- lethargy; sluggishness

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. lambasted lethargic

lascivious levee

lassitude levity

latent liberal

lauded libertine

1. Engineers worked to reinforce the after the prediction of an unprecedented amount of rain. 2. To everyone's surprise, the 14-point underdog the reigning champions 42-0. 3. Suddenly overcome by in the afternoon, Jill decided to take a nap. 4. The former president was for his indefatigable efforts to bring peace to the war-torn area. 5. In the view of some commentators, a paradox of modern democracy is that although people have more freedom than ever, they often are unable to use this freedom to find meaningful values and goals. 6. The goal of the course is to help people develop their . abilities. 7. After the long winter layoff, many of the baseball players were _ _ _ at the first day of spring training. 8 - The bikini-clad young woman attracted stares from a group of men. 9 - The speaker decided to tell a joke to introduce some —. into the solemn occasion. !0- James Boswell, the eighteenth-century Scottish writer best remembered for his biography of the eminent literary figure Samuel Johnson, was a heavy drinker and a _• ^Me or Nonsense indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. **•s (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. *• The captain lauded his troops into battle. - The psychologist suggested that the patient take life less seriously and try to introduce some levity into her life every day. 3 - The picnickers were overcome by lassitude after eating a heavy lunch. 4 - Carol discovered late in life that she had a latent ability for m athematics. 5 - The women's rights group condemned the swimsuit part of the f*teS Galaxy contest "designed solely to appeal to men s lascivious ^Pulses." 2

167

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 4 7 libido n. sexual desire ^cording to psychologists, around the age of 18.

the libido of human males peaks at |

Lilliputian adj. extremely small Microbiologists study Lilliputian

organisms.

Philistines: people considered to be ignorant of the value of cultures and smug and conventional in their thinking

limn v. to draw; describe yea^e^*™6*

** ^ " ^

SketCh

°" "

had

^

limned

severcd

litigation n. legal proceedings The radio amateur's neighbor resorted to litigation in an attempt to have her neighbor dismantle his 100-foot-high antenna tower.

limpid adj. clear; transparent

sw^inl0tt°m °fthe UmPid P°nd

We C U W S6e hundreds

°^ h

°

linguistic adj. pertaining to language sevenT^ar^afv^™ Z n ^ Z Z r t . t ^

Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences First Amendment: a part of the United States Bill of Rights prohibiting the federal legislature from making laws that establish a state religion or prefer a certain religion, prevent free exercise of religion, infringe the freedom of speech; infringe the freedom of the press; limit the right to assemble peaceably; limit the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances

0 /

r

^ ^ ^

lin

9uistic proficiency in the first ^ ^ ^ thOUSaJs of complex

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. A linguist is someone who studies language

to K 5 ZL^deZn^^

cognitive system tZfSZtZ

helieVe that

%%%"

* * ^

^

Pe ple *^

°

^ **

^

litany n. lengthy recitation; repetitive chant

tog n. record of a voyage; record of daily activities Although no longer required to do so by the Federal Communications Commission, many amateur radio operators nevertheless keep a meticulous record of stations they communicate with, logging the details of each contact. loquacious adj. talkative Eighty meters is a portion of the radio spectrum where a shortwave listener can often hear loquacious "hams" chatting ("chewing the Ta 9" in amateur radio parlance) for hours. REVIEW 4 7 Matching Ma

*ch each word with its definition:

literati n. scholarly or learned persons d A t S e T : " WhUt b sion to o e s ^ d Z h S ^ ^ ' can censor, ITpress^ ^ t matter relatl7to%7^ ^ ^ thoughts.' This is r o ^ lmPun^'

°#enSive to the community's stanf° ^ ^ ^ of freedom of expresAmendment Under that test, juries What the ^ *>*'* like> Prided the or has a tendency 'to excite lustful

creZs a ^whe^ZTheTZ^Z Philistines, the Philisti^s '£

^

l

T

* "" Z ^

^

«"*•*""* * *"** *"* *°

dteZHf' S l ^ r e m e Court Justice William O. Douglas, dissenting m the case of Roth v. United States, 1957. 168

!• libido - Lilliputian 3- limn 4 - limpid 5 - toguistic 6 - litany 7 - literati 8 - iitigation 9. log 2

10

- toquacious

a. b. c. d. e. f.

transparent sexual desire legal proceedings to draw; describe talkative extremely small g- lengthy recitation h. scholarly or learned persons record of a voyage 1. pertaining to language

J-

169

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. libido litany

Lilliputian literati

limning litigation

limpid logs

UNIT 48 lucid adj. bright; clear; intelligible

linguistics loquacious

1. The study's hypothesis is that the low birthrate is a result of a reduction in many people's 2. According to the historian Richard J . Hofstadter, there has been a strong feeling of suspicion of the throughout American history. The . of the eighteenth-century ships' captains provide an interesting perspective on that time. 4. The judge warned the attorney to stop digressing and & cut to the chase." 5

" characters 1 5 ^ 8 6 1 1 ^

"

^ ^ "S

p r O S e and

0l1ginal

6. The United Nations Human Rights Commission outlined a 7 Th~7h f t h C n g h t S r e g u l a r l y b e i n g abused in the country. eat was ' if!.!, l , enough to induce the company to settle the claim against it. 8. The writer Somerset Maugham had a gift for a character perfectly in a few paragraphs. t a k e s t h e fmdi ' a ? J !fd 7-—ZZ n g s of theoretical linguistics P h e S t 0SUch 10 ^ t ? ^ ^ ^ ^ a s ^guage learning. tered ^ J ^ T f * ta * * W a r ' * * P™blems Howard encountered in civilian life seemed positively Sense or Nonsense SentenCe m a k e S g0od s e n P^slsE^f T? Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE)- iforit not. does not.

1. tf ants canperceive h u m a n beings, we m u s t appear Lilliputian to 2

' untversT^

0 0 1 1

3

' S n t m S n f f6^ ^ h q U i d a p p e a r s U m P i d - b u t in reality it contains millions of microscopic organisms.

^

PrOVen

**

gravit

y

exists

throughout the

m S t mem S H S U ^ S * ^ ^ ° b e r ^ f " t h e New York Werati mclude The New Yorker and the New York Review of Books.

S

The eminent surgeon Dr. Christian Barnard, who performed the first human heart-transplant operation in 1967, made his views on euthanasia clear in this lucid injunction: 'The prime goal is to alleviate suffering, and not to prolong life. And if your treatment does not alleviate suffering, but only prolongs life, that treatment should be stopped." lucre n. money or profits Many religions regard the pursuit of lucre for what it can do to help others as laudable. luminous adj. bright; brilliant; glowing The Moon is the most luminous

object in the night sky.

The noun is luminosity. A supernova can suddenly increase its luminosity a billion times its normal brightness.

to as much as

Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences supernova: a rare astronomical event in which most of the material to a star explodes, resulting in the emission of vast amounts of energyfora short period of time

tostrous adj. shining °n the clear night we gazed up in awe at the lustrous

stars.

Kachiavellian adj. crafty; double-dealing °ne theory of the evolution of high intelligence in primates is that it evolved largely as a result of Machiavellian calculations on the part °J apes. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Machiavellu Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian philosor * ^ o w n for his writings on how a ruler should govern, notably — ™ °y favoring ~„„.. principles. „^^^i«i« c or ing PV™»AH~„~„ expediency over 0

170 171

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

machinations n. plots or schemes

Fill-ins

The mayor resorted to behind-the-scenes win his party's nomination for governor.

machinations

to try to

lucid machinations

maelstrom n. whirlpool; turmoil Nearly everyone in Europe was caught up in the maelstrom was World War II.

that

magnanimity n. generosity; nobility The senator showed his magnanimity when he conceded defeat to his opponent in the disputed election, saying that further uncertainty would be harmful to public confidence in the political system. malign v. to speak evil of Lawyers are sometimes maligned

as greedy and

dishonest.

malinger v. to feign illness to escape duty In order to discourage malingering, the company decided to require employees taking sick leave to produce a doctor's certification of their illness. REVIEW 48 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

lucid lucre luminous lustrous Machiavellian machinations maelstrom magnanimity malign malinger

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

bright; brilliant; glowing money or profits generosity; nobility plots or schemes to feign illness to escape duty whirlpool; turmoil clear; intelligible to speak evil of crafty; double-dealing shining

lucre maelstrom

luminous lustrous magnanimity maligned

Machiavellian malingering

1. The magazine Scientific American can be relied on to provide discussions of complex scientific topics. 2. We could only imagine the maneuvering that allowed Stan to replace his boss a s the company's manager. 3. The Sun is by far the most object in the daytime sky. 4. Tired of being as a coach who "can't win the big games," Coach Butler resolved that his team would be ready for the Super Bowl. 5. The lure of draws many people to speculate in the stock market. 6. Harriet Beecher Stowe described salntliness as "a certain quality of _ and greatness of soul that brings life within the circle of the heroic." 7 - The soldiers marched toward battle under the Moon. 8 - The book tells the story of a young British soldier thrust into the of the Napoleonic Wars. 9 - One of a military commander's most difficult tasks is to separate soldiers who are seriously battle-stressed from those who are merely 10, N o one outside a few powerful party leaders could say by what they had managed to have their crony nominated to run for governor. **•• or Nonsense Qlcate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. m S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. J- Several of u s malingered late at the party, discussing politics. The dual pursuits of lucre and adventure have been the motivaaon of many explorers throughout history. • ^ e mechanic maligned my tires, so I took my car to another mechanic. 1 M °st offices seem to have at least one Machiavellian schemer, ready to do almost anything to get ahead. ' Eric proposed to Wendy, calling her eyes "as lustrous as this (Uan »ond that will soon be on your finger." A

172 173

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 4 9

mesmerize v. to hypnotize

malleable adj. capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionable Behaviorists such as B. F. Skinner believe that human nature is malleable, and that people's behavior can be changed by changing their environment. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Behaviorists: followers of behaviorism, the school of psychology that seeks to explain behavior entirely in terms of observable responses to environmental stimuli

The audience sat, mesmerized, listening to the retired soldier's account of hand-to-hand combat against the Japanese in New Guinea during World War II. metamorphosis n. change; transformation In recent years, many areas of China have been undergoing a metamorphosis, transforming themselves from predominantly agricultural areas to industrial ones. metaphysics n. a branch of philosophy that investigates the ultimate nature of reality To skeptics, metaphysics

maverick n. dissenter Bernie Sanders of Vermont has a reputation as a maverick; he is one of only two members of the United States Congress who is independent (that is, not a member of the Republican or Democratic Party). megalomania n. delusions of power or importance In his farewell speech the retiring trial judge warned his colleagues to beware of megalomania as they exercise their power in the courtroom.

r

Metaphysical is a n adjective meaning pertaining to metaphysics. Some critics of evolution object to its implication that human thought is reduced to a peripheral phenomenon; they find it implausible wot the ability to conceptualize—to write a sonnet, a symphony, a. metaphysical treatise—would have evolved in early hominids solely as a secondary effect. Metaphysician is a n o u n meaning a person who is an expert in metaphysics. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are all metaphysicians in the sense that we all have beliefs about what things are the most r e°l; for example, a person who believes in God may believe that God is the "ultimate reality."

menagerie n. a variety of animals kept together Linda seems to take home every abandoned pet in the town; she mena erie o Z r ^ i Z T ' 9 of dogs, cats, turtles, rabbits, and

REVIEW 49

mendacious adj. dishonest it i S n d S o i 2 t e d ^

tesW7Wny

^"dnissible

because he considered

Matching atch e a c h

mendicant n. beggar traditional

r

meretricious adj. gaudy; plausible b u t false; specious te

Ts^dtf^^zr 174

word with its definition:

l

uear ! S ! * f° young men to become monks for a year, a period during which they become mendicants.

worthw°MllenfUreS£Jar90n

is an arbitrary search for a chimerical truth.

that

a can

make

« Poor idea appear retricious easfer toJcept bec e u

- malleable «• maverick • megalomania J- menagerie mendacious • mendicant

^ *• meretricious

a. b. c. d. e. f.

7

• mesmerize 10" m e t a morphosis m etaphysics

g. h. i. j .

dissenter variety of animals kept together transformation beggar delusions of power branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality hypnotize impressionable gaudy dishonest 175

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. malleable mendacious metamorphosed

mavericks mendicant metaphysical

megalomania meretricious

UNIT 50

menagerie mesmerized

1. Realist novelists such a s Charles Dickens seem to have had little interest m questions; rather, they seem to have been interested mainly in analyzing social and psychological reality. 2. We were amazed when we saw Lionel after ten years; he had — from a lazy, carefree young m a n into a hard-working and responsible member of the community 3. Tom spent one year as a m o n k b e f o r e b e c o m i n g a p r i e s t. 4. it is hard to escape the feeling that it requires at least a touch of t 0 m n f o r the o f - ~ nce of President of the United States. 117 year revaUin thltT ! ** P g * e w among social scientists was S ; r t ^ i s essentially . h o w e v e r , r e C ent thinkmg m the field has placed more emphasis on the part played by genes in h u m a n nature 6. The World Wide Web has made it easier for to have their views on controversial issues heard

dant s

ument was

e c t e d as

meteorological adj. concerned with the weather Some experts believe that reports of UFOs are attributable to natural astronomical or meteorological phenomena. Meteorology is a science that deals with weather and atmospheric phenomena. Meteorologists are those who study meteorology or forecast weather conditions. The term "butterfly effect" to refer to the process driving chaotic systems was first used in 1979 by meteorologist E. M. Lorenz in an address entitled, "Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?" meticulous adj. very careful; fastidious Science is an empirical field of study based on the belief that the laws of nature can best be discovered by meticulous observation and experimentation. mettle n. courage; endurance In many cultures, young men are expected to test their mettle by Performing difficult and dangerous tasks.

«^Zo^LT^^ ' ^ -J 8. The students, \Z~+u~ , .s fasclnating *d n o t ™^ u ^ s n ^ r ^ S T Q p h e r couid ape concius,on her ™bj^ hS «;r r r *•= *« JO. The local SPCA s h e i e 7 ] ^ s T ~ " ^ ^ " " f o^ ™ '

mettlesome adj. full of courage and fortitude; spirited The mettlesome young officer was well regarded by all the senior officers.

Sense or Nonsense

. 1not confuse mettlesome with meddlesome, which means "inclined to mterfere."

C

y

cats, dogs, and many o t h m

1

8

of a m m a l s - p a r r o t s .

!St££££s;?£ sente r makes ^°° d — «• «*• « i t b (bENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. L

a^o^?™^ 0 " 6 d i S P U t 6 S 2 S v nennt ^ ^ PUrSUit

weT^S

i S tbat t0

^ t a p h y s i c s does more than P on the table ut food

3. In four years L e o n L ^ Z 130%ofthe country's wealth 140-pound fret^* J ? ° f h a S m e t a m o r p h o s e d from a gangling A n - ^ S u ^ ^ W - 8 t , t o g footba11 P 1 ^ - t o a 210-pound

4

" X^lr^

" ~ o ^ ^ ^ ^

<* ^ a t she can

"fcrocosm n. small world

a

small system having analogies to a larger system;

For many years the atom was seen as a sort of microcosm of the 9er universe, with electrons—analogous to the planets of a solar Astern—orbing the nucleus, or "sun." ***« v. to work against Jthe manager asked all of his employees to think of any factors that ""9fa militate against the project's success. *y <*dj. threatening; menacing i^^igence information suggests minatory

troop concentrations on

176 177

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

minuscule adj. very small

2.

Ancient geological processes are beyond the scope of carbon-14 dating (which is at most 120,000 years) because the amount of carbon-14 in material from such processes that has not decayed is minuscule. mlnutia n. petty details President Ronald Reagan said that a president should concentrate on the formulation and execution of broad policy and leave the minutia of running the country to subordinates. misanthrope n. one who hates humanity One of the most famous misanthropes in literature is the protagonist of the seventeenth century French writer Moliere's play Le Misanthrope (The Misanthrope). REVIEW 5 0 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

meteorological meticulous mettle

mettlesome microcosm militate minatory minuscule minutia misanthrope

a. b. c. d. e. f.

courage; endurance very small very careful; fastidious to work against one who hates humanity a s m a l l s y s t e m h a v i n g analogies to a larger system . g f u l l Qf courage and fortitude; spirited h . concerned with the weather threatening L j . petty details

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. meteorological mtenrcosm minutia

meticulous nutates misanthropic

mettle

minatory

mettlesome minuscule

1. After a month of inter-squad scrimmage, the members of the football team were eager to test their _ _ against ^ ^ team. 178

data collected from around the world helps scientists to get an accurate picture of the world's weather patterns. 3. In many of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories the detective reveals quite strong tendencies. 4. The student's laziness strongly against the likelihood of his success. 5. In the retired general's memoirs, he says that most of the battles he fought were won through a combination of courage on the part of soldiers, planning, and luck. 6. The student stood silent a s the teacher scolded him, her hand making. gestures. 7. Political pollsters keep a close watch on the town because they view it as a representative of American society. 8 - The horse can only be controlled by a very skillful rider. 9. Engineers decided t h a t the anomaly was so that it could safely be ignored. 10. The general's factotum deals with the of everyday life, leaving him free to do his job as commander of the Third Division. Sense or Nonsense ndicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ^ t S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. !• The poison is so powerful that even minuscule amounts of it can cause harm. 2 - The diary contains a meticulous record of the events of the poet's We when she traveled to France in 1888. "Stop being mettlesome and mind your own business," we told the busybody. 4 " " N o t o n ly do I not like h u m a n beings in the abstract, I don't like even one individual member of the human race," the misanthrope declared. • The scientist's meteorological record deals exclusively with me teors and comets in orbit around the Sun. UNIT 51 scellany n, mixture of writings on various subjects imrk b°0k

** a-fascinatin9

miscellany

collected from the writer's life

lt

n- villain; criminal ^Public execution of miscreants nthe eighteenth century.

was common in Great Britain 179

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

misogynist n. one who hates women Some people have called the philosopher Freidrich Nietzsche a misogynist because of the numerous negative comments he made about women. _ t

J

mitigate v. to cause to become less harsh, severe, or painful; alleviate Although the Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice Warren Burger did not rescind arty of the fundamental rulings of the Warren Court that preceded it, its decisions did mitigate the effects of some of the rulings of the Warren Court. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Women Court Earl Warren was named chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1953, and served on the Court until 1969. Under his leadership the Supreme Court tended to interpret the Constitution boldly, frequently with the result that disadvantaged people were helped.

Mitigation is a noun meaning the act of reducing the severity or painfulness of something. Before sentencing the woman, the judge asked if she had anything to say in mitigation. mnemonic adj. related to memory; assisting memory In the introduction to a collection of poetry, By Heart, the British poet Ted Hughes says that "the more absurd, exaggerated, grotesque'' the images used as a mnemonic device to help remember a poem, the easier it will be to recall Mnemonics is a system that develops and improves the memory. Symbolic languages-the second generation of computer languagesWe Z^re^ped *"•the earlU 1950s- mak^ use of mnemonics such as M jor multiply," which are translated into machine language by a computer program. modicum n. limited quantity The scientist Carl Sagan wrote about astronomy and other scienn>L f ? m , a WQy that enabled a reader ">«fc even a modicum oj knowledge of science to understand what he was saying.

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

mollify v. to soothe The prime minister tried to mollify people protesting the tax increase with a promise that she would order a study of other means to raise revenue. monolithic adj. solid and uniform; constituting a single, unified whole In the fifteenth century, there was a significant movement to revitalize the Church from within; however, it had become so monolithic over the centuries and contained so many vested interests that piecemeal reform was difficult and ineffective. morose adj. ill-humored; sullen The assessment of some skeptical critics of existentialism is that it is generally a view of life created by a group of thinkers whose distinguishing characteristic is that they are morose. motley adj. many colored; made up of many parts The new political party is made up of a motley group of people who are unhappy with the existing parties. REVIEW 51 Matching Match each word with its definition: !• miscellany 2- miscreant 3 - misogynist 4. 5 mitigate 0 . TTlrHVm~

•

c fi r« ... ?• molHfi 8 m„ , °- monolithic 9 10- mo in- motley - ..

a. b. c. d. d. e

solid and uniform villain limited quantity ill ill humored; humored; sull suiien f

,-i.J

- mixture of writings on various subjects one hates women g. related to memory t J c _* many colored; made up of many parts i. to alleviate j . to soothe

180

181

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. miscellany modicum

miscreant mollify

misogynist monolithic

mitigate morose

UNIT 52 mnemonic motley

1. The writer was able to offer constructive criticism of the feminist movement without being called a 2 To war "hawks," the president ordered a one-week bombing campaign against the country. 3. Socialists tend to view big business as ; however, many large corporations are in direct competition with one another, and t h u s collusion is usually not to their advantage. 4. Many people find it useful to use devices to memorize information. 5. The volume contains a . of the writings of Walt Whitman. 6. Mr Samuels was for over a month following the death of his beloved wife. 7. In the nineteenth century, accurate prognosis based on the history of disease began to be possible, b u t it was not until the twentieth century that doctors were able to actually cure a number of diseases rather than merely their effects. 8. "I'm not looking for adulation, j u s t a of respect," the angry teacher told his class. 9. The judge said she had no alternative b u t to sentence the . to 20 years imprisonment. 10. The protest began with a g r o u p of l e f r o m virtually all occupations. & * ' * ' * ' Sense or Nonsense

P^fsl^M^f -fjh sentence makes s° o d sense or not2

' ^ T J ^ t 1 1 a m o d i c u m o f common sense could see that the plan had little chance of success.

3

' H^fh US J , d t e v e u t h a t not

ttieloS

^

mundane adj. worldly a s opposed to spiritual; concerned with the ordinary Fundamentalists contend that the Bible's account of the creation is literally true, while others believe that it is the retelling of a powerful myth current in the Middle East that sought to explain the mundane in spiritual language. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Fundamentalists: those who stress adherence to a set of basic beliefs, especially in religion. Specifically, fundamentalism refers to the movement in Protestantism stressing a literal interpretation of the Bible.

necromancy n. black magic Television might seem like necromancy fifteenth century. ne

to a time traveler from the

gate v. to cancel out; nullify The soldiers' poor treatment of the prisoners negated the goodwill they had built up among the population. 01o

Put b (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Mnemonic devices currently supply nearly 20% of the country's electric power.

one

multifarious adj. diverse Modern technology is so complex and multifarious that it requires thousands of specialists to devise and operate; thus, even a brilliant engineer could not by himself fabricate a sophisticated radio or computer without the help of existing black boxes and expertise.

gism n. new word or expression A * u;ord "anesthesia" was the neologism of the American physic
should not be morose as one approaches

dCath mCanS

°nly

the

d e a t h of

^

body

and

4

' w ^ m e n l ^ m i S ° g y n l s t comments drew the ire of several women s rights groups.

5

' S , m S S ? 5 . t O I ? r e d * * C r e a t l 0 n ° f a c <™mission to study ways to mitigate the effects of unemployment on the poor.

P°yte n. novice; beginner Tte school provides extensive support and guidance for teach©rs.

neophyte

Be U8

*

n. a means of connection; a connected group or series; a center Wall Street is the nexus of America's financial system.

182 183

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

nonplussed adj. bewildered The members of the football team were nonplussed ence of a female reporter in the locker room. nostalgia n. sentimental longing for a past time The product's marketing is centered on nostalgia The adjective is nostalgic.

by the pres-

for the 1950s.

The idea of an extended family existing in nineteenth-century America consisting of loving uncles and doting aunts has been shown to be largely a product of a nostalgic and romanticized view of the past. nostrum n. medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness; supposed cure Although there are many nostrums urged on obese consumers, the only effective remedy for this condition is prosaic but nonetheless valid: eat less and exercise more. REVIEW 52 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. multifarious 2. mundane 3. necromancy

a. t o c a n c e l Q u t

5 neftC

b.

novlce

c.

black

sentimental f*' n e w

^ g i n g for a past time word or expression K«„ -u J g- bewildered

rt

g

9 nostaliS S e d lo! nostrum

h

' remedy o f d o u b t f u l effectiveness !" * CO™ected &™P ° r series j . worldly a s opposed to spiritual

Fill-ins Choose the best word to nil in the blank in each sentence. n £ % £ r v r« L

f e S ^

ZS!T nexus

»ecromancy nonplussed

C O m m e n t a t 0 r S haVe b

—

6. Dr. Robert Burchfield, Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, h a s estimated that approximately 90% of English originate in the United States. 7. The head football coach at a Division I college has duties, such as supervising the coaching staff, recruiting players, and talking to the media. 8 - The advertisement is based on for an America that probably never existed. 9 - The novelist was fortunate to have the advice of an established older writer. !0. A colorful term used to belittle something regarded as nonsense is "voodoo"; another one is " ." Sense or Nonsense wdicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. " * S (SENSE) if it does, a n d p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

d> diVCrSe

6 neonW y e" „ 7 7. nexus

2. Some theologians regard attempts to prove God's existence logically valuable largely a s pointers toward God, helping to turn a person's attention from the to the spiritual. 3. Even the normally unflappable police officer was when confronted by the armed suspect. 4. Many for "correcting" English to make it more consistent and "rational" have been proposed, b u t the language is robust and has survived such attempts. 5. Although intelligence agents have identified parts of the terrorist organization around the world, they are still working to locate its

negated nostalgia

neologisms nostrums

^ d « * * ^ benefits offered by y ^ narcotic effect on viewers.

1

Mrs. Morrison w a s nonplussed when she discovered that her husband was a humanoid creature from the planet Varga, a small Planet in a nearby galaxy. 2 - After suffering through ten losing football seasons in a row, the President of the college's alumni association suggested-somewnat sarcastically, no doubt—hiring a necromancer to replace the current head coach. 6 - Jt is generally advisable to avoid neologisms such as "like and and" when writing. ._„ 4 - ^ e r running the giant corporation for 30 years, the retiring CEO found himself looking forward to a simple life doing mundane tasks around his house. , f * ? * speaker mounted the nostrum to give the keynote speech oi the convention.

184

IBS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 5 3

nugatory adj. trifling; invalid The historian has a knack for focusing on information that appears nugatory but that, upon examination, aiuminates the central issue. obdurate adj. stubborn Coach Knight is obdurate about one thing: the offensive line is the heart of his football team. obsequious adj. overly submissive Tom's tendency to submit meekly to any bullying authority is so great that his wife suggested he overcome this obsequiousness by taking an assertiveness training course. obsequy n. funeral ceremony (often used in the plural, obsequies) Solemn obsequies were held for President John F. Kennedy following his assassination on November 22, 1963. obviate v. to make unnecessary; to anticipate and prevent An experienced physician can often discern if a patient's symptoms are psychosomatic, thus obviating the need for expensive medical

REVIEW 53 Matching

Match each word with its definition: 1- nugatory 2. obdurate 3- obsequious 4. obsequy 5 - obviate 6- occlude 7 - occult 8 - odyssey - officious - olfactory

10

One of the primary uses of solar cells is in spacecraft to provide electric power; this is because space is an environment uniquely suited to these devices since it has no weather to occlude the Sun andU is not susceptible to interruptions in sunlight caused by the rotation of the Earth. ^

olfactory adj. concerning the sense of smell Wine connoisseurs say that the olfactory senses play as important a part in appreciating good wine as the sense of taste.

9

occlude v. to shut; block

pherfomS ^

officious adj. too helpful; meddlesome Some of us on the tour found the guide officious, but others thought she was helpful and courteous.

t0 practices

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

too helpful overly submissive stubborn a long voyage to shut; block funeral ceremony trifling; invalid practices connected with supernatural phenomena i. concerning the sense of smell j . to make unnecessary

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. „., ^todes

obdurate occult

obsequious odyssey

obsequies officious

obviated olfactory

<»™ectod with supernatural 1

In his book Supernature the biologist Lyell Watson explores what P n0mena ThlZme^T ^ °n the ^der between natural and occult Odyssey n. a long, adventurous voyage; a quest thUth*.ZffStJ?r reXtonT

188

enl htenme

^ ° ""

9 tl

rit

took him on a spiritual odyssey ^9 of many philosophers and

Wlderstand

The assertiveness-training course helped Jeremy go from being „ ___ to being assertive and confident. 2 ' Nuclear power has the needs for submarines to refuel frequently, allowing long undersea voyages. 3 ' Sometimes a/an stimulus can trigger a memory associated with that particular smell. 1 ^ e director of the government agency encouraged workers to provide efficient service without being __ • . 5. The _ _ _ _ _ _ ^ h a s b e e n d e s c r i b e d a s what does not fit into a rationalistic view of the world.

187

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

6. Astronomers welcome an eclipse of the Sun because when the Moon the light of the Sun, observation of that body becomes easier. 7. The president is about the issue; he will not negotiate with terrorists. 8. In the television show Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Enterprise embarks on a/an to explore the Universe. 9. After the judge ruled the evidence he had presented to the court to be , the lawyer muttered jocularly to his partner, "Negatory." 10. Solemn were held for Pope John Paul II after his death in 2005. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Modern refinement in olfactory processes have made it possible to mass-produce complex electronic circuits. 2. Since the Sun was occluded by clouds, the sailor could not use it to determine his position. 3. After the couple retired they went on an odyssey around the world. 4. Science is concerned primarily with the study of occult phenomena. 5. The obdurate student refused to study despite repeated warnings that he would fail if he did not start to work in the course. ____ UNIT 54 SldS? 7 "'

form

°f g o v e r n m e n t

ta

which power belongs to only a few

a rnniH *« " deJ!locratic government was overthrown in Athens and a conservative oligarchy called the Four Hundred came to power. onerous adj. burdensome t (JJ^ y

m


onomatopoeia n. formation or use of words that imitate sounds of the actions they refer to One theory of the origin of language is that it began as a sort of onomatopoeia as early humans imitated sounds they heard. opprobrium n. disgrace; contempt It is difficult to imagine the opprobrium heaped on a person who is a traitor to his or her group. ornithologist n. scientist who studies birds Ornithologists believe that there currently exist only about 20 individuals of a bird called the Balinese sparrow. oscillate v. to move back and forth The teacher oscillates between a student-centered approach to teaching and a subject-centered approach. ostentatious adj. showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious A member of the bourgeoisie might purchase a vacation home on Maui or Cape Cod that some would regard as an ostentatious display of wealth, but that the person regards as simply a pleasant Place to go on vacation. overweening adj. presumptuous; arrogant; overbearing The ancient Greeks believed that overweening pride—what they called hubris—would be punished, eventually, by the gods. We

*n n. song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy fundamentally, the poem is a paean of joy, celebrating the coming °J democracy to the country. Weontology n . study of past geological eras through fossil remains Prtmatology, together with anthropology, paleontology, ^f™' Mother fields, has given scientists afairly accurate picture of the evolution of homo sapiens. h P^eontologist is an expert in the field of paleontology. The attempts of the Jesuit priest and paleontologist Teilhard de C*ordin to reconcile evolution and the Catholic dogma of°r*gmal sm ? ° * regarded by Church authorities as nearly heretical, and he had aband ° n his position in 1926.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Prtmatology: the branch of zoology that deals with the study of primates (that is, mammals belonging to any of the suborders of primates: Anthropoides (humans, great apes, and several others), Prosimi (lemurs and several others), and Tarsiodea. Primates are characterized by a high level of social interaction, flexible behavior, and use of hands.

REVIEW 54 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. oligarchy 2. onerous 3. onomatopoeia 4. opprobrium 5. ornithologist 6. oscillate 7. ostentatious 8. overweening * Paean 10. paleontology

a.

b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

disgrace; contempt showy burdensome song of joy or triumph government by a few leaders t o move back and forth presumptuous; arrogant scientist who studies birds study of past geological eras through fossil remains formation of words that imitate sounds of actions they refer to

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. oSS^7-, * or^thologists paeans

onerous oscillating paleontologists

onomatopoeia ostentatious

opprobrium overweening

1. After the end of the war, churches across the country rang out of joy. 2. The country is ruled by an consisting nf senior military officers. consisting oi senior 3. Over the last few days, the weather h a s been sunny and cloudy. 4

' ^^nalo~ASecJtUdylng * ^

190

Umt Can %

°

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1- Onomatopoeia helps scientists to understand the nature of the atom. 2 - The paeans live a basic existence, subsisting mostly on rice and vegetables. 3 - Ornithologists are concerned that Canadian geese migrating south no longer have enough places to rest and feed along the way. 4 - Geologists called in a paleontologist to examine fossils they had uncovered. 5 - When it was discovered that the scientist had published a paper based on data he knew was falsified, he received the opprobrium °f the scientific community. 0NIT55 ^ d

between

w l t h o u t St PPm

5. The physician faced the task of telling the patient that the disease was terminal. 6. The system of gathering, identifying, dating, and categorizing fossils allows to place newly discovered fossils in their proper place, making their picture of the past progressively more accurate. 7. An argument for the wearing of school uniforms is that it discourages displays of wealth through the wearing of expensive jewelry and clothing. 8. The manager's ambition led her to do something she regretted for the rest of her life: she told a lie about a vicepresident to help her get his job. 9. The country incurred global for its poor treatment of prisoners of war. 10. The word "ping-pong" arose from ; the sound of the words is similar to the sound of a table tennis ball hitting first one paddle and then another.

^

adj. lacking color or liveliness Archeohgical evidence indicates that women have been using mc *eiip to give color to a pallid face for millennia.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

panegyric n. elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise Many panegyrics were written to Abraham Lincoln in the years after his death, and he has become one of the most revered figures in American history. paragon n. model of excellence or perfection The epic poet Homer was regarded by the ancient Greeks as a paragon of literary excellence. partisan adj. one-sided; committed to a party, group, or cause; prejudiced ^ ^ Supporters of constitutional monarchy believe that while in this system, as it is generally practiced today, virtually all power is vested mpoptdarly elected assemblies, the institution of the monarchy continues to serve a purpose as a focus of national unity above the Juror of partisan politics. pathological adj. departing from normal condition People sometimes confound psychology and psychiatry: the former m^lnZ™^ ^"T* COQnmve and Active functions, both normal and pathological, in human beings and other animals, whereas the latter xs a branch of medicine that deals with mental disorders. Pathology is the noun. cJ^.nl!^ ™? s p e c t a c u / a r examples of spin-off in the twentieth that haue unl^sZ^ fT068 ^ n rnade in medicine as an atZ,Tt*l °iPT, bU>l09iCal research= « " ex™*** of this is

lf^Z:^^lCa^

a

*** ° f ** « -row. It ^

patois n. a regional dialect; nonstandard speech; jargon

pedantic adj. showing off learning The Sophists have acquired a reputation as being learned but rather pedantic entertainers who gave didactic talks on every subject under the Sun; the truth however, is that some of the Sophist phOosophers (notably Protagoras) were very able thinkers. The noun pedant means an uninspired, boring academic. pellucid adj. transparent; translucent; easily understood Two writers often mentioned as having an admirably pellucid style are Bertrand Russell and George Orwell penchant n. inclination Sue has a penchant for science, while her brother is more interested in the arts. REVIEW 5 5 Matching

Match each word with its definition: !• pallid 2- panegyric 3 - paragon 4 - partisan 5 ' Pathological 6 - Patois 7 - paucity 8 - Pedantic 9 - Pellucid 10 - Penchant

a. regional dialect; nonstandard speech b. one-sided c. showing off learning d. departing from normal condition e. inclination f. transparent; easily understood g. model of excellence h. lacking color or liveliness i. scarcity j . elaborate praise

JlB-ing

^ S f f ^ l ^ ^

doming

Singapore

paucity n. scarcity months Is 3

2

M I Z Z X ^ ^ T I .

J* ***** f ? p T O t o n 9 m 9 « person's lifeforseveral n e t e f o to " " * p a u c U » °fJ>™*> available

h X S ^ X P"*rams andchfld heaUK » • * * « * * « "

192

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

1

panegyric paucSjT

paragons pedantic

partisan pellucid

pathology penchant

Subtle differences in symptoms between one patient and another J * with a similar condition allow a competent doctor to diagnose we nature of the underlying - • . . ,oc„Hhp 2 ' J * textbook was so well written and edited that students describe " as Vonderfully ."

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

3. Academic writing should be erudite without being . 4. The job of political scientists is the objective study of government and politics; thus they are expected to be aloof from politics. 5. The people of the area speak a based on English, Spanish, and French. 6. According to archeologists, Roman tiles were not the SCe t 0 d a y : r a t h 6 r

colors ^

' ^

W6re

Pamted

a variet

y

of

7. In his later years Lewis was able to indulge the performing music that he had as a young man.

peremptory adj. imperative; leaving no choice The general's words were spoken in the peremptory tone of a man who is used to having his commands obeyed without question. perennial adj. present throughout the years; persistent Perennial warfare has left most of the people of the country in poverty.

^

perfidious adj. faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy The novel tells the story of the hero's perfidious

for

perfunctory adj. superficial; not thorough; performed really as a duty The perfunctory inspection of the airplane failed to reveal structural faults in the wing.

8. The business professor assigned her students to select the three State** 9

W

°Uld

C

°nSider

for o t h e r

companies to

f o r the s l ' JIl ^nfFal; a i n general was a s eloquent as the looks of grief on the faces of the mourners at his funeral. « ~ w*, 01 "!? 11 i S ^ n a b l e t o r e a c h a d e f l n I t e conclusion about when the battle began because of a o f evidence.

Perigee n. point in a n orbit that is closest to the Earth The Earth observation satellite reaches a perigee of 320 miles above the Earth's surface. permeable adj. penetrable Weteutts, used by divers in cold water, are permeable designed to retain body heat.

Sense or Nonsense

S ^ & S S ? ?Hch sentence makes g° od sense ° r n °t. rtit S (SENSE) tf it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Every weekend the Scott family has a gathering on the patois. . 2. T h e m u s e u m has an exhibition of elaborately carved penchants. S t o l s i S ^ °f

SpeClalist d o c t o r s

b

IiStenmg to

P^felsor.

^

n e

b

°red

^

to water but

Perturb v. to disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious; cause a body to deviate from its regular orbit The Jindings that violence is increasing in schools greatly perturbed government officials. *ne noun perturbation m e a n s disturbance. Scientists believe that the Earth has undergone alternating periods of relatively cooler and warmer climate, and that this is due largely tofluctuations in the intensity of the greenhouse effect and Perturbations in the Earth's orbit around the Sun.

* many rural areas of the P e d a n t i c ' long-winded

m o ^ r C s t ^ f? i ° l l e C t i n g t h ^ s w h e n h e ™* a child led his mother to speculate that he might become a m u s e u m curate. ____ UNIT 5 6

Pervasive adj. spread throughout every part ft *s a plausible hypothesis that the atheistic and materialistic Philosophy of Marxism was readily accepted in China tecauseoj «»•*-«--- - - - . spiritual matters, which had & siinilarities with Confucian views on s^ a Pervasive influence in China for many centuries

penury n. extreme poverty

e nou

peregrination n. a wandering from place to place Swami Vivekananda's

lover.

peregrinations

took him all over India. I

n is pervasiveness. An indicator of the pervasiveness of psychotropic drugs in American society is the fact that approximately 50% of aauus have used tranquilizers at some time in their lives. ^ v e r t > is pervade.

194

you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS rqvised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: http://gre-downlofid.blogspot.com

195

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

REVIEW 5 6

10. The boss dismissed her employee's suggestion with a laugh.

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. penury 2. peregrination 3. peremptory 4. 5. 6. 7 9 • 10.

a. penetrable b. superficial c . point in a n orbit closest to body being orbited . present throughout the years d . to disturb greatly e f . extreme poverty g. imperative h - s P r e a d throughout every part i a wandering from place to place j . faimess. dlsloyal

perennial perfidious perfunctory PeriSee PC ne ble " ^ perturb pervasive

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. rarfe!L«TO perfunctory

Paginations perigee

peremptory permeable

perennial perturbed

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. PutS (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. The consumer group accused the bank of using penury to amass vast profits. 2. The poet laureate wrote a perigee condemning the nation's king as an incompetent ruler. 3. Astronomers believe t h a t the distant star's orbit is being perturbed by some unknown body. 4. The dictator was used to having his peremptory commands obeyed. 5. Typhoons are a perennial problem in the coastal areas of Southeast China during the late summer and early autumn. UNIT 57

perfidious pervasive

tbBt fSTSf8 ^ ^ *** S a t e U i t e "U have a of 120 miles from Earth. 2 * whTch e the d LT W a t C r fr°m a « * * layer (an aquifer) in u 2 a p * m p ^ 1S U n d e r P r e s s u r e ' s o ™ generally do not have to

Petulant adj. rude; peevish ^ boy's father worried that his disobedient and petulant would grow up to be a bitter and annoying man.

child

L

* *** W ° r k ° f ^

' Charies^ckenT" 4

" budges;^688

debat6d

**

Enghsh

novdiSt

P - b l e m of the

5

' S ^ g T 8 " were ne f tiating a peace settlement ^ invasion. '

6

' r e l S ^ f m r t o

leaders were planning a full-scale 0

' ^

C

°ntinUal

1Cgal b a t t l e S h a s

f ^ n b n. mythical, immortal bird that lives for 500 years, b u m s felf to death, and rises from its ashes; anything that is restored after Bering great destruction ^ captain believed the battalion had been destroyed by the J^fny and was amazed to see it arise, phoenix like, its men still anting valiantly. ph

PractiC^

' " S h e a l I n g 1S r a r e l y complete and is often 8. The rock band's ^ around the world" ^ C n tt t o o v e r 5 0 c i t i e s 9. Military leaders were K «. c l a w e d Wormatlon-SSiS^ %£££? ^

PMegmatic adj. calm in temperament; sluggish "Phlegmatic natures can be inspired to enthusiasm only by being mad e into fanatics." (Friedrich Nietzsche)

ysiognomy n. facial features Jj* art teacher assigned her students to make drawings of people a wi de variety of physiognomy.

/or

"• devoutness * a i t Bernard of Clairvawc was a medieval French monk revered

fos piety.

^ 197

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

piquant adj. appealing^ stimulating; pleasantly pungent; attractive Many of the guests enjoyed the piquant barbecue sauce, but others found it too spicy for their taste. pique n. fleeting feeling of hurt pride SaUy left the restaurant in a fit of pique after her date called to say he couldn't come because he was working late. As a verb, pique means to provoke or arouse. The geologist's curiosity was piqued by the unusual appearance oj the rock formation. placate v. to lessen another's anger; to pacify After his team's third consecutive winless season, the Big State jootbaRcoach opened his address to the irate alumni with a barrage ojchches and euphemisms to try to placate them: "Gentlemen, it is not my intention today to pull the wool over your eyes. Heaven only S ^ f 9uen ^ ^ 7 have tru3Ly "ode ^ old college try. ortunat "*J fy. however, by any reasonable criteria we have been less than completely successjul in our endeavors, but I assure you that etemCd ri^tn^T98 * the human breast ™d next year we will PUt O U r t Z ^ ^ T ^ " ° S e s to the Qrindstone and emerge S ™ Tu*f / T of***™!*-1 certainly admit that we have

^^dei^o'n^

^

* UOthin9 tHat ^

be

™ed * **

placid adj. calm h W the theWkV^fZtamaZed ° " * " * was able to remain placid despite the fire that was raging through the building.

plaintive adj. melancholy; mournful

REVIEW 57 Matching Match each word with its definition: 12. 3. 4-

petulant phlegmatic phoenix Physiognomy

a

J

_. .

.

temperament; sluggish peevlsh

H ^ a. art of judging character from facial features

198

x

5. piety 6. piquant 7. pique 8. placate 9. placid 10. plaintive

e. f. g. h. i. j.

mournful mythical, immortal bird fleeting feeling of hurt pride pleasantly pungent to pacify devoutness

Fill-ins

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. petulant piquant

phlegmatic piqued

phoenix placated

physiognomy placid

piety plaintive

1. Rebecca is a quiet person, but beneath a exterior lies a continual ferment of emotion. 2. The monk is admired for his • 3. The only sound after the battle was the cry of a soldier who had been disemboweled. 4 - The teacher the students' interest in geology by taking them on a field trip to look at rock formations. 5. Studies show that a person's has an effect on his or her life; for example, people considered to have attractive features are more likely to be successful than those considered to be unattractive. 6> ^ e _________ child will not stop complaining that he does not like the present he has been given. 7 - Japan rose like a from the destruction of World War II to become one of the world's leading industrial nations. a The restaurant manager apologized for the poor service and rthe customer by saying that the meal was on the house. 9 - The chef is known throughout Texas for his wonderfully sauces. ]ft • The emergency room doctor trained herself to be _ despite the great suffering she witnessed every day. J * * or Nonsense «teate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ** S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1

The chef has prepared a range of plaintive desserts for our ^joyment. 2 - People stare at the man because of his unusual physiognomy.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

3. After being destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945, the Japanese city of Hiroshima rose like a phoenix to become once again one of Japan's major cities. 4. Tom, with his phlegmatic and excitable personality, is not the person I would like to see in charge during a crisis. 5. The pastor urged the members of his congregation to show their piety by attending church every week. UNIT 58 plasticity n. condition of being able to be shaped or formed; pliability The sociologist is continually amazed by the plasticity of social institutions. platitude n. stale, overused expression Though Sarah's marriage didn't seem to be going well, she took comfort in the platitude that the first six months of a marriage were always the most difficult. platonic adj. spiritual; without sensual desire; theoretical Gradually what had been a platonic relationship between Tim and Kyoko became a romantic one. plethora n. excess; overabundance Because it deals with death and grieving, the funeral business has produced a plethora of euphemisms such as "slumber room" for the place where the corpse is placed for viewing. plumb v. to determine the depth; to examine deeply A recurrent theme of mystical experience is "the dark night of the soul," in which a person plumbs the depths of despair before finding a transcendent reality that brings the person closer to what he or she regards as God. The pronunciation of plumb is PLUM. Do not confuse plumb with the verb plume, which means to congratulate oneself in a self-satisfied way. John plumed himself on his ability to read both Sanskrit and Greek. plummet u. to fall; plunge The fighter jet, struck by an enemy missile, plummeted to earth

200

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

plutocracy n. society ruled by the wealthy It has been argued that modern democracies are plutocracies to the extent that wealth allows certain people to have a disproportionately large influence on political decision-making. porous adj. full of holes; permeable to liquids If you go camping, make sure to spend enough money to buy a tent with a roof that is not porous. poseur n. person who affects an attitude or identity to impress others The critic labeled the writer a poseur who was more interested in getting the public's attention than in writing good books. pragmatic adj. practical The cult of romantic love was a major factor in making a marriage for love, rather than for more pragmatic reasons, a ubiquitous phenomenon in the West by the nineteenth century. Pragmatism means a practical way of approaching situations or solving problems. Pragmatism is similar to Positivism in rejecting lofty metaphysical conceptions and in asserting that the main role of philosophy is to help clarify phenomena experienced. hpragmatist is someone who approaches situations in a practical way. The word "pragmatist" is often used to refer to someone who is willing to sacrifice his principles to expediency. REVIEW 58 Matching Match each word with its definition: *• Plasticity ' platitude 3 - Platonic 4 - plethora 5 - Plumb 6 - Plummet 7 - Plutocracy 8 - Porous 9 - poseur 10 - Pragmatic 2

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

overused expression full of holes; permeable to liquids practical excess to fall; plunge spiritual; without sensual desire pliability society ruled by the wealthy to examine deeply person who affects an identity to impress others 201

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. plasticity plummet L

\ 4.

6.

7.

he

platitudes plutocracy

-

platonic

plethora poseur

por0us

plumbed pragmatic

of excellent

J i ^ rock b a n d s makes it difficult for new bands to gain an audience. 1^ ° l a y a l l 0 W S t h e t r a c k t o d r y Quickly. n0t C6rtain Whether X <™l ** Socrates' relation with his student Plato was only The poet William Wordsworth _ J h i s o w n p s y c h e m his masterpiece, The Prelude, or Growth of a Poet's Mind. ™ m ° t i V ^ 1 t i o n a l s P e a k e r ^ full of. such as "Nothing succeeds like success." The members of the stage club finally realized that Anthony was a — . who enjoyed acting like an actor more than doing all the work necessary to be a real actor. Some commentators have likened the United States more to a by the rich * d e m ° c r a c y because of the great power held

' +. leader is not constrained by ideological preconceptons and continually adjusts his plans to conforrn to reality. i^Sl S S I 10

La

flhfl °f I ^ ^

6VldenCe h a s b e e n b u

°f h

u m a n

* u p by scientists n a t a S e l s more limited

by social scientists for much of

SSS SSrf

**

e

n^;% td^

5. Some of his friends consider Morris to be a bit of a poseur: he loves to hang out at the cafe, sipping an espresso and acting as if he were America's most famous writer. UNIT 5 9 prate v. to talk idly; chatter The "talk radio" program allows people to call in and prate their pet peeves.

about

prattle n. meaningless, foolish talk The sociologist theorizes that what may seem like prattle often has an important social Junction: what might be labeled "gossip" is an important means for people to communicate valuable information about themselves and others. preamble n. preliminary statement Along with the opening words of the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address, the preamble to the Constitution of the United States contains some of the most memorable language in American history: "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establishjustice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty, to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Precarious adj. uncertain The prime minister's precarious hold on power ended when she test a vote of confidence in Parliament.

Sense or Nonsense tenCe m a k 6 S P ^ f sSt (SENSE) E W N S ^ if -f it r does, f S C nand g ° ° d s e n s e iforit not. Hut put N (NONSENSE) does not. L

h^mSn P nI°tur? T S O C i ? ° g i s t s tend to stress the plasticity of h u m a n nature, whereas biologists emphasize the role of genes. s S e fa^Uyrb^lat0nlC ^ T a r ^ u r s

6

8

^

relatlons

1

0

^

h i p s between members of the POr

°US

en

°Ugh

t0

^

thOT

'

^ m e ^were ^^ T the e season "" **** * *at" *a *time." ' but ' ™ * taking one*game 202

precept n. principle; law A good precept to follow in writing is to avoid redundancies such as "track record" (unless the record was set on a racecourse), revert back," "freegift," and "general consensus." Precipitate v. to cause to happen; throw down from a height Full-scale American entry into World War II remained unpopular "Oh the vast majority of Americans until a declaration of™*™3 Precipitated by the Japanese attack on the naval base «***™* **. a day that President Roosevelt predicted, in a memorable phrase, would "live in infamy."

203

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

precipitate adj. rash; hasty; s u d d e n

REVIEW 5 9

The secretary of state advised the president action.

not to take precipitate

Precipitous is another adjective meaning hasty; quickly with too little J caution. Precipitation is water droplets or ice particles from atmospheric water vapor that falls to Earth. It would, be helpful if the atmosphere could be induced to deposit its precipitation more evenly over the Earth's surface, so that some land areas are not inundated while others remain arid. precursor n. forerunner; predecessor c o n t L S drlfT ^ ** ^ ^

°/platC

t e c t o n i c s was

the

the

°m of

Terms from the Arts, S c i e n c e s , and Social Sciences E a ^ t ^ g ? l 0 g i C a l tbemy s t a t t a g t h a t t h e outer part of the o n ^ e o S ? AF C ° m P ° s e d o f ^ o layers, one of which "floats" by s c i e n S t s £ ° ?g * ^ ***"*• w h l c h i s ^ e l y accepted p l a t e S m o v e ta r e l a t i c r e a S Z l u ^ ^ ° » to one another, ^ Z ^ ™ ^ 1 ^ ^ « * - u n t a i n building o v e f u n ^ * * * ** ^ ^

* * ^

continents shift their positions

preempt „. to supersede; appropriate for oneself to tte™tiZW™Preemptedf0r

the

President's

emergency address

prehensile adj. capable of grasping thosT* S S ^ r ? thro^^7eeS

204

8

. *

Souft Amerfca

SaV red

°

**

* « * P r e h e n s i l e tails than

a******,

over the ability to 9^

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 910.

prate prattle preamble precarious precept precipitate (adj.) precursor preempt prehensile precipitate (v.)

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

capable of grasping talk idly preliminary statement cause to happen meaningless talk supersede principle; law rash; hasty uncertain forerunner

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. prated precipitate

prattle precursor

preamble preempted

precarious prehensile

precepts precipitated

1- Thomas Edison's famous laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, was a to the great laboratories later created by corporations such a s AT&T and IBM, out of which have poured a torrent of new techniques and devices. 2- Moral. vary from society to society, but all societies have sanctions against certain acts, such as murder. 3 - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ tails help many arboreal animals to find and eat food as they move through the trees. 4 - Steve earns a living as a part-time waiter. 5 - Tired of the gossip's . Alicia said she was late for an appointment so she could end the conversation. 6 - The to the bill describes the background of the legislation and explains how it relates to existing laws. 7 - The increased tariffs in the 1930s a collapse in world trade, exacerbating the Great Depression. 8 - All TV and radio broadcasts have been _ ty ^ emer" gency announcement by the president. 9 - The commander said he would not be pressured into making a ,„ —— decision. , . , , . . •_ 10 - The retired couple . all evening ^ f ^ l ^ ^ to Europe, oblivious to the fact that no one had the slightest Merest in what they were talking about. 205

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Sense or Nonsense I ^ c * , * ™ ^ C a C h s e n t e n c e m a k e s good sense or not. r u t b (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Scientists have shown that the precursor to birds was a flying J 6 dinosaur. 2. The Democrats have a precarious majority in the state senate. 3

' V*Z a ^ n C e ° f d i s t l n g u I s h e d scientists listened intently as the d ^ c o i r i Z e " W i n n i n g p h y S i G i s t p r a t e d eloquently about her latest

4. The man studied the religion's precepts so that he could be accepted as a convert. 5. A Preamble to the official report describes its rationale and how the commission gathered its information. UNIT 6 0

prevaricate v. to quibble; evade the truth Journalists accused government leaders of prevaricating the progress of the war.

about

primordial adj. original; existing from the beginning Scholars are divided as to whether polytheism represents a degeneration from a primordial monotheism, or was a precursor to a more sophisticated view, monotheism. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences polytheism: belief in the existence of more than one god monotheism: belief in the existence of one god pristine adj. untouched; uncorrupted The bank's hermetically sealed vault has kept the manuscript in pristine condition for 50 years.

premonition n. forewarning; presentiment hi eele a n^mnJ^er ?: ction in 1864, President Abraham Lincoln had waTsZfaZViZ '"'P""** death, and on April 14, 1865, he was snot and died the next day.

Presage v. to foretell; indicate in advance P aaW S f °* Z ^ f r ^ T

Wmklm WOUld

B]ake

beli

*ved his work presaged a new *****- social, psycholgical and

« * ^

presumptuous adj. rude; improperly bold 6

m

0jErer

ter

to

wa^aZZ hT^Z "* «*** ^ boss because she I Z ^ e a s u l ^ "?*** tt P™™Ptuous for a recent graduate make a suggestion to someone with 30 years experience ti the field The verb is presume.

probity n. honesty; high-mindedness No one questioned the probity of the judge being considered for elevation to the U.S. Supreme Court; what was at issue was his controversial views on several important issues. Problematic adj. posing a problem; doubtful; unsettled The idea of the universe originating at a certain point in time seems Problematic to many scientists. Prodigal adj. wasteful; extravagant; lavish Betty warned her husband that he must stop his prodigal fofl on sports cars and expensive clothing.

spend-

REVIEW 6 0

ViSW resu

caTpTZnfwit^ P ™ that there exist only two antithett9mmd between the andthTZnfeL 7*°* * opponent's view ana their own (eminently more reasonable) position. The noun is presumption. perVecutioniLl^ J * * * * 0 " - ond was responsible for periodic P secutions such as the expulsion oj Jews from Spain fin 1492. ^ Z T s ^ t bey°nd ** outside the scope aTSZ^j™^

n

°rmal

C

° U r s e o f - t u r e ; supernatural Prematura! phenomena are

Etching Mat ch each word with its definition:

Premonition presage Presumptuous Preternatural prevaricate Primordial Pristine Probity

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

rude doubtful beyond the normal course of nature existing from the beginning forewarning honesty to foretell wasteful

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE

9. problematic 10. prodigal

GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

i. to quibble j . untouched

UNIT 61

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. premonition presage primordial pristine

presumptuous probity

preternatural problematic

prevaricating prodigal

1. Scientists are investigating Edna's claim to having a ability to predict the future. 2. Air strikes against military bases a full-scale invasion. 3. Ruth's dream contained a that war would break out. 4 The museum exhibition allows visitors to experience what a forest was like. 5. The president told the senator to stop on the issue and give him her decision by Monday on whether she had his support. 6. Tom keeps his pride and joy, a 1966 Triumph, in condition in his temperature-controlled garage. 7. One of the considerations that makes a return to a military draft — is that gender equality would almost certainly require the equal participation of males and females. 8. Bruce's —. spending on luxuries left him nearly bankrupt. 9. The math student decided that it would be of her to correct the error in the eminent mathematics professor's calculations. 10. The senator's unquestioned and incisive intelligence made her a unanimous choice to lead the sub-committee investigating official misconduct. Sense or Nonsense

rifs1?Fts^ef f f

sentence makes

g° od sense or

not

Hut S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. A primordial number is an integer divisible only by itself or one. ' V^ S " e m o " i t i o n t o ^ P!*y introduces u s to the main characters and the setting.

2

3

' S ? P C ? l e b e l i C V e t h a t P r e v a r * a t i n g helps to develop character quickly 6 e n C ° U r a g e s a P e r s o n t o m * k e u p his or her mind

4

fthe felanCe c

" mn^S?^ ° ° ™ i i t t e e warned t h a t the state's prodigal spending would have to stop

5

" S t u r ^ e S e a r C h e r b e U e V e S tbat w h a t m a y aPPear to be preterr e aCtUaUy ccertain ? r S a areas ^ f I ' fofr Sthe K abrain. ^ result ° f * e n a t i o n ° f

profound adj. deep; not superficial There is an adage in philosophy that everyone is born either a Platonist or an *Aristotelian, meaning that everyone has a predisposition to believing either that reality is completely "here and now," or that there exists a more profound, hidden reality. The noun profundity m e a n s the quality of being profound. prohibitive adj. so high a s to prevent the purchase or use of; preventing; forbidding Most people in poor countries are unable to purchase a computer because of its prohibitive price. Prohibition is the noun. The word taboo was taken from Polynesia (tabu in Tongan) and broadened to mean any culture's prohibition of a particular object or activity. proliferate v. to increase rapidly With the pervasive influence of American culture, fast-food" rants are proliferating in many countries.

restau-

Proliferation is the noun. A problem with the proliferation of jargon is that it impedes communication between different fields of knowledge. Propensity n. inclination; tendency . There is a natural propensity to stress the importance of what one fe saying by exaggerating it. Propitiate v. to win over; appease M.E.W. Sherwood, an author alive at the time of the U.S. Civil War, eloquently expressed the sacrifice made by soldiers on both sides °f that great conflict: "But for four years there was a contagion oj nobility in the land, and the best blood of North and South poured ***fout a libation to propitiate the deities of Truth and Justice. " * 9reat sin of slavery was washed out, but at what a cost! Propriety n . correct conduct; fitness Judges are expected to conduct themselves with especially in the courtroom.

propriety,

It^ t e t o a ewas Plato's student= m contrastt0 Plat °' hebdteWd *** *""CXSlt *"*<* separate from matter.

208

209

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

proscribe v. to condemn; forbid; outlaw The expert in English believes that since the tendency to use hyperbole is natural and often enriches the language, it should not be proscribed. The adjective proscriptive means relating to prohibition. Proponents of the view that dictionaries should be proscriptive, dictating what correct usage is, believe that without such guides the standard of language will decline; however, advocates of descriptive dictionaries argue that dictionary makers have no mandate to dictate usage and therefore should merely record language as it is used. provident adj. providingforfuture needs; frugal Most people have heard the story of the prodigal grasshopper and me provident ant that spends me summer saving food for the winter. puissant adj. powerful The article analyzes the similarities and differences between the Roman Empire and the British Empire when each was at its most puissant. The noun is

puissance.

punctilious adj. careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony. Tt^tu?™ m ^ , t e r h^Z

of state

reminded

^

h

Pr0t0C l

°

* staff that they must be dWing

the Visit

by the

foreign

REVIEW 61 Matching Match each word with its definition:

5. 6. 7. 8. 9i r» 10. 210

propitiate propriety proscribe provident puissant „ J.,-,, punctilious

e. n o t

flcial

^ f. ~ • 7. g" m c l ^ o n ' ^dency careful in observing rules of behavior *• t ° wto over , tn, J. to increase rapidly

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. profound propriety

prohibitive proscribes

proliferating provident

propensity puissant

propitiated punctilious

1. In 1972, the United States Supreme Court voided all state and federal laws specifying the death penalty on the basis that they are unconstitutional, since they violate the eighth amendment of the Constitution, which "cruel and unusual punishment." 2. As Russ grew older, he found his intellectual interests rather than narrowing, a s he had expected. 3. Sharon is in doing her homework; every evening she reviews all of the day's classes and carefully completes the written tasks. 4. American cultural influence in the world has been described as a force more than any army. 5 in that country demands that young single women be accompanied in public by an adult female. 6. Defenders of philosophy say that, far from being a superfluous and self-indulgent activity, it is one of the most _ of human enterprises, having given humankind such useful fields of thought as science, and conceived of such noble ideas as freedom, democracy, and h u m a n rights. 7 - m her article the anthropologist suggests that homo sapiens is a species with a n innate .forviolence. 8 - A belief in angry gods who m u s t be to prevent them from venting their wrath on h u m a n beings is pervasive in human cultures. 9 - According to some scientists, the technology exists for establishing a base on Mars, b u t the cost of doing so would be — . • •The housekeeper insists on buying everything when it is on sale. ?«nse or Nonsense JWicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. m S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1

The letter argues that the city council must take measures to control the proliferation of wild dogs. 2 - No o n e could blame the passengers on the jetliner for being a bit Puissant after a UFO w a s sighted flying off their plane s wing.

211

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

3. Throughout the priest's writings is a profound regard for the dignity and sanctity of h u m a n life. 4. The chief of protocol planned every official function so that propriety was strictly observed. 5. The prohibitive cost of many modern medical therapies makes them unsuitable for patients in poor countries. UNIT 6 2 pungent adj. strong or sharp in smell or taste; penetrating; caustic; to the point Slang frequently expresses an idea succinctly and

pungently.

purport v. to profess; suppose; claim The United States is generally considered to be a secular society in which church and state are separate; however, religion plays a large role, since nearly everyone purports to believe in God and many people are members of churches.

Qualification is a n o u n meaning limitation or restriction. So many qualifications had been added to the agreement that Sue was now reluctant to sign it. The verb qualify means to modify or limit. qualm n. sudden feeling of faintness or nausea; uneasy feeling about the lightness of actions The judge had no qualms about sentencing the thief to five years imprisonment. query v. to question Until widespread industrialization caused massive pollution in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the ability of the biosphere to dissipate and assimilate waste created by human activity was not queried. Query is also a n o u n meaning a question. The history professor answered the student's interesting query about the influence of Arabic thought on Western civilization.

Purport is also a noun. Its definition is meaning intended or implied. pusillanimous adj. cowardly Traditionally, a ship captain is considered pusillanimous abandons his ship before everyone else has.

if he

Quibble is also a noun.

The noun is pusillanimity, which means cowardice. quagmire n. marsh; difficult situation The federal governments antitrust suit in the 1990s Microsoft created a legal quagmire.

against

whe

quiescent adj. inactive; still Although malignant tumors may remain quiescent for a period of time, they never become The noun is

quail v. to cower; lose heart quaiIed anH? defE^ant announce the sentence.

quibble v. to argue over insignificant and irrelevant details The lawyers spent so much time quibbling over details that they made little progress in reaching an agreement on the central issue.

n

quiescence.

the judge entered the room to

qualified adj. limited; restricted a ^!lIIldia?ihil0Sl0phlJ P°smon between monism at one extreme and 0t b ™t,,7c w ^J" « u a h ^ e d nondualism, a philosophy in which reality is considered to have attributes of both dualism arid monism.

REVIEW 62 Matching Match each word with its definition: !• 3 4 5 6 '• 8 2

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences

SSZ^X SfTeahty is a unmed whole consisting ofone tw ^ 1 " ^ ^ ° basic entities constitute reality (e.g. mind and matter or good and evil)

212

benign.

pungent Purport Pusillanimous quagmire quail qualified qualm query

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

difficult situation argument over insignificant details to profess; suppose inactive strong or sharp in smell or taste limited cowardly to question 213

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

9. quibble 10. quiescent

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

i. lose heart j . uneasy feeling

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. pungent qualified

purported qualms

pusillanimous query

quagmire quibble

quailed quiescent

1. The Nissan Patrol sank halfway into the . 2. The alien craft turned out to be a n experimental aircraft performing u n u s u a l maneuvers. 3. During our tennis match we smelled the odor of lamb curry being cooked. 4. The bank teller as the masked robber threatened her with a gun. 5. The soldier said he h a s no about killing the enemy since it was his duty. 6. The fortune-teller answered her customer's with an ambiguous "It will come about if Fate wills it." 7. The student's essay asserts that "Humanity made great progress in the twentieth century"; however, when her teacher asked her what she meant by "progress" she her statement by specifying that she meant that humanity made great economic and scientific progress. 8. The senator argued that it would be . for Congress to P rubber stam ev Q ,T ^ P ^ry bill proposed by the president. y. When asked by reporters which of the starting pitchers he thought was better the manager replied, "I'm not going to . about which is better. They're both superb " 10. The patient's emotional disturbance appeared to be PSyCh logist feared soon ° that " would manifest itself again Sense or Nonsense h SemenCe makes P S ^ i ?if eittaH S ° o d — if-it does - t . not. Put^S t(SENSE) does, and put N (NONSENSE) L

^ t a S S S T PU5P0rted to b e the most important technological breakthrough of the modern age S c a u s e d t h ^ b a ! ! , « 0 a C h C a U e d ***« P^tice a qualified success 0nlng Pr0gram had S r ^ T n mprogress g ° n e ™ * b u t there had " 1 UL J ""urea in othpr

214

3. The quiescent volcano is spewing out lava that is threatening to destroy the nearby town. 4. "Let's accept the report's conclusion and not quibble over inconsequential details," the manager told his workers. 5. U.S. military leaders are leery of becoming involved in a quagmire that would drain resources and limit their forces' effectiveness in other theatres. UNIT 6 3

quorum n. number of members necessary to conduct a meeting The U.S. Senate's majority leader asked three members of his party to be available to help form a quorum. raconteur n. witty, skillful storyteller Former president Bill Clinton is known as an accomplished raconteur who can entertain guests with amusing anecdotes about politics all evening. rail v. to scold with bitter or abusive language The critic of globalization railed against its effect on the poor People of the world. raiment n. clothing It took two hours for the princess' handmaidens to help her put on her splendid raiment for her coronation as queen. ramification n. implication; outgrowth; consequence Thejull ramification of the invention of the laser did not become apparent for many years; now it is used in a great variety ofapplicafons, from DVD players to surgery. rarefied adj. refined Many scholars flourish in the rarefied intellectual atmosphere of fte Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, New Jersey. ^ e verb rarefy m e a n s to make thinner, purer, or more refined. "Onale n. fundamental reason ^ Philosophy of "enlightened self-interest"justifies.actingin one s <*>n interest by asserting that this is not selfish or motivated by a txx/gar thy neighbor" rationale, but is simply the best way to ensure the welfare of the entire community.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

rebus n. puzzle in which pictures or symbols represent words Egyptian writing uses the principle of the rebus, substituting pictures for words. recalcitrant adj. resisting authority or control The officer had no choice but to recommend that the soldier be court-martialed.

recalcitrant

recant v. to retract a statement or opinion The bishop told the theologian that he must recant his heretical teaching or risk excommunication. REVIEW 63

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. quorum 2. raconteur

a. f u n d a m e n t a l b.

3

- raU 4. raiment

c. refined d. c l o t h i n g

6 rafffT°n

C

- ' rafC C , 7. rationale , 8

f

reason

1- The witch cast a raiment on the man, turning him into a tree. . 2. Scientists had to destroy the rebus because they were afraid it would break out of the lab and infect the population of the

implicatlon

- *"*'

SkmftU s t o i t e l l e r

city.

y

3

- resisting authority or control +~ ,.«+ * ,. , rt g- to retract a statement or opinion h. to scold with bitter or abusive 9 recal t language an *• puzzle in which pictures or symbols . represent words in 10. recant s , J- number of members necessary to Fill-ins conduct a meeting Choose the best word to fill in th*> Hio^i, • *u LU mi m tne blank m each sentence. •SS SS"«• «—t ranUfiction. rationale rebus recalcitrant recant ta t 0 tBtk t o 2 C^lSaS0" ^ ^ ^ indent. 6 1 of^onS^tr ^'explores feel for humanity ' a t t a S T B T ^ e ^ r S o T 3 ^ ** °°Untiy ^ * * * 4- As a girl SheUa dreamed of being dressed in the golden of a princess. 218

5. Every week the newspaper columnist against what he calls the "unprecedented stupidity of our age." 6. Unable to obtain a , leaders of the majority parry had no choice b u t to postpone the vote on the legislation. 7. The was the life of the party, telling hilarious jokes long into the evening. 8. Saint Thomas Aquinas combined an acute, practical intellect and the most spirituality. 9. The fourth-grade class project was to design a incorporating pictures of animals. 10. The company said it would drop its lawsuit for defamation if the journalist agreed to publicly his false statement about its products.

^

- The speaker railed against profligate government spending. - The raconteur h a s a repertoire of over 300 jokes, all of which he can tell with perfect timing. 5 - Some fans questioned the rationale for the coach's decision to attempt the risk of a two-point conversion after the touchdown rather than the nearly certain one-point conversion.

4

UNIT 6 4 ^ t o s e n . pe r S on who lives in seclusion and often in solitude ?te monk spent three years of his life as a recluse, praying and "teditating. e ad

Jective is reclusive. John is a reclusive person who enjoys reading more than anything else. * * * d i t e adj. abstruse; profound Many classical and biblical references known to educated nm eteenth-century readers are now considered recondite by m °st readers.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

redoubtable adj. formidable; arousing fear; worthy of respect As a result of winning 95% of her cases, the prosecutor has earned a reputation as a redoubtable attorney.

Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Idealist: refers to the followers of Idealism

refractory adj. stubborn; unmanageable; resisting ordinary methods of treatment

Immmuel Kant (1724-1804): German philosopher who held that the mind shapes the world a s it perceives it and that this world takes the form of space and time

The general practitioner called in specialists to help determine the cause of the patient's refractory illness. remonstrate v. to object or protest Minority members of the committee remonstrated with the majority members, saying that the proposal was unjust; nevertheless, it was approved.

The verb refract means to deflect sound or light. Intermittently the ionosphere refracts radio waves of certain frequencies, allowing transmissions between distant points on the Earth refulgent adj. brightly shining; resplendent On the queen's neck was a necklace of jewels, which was a large, refulgent diamond.

renege v. to go back on one's word Generally, if one party to an agreement reneges on its contractual obligations, it must provide appropriate compensation to the other party.

in the middle of

refute v. to contradict; disprove The eighteenth-century English author Samuel Johnson claimed to have refuted the philosophy o/idealism by kicking a large stone. The noun is refutation.

REVIEW 6 4 Matching Match each word with its definition:

Fundamentalism arose in Protestantism as a refutation of the liberal theology of the early twentieth century, which interpreted Christianity in terms of contemporary scientific theories.

!• recluse - recondite 3 - redoubtable 4 - refractory 5 - refulgent 6 - refute 7 re - gale 8 - relegate 9 - remonstrate 10. renege 2

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences ™ S ! ? i 7 t h e , b e l i e f *** ^ r v t h i n g that exists is fundamentally mental in nature

regale v. to entertain p r e rZZTJ«U'S' ? ^ n t e Lyn*>" Johnson, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton often regaled visitors with amusing political anecdotes.

a common

toto

!£^5£££

<*

t0 the

tar

9et of satire; however, aorbagecan, one should reflect

given hu ni some

^ *"* ***

™*

brightly shining to entertain abstruse; profound to object or protest to contradict; disprove person who lives in seclusion stubborn; unmanageable to go back on one's word arousing fear to consign to an inferior position

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

relegate v. to consign to an inferior position P SOP WrS re frJte^f ^ ! ^ 9 n9 iem u^Xil™* T il

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

of

**«** ***•

*

h

recondite regaled

^ e guest speaker

redoubtable relegated

refractory remonstrated

irtdfut reneged

the audience with hilarious anec-

es from

o Jf her childhood. ' The school h a s announced plans to deal with the _ _ students. 218

219

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

3. Students of religion have discerned a pattern in many religions in which some gods gradually attain prominence and others are to an inferior status. 4 Ti - m on his bet with Harry, claiming it had just been a joke. 5. Astronomers are studying the object that suddenly appeared in the sky. 6. Edith's friends are concerned that she is becoming a she does not go out with them anymore and rarely leaves her house. 7. The book God and the New Physics by the Australian physicist Paul Davies succeeds in making areas of physics more comprehensible to the general public. 8. The prospect of being interviewed for admission by the — dean of the law school was a daunting one. 9. The conservative and liberal with each other over the issue long into the night. 10 ' °,n.? w a y t o an argument is to show that one or more oi the premises on which it is based is false. Sense or Nonsense S ^ ? ^ ^ C a C h S e n t e n c e m a k e s g ° o d s e * s e or not. *-ut b ibENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. When learning a new subject, it is wise to start with straightiorward, recondite topics first. 2. The retired football coach regaled the young coaches with stories from his playing days with the Green Bay Packers in the 1950s. 3

'fr™^ n ^ S h P r o f e s s i o n a l soccer league, a team can be relegated perform e ance e m l e r " d M s l ° n t o a l o w e r division because of poor

4

' ^ H ? ^ C ° a C h r e m i n d e d h i s team to refute every argument made by the opposing team. 5. The recluse has many friends at his house every night

repine v. fret; complain The president told the congressional representative he should stop repining over the lost opportunity and join the majority in exploring new ones. reprise n. repetition, especially of a piece of music The standing ovation at the end of the set meant that the band had little choice but to reprise a few of their most popular tunes. The verb is also reprise. reproach u. to find fault with; blame The speaker in Andrew Marvell's poem To His Coy Mistress" reproaches his beloved for ignoring the passing of time and for not being willing to physically express her love for him. Reproach is also a noun. reprobate n. morally unprincipled person The social worker refused to give up hope of reforming the criminal who was generally regarded as a reprobate. repudiate u. to reject a s having no authority In the 1960s, many black leaders such as Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael repudiated integration and nonviolence in favor of black separatism and passive resistance in the fight for civil rights. rescind u. to cancel The salesperson said he would rescind his offer to sell the goods <* a 10% discount unless he received full payment within 24 hours. ^solution n. determination; resolve Fred's resolution to succeed is unshaken despite the many setbacks he has suffered. ^solve n. determination; firmness of purpose

UNIT 6 5

President Abraham Lincoln displayed remarkable Preventing the Confederate states from seceding.

reparation n. amends; compensation tiol^hi^f^T "**** not « Pay Jim reparation

sentence

the

™ i to jail on the covdito the family hurt by his crime.

^

resolve in

verb is also resolve.

^Ucent adj. not speaking freely; reserved; reluctant Many people in the west are reticent to criticize science, which m °te view of many has become a sacred cow. 220

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences sacred cow: something that is so greatly respected that it is beyond question, e.g. T h e virtue of free trade is a sacred cow of modern economic theory."

9. The judge warned the convicted man that he was beginning to consider him a hopeless who should be kept in prison away from innocent people. 10. The New Year's Eve revelers demanded a of "Auld Lang Syne." Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

REVIEW 6 5 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

reparation repine reprise reproach reprobate repudiate rescind resolution resolve reticent

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

to blame to fret determination firmness of purpose to reject as having no authority morally unprincipled person amends reserved repetition t o cancel

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. reparations repudiated

repine rescinded

1. J a n e t 2. J o h n chemistry. 3. The gangster in the city.

__

reprise resolution

reproached resolved

reprobate reticent

her friend for being lazy. to study hard so he would get an "A" in to

__ ^

his

t associations

^th

criminals

4

its * ^^f^L J ° b o f f e r w h e n it was found that the candidate had provided falsified documents 5. Every year Joanne makes a firm to work harder. ^ ! e f C ° U , f ! u d e r e d * * c o n v * t e d woman to make to the family that she had done so m u c h h a r m to. S T C°™selor™s Anally able to get the boy to talk about the problems in his family

8

a t bei " a r l o n f r i 6 Kd ^ * g s i g n e d to do the arduous task, but rather, accepted it as a challenge.

222

1. The burden of war reparations plunged the country into a financial crisis. 2. The counselor is encouraging the reticent patient to talk about his feelings. 3. The teacher reproached the student for her sloppy work. 4. The gangster pledged to start a new life and repudiate his past involvement with criminals. 5. The couple's grandchildren decided to reprise them with a 30th anniversary party. UNIT 6 6

reverent adj. expressing deep respect; worshipful The biologist Loren Eisely had what could be described as a reverent attitude toward nature. ^ verb is revere. "Poste n. a retaliatory action or retort The commander decided that the enemy attack must be countered with a quick riposte. !°«*o adj. excessively ornate; highly decorated; style of architecture m el ghteenth-century Europe to music, the Rococo period (1730-1780) comes between the Preceding Baroque period and the subsequent Classical period, lne ^9hly ornamented style of the Rococo period created new forms oj <»ssonance that to listeners in previous eras would have sounaea C( *cophonous. ^

noted authors Lawrence Durrell and Vladimir Nabokov often wrote h, almost rococo style.

a rtc

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

REVIEW 6 6

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Rococo: a style of architecture that made u s e of elaborate curved forms. Examples of the Rococo in architecture are the extremely ornate court and opera buildings of Mannheim and Stuttgart in Germany

Hatching

Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 8. 9. 10.

rubric n. title or heading; category; established mode of procedure or conduct; protocol The data from the experiment was so diverse that the scientist decided to design a new rubric to organize it. rue v. to regret The judge told the convicted man that he would come to rue his decision to commit the crime.

wen 1,186

sage adj. wise J*™** Johnson gave this sage, albeit hard, advice to writers wnhmg to vnprove their style: "Read over your compositions, and

Wtth a PaSS09e that y U think

°

* *******

Sage is also a noun meaning a wise older person. salacious adj. lascivious; lustful

that the

*"*fe to°salacious

to be

salubrious adj. healthful heSth Z 1 ^ ™ e J ? ? S of*™** on both physical and mental neaim have been well documented. salutary adj. expecting an improvement; favorable to health and^ufa^, X^^educatton is in our age the most prominent and salutary feature of the spirit of enlightenment... —President Benjamin Harrison, 1892 224

crafty stratagem lustful wise older person excessively ornate expecting an improvement expressing deep respect to regret retaliatory action favorable to health title or heading

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

In July, 1999, a group of Christians from the United Kingdom traveled to various countries in which Crusaders had massacred people to apologize; however, many of the Moslems spurned this overture, believing it to be another Crusade in the form of a ruse.

tfJlSSSSTdedded

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

Fill-ins

ruse n. trick; crafty stratagem; subterfuge

^ZeTo^

reverent riposte rococo rubric rue ruse sage salacious salubrious salutary

*

riposte sage

rococo salacious

rubric salubrious

me salutary

!• In Chinese culture children are expected to . _ their Parents. 2 - The talk show host is always ready with a clever — to the barbs of her guests. 3 - The defendant told the members of the jury that they would — the day they had convicted him. 1 As a ___ the president's press secretary opened the news conference with the statement that the ff^^^^T guarantee everyone in America a minimum salary of $100,000 Per year. 5 - The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates was a who believed that everyone m u s t engage in his or her own search tor truth. 6 - The movie was given a n "R" rating because of its content. 7 - Many people from the Midwest retire to Arizona because of the . climate. ft — 8 - Advocates of Prohibition believed that it would have a . effect on people who enjoyed drinking alcoholic beverages. 9 - The author decided to discuss forced sterilization under the of eugenics.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

10. The building.

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

. furniture seems out of place in the ultramodern

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. The debater prepared clever ripostes for the arguments she expected her opponent to make. 2. Some readers find the writer's straightforward, rococo style boring. 3. Confucius was a Chinese sage revered for his wisdom. 4. The fraternity brother who came u p with the best ruse was told he would get a date with the homecoming queen. 5. To have your article published in the chemistry journal, you must carefully follow the rubric provided by its editor.

satiate v. to satisfy The bully satiated

his fury by pummeling the helpless little boy.

saturate v. to soak thoroughly; imbue throughout The writer's recollection of her childhood is saturated shine and laughter.

with sun-

saturnine adj. gloomy When the long list of casualties from the battle were announced, the mood in the room was saturnine. satyr n. a creature that is half-man, half-beast with the horns and legs of a goat; it is a follower of Dionysos; a lecher One of the best-known satyrs is Pan, the god of the woods in Greek mythology. savor v. to enjoy; have a distinctive flavor or smell The coach gave his team a day off practice to savor their big victory.

UNIT 6 7 sanction v. to approve; ratify; permit , . ^ establishment of the state of Israel from Palestinian territory in 1948 was the realization of a hallowed dream for Zionists, but for many Palestinians it meant the sanctioning of continued domination of their land by Europeans.

schematic adj. relating to or in the form of an outline or diagram The engineer outlined the workings of the factory in schematic form.

Sanction is also a noun meaning approval; ratification; permission. In the West, the institution of marriage is traditionally given formal sanction by both the Church and the State, which has the social function of reinforcing its importance and the seriousness of the duties it entails.

terete v. produce and release substance into organism The pancreas gland secretes a fluid that helps fat, carbohydrates, wd protein to be digested in the small intestine.

The noun sanction can also mean penalization.

REVIEW 6 7

has the ^ r T r ^ ^ Natk}nS P°wer to c°™Pel obedience to international law by sanctions or even war, but there must be unanimity

Cou^cf

H am n9

°

theJlVe

Permanent

members of the Security

The verb sanction can also mean to penalize. sardonic adj. cynical; scornfully mocking Satire that is too sardonic

often loses its

effectiveness.

sartorial adj. pertaining to tailors ie^arZer^ZglTOr0US °Ctress' s<^toHal jeans and T-shirts than to elaborate gowns. 226

style runs more to

Matching Ma teh each word with its definition:

J- sanction g- Adonic " sartorial *• Satiate 5 - Curate ?• ^turnine '•satyr °- savor

a. b. c. d. e.

pertaining to tailors half-man, half-beast relating to a diagram to approve; ratify to produce and release substance into organism f. to satisfy g. cynical

h. gloomy 227

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

9. schematic 10. secrete

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

i. to enjoy j . to soak thoroughly

UNIT 68 sedition n. behavior prompting rebellion The federal prosecutor argued that the journalist's article could be interpreted as an act of sedition since it strongly suggested that the government should be overturned.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. sanctions saturnine

sardonic satyr

sartorial savored

satiate schematic

saturated secrete

1. Celebrating the end of her diet, Tina every mouthful of the ice cream sundae. 2. A fried chicken dinner should be enough to the hungry student's appetite. 3. June is one of those people whose mood can suddenly become .— and then just as quickly become sunny and cheerful. 4. The company decided to try to sell another product because the market for personal computers had become . 5. Economic against the country have made life difficult for its people; even everyday necessities are becoming scarce. 6. The book claims to give advice that solves men's problems easily and cheaply. 7. Hugh has a reputation as a bit of a among the women in the office. 8. The electrical engineer made a diagram of the circuit. 9. Cells in the mucous membrane of the stomach . hydrochloric acid to help in the digestion of food. 10. The satirist's unremittingly tone left the reviewer ieeling that here was a man of great talent who had, sadly, retreated to a bitterly cynical, even misanthropic attitude toward the world.

sedulous adj. diligent The Nobel Prize-winning scientist attributed his success to what he termed "curiosity, a modicum of intelligence, and sedulous application.'' seismic adj. relating to earthquakes; earthshaking The study of seismic waves enables scientists to learn about the Earth's structure. wnsual adj. relating to the senses; gratifying the physical senses, especially sexual appetites The yogi teaches his students that attachment to sensual pleasure is one of the great hindrances to spiritual advancement sensuous adj. relating to the senses; operating through the senses The American painter Georgia O'Keejfe is known especially for her sensuous paintings of plants and flowers and for her landscapes.

Sense or Nonsense

sentient adj. aware; conscious; able to perceive Charles Darwin regarded many animals as being sentient and as having intelligence. The noun is sentience. An analgesic relieves pain but unlike an anesthetic, does not cause kiss of sensation or sentience.

e Ch Sentence makes od sense or not IStfs^ nfH g° Hut S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

servile adj. submissive; obedient None of the dictator's servile citizens dared question his decree.

1. The novel is a satyr on human nature 2

a t e d

Ur a p p e t i t e for s c i e n c e

flctl

' ^ m ° °n novels by reading 20 of them on summer vacation. 3 iy n ' on n n tmodern , ! / P P r e C l a t e s t h e comedian's sardonic commentary T Z H ° life. 4. Twelve hours of heavy rain left the field saturated. 5. I suggest you savor the food, not just gobble it down 228

***** n. navigation tool that determines latitude and ^ t u d * Because it enabled precise determination tfPf^**^ W*fo became an essential tool in navigation after its invention in 1731. *^** n. a piece of broken glass or pottery Archeotogists were able to reconstruct the drinking vessel jrom shards found around the ancient campsite.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

sidereal adj. relating to the stars A sidereal year is longer than a solar year by 20 minutes and 23 seconds. REVIEW 68

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

sedition sedulous seismic sensual sensuous sentient servile sextant shard sidereal

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

9. The book describes a society almost entirely dedicated to delight. 10. The philosopher Plato believed that a process of reason, independent of information, could help a man arrive at the true nature of reality.

operating through the senses navigation tool behavior prompting rebellion piece of broken glass or pottery gratifying the physical senses aware diligent relating to the stars submissive relating to earthquakes

1. The French Revolution was a momentous event that sent seismic shocks through Western civilization. 2. Sidereal surveillance of the suspect provided police with enough evidence to make a n arrest. 3- One of the goals of artificial intelligence is to produce a machine that an unbiased observer judges to be sentient. 4. The police captain warned the protesters that they were in danger of crossing the line between lawful public protest and sedition. 5. The invention of the magnetic compass and the sextant were two of the major developments in navigation.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. sedition sentient

sedulous servile

seismic

sensual shards

sextant

sensuous sidereal

1. Most of the population of the occupied country behaved in a " m a n n e r toward the foreign soldiers. 2 1 S

ted S

seriousl

vvery e 7 existence 7 ^ ^ u state. ° of? ?the 3. The detective was client's innocence.

•

m

UNIT 6 9

simian adj. apelike; relating to apes Many people in the nineteenth century denied the evolutionary significance of the simian characteristics of human beings. 8ln

»ile n. comparison of one thing with another using "like" or "as" to his autobiographical book Chronicles, Volume 1, Bob Dylan uses *"*> Smiles in succession to try to convey the experience of writing a song: *A song is like a dream, and you try to make it come true. They're like strange countries you have to enter."

y because it is a threat to the „

CoUectin

g evidence to prove his

4

' ^°s r hS°b?22£ ta its early hTOTy &e Earth was conmuJ

5

aoivc

disturbances. S te S ' ^ ^ n T n Z t r t 5,00 0 ye af Z ^ *"* ™ ^ 6- Because it is not: * p e n d e n t on electricity for power, the ^ — _ still used a s a backup navigation tool on many 8 S

f

^ T

e

flCUOn

n

°

Vel describ

oived differently from 230

h u n u m s

Secure n. well-paying job or office that requires little or no work The company established the high-paying position of f ^ ^ a as « sinecure for the man who had been instrumental m the com P ^ y ' s success for so many years. ^

^ a

adventure

would regard the world

a r

u l a r

adj. unique; extraordinary; odd ^ defendant's singular appearance made &mfr™ ^ s s to identify him as the person at the scene of the crime.

wxt

'

231

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

sinuous adj. winding; intricate; complex

REVIEW 6 9

The students had trouble following the philosopher's of reasoning.

sinuous line

skeptic n. one who doubts w , m ^ / h e n U l i l i S t ' U cowPrehensive philosophic skeptic can be a difficult person to debate: if you tell him you know you exist, he is lOcely to ask you to prove it-and that can be harder than Jit first appears. The adjective is skeptical. hnt^ZCientiS} da7am%Mha^

^ SkePtical " * **

dogmaac

"**>* inferences made from data; ab Ut

°

the P

° S s £ W e *™Plicatio™ ^

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences

Hatching Match each word with its definition: 1. simian 2. simile 3. sinecure 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

a. well-paying job requiring little work b. seriousness c. comparison of one thing with another using "like" or "as" d. thoroughly soaked e. unique f. one who doubts g. dramatic speech by one character h. concerned i. apelike j . winding

singular sinuous skeptic sobriety sodden solicitous soliloquy

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. simian skeptic

sobriety n. seriousness

similes sobriety

sinecure sodden

singular solicitous

sinuous soliloquy

!• The judge recommended her law clerk for the position in the law firm as "a young person of probity and •" sodden adj. thoroughly soaked; saturated 2- "Money is a thing. It ranks with love as man's greatest source of joy. And with death as his greatest source of sorrow. e^vXdenfieM mak6S * d^cultJor the soccer players to move - J o h n Kenneth Galbraith 3 - Mary complains that when they were young her husband was very solicitous adj. concerned; attentive; eager of her, b u t now he practically ignores her. *• The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ argued that the purported exhibition of occult thenar1*™ * eXtTemely • " " " t o " " of the health of every patient in Powers was created by the use of conjurer's tricks. 5 - We often use in expressions like "as old as the hills and "as sharp a s a tack" without being consciously aware that 2 5 5 To ote^ °r d r a m a t i C S p e e c h * o n e ^ a r a c t e r , n o t they are similes. 6 as a rewar - The governor awarded his advisor with a for 20 years of service to the party and the state. successfully * £ _ £ $ £ * £ £ ? * * » a « - * « * a poem- 7. The r o a d c u r v e s gjong the mountainside. 8 - h Act III of Hamlet, Shakespeare has Hamlet speak a — . on the question of 'To be, or not to be." 9 - Looking at the field, the football coach realized he would have to adapt his game plan to wet conditions. 10 - Before Charles Darwin proved the close biological relation between human beings and apes, many people saw human _ _ — . characteristics a s comical and inconsequential. The student approaches her studies with commendable

sobriety.

232 233

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Fut S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

spendthrift n. person who spends money recklessly A Chinese proverb describes a paradox: Rich spendthrifts never save enough but the poor always manage to save something.

1. The philosopher Bertrand Russell was skeptical of Idealist philosophies, believing they are based on false assumptions about knowledge. 2. The philosophy student compared following the treatise's long, subtle argument to following the path of a sinuous river for thousands of miles. 3. The poem's central simile is that the nation's leader is like a captain of a ship.

The adjective spendthrift means wasteful and extravagant. Tom's spendthrift habits resulted in his accumulating a huge amount of credit card debt.

4. Italian mothers are famous for being so solicitous of their sons that they spend most of the day cooking for them. 5. The farmers are hoping for rain after the long period of hot and sodden weather.

squalor n. filthy, wretched condition The family lives in squalor in the slums of Mexico City.

sporadic adj. irregular Despite the ceasefire, there have been sporadic outbreaks of violence between the warring factions.

staccato adj. marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds We listened to the staccato steps of the woman in high heels running down the street.

UNIT 7 0 solvent adj. able to meet financial obligations rJ ^ 5 remaining

the nanciai

crts

^ solvent.

« ^veral

REVIEW 70

large banks had difficulty

Matching

Match each word with its definition:

somatic adj. relating to or affecting the body; corporeal fe a b™cPr7h!?STatiC1dUSOrder ^ ^ caused by a mental disturbance that adversely affects somatic functioning.

soporific adj. sleep producing For some people the best soporific

is reading a boring book.

sordid adj. filthy; contemptible and corrupt in^hte^Z^

SCandal

T^triv^Lzz

specious adj

seeming

to be

Which

^ ^

^

bJ£ S S S ^ ^ ^ t h e po^aT^g8^

O0urec

led

to

^sident certatiiymnk ^ ^

^

^

the

BUI Clinton's

1- solvent - somatic 3. soporific 4 - sordid 5 - specious 6 - spectrum

a. b. c. d. e. f.

d

g. h. i. j.

2

st

7

9 °-

spendthrift sporadic squalor staccato

*» ™ « ™ *"* ^

^

specU

>«* - a ™ " * ^ c e d

8

*W-ins C

hoose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence.

!?** 'Pectrum * * * **h the whole spectrum

of

filthy; corrupt broad range irregular able to meet financial obligations person who spends recklessly seeming to be logical and sound, but not so filthy, wretched condition affecting the body marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds sleep producing

l

s

«»»atic spendthrift

soP 0 1 1 1 1 0 sporadic Miah

SOrdid

squalor

- Newspapers sometimes s o r ~ ° " — publish — **™^s with ._ stories ^crease saw ase sales.

TCi°£ staccato claims to 235

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

2. AA

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

most

of his life, Alex has only recently begun to save for his retirement. 3. Many towns have an area where people live in . 4. The salesperson has a sort of machine-gun way of speaking! fast 5. The various portions of the electromagnetic are allocated to broadcasters, commercial operators, amateur hobbyists, and other users. 6 outbreaks of violence marred the ceasefire. 7. Economists are concerned that some of the poorest countries will have difficulty remaining as interest rates rise and the amount of their debt repayments increase. 8. The long car ride was a for the family's small children; soon they were fast asleep in the back of the car. 9. In recent years, medicine has placed greater emphasis on how psychological factors contribute to . disorders such as heart disease and cancer. 10. The governor issued a complete and public apology to put the affair behind him. Sense or Nonsense

^fsls^Nsn T 7 5 h S e n t e n c e m a k e s g° o d s e n s e o r not Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. L 2

SrntaTs 1 8 ° f ^ ^

SpUlane P

° r t r a y ***

SOrdid w o r l d of

' S r ^ 1 0 8 1 0 ClaSS> s t u d e n t s w ere asked to identify specious lines of reasoning in several arguments

3

8 1 7 have to stay awake you should take a

' ioporific ! ^

4

' S v e n T ^ f t lreS!den^ w a r n e d ^ directors that it could not remain solvent if it kept making bad loans. br

C h U r e d6SCribed a s

^uaktr" h T ^ ° T ° « l color" was called squalor by a plain-speaking member of the tour group UNIT 71

6 h a s Put contmls on cwrenc to l^cS'LTT"" y co stanch the flow of "* money out of the country. stentorian adj. extremely loud

236

The verb is stigmatize. The civil rights movement helped to stigmatize racism, augmenting legal efforts to desegregate American society. stint v. to be sparing Stinting on funding for education strikes many people as shortsighted. Stint is also a noun meaning a period of time spent doing something Isaac Asimov did a short involuntary stint in the army as a conscript during the 1950s. stipulate v. to specify as an essential condition The president's lawyer stipulated that he would appear before fte investigattve committee, but would answer only questions directly relevant to the issue at hand. The noun is stipulation. Stipulations in a contract should be clear in order to obviate the need for parties to resort to litigation. stolid adj. having or showing little emotion Behind the professor's stolid appearance is a fun-loving, gregarious character. stratified adj. arranged in layers °ne of the implications of an increasingly stratified economy for America might be increased social unrest. e nou

stanch v. to stop or check the flow of

ttea1^e°clTnS^rprefGrs

stigma n. mark of disgrace or inferiority A problem with giving formal psychological treatment to a child who is believed to be poorly adjusted to society is that he may acquire a stigma as a result of officially being labeled as deviant, and he may act to corroborate society's expectation.

«*

to

movement

« « « microphone so that

n stratum means a layer. u *n the English-speaking world many members of the upper classes ^torically have had a deprecatory attitude toward slang aformoj ^uage they regard as indecorous and thus suitable onhjjor the i°uest stratum of society. Phral of stratum is strata. As it matured as a science, geology began to complement bu^ogy, !l Process that helped it to gain a more comprehensive ^ V * * ^ of life on iarth by allowing fossils to be dated and identified

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

{paleontology), often using knowledge gained from stratigraphy-the study of the deposition, distribution, and age of rock strata.

Fill-ins

The noun stratification is used in the sociological term social stratijka ton. It refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals in a society mto classes or castes.

stanch stolid

striated adj. marked with thin, narrow grooves or channels The striated surface suggested to the geologist that he was walking over an area in which there once had been a torrent of water. Striation is the noun. nXZ 9+l° / ? * ! , e x a m i n e d striations in the rock to learn about the glacier that had made them 10,000 years ago. stricture n. something that restrains; negative criticism strtZ-T^T^' UlWyerS "* exPected strictures m their practice of the law.

to abide by a set of ethical

strident adj. loud; harsh; unpleasantly noisy aftefiwn^ crime

P,ime dwCOVered

' " ™ s t e r ' s resignation became more strident that he had strong connections to organized

REVIEW 71 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. stanch 2. stentorian 3. stigma 4. s t l n t 5 stipulate 6.' stolid 7. stratified 8 striated 9." stricture 10. strident

238

_ , , *' *° * S p f m g arranged in layers c - s °mething that restrains d ' t 0 s p e c i f y a s an essential condition f U n p l e a s a n t l y n°isy 8h ° ? n « little e m o t i o n 0 marked with thin, narrow grooves J1' f ^ e l y *oud to stop or check the flow of j - mark of disgrace

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. stentorian stratified

stigma striated

stint strictures

stipulate strident

1. The baseball stadium's ground rules that a batter who hits a ball that bounces off the ground into the left field bleachers gets a double. 2. Luke was one of those individuals who rarely show their feelings. 3. The geologists examined rocks left by the retreating glaciers. 4. Modern societies tend to be into classes determined by such factors a s wealth and occupation. 5. They sat silently in the room, listening to the telephone's ringing. 6. The medic used a tourniquet to the woman's bleeding wound. 7. The speaker's voice rang through the hall. 8. A two-year in the navy allowed Janet to visit 22 countries. 9 - Perhaps the central paradox of poetry is that the imposed by form on a poet of talent can help produce works of great power. 10 - In most societies there is a attached to mental illness. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ^ t S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1

- The young doctor learned a lot about both medicine and human nature during her stint in the emergency room. 2 - The contract stipulates that the agreement will remain in force unless both sides agree to cancel it. 3 - The banker deliberately cultivated his image as a careful, stolid, conservative person. 4 - The Greeks and Persians fought a stentorian battle at ThermopyIaein480B.c. 5 - Anthropologists believe that the society is stratified by occupation, ^ t h warriors at the top and workers at the bottom.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

UNIT 72 strut v. to swagger; display to impress others The star quarterback strutted around campus the entire week after he led his team to a 42-0 win over the county's top-ranked team. stultify v. to impair or reduce to uselessness The professor of education believes that overreliance on rote learning stultifies students' creativity. stupefy v. to dull the senses of; stun; astonish After drinking three glasses of wine, Linda was

stupefied.

stygian adj. dark and gloomy; hellish Wilfred Owens's famous poem "Dulce Et Decorum Est" describes an unfortunate soldier who was unable to get his gas mask on in time, seen through the stygian gloom of poison gas: GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And floundering like a man in fire or lime.— Dim through the misty panes and thick green light As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. subpoena n. notice ordering someone to appear in court The judge issued a subpoena for the man but the prosecutor had little hope that he would appear because he was living abroad.

subsume u. to include; incorporate The philosopher described his work as an attempt to arrive at a jmal generalization that will subsume all previous generalizations about the nature of logic. subversive adj. intended to undermine or overthrow, especially an established government The verb is also subvert. Anything that subverts the market mechanism is believed to cause anomalies in prices, making the economy less efficient Subversive is also a noun meaning a person intending to undermine something. REVIEW 72 Matching Match each word with its definition: *• strut 2. stultify 3 - stupefy 4 - stygian 5. subpoena 6 - subside 7 - substantiate 8

subside v. to settle down; grow quiet Army personnel told the civilians to wait for the violence to subside before reentering the town. substantiate v. to support with proof or evidence The validity of fossil identification is substantiated geology and carbon-14 dating.

dark and gloomy to support with proof to dull the senses of intended to undermine or overthrow to display to impress others to settle down notice ordering someone to appear in court h. to include; incorporate i. to impair or reduce to uselessness j . essential

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. by data from

substantive adj. essential; pertaining to the substance The judge cautioned the attorney to present only information that was substantive to the case at hand.

240

- substantive - subsume 10. subversive 9

a. b. c. d. e. f. g.

Jetted 8ub side

stultifying substantiate

stupefied substantive

stygian subsumes

subpoenaed subversive

J- Several people at the party were fr°m overdrinking2 - The experiment provided such evidence for the new theory that most scientists now accept it. * The drill team into the stadium to perform the half-time show. 241

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

4. The scientist was able to formulate a general principle that — five more specific principles. 5. Businesses complained that government regulations are — free competition and innovation. 6. The critic called Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights because it attacks capitalist beliefs. 7. The news that the country was being invaded plunged it into a gloom. 8. The prosecution three witnesses it considered vital to its case. 9. The engineers waited for the floodwaters to before assessing the damage. 10. Advocates of the theory that Atlantis existed more than 6,000 years ago sometimes use evidence of dubious authenticity to their claims. Sense or Nonsense

S??S^SS?^each sentence makes g° od sense or n °t. m

b

l b E N S E ) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. CUt rS

b t a m e d a sub

^ tes°tify ° ° P ° e n a to require the witness to ' w J ? * m l S C r I S S ° S t y g l a n h e r e f u s e s to buy his grandchildren birthday presents. 3. After the excitement of the election subsided, the new administrahon settled down to the serious business of governance fiT * f i y l w a s substantiated by new evidence, so scientists were iorced to abandon it. 2

5

1950s ' ^ ^ T M C S f ^ y h e a r i n g s ofthe investigated many citizens alleged to be engaged in subversive activities.

supersede v. to replace, especially to displace as inferior or antiquated Malay was the lingua franca of the Malay peninsula for centuries, but in many parts of that region it is being superseded in that role by a European interloper, English supine adj. lying on the back; marked by lethargy The captured robbery suspects were held supine on the floor. supplant v. to replace; substitute The "Frankenstein monster" fear of some people is thatAI machines will eventually supplant biological life forms, making such life redundant or even subservient. suppliant adj. beseeching The worshippers raised their suppliant for forgiveness.

supplicant n. one who asks humbly and earnestly The mother of the man sentenced to be executed appeared as a supplicant before the governor, asking him to grant her son clemency. supposition n. the act of assuming to be true or real Science proceeds on the supposition that knowledge is possible. •fHogtan n. a form of deductive reasoning that has a major premise, a " ^ o r premise, and a conclusion The following syllogism is often taught in logic courses: "AUXs are y s, all Ys are Zs; therefore, all Xs are Zs." REVIEW 73 Matching Match e ach word with its definition:

UNIT 7 3 succor n. relief; help in time of distress or want

suffrage n. the right to vote "iuu ivju,

and m Britain not until 1928.

sundry adj. various

*• succor 2- suff ra g e O sundry I ^persede 5II S u . 6. 8U , 7 8,- sunnH S

s u X " ^ ^ ? ' 242

voices to God, praying

*" " " " ° - '

re(

«™ h ™ safely after his

UPpuSnt

9. s u n r m ^ 10. syUog*111011 &Sm

a.

beseeching b. various

°" ^ °n ^ ba°k d. one who asks humbly and earnestly e. to replace, especially as inferior or *• g n

'

antiquated * ° r m °^ Reductive reasoning

a

rClief act

°f a s s u m i n g to be true to ireplace; substitute j . the right to vote

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. suDoLteH supplanted

8Vfb

T suppliant

SUndry

superseded supposition

supplicants

supine syllogism

1. Some experts predict that books made from paper will one day De by electronic books. 2. The book tells the story of the protagonist's adventures in Africa over the last 20 years. "a p p r o a c h e d

offend 4

' ™lrdwTeSSed

f

^

the

king' begging him to forgive their

°Und

^ &*6

insi

d e the church

5. After eating our picnic lunch, we all lay ground, looking at the clouds. 6

'

on the

foioS i n S t r U C t ° r a s k e d h e r ^ s s to consider whether the A B Therefore^rnlX^e ™ ^ ^ ^ B' ^ *" °'

?

' S e t h 1 e S t r 0 n 0 m e r S S e a f c h i n g ^ extraterrestrial life are proceeding life re « TV,~ TV —Z q u i r e s water. 11 8 11 A m e n d m e n t extln^d ^ ^ to the United States Constitution to b o t h m e n a n d 18 vears T ^ I T T women from the age of t h a n T l w l r ? ^ C C a U S e ° f t h e f a c t t h a t m ^ n y men younger g C nSCrl ted to h a T n o voTe ° P ^ h t in the Vietnam War but 9

' techn^logf w ^ f 0 1 1 ° f ^ ^ ized mmniitp™ s~lir~,

S^TXl^itS

ry *a U t e r s b a S e d ° n v a C U U m t u b C second generation of transistor-

8 Md 1960s

c uld

** ° •**""

10. The painter portravs a y

sinner begging for forgiveness.

Sense or Nonsense

™T®EmvVtte?ntre makes ^ood s e n s e « ™*

«**J rf l t does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

L

^ P ^ Z ^ T ^ :m ^S t ^ o w e*r "" y™ 2<*° China will

2. The president

o7thJpeoZ

7 ^

°

"^

t0

P

^

f u l nation.

b mbin

°

g t0 e n d * e

suffr

^

* nature o T ^ Z u^r a v^ e r ^s T ^ " 1 s u PP°sitions about the the evidence. e that are not well supported by

4. The poem makes use of sophisticated figurative language, notably syllogism. 5. The science fiction novel speculates that human beings will one day be superseded by a race of specially bred superintelligent cyborgs. UNIT 7 4

sylvan adj. related to the woods or forest The house's sylvan setting provides the family with beauty and tranquility. tacit adj. silently understood; implied During the Cold War, there was a tacit assumption on the part of both the Soviet Union and the United States that neither side would launch an unprovoked nuclear attack against the other side. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Cold War: the ideological, geopolitical, and economic conflict between capitalist nations (led by the United States) and communist nations (led by the Soviet Union) from around 1947 to 1991

talisman n. charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune The soldier's mother gave him a talisman to protect him from harm during battle. tangential adj. peripheral; digressing The judge ruled that the evidence had only a tangential bearing on the case and directed the lawyer to present only a brief summary Qf it. utology p.. unnecessary repetition Unless the phrase "repeat again" is being used to refer to someth *ng that has occurred more than twice, it is a tautology. fcwmomy n. science of classification; in biology, the process of clas"ytog organisms in categories In the late seventeenth century and the eighteenth century accurate observation of organisms developed, leading to the fevebjpmentoj to sciences of taxonomy and morphology (the study ofthejorm an d structure of organisms.)

244 245

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

tenet n. belief; doctrine In his novel Walden II, the psychologist B. F. Skinner depicts a brave new world based on the tenets of a behavioral psychology that frees human beings from the inhibitions and preconceptions of traditional society. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences behavioral psychology: the school of psychology that seeks to explain behavior entirely in terms of observable responses to environmental stimuli

tenuous adj. weak; insubstantial Study of the historical evidence has shown that there is only a tenuous connection between the country Plato describes in The Republic and the legendary land of Atlantis.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

talisman tangential tautology taxonomy tenet tenuous terrestrial theocracy

c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j .

government by priests weak; insubstantial digressing; diverting related to the woods or forest unnecessary repetition earthly; commonplace charm to bring good luck belief; doctrine

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. sylvan taxonomy

tacit tenet

talismans tenuous

tangential terrestrial

tautologies theocracy

REVIEW 74

1- By agreement no one in the group talked about the controversial subject of the war. 2. The judge asked everyone involved in the hearing to avoid introducing information to the main issue. 3. The poet lives in seclusion, writing about the beauty of nature. 4 - A good pair of binoculars is very useful, not only for viewing objects, but also for looking at relatively close astronomical objects. 5. The aim of the revolutionaries was to establish a in the country r u n by senior clergy. 6- Archeologists have discovered objects they believe were used as by warriors to ward off death. 7 - A central of democracy is that the law should treat everyone equally, regardless of his or her race, gender, or social status. 8 - Linnaean , used in biology, classifies living things into a hierarchy, assigning each a unique place in the system. 9 - The study h a s established a relationship, albeit a . °ne, between brain size in mammals and intelligence. 10 - The English teacher asked the class to consider whether the Phrases "past history" and "old adage" are —•

Matching Match each word with its definition:

Sense or Nonsense jaicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. ^ S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

terrestrial adj. earthly; commonplace Much of our information about Mars comes from the Mariner 9 f f ^ f ' ^ H °rbUed the pUmet i n l 9 7 1 • M a r i n e r 9 - Photographing W0% of the planet, uncovered many spectacular geological forma-

frand^X™ * "^ ^""^ ""^ *"* dWarfS ** terrestrial theocracy n. government by priests representing a god nfthJ^™*^""entatote of them support theocracy.

ore opposed to secularism, and some

Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences rS^ST* a P°mCal c S e ^ S Z

1. sylvan 2. tacit 246

P

m

° V e m e n t ^ t advocates making society less

T v f ^

b y W M c h SOCle<

y S r a d u a l l y <*anges from

a. science of classification b. implied

]• The landlord went to court to evict his tenets. 2 - Research h a s demonstrated only a tenuous connection between the two phenomena.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

3. Terrestrial observers north of the Equator were able to see the comet last night. 4. Members of the tribe believe that the talisman protects them from the evil spirits of the dead. 5. Religious leaders are arguing that the only way to save the country is to establish a theocracy.

tortuous adj. having many twists and turns; highly complex Only the world's leading mathematicians are able to follow the tortuous line of reasoning used by the English mathematician Andrew Wiles to prove Fermat's Last Theorem via the TaniyamaShimura conjecture. tout v. to promote or praise energetically The critic touted Moby Dick as the greatest book in American literature.

UNIT 7 5 thespian n. an actor or actress Every year the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland gives thespians from, around the world the opportunity to perform before a diverse audience. timbre n. the characteristic quality of sound produced by a particular instrument or voice; tone color The audience was delighted by the rich timbre of the singer's soprano.

tractable adj. obedient; yielding The country's leader found that the people became more tractable when he made them believe there was a great threat facing them that only he could overcome. REVIEW 7 5

Matching Match each word with its definition:

tirade n. long, violent speech; verbal assault The students had no choice but to sit and watt for the principal's tirade about poor discipline to end.

1- thespian - timbre 3 - tirade 4 toady 5> tome 6 torpor 7 - torque 2

toady n. flatterer; hanger-on; yes-man The boss had no respect for the employee because he considered him a toady who would do anything he said. tome n. book, usually large and academic D i r S ! t b 2 n f i Sc h; ro ^r tJ er ri ^0 fx ef od r edmon °fthe 20-volume Oxford English tom« Z J l d English Dictionary consists of two tomes that define over half a million words. torpor n. lethargy; dormancy; sluggishness stmtV^n^T9 £° ; 7^ 0 m hiS coast-to-coast trip, the truck driver sank mto a peaceful torpor, watching TV and oZing. m e T u r e V a f o ^ 0 1 " ^ 8 ^ f ° rce; * * m o m e n t of a force; the r o S u o n a b o u n d an a S f * " * t 0 ***** * * * * ° r t u r n ^ «*

8

tortuous tout 10 - tractable 9

a. long, violent speech b . a turning or twisting force c. to promote d. actor or actress e. obedient; yielding f. flatterer g. combination of qualities of a sound that distinguish it from others h . large, academic book i having many twists and turns j . lethargy; sluggishness

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. f^pians *•**

timbre torque

tirade tortuous

toady touts

tome tractable

h

Jc^c^d^nZ^V"9^8

248

Produce

" * ^

tor


Jhe musician h a s a special affinity for the guitar because of its beautiful 2 - The c o l l e g T plan to perform three of Shakespeare s ^medies this year. 3 - ^ e cafe i t s cappuccino as the best in town. 249

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

4. The violent prisoner became after he was given a sedative. 5. Every day the talk show host launches into a against the failings of modern society. 6. In his Malayan Trilogy, the British novelist Anthony Burgess describes the induced by hot Malaysian afternoons. 7. The book describes the author's journey from cynicism and despair to faith and hope. 8. The diesel model of the Nissan Patrol is popular in Australia because it develops sufficient to drive through steep, muddy terrain. 9. This 800-page called Biology contains most of the information students need to learn for the introductory biology course. 10. Yes, the w o n his promotion, b u t at what cost to his self-respect? Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Many high church officials are interred in tomes in the cathedral. 2. The farmer leased 100 acres of tractable land to grow corn. 3. The enemy launched a tirade of artillery and missiles against our position. 4. Timbre in the forests of most of the developed countries is self-sustaining. 5. The group of experts working on the space probe includes £ e s J S s e n g m e e r s , electrical engineers, physicists, and

Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences Hippocrates: ancient Greek physician who is often called "the father of medicine." He believed that medicine should stress prevention rather than cure of illness and that a regimen of a good diet and a sensible lifestyle is healthy, building a person's ability to withstand disease.

transient adj. temporary; short-lived; fleeting A hypothesis to explain the fact that American states in which the population is composed of a large number of recently settled people (California, for example) tend to have high rates of crime, suicide, divorce, and other social problems is that anomie is higher in transient populations than in more stable populations, resulting in more antisocial behavior. Terms from t h e Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences onomfe; a social condition marked by a breakdown of social norms

translucent adj. partially transparent The architect decided to install a translucent vUow outside light to shine in.

^ a i l n. work, especially arduous work; tribulation; anguish America's early pioneers endured great travail but persevered and eventually settled much of the vast continent. Tr wail is also a verb meaning to work strenuously. travesty R . p a r o t i y ; exaggerated imitation; caricature V* Playwright complained that the musical comedy version of his

UNIT 7 6

Ptay was a travesty transgression n. act of trespassing or violating a law or rule U Clear

n t h e

s t da

u,HZ *%?** T^ ° > y °f ^ term that she would not countenance any transgression of classroom rules. The verb is transgress.

J ^ l , r

250

door in the room to

d

^

m !

. "^^ressed

Hippocrates' prescriptions/or

trea

of his work.

«se n. article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly ^

matel

thesis of the philosopher's y. opaque to human

treatise

is that reality is, ulti-

understanding.

^ u l o u s adj. trembling; quivering; frugal; timid . °»e of the most famous poems in English liter*%*£***" S UDover t^' Beach.' in which the speaker hstens to the tret nulous cadence slow" of waves on the shore. 251

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

trepidation n. fear and anxiety John tried to hide his trepidation girl he loved.

when he proposed to Susie, the

truculence n. aggressiveness; ferocity The principal warned the student that his truculence day land him in jail.

might one

tryst n. agreement between lovers to meet; rendezvous In his novelThe Mayor of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy describes an ancient Roman amphitheater where lovers often arranged secret trysts. REVIEW 76

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. transgression 2. transient 3. translucent 4. . 17. 8. 9. 10.

a. article treating a subject systematically ^ b.partially fr c . f e a r and a n x i e t y

travail avesty T * tremulous fc-epidation truculence tryst

d. temporary; fleeting e exaggerated imitation; parody l ^essiveness . g a r d u o u g WQrk ^ h .a c t of rendezvous L ,• . J. quivering; fearful

J

Fill-ins ranSi

nt

! f tremulous

t r a

»^ent trepidation

travails truculence

tUnUd

travesty tryst

1. ^ P ^ ^ ^ ^ m e m b e r s of his congregation to face life's 2

' S c ^ ^ j r ? N a t i o n for ^ ltS members 3 £niJSZT ^ great caution. i 4. The p h i l o s o p l T 5. The soldier mhis vo^ ' s VOice 252

!• Beth's father said he would prefer that she wore the opaque top, but her mother said she could wear the translucent one. 2 - The transient n a t u r e of the phenomenon makes it difficult for scientists to study. 3 - The professor's treatise on the influence of structuralism on modern thought was published last year. 4- The principal congratulated the student for successfully transgressing every school regulation. 5 ' The doctor in the soap opera spends so much of her time arranging trysts with her lover one wonders how she has time left to Practice medicine. UNIT 7 7

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. S T " * treatise

6. A prism is a piece of glass or crystal that creates a spectrum of light separated according to colors. 7. The judge in the most recent of the many times Dr. Jack Kervorkian was tried for murder for assisting a terminally ill person to kill himself held that the law is sacrosanct and cannot be . by a n individual, even for reasons of conscience. 8. Bill and Sue arranged a for Saturday afternoon. 9. The defense attorney called the trial of the soldier accused of war crimes a of justice since the judges were all citizens of the nation that had defeated the country for which her defendant had been fighting. 10 The young scholar approached the problem with considerable , knowing that it had been thoroughly discussed by many of the great thinkers through the ages.

y

even the

, ° b S e i V e tt a S S ° ° n a S tt b e g i n S S moza s ^ P * metaphysics. — . begged his captor not to kill W*.

odj- swollen; distended ^ The prose of writers discussing tumid.

lofty subjects sometimes becomes

turt

>id adj. muddy; opaque; in a state of great confusion The poem captures the restless and turbid state of the soldier's mfr id the night before the decisive battle was set to begin.

" 8 " * adj. swollen; bloated; pompous ., H»e professor's editor advised him to change ^ ^ J ^ 5 * * * u^os less pedantic and turgid if he wanted to appeal to a ^ s audience.

0

253

VMHHBPVaMBI ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

tutelary adj. serving as a guardian or protector Most of the people of ancient Rome believed in the existence of tutelary spirits. Terms from the Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences tutelary spirits: gods who are guardians of a particular area or person

The adjective is usurious. The consumer advocate's group complained about the bank's usurious interest rates. REVIEW 7 7 Matching

Match each word with its definition: uncanny adj. mysterious; strange Some people believe that the psychic has an uncanny accurately predict the future.

ability to

undulating adj. moving in waves The undulating terrain of the area has made it difficult for engineers to build roads there.

1. tumid 2. turbid 3. turgid 4. tutelary 5. uncanny 6. undulating

a. b. c. d. e. f.

7

- unfeigned

g.

8- untenable 9- untoward 10. usury

h. i. j.

unfeigned adj. not false; not made up; genuine Thei child smiled in unfeigned Christmas present.

delight when she opened the

untenable adj. indefensible tnClined

Pill-ins

t0 regard

froSSf ^ DosT^n f ^ ^^nlngless. ex^nce " ^ **

arguments for God's existence since they rely on a logically untenable conclus ™ of their arguZnt-God's

Terms from the Arts. Sciences, and Social Sciences too c o m n W t^K ? g a t G o d m u s t e x i s t because the universe is too complex to have been created any other way.

untoward adj. not favorable; troublesome; adverse; unruly

^^p^dTtiVLZ63^

whether anu0dnB untawaT&

P ""I1 ro^ e °f k n d i n g *"** a t e x o r b i t a n t rates G Vem r hc^inTthest^^^ ° liberalize ° ***"> S- D " P™* succeeded in 11 large New York tLT" !*"* ^ wtth the result that many 9 new York banks set up subsidiaries in Delaware.

254

serving as a guardian moving in waves swollen; distended not made up; genuine mysterious practice of lending money at exorbitant rates muddy; opaque; in a state of great confusion not favorable; adverse; troublesome swollen; bloated; pompous indefensible

Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. tumi

d Adulating

turbid unfeigned

turgid untenable

tutelary untoward

uncanny usury

1

- The student looked u p with astonishment—"You mean I got a perfect score on the GRE?" 2 - The prime minister's position became after he lost the support of his own party, so he resigned from office. 3 - The consumer organization accused the credit card company of — after it raised its interest rate to 22 % per year. 4 - The head of the commission said that she did not want the report ^ t t e n in the prose too often found in official documents. • The British writer George Orwell often satirized Political prose. 6 " Jhe commander told his troops that T T ^ I S r v ha d prevented victory, b u t that if they fought on valiantly, victory would be achieved eventually. '• Tj* orbiting spacecraft sent a manned vehicle down to the su Martian surface, where it explored the a r e a ' s . 255

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

8. Steve's ability to predict the outcome of college basketball games has helped him to win a lot of money on bets. 9. Many people believe that they have a guardian angel, a / a n being that guides and protects them. 10. After the storm the river was because of all the soil that had flowed into it from the nearby stream. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. When chess grand masters find themselves in a n untenable position they generally resign. 2. The tumid weather has made it difficult for the soccer team to train. 3. Despite its entertaining plot, the novel's turgid prose makes it rather difficult to enjoy. 4. The professor holds a n extra tutelary class every Saturday morning. 5. The loan shark's usurious interest rates have attracted the attention of the district attorney. UNIT 7 8

vaunt v. to boast; brag The head coach warned her players not to vaunt their undefeated record. Vaunted is a n adjective meaning boasted about. Since every human activity depends on the integrity and proper functioning of the biological system, its destruction through pollution would cause our vaunted technological and economic systems to founder. wnal adj. bribable; mercenary; corruptible The depressing though inescapable conclusion the journalist reached is that the mayor went into politics for motives that were almost entirely venal. vendetta n. prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility The judge warned both families that the vendetta between them hodtoend at once. venerate v. to adore; honor; respect Mother Theresa is venerated for her compassion for the poor People of India. Venerable is a n adjective meaning respected because of age. character, position.

or

vacillate v. to waver; oscillate

to the plain-language edition of the venerable Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy the original definition of a hangnail--Acute or chronic inflammation of the periungual tissues"-is transmogrified "to "An infection around the edge of a fingernail or toenaiL"

The senator's position keeps vacillating between remaining neutral and lending his support to the proposal. vacuous adj. empty; void; lacking intelligence; purposeless In Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, the youngest of the five Bennett daughters, Lydia, is portrayed as a vacuous young woman with few interests other than having Jim.

Ve

*acious adj. truthful; accurate the witness' testimony appeared to be veracious atfirst,but mier cross-examination, several inconsistencies appeared.

valedictory adj. pertaining to a farewell The 80-year-old actor came out of retirement to give a valedictory performance on Broadway.

REVIEW78 Etching

vapid adj. tasteless; dull To relax in the evening the judge likes to watch vapid situation comedies on TV.

a c

h each word with its definition:

l

filiate • cuous • valedictory Va id P 5 ' Var*egated 2

Va

variegated adj. varied; marked with different colors 4 S a £ Z s f 256

wo***,

to c a t a l a 3

^

variegated

specfes

of ^

a.

. c. d. e.

b

bribable; corruptible varied to waver; oscillate to boast; brag truthful; accurate 257

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS 6

- vaunt - venal 8. vendetta 9. venerate 10. veracious

f. g. h. i. j.

7

tasteless; dull to adore; honor pertaining to a farewell prolonged feud empty; lacking intelligence

5. The editor knew t h a t the reporter's claim could not be true because it was clearly veracious. UNIT 79 verbose adj. wordy

Fill-ins

The skillful editor cut 20% of the words from the verbose manuscript without appreciably altering its meaning.

Choose the best word to fill In the blank in each sentence. VaCU

,°US venal

v a ^ t t ^ vaunted

****** vendetta

vapid venerated

variegated veracious

• e saint is _ for h e r compassion toward all living things *. It is a mystery to critics how the writer went from producing

3

ed

- ^7i£t^v::

largely on the testimony fa singie

°

4

' ^ 6 6. 7.

^ ^ O s ^ d S & ^ T * " * ^ ^ in Vietnam dunng Th* w * , /, ^ d corrupt. h d d a breakfas Se I t 7D * fo^ the footbaU team. The plot of Romeo and Juliet is centered around a familieS D e e^ t e e n itT° ^ ' ** ^ ^ 7 ^ r ^ a ^ e T hl coulri n n t ^ i r T T C gh-tech weapons, the invading army 8 The a c ^ 1 ^ P e a S & n t S ' W h ° w e r e « ™ d only wife rifles. " Plays t S s t r . ^ i n t e l l i g e n t and well-educated young woman, 9 From o^d STT** *** ° f * * — "hi«*>°" * t h e ^ f material effect ^ ° * * a*** h a s achieved . 10. Philip is K~K school. ~~ between going to medical school and law

vertigo n. dizziness The physician diagnosed on acute anxiety attack.

the patient's vertigo as being caused by

vexation n. irritation; annoyance; confusion; puzzlement Some people have the ability to prosper and live happily despite h/e's inevitable vexations. "able adj. practicable; capable of developing Since the early 1950s, government planners have faced a dilemma: Spend a great deal of money to keep cities viable by rebuilding decrepit infrastructure, or allow them to decay. ^ e noun is viability. According to the historian Arnold Toynbee, there is a strong relafonship between a society's view of itself relative to other societies and «s continued viability. 'Wdictive adj. spiteful; vengeful; unforgiving The Treaty of Versailles, which concluded World War I, was deliberatety vindictive, imposinq tremendous penalties on the defeated nation.

Sense or Nonsense J

^ * d°es' ^

P ^ N (NONSENSE) if it does not.

" o £ 2 Z Z 2 % ? £ & °

* _ « «

^ read five of Joseph

h&S remSorle'CW^"*^ ^ ^ The distort .7+ C o m m e n c e m e n t ceremony.

some

^ " o s o n . someone with masterly skills; expert musician The British guitar virtuoso John Williams has entertained thouS( *nds of people during his long career. Vjrtuoso

^ also the adjective. Raymond is a virtuoso pianist.

valedictory

p r o s e t u ^ ^ r r e n t r 7 ^ * * * ^ ** ^ * 4- The plot of the m o v T e c e n t e r , ° ^ w h e n e v e r possible. . U n d a famil another familyy tt hha ta t r t ^ S f y ' s vendetta against ^ y ***** had disgraced them

^ 8 e n. countenance; appearance; aspect The infant studied its mother's visage intently. °m ^

adj. thick, syrupy, and sticky maple syrup is so viscous we had trouble pouring it 259

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

vitiate v. to Impair the quality of; corrupt morally; make inoperative Unfortunately, one error in the study's methodology vitiates the entire body of work. vituperative adj. using or containing harsh, abusive censure The young music critic's vituperative comments aroused the wraith of nearly every serious composer. The verb is vituperate. REVIEW 79 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

verbose vertigo vexation viable vindictive virtuoso visage viscous vitiate vituperative

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i_ j.

thick, syrupy, and sticky to impair the quality of spiteful; vengeful countenance; appearance practicable; capable of developing W ordy someone with masterly skills using or containing abusive censure dizziness irritation; annoyance

5. On the night before the battle, the soldier had a dream in which he saw the smiling of his beloved mother. 6. The candidate's advisor warned her not to make her acceptance speech . 7. The engineer designed the motor to be lubricated with very oil. 8. The congressional committee is trying to work out a. plan to give every American access to affordable, high-quality medical care. 9. The effectiveness of the new government will probably be _ _ by factors beyond its control. 10. Returning home after the war, the soldier reflected that the of daily civilian life would seem like nothing compared to the suffering he had endured as a conscript on the front line. Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. The verbose speaker kept digressing to tell anecdotes about her life. 2 - The government is studying the plan to provide universal health care to see whether it is economically viable. 3 - According to the English professor, virtuosos of the novel form include Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry James, Willa Cather, and Joseph Conrad. 4 - The children enjoyed their visage to their uncle's house during the summer vacation. 5 - Attacks of vertigo can be a symptom of a serious underlying malady.

Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. verbose virtuoso

vertigo visage

vexations viscous

viable vitiated

vindictive vituperative

1. The judge cautioned the attorney not to use his summing up as an opportunity to make remarks about imperfections in the criminal justice system. 2. Heathcliff, the protagonist of Wuthering Heights, is _ _ _ _ ^ in seeking revenge against those he believes have harmed him.

fd^f 4

e

a°cffi

eXPerienCe

When

^

Stand

^ s e c t i o n n. dissection, surgery, or painful experiments performed on a living animal for the purpose of scientific research . ™e book Animal Rights by the philosopher Tom Regan contams a i°"g discussion of vivisection, v

^

**

" a S a R a c h m a n m o f f ' a distinguished Russian-born composer, was of w ™ Z P i a n l s t w h o is famous for his interpretations oi late romantic composers.

260

UNIT 8 0

°g«e n. prevailing fashion or practice . though protectionist policies are not in vogue ^ ' ^ f ^ ' ^democracies, such as Great Britain and the *?*%*?$? ***** long periods of their histories ^ ^ e f ^ * d % h f fe that were neari mercantilist-policies ^ X ^ r T N f t on many foreign goods to promote domestic production. 261

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

800 HIGH-FREQUENCY GRE WORDS

volatile adj. tending to vary frequently; fickle Volatility is the noun. Some contemporary economists believe that advances in the understanding of the business cycle virtually preclude a recurrence of the crash of 1929, because governments can take steps to forestall depression. However, others worry that new factors are developing that are, to a significant extent, beyond the control of governments: notably, the ability of investors to quickly switch capital into and out oj markets, a situation that could lead to volatility in prices and destabilize markets. vortex n. whirlpool; whirlwind; center of turbulence Inexorably, the country was drawn into the vortex of war.

zealot n. one who is fanatically devoted to a cause The Crusades of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries were conceived of by Christian zealots as a way to drive the Islamic interlopers from the Holy Land. Zealotry is a noun meaning fanaticism. The fact that the judicial branch is relatively undemocratic compared to the other two branches of government is justified by some theorists of democracy on the grounds that it serves as a check not only on the legislative branch and executive branch but also on democratic zealotry. The adjective zealous means enthusiastically devoted to a cause. It is heretical to suggest to a zealous capitalist that free enterprise is not the only conceivable realistic economic system.

warranted adj. justified The book argues that a new investigation into Marilyn Monroe's aeam is warranted by new evidence released by the FBI under the Freedom of Information Act.

T™™2:£in

eanbig

to attest to the accuracy r quaiity: justify:

°

m St ^J^^i^u ° °SAmerica> Procedures in criminal law cases are y the same: The Z Z , government, through a prosecutor, presents a SUSpeCt t0 a arand Zf£S ^ ^ Jury, which decides if there is sufficient evidence to warrant a full trial

REVIEW 80 Matching Match each word with its definition: 1- vivisection - vogue

a. tending to vary frequently b. dissection performed on a living animal for scientific research c. fanciful d. one who is fanatically devoted to a cause e. whirlpool; center of turbulence f . t o wa llow or roll; be in turmoil g. prevailing fashion h. careful; cautious i. sadly thoughtful j . justified

2

3

- volatile - vortex 5 -warranted 6 - wary 7 - welter 8 - whimsical 9 - wistful 10, z e a l °t Fill-ins Choose the best word to fill in the blank in each sentence. 4

wary adj. careful; cautious strangers1"3

to P S y c h o f o

9 f e t e > h»»™ beings are naturally wary of

welter „. to wallow or roll; toss about; be in turmoil The pigs weltered about happily in the mud. whimsical adj. fanciful; unpredictable Many children appreciate Dr. Seuss' whimsical stories. The noun whimsy means a playful or fanciful idea. S tematiC con7^%7*s2nS f m science for imagination n****** ^ whimsy. * «* room and even

wistful adj. vaguely longing; sadly thoughtful van^heaTr^ 262

*"

^

*** * * * «* a « * * of life that has

Actions ^

vogue welter

volatile whimsical

vortex wistful

warranted zealot

1 Br

*d is such a party that he has never even considered voting for a candidate who does not belong to his_ party. 2 of - ^ s friend said that she should be _ ** m a n loi " tering around campus. 283

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

3. Lost in the of conflicting information was the fact that there was no decisive proof of the theory's validity. 4. In J a m e s Boswell's Life of Johnson (1775), Samuel Johnson comments that the American colonists are "a race of convicts;" Boswell, however, expresses a contrary view: "I had now formed a clear and settled opinion, that the people of America were well to resist a claim that their fellow subjects in the mother country should have the entire command of their fortunes, by taxing them without their consent." 5. Militant feminism reached its zenith in the 1960s, and since then a less confrontational approach to asserting women's rights has & been m 6. Steve advised his friend not to invest in the stock market until it became less 7. The animal rights group organized a protest against the bemg s ^T^ P e r f o r m e d m the university biology laboratory. «. The Swiss painter Paul Klee is famous for his humorous, personal, 3116 o f t e n paintings. 9. All of the people visiting the war memorial had looks on their faces. 10. The young people of the country were drawn steadily into the of revolutionary activity. Sense or Nonsense e

SentCnCe m a k e s

od

^fs1^NS n ? Tf S° — or not. MOCJ u it does, and put N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 1. Mini-skirts were in vogue in the 1960s. SsS 3

1 S

^_

S i d e r i n g

^

legal

**

mor

* l impUcations of

' ^ e w a t ^ f ^ ^ h i S t e a m > s e x c e l l e n t performance in the game warranted a day off practice.

' ^ S X ^ !^lping patients learn to understand

5

2M

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you can find all NEW GRE books in pdf ETS http://gre-down

Final Review Matching Match each word with its definition: Part A: 1. desuetude 2. extraneous 3. bifurcate 4. fulminate 5. continence 6. extemporaneous 7. accretion 8. centrifugal 9. grouse 10. centripetal

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

growth in size unrehearsed self-control divide into two parts complain moving away from the center denounce state of disuse moving toward the center not essential

Matching Match each word with its definition: Part B: 1- impervious 2. labile l 3. affinity 14 - plethora 15 - implacable i6 - vitiate i7 - disingenuous [ 8- pique i9 - subsume 20 - vacillate

a. fleeting feeling of hurt pride b. not candid c. impossible to appease d. to waver; oscillate e. fondness; similarity f. overabundance g. likely to change h. incapable of being affected i. to include; incorporate j . to impair the quality of

sed GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: .blogspotcom

265

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

Sense or Nonsense Indicate whether each sentence makes good sense or not. Put S (SENSE) if it does, and p u t N (NONSENSE) if it does not. 21. Artwork of the classical period can seem austere to the uninitiated, but to the discerning audience it is satisfying to have feelings expressed in this form because they are transmuted in the crucible of art into a more stygian form. 22. Although he is remembered chiefly a s a novelist, D.H. Lawrence also had an enervation for writing verse. 23. In his poetry and novels, writer Thomas Hardy often portrayed a contumacious God who interfered almost maliciously in human affairs.

FINAL REVIEW

30. In his argument against conscription, Joseph conceded that there might be rarefied situations in which it is justified, but warned that allowing it in these cases might be a step down the slippery slope to totalitarianism.

Fill-ins Choose the best word or set of words to fill in the blanks in each sentence. 31. The Hubble Space Telescope—in orbit around the Earth to offer observations not by the earth's atmosphere—has been a boon to astronomers; it is one of the finest astronomical instruments ever developed, greatly expanding man's gaze into space. (A) attenuated

24. The nineteenth-century British satirist Thomas Love Peacock lampooned the metaphysical speculation of thinkers like Samuel laylor Coleridge a s pretentious and limpid.

(B) mitigated (C) imploded

(D) subsumed 25. Skeptics believe that the Green Revolution can only mitigate the enects of a rapidly increasing demand for food, and that in the ong r u n starvation will reappear when pestilence and other disasters decrease food supplies. 26

27

' r ^ i S T J ? 1S ta m C t h i C a l
(E) intimated

32. The literary critic S u s a n Sontag uttered a famous dictum: 'Taste h a s no system and no proofs"—by which she meant that artistic taste is subjective, since there are no unbiased criteria for assessing art. (A) (B) (C) (D)

' IrosedTh J h ? n t h C u - S - C o n s t i t u t i ° n was being framed, it was proforced ^ c ™ ^ ^ a b o l I s h e d . but opponents of the measure 11 Slavej w o u l d Zme^W^^lT y ^ t be prescribed until early in the next^century.

(E) capricious 33

28

29

C

r 6 S u l t s ta TO W e^ ** Ver rocess

' ^ n a S d o ^ Ty overall improvement of b V a b e ^ a Z . '^ ' *** P of improvement is driven by aberrations in the process of DNA's self-replication

* £ £ l ^ ^ T ^ U n i V e r s e " o f * e deists, God is releC 6 r tes £ en n withdraws w f t h ^ r a ^ to to allow V man ^ a kautonomous " W h ° C r e aaction. « " cosmoS ^

286

desultory aesthetic existential linguistic

- — - _ _ _ _ of p r i m i t i v i s m is t h a t there is no progress in art, a n d

thus the art of so-called "primitive" cultures is as that of so-called "high" civilization. jA) An exigency..plastic B) A precept..felicitous KJ A credo..gauche |P) A supposition, .whimsical IE) A tenet..evocative

as

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

34. In 1787, when the United States Constitution was written, it was proposed that slavery be abolished, but opponents of the measure forced a compromise whereby slavery would not be until early in the next century.

FINAL REVIEW

8. Scholars are sometimes tempted into off the main topic to discuss esoteric areas of interest to them, but which are regarded by many readers as display of

(A) admonished

(A) diatribes..a formidable..miscellany

(B) emulated (C) proscribed (D) interpolated

(B) soliloquies..a megalomaniacal..propriety

(C) digressions..a pedantic.erudition (D) homilies..an egotistical..sagacity

(E) obviated

35. The following , called Olber's paradox, long puzzled astronomers: If the universe is infinite in extent and age, and filled with stars, why is the sky dark at night? (A) apothegm (B) stricture

(E) expositions..a bombastic.chivalry 39. When the word "gay" began to be widely adopted to refer to homosexuals, some commentators, presumably unaware of the word's complex history and long association with homosexuality,

it as a with connotations of merriment that was being foisted by homosexuals on the heterosexual majority.

(C) valedictory

(A) defamed..tautology

(D) conundrum (E) vendetta 36.

— ____ was an academic discipline at many universities in the early twentieth century, and was supported by such r w „ o A ou g U r e S S U c h a s W i n s t o n Churchill a n d George rZ^T?Z U n t i l ! t b e C a m e c l o s e l v associated with abuses of 1 9 4 S ta G ^ V^ ° ™ n y , who carried out atrocities such as the extermination of undersized population groups.

(B) denigrated..syllogism

(C) derided..euphemism (D) disparaged.. n e o l o g i s m

(E) maligned..mnemonic 40

- ^ _ ^ _ student of literature remembers that literary terms are notoriously in that their meanings are ever shitting depending on the premises of the writer using them and the nature of the work under discussion.

(A) Epistemology..impassive

(A) A jejune..inevitably (B) A craven..poignantly (C) A judicious, .impetuously (D) An astute..querulously

(B) Eugenics.. redoubtable (C) N e c r o m a n c y . . d i s c e r n i n g (D) Hieroglyphics..beneficent

(E) Cartography, .avuncular 37.

— - — g e n i a l l y believe that determinism is incompatible with ««uu.y. ana attempts to limit man's freedom. fAl TLibertines..aver JK«T+^^ (A)

(B) Existentialists..disparage (C) Neophytes..repudiate (D) Conscripts..aggrandize (E) Anarchists..admonish

268

(E) A sagacious..plastic 41

- Jhe fact that social welfare programs existed « J J ^ ^ t «*nn during the Great Depression _ " for coning depression because there was virtually no mechanism for copmg with sudden and unemployment. (A) negated..perennial B) forestalled..precipitate K) alleviated..ineluctable P e x a c e r b a t e d . .pervasive IE) impeded..substantive

269

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 42

-

FINAL REVIEW

believe that because people are . agents they should not allow themselves to be circumscribed by the restrictions of the state. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

Misanthropes..covert Mavericks..complaisant Iconoclasts..viable Zealots..guileless Anarchists..autonomous

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

43. Because it is very quickly destroyed by ordinary matter, antimatter existence in our locality of the universe. (A) a derivative (B) an intangible (C) a viable (D) an ephemeral (E) a poignant **' ™ , r ^ y ° U ! ' t W r t £ n g » l s a &oi idea to read what S 5 S t ^ ™ d e r ' s perspective, looking for any (A) (B) (C) (D)

execrable..bombastic banal..convoluted pellucid..equivocal discordant..tangential

(E) amenable..disjointed 45. Modern

use„

5

(B) (C) (D) (E)

, which utilizes photographs

d Satem eS t0 meaSUre

^(A)mmeteorology..salutary t T c S c T "'

'

***** **

paleontology..hermetic entomology..audacious ornithology..recondite cartography..esoteric

- ' W o m e n are more intelligent t h a n men" needs to ' D e c a u s e not all women are smarter t h a n all men. (A) axiom..jibedI (B) stricture..refuted (C) extrapolation..queried (D) contention..qualified (E) credo, .vitiated 270

47. The concept of the biosphere has helped to the idea of life on earth a s a fragile and interdependent system that humanity disrupts at its peril. supplant bifurcate burnish disseminate amalgamate

48. It seems likely that herd mentality plays a part in depressions; as an economy slumps, some people panic, others this panic, and something akin to mass hysteria ensues. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

arrest foreswear impede subsume emulate

49. In burning fossil fuels so legacy from times.

, humanity is squandering a

(A) ostentatiously..indeterminate (B) presumptuously, .antediluvian (C) precipitously, .sidereal (D) prodigally..primordial (E) abstemiously..anachronistic 50- Because of its political problems and inflation for long Periods after World War II, some economists have cited Argentina t ot h e r a n k o t as a developed country that was nearly an underdeveloped country. (A) Insuperable..divested (B) intractable..relegated (C) ineluctable..accrued (D) implacable..goaded (E) nugatory..interpolated End of Final Review

271

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

FINAL REVIEW ANSWERS 1. h 2- j 3. d

4- g 5. c 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

b a f e i

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

h g e f c j b a i d

21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

N N N N S S N S S N

31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

A B E C D B B C C E

41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50.

D E D C E D D E D B

300 High-Frequency Word Roots 300 Essential Roots and Prefixes 1,500 English Derivatives

MASTERING HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS TO FURTHER EXPAND YOUR VOCABULARY You have learned 800 very important words. You now have a good vocabulary for the GRE. However, no book could possibly teach every single word that might appear on the test. What is the most efficient way to learn even more words? The answer—as was already mentioned in the introduction—is to learn important root words and build up your knowledge of advanced words based on these roots. This section teaches you 300 high-frequency roots and prefixes as *ell as 1,500 words derived from them. Learning these r 0 0 * 8 ^ ^ you a solid understanding of the building blocks of English words. It will also reinforce your learning of many of the words covered earlier in tne book. Most importantly, it will give you the tools to decipher tens oi thousands of the sort of academic words that appear in high-level reaam g material—and therefore could be included on the GRE. HOW ROOTS WORK-AND HOW THEY CAN WORK FOR YOU j j f English words were created from Anglo-Saxon Greek, ^****£ f a n , and German roots and stems, and certain affixes-word elements * * are affixed to words as prefixes or suffixes to refine I b w J J £ **nge a word's grammatical form. Of the more than one — o n word^m %ish, approximately 60% come from Latin ^ ^ n t l v ^ n ^ » * » that knowledge of Latin and Greek roots that frequency jppearta E nf sh words will help you to gain a better ^ e r s t a n d ^ o f ^ J J ? exacerbate means "to aggravate; make worse," but do you know me 2 J * o f this word? E x o c e r ^ w a s formed from a " " J ^ A W t e i m d J ? W ex (an intensive prefix) + the Latin root ocer t j 8 ^ ™ ^ *» suffix ate (make, do). You also learned the word aberrant, wmc 272

you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revi ;ed GRE, Kaplan, Barron s, Princeton here: http://gre-download blogspot.com

***

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

means "deviating from the expected or normal course." It is from ab (away from) + errare (to stray). Therefore, if you knew the meaning of the root err (to stray), and all of the suffixes attached to that root, such as or (a quality or condition), ous (full of), and ant (state of being), would you be able to decipher the meanings (or at least part of the meaning) of the following words? Try it: err error errant erratic erroneous You would be correct if you said:

So, exactly how were the words in our exercise formed from Greek and Latin roots? acuminate is from acu (sharp) + ate (verb suffix meaning make) ergatocracy is from erg (work) + cracy (government) orthotropism is from ortho (straight, upright, correct) + tropo (turning, change) neonate is from neo (new) + natur (born) noctilucent is from nocti (night) + luc (light, shine) osseous is from oss (bone) + suffix ending ous (full of; characterized by) paleography is from paleo (ancient) + graph (write) sacrosanct is from sacrum (religious rite) + sanctus (to consecrate) sequatious is from sequi (follow) + suffix ending ous (full of; characterized by) somniloquy is from somni (sleep) + loqui (speak)

err means to make a mistake an error is a mistake errant means mistaken, or straying from the proper course erratic means deviating from the customary course erroneous means mistaken Let's expand on this exercise to demonstrate how you can put roots to work to help decode very advanced words. The following ten words were created from one or more Latin and Greek roots and certain common suffixes: acuminate osseous

ergatocracy paleography

orthotropism sacrosanct

neonate noctilucent sequatious somniloquy

n o ^ d ^ W h a t y ° U ^ ^ *** m e meanings of each word. If you do not know the exact definition, jot down your best guess. Then check to self fn™ 1 * r ^F C a CTh C oCmO r r el eCtte>l ° r a t l e a s t Partialry correct. Give yournartill W ? P y correct answer and 5 points for each partially correct answer. Here are the correct definitions: acuminate = make sharp; taper to a point ergatocracy = government by workers orthotropism = vertical growth neonate = newborn child noctilucent = shining at night C POSed P a l S e o r a ^ ° n=y :study °f> ° rwritings l a m i n g bone + T of ancient paleography SaCre seTa«T = Temefy * **toffie = d POSed t0 follow s Z X u ^ther somniloquy = the act of talking in one's sleep

You may say that it is very unlikely you will have to know words like orthotopism or sequatious. This may be true if you become a plumber. However, if you do a postgraduate degree and go onto a career in acadentia or a professional career in medicine, law, and other fields you will be seeing plenty of such words. After you complete this unit, you will be *le to attack words like this that you do not know, and steadily keep expanding your vocabulary. Of course, your learning of roots should not stop here. You should keep adding new roots to your knowledge. You can do this by regularly consulting a dictionary. When you meet a word you don't know and you fannot decipher it, look it u p . The dictionary will give you the word's etymology (origin and history). Make sure to use a good dictionary such as we American Heritage College Dictionary or Merriam-Webster's Collegiate ^tionary. Let's take a n example to show how it works. Below is reprov e d part of the entry for the word "aberration" from the Amencon Her<%e College Dictionary, fourth edition. The etymology is given at the end ot the entry in brackets [ ]. lLat a

- aberratio, aberration-, diversion < aberratus, p. part, of berrare, to go astray: ab-, away from; see AB- + errare, to stray.)

Now let's begin our study of 300 High-Frequency Word ^ * * & **» and prefixes appear a s headings in each -Root R o u n J ™ ^ fcjowng p a g e s > a n / g ^ of common suffixes p r o v i d e d l a £ * is a m * d of the section. After mastering all the words and roots in e a c . R o o t * * * * * . - do the "Root Work" exercise to make sure youJtawlearned f i l i n g . Comprehensive "Root Roundup" reviews are provided after evei y Ave units. r

G l S S w L 0 ! ^ ; ! 1 ! ; S C ° r e i S b e l o w 5 0 % ' your root skills for the o f & e m a Z rootf T * ? * * ^ ^ n d o u s l y from a n intensive study ^ i S i f T o " ^ PrefbT ^ *** l i s t e d ta 30° High-Frequency

*^Trl^TGrl*eiw??50%

the GRE.

274

eek and

«*80%- y™ m

strongl

I

La*111 roots for a superior score on

275

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP 1 • A/AN (WITHOUT, ABSENSE OF, NOT) Greek atheist = person who does not believe in t h e existence of a god agnostic = person who is doubtful about something anarchy = absence of political authority anemia = deficiency in the part of the blood that carries oxygen anachronism = something out of the proper time • AB/ABS (FROM, AWAY, OFF) Latin abduct = carry away by force; kidnap aberrant = deviating away from the expected or normal course abrade = wear away by friction; erode abdicate = formally relinquish power or responsibility abstinence = refraining from something • ACER/ACID/ACRI (HARSH, BITTER, SOUR) Latin acrid = sharp or bitter to the taste or smell; sharp in language or tone acrimonious = bitter and sharp in language and tone acerbate = annoy acerbity = sourness or bitterness of taste, character, or tone exacerbate = increase bitterness; make worse • ACT/AG (DRIVE, DO, LEAD, ACT, MOVE) Latin active = being in physical motion actuate = put into motion; activate agenda = list or program of things to be done agency = condition of being in action agitation = act of causing to move with violent force • ACU (SHARP) Latin acumen = keenness of judgment acuminate = tapering to a point; make sharp; taper acupuncture = therapeutic technique that uses needles to relieve pain aculeate = having a stinger; having sharp prickles acuity = sharpness of perception or vision

276

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Root Work 1 Match each word with its definition: 1. agency 2. exacerbate 3. actuate 4. abstinence 5. anarchy 6. acuity 7. abdicate 8. anemia 9. acrid 10. acuminate

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

formally relinquish power sharpness of vision deficiency in the blood increase bitterness condition of being in action make sharp; taper sharp or bitter to the taste or smell absence of political authority put into motion refraining from something

ROOT ROUNDUP 2 • AD (TO, TOWARD) AC/AF/AG/AL/AN/AP/AR/AS/AT before consonants Latin accord = cause to agree; bring into harmony acquiesce = consent quietly to something advent = arrival or coming aggregate = amounting to a whole; total appease = bring peace or calm to; to soothe • AEV/EV (AGE, ERA) Latin Primeval = belonging to the earliest age medieval = belonging to the Middle Ages medievalism = devotion to the ideas of the Middle Ages coeval = existing during the same era longevity = long life; long duration • AGOG (LEADER) Greek Pedagogue = teacher; a dogmatic teacher synagogue = place of meeting for worship in the Jewish laitn emmenagogue = agent that induces menstrual * o w anagogy = mystical interpretation that detects allusions to the afterlife hypnagogic = inducing sleep ' AGR (FIELD) Latin agribusiness = farming done a s a large-scale business agriculture = farming agrarian = relating to fanning or rural m a t J e r * „ „ m o n a farm •gritourism = form of tourism that lets people experience m on agronomy = application of science to farming

277

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• ALI (ANOTHER) Latin alien = characteristic of another place or society; strange alienation = emotional isolation or disassociation inalienable = not capable of being surrendered alibi = fact of absence from the scene of a crime alienage = official status a s a n alien

AM (LOVE, LIKING) Latin amiable = friendly; likeable enamored = captivated amicable = friendly amity = friendship amatory = inclined toward love

Root Work 2 Match each word with its definition: 1. . 7 4. 5. 7 8.* 910.

agrarian Pnmeval ^ T f pedagogue agronomy coevaT 6 advent hypnagogic alien

application of science to farming ^ 0 ^ ^ p l a c e Qr society b from c - existing during the same era d. relatin to farm e. m d u c l n g s l e e p f ' b e l o n g i n g t o the earliest age £ ??"* ° r C O m i n S , ? " ? ***!* ° r C a l m t o teacher; dogmatic leader a

j.

not capable of being surrendered

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 ' ^ f UPPORT - NOURISH, CHERISH) Latin aUment = something that nourishes 1 for support to a divorced e r s o n b

^^prolT "

p

y **

former

alible = nourishing a W n t 7 = C O n c e r n e d ^ t h nutrition or food alimentation = giving or receiving of nourishment • ALTER (OTHER) Latin 6 1 b e c m e aalternate l t e r n a t=eproceed " ^ by t u r n° s

diffe

* r e g o " s=econd°f ^ ° ***** r c a t e I ZtZ altercate f °ran°ther ~ argue vehemently * ^

T

^nt

GXClusive s i d e o f one

Possibilities «elf

WIGH. DEEP) Latin

P^rfo™dted

AMB/AMBUL (TO GO, TO WALK) Latin ambulate = walk from place to place amble = walk slowly ambulance = vehicle to transport injured people perambulate = walk about ambulatory = capable of walking

StmCtUre bef

°re

Which

^llgious ceremonies are

Root Work 3 Match each word with its definition 1- perambulate 2. alter ego 3. amatory 4 ' alter 5. amicable 6 - altiplano 7 - alimentary 8. exaltation 9 ' amble !0- alible R

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j .

walk slowly friendly become different nourishing high plateau walk about another side of oneself concerned with nutrition being raised up in rank inclined toward love

00T ROUNDUP 4

' AMBI (AROUND, ON BOTH SIDES) Latin ambient = surrounding ambidextrous = able to use both hands well ambivalent = having conflicting feelings ambiguous = doubtful or unclear . TMrcinn a n d A v e r s i o n = personality trait that combines both introversion and extroversion * A M P H / A M P H I (AROUND, DOUBLE, ON BOTH SIDES]\ Greek amphibian = animal t h a t can live both on land and in water

SS^.-iSX 0 ^ r a l s e d up * rank ajtiplano = m g ^ ™ * "**"*" ^ 278

= hCight o f

eWation

— t h i n g above a certain reference level

j S S K S n g a diploid set of d « « — ^ * r > h i b o l o u s = having a grammatical structure that allows two interpretations

*

279

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• ANIM (LIFE, BREATH, SPIRIT) Latin animal = multicellular organism of the kingdom Animalia animation = enthusiasm; excitement animism = belief that individual spirits inhabit natural phenomena animosity = hostility; hatred inanimate = not exhibiting life • ANNU/ANNI/ENNI (YEARLY) Latin annuity = yearly income payment anniversary = yearly recurring date of a n event that occurred in the past biennial = happening every two years perennial = lasting throughout the year or for several years millennium = thousand-year period

• ANTHROP (MANKIND, HUMAN BEING) Greek anthropic = related to the h u m a n race anthropoid = resembling h u m a n beings anthropology = study of m a n misanthropy = hatred of humanity anthropocentric = regarding h u m a n beings as the center of the universe • ANTIQU (OLD, ANCIENT) Latin antiquated = too old to be useful or fashionable antique = belonging to a n earlier period antiquity = ancient times; an object from ancient times antiquarian = relating to the study of antiquities antiquate = make old-fashioned or obsolete

• ANT/ANTE (BEFORE) Latin antecedent = something that comes before antediluvian = extremely old; happening before the Flood antedate = come before in time anterior = placed before; earlier antler = bony growth on the head of a deer

• APPELL (NAME, CALL UPON) Latin appellation = name or title appellative = relating to the assignment of names appeal = earnest or urgent request appellant = relating to a n appeal appellate = having the power to hear court appeals

Root Work 4 Match each word with its definition:

• APT/EPT (SKILL, ABILITY) Latin inept = not suitable; having a lack of judgment or reason apt = exactly suitable unapt = not suitable adapt = make suitable to a specific situation aptitude = inherent ability; a talent

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. «. in 10.

inanimate ambiguous antediluvian animation millennium amphibian ambivalent amphora ...U1 , antecedent

a. b. c. d. e. f. g.

enthusiasm having conflicting feelings yearly income payment ^ ^ ^ a b l e t o l i v e o n l a n d o r in water not exhibiting life d o u b t f u i : unclear something coming before two-handled Greek or Roman jar h *• thousand-year period j . extremely old

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 • ANT/ANTI (AGAINST, OPPOSITE) Greek antibiotic = substance that can kill microorganisms antiseptic = substance that can kill disease-causing organisms antipathy = dislike antithesis = opposite of antagonistic = hostile

280

Root Work 5 Match each word with its definition: !• 3. 4-

antiquated misanthropy inept antithesis

a. b. c. d.

exactly suitable name or title hatred of humanity fnames relating to the assignment of names

5

appellative anthropic appellation antipathy apt antique

e. f. g. h. i. j.

dislike i„HtfTnent not suitable; laclang judgment belonging to an earlier period related to the human race too old to be useful the opposite of

2

67 8 910 -

281

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 1-5

ROOT ROUNDUP 6

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: o ™ ? ° P — 2. ACER/ACID/ACRI _ 3. ACT/AG _ _ t ^ i —

- h a r s h - bitter, sour b . skill, ability c. leader d. to, toward

a ^ F —

e

7 AfW" «' AD/Trrrr— 9 ^ ~ in A / ^ / ^ T 10. AGOG — Fill-ins

f

• AgU/AQUA (WATER) Latin aquarium = tank for holding fish and sea plants aqueduct = large pipe or canal that carries water to large communities aquatic = relating to things that occur in or on water: aquatic plants or sports subaqueous = created or existing under water aquifer = underground rock formation that bears water; where water flows underground

a

- °ther

• ARCH (FIRST, CHIEF, RULE, SUPERIOR) Greek archangel = chief angel archaic = out of date patriarchy = family or community governed by men archeology = study of material evidence of past human life archetype = original model after which others are patterned

h U m a n

**** - around, on both sides h . love, liking *• drive, do, lead, act, move j before g

Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: «*ment «««pi 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

anarchy antiquate

annuity agrarian

acumen inanimate

pedagogue perambulate

teacher; a dogmatic teacher walk about make old-fashioned o7obsolete~ something that nourishes not exhibiting life absence of politicailuthoritT not suitable yearly income^ayment relating to farming or r u r ^ t t e ^ keenness of judgment

* ART (ART) Latin artisan = craftsperson artifact = object made by h u m a n craft art nouveau = late nineteenth-century style of art artificial = made by h u m a n action artifice = artful expedient

True or False If the statement is correct, put fl, True; if it is incorrect, p u t (F) False. 1S S e t h l n g is 2.'• Timngs S S S T r are equally * * evil * that are coeval

tun

* with the times.

R o m a n 31 5. Antagonistic ™ ^ i 1r J " * * * two handles. Antagonistic people do not usually display hostility.

282

* ARM/ARMA (WEAPONS) Latin armistice = truce; temporary stop to fighting armada = fleet of warships disarmament = reduction of a nation's weapons and military forces annor = covering that protects one's body against weapons armadillo = burrowing mammal that has armorlike long plates

_

' ASTR/ASTER (STAR) Greek asterisk = the sign * astral = relating to stars astronaut = person who travels in space astrology = study of the influence of the stars and planets on human beings , ,. <„ t u„ astronomy = scientific study of the stars and other bodies in the universe

.

283

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Root Work 6 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

aqueduct patriarchy archetype artisan armada

a. b. c. d. e.

6. astronomy

f.

7. subaqueous ®- * s t r a l 9. disarmament

g. h. i.

10. artifact

j.

craftsperson fleet of warships existing underwater community or family governed by men scientific study of the stars and other bodies in the universe reduction of a nation's weapons and military forces object made by h u m a n craft relating to the stars original model after which others are patterned canal that carries water to cornrnunities

ROOT ROUNDUP 7 • AUD/AUDI/AUS (BOLD, DARING, LISTEN, HEAR) Latin auditorium = part of a theater where the audience sits audible = capable of being heard audacious = bold, daring audacity = fearless, daring, and adventurousness auscultation = listening to the heart or other organs • AUG/AUX (INCREASE) Latin augment = make greater inaugurate = begin or start officially august = dignified; awe-inspiring augur = foretell auxiliary = supplementary • AUTO (SELF) Greek l ^ T n l = S e l f - a c t i n g °r self-regulating autograph = person's signature autonomic = occurring involuntarily autonomous = self-governing autobiography = self-written account of one's own life " W ( ^ ° , R ° U G L Y ' O V E R ) Old English befuddled = confused; perplexed beguile = delude; deceive by guile besmirched = stained; soiled bedecked = adorned in a showy manner bedizen = dress in a showy manner 284

* BEL/BELL (WAR) Latin rebel = carry out armed resistance to the government bellicose = aggressive; warlike belligerent = hostile; tending to fight antebellum = existing before a war postbellum = existing after a war Root Work 7 Match each word with its definition: 1. autonomic 2. august 3. audacious 4. antebellum 5. auscultation 6. bedizen 7. befuddled 8. autonomous 9. belligerent 10. augment

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

make greater existing before a war self-governing confused; perplexed hostile; tending to fight bold; daring occurring involuntarily ornament or dress in a showy manner dignified; awe-inspiring listening to the heart or other organs

ROOT ROUNDUP 8 ' BEN/BON (WELL, GOOD, FAVORABLE) Latin beneficent = kindly; doing good benediction = blessing benevolent = generous; charitable benign = harmless; kind bonanza = large a m o u n t * & (TWO, TWICE, DOUBLE) Latin bicycle = light-framed vehicle mounted on two wheels biannual = happening twice each year bifurcate = divide into two parts bicuspid = having two points bivalve = having a shell composed of two valves * BIO (LIFE) Greek biologist = scientist who studies life in which life ncrthere Wosphere = part of the Earth's surface and atmosphere C e l l science concerned with applying biological systems to engineering problems iotic = produced by living organisms y ^ - m or dependence M i o t i c = relating to a relationship of mutual benefit P*

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• BREV (SHORT) Latin abbreviate = make shorter abbreviation = act or product of shortening brevity = state of briefness in duration breve = symbol over a vowel to indicate a short sound breviary = book containing hymns and prayers for canonical hours

• CARN (FLESH, BODY) Latin carnal = of the flesh or body carnation = perennial plant with showy flowers carnivore = animal or plant that feeds on flesh Incarnate = give bodily form to carnage = massive slaughter, as in war

• CAP/CAPT/CEPT/CIP (HOLD, SEIZE, TAKE) Latin capable = having ability or capacity intercept = interrupt the course of captious = faultfinding; intending to entrap, a s in an argument precept = principle that prescribes a course of action capture = take captive; to seize

• CATA (DOWN, DOWNWARD) Greek catalyst = something causing change cataract = high waterfall; a great downpour catapult = ancient military machine for hurling missiles cataclysm = violent upheaval catastrophic = relating to a great calamity

Root Work 8 Match each word with its definition:

• CED/CEED/CESS (YIELD, SURRENDER, MOVE, GO) Latin cede = surrender; yield accede = agree to precede = go before antecedent = something that comes before incessant = never ceasing

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

biotic capture bicuspid breve biannual intercept benign

8. biosphere 9. benevolent 10. brevity

a. b. c. d. e. f. g.

interrupt the course of happening twice a year shortness in duration harmless; kind produced by living organisms having two points symbol over a vowel that indicates a short sound h. generous; charitable i. part of the Earth's surface and atmosphere in which life exists j . seize

ROOT ROUNDUP 9 • CAP/CAPIT (HEAD) Latin per capita = per unit of population capitol = building in which a state legislature meets decapitate = behead capitulate = surrender captain = someone who commands others • CARD/CORD (HEART) Latin cardiac = relating to the heart cardiology = branch of medicine concerned with the heart cordial = warm and sincere concord = harmony; agreement discordant = disagreeable in sound; conflicting

210

Root Work 9 Match each word with its definition: 1- concord 2- incarnate 3- captain 4 - antecedent 5 ' cordial 6 -cataract 7 - decapitate J- catastrophic 9. cede 10 -carnivore

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

warm and sincere animal or plant that feeds on flesh high waterfall; great downpour relating to a great calamity surrender; yield something that comes before harmony; agreement behead someone who commands others give bodily form to

R

°OT ROUNDUP 10

' CELER (SWIFT) Latin accelerate = increase speed accelerant = substance used as a catalyst plenty = swiftness; speed deceleration = decrease the velocity of V o T 1 w in time ac <*lerando = musical direction for a dual quickening in urn

287

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• CENTR (CENTER) Latin concentric = having a common center centrifugal = moving or directed away from a center centripetal = moving or directed toward a center concentrate = direct toward a center centric = situated near or at the center of something • CENT (HUNDRED) Latin centimeter = unit of length equal to one h u n d r e d t h of a meter centenary = relating to a 100-year period centenarian = one who is 100 years old or more century = period of 100 years centennial = relating to a period of 100 years; occurring every 100 years • CERN (PERCEIVE) Latin concern = regard for or interest in discern = perceive; detect discerning = showing good judgment; perceptive indiscernible = difficult to perceive unconcernedly = in a way that is unworried • CERT (CERTAIN) Latin certify = confirm formally a s genuine certificate = document confirming the truth of something certainty = state or fact of being certain certitude = state of being certain; sureness of occurrence ascertain = discover with certainty Root Work 10 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

centrifugal certitude centennial centenarian indiscernible celerity discerning accelerant centripetal

10. ascertain

288

moving toward a center swiftness; speed substance used a s a catalyst discover with certainty relating to a period of 100 years showing good judgment; perceptive moving away from a center difficult to perceive state of being certain; sureness of occurrence someone 100 years old or more

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW

6-10

Hatch It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. ASTR/ASTER 2. ARM/ARMA 3. AUG/AUS 4. BE 5. BIO 6. BREV 7. CARN 8. CATA 9. CELER 10. CERN

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

short flesh, body weapons swift down perceive thoroughly, over star increase life

Fill-ins fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: benediction

augur

symbiotic

archaic

ca

PtioU8„.„

«tapult

incessant

centripetal

centrifugal

subaqueous

1- relating to a relationship of mutual benefit or dependence 2

- foretell • created or existing underwater 4 - out of date 5 - never ceasing °- moving away from a center '• a blessing jj- an ancient military machine for hurling missiles .:• m °ving toward a center •—10 - faultfinding; intending to entrap, as in argument » £ £ £ £ * is correct, p u t CD True; if it is incorrect, put (F) False. JAntebellum refers to a period after a w a r . — d p l a n e t s on 2 - Archeology is the study of the influence of stars ana p human life. , * Auscultation m e a n s speaking clearly and me™yhv~^. J A Patriarchy is a family or community governed by men 5 - Centennial relates to a period of 1,000 years. __—

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP 1 1

• CHRON (TIME, A LONG TIME) Greek chronic = constant; prolonged chronicle = record of historical events chronometer = instrument that m e a s u r e s time anachronism = something out of the proper time chronology = arrangement in order of occurrence • CID/CIS (CUT, KILL) Latin homicide = killing of one person by another scissors = cutting instrument with two blades exorcise = expel evil spirits excision = remove by cutting abscission = natural separation of flowers, leaves, etc. from plants • CIRCU/CIRCUM (AROUND) Latin circumvent = avoid; get around circumflex = curving around circuitous = taking a roundabout course circumlocution = indirect way of saying something circumscribe = limit • CIT/CITAT (CALL, START) Latin cite = mention a s illustration or proof; to quote a s an example citable = able to be brought forward a s support or proof citation = the act of citing; a quotation recite = say aloud before a n audience something rehearsed recitative = having the character of a recital • CIVI (CITIZEN) Latin civil = relating to a citizen or citizens; of ordinary citizens or ordinary community life civic = relating to a city, a citizen, or citizenship civilize = raise from barbarism to civilization; educate in matters of culture civilian = citizen who is not an acting m e m b e r of the military or police civility = courteous behavior

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Root Work 11 Match each word with its definition: 1. excision 2. circumflex 3. cite 4. anachronism 5. recite 6. civic 7. abscission 8. civilian 9. chronic 10. circumvent

a. constant; prolonged b. relating to a city or a citizen c. say aloud before an audience something rehearsed d. natural separation of flowers and leaves from plants e. mention as an illustration f. avoid; get around g. citizen who is not a member of the military h. curving around i. something out of the proper time j . remove by cutting

ROOT ROUNDUP 12 * CLAM/CLAIM (CALL OUT, SHOUT) Latin exclaim = cry out suddenly; utter vehemently exclamation = a n abrupt forceful utterance; an outcry clamor = a loud outcry reclaim = demand the return of something acclamation = s h o u t of enthusiastic approval ' CLEMEN (MILD, KIND, MERCIFUL) Latin m , lf 4„ P ss clemency = disposition to show mercy; merciful act; mildness clement = inclined to be merciful; mild inclement = stormy; showing no mercy inclemency = state of showing no mercy inclemently = in a way that shows no mercy * CUUD/CLAUS/CLOS/CLUD/CLUS (SHUT, CLOSE) Latin clause = a stipulation or provision in a document exclude = keep out; reject; put out seclusion = isolation; solitude recluse = person who lives in seclusion occlude = cause to become closed; obstruct * CLI/CLIN/CLIV (LEANING, INCLINED, ^ ^ ^ e s s i o n 'fonax = point of greatest intensity in an ascendmg progr wclination = a tendency toward a certain condition ^ i n c l i n a t i o n = lack of inclination; r e l u c t a n c ^ . r p r t i o n s and meeting synclinal = sloping downward from opposite direction to a common point Proclivity = tendency; inclination

280

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• CO/COL/COM/CON/COR (TOGETHER, WITH) Latin coherent = understandable; sticking together collaborate = work together communication = exchange of thoughts and information conformity = harmony; agreement corroborate = confirm Root Work 12 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. S. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. '

collaborate clamor occlude conformity acclamation disinclination clement inclement proclivity recluse

a. person who lives in seclusion s h o u t o f enthusiastic approval c. inclined to be merciful d . harmony; agreement e. work together f. c a U s e to become closed g . tendency; inclination h . lack of inclination i. l o u d o u t c r y j . stormy; showing no mercy b-

ROOT ROUNDUP 13 • COD (BOOK) Latin code ^systematic, comprehensive collection of laws; system of symbols used for sending messages that require secrecy decode = convert from code into text codify = reduce to a code ~«!!ri, = m a n u s c r l P t ^ l u m e of a classic work codicil = an appendix to a will ' c o ° ^ / G N ° ( L E A R N ' ™°W ^tin/Greek S ~ m e ^ P r ° c e s s b v w h i c h knowledge is acquired gUiSC; c o n c e a l i d£££ = m " g one's identity TOCeSS d e t e r m i v™£^iZ? f ^ g the nature and cause of a disease *££> T = fit 1Ct ° n t h e b a s i s o f P r e s e n t conditions agnosia - loss of the ability to interpret sensory stimuli

* SSdw00!™1?

(AGAINST OPPOSITE

'

> *<**

contradict = speak against contrary = opposed c o n ^ n ? : ^ C ° n t r a i y t o : totoadViolate c o n t r o W H- ^ ^ ** visability of the use of a medicine ntroversy = dispute between sides holding opposing views

292

• CORP (BODY) Latin corpse = a dead body corpulent = excessively fat corporeal = concerned with the body corpus = a large collection of writings Incorporate = unite one thing with something else already in existence • COSM (UNIVERSE) Greek cosmic = relating to the universe; infinite; vast microcosm = a small system having analogies to a larger system cosmology = study of the physical universe cosmos = the universe a s a harmonious whole cosmopolitan = common to or having elements from all over the world Root Work 13 Match each word with its definition: 123. 4-

cognition contradict codex cosmos

a. b. c. d.

' corporeal 6- code 7- contravene 8 -cosmology 9 - corpus l0 - Prognosticate

e. f. g. h. i j.

5

manuscript volume of a classic work concerned with the body study of the physical universe mental process by which knowledge is acquired speak against ^Hitinns predict on the basis of present conditions the universe as a harmonious whole act contrary to „ rt iwtinn of laws systematic, comprehensive collection a large collection of writings

R0

°T ROUNDUP 14 ' CRACY/CRAT (GOVERNMENT, RULE, STRENGTH) Greek aristocracy = hereditary ruling class complex bureaucracy = administration of a government or a larg Plutocracy = society ruled by the wealthy theocracy = government by priests technocrat = strong believer in technology ' CREA (BRING FORTH, CREATE) Latin create = bring into being <*eature = something created; a living being ^ C r e a t e = give fresh life to; refresh ™ ^ l * 2 Z o r creating Procreation = the conceiving of offspring; producing niiscreate = make or shape badly 293

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• CRED (BELIEVE, TRUST) Latin credo = statement of belief or principle; creed credentials = evidence concerning one's right to confidence or authority credible = believable; plausible credence = acceptance of something as true incredulous = skeptical; doubtful • CRE/CRESC/CRET/CRU (RISE, GROW) Latin accrue = increase; come about as a result of growth crescent = increasing; waxing, a s the moon crescendo = in music, a gradual increase in the volume or intensity of sound increment = something added; process of increasing mcrescent = waxing; growing; showing a surface that is ever larger and lighted • CRIT (SEPARATE, JUDGE) Greek critical = inclined to judge severely; characterized by careful judgment criterion = a standard on which a judgment can be made hypocritical = professing beliefs that one does not possess; false criticism = a critical comment or judgment critique = a critical review or commentary Root Work 14 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

technocrat incredulous accrue miscreate critical procreation criterion increscent theocracy credible

a. believable; plausible b. producing or creating government by priests waxing; growing standard on which a judgment can be made - strong believer in technology g. increase; come about a s a result of growth h. inclined to judge severely i. make or shape badly j - skeptical; doubtful

ROOT ROUNDUP 15 ' ^ y ^

0

™

(RUN

- COURSE) Latin

c o u r ^ f r m e s f e n ^ r ^ * "T^^™''

simultaneous

occurrence

p r e ^ u r l T - « S * Cm OnUnr Se erS ° rf f e r e d ^ « educational institution S e T ; e t ? ° P^decessor c « r e n t - a steady, smooth, onward movement 284

• CUR/CURA (CARE) Latin curator = someone who overseas a museum collection cure = a parish priest curette = surgical instrument that removes growths from a body cavity curative = tending to cure curate = a cleric who is in charge of a parish • CYCL/CYCLO (CIRCLE, WHEEL, CYCLE) Greek cyclical = characterized by cycles; moving in cycles cyclosis = rotary motion of protoplasm within a cell cycloid = resembling a circle Cyclops = in Greek mythology, any of a race of one-eyed giants cyclothymia = affective disorder characterized by alternating periods of depression and elation • DE (INTENSIVE PREFIX; FROM, DOWN, AWAY, AGAINST, THOROUGHLY) Latin demolish = tear down completely deplore = disapprove of; regret deride = mock denounce = condemn deprecate = belittle; express disapproval ' DEC/DECA (TEN) Greek Decalogue = the Ten Commandments decimate = destroy a large part of; inflict great destruction on decade = a period of ten years decahedron = a polyhedron with ten faces decapod = a crustacean having ten legs Root Work 15 Match each word with its definition: *• deride

2. 3 4 5 6'• 8 9 10 -

decahedron curative cyclical Precursor concurrence decapod cycloid curator demolish

a tear down completely b. cmstaceanhavmg ten legs one who oversees a museum coi c forerunner d. resembling a circle e. simultaneous occurrence f. , g- mock h characterized by cycles i. polyhedron with ten faces J

tending to cure

you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: http://gre-download )logspot.com

295 „ii_

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

11-15

True or False If the statement is correct, p u t (T) True; if it is incorrect, put (F) False.

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

CID/CIS CIRCU/CIRCUM CLAM/CLAIM CLEMEN COD — CORP — CRED — CRIT — COUR/CUR_ DE—

a. b. c. d. e_ f. g. h. i. j

body call out, shout believe, t r u s t book, writing run, c o u r s e m i l d > kind merciful c u t > kju from, down, away, against, thoroughly around separate, judge

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: criterion corpulent

synclinal cyclothymia

cosmopolitan miscreate

civil deprecate

coherent cite

1. relating to a citizen or citizens: of ordinary citizens or ordinary community life 2. common to or having elements from all over the world 3. sticking together: understandable 4. mention as illustration or proof; to quote a s a n example 5. b. 7. 8.

10

a standard on which a judgment can be made ___ excessively fat _^^ make or shape badly belittle; to express disapproval f Z ^ d o w n w a r d f r o m opposite directions and meeting in a common point

' d ^ f l C t i V e d i ^ ? " ^ ^ t a £ e d by alternating periods of depression and elation

296

1. A chronometer is a n instrument that measures wind speed. 2. A proclivity is a tendency or inclination. 3. To prognosticate is to predict based on present conditions. 4. Something increscent is growing or showing a surface that is ever larger and lighted. 5. Decahedrons are polyhedrons with nine faces. ROOT ROUNDUP 16 * DEI/DIV (GOD) Latin divine = having the n a t u r e of a god divinity = the state of being divine deify = raise to the condition of a god deism = belief t h a t a God h a s created the universe, but exerts no control or influence on it deific = making divine; characterized by a godlike nature * DEMI (PARTLY) Latin , . r anA demigod = the male offspring of a god and a mortal; a minor goa demimonde = a group whose respectability is questionable demirelief = structural relief having modeled forms projecting halfway from a background demirep = person whose reputation is doubtful demitasse = a small cup of espresso * DEM (COMMON PEOPLE) Greek demographic = related to population balance epidemic = a widespread disease that affects many people at tne same time Pandemic = spread over a whole area or country demagogue = leader who appeals to emotion or prejuaic democratic = of or for the people; popular ' DERM (SKIN) Greek . ... nnt holo£V of dermatology = b r a n c h of medicine concerned with pathology the skin dermatitis = inflammation of the skin epidermis = the outer layer of the skin mounting ^ d e r m i s t = one who works in the art of stuffing ana m skins of dead animals , - t h e elephant or Pachyderm = a thick-skinned hoofed animal like the P hippopotamus 297

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• DI (TWO, DOUBLE) Greek diphase = having two phases dichotomy = division into two usually contradictory parts dilemma = situation necessitating a choice between two unsatisfactory options dibromide = chemical compound having two bromine atoms dihedral = two-sided Root Work 16 Match each word with its definition: 1. demigod 2. pachyderm 3. deific 4. diphase 5. 7 ' o. 9. 10.

taxidermist 1 5

d ^ ,eity demagogue pandemic dibromide

a. leader who appeals to emotion or prejudice b. one who works stuffing and mounting dead animal skin c . chemical compound having two bromine atoms d. — minor god e. person whose reputation is doubtful f ' r a i s e t o the condition of a god g- making divine; having a godlike nature h. spread over a whole area or country thick-skinned hoofed animal L j . having two phases

ROOT ROUNDUP 17 * S1^

tACROSS

TwhoT

=

^ ^

6XplainS

^

relatlon

s h i P between parts •

diachronic = concerned with phenomena a s they change through diatribe = an abusive denunciation

S S ^ m , , * C O n T S a t i ° n b6tWeen *™ o r ™™ P^ple diaphanous = so fine as to be almost transparent or translucent (SA S P E A K PR " edict ™ f = fa formal T' command ' °NOUNCE) benediction = blessing indict = charge with a crime malediction = curse d i c t u m = authoritarian statement

298

' DON (GIVE) Latin donation = the act of giving to a cause or charity donor = one who contributes a donation to a cause or charity donee = one who receives a gift donary = a votive offering; a gift donatio mortis c a u s a = gift by reason of death • DOC/DOCT (TEACH, PROVE) Latin doctrinaire = relating to a person who cannot compromise about points of a theory or doctrine docent = lecturer doctrine = principle or system presented for acceptance or belief indoctrinate = instruct in a body of principles docile = willing to be taught; yielding to supervision Root Work 17 Match each word with its definition: *• dispassionate

' THROUGH, BETWEEN) Greek

draWlng

• DIF/DIS (APART, AWAY, NOT) Latin diffuse = spread out disparity = difference dissuade = to persuade someone to alter intentions dispassionate = impartial; unaffected by emotion disseminate = to spread; scatter

Latin

2

' 4 5J'• 8 3

dictum donatio mortis c a u s a malediction donary diaphanous diffuse docent

j|- dialogue - docile

10

a. conversation between two or more people b . lecturer c. spread out d. authoritarian statement e. willing to be taught f. gift by reason of death g. unaffected by emotion h. so fine as to be almost transparent or translucent i. curse i a gift; a votive offering

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP 18 • DOG/DOX (OPINION, BELIEF, PRAISE) Greek dogmatic = characterized by a n authoritarian assertion of unproved principles orthodox = adhering to what is commonly accepted or traditional paradox = self-contradictory assertion based on valid deduction from acceptable premises heterodox = not in agreement with accepted beliefs doxology = an expression of praise to God • DOM/DOMIN (MASTER, LORD) Latin dominate = control by authority or power dominion = control; sovereignty predominant = having greatest authority, influence, or force domination = control or power over another indomitable = unconquerable; not able to be subdued • DORM (SLEEP) Latin dormant = inactive; asleep dormitory = room used for sleeping quarters for many people dormient = sleeping; dormant; latent dormitive = causing sleep dormouse = a squirrel-like rodent • DROM/DROME (RUN, STEP, ARENA) Greek dromedary = one-humped camel aerodrome = an airport; military air base hippodrome = arena for equestrian shows dromond = a medieval sailing ship catadromous = inhabiting fresh water b u t migrating to the ocean to breed DUC/DUCT (LEAD, PULL) Latin induce = bring about seduce = lead away from duty or proper conduct abduct = carry off by force viaduct = series of arches used to carry a road over a valley or other roads ductile = easily drawn into wire; easily molded

Root Work 18 Match each word with its definition: 1. indomitable 2. dormitive 3. dromond 4. doxology 5. ductile 6. dominion 7. hippodrome 8. seduce 9. heterodox 10. dormant

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

control; sovereignty not in agreement with accepted beliefs arena for equestrian shows asleep; inactive lead away from duty or proper conduct unconquerable medieval sailing ship expression of praise to God causing sleep easily molded

ROOT ROUNDUP 19 • DUPL (DOUBLE, TWO) Latin duplicity = double-dealing; being twofold; deceptiveness duplex = twofold; double duplicate = identically copied from an original duplicator = machine t h a t copies printed material duple = consisting of two; double ' DUR (HARD, LASTING) Latin durable = able to withstand wear and tear duration = persistence in time; a period of existence endure = carry on through hardships; bear tolerantly duress = constraint by threat; forcible confinement obdurate = hardened; hardhearted; inflexible * DYN/DYNAM (POWER, ENERGY) Greek dynamite = a class of powerful explosives dynamo = a generator t h a t produces current; an energeuo pc dynasty = succession of rulers from the same line dynamic = marked by intensity and vigor ,4ifWnt heterodyne = having alternating currents with two different frequencies D ' *S (BAD, IMPAIRED, ABNORMAL) Greek dysfunctional = functioning abnormally . ^ dyslexia = learning disorder causing impairment of the ability to read . Jystopia = a n imaginary place in which life to bad dysentery = disorder of the lower intestinal tracx dyspepsia = indigestion 301

300

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• E/EX (INTENSIVE PREFIX; APART, ABOVE, AWAY, BEYOND, FROM, OUT) Latin emit = send out enervate = weaken extricate = free from exhale = breathe out exotic = u n u s u a l

• ENDO (WITHIN, INSIDE) Greek endomorph = a mineral enclosed inside another mineral endogenous = growing from within; produced inside an organism endoscope = i n s t r u m e n t for viewing the inside of an organ of the body endobiotic = living a s a parasite within a host endocardial = relating to a membrane that lines the heart's interior

Root Work 19 Match each word with its definition:

• EH (UPON, OVER, NEAR) Greek epidermis = outer layer of skin covering the dermis epidemic = widely prevalent epigeal = living in or near the surface of the ground epitaph = inscription on a tombstone epicenter = point in the Earth directly above the center of an earthquake

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

dynasty obdurate emit endure dystopia duplicity dysentery exhale dynamo duple

a. b. c. d. e. f.

imaginary place where life is bad being twofold; deceptiveness energetic person hardhearted breathe out succession of rulers from the same line g- consisting of two h. disorder of lower intestinal tract i. send out j - carry on through hardships

ROOT ROUNDUP 2 0 • ECTO (OUTSIDE, EXTERNAL) Greek ectogenous = able to develop outside a host ectoplasm = outer part of the cytoplasm of a cell ectopic pregnancy = development of a n ovum outside the uterus ectoderm = outermost germ layer of a n embryo ectopia = abnormal location of an organ or body part • EGO (I, SELF) Latin egocentric = self-centered egomania = extreme egocentrism egotistical = excessively self-centered egoist = person devoted to his or her own interests super ego = the part of the mind that opposes the desires of the id (the subconscious source of instinctual impulses)

302

• EQU (EQUAL) Latin . tAt , equator = imaginary circle around the Earth, which is equidistant from the poles , equation = statement asserting the equality of two mathematical expressions equivocal = ambiguous; misleading equanimity = composure inequity = unfairness Root Work 2 0 Match each word with its definition: 1

egoist 2^ ectoderm 3

- epigeal 4- endobiotic 5 - epitaph 6. ectogenous I- equanimity • Equity W * egotistical 10 - endoscope

a. able to develop outside a host b . instrument to look inside an organ oi the body c. excessively self-centered d. composure e. inscription on a tombstone f. unfairness f0««nbrvo g. outermost germ layer of a j f ™ * ^ ^ ^ . f ^ t n . living near the i. living as a p a r a s * ' " ^ ™ C r e s t s j . person devoted to his or ner o

303

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 16-20

ROOT ROUNDUP 21 • ERG (WORK) Greek ergatocracy = government by workers ergonomics = science of the design of equipment for maximizing productivity erg = a unit of work ergograph = instrument for measuring work capacity of a muscle while contracting synergic = working together ' ERR (WANDER, MISTAKE) Latin errant = mistaken; straying from the proper course erratic = lacking regularity; deviating from the customary course erroneous = mistaken en = make a mistake erratum = mistake in writing or printing

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

DEI/DIV DEMI DON DOC/DOCT DOM/DOMIN

a. b. c. d. e.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

DORM DYN/DYNAM ENDO EGO E/EX

f.

gh. i.

J-

teach, prove power, energy sleep within apart, above, beyond, from, intensive prefix I, self God give master, lord partly

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: dichotomy obdurate inequity pandemic donatio mortis causa

malediction dermatitis

duple epigeal

ductile

1. spread over an entire area 2. consisting of two 3. hardened; inflexible; hardhearted 4. gift by reason of death 5. unfairness 6. division into two usually contradictory parts 7. living near or in the surface of the ground 8. easily molded 9. inflammation of the skin 10. curse True or False If the statement is correct, put (T) True; if it is incorrect, put (F) False 1. A taxidermist is a thick-skinned hoofed animal. time m ° m C a n S C O n c e r n e d ^ ^ Phenomena of a particular 4 n ^ v n ? ° i e r m i t * 6 o u t e r m o s t germ layer of an embryo 4. Doxology is adherence to unorthodox beliefs. 5. A dystop ia is an imaginary place in which life is bad

304

.

• ETH/ETHOS (CHARACTER) Greek ethos = character peculiar to a person, people, or culture bioethics = study of ethical implications of scientific discoveries, as in genetic engineering . . ,„„ ethic = set of principles of correct conduct; system of moral values ethics = rules that govern conduct of people or members oi a profession ethology = the study of human ethos ' EU (GOOD, WELL) Greek eulogy = high praise , ,M8ant euphemism = use of inoffensive language in place of unpleasant language <• v, ari eugenics = a philosophy that advocates the improvement of human traits through various means euphoria = feeling of extreme happiness euphony = pleasant and harmonious sound • SXTRA/EXTRO (BESIDES, BEYOND, OUTSIDE OF, MORE) Latin extraordinary = beyond the ordinary ^racurricular = outside of the regular curriculum e *traterrestrial = outside Earth e xtraneous = not essential , ,f extr oversion = behavior directed outside ones sen

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Root Work 21 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

euphony erratic ethos er S ethic erroneous extraterrestrial eulogy synergic extraneous

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

character peculiar to a person or people high praise working together set of principles of correct conduct deviating from the customary course outside Earth a unit of work harmonious sound mistaken not essential

ROOT ROUNDUP 22 • FAC/PIC/FEC (DO, MAKE) Latin beneficent = performing acts of kindness manufacture = make or process confection = act of making a sweet preparation; a sweet preparation soporific = something that produces sleep facile = done with little effort; easy • FALL/FALS (DECEPTTVE/FALSE/ERRONEOUS) talse = untrue; mistaken; wrong; misleading

Latin

2 ? U S = b a S e d ° n a f a l s e i d e a o r f a < * misleading falsify = state untruthfully; misrepresent fallible = capable of making an error infallible = incapable of making a mistake • FED (LEAGUE, PACT) Latin t0 a S y s t e m of ^LTu^ed government in which power is federltfn S T * a C C n t r a l g ° v e r n m e n t and constituent states fiederal E 2 S group «= *? states ° f j ° m i n g m t o a l e a S u e o r federal union; a of

• FID (FAITH, TRUST) Latin confide = tell in confidence fidelity = loyalty; exact correspondence confidence = t r u s t or faith in someone or something perfidious = faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy confidante = a person to whom one's private affairs or thoughts are disclosed Root Work 22 Match each word with its definition: 1. fidelity 2. facile 3. vociferous 4. beneficent 5. federation 6. fallacious 7 - federacy 8- coniferous 9 ' infallible 10 ' perfidy

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

loud, vocal, and noisy based on a false idea loyalty done with little effort pertaining to cone-bearing trees a federal group of states performing acts of kindness deliberate breach of trust an alliance incapable of making a mistake

R

°0T ROUNDUP 2 3

' JW (END) Latin ™»ite = limited; impermanent fi»ale = concluding part of a musical composition definitive = conclusive; authoritative; precisely defined fin de siecle = end of a century ad infinitum = forever; again and again

fed

federacy = an alliance; a confederacy fedemuonformIng'

belon

^^

to

<

or

having the nature of a

confederate = a member of a league; a n ally • FER (BEAR, CARRY) Latin C

Tprmes orPSalnlng

S e r o V s ^ /

t0 needle

P e m e a b k

- l e a v e d cone-bearing trees such

rock

"^::^SZcZTn;

sporiferous = producing spores 306

*

a t b

e a r s water

pesment: deadly

* JU5CT/FLEX (BEND) Latin flexible = capable of being bent reflex = bent or thrown back; reflected surface p o t i o n = the act of bending back or throwing back from a surtac eflect = turn aside; bend; deviate Cl rcumflex = curving around ' !JLU/FLUCT/FLUX (FLOW) Latin Jjctuate = vary irregularly; rise and fall in waves j S i ' ^ S S

together; a ^ r e

refl = Q o w i n g ; a continuous moving ** = a flowing back; a n ebbing

of two or more

s

^

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• FORT (BRAVE, STRONG, CHANCE) Latin fortify = strengthen; reinforce forte = a person's strong point fortitude = quality that enables a person to face pain and suffering with courage fortuitous = occurring by chance fortress = a large military stronghold • FRAC/FRAG (BREAK) Latin fractional = very small; being in fractions or pieces refract = deflect sound or light infringe = transgress; violate fractious = unruly; rebellious fragmentary = consisting of small disconnected parts Root Work 2 3 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. J 6. /. o 9. 10.

fortuitous definitive fractious confluence f rte ° circumflex deflect «e . fluctuate fin de siecle

a. b. c. d. e. f.

curving around a person's strong point a flowlng together conclusive deflect sound or light end of a century occurring by chance g h. rise and fall In waves i. unruly; rebellious j . t u m aside; b e n d

ROOT ROUNDUP 2 4 • FRAT (BROTHER) Latin r ^ f w ^ I a S O C i a l ^Sftnization of men students cumraiernity = an association of persons united in a common purpose fraternal = brotherly W C r n ? e = m t a * e o n * * » % terms fratncide = the killing of one's brother or sister " r T c L r ^ 0 ^ ' D I S C H A * G E ) Latin fajetum = assigned duty or activity defunct = no longer existing W t T o n a r ^ = p a & m A r e ^ a s a duty; superficial

n^s:rur to tr k performs aparticularfunction

• GAM (MARRIAGE) Greek polygamous = having more than one wife or husband at a time endogamy = marriage within a particular group exogamy = marriage outside a social unit gamic = requiring fertilization to reproduce monogamous = relating to marriage to one person at a time • GEN (BIRTH, CLASS, DESCENT, RACE, GENERATE) Latin engender = cause, produce genesis = beginning; origin genetics = branch of biology that deals with heredity gentry = people of standing; class of people just below nobility genre = type, class; distinct literary or artistic category • GEO (EARTH) Greek geology = science that studies the structure and composition of the Earth , . , geography = science that studies the Earth and the distribution of life on it geocentric = having the Earth as center geothermal = produced by the heat in the Earth's interior geophysics = the physics of the Earth Root Work 2 4 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

polygamy fratricide defunct geothermal fraternal monogamous engender genre geophysics

10. perfunctory

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i.

cause; produce relating to marriage to one person at a time type; class no longer existing the physics of the Earth killing of one's brother or sister produced by heat in the Earth s interior performed really as a duty having more than one wife or husband at a time j . brotherly

ROOT ROUNDUP 2 5 • GLOSS/GLOT (LANGUAGE, TONGUE) Latin glossa = the tongue polyglot = speaker ofmanylanguages associated with glossolalia = fabricated and meaningless speecn * trance states 309

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

glossary = list of words and their meanings, usually at the back of a book glottis = opening between the vocal chords and the larynx • GRAD/GRESS (STEP) Latin regress = move backward; revert to an earlier state progressive = going step-by-step; favoring progress egress = an exit ingress = an entrance graduate = advance to a new level of skill or achievement • GRAPH/GRAM {WRITE, DRAW, RECORD) Greek graphology = study of handwriting, particularly for the purpose of character analysis biographical = relating to facts and events of a person's life gramophone = a record player epigram = short and witty saying grammar = the system of rules of a language • GRAT (PLEASING) Latin gratify = please gratitude = thankfulness gratuitous = free; voluntary persona non grata = a person who is not acceptable or welcome ex gratia = done voluntarily, out of kindness or grace • GRAV/GRIEV (SERIOUS, HEAVY, HARMFUL) Latin gravity = seriousness grave = requiring serious thought gravitas = seriousness in demeanor or treatment grievous = causing grief or pain aggrieved = afflicted; distressed Root Work 2 5 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7. 8. in 10. 310

epigram progressive polyglot g r a t i fy gravity ingress aggrieved graphology S°ft gratuitous

a.

piease

b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

entrance f r e e . voluntary the tongue afflicted; distressed short and witty saying study of handwriting speaker of m a n y languages going step-by-step seriousness

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 2 1 - 2 5 Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

ERR EU FER FED FLECT/FLEX FLU/FLUCT/FLUX FRAT GEO GRAT GLOSS/GLOT

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

league, pact earth language, tongue flow pleasing good, well bear, carry brother wander, mistake bend

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: genre extraneous 12. 3. 4 5. 67 8. 910-

gravitas fractious

soporific perfunctory

egress euphony

fin

^ ? ° ™ ae siecie

seriousness in demeanor faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy — unruly; rebellious type; class performed really a s a duty — pleasant and harmonious sound — an exit . end of a century . not essential producing sleep _

True or False l?Z ° ! T* 18 * • t m True- i f « is incorrect, put (F) False. 11 the statement is correct, put (T) I rue, u u i=> " 1- Endogamy refers to marriage outside a particular-group 2- Something fallacious is based on a false idea or fact

3- An erg is a mistake in writing or P ^ ^ ^ t h

courage

4- Fortitude enables one to face pain and suttenng 5 - Ethos is a feeling of extreme happiness.

311

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP 2 6 • GREG (FLOCK, HERD) Latin aggregate = collective m a s s or sum; total congregation = a gathering gregarious = sociable gregarine = various parasitic protozoans in the digestive tracts of invertebrates segregate = separate from a main body or group • GYN (WOMAN) Greek misogynist = one who hates women gynecology = branch of medicine dealing with women's health care gynarchy = government by women gynophobia = fear of women gynecoid = characteristic of a woman • HELIO (SUN) Greek heliocentric = having the S u n as a center heliolatry = S u n worship heliotaxis = a n organism's movement in response to the Sun's light heliotrope = kind of plant that t u r n s toward the S u n heliotherapy = therapy based on exposure to sunlight • HEMO (BLOOD) Greek hemorrhage = heavy bleeding hemoglobin = respiratory pigment in red blood cells hemophilia = blood coagulation disorder hemoptysis = the expectoration of blood hemophobia = fear of blood • HERB (VEGETATION) Latin herbal = relating to or containing herbs herbicide = chemical that destroys plants or weeds herbaceous = characteristic of a n herb herbivorous = feeding mainly on plants herbalism = herbal medicine

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Root Work 2 6 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

herbaceous hemophobia aggregate heliotrope gregarious

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

gynarchy hemophilia herbivorous heliotaxis gynecoid

a. blood coagulation disorder b . kind of plant that turns toward the Sun c. characteristic of a herb d. collective mass or sum e. an organism's movement in response to the Sun's light f. feeding mainly on plants g. sociable h. fear of blood i. characteristic of a woman j . government by women

ROOT ROUNDUP 2 7 • HETERO (DIFFERENT, MIXED, UNLIKE) Greek heterosexual = sexually oriented to persons of the opposite sex heterodox = unorthodox, not widely accepted heterogeneous = composed of unlike parts, different, diverse heterodyne = having alternating currents of two different frequencies producing two new ones heterochromatic = characterized by different colors • HOMO (SAME, ALIKE) Greek homologous = similar in value or function homonym = word identical in pronunciatlo to one or more other words but different in meaning homogeneous = composed of identical parts; uniform in composition homocentric = having the same center homogenize = make uniform in consistency • HOM/HOMO/HUMAN (MAN, HUMANITY) Latin humane = characterized by kindness or compassion humanity = h u m a n s as a group „,„„» thHr values, humanism = system of thought focusing on humans, their values, h u m ^ S S f ^ r e l a t i n g to the promotion ^ ^ hominoid = belonging to the family Howmuiae, which incm and m a n

apes

• HYDR/HYDRA/HYDRO (WATER) Greek f f a l l l n g water hydroelectric = producing electricity t ^ J ^ S U hydroponics = science of growing plants in water reim nutrients 312

313

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

hydrant = large pipe for drawing water dehydrate = remove water from hydrophyte = a water plant • HYPER (ABOVE, EXCESSIVE, OVER) Greek hyperbole = purposeful exaggeration for effect hyperactive = excessively active hypertension = high blood pressure hypercritical = excessively critical hyperventilate = to breathe abnormally fast Root Work 2 7 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. «. 9. ._ 10.

homologous dehydrate heterodox heterochromatic hyperbole humane hydroponics humanity hyperventilate , homogeneous

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i.

characterized by kindness or compassion composed of identical parts breathe abnormally fast characterized by different colors remove water from similar in value or function purposeful exaggeration for effect not widely accepted science of growing plants in water reinforced with nutrients j . h u m a n s as a group

ROOT ROUNDUP 2 8 • HYPO (BENEATH, LOWER, UNDER) Greek hypothetical = based on assumptions or hypotheses hypothermia = abnormally low body temperature hypoglycemia = abnormally low glucose level in the blood hypochondria = unfounded belief that one is likely to become ill hypoplasia = arrested development of an organ • IG/IL/IM/IN/IR (CAUSATIVE PREFIX; NOT, WITHOUT) Latin fcnominious = disgraceful and dishonorable impecunious = poor; having no money impoverish = make poor or bankrupt intractable = not easily managed irrelevant = not applicable; unrelated

incarnate = having bodily form indigenous = native, occurring naturally in a n area 314

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

inclusive = tending to include all incongruity = state of not fitting • INTER (AMONG, BETWEEN, WITHIN, MUTUAL) Lattn intervene = come between interpose = insert; intervene interregnum= interval between reigns intersperse = distribute among; mix with internecine = deadly to both sides • INTRA/INTRO (INTO, INWARD, WITHIN) Lattn intraocular = occurring within the eyeball intravenous = within a vein intramural = within a n institution such as a school introvert = someone given to self-analysis introspective = contemplating one's own thoughts and feelings Root Work 2 8 Match each word with its definition: 12. 3. 4. 56-

incongruous interregnum irrelevant introspective indigenous hypothermia

7- intramural 8- hypochondria 9- interpose 10. intractable

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

within an institution occurring naturally in an area not easily managed not fitting not applicable; unrelated unfounded belief that one is likely to become ill contemplating one's own thoughts and feelings insert; intervene mnf>rat„re abnormally low body temperature interval between reigns

* JAC/JACT/JECT (THROW, FLING) Latin reject = refuse to accept or consider; deny eject = throw out trajectory = path taken by a projectile interject = interpose; insert ejaculate = eject abruptly * J U R / J U S / J U D (SWEAR, LAW, JUDGE, JUST) Latin judicious = wise; sound in judgment Perjure = tell a lie under oath rnntrol jurisdiction = power to interpret and apply law, control jurisprudence = philosophy of law justice = quality of being honorable and lair

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• LECT/LEG/LIG (READ, CHOOSE) Latin legible = readable select = make a choice lector = someone who reads scriptural passages in a church service election = ability to make a choice predilection = preference; liking • LEG (LAW) Latin. legacy = a gift made by a will illegal = prohibited by law legalese = abstruse vocabulary of the legal profession legitimate = in accordance with established standards; genuine; reasonable legislation = laws, decrees, mandates • LEV (LIGHT) Latin levity = light manner or attitude levitate = rise' in the air or cause to rise lever = a means of accomplishing something alleviate = relieve; improve partially leverage = power to act effectively Root Work 2 9 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

legitimate jurisprudence legislation levity perjure legible eject trajectory alleviate predilection

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

laws, decrees, mandates to relieve, improve partially tell a lie under oath readable preference, liking throw out in accordance with established standards path taken by a projectile light m a n n e r or attitude philosophy of law

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 0 • LEX (WORD) Greek lexicon = dictionary; list of words lexicography = process of compiling a dictionary lexis = vocabulary; set of words in a language lexical = relating to the words of a language lexeme = basic unit of the lexicon of a language

316

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• LIBER (FREE) Latin liberal = tolerant, broad-minded; generous, lavish liberation = freedom, emancipation libertine = one without moral restraint illiberal = bigoted; narrow-minded libertarian = one who believes in unrestricted freedom • LIBRAR/LIBR (BOOK) Latin library = place where books are kept; collection of books librarianship = specialization in library work Ubel = defamatory statement; act of writing something that smears a person's character libretto = text of a dramatic musical work librettist = author of a libretto • LITER (LETTER) Latin literati = scholarly or learned persons literature = a body of written works illiterate = unable to read and write Uteration = letter for letter Uteral = limited to the most obvious meaning of a word; word for word • LOC/LOG/LOQU (WORD, SPEAK, TALK) Latin loquacious = talkative colloquial = typical of informal speech soliloquy = literary or dramatic speech by one character, not addressed to others circumlocution = indirect way of saying something epilogue = short speech at the end of a play Root Work 3 0 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

lexis Iterate libertarian loquacious lexicon libretto circumlocution libel Uteral liberal

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

talkative indirect way of saying somethmg word for word tolerant; broadmtaded believer in unrestricted freedom able to read and write list of words character writing something to smear * vocabulary text of a musical work

317

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

26-30

i !

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning:

!

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

HERB HEMO HETERO HOMO IN INTRA/INTRO LEG LEV LIBER LITER

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

3. Heliotaxis refers to an organism's movement in response to the Sun's light. 4. Circumlocution is a n extremely direct way of saying something. 5. To interject is to throw out or delete.

free law same, alike into, inward, within light blood in, on, upon, not, intensive prefix letter vegetation different, mixed, unlike

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: internecine lector

literati lexical

hominoid misogynist

impecunious jurisprudence

hyperbole hemoptysis

1. relating to the words of a language 2. expectoration of blood 3. one who reads scriptural passages in a church service 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

purposeful exaggeration for effect scholarly or learned persons deadly to both sides philosophy of law " hater of women having no money belonging to the fanTily that d e l u d e s apes and m a n

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 1 • LUC/LUM/LUS (LIGHT) Latin lucid = bright; clear; intelligible translucent = partially transparent elucidation = clarification pellucid = transparent; translucent; easily understood luminous = bright; brilliant; glowing • LUD (PLAY, GAME) Latin allude = make a n indirect reference to ludicrous = laughable; ridiculous prelude = an introductory performance preceding the principal matter interlude = a n entertainment between acts of a play elude = evade • MACRO (LARGE, LONG) Greek macrocosm = the universe „nrmr macroeconomics = study of the overall workings of the economy macroscopic = large enough to be seen with the naked eye macronutrient = a n element needed in large proportion tor a plant's growth macrocyte = a n abnormally large red blood cell • MAGN (GREAT) Latin magnify = enlarge magna cum laude = with high honors magnate = powerful person magnitude = extent; greatness of size magnanimity = generosity; nobility • MAL (BAD) Latin

True or False If the statement is correct, put (T) True; if it is incorrect, put (F) False. L

t^T01?01 i S a W ° r d i d e n t i c a l ^ pronunciation and sometimes spelling to one or more other words b u t different in meaning.

2. Hypothermia is an abnormally high body temperature

318

3 & - J K S S discomfort; genera, sense of depression malicious = full of animosity and hatred malefactor = doer of evil malfeasance = misconduct

.

319

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

Root Work 3 1 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

pellucid elucidation macroscopic malfeasance magnate malefactor allude macrocosm magnanimous elude

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

large enough to be seen with the naked eye powerful person the universe evade clarification make an indirect reference to misconduct transparent; translucent generous; noble doer of evil

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 2 • MAN (HAND) Latin emancipate = liberate manipulate = operate or control by the h a n d s manubrium = a body part that is shaped like a handle maniable = easy to handle; flexible q u a d r u m a n u s = having four feet with the first digits being opposable • MAND (ORDER) Latin mandate = authoritative order or instruction mandatory = commanded by authority commandment = a command m a n d a m u s = an order issued by a superior court to a lower court reprimand = a strong formal rebuke • MANIA (OBSESSION) Greek m a n i a = mental disorder characterized by excessive gaiety; wild enthusiasm m a n i a c = someone who h a s excessive enthusiasm for something; an insane person megalomania = delusions of power or importance maniacal = characterized by excessive enthusiasm; marked by insanity manic-depressive = affective disorder marked by alternating periods of mania and depression • MAR/MARI (SEA) Latin maritime = relating to the sea marine = native to the sea; relating to the sea m a r i n a = a boat basin for small boats aquamarine = pale blue to light greenish blue submarine = undersea

• MATER/MATR (MOTHER) Latin maternal = relating to or characteristic of a mother matron = a mother of m a t u r e age and social position matrix = the womb , .. matrilineal = tracing ancestry through the mother s line matriarchy = a family or community governed by women Root Work 32 Match each word with its definition: 1. reprimand 2. matriarchy 3. submarine 4. mandate 5. mania 6. maritime 7. matrilineal 8- maniable 9. manubrium 10. maniacal

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

characterized b y e x c ^ i v e enthusiasm body part shaped like a handle easy to handle community governed by women undersea wild enthusiasm an authoritative order ^ tracing ancestry througn in line 1. relating to the sea j . a strong formal rebuke

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 3 ' MEGA (GREAT, LARGE) Greek megaphone = device used to amplify the voice megalomania = delusions of power or ^ p o i t o n c megalith = huge stone used in prehistoric stru megalopolis = vast city megalophonous = having a loud voice ' META (CHANGE, AT A LATER TIME, BEYOND) J g ^ ^ g s metaphor = figure of speech that compares metamorphosis = change, transformation kind anoiheT metaplasia = change of one kind of tissue in metanoia = spiritual conversion ohilosopby metaphysical = pertaining to speculative pi * METER/METR (MEASURE) Greek f a s t l n g for measuring barometer = instrument used in weather atmospheric pressure Perimeter = the outer limits of an area e s o r objects Micrometer = device that measures ^ j f 1 ™ ^ n t in amperes ammeter = instrument that measures ei metrology = study of weights and measure 321

320

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• MICRO (SMALL) Greek microbiota = the microscopic life of a n area micrology = excessive devotion to small details microclimate = the climate of a small area microcosm = a small system having analogies to a larger system; small world microdont = having small teeth • MIN (SMALL) Latin diminution = lessening; reduction diminutive = small m i n u t e = very small minutia = petty details minuscule = very small Root Work 3 3 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

microcosm megalomania metamorphosis micrometer metanoia

a. b. c. d. e.

minuscule microdont metrology megalith minutia

f. g. h. i. j.

huge stone used in prehistoric structures very small study of weights and measures spiritual conversion device that measures small distances or objects having small teeth small world delusions of importance or power petty details transformation

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 4 • MIS (HATRED, BAD, IMPROPER, WRONG) Greek misconstrue = misunderstand misapprehension = a misunderstanding misnomer = incorrect name misanthropy = hatred of humanity misogynist = hater of women • MISS/MIT (MOVE, SEND) Latin S 6 n d fr remuSl; T ° ne P l a c e t o a n o t h e r : c a u ^ to spread Ce ething mSsST= a7ettr " " * ** P a y m e n t dismiss = p u t away from consideration; reject mittimus = writ that commits one to p r i s c i

322

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• MOB/MOT/MOV (MOVE) Latin immobile = fixed; motionless mobility = state of being capable of moving automobile = passenger vehicle having four wheels and an engine emotive = appealing to or expressing emotion movie = sequence of images on a screen so rapid that they create the illusion of movement • MONO (ONE, SINGLE) Greek monogamy = marriage to one person at a time monologue = speech performed by one actor monocline = in geology, a single upward fold monochromatic = having one color monolithic = constituting a single, unified whole • MON/MONIT (WARN) Latin monitor = maintain continuous observation of admonish = caution or reprimand admonition = mild reproof premonition = forewarning; presentiment remonstrate = object or protest Root Work 3 4 Match each word with its definition: 12. 3. 4 5. 6-

premonition misogynist movie misnomer monologue monochromatic

a. b. c. d. e. f.

7

missive emotive remittance admonish

g. h. ij-

9 !08

speech performed by one actor something sent as payment exciting emotion a letter incorrect name images on a screen that give the illusion of movement forewarning caution hater of women having one color

ROOT ROUNDUP 35 • MORI/MORT (DEATH) Latin Moribund = dying naortorio = sculpture of the dead Christ immortal = not subject to death; everlasting mortification = shame or humiliation mortician = undertaker

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• MORPH (FORM, SHAPE) Greek morphous = having definite form amorphous = lacking definite form morphometry = measurement of form anthropomorphic = attributing human qualities to nonhumans morphology = the form and structure of an organism • MULTI (MANY) Latin multipara = mother of two or more children multifaceted = made up of many parts multifarious = diverse multiplicity = state of being numerous multeity = state of being many • MUT (CHANGE) Latin mutative = in grammar, expressing change of state or place mutation = significant genetic change transmutation = change in appearance, shape, or nature immutable = unchangeable mutable = changeable • HAS/HAT (BIRTH, BE FROM, SPRING FORTH) Latin nationality = state of belonging to a particular nation by birth or by naturalization nativity = place or circumstances of birth natal = relating to birth native - an original inhabitant of a particular place nascent = starting to develop, coming into existence Root Work 35 Match each word with its definition: Z 3. 4 5' 6 7.' 8. 9. 10.

324

na U tal fari ° US nascent moribund Immutabl morphous6 mo-phology mortician mutation multipara

* h a v i n g d e f i n i t e form b si niflcant ' S genetic change °' m o t h e r o f *™o o r m o r e children d ' undertaker 6 t h e ft>rm a n d s t r u c t u r e o f a n 0T srR ' ^ I S ve se £ ^ ,h" ^changeable starting to develop; come into existence j - relating to birth

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 31-35 Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

LUD MAGN MANIA MAR/MARI METER/METRE MICRO MON/MONIT MONO MORI/MORT MUT

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

sea small one, single great change death play obsession warn measure

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: mandamus nascent 12. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 • -• 8.

morphology misogynist

matrilincal macrocosm

missive metanoia

diminution malfeasance

a letter starting to develop . — lessening; reduction _____ misconduct hater of women . tracing ancestry through the mother's line the form cand structure ofl «an m c 1UI111 UlU S UUULU1C U - " organism -*_,— an order issued by a superior court to a lower court

9. spiritual conversion 10. the universe JUT ° ! ^** • t m True- if it is incorrect, put (F) False. " the statement is correct, put (T) lrue, 11 IL 10 !• Pellucid means cloudy, vague, or ^f*&**\ ^ - _ - egg. 2. Manubrium refers to a body part that is shaped Uke an egg 3- A person's nativity refers to his or her place of birth 4. Metrology means urban planning. 5- In geology, a monocline is a single upward fold

325

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 6 • NAV (SHIP) Latin naval = relating to ships or shipping navigation = theory and practice of charting a ship's course navarch = commander of a fleet naviform = boat-shaped circumnavigate = to go completely around • NEC/NIC/NOC/NOX (KILL, DEATH, HARM) Latin internecine = deadly to both sides pernicious = very harmful nocent = causing injury innocuous = not harmful noxious = injurious to health • NECRO (DEAD, CORPSE) Greek necromancy = divination through communicating with spirits necrophobia = fear of dead bodies necrotype = extinct species necrophilia = intercourse with dead bodies necromorphous = feigning death • NEG (NO) Latin negate = nullify; cancel out negative = indicating opposition renege = go back on one's word negligent = careless; inattentive negligible = not worth considering • NEO (NEW, RECENT) Greek neologism = new word or expression; an existing word or expression used in a new way neophyte = novice, beginner neonate = newborn child neoplasia = formation of new tissue neolithic = New Stone Age; period in the development of technology at end of the Stone Age

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Root Work 3 6 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

necrotype negligible navarch pernicious neonate necrophobia neophyte internecine naviform negate

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

boat-shaped deadly to both sides nullify fear of dead bodies novice commander of a fleet newborn child very harmful not worth considering extinct species

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 7 • NEUR (NERVE) Greek neurology = study of the nerves and the brain neurosis = disorder of the nervous system neuroid = nervelike neurergic = pertaining to nerve action neuralgia = pain along nerve • NEUT/NEUTR (NOT EITHER) Latin neutral = belonging to neither side in a war or controversy neutralize = make neutral; counterbalance the effect ot neutrality = state of being neutral neutron = a n electrically neutral subatomic particle neuter = neither masculine nor feminine • NOCT/NOX (NIGHT) Latin nocturnal = pertaining to night; active at nigM equinox = either of two times in a year when tne BUI celestial equator noctambulant = walking in one's sleep noctivagant = wandering around at night noctilucous = shining at night • NOM/NOMEN/NYM (NAME) Latin, Greek nominal = existing in name only nom de guerre = war name; pseudonym misnomer = incorrect name ignominious = disgraceful and dishonoram nomenclature = terms used in a particular =>

326

^

^

dJsdpltae

327

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

NON (NOT) Latin nonplussed = bewildered nonchalant = casual, unconcerned n o n licet = not lawful ~*- — " W L -io.vv.iui n o t followi nonde e srHnt F =, C°™lusion * g from apparent evidence nondescript = lacking interesting or distinctive qualities; dull

Root Work 3 7 Match each word with its definition: 2 m^srZb.Ulant 2. ™ o m e r 3. nonplussed t

neur

°

ld

a

b. c.

counter

b a l a n c e the effect of

shinln paln

^

J ^

• OLIG (FEW, LITTLE) Greek oligopoly = situation with only a few sellers so that action by any one of them will affect price oligarchy = government by only a few oligodontous = having few teeth oligophagous = eating only a few kinds of food oligosyllable = a word with only a few syllables • OMNI (ALL, EVERY) Latin omnipotent = having unlimited power omnivorous = eating everything; absorbing everything omnipresent = present everywhere omniscient = having infinite knowledge omneity = state of including all things

d. not lawful

a neTralgif ^ uicugid 8 ^ 9 neuter C ° U S i n ^ ; ,. 10. neutralize

T

neith

- m a s c u l i n e nor feminine nervelike f g - m c o r r e c t name h. walking in one's sleep L bewildered i „ra„ J- war name

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 8 • NOV (NEW) Latin = reSt re t0 earher nnovice o ^ J a t=e apprentice, ° ^beginner condition novel = new or original a b6ginner or m utton = T something ° f t £ e i n gnewly *"** innovation introduced • NUM (NUMBER) Latin numismatics = coin collecting

a

:z:s;= eZt

oUhatrei>resent

enumerate = count off; list numerology = s t u d y o f m y s t i c a l ^

^

• O B / O C / O F / O P (AGAINST) Latin obdurate = stubborn occlude = shut; block obliterate = destroy completely opprobrious = disgraceful- ~ + mP UOUS •Muscate . o b ^ t c t l r '

1. 2. 3. 4. 5 67. 8. 910-

obdurate novice oligarchy innovation oligodontous occlude omnivorous numerology omneity numismatics

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

shut; block coin collecting eating everything stubborn study of mystical meanings in numbers state of including all things something newly introduced government by only a few having few teeth beginner

ROOT ROUNDUP 3 9

~^

^

Root Work 3 8 Match each word with its definition:

^

^

• OPER (WORK) Latin opera = musical work °pere citato = already mentioned in the work operon = a group of genes that operate as a unit operative = functioning; working operose = working hard * OPTI/OPTO (EYE, VISION) Latin optimistic = looking on the positive side optician = someone who makes eyeglasses optometry = measuring and testing of vision °Ptogram = a n image fixed on the retina optical = of or relating to sight

328

329

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• ORTHO (STRAIGHT, CORRECT) Latin orthodox = traditional; conservative orthopraxy = correct action orthodontics = correction of irregularity of teeth orthognathism = condition of having straight jaws orthopedic = correcting physical deformities

• PAN (ALL, EVERY) Greek panorama = broad view; comprehensive picture panacea = cure-all pantheon = all the gods of a people; group of highly regarded persons panoply = impressive array pandemic = spread over a whole area

• OS/OSS/OST/OSTEO (BONE) Latin, Greek osseous = bony ossify = t u r n into bone osteitis = bone inflammation ostosis = formation of bone osteoma = bone tumor

• PAR (EQUAL) Latin parable = simple story that teaches a lesson parity = equality par = equality of status or value disparity = difference . apartheid = a system of discrimination based on race that formerly existed in South Africa

• PAL/PALEO (ANCIENT) Greek paleontology = study of past geological eras through fossil remains paleoethnic = relating to the earliest races of m a n paleography = study of ancient writings paleology = study of antiquities paleogenetic = of past origin Root Work 3 9 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

optician paleogenetic orthopraxy operon paleography optometry ostosis orthodontics operative osseous

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

bony correction of teeth irregularity functioning bone formation study of ancient writings testing of vision correct action group of genes operating as a unit of past origin maker of eyeglasses

ROOT ROUNDUP 4 0 • PAC (PEACE) Latin p a c t = a treaty pacifist = person opposed to war or violence between nations pacify = to restore calm, bring peace pacific = calm; peaceful pacification = appeasement

• PARA (BEYOND, RELATED, ALONGSIDE) Greek paradigm = model; example; pattern paradisiacal = heavenly; wonderful paramount = supreme; primary paragon = model of excellence parasite = person or animal that lives at another s expense • PAS/PATH (FEELING, DISEASE, SUFFERING) Greek apathy = indifference antipathy = dislike pathos = pity, compassion pathogen = agent that causes disease dispassionate = impartial; unaffected by emotion Root Work 4 0 Match each word with its definition: 1. paradigm 2. pantheon 3. paramount 4. disparity 5. pacify 7] p a t h o s • panorama °- antipathy

£

pai

%

pacifist

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.

all the gods of a people restore calm dislike ,„tlirP comprehensive picture difference equality person opposed to war supreme

i. model j

pi^y. compassion

331 330

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

36-40

ROOT ROUNDUP 4 1

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

NECRO NEC/NIC/NOC/NOX NEUR NOCT/NOX NOV OB/OC/OF/OP_ OPER— PAL/PALEO — PAC PAS/PATH _

a. b. c. d. e. f. g h. i j.

• PATER/PATR (FATHER) Latin paternity = fatherhood; descent from father's ancestors patronize = condescend to; disparage; buy from patronage = support of a sponsor or benefactor, as for a cause or an institution patricide = m u r d e r of one's father patrimony = inheritance or heritage derived from one's father

kill, death, h a r m against peace ancient nerve dead, corpse n e w

feeling, disease, suffering work m ^

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: paramount pernicious

noctivagant apartheid

oUgophagous omniscient ignominious orthopraxy

navarch osteoma

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 '

correct action disgraceful and dishonorable supreme; primary bone tumor ZZHZ~ having infinite knowledge commander of a fleet _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ ~ wandering around at night eating only a few kinds of food c S J ? u e m J ) f d i s c r i m i n a t i o n based on race that formerly existed in South Africa 10. very harmful True or False If the statement is correct, put (T) True; if it is incorrect, put (F) False. 2 I ° n 3 f i S t 0 r ? C a t m 0 f f e r o f negotiation. way _ m ^ ^ C X i S t i n g W o r d o r expression used in a new

• PED (CHILD) Greek pedant = uninspired, boring academic who makes a display of his or her learning pedantic = showing off learning pedagogue = teacher pedodontics = dentistry dealing with the treatment of children's teeth encyclopedia = reference work that contains articles on a broad range of subjects • PED/POD (FOOT) Greek pediform = shaped like a foot pedestrian = commonplace pedate = having feet f pedometer = a device that measures distance by the number oi steps of a walker . f podiatry = the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the toot • PEL/PULS (DRIVE, URGE) Latin pulse = a regular or rhythmical beating Pulsate = beat; to vibrate repellant = something that repels or drives back repulse = drive back; repel Propellant = something that provides thrust • PER (THROUGH, COMPLETELY) Latin Peregrinate = wander through Percutaneous = effecting something through the swn Permeable = penetrable Pervasive = spread throughout every part Permeate = diffuse through

4 NnZ^nJ^^leCmCallyneutra[suh^mic particle iS Stud of p h e ' o m S . ^_ y W s t i c a l meanings to natural 5

' e^nctq___l1S

332

a C

°nClUSi0n

that

f o l l o w s fr

°™ apparent 3S3

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

R o o t Work 4 1 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. ,n 10.

pedate pedodontics repellant patricide propellant pedantic peregrinate paternity P C ™ate pediform

a. fatherhood b. murder of one's father c. something that provides thrust d. dentistry dealing with children's teeth e. shaped like a foot f. having feet g . something that drives back h . d l f f u s e through »• showing off learning j . wander ^ ^

ROOT ROUNDUP 4 2 • PERI {AROUND, NEAR) Greek periosteal = around a bone peripatetic = moving about or from place to place perihelion = the point in orbit nearest the S u n perigee = the point in orbit nearest Earth periphrasis = circumlocution • PET (SEEK, REQUEST, ASSAIL) Latin petition = a request to a superior authority P S S : ^ T ° f S t r i V i n g « * * « * other* to attain a goal p e t u l a n t = contemptuous; peevish repetitive = given to the act of repeating petitio principli = begging the question " 2 ! ? ' ( i O V E ' F O N D N E S S , PREFERENCE) Greek phUanthropist = lover of mankind; doer of good g technophile = lover of technology philogynist = lover of women philhelline = lover of things Greek philtre = love potion • PHOBOS (FEAR) Greek

S X * S „ P j r *? « ^ S c or open hydrophobia - * £ £ £ * "" e n d ° S e d S p a C e S

334

• PHON (SOUND, VOICE) Greek microphone = a n instrument that changes sound waves into electric current phonogram = a symbol that represents sound phonic = relating to sound phonetics = study of speech sounds cacophony = jarring, unpleasant noise Root Work 4 2 Match each word with its definition: 1- petition 2. philtre 3. perihelion 4. hydrophobia 5. cacophony 6. peripatetic 7. phonic 8. petitio principli 9. philanthropist 10. agoraphobia

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

lover of mankind begging the question moving about relating to sound request to a superior authority love potion the point in orbit nearest the Sun fear of water fear of places that are public or open unpleasant, jarring sound

ROOT ROUNDUP 4 3 • PHOS/PHOT (LIGHT) Greek Photosensitive = sensitive to light or radiant energy Photograph = a n image recorded by a camera and reproduced on a photosensitive surface Phototaxis = growth directed by light Photophile = loving light ^ ,.... Photometry = measurement of the properties of light • PHYS/PHYSIO (NATURE) Greek Physiology = the function of a living organism Physical = relating to the body Physiolatry = worship of nature operation of Physiocracy = government that is in accord with the opera natural laws , „„, . n p r S o n ' s face x Physiognomy = divination of character from a person • PICT (PAINT) Latin. ,Q„_ a ^ Picture = a n image rendered on a flat surtace depict = represent in a picture Pictograph = a picture that represents^word Picturesque = of a picture; quaintiy attractive Pictorial = relating to or composed of pictures

d

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• PLAC (PLEASE) Latin placid = calm placate = lessen another's anger; pacify implacable = inflexible, incapable of being appeased complacent = self-satisfied placebo = something given to please or quiet • POLI (CITY, STATE, CITIZEN) Greek politics = the art of governing a state and the control of its affairs metropolitan = relating to a major city cosmopolitan = common to the whole world political = relating to the affairs of the state polity = political organization of a state Root Work 4 3 Match each word with its definition: 1. implacable 2. physiology 3. metropolitan 5' Dhototaxis o. pnototaxis Z- Q?pic} 7. placebo J S S S S S 10 photoDhl P e ' P

a.

s o m e t h i n g given to please . £ b growth directed c. worship of n a t u r e d

' e. fg. h. *' J-

TQapable ° f b e m S a P P e a s e d functions of a living organism of a picture x

u

relating to a major city re resent m P a picture Political organization of a state

ROOT ROUNDUP 4 4 • POLY (MANY) Greek

™!™ho°rX= u l e of o n e

s y m b o 1 for

man sounds

y

polymorphic = having many forms polyglot = =speaker of many languages haVin m re S o & K l « than one wife or h u s b a n d at a time polytheist = one who believes in more t h a n one god • PON/POS (PUT, PLACE) Latin compose = constitute or form component = an element or ingredient composite = made u p of components

338

• POPUL (THE PEOPLE) Latin populate = supply with inhabitants; people popular = reflecting the taste of the people at large populace = the m a s s e s population = all of the people who inhabit an area populous = containing many inhabitants • PORT (CARRY, GATE) Latin portage = the act of transporting or carrying portal = a n entrance or gate portable = able to be carried easily deport = expel from a country portfolio = case to carry papers • POST (AFTER, BEHIND) Latin posterity = future generations; all of a person's descendants posterior = bottom, rear postdiluvian = after the flood posthumous = after a person's death post factum = after the event Root Work 4 4 Match each word with its definition: 12. 3 4 5 678. 910 -

repose posterity populace polytheist portal populate oppose S o polymorphic post factum

a. b. c. d. e. f. g h. i. j.

future generations having many forms people after the event entrance or gate place; to lay down cnmpthin0 eise place so as to be opposite something else one who believes in more than one god case to carry papers the masses

ROOT ROUNDUP 4 5 • PRE (BEFORE, EARLIER) Lam Prenatal = before birth Preclude = make impossible in advance premise = proposition upon which an argument is basea Precept = principle; law fxiws Precedent = a model for something that follows

337

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• PREHEND/PREHENS (SEIZE, GRASP) Latin reprehend = censure; reprove comprehend = take in the meaning; to grasp apprehension = act of seizing; understanding prehensile = able to grasp prehension = act of grasping • PRIM (BEFORE, FIRST) Latin p r i m a facie = at first sight; on the face of it primapara = a woman having her first child primeval = ancient, primitive primordial = original, existing from the beginning primogeniture = state of being the eldest child • PRO (IN FAVOR OF) Latin pro re nata = for an emergency (for the thing born) proponent = a supporter prodigy = highly gifted child; marvel propensity = inclination, tendency proclivity = tendency, inclination • PROTO (FIRST, EARLIEST) Greek protogenic = formed at the beginning prototype = an original model protomorphic = primitive protoplast = an original ancestor protolithic = relating to the first Stone Age Root Work 4 5 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

prehension primordial precedent protoplast prima facie prodigy proponent 8. protogenic 9- prenatal 10. prehensile

a, b c. d. e. f.

gh. i.

J-

a supporter at first sight highly gifted child original ancestor able to grasp a model for something that follows act of grasping original formed at the beginning before birth

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW

41-45

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. PATER 2. PEL/PULS 3. PET 4. PHIL 5. PHOS/PHOT 6. POLI 7. PON/POS 8. POPUL 9. PRIM 10. PRO

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

seek, request, assail put, place father in favor of city, state, citizen before, first drive, urge fight love, fondness, preference the people

Pill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: Pedagogue Protogenic

prehensile cacophony

placate portage

depict ^T^SSHT postdiluvian agoraphobia

1- able to grasp . 2. represent in a picture 3. fear of places t h a t are open or public 4- teacher . 5 - formed at the beginning — 6- affecting something through the skin 7. after the flood . 8 - lessen another's anger in; pacify. 9 - jarring, unpleasant noise !0. act of transporting or carrying

. — _

— -

True or False incorrect, put (F) False. " the statement is correct, put (T) True, u IL *=> 1. The perigee is the point in orbit: farthest from Eartfc 2- A physiocracy is a government that is in accora wi of natural laws. . 3 - Pro re n a t a m e a n s for an e m ^ e n c y ' T - T l o r m a n y sounds. 4- Polyphony refers to the use of one symboltorm y 5- A pedometer is a device that measures distance by tn

n

Q{

steps of a walker. 339

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE 300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ROOT ROUNDUP 46 Root W o r k 4 6

• PSEUDO (FALSE) Greek

Match each word with its definition:

= n a m e : flCtitiOUS o r Epseudopsia S ? ^ ^ optical b r o w e d name = an illusion pseudodox = false doctrine pseudomorph = false or irregular form pseudocyesis = false pregnancy • PSYCH (MIND) Greek psyche = the mind P,

t o t t e ^ d C e P U V e ° f n 0 n m a t e r t a l - s p i n a l forces; originating

E S S S ' - £ £ , £ £ *

C i d e r s „f the

^

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

psychic punctate compute public putative pseudodox punctilio psyche publish pseudopsia

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

concerning the people the mind bring to the attention of the public fine point of etiquette an optical illusion determine an amount false doctrine supposed originating in the mind like a point

psychology = study of the mind • PUB (THE PUBLIC) Latin 0

r Cblic ITZZi^r ™™^ ° ** P-Ple P r d e r ta Which a bod power

i

°

^ ^ Z interest

y ^ citizens has supreme

^ f CTO m m0 u ^ ° f tofonnatton to the public ° ^ a t i n g information to attract public

Sm (POINT ' PRrcK) ^ « * f l ^ ^ £ ^ ^ punctual = prompt

S £:^ punctate *

2

t u

f l a , 4uerte

1

deta

* * of form in conduct

by a S h

^f ending -Pin aObject like a point; point

PU

J/PUTAT (THINK, CALCULATE) r „ „ La putative = supposed ™^ULATE) ^ repute = consider; suppose reputed s u p p o s e d to be such S 5 K

340

1

h este daetermme e t e r m i nane damount ^ ta orh *number <-

ROOT ROUNDUP 47 • 9UER/QUES/QUIR/9UIS (ASK/SEEK) Latin query = a question inquest = an investigation; court or legal proceeding inquisition = an investigation; act of inquiring inquirer = one who asks a question requisite = required • RE (BACK AGAIN, REPEAT) Latin recant = retract a statement or opinion rebut = refute by evidence or argument retract = withdraw; take back S

S

: 5 S 3 S what is necessary; unnecessary repetitive

• RECT (STRAIGHT) Latin erect = fix in an upright position erectile = able to be raised to an upright position rectitude = moral uprightness rectilinear = bounded by straight lines recto = right-hand page of a book • RECT/REG/REGN (RULE, GOVERN) ^tin rector = an Anglican cleric in charge of a p a r i * correct = remove the errors from; punish for the purpo improving regime = a government in power regulation = a law to govern < ^ u < * o r discipline regular = conforming with fixed procedure or discip

341

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• RETRO (BACKWARD) Latin retrospect = review or contemplation of the past retrograde = having a backward motion or direction retroactive = applying to an earlier time retroject = throw back Tet

™£™

= a VimS

* *

Synthesizes DNA

from RNA instead of the

Root Work 47 Match each word with its definition:

o. rectitude 4 queiv 5 " recto 6." retroactive 7. regulation 8. regime 9. requisite 10. retract

„ d ' ? J g"

c

^Ju* v. "ght-handpageofabook havhl S a backward motion JfW t 0 g O V e r n c o n d u c t f°ve™™*« ** Power reqmred

unnecessarily repetitive ** " \ ° r a l u P r i ghtness J- take back

ROOT ROUNDUP 48 • RID/RIS (LAUGH) Latin deride = mock S S S ' - S ^

CVOke

^ - P t - u s laughter at a person

= d ,ng ridiCule: a b s riSbunT T I Vmoved ridibund = easily to laughter ^ • ROG/ROGAT (ASK) Latin

Sr52F

toiy =

^^

a questI

°n

rfght Srf T r e "u eSPS t, ieCial ° r P™lege ng 22E7 ? ^formation rogation = solemn prayer derogatory = disparaging; belittling

• SCI (KNOW} Latin scibile = something that is possible to know sciolism = conceited and shallow knowledgeability conscientious = careful and thorough; governed by conscience prescient = having foresight nescience = absence of knowledge; ignorance • SCOP (EXAMINE, OBSERVE, WATCH) Greek scopic = visual telescope = device used to observe distant objects periscope = optical instrument used to see things from a position not in a direct line of sight microscopic = too small to be seen with the naked eye colonoscope = long, flexible instrument used to visually examine the colon Root Work 48 Match each word with its definition: 1. prescient 2. ridibund 3. sacrosanct 4 - rogatory 5. telescope 6. interrogatory

I SET * SS*

a. b. c. d. e. f.

absence of knowledge set apart as holy mock visual having foresight extremely sac««

i ^ e - ^ - ^ j: ^ » —

ROOT ROUNDUP 49 • SCRIB/SCRD? (WRITE) Latin ascribe = attribute to a cause or source circumscribe = limit; confine treatment prescribe = set down a rule; recommend a treatm manuscript = a document written b v n a " u qualities; dull nondescript = lacking interesting or distinctive q • SE (AWAY, APART) Latin ^ance secede = withdraw from membership in cu select = pick out; choose .^ c o n tact seclusion = act of keeping apart trom ^ ^ seduce = lead away from accepted principi secretive = not open or frank

342

343

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• SEC/SECT/SEGM (CUT) Latin sectile = relating to a mineral that can be cut smoothly by a knife dissect = cut apart intersection = the process or result of cutting across or through secant = a straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points segmented = divided into parts • SECU/SE9U (FOLLOW) Latin prosecutor = one who initiates a civil or criminal court action sequel = something that follows inconsequential = insignificant; unimportant obsequious = overly submissive sequatious = disposed to follow another • SEMI (HALF, PARTLY) Latin semiterrestrial = partially living on land semiannual = occurring twice a year semiaquatic = not entirely adapted for living in water semicircle = half of a circle semitaur = in mythology, a creature that is half-man and half-bull Root Work 4 9 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

secede obsequious sectile sequel manuscript semitaur seclusion semiaquatic dissect prescribe

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

act of keeping apart from social contact a document written by h a n d something that follows cut apart withdraw from membership in an alliance half-man and half-bull set down a rule not entirely adapted for living in water overly submissive relating to a mineral that can be cut smoothly by a knife

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• SOL (SUN) Latin solarium = room exposed to sunlight solarize = expose to sunlight solstice = point or time when the Sun is furthest from the Equator soliterraneous = relating to the meteorological effect of Sun and Earth solarimeter = device that measures the flux of the Sun's radiation • SOLV/SOLU (FREE, LOOSEN, DISSOLVE) Latin dissolve = make something pass into solution; melt; dispel soluble = able to be dissolved; possible to solve solute = a s u b s t a n c e dissolved in another one dissolution = disintegration; debauchery irresolute = undecided • SOMN (SLEEP) Latin somnambulance = walking in one's sleep somniloquence = talking in one's sleep insomnia = inability to fall asleep or remain asleep somnolent = sleepy somniferous = inducing sleep ' SOPH (WISE, SKILLFUL, SHREWD) Greek sophist = one who is skilled in deceptive argumentation sophistry = plausible b u t misleading argumentation sophisticate = make more worldly; refine 0xllHtv sophomoric = showing lack of judgment and immaturity philosophy = love of wisdom Root Work 5 0 Match each word with its definition: 1234.

solarium somniferous philosophy dissolution

a. b. c. d.

5

sentiment soluble somnolent sophisticate

e. sleepy Hebauchery f* - £ * * « £ £ * g g- refine, make m h. a view based ™*%*

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 0 • SENS/SENT (FEEL, BE AWARE) Latin sensate = perceived by the senses insensible = unconscious; unresponsive sentiment = a view based on emotion rather t h a n reason sentient = aware, conscious, able to perceive sentisection = vivisection performed without the u s e of anesthesia

344

6. 78-

9. solstice !0- sentient

able to perceive able to be dissolved or solved inducing sleep point when the Sun is ruru the Equator

^

i- r o o m f P ° f i j - love of wisdom

34i

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT REVIEW

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

46-50

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 1 • SPEC/SPECT/SPIC (SEE, LOOK AT) Latin specimen = a representative of a class or whole; a sample specter = a n apparition speculate = take something as true based on insufficient evidence retrospective = review of the past perspicacious = shrewd, astute, keen-witted

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

PSYCH PUB RECT RETRO SCI SACR/SANCT SE SECU/SEQU SENS/SENT SOLV/SOLUT

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

sacred, holy backward know free, loosen, dissolve the public follow straight feel, be aware mind away, apart

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: retrospect secant somniloquence sophistry 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

punctilio sequacious

ridibund recant

pseudodoz rogation

easily moved to laughter plausible b u t misleading argumentation . contemplation of the past straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points talking in one's sleep false doctrine retract a statement or opinion . solemn prayer a fine point of etiquette disposed to follow another

True or False If the statement is correct, put (T) True; if it is incorrect, put (F) False.

• SPIR (BREATH, ENERGY, ANIMATION) Latin respiration = breathing aspiration = expulsion of breath in speaking spirit = animating force within living things spirited = animated; courageous spirograph = device that records the movements of breathing • STAS/STAT (STAND, BEING IN A PLACE, POSITION) Greek stationary = not moving static = having no motion; fixed; stationary state = condition of being status = position or standing in relation to that oi otners status quo = existing state of affairs • STRICT/STRING (TIGHT, DRAWN TOGETHER) Latin restrict = keep within limits stricture = a limit or restriction , stringent = imposing rigorous standards; constricted tignt strict = precise; within narrow limits; rigorous in discipline constrict = squeeze or compress; restrict the scope oi • STRUCT (BUILD) Latin destruction = act of destroying structure = something built construct = build ^,. „ . t h i^owledge instruction = act of methodically providing with knowleag indestructible = impossible to destroy

1. A punctilious person is inattentive to small details of form in conduct. 2. Rectilinear means bounded by straight lines. S. Sectile relates to a mineral that can be cut smoothly by a knife. 4

' h a S n ^ ^

a mythoIo

^cal

creatu

r e that is half-man and

5. SoUterraneous refers to the meteorological effect of Moon and 347

346

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

Root Work 5 1 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

spirited stricture retrospective stringent

a. b. c. d.

constrict status quo spirograph indestructible static specter

e. f. g. h. i. j.

impossible to destroy existing state of affairs limit or restriction device that records the movements of breathing restrict the scope of review of the past fixed; stationary imposing rigorous standards; constricted a n apparition animated

R O O T ROUNDUP 5 2 • SUB/SUC/SUF/SUG/SUP/SUS (BELOW, UNDER, LESS) Latin subtle = hard to detect or describe subterfuge = trick or tactic used to avoid something subsume = Include; incorporate suppress = p u t down by force; restrain suspend = defer, interrupt; dangle, h a n g • SUPER/SUR (OVER, ABOVE) Latin superior = higher t h a n another in rank or authority supersede = take the place of insuperable = insurmountable, unconquerable supernal = celestial; heavenly surtax = additional tax • SYL/SYM/SYN/SYS (TOGETHER, WITH) Greek syllogism = argument with a conclusion deduced from two premises l™*hr°nous = o c curring at the same time; moving at the same rate b u s i e s " a S S O C i a t I o n o f P e o Ple who undertake a duty or transact synthesis = blend, combination system = group of interrelated elements that form a whole • TACT/TANG (TOUCH) Latin • w - T C t = * C O m i n S together or touching tactile = relating to the sense of touch t a c t u s = sense of touch tangible = able to be touched tangent = digression, diversion

348

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• TELE (DISTANCE, FAR) Greek telemeter = a n instrument that measures distance telemetry = science of transmitting data from someplace remote to a distant receiving station telecommunication = science of communicating over distances by electronic transmission teleseism = tremor from a distant earthquake telephony = sound transmission between distant stations Root Work 5 2 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

suspend supernal suppress tactus synchronous teleseism synthesis telemeter tangible insuperable

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. 1. j.

a blend sense of touch heavenly interrupt; dangle able to be touched insurmountable instrument that measures distance put down by force tremor from a distant earthquake occurring at the same time

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 3 • TEMPOR (TIME) Latin contemporary = belonging to the same time period temporal = related to time nr M,ma„t temporize = act evasively to gain time, avoid an argument, or postpone a decision extemporaneous = unrehearsed temporality = being bounded in time • TEN/TAIN (HOLD) Latin detain = delay; keep from proceeding pertain = relate to tenacious = stubborn, holding firm content = something that is contained t e n u r e = a period during which something is neia • TEND/TENS/TENT (STRETCH, STRIVE) Latin tension = act of stretching tight contend = strive in opposition; to struggi contention = act of striving in controversy tense = tightly stretched . tensor = a m u s c l e that stretches a body part 349

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

• TERM (END, LIMIT) Latin terminal = concluding, final; fatal midterm = middle of an academic term terminate = end interminable = endless termless = having no limits; unending • TERR (LAND, THE EARTH) Latin terraqueous = consisting of land and water terraceous = earthen terrestrial = earthly terra firma = dry land terra incognita = unknown land Root Work 5 3 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3 . 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10.

interminable terminal

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

tensor

contend temporal tenacious detain terraqueous temporize terraceous

earthen act evasively to gain time stubborn; holding firm consisting of land and water endless a m u s c l e that stretches a body part flnal strive m

opposition

delay

• TERTI (THIRD) Latin. tertial = relating to the third row of flight feathers on the basal section of a bird's wing t e r t i a n = recurring after three days tertiary = third in degree or rank tbh

of

ter^ ^ ^ ^ ^ t e r m i n a t e character t e r u a r y color = a color that results from mixing two secondary colors • THE/THEI/THEO (GOD) Greek theorrl^1"!011 ^ ^ S n o t b e l i e v e m the existence of God y = TT nt y priests Itheology h e o £ l = study J°7 T?of God band ^ p r e s e n t i n g a god religion apotheosis = glorification; glorified ideal theogamy = marriage of gods

350

• THERM/THERMO (WARM, HOT) Greek thermochemistry = the chemistry of heat thermal = relating to, or caused by heat thermoduric = able to survive high temperatures thermodynamic = resulting from heat conversion thermolabile = subject to change or destruction by heating • TOM/TOME/TOMY (CUT, SECTION) Greek tome = one book in a work of many volumes dermatome = instrument used to cut slices of the skin in skin grafts microtome = instrument that cuts specimens into slices for examination with microscopes gastrotomy = surgical incision into the stomach vasectomy = surgical removal of a duct that carries semen Root Work 5 4 Match each word with its definition:

related to time

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 4

= a

• THERAP (ATTEND, TREAT) Greek therapy = treatment of illness therapeutic = having healing powers therapist = specialist in a particular therapy biotherapy = treatment of disease with preparations synthesized from living organisms physiotherapy = treatment of physical injury with therapeutic exercise

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

tertian therapy thermoduric apotheosis thermal tertiumquid

9. tome 10. theogamy

a. b. c. d. e. f.

marriage of gods surgical incision into the stomach having healing powers recurring after three days one book in a work of many volumes caused by heat

i. a third thing of an indeterminate character j . treatment of illness

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 5 • TOP/TOPO (PLACE, REGION) Greek topography = the configuration of a land surface topology = regional anatomy toponym = the name of a place topophobia = fear of certain places t o p o s = a traditional theme 381

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• TORS/TORT/TOR9U (TWIST, TURN) Latin retort = quick caustic reply that t u r n s the first speaker's words to one's own advantage torsion = act of twisting or turning contort = twist out of shape torque = turning or twisting force t o r t u o u s = winding; twisting; circuitous • TRACT (DRAG, PULL) Latin a t t r a c t = cause to draw near tractor = vehicle for pulling machinery tractable = easy to manage or control; easy to manipulate; easily remedied intractable = not easily managed protract = draw out; prolong • TRAN/TRANS (ACROSS, THROUGH) Latin transcend = rise above, go beyond t r a n s m u t e = change in appearance, shape or n a t u r e transgression = the exceeding of a limit or boundary translucent = clear; lucid transmogrify = change into a different shape or form • TREM/TREMU (TREMBLE, SHAKE) Latin tremendous = enormous; able to make one tremble tremulous = marked by shaking or trembling tremble = shake involuntarily; quake; feel fear t r e m o r = a shaking movement; a trembling or quivering tremolo = a quivering effect produced by quickly repeating a single tone Root Work 5 5 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

352 i... L

tortuous attract topophobia protract transmute torque tremulous toponym tremor transcend

a. b. c. d e. f. g. h i. J-

turning or twisting force name of a place go beyond change in appearance or nature cause to draw n e a r winding; twisting fear of certain places a shaking movement marked by trembling draw out; prolong

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW

51-55

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

SPIR STRUCT TACT/TANG TELE TEMPOR TERM THERAP THERM/THERMO TOP/TOPO TRACT

a. b. c. d. e. fgh. ij-

far end, limit place, region attend, treat warm, hot build touch time drag, pull breath, energy, animation

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: supernal thermoduric 1. 2. <£. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

tenacious toponym

theogamv torque

s^chronous status 4u«

stricture^

marriage of gods act controversy . act of ot striving striving in in coniruvcioy . able to survive high temperatures _ existing state of affairs stubborn, holding firm __ — " m P , rate occurring at the same time; moving at the same rate twisting or turning force celestial; heavenly _ a limit or restriction . name of a place

S S S K L t

is correct, put (Q True; if it is incorrect, put (F) False.

1. To transmogrify is to change int. • d J ^ ^ J ^ ™ "

—

2. To s u b s u m e is to regard s o m e t h * a * ^Zt^T^ecUon. 3. A spirograph is an instrument used to meas , nf fntfht feathers on the basal 4. Tertial refers to the second row of flight ieatn section of a bird's wing. _ , u c e d b y q u i c k l y repeating a 5. A tremolo is a quivering ettect pruu single tone.

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 6 • TURB (SPINNING, CONFUSION, DISTURBANCE) Greek turbid = in a state of turmoil turbine = machine that converts the energy of moving fluid to rotary mechanical power turbojet = jet engine with a turbine-driven compressor turbulent = violently agitated disturbance = a commotion • TYP/TYPE (TYPE) Greek typal = relating to or serving a s a type typical = conforming to a type typify = represent a s a typical example of; symbolize typology = the study or classification of types stereotype = a formulaic conception or image • ULTRA (BEYOND, EXCESSIVE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF) Latin ultrasonic = relating to acoustic frequencies above the ear's audible range ultramodern = extremely modern in style or ideas ultraconservative = conservative to a n extreme ultranationalism = extreme nationalism u l t r a m u n d a n e = extending beyond the world or the universe • UN (INTENSIVE PREFIX; NOT, REVERSE, UNDO, REMOVE) Latin unfeigned = not feigned; not made up; genuine; real untenable = not viable; indefensible unyielding = firm, resolute unequivocal = absolute, certain unfetter = free from restraints; liberate • UNI (ONE) Latin unique = one of a kind universal = characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere unipolar = having a single magnetic or electric pole unicorn = mythological creature, usually represented as a horse, with a single horn projecting from its forehead unanimity = state of total agreement or unity

354

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

Root Work 5 6 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

unfeigned unipolar unanimity typify turbid ultramodern typal untenable disturbance ultramundane

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

a commotion extending beyond the world or universe in a state of turmoil not made up; genuine serving as a type not viable state of total agreement represent as an example extremely modern in ideas or style having a single magnetic or electric pole

ROOT ROUNDUP 57 • URB (CITY) Latin urban = related to a city suburb = residential area outlying a city urbane = refined, sophisticated, suave urbanite = city dweller urbanologist = specialist in city life • US/UT (USE/USEFUL) Latin usage = act of using usurp = seize by force usury = lending money at exorbitant rates K »o„fv utilitarian = concerned with usefulness rather than beauty utile = useful • VAC/VACA/VACU (EMPTY) Latin vacate = empty of occupants vacuum = space empty of matter „™«>iP<,s vacuous = empty; void; lacking intelligence; purposeless vacuity = emptiness of mind; lack of ideas vacuole = small cavity in cell cytoplasm • VEH/VECT (CARRY) Latin vehicular = relating to vehicles vehemently = vigorously; energetically vector = a course or direction .„„„__ a r r ordin£ to vectors vectoring = guiding by radio communication according convection = transmission

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• VEN/VENT (COME) Latin invent = produce or contrive by ingenuity prevention = act of impeding; a hindrance conventional = customary circumvent = avoid contravene = act contrary to; to violate Root Work 5 7 Match each word with its definition: 1. vacuity 2. urbanite 3. conventional 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

usage vehemently utilitarian convection urbanologist circumvent vacuole

a. act of using b. vigorously c. concerned with usefulness rather than beauty d. city dweller e. small cavity in cell cytoplasm f. avoid g. specialist in city life h. customary i. emptiness of mind; lack of ideas j . transmission

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 8

• VIA (WAY, ROAD) Latin via = by way of via media = middle way or course viaduct = series of s p a n s that carry a road over another road or a valley viatical = relating to a road or traveling viaticum = traveling provisions • VICT/VINC/VAN9 (CONQUER) Latin victor = one who defeats an adversary victory = defeat of a n enemy; triumph evict = force out; expel invincible = impossible to overcome or defeat vanquish = conquer in battle; subjugate Root Work 5 8 Match each word with its definition: 1. verbose 2

ave

r 3. via media 4. verisimilitude 5. vanquish 7 aVeit 7.viatical 8. verbiage 9. invincible 10. versatile

a. an excess of words b

- t u r n a W a y : P r e V H nr traveling c. relating to a road or traveling d. declare to be true e. ^ P ^ : Tonauer in battle; subjugate ?• S e S S way or course h. tibema ^ of real »• quality «J in defeat J- ^possible to defeat

• VER/VERAC/VERI (TRUE) Latin veritable = real; genuine verity = truthfulness aver = to affirm; declare to be true veracity = accuracy, truthfulness verisimilitude = quality of appearing true or real

ROOT ROUNDUP 5 9

• VERB (WORD) Latin verbatim = corresponding word for word verbal = associated with words proverbial = widely referred to verbiage = a n excess of words; wordiness verbose = wordy; long-winded

• VID/VIS (SEE, LOOK) Latin video = relating to televised images visible = perceptible to the eye supervisor = one who is in charge vista = a distant view or P r 0 S P e c * ance visage = appearance; aspect; countenance

• VERS/VERT (TURN, CHANGE) Latin versatile = adaptable, all-purpose reversion = return to an earlier stage avert = t u r n away; prevent extrovert = person whose psychological energy is directed outward toward other people vertigo = dizziness

• VIR (MAN) Latin o f an adult male virile = having the characteristics « virulent = very harmful; poisonousn o r domlneering virago = woman who is noisy a ^ J * * " * virility = manly characteristic; V**"* a f e m ale virilism - male sexual characteristics in

997 356

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

• VIT (LIFE) Latin vital = characteristic of or relating to life vitalize = endow with life; invigorate curriculum vitae = summary of a person's education and professional life vitamin = organic substance needed for normal growth and body activity vitality = capacity to live and grow • VIV/VIVA (ALIVE, LIVELY, ANIMATED) Latin survive = remain alive vivacious = lively conviviality = sociable; merry vivarium = enclosure where living things are raised for observation and research vivisection = the practice of cutting into or otherwise injuring living animals, especially for the purpose of scientific research • VOC/VOKE (CALL) Latin advocate = recommend; to plead for equivocal = ambiguous; misleading irrevocable = conclusive, irreversible vociferous = loud, vocal, and noisy evoke = to produce a reaction Root Work 5 9 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

virulent conviviality vista advocate vitalize virile vociferous vitality visage vivacious

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

capacity to live and grow appearance; countenance endow with life having the characteristics of an adult male a distant view loud, vocal, and noisy lively very harmful; poisonous plead for sociable; merry

ROOT ROUNDUP 6 0 VOL/VOLI (WISH, CHOICE) Latin voluntary = done of one's own free will volition = act of making a conscious choice benevolent = characterized by doing good

358

300 HIGH-FREQUENCY WORD ROOTS

malevolent = showing ill will; wishing harm to others volitive = relating to the will; expressing a wish • VOLV/VOLU (ROLL, TURN) Latin evolution = changing of a thing into a more complex or better form devolve = p a s s on or transfer to another revolution = a turning around an axis volution = a t u r n or twist around a center volvulus = abnormal twisting of the intestine • VOR/VORAC (DEVOUR, GREEDY) Latin voracious = having an insatiable appetite; ravenous voracity = condition of being eager to consume great amounts of food carnivore = flesh-eating animal herbivore = animal that feeds mainly on plants omnivorous = eating both animals and plants • XEN/XENO (STRANGER, FOREIGNER) Greek xenophobe = person who is afraid of strangers or foreigners xenophile = one who is attracted to foreigners xenobiotic = foreign to living organisms xenocryst = foreign crystal in an igneous rock xenogenesis = production of children that are very different from either parent • ZO/ZOO (ANIMAL) Greek zoology = study of the structure and classification of animals zoolatry = animal worship " S s Z ^ T d ^ S t a f can be — t e d zoophilia = affection for animals

«o human » a p

Root Work 6 0 Match each word with its definition: 1. 2. 3. A 4. 5. 6. 8 8. 9. 10.

volvulus malevolent herbivore i_. J.. xenobiotic revolution zoogenic S P h l l e volitive zoolatry voracious

a. b. c. A d. e * h *• • J-

foreign to " ^ ? f ^ s m S relating to the will animid worship n turning around an axis a^nttng rf^ mtestine aDnu*""" nthers *teUn« h a r m t0 a n T a m a t feeds on plants *™duced b y animals V*£ is a t t r a c t e d to foreigners u

3S9

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW

56-60

Common Suffixes

Match It Match each of the following roots to its meaning: 1. TURB 2. UNI 3. VEH/VECT 4. VEN/VENT 5. VERB 6. VICT/VINC/VANQ 7. VIT/VITA 8. VOC/VOKE 9. VOR/VORAC 10. XEN/XENO

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

life word one conquer devour, greedy carry spinning, confusion, disturbance stranger, foreigner come call

Fill-ins Fill in the blanks with the word that fits the definition: invincible usurp 1 2 3 4, 5. 6. 7. 8 8.

vacuous urbane

virago unfeigned

convection viatical

ultramundane curriculum vitae

extending beyond the world or the universe empty; void impossible to defeat or overcome sophisticated; refined; suave woman who is domineering not made up; genuine; real _ relating to a road or traveling seize by force

Below is a Ust of common suffixes with examples of how they are added to roots: able, ible capable of, subject to, prone to; worthy of, deserving of (impeccable, incorrigible, irrejiitable, mutable, feasible, affable, gullible, laudable, reprehensible, culpable) ac relating to; person affected with (ammoniac, celiac, maniac, cardiac, hypochondriac) age relationship; condition; action or result; place (parentage, bondage, carnage, anchorage) al of, pertaining to; the act of (logical, ephemeral equivocal glacial peripheral, polemical, prodigal, provincial rhetorical satirical, superficial, terrestrial, whimsical denial rehearsal) an, ian belonging to, related to, characteristic ofResembling, one that is (Canadian Freudian, reptilian, civilian, antediluvian, subterranean, authoritarian, partisan, artisan) ance, ence action or process; state of b e i n g ^ j ^ ' ^ ^ ; arrogance, compliance, vigilance, exuberance, impudence, nonchalance, opulence, quiescence,

reticence)

10. transmission

_^+v, w .state of being; one who ant, ent causing or performing ^ f ^ ^ o U indifferent m does or undergoes (document flagrant, f^n°TZdanfs inherent, munificent, strident, virulent, contestant, pedant) ar, arv relating to; connected to (solar, polar. Jocular, arbitrary, exemplary, mercenary, centenary)

True or False If the statement is correct, put (T) True; if it is incorrect, p u t (F) False.

ate act upon; having; ^ ^ ^ ^ l ^ J S ^ S ^ , perpetuate, deprecate, emulate, debilitate, e^^J"™Z innate, articulate) truncate; placate; intimidate, repudiate, ornate, innate

9. s u m m m y ^ ^ ^ - ^ ^ ^ ^

professlonal

^

1. Unanimity is a state of total chaos. 2. A u t i h t a n a n is concerned with a e s t h e t i c ! rather t h a n usefulness. 4-' S S t S one parent ^

S

? r °r ^ * verisimilitude. _ rodu P <*ic-n of children that are very similar to

5. Zoophilia is an abnormal fear 360

cy state of ^ ^ l a * * ^ * * * ^ 1 ™ dependency, complacency) ,«„«„„, * . d o . L ; ^ state o f b e ^ c o n e c a v e office ( * * »

of

animals.

eer, er, or person who does some contender, director, executor, orator)

you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: http://gre-downloadl.blogspot.com

*&

361

COMMON SUFFIXES

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ery a place for; the act of; state of; qualities of [bakery, chicanery, slavery, snobbery)

bribery,

e s c e n t becoming; beginning to be; characterized by (crescent, nascent, evanescent, phosphorescent) ferous producing; carrying (coniferous, vociferous, calciferous, carboniferous)

aquiferous,

itis inflammatory disease (dermatitis, phlebitis, tendonitis, osteoarthritis)

appendicitis,

ity, ty state of; quality (animosity, paucity, reality, uniformity, similarity, enmity, duplicity, depravity, insularity, notoriety, novelty, integrity, virility, tenacity, veracity)

fie making; causing (terrific, horrific, beatific, prolific, soporific, benefic, malefic)

ive tending toward a n action; belonging, quality of (argumentative, introspective, collective, comprehensive, derivative, elusive, exhaustive, furtive, inclusive)

fy make; cause to become (falsify, magnify, exemplify, ratify, rectify, personify, purify, mortify)

let small one; small object worn on the body (eaglet, islet, piglet, ringlet, amulet, rivulet, pamphlet)

ia abnormal condition; relating to (anorexia, toxemia, memorabilia, personalia) ial relating to; characterized by (colloquial, glacial inconsequential, superficial, cordial)

septicemia,

terrestrial,

ic having to do with; one characterized by (cosmic, hedonistic, caustic, aesthetic, altruistic, archaic, ascetic, bombastic, cryptic, dogmatic, eclectic, ironic, soporific, sporadic, lunatic, heretic) ide group of related chemical compounds; binary compound; chemical element with properties that are similar to another (diglyceride, monosaccharide, sodium chloride, potassium bromide, boride) 11, ile pertaining to; capable of being (puerile, ductile, infantile, senile, servile, tensile, versatile) ine having the nature of; relating to; resembling; made of; chemical substance (divine, feline, marine, leonine, saturnine, opaline, crystalline, tourmaline, incarnadine, gasoline) ion, tion, ation state or condition; the result of (criterion, oblivion, limitation, adulation, affirmation, apprehension, aversion, conviction, degradation, disinclination, innovation, sanction, seclusion) ise, ize make; become like (surmise, maximize, scrutinize, hypothesize, cauterize) ism belief; doctrine; devotion to; act of (ethnocentrism, Janatiasm, criticism, witticism)

vaporize,

egotism,

logy, ology expression; theory; science or study of (eulogy, phraseology, ideology, geology) ly like; to the extent of, recurring at specified intervals; in a specified way (miserly; daily, slowly) ment an act; state; means (entertainment, admonishment, abatement, detachment, instrument) oid resembling; relating to (android humanoid, planetoid, asteroid, spheroid, paranoid) or a person or thing that does something; a quality or condition (inspector, progenitor, incisor) °ry relating to; characterized by; a place used for (obligatory, conciliatory, cursory, observatory) ose full of; characterized by; a form of sugar (verbose, lachrymose, jocose, sucrose, dextrose) osis condition; disease (apotheosis, metamorphosis, morphosis, apoptosis, neurosis,

ous

psychosis)

full of, characterized by (assiduous,

«

%

^

Z

£

^

contentious, erroneous, fastidious, Vregawus^en^ vmoc nefarious, pretentious, querulous, raucous, scrupulous) iuA0 vnhcitude, verisimilitude, lassituae, tude state of (magnitude, solitude, soliatuae, Pulchritude, turpitude)

ist one who does something; one who believes or adheres to; an expert (opportunist, cartoonist, ventriloquist, altruist, pacifist, nihilist prohibitionist, hnguist, geologist, psychiatrist, scientist) ! ^ , t e m ? k e ' J?? ^ b I t a n t (ignite, Israelite, Luddite)

or

native of; descendant of; adherent of 363

362

POSTTEST

Posttest It s time to put your new knowledge of words and roots to the test. If you studied carefully and did the exercises diligently, you should see a significant improvement in your score compared to your score on the Pretest. Good luck! In the questions below, choose the answer that is most nearly opposite m meaning to the capitalized word. 1. IMPRECATION »

I \

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

j |

t

i

J [ t ( •

| |

hope downfall blessing complaint prohibition

2. LILLIPUTIAN (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

minuscule monolithic enormous terrestrial amazing

3. TACIT (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

implied explicit tentative swollen tumid

4. DESICCATE (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

i{

364

distill saturate violate dehydrate waste

i

5. MULTIFARIOUS (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

homogeneous sundry miscellaneous various sedulous

In the questions below, choose the answer that gives the pair of words whose relationship is most like the relationship expressed in the pair of capitalized words. 6. SOPORIFIC : SLEEP :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

analgesic : pain c a t a l y s t : change dichotomy : equanimity c o n u n d r u m : puzzle euthanasia : bliss

7. METAPHYSICS : EPISTEMOLOGY :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

biology : botany cartography : pathology philosophy : aesthetics entomology : ornithology demography : meteorology

8. CHAMPION : SUPPORT :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

partisan : disparage libertine : restrain apologist: defend connoisseur : remonstrate iconoclast: criticize

9- EUPHORIC: HAPPY :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

melancholy : sad facetious : jocular perturbed : disturbed callous : insensitive churlish : ebullient

you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: http://gre-download.blogspot.com

968

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

10. CONSCRIPT : CHOICE :: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

14. The statement "Men can r u n faster than women is not true because it is a n overgeneralization; some women can r u n faster than some men. The statement could be made valid by it: "Many m e n c a n r u n faster than many women."

fledgling : experience malingerer : libido denizen : home poseur : disingenuousness ascetic : raiment

Choose the best word or set of words to JUL in the blanks in each of the sentences below. 11. It is not to term the post-World War II developments in computer technology a revolution. (A) doggerel (B) debauchery (C) hyperbole (D) demographic (E) agnostic 12. To the modern sensibility, Baroque art seems to rely too much on , or even bizarre, ornamentation. (A) ephemeral (B) incongruous (C) invidious (D) loquacious (E) puissant 13. The phrase "true fact" may prompt one to can be untrue. (A) gainsay (B) foreswear (C) jibe (D) query (E) juxtapose

see

whether a fact

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

substantiating rescinding sanctioning distilling qualifying

15. Until his death in 2004, John Mack, who was a professor of psychiatry a t Harvard Medical School, had a reputation as investigator who believed that many scientists are reluctant to investigate reports of humans being abducted by aliens because s u c h events are incompatible with the prevailing western materialist a n d worldview. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

a subversive..salacious a laconic.doctrinaire a suppliant..dogmatic a n iconoclastic.anthropocentric an ambiguous..egotistical

IS. Language purists ,*,unce on ~ ^ ^ , T £ — r offrnrpQ arfain<st the natural order however, u i» wi»s •unences against uie " d, - LU ~ . , tiat I s sometimes at that language is a wonderfully tool tnai is =*> its best when it is most — • (A) florid..fettered (B) glib..compliant (C) malleable..unfettered (D) demotic.whimsical (E) plastic.tortuous 17. Some observers contend that the alliance « W £ £ ^ _ * science and technology has create° a - - — t society's true government, creating an elite that is insensitive needs. (A) tautology-obviating (B) technocracy..supplanting (C) theocracy-admonishing (D) juggernaut, .forswearing (E) matriarchy..superseding $87

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

18. The sociologist Stanley Milgram theorized that the rise of mass society h a s made it easier for individuals to ignore responsibility than in more cohesive societies, because the individual is frequently "an intermediate link in a chain of evil," making it possible for a person to rationalize his actions by saying, "I was only carrying out my social responsibilities a s given in the orders of my superiors; it is not for me to decide the ultimate morality of socially actions, even if they appear ." (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

warranted..perfidious venerated..malign subversive..meretricious substantiated..Machiavellian sanctioned..execrable

19. In Singapore, the that communication between speakers of Chinese, Malay, and Tamil is English. (A) hermetic.rubric..impedes (B) polyglot..lingua franca..facilitates (C) multifarious..mnemonic..proscribes 20. Steeped in mysticism and allegory, h a s been a favorite subject of people speculating about the existence of -tia&' tlon concealed behind facade. (A) alchemy..an occult..a m u n d a n e (B) metaphysics..a singular..a sedulous (C) necromancy..a h e r m e t i c . a n avuncular

Read thefoUowing passage follow.

carejully. Then answer the questions

that

"You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart, nor find what a man is thinking; how do you expect to search out God, who made all these things, and find out his mind or comprehend his thoughts?" —Apocrypha, Judith 8:14 Experience has repeatedly confirmed that well-known maxim of Bacon's that "a little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion." In every age the most comprehends; sive thinkers have found in the religion of their time and country something they could accept, interpreting and illustrating that religion so as to give it depth and universal application. Even the heretics and atheists, if they have had profundity, turn out after a while to be forerunners of some U0) new orthodoxy. What they rebel against is a religion alien to their nature; they are atheists only by accident, and relatively to a convention which inwardly offends them, but they yearn mightily in their own souls after the religious acceptance of a world interpreted in their own fashion So it US) appears in the end that their atheism and loud protestation were in fact the hastier part of their thought since^what emboldened them to deny the poor world s fettbi was that they were young wits and worm-eaten o f ^ * ' ™° plume themselves on detecting the v * ^ * * ^ * (20) religion-something which the blindest half see-is not nearly enlightened enough; it points to notorious fac incompatible with religious tenets ^eraUy taken but it leaves unexplored the habits of thought from^which those tenets sprang; their original meaning and theix frue (25) function. Such studies would bring te*&*tetob* with the mystery and pathos of mortal e r t « « ^ ™ g would make him understand w h y r e ^ o n W — moving and in a sense so profoundly just. ™*£!™£^ be something humane and n ^ ^ ^ (30) has become the most general sanction ot vm"• rf occasion for art and philosophy, and the source, pern p the best h u m a n happiness. -Reason in Religion, George Santayana

368

POSTTEST

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

2 1 . The word "profundity" a s it is used in line 9 most nearly means (A) vertigo (B) fidelity (C) depth (D) knowledge (E) faith 22. The word "convention" as it is used in line 12 most nearly means (A) misogynist (B) widely accepted belief (C) gathering of people (D) cosmology (E) decorum 23. The word "plume" as it is used in line 19 most nearly means (A) enrich (B) plumb (C) reward (D) convince oneself (E) congratulate oneself in a self-satisfied way 24. The word "skeptic" a s it is used in line 2 5 most nearly means (A) person who doubts (B) misanthrope (C) person who adopts a liberal view (D) atheist (E) zealot 25. The word "pathos" as it is used in line 26 most nearly means (A) intransigence (B) quality that causes pity or sorrow (C) meaninglessness (D) capriciousness (E) existential purpose

Read the following passage follow.

careJvOy Then answer the questions that

The author refers to articles by several scholars in two collections of papers on Mediterranean anthropology. "Mediterranean honor," according to David Gilmorejs introduction, "is a 'libidinized' social reputation, and it is this eroticized aspect of honor-albeit unconscious _or this eroticized aspect ui i«««« — - v a r iant implicit-that seems to make the Mediterranean vanant distinctive." Again: "Mediterranean...unity is at least p ^ y derived from toe primordial values of honor and ^ * ^ these values are deeply tied up ^ ^ ^ ^ X with masculine and gender relations. * * ^ **%£&. based honor-and-shame moral system deflnesa Med W) ranean World, then ^ ^ ^ Z T ^ X ^ m example of butterfly collecting, but as at mum * ble framework of moral choices b y ^ w h i c h j » g ^ p .cate and gain an identity both with and wtftfn t h e ^ P ^ That same specification is underhned i n ^ i n ^ p e r v a s i v e 15) concluding essay by Stanley Brandes. Meditersexuality W is ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ o ^ o n o r ^ ranean value ^sterns of Mediterranean ^ ^ shame. In this, the codes may be dishngui ^ ^ .. lei moral systems e l s e w h e r e ' ^ J ^ ^ t ^ p o l o g y , John '20) In his 1977 survey of M e d l t e r r a n ^ r m s o f stratification Davis claims, "There are ^ M e d i t e r r a n e a n : bureauwhich have been observed in them ^ tQ ^ d i s . cracy, class, and honor. Each ot tnem ^ for ^ a tribution of wealth, more or less £ t o / t e l e m e n t a r y forms (25) purpose of analysis, ideal types, a ^ ^ ^ m i x ed in which, in substantive p o l i u c s ; ^ f E a c h is associated varying degrees, variously ^0T^tical representationw i S L appropriate mode °f P ^ , c £ ^ again, ideal types, elemenaxy forms ^ ble ,0) bugger* of^actual p o ^ - J ^ s rights: class importance. These arc. u> struggle; patronage." , m s are exemplified very TrSse three stratification ^ " ^ i s fleidwork concenclearly in J o h n G. P e r i s t i a n r s « s a ^ in the o f Mona 05) trated on the Greek ^ " ^ bSeaucracy and power is middle-1950s. Stratificationby bu & government^ clear when the villager has toappr ^ ^ ^ between servant and when "in * f ^ J c l a l m upon the latter s citizen a n d civil servant the only 371

370

POSTTEST ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

(40) philotimo* is that of this own sectional interests, and these call for the assertion of his administrative dignity, for arrogance and the marking of social distance." Stratification by wealth and class is clear "when the r e t u r n e d expatriate who had achieved success in a city environment wished to trade (45) on this success as a m e a n s of achieving immediate recognition in the village...[and] considered...further that his financial success raised h i m above t h e confines of the village hierarchy." But neither of those other stratifications is confused by the villagers with their own hierarchy of (50) honor a n d shame. Peristlany concludes by comparing honor and honesty: T h e punctiliousness of honor m u s t b e referred to the code of an exclusive and agonistic* microsociety: that of honesty to an inclusive, egalitarian macrosociety. Duty, in (55) the first instance, is to those with whom one shares honor. In the second, the un-Greek macrosociety, one's duty is to all fellow citizens or, even further, to all humans...Honor is active. Here insecurity and the daily reevaluation of ones standing breed constant self-assertion and even heroism. (60) The ideals of honesty and equality breed passive conformity and are more congenial to a conception of duty wide in its application, but more accommodating in its expectation. —The Historical Jesus, The Life of a Med^" 1 0 "^ Jewish Peasant, J o h n Dominic Cro»* •hugger-mugger: disorderly confusion *philotimo: a Greek word meaning "love of honor" *agonistlc: combative

26. According to David Gilmore, honor and shame are !£, ^ S ^ o d e s

of honor found o n * * Mediterranean

culture f d original values of Mediterranean culture JD) S f a b l e values in all cultures studied by anthropologists (E) perennial t r u t h s •j. „ a ^ in Une 21 can most accurately be 27. The word stratification as it used in line zi can described a s referring to (A) discrimination based on gender and " * * * £ ^ B individual income as a d e t e r n ^ ^ t of social class (C) archaeological layers p e a l i n g Me to a succession Mediterranean towns through the millennia !EJ r m e r ^ c h i c a l arrangement of individuals in a society into classes or castes « i« used in line 32 most nearly means 28. The word "patronage" as it is used in nn •„t T*»nDle to high positions in society (A) the power to a p p o ^ p e o P ^ e o ^ t P m e r s (B) trade given to a business oy (C) fatherhood (D) patriarchy (E) old age HHonsness" as it is used in line 52 most nearly means 29. The word "punctiliousness * (A) C Tf/nTe^t b p1rKd C uieats to masculine pride (B) P C r S n i t y in obeying authority g S S S S S K i observing rules of behavior (E) irascibility ^ -ronfienial" as it is used in line 61 most nearly means 30. The word coiig (Aj friendly mj suited to (C) chivalrous p ) conciliatory (E) convivial End of Posttest 373

372

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

POSTTEST ANSWERS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C C B B A B D C C A

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

C B D E D C B E B A

21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

C B E A B C E A D B

YOUR POSTTEST SCORE 1-5 6-9 10-14 15-18 19-23 24-27 28-30

CORRECT ANSWERS: VERY POOR CORRECT ANSWERS: POOR CORRECT ANSWERS: BELOW AVERAGE CORRECT ANSWERS: AVERAGE CORRECT ANSWERS: GOOD CORRECT ANSWERS: VERY GOOD CORRECT ANSWERS: EXCELLENT

Answer Key UNIT A N S W E R S UNIT 1 Matching 8. e 9. h l.g 2. c 3.j 4. b 5. f 6. a 7.1 Fill-ins 1. abdicated 2. aberrations 3. abeyance 4. abstemious 5. abate 6. abstinence 7. abject 8. abjured 9. abscission 10. absconded Sense or Nonsense IS 2. S 3. N 4. N 5. S UNIT 2 Matching 5. d 6. J 7.e 8.c 9. g lb 2. f 3. a 4. i Fill-ins 1. affected 2. affinity 3. accretion 4. aesthetic 5. admonished 6. accrued 7. abysmal 8. adamant 9. adulterated 10. adjunct Sense or Nonsense IS 2. N 3. S 4. N 5. N UNIT 3 Matching 7. Id 2. g 3. a 4. j 5. f 6. h Fill-ins 1. allure 2. alacrity 3. alleviate 4. aggrandize 5. 6. ambiguous 7. aggregate 8. alloys 9. allay 10. Sense or Nonsense IN 2. S 3. N 4. N 5. S UNIT 4 Matching 1. c 2. i

3. g

4. a

5. j

H r n S v a l e n t 2. anarchy 3. amulet 6. analogy 7. ameliorate 8. amenable Sense or Nonsense IN 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. S

374

6. e

10. d

10. h

9. e 8. c b . . «**?£? amalgamate

10. i

9. h

10. d

7. f

8. b

^ ^ ^ J ^ ^ H e s 9. anachronism

UNIT 5 Matching 7. h 6. a 5. e 1. g 2. i 3. c 4. b ^m'inS « t w S aoathy 4. anomalous n 1. antecedents 2. antipathy 3.^apatny * 6. antediluvian 7. apothegms 8. anodyne 9. apogee Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. N 4. N 5- o you can find all NEWGRE books in pdf ETS revised GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: http://gre-download.blogspot.com

8.f

9-J

10. d

5. appease t~ 371

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ANSWER KEY

UNIT 6 Matching

UNIT 12

3 j Fill-ins 2 g ' 1. apropos 2 apprised

4 h

SenSorTonsens'e ^ 1-S 2. N 3. S

^ 4. S

5 b

3. arduous 8

6 a

7 d

4. ardor

9 c

10f

5. archeology 9

"^ ^ 5. N

8 i

" aPP0Site

"•

a

PProbatl°n

UNIT 7 Matching FiU-ins

2 e

3 C

'

6 S 2 ? y 2 , ? ^ len^trNonsen^ IN 2. N 3. S UNIT 8 Matching 1- h 2. b FiU-ins

3. j

5

^

-j

6

7 b

"g

3 f

8.f

9.d

10. i

9. d

„ r 10. f

3 ascetic 4. e " 8 aSSidu us

' 4. S

4 »

°

astringent 5. artifact * *• « * * 10. aspersions 5. S

c „ « 6 -a "S

5

Sense or Nonsense IN 2.S 3.S UNIT 9 Matching l.h 2. c Fill-ins

4

s

4.S

?

10

"

. c

8. i

attenua

te

5.N

Ac 5 i

6 e

7.j

6 . S y 72bbeSen3-8l°eaU?Cf4belle beatlflcatlon Sense or Nonsense 9-bacchanalian !N 2. S 3. S 4. N 5. S

8. d

9. g

10. b

10. banter

UNIT 1 1 Matching 1- f 2. h 3. a 4. b =; i c 5 i 6 c Fill-ins 7. g 8.j 9. d 1. burgeoning 2. buttress 3. canard A h„™iT 6. burnish 7. calumny 8 cacn^n. n h ° 5" c a d § e ca Sense or Nonsense «>phonous 9. callous 10. canon 1. S 2. N 3. N 4. S 5. S 376

3.b

4. J

10. f

10- e

6..

6..

7.g

8.0

9.f

UX h

FiU-ins rui-ms 1. caste 2. cant 3. captious 4. capricious 5. cardinal 6. carnal 7. cartography 8. castigated 9. carping 10. cantankerous Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. N UNIT 1 3 Matching 9. d 8 f le 2. h 3. b 4.j 5. a 6.1 FU1 ills " • 1 A r-atalvsts 5. cataclysm 1. championed 2. causal 3. c a t e g o r y 4. cafcdysts ^ 6. centripetal 7. centrifugal 8. celestial 9. caucus Sense or Nonsense 1-S 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. N UNIT 1 4 Matching 7. f 8.1 9. b 6 , 1. e 2. c 3. h 4. a Fill-ins . rlamor 5. circuitous 1. chivalric 2. coagulates 3. clique *• «1 0 c l o l s t ered 6. churlish 7. chicanery 8. chastened 9. clairvoy Sense or Nonsense c l.S 2. S 3. N 4. N 5. & UNJT 1 5 Matching l.b 2. h FUl-ins

3. a

, , 4.j

5 C 5 C

,

Sense or Nonsense l.S 2. S 3. 5

UNIT 1 0 Matching 3 a 4 e 5 Fill-ins ' '8 6.j 7. h 8. b 9. d 1. blase 2. bifurcation 3. beneficent 4A bur o a c h e d 6. blandishments 7 brazen S h - vn s ,h „9 b 5. bovine Sense or Nonsense ° " °mbastic 10. bolstered IN 2.N 3.S 5.N 4.S

JT"!,

6.e

7.1

A d commensurate 5

8. f

4.J

10. g

,„ „ 10. g

5. codification

N

UN 1 1 , 1 6 « Matching 5.d 6. J 7. e 8. q a 4.g Pin ins „ , n t 3 conjugal 4. compunction FUl-ins W W " omitant 2c g g* £ S i i 9- condoned 10. 1. concor— -»*iTiHeo *• 6. confounded Sense or N * - * " ^ 4. S 5. S 2 S 1. N .b

„ . 9. d

10. g

S X l l T ,

3

Flfl-»* „„,,« l.agjjJSS

2 contends 3. conscripted 4. conundrums 5. continence 7. contumacious 8. contiguous 9. consecrated 10. contrite

«*f*2S

3.S

4.N

5.f

6.c

7.a

n Qh 10 f c 9. h 10. f 5. congenial conciliatory

8.1

9. d

10. h

5.S 377

t

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ANSWER KEY

UNIT 1 8 Matching 2 d

FilLins

3 b

4 J

5 a

6

7 h

g

B.e

9c

10.1

1. cosmology 2. conventions 3. convoluted 4. convex 5. convivial i n r o r N o L ^ r 8 6 8 8C°Vert 9C°qUette Cornucopia 1- N 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. N UNIT 1 9 Matching 2 h

illiins 1. dearth IS

3 a

2. craven 2. N

3. S

4

-C

5 1

3. cozens

6 c

7 b

4. daunting

4. S

8.g

9.j

10. f

5. credence

5. S

UNIT 20 Matching illl-ins

2 b

3 J

4 g

5 d

e.^ZT\l^ftfJtde^7

Sense or Nonsense 1-N 2.S 3.N UNIT 2 1 Matching 1 2 f J 3. c Fill-ins

4.S

* 9' 5. S

6 I

7

-a

8.e

9. c

10. h

4defunct 5deUneated deference

10. denigrated

UNIT 2 5 Matching 1. c 2. b 3. f 4. h 5.j 6. a 7. g 8. e 9. d Fill-ins 1. eclectic 2. documented 3. duped 4. doggerel 5. effete 6. dogmatic 7. effervescent 8. dormant 9. dross 10. ebullient Sense or Nonsense IN 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. N UNIT 2 6 Matching l.i 3. d 4. f 5.b 6.h 7. c 8. a 2. e Fill-ins 1. elixirs 2. egoism 3. elicit 4. emaciated 5. egotistical 6. embellish 7. efficacious 8. effrontery 9. Elysian 10. elegy Sense or Nonsense IN 2. N 3. N 4. S 5. S

„ 9. g

10. a

10. i

,n , 10. J

UNIT 2 7 4 h

=1 rf -d

5

a detank 7 ' d t ^ * ? ^ ^ Sense o* Nonsense ^ 8" d e s ^ u d e 1- N 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. S

c -

6

a

7. e

8. i

9. b

10. g

4

" ^ e r r e n t 5. derided 9. diatribe 10. detraction

UNIT 2 2 Matching !• f 2. b 3. d 4. h 5 a « • 6 Fill-ins °- a -J 7. c 8. g 9. i 1. disabuse 2. discrepancy 3 Hire*, /i ,*• 6. discerning 7 diffidence s ^ digressions 5. discredited 8 d Sense or Nonsense - ^ s e 9. discomfited 10. discordant l s 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. S

f m . . 3., 4.J 5.b 6.h 7.f a. 9.1 10. t Fill-ins 1. emulated 2. enhance 3. empirical 4. enervating 5. e n u " c ^ * t 6. endemic 7. engendered 8. encomiums 9. emollient 10. entomologist Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. S

UNIT 28 10. e

UNIT 2 3 Matching 1 1 2. f 3. h 4 h * 5 a 6 FUl-ins -J 7. d 8. c 9. g 10. e 1. disinterested 2. disseminated <* A S, j, 0 ,i n t.e d , 4 6. dismissed 7. discretion s ^ ^ -disparate 5. discrete Sense or Nonsense ^ i n g e n u o u s 9. disparaged 10. dissembled 1 XT ^ „ _ L N 2. S 3. N 4- N 5. N 378

UNIT 2 4 Matching 1. i 2. c 3. j 4. e 5. b 6. g 7. f 8. d 9. h Fill-ins 1. distill 2. dissolution 3. distended 4. dissonance 5. divested 6. dissidents 7. diverged 8. distrait 9. divulge 10. doctrinaire Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S

Matching „ . 9. g g c l.h 2.b 3.d 4.j 5.e 6.f 7.1 8S L esoteric 2. ephemeral 3. equanimity 4. eirant 5. erudiOon 6. epistemology 7. equivocate 8. essayed 9. equable 10. estimaoi Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. N

UNIT 29 If"**.

a.g

6. evocative 7. eulogy Sense or Nonsense 1. S 2. N 3. S

4.,

s.b

e.f

r.d

8.1,

9.,

10. a

ia .

8. etnnoceninsm 4. N

5. J> 379

ANSWER KEY ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

UNIT 3 0 Matching 1. d 2. g 3. b 4.j 5. f 6. a 7. c 8. i 9. e Fill-ins 1. exigency 2. exorcises 3. exacerbating 4. exacting 5. expatriate 6. exhorted 7. expatiate 8. execrable 9. existential 10. exculpated Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. N 5. N UNIT 3 1 Matching 1.1 2. f 3. h 4. d 5. a 6. c 7. j Fill-ins 1. facetious 2. explication 3. extraneous 4. expository 6. extemporaneous 7. extirpate 8. extrinsic 9. expiate Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S

8. b

UNIT 3 3 Matching 1. 1 2. f 3. c 4. e 5. a 6. h 7. b 8. d Fill-ins 1. filibuster 2. fetid 3. fidelity 4. flat 5. flag 6. fledgling 7. flora 8. fettered 9. finesse 10. fissures Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. S UNIT 3 4 Matching 1.1 2. a 3. f 4. d 5.j 6. c 7. h 8. b Fill-ins 1. flourishes 2. foundered 3. formidable 4. forswear 5. flux 6. forestall 7. foment 8. flouts 9. forbearance 10. florid Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S UNIT3S Matching 1. i 2. e 3. a 4. f 5. c 6.j 7. g 8. b Fill-ins 1. futile 2. fusion 3. fracas 4. frugality 5. froward 6. frieze 7. fulsome 8. fractious 9. fulminated 10. fresco Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S

9. b

3. d

4.1

5. h

10. e

UNIT 3 7 Matching l.f 2.j 3. h FiU in8 " „ • 1. grouse 2. gregarious 6. gustatory 7. guises Sense or Nonsense l.N 2. S 3. S UNIT 3 8 Matching

c

rf

fi

d

a

4. a 5. g «>. Q hallowed 4. gullible 3. naltowea « 8. guileless 9. halcyon 4. S

8.

b

9- e

10. a

IU g

7. b

8. e

i a

9- i

c

5. grandiloquent harangue

l0.

5. N in 6

f

7. c

8. h

9. g

H

10- a

10. j

Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. N

4. N

UNIT 3 9 Matching 9. j

- '• B

o. J

6. goaded 7. gossamer 8. gauche 9. gouged Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. N 4. S 5. N

5. extant 10. extrapolating

UNIT 3 2 Matching 1. c 2. g 3. e 4. f 5. a 6.1 7. h 8. d Fill-ins 1. fauna 2. fawning 3. feral 4. factotum 5. felicitous 6. fallacious 7. fervor 8. fatuous 9. facilitate 10. fallow Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. N 5. S

380

9. g

10. h

UNIT 3 6 Matching 1. c 2. f

&• => „ 5 a

6. f

7

-b

6. a

7. e

J

10.

e

10. g 6. immutable 7. igneous 8. iconoci Sense or Nonsense - s l.S 2. S 3. N 4.S t>.o UNIT 4 0 Matching^

9. g

9. h

10. e

10. d

g d 3

h

4

b

5. j

9.c

Fill-ins , , ,„ o implicit 4. implosions 5. J^P 1. implausible 2. implacable * J " * ^ 9. impute 10. imp 6. impermeable 7. impervious 8. impe Sense or Nonsense g s l.S 2. S 3. S 4. JN

10-g

recatlons

10 e UNIT 4 1 . 9. g 8. t Matching . . 5. c 6. b l.f 2. h 3. a *• J 5 indeterminate FiU-ins , .w 3 incursions 4. ^ n " ^ 1 0 . lnd igent 2 1. l. inconsequential inconsequent " ^ , n ^o t . staadvertently 9. incarnate 6. incongruous 7. incnoa inchoate Sense or Nonsense & _, l.S 2. S 3. S 4-« M,

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ANSWER KEY

UNIT 4 2 Matching 1. f 2. c 3. i 4. g 5.j 6. d 7. a 8. e 9. b 10. h Fill-ins 1. insensible 2. insularity 3. insipid 4. ingenuous 5. inert 6. insinuating 7. insouciance 8. inherent 9. ineluctable 10. innocuous Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. N 4. N 5. S

UNIT 4 8 Matching „ , ,„ l.g 2.b 3. a 4.j 5.1 6.d 7. f 8. c 9. h 10. e Fill-ins 1. lucid 2. Machiavellian 3. luminous 4. maligned 5. lucre 6. magnanimity 7. lustrous 8. maelstrom 9. malingering 10. machinations Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. S

UNIT 4 3 Matching 1. b 2. d 3. i 4. e 5. j 6. g 7. f 8. c 9. a 10. h Fill-ins 1. intransigence 2. intimate 3. insuperable 4. interdicting 5. intangible 6. interpolated 7. internecine 8. introspection 9. interregnum 10. intractable Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S UNIT 4 4 Matching 1. d 2. b 3. e 4. a 5. j Fill-ins 1. invective 2. irascible 3. invidious 6. inundated 7. inveterate 8. inured Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. N 5. N

3.e

4..

5. J

6.d

7.,

8. g

9.0

T m « p h y s , c a l 2. ^ o r p h o ^ d 3. mendicant ^ « £ f £ 6. mavericks 7. meretricious 8. mesmerized 9. mendacious Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. N 5. S

.0. f .££%!*

UNIT 5 0 6. f

7. h

8. i

9. g

10. c

9. d

10. i

9. f

10. i

4. itinerant 5. inveigh 9. irresolute 10. inveigle

UNIT 4 5 Matching 1. h 2. e 3. a 4. c 5. j 6. g 7. b 8. f Fill-ins 1. juggernaut 2. junta 3. jocose 4. itinerary 5. labile 6. juxtaposed 7. jaundiced 8. kudos 9. laconic 10. jibe Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S UNIT 4 6 Matching 1. b 2. d 3.j 4. g 5. c 6. e 7. a 8. h Fill-ins 1. levee 2. lambasted 3. lassitude 4. lauded 5. liberal 6. latent 7. lethargic 8. lascivious 9. levity 10. libertine Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. S

lb 2. f 3. d 4. a 5.j 6. g 7. h 8. c Fill-ins 1. libido 2. literati 3. logs 4. loquacious 5. limpid 6. litany 7. litigation 8. limning 9. linguistics 10. Lilliputian Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S

Matching j 10. e 8 b 9.j 1. h 2. c 3. a 4. g 5. f 6. d /• FiU ins " ^ A militates 5. meticulous 1. mettle 2. meteorological 3. misanthrope 4 ^ t e t e s 5 & 6. minatory 7. microcosm 8. mettlesome 9. minuscule Sense or Nonsense 1. S 2. S 3. N 4. S 5. N UNIT 5 1 10 h Matching 8. a 9- d = 6 c 7 j 1. e 2. b 3. f 4. i 5. g Fill-ins ,, . m „ „ m n n i c 5. miscellany 1. misogynist 2. mollify 3. m o n o U t h i c > * £ £ £ » * 0 . mo tley 6. morose 7. mitigate 8. modicum 9. miscreant Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. fa

UNIT 5 2

UNIT 4 7 Matching

382

JJT^l.

VmT

9. i

10. e

,. .

Matching 7. i f 6. b 1. d 2.j 3. c 4. a »-i Fill-ins , A nostrums A 1. negated 2. mundane 3. nonplussed 4. - s t n i 6. neologisms 7. multifarious 8. nostalgia Sense or Nonsense 1. S 2. S 3. N 4. S 5.N 5 3

Matching - . l.g 2. c 3.b 4.f 5-J FUl-iM , Q ^ifortorv 1. obsequious 2. obviated S^otfactory 6. occludes 7. obdurate 8. odyssey Sense or Nonsense s l.N 2.S 3.S 4.N 5.b

6. e

7. h

8. g

9- e

5. nexus ^

^

a A 8. d

9 a »•

10- h ^

10. i

4. officious

5. occult . l 0 obsequies

383

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ANSWER KEY

UNIT 5 4 Matching 2 C

FiU-ins

1. paeans

3 J

2 oligarchy

i £ Z 2 Z ^ 1. N

4 a

2. N

m

5 h

6 f

3. oscillating 4. S

8.g

4. ornithologists

* ^ * ° ™ " * «

3. S

7 b

9

~

9

.d

10.1

5. onerous ™

Onomatopoeia

5. S

UNIT 6 0 Matching le 2. g 3. a 4. c 5.1 6. d 7.j 8. f 9. b 10. h FiU-ins 1. preternatural 2. presage 3. premonition 4. primordial 5. prevaricating 6. pristine 7. problematic 8. prodigal 9. presumptuous 10. probity Sense or N o n s e n s e IN 2. N 3. N 4. S 5. S

UNIT 5 5 Matching 2 j

FiU-ins

3 g

1. pathology

4

5 d

6 a

'•'

2. pellucid

3. pedantic 4. partisan 8paragons 9panegyric

t£ii£2r IN

-b

2. N

3. S

4. S

8.c

9.f

10. e

5. patois

«»

5. S

UNIT 6 1 Matching 7. d 8. f 9. b 1- e 2. c 3. j 4. g 5. i 6. a FiU-ins 1. proscribes 2. proliferating 3. punctilious 4. puissant 5. propriety 6. profound 7. propensity 8. propitiated 9. prohibitive 10. provident Sense or N o n s e n s e IS 2. N 3. S 4. S 5. S

10. h

UNIT 5 6 Matching 2 1

Fiiins

1. perigee IN

3 g

4 d

2. permeable

2. N

3. S

5

3. pervasive 4. S

6 b

J

7.c

4. perennial

8. a

9.

e

10. h

5 perfidious

5. S

UNIT 5 7 Matching 2 b

FilHns

3 f

4 d

5

6 h

J

7.g

3plalntive 4 e ' S u S n t 2 ' ^ -P^ued 0 9 P Se^orionsense ^ * * > " ' ! N 2. S 3. S 4. N 5. S

UNIT 5 8 Matching *• § 2. a FiU-ins

3. f

4d

^ i 5 "'

a 6 -

8.1

9. a

10. e

5. physiognomy ^ ^Phlegmatic

-, ,_ e

7 h

8. b

9. j

10. c

UNIT 6 2 Matching 8. h 9. b l e 2. c 3. g 4. a 5. 1 6. f 7.j FiU-ins 5 1. quagmire 2. purported 3. pungent 4. quailed -
3. 1

4. g

5. a

6. e

7. b

8.j

9. d

10. d

10. g

10. h

F1U

I S

2. N

3. S

4. S

"ins , ^ ^A A renewed 5. refulgent 1. regaled 2. refractory f ^ ^ b f c 4 ' f ^ £ ^ t r a t e d 10. refute 6. recluse 7. recondite 8. redoubtable i». remu S e n s e or N o n s e n s e 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. N

5. S

UNIT 5 9 Matching Fi^-ins

2 C

3 C

i

4 i

5

a

^

6 h

384

4. S

8.f

9.

a

4k s,Biou 5pratae

isssf 7 £s^ n^d r S e n s e or N o n s e n s e ! S 2. S 3. N

7.j

Preempted 5. S

'

9. precipitate

10. prated

10. d

UNIT 6 5 Matching 1. g 2. b 3 1 4 a 5 f 6 C 7 J FiU-ins ^reproached 2. resolved 3 . r e p u d i a * £ £ £ * & 6. reparations 7. reticent 8. repine * v S e n s e or Nonsense 5. N 1. S 2. S 3.S 4. S

9. d

10. h

8 C

£ £ * * * *

3M

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ANSWER KEY

UNIT 66 Matching 1.f 2.h 3.d 4.j 5. g 6. a 7. c 8. b Fill-ins 1. revere 2. riposte 3. rue 4. ruse 5. sage 6. salacious 7. salubrious 8. salutary 9. rubric 10. rococo Sense or Nonsense l.S 2.N 3.S 4.S 5.S

UNIT 72 10. e

9.c

10.e

Matching I.g 2. i 3. b 4. e 5. c 6. i 7. a 8. d 9.h Fill-ins 1. superseded 2. sundry 3. supplicants 4. succor 5. suphe 6. syllogism 7. supposition 8. ,suffrage 9. supplanted 10. supp'iant Sense or Nonsense 1. S 2. N 3. S 4. N 5. S

9.d

10.h

Matching 1. f 2. b 3. i 4.e 5. g 6. a 7. j 8. d 9. Fill-ins 1. tacit 2. tangential 3. sylvan 4. terreswd 5. theocracy 6. talismans 7. tenet 8. taxonomy 9. tenuous 10. tautolo#es %nSe or Nonsense l.N 2.S 3.S 4.S 5.S

9.h

10.g

UNIT 67 Matching 1.d 2.g 3.a 4.f 5.j 6.h 7.b 8.i Fill-ins 1. savored 2. satiate 3. saturnine 4. saturated 5. sanctions 6. sartorial 7. satyr 8. schematic 9. secrete 10. sardonic Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. S 3. S 4. S 5. S

UNIT 73

UNIT 68 Matching 1.c 2.g 3.j 4.e 5.a 6.f Fill-ins 1. servile 2. sedition 3. sedulous 4. seismic 6. sextant 7. sidereal 8. sentient 9. sensual Sense or Nonsense

Matching l.e 2.i 3.c 4.a 5.g 6.f 7.b 8.j 9.h Fill-ins 1. stupefied 2. substantive 3. strutted 4. subsumes 5. stultifying 6. subversive 7. stygian 8. subpoenaed 9. subside 10. substantiate -Sense or Nonsense 1. S 2. N 3. S 4. N 5. S

9. i

UNIT 7 4 7.i

8.b

5. shards 10. sensuous

UNIT 69 Matching 1. i 2.c 3.a 4.e 5.) 6.f 7.b 8.d Fill-ins I. sobriety 2. singular 3. solicitous 4. skeptic 5. similes 6. sinecure 7. sinuous 8. soliloquy 9. sodden 10. simian Sense or Nonsense

UNIT 75

UNIT 70 Matching 1.d 2.h 3.1 4.a 5.f 6.b 7.e 8.c 9.g Fill-ins I. specious 2. spendthrift 3. squalor 4. staccato 5. spectrum 6. sporadic 7. solvent 8. soporific 9. somatic 10. sordid Sense or Nonsense

UNIT 76 10.1

UNIT 71 Matching 1. i 2.h 3.1 4.a 5.d 6.f 7.b 8.g Fill-ins 1. stipulate 2. stolid 3. striated 4. stratified 5. strldent 6. stanch 7. stentorian 8. stint 9. strictures 10. stigma Sense or Nonsense

-

Fill-ins 1. timbre 2. ulespians 3. touts 4. tractable 5-tfmde 6. torpor 7. tortuous 8. torque 9. tome 10. toady Sense or Nonsense 1. N 2. N 3. N 4. N 5.

Matching 1. h 2. d 3. b 4. g 5. e 6. a 7. j 8. 9. Fill-ins I. travails 2. mculence 3. t r a n s i d 4. treause 5. "mu'ous 6. translucent 7. w s g e s s e d 8. "yst 9.travesty lo' trepida'on Sense or Nonsense l.S 2.s 3.s 4.N 5.S

UNIT 77 9.c

10.e

Matching 1.c 2.g 3.i 4.a 5.e 6.b 7ed 8.J Fill-ins 1. unfeigned 2. untenable 3. 5' 8.USufl 4. tur@d 9. tutelary 10. turbid 6. untoward 7. undulating Sense or Nonsense l.S 2.N 3.S 5'S 4 a N

'eh

10.d

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE ANSWER KEY UNIT 7 8 Matching 2 J

FiU-ins

3 h

4 f

5-b

6.d

7

.a

a i

9 g

6:Ser 7 2 v a v re d 3 8 v e v r o u s 4Q-venai *•**&*>* 8

" v a c " o u s 9. variegated 4.S 5.N

S e n s e or N o n s e n s e 1 N 2.S 3.S

1 Q e

1. f 2. i 3.j 4. e 5. c 6. g 7. d 8. a Fill-ins 1. vituperative 2. vindictive 3 . vertigo 4. virtuoso 5. visage 6. verbose 7. viscous 8. viable 9. vitiated 10. vexations S e n s e or N o n s e n s e 1. S 2. S 3. S 4. N 5. S

9. b

10. h

UNIT 8 0 Matching FiU-ins

3 a

4 e

5

J

6.h

7

.f

8

.

c

9. i

ROOT ROUNDUP

ANSWERS 4

-J

5. h

6 b

7 a

ROOT WORK 2 l d

2

-f

3.j

4

.i

5. a

6 h

7 c

ROOT WORK 3 l f

2

g

3.j

4

.c

5. b

6 e

7 h

ROOT WORK 4 1 6

2 f

3.j

4.

a

5. i

6 d

7

ROOT WORK 5 1 1

2 c

3.f

4

.j

5. d

6 h

-b

7 b

ROOT WORK 6 l j

2 d

3.1

4.

a

5. b

6 e

ROOT WORK 7 l g

2 l

3. f

4.

b

5-j

6 h

7

6 3

7 d

ROOT WORK 8 l e

388

2

J

3.f

4

.g

5. b

7. c

-d

5. a

6. c

7. h

8. d

9. e

10. b

ROOT WORK 1 0 lg 2. i 3. e

4. j

5. h

6. b

7. f

8. c

9. a

10. d

ROOT WORK 1 1 lj 2. h 3. e

4. i

5. c

6. b

7. d

8. g

9. a

10. f

ROOT WORK 1 2 le 2. i 3. f

4. d

5. b

6. h

7. c

8.j

9. g

10. a

ROOT WORK 1 3 Id 2. e 3. a

4-g

b

6.1

7. h

8. c

9.j

10. f

ROOT WORK 1 4 l f 2.j 3.g

4. i

5. h

6. b

7. e

8. d

9. c

10. a

ROOT WORK 1 5 lg 2.1 3.j

4. h

f

7. b

8. e

9. c

10. a

ROOT WORK 1 6 Id 2. i 3. g

4-j

5.b

6. e

7. f

8. a

9. h

10. c

ROOT WORK 1 7 1- g 2. d 3. f

4. i

5.j

6. h

7. c

8. b

9. a

10. e

ROOT WORK 1 8 !• f 2. i 3. g

4. h

5-j

6. a

7. c

8. e

9. b

10. d

5. a

6. b

7. h

8. e

9. c

10. g

.e

6.a

7. d

8. f

9. c

10. b

7. f

8. b

9. c

10. j

7. i

8. e

9.J

10. h

7.j

8. e

9. h

10. f

7. a

8. c

9.e

10. h

5

d

6.

10. d

1. zealot 2. wary 3 . welter 4. warranted * 6. volatile 7. vivisection* c , warranted 5. vogue 8 Whlmsica S e n s e or N o n s e n s e " * 9. wistful 10. vortex *-S 2.S 3.S 4.S 5.S

ROOT WORK 1 1- e 2. d 3. i

4. f

10. vacillating

UNIT 7 9 Matching

2 g

ROOT WORK 9 lg 2.j 3.1

8.c

9.g

10. f

ROOT WORK 1 9 If 2. d 3. i

4-j

8.g

9. e

10. b

ROOT WORK 2 0 !j 2. g 3. h

4. i

8. i

9.

d

ROOT WORK 2 1 1- h 2. e 3. a

4.g

5. d

6. i

8.h

9.c

10. g

ROOT WORK 2 2 1- c 2. d 3. a

4-g

5. f

6. b

8.e

9.

a

10. g

ROOT WORK 2 3 1- g 2. d 3. i

4. c

5. b

6. a

8. h

9. f

io. g

ROOT WORK 2 4 1. i 2. f 3. d

4-g

5-J

6.b

4. a

5-j

7. e

10. c

10. a

6. b

9. d

9.e

ROOT WORK 2 5 1. f 2. i 3. h

8. g

8.c

5.g

7. a

10. i

4. b

6. J

9- e

10. c

ROOT WORK 2 6 1. c 2. h 3. d

8. f

.h

8.i

9

a

10.

5

368

ANSWER KEY

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ROOT WORK 27 1. f 2. e 3. h

4. d

5. g

6. a

7. i

8. j

9. c

10. b

ROOT WORK 4 4 l.f 2. a 3.j

4. h

5. e

6. c

7. g

ROOT WORK 28 1. d 2.j 3. e

4. g

5. b

6. 1

7. a

8. f

9. h

10. c

ROOT WORK 4 5 l.g 2.h 3.f

4.d

* » . « , . 5.b 6.c

ROOT WORK 29 1. g 2.j 3. a

4. i

5. c

6. d

7. f

8. h

9. b

10. e

ROOT WORK 4 6 1.1 2.j 3. f

4. a

5.h

6. g

ROOT WORK 30 1. i 2. f 3. e

4. a

5. g

6.j

7. b

8. h

9. c

10. d

ROOT WORK 4 7 l.d 2.h 3.1

7

5.c

6. a

„ 7. e

8

4.b

ROOT WORK 31 1. h 2. e 3. a

4. g

5. b

6.j

7. f

8. c

9.1

10. d

ROOT WORK 4 8 l.e 2.g 3.f

4.j

= r_ 5.h

6.1

-_ 7. a

ROOT WORK 32 l.j 2. d 3. e

4. g

5. f

6. i

7. h

8. c

9. b

10. a

ROOT WORK 4 9 l.e 2.1 3.j

4. c

5. b

6.1

ROOT WORK 33 l.g 2. h 3.j

4. e

5. d

6. b

7. f

8. c

9. a

10. i

ROOT WORK 5 0 l.i 2.c 3.j

4.f

5.h

„ , 6.b

ROOT WORK 34 1. g 2. i 3. f

4. e

5. a

6.j

7. d

8. c

9. b

10. h

ROOT WORK 5 1 l.j 2.c 3.f

4.h

,. 5.e

_ . 6. b

ROOT WORK 35 l.g 2.j 3.1

4. f

5. h

6. a

7. e

8. d

9. b

10. c

ROOT WORK 5 2 1. d 2. c 3. h

_ 5-j

* ,

6.1

v

4. b

ROOT WORK 36 l.j 2.1 3. f

4. h

5. g

6. d

7. e

8. b

9. a

10. c

ROOT WORK 5 3 1. e 2. g 3. f

4. h

5.1

6. c

7. J

ROOT WORK 37 1. h 2. g 3.1

4. f

5.j

6. c

7. d

8. b

9. e

10. a

ROOT WORK 54 l.d 2. j 3. h

4. g

5.f

6.1

ROOT WORK 38 1. d 2.j 3. h

4. g

5.1

6. a

7. c

8. e

9. f

10. b

ROOT WORK 5 5 l.f 2. e 3. g

4.j

5. d

ROOT WORK 39 l.j 2.1 3. g

4. h

5. e

6. f

7. d

8. b

9. c

10. a

ROOT WORK 5 6 l.d 2. j 3. g

4. h

ROOT WORK 4 0 1.1 2. a 3. h

4. e

5. b

6- j

7. d

8. c

9. f

10. g

ROOT WORK 57 1.1 2. d 3. h

ROOT WORK 41 1. f 2. d 3. g

4. b

5. c

6.1

7. j

8. a

9. h

10. e

ROOT WORK 5 8 l.f 2. d 3. h

ROOT WORK 42 1. e 2. f 3. g

4. h

5.j

6. c

7. d

8. b

9. a

10. i

ROOT WORK 5 9 1. h 2.j 3. e

ROOT WORK 4 3 1. d 2. e 3. h

4.j

5b

10. g

ROOT WORK 6 0 l.e 2. f 3. h

61

7. a

8. c

9. f

8 1

9. b

10. d

7 a 7. a

8.1 »•

9. j J

10. e

7

8. b

9. c

10. e

f 8.1

9. g 8

10. j

8. c

9. b

10. d

8. h

9. d

10. g

8.

g s

9. d

10. a

8. a

9. g

10.1

9. e

10. f

8.d

9.b

10. a

7.b

8. c

9. e

10. a

6. a

7.1

8. b

9. h

10. c

6.1

7. e

8.f

9. a

10. b

5. c 5. b

6. c

•7 t

7-j

8 .
9. If 9.

10. i u . ee

6.b

7. c

8. a

9-j

10. e

5.g

6.d

7.f

8. a

9.b

10. g

5. c

7-j

8.b

10. g

6.1

9. c

5.d

e

f

4. a 4.1 4.1 4. a

d

/.a

7 a

7 7.e 7

d

/.a /. a

fl

8.

'-" B

fi

391

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

ANSWER KEY

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW ANSWERS ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 1 - 5 Match It 1. f 2. a 3. i 4. g 5. j 6. d 7. e 8. b 9. h Fill-ins 1. pedagogue 2. perambulate 3. antlquate 4. aliment 5. inanimate 6. anarchy 7. unapt 8. annuity 9. agrarian 10. acumen True or False 1. F 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. F ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 6 - 1 0 Match It l.h 2. c 3.1 4. g 5.j 6. a 7. b 8. e 9. d Fill-ins 1. symbiotic 2. auger 3. subaqueous 4. archaic 5. incessant 6. centrifugal 7. benediction 8. catapult 9. centripetal 10. captious True or False 1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. F ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 1 1 - 1 5 Match It 1. g 2. i 3. b 4. f 5. d 6. a 7. c 8.j 9. e Fill-ins 1. civil 2. cosmopolitan 3. coherent 4. cite 5. criterion 6. corpulent 7. mlscreate 8. deprecate 9. synclinal 10. cyclothymia True or False 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. F ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 1 6 - 2 0 Match It 1. g 2.j 3. h 4. a 5. i 6. c 7. b 8. d 9. f Fill-ins 1. pandemic 2. duple 3. obdurate 4. donatio mortis causa 5. inequity 6. dichotomy 7. epigeal 8. ductile 9. dermatitis 10. malediction True or False 1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 2 1 - 2 5 Match It 1.1 2. f 3. g 4. a 5.j 6 - d 7. h 8. b 9. e Fill-ins 1. gravltas 2. perfidious 3. fractious 4. genre 5. perfunctory 6. euphony 7. egress 8. fin de siecle 9. extraneous 10. soporific True or False 1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F

10. c

ROOT ROUNDUP REVD5W 3 1 - 3 5 Match It l.g 2. d 3.h 4. a 5.j 6.b 7.1 8. c 9. f 10. e Fill-ins 1. missive 2. nascent 3. diminution 4. malfeasance 5. misogynist 6. matrilineal 7. morphology 8. mandamus 9. metanoia 10. macrocosm True or False 1. F 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T

10. f

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 3 6 - 4 0 Match It ,n u l.f 2.a 3.e 4.j 5. g 6. b 7.1 8. d 9. c 10. h Fill-ins _ . w 1. orthopraxy 2. ignominious 3. paramount 4. osteoma f-"™*™ 6. navarch 7. noctivagant 8. oUgophagous 9. apartheid 10. pernicious True or False 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F ROOT ROUNDUP REVDXW 4 1 - 4 5 Match lt

10. h

10. e

10. c

ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 2 6 - 3 0 Match It li 2. f 3.j 4. c 5. g 6. d 7. b 8. e 9. a 10. h Fill-ins 1. lexical 2. hemoptysis 3. lector 4. hyperbole 5. literati 6. internecine 7. jurisprudence 8. misogynist 9. impecunious 10. homtaoid True or False 1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. F

~ -r K Hi 9 f 10. d l.c 2.g 3. a 4.1 5.h 6. e 7. b 8. J 9. » p r e h e n s i l e 2. depict 3. agoraphobia 4. pedagogue 5^ P ^ g e n * 6. percutaneous 7. postdiluvian 8. placate 9. cacophony 10. portage True or False 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. T ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 4 6 - 5 0 Match It „ 8 f 9. h ' 10. d 7 i l.i 2.e 3.g 4.b 5.c 6. a 7.j »• Fm ins „ ^ _ t A recant 5. somniloquence 1. ridibund 2. sophistry 3. retrospect 4. secart o mus 6. pseudodox 7. recant 8. rogation 9- puncuuu True or False 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 5 1 - 5 5 Match It 8. e 9. c 10. i 6 b 7. d l.j 2. f 3. g 4. a 5. h b. o Fill-ins . .„ A status quo 5. tenacious l.theogamy 2. contention 3. thermodurlc 4. sn ?0. t o p o n y m Asynchronous 7. torque 8. supernal 9. strictur True or False _ 1. T 2. F 3. F 4. F 5. l ROOT ROUNDUP REVIEW 5 6 - 6 0 Match It ^ 4 i 5 b

6. d

^ L n u n l e 3 , vacuous 3- « - * 6. unfeigned 7. vtatical 8. usurp 9-curn True or False ^ - p 1. F 2. F 3.T 4. F »•r

7. a J

^

8.j «

9- e 2

-

l* «

3M

INDEX

Index A adaptive, 26 affixes, 91 aficionados, 59 Age of Enlightenment, 50 ahimsa, 76 alchemy, 32 ambrosia, 36 anomie, 251 anthropic principle, 126 Aristotelian, 104 Augustans, 41 B Bacchus, 53 behavioral psychology, 246 Behaviorists, 174 Big Bang, 76 Bionics, 110 blog, 103 bourgeois, 62 bourgeoisie, 33 C capitalism, 28 Carbon-14 dating, 45 castes, 64 catastrophism, 53 chivalry, 69 civil law, 72 classicism, 41 clockwork universe, 34 Cold War, 245 common law, 72 Confucian, 37 conscription, 78 continental drift, 204 Cost-benefit analysis, 6 3 Crusades, 69 cubist, 7 3

394

D de facto, 25 Deism, 50 design, 254 determinists, 124 dialectic, 114 Dionysos, 38 dogma, 103 Doppler effect, 67 dualism, 212 dualist, 92 E Elysian fields, 107 Epidemiologists, 115 ethical relativism, 79 Existentialism, 121 expressionism, 95 F First Amendment, 169 fission, 135 free market, 28 French Revolution, 66 Freudians, 111 functionalism, 163 Fundamentalists, 183 fusion, 135 G Gandhi, Mahatma, 76 genetic engineering, 79 geophysicist, 29 Gothic, 30 Great Depression, 60 greenhouse effect, 120 guerrilla war, 82 Gulag, 100 guru, 51

you can find all NEWGRE books in http://g

H halcyon, 140 herbivorous, 26 heuristic, 110 Hippocrates, 251 hominids, 76 hypothesized, 26

icons, 146 Idealism, 218 Idealist, 219 igneous, 29 Impressionist, 113 J jihad, 47 Kant, Immanuel, 219 laissez-faire, 114 Leda, 140 libertarian, 66 lingua franca, 91 lobby, 3 3 M Machiavelli, 171 Mahayana Buddhist, 34 Marxist, 47 monism, 212 monopolistic, 29 monotheism, 207 mystical, 104 N Napoleonic Code, 72 nectar, 36 neuroses, 111 Nietzsche, Friedrich, 79 nihilist, 232 nirvana, 63 sed GRE, Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton here: blogspot.com

one-dimensional, 118 Ottoman Empire, 42 Panathenaic, 134 Parthenon, 134 Philistines, 169 planned economy, 28 plate tectonics, 204 Platonic, 94, 104 Platonism, 98 Pluralists, 144 polytheism, 207 Pope, Alexander, 152 pretest, 11-21 Primatology, 190 protagonist, 41 Protestant work ethic, 37 psychosomatic disorder, 158 Pythagorean, 104

9 quantum theory, 83 R reductionistic, 149 Reformation, 40 Renaissance, 83 repression, 111 Rococo, 60, 224 Romance languages, 91 Romantic movement, 66 Rosetta Stone, 143 Rousseau, Henri, 82 S sacred cow, 222 secularism, 246 Secularization, 246 semantics, 114 shaman, 121 Social Darwinism, 37 Socratic method, 107

ESSENTIAL WORDS FOR THE GRE

Sophists, 131 status quo, 154 Stoic, 50, 104 suffixes, 361-363 supernova, 171 Swift, J o n a t h a n , 152

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tabula rasa, 146 theory of evolution, 51 theory of relativity, 110 trompe l'oeil, 73 tutelary spirits, 254 U uncertainty principle, 88 uniformitarianism, 5 3 utilitarian, 63

W War of 1812, 78 Warren Court, 180 Webster, Daniel, 78 welfare state, 41 Whitman, Walt, 152 word list, 22-24 Word roots, 273-360 Y yoga, 51 yogis, 51 Z Zeus, 140

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