IMPROVING
VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© 2010 Townsend Press
Unit Three: Chapter 16
• charisma
• poignant
• contemporary
• prevalent
• contend
• proponent
• conversely
• quest
• extrovert
• traumatic
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 charisma
– noun
• Kamal has such charisma that when he ran for class president,
almost every person in the tenth grade voted for him. His
classmates couldn’t resist Kamal’s magnetic personality.
• Great Britain’s Princess Diana obviously had great charisma.
She continues to have numerous loyal fans—long after her death.
Charisma means
A. feelings.
B. personal appeal.
C. luck.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 charisma
– noun
• Kamal has such charisma that when he ran for class president,
almost every person in the tenth grade voted for him. His
classmates couldn’t resist Kamal’s magnetic personality.
• Great Britain’s Princess Diana obviously had great charisma.
She continues to have numerous loyal fans—long after her death.
Charisma means
A. feelings.
B. personal appeal.
C. luck.
In the first item, the words magnetic personality tell you that
charisma means “personal appeal.” In the second item, if Princess
Diana continues to have numerous loyal fans, she must have had
great personal appeal.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 contemporary
– adjective
• Beth likes contemporary furniture, but her husband prefers
antiques.
• My grandfather says that compared to kids in his day,
contemporary youngsters are soft and lazy.
Contemporary means
A. common.
B. old-fashioned.
C. today’s.
A contemporary armchair
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 contemporary
– adjective
• Beth likes contemporary furniture, but her husband prefers
antiques.
• My grandfather says that compared to kids in his day,
contemporary youngsters are soft and lazy.
Contemporary means
A. common.
B. old-fashioned.
C. today’s.
A contemporary armchair
In contrast with her husband’s
preference for antiques, Beth likes
today’s furniture. In the second item,
the words in his day is a clue that
contemporary means “today’s.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 contend
– verb
• The defense attorney contended that his client was insane and
therefore could not be held responsible for the murder.
• Scientists contend that no two snowflakes are identical, but how
could they possibly prove it?
Contend means
A. to wish.
B. to deny.
C. to declare.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 contend
– verb
• The defense attorney contended that his client was insane and
therefore could not be held responsible for the murder.
• Scientists contend that no two snowflakes are identical, but how
could they possibly prove it?
Contend means
A. to wish.
B. to deny.
C. to declare.
A defense attorney would declare his client could not be held
responsible. Scientists declare this unprovable “fact” about snowflakes.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 conversely
– adverb
• Ron, who is basically bored by food, eats in order to live.
Conversely, Nate loves food so much that he seems to live in
order to eat.
• Mary drives her children to school whenever it rains. Conversely,
Thea makes her kids walk because she thinks a little rain never
hurt anyone.
Conversely means
A. in contrast.
B. in a modern way.
C. similarly.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 conversely
– adverb
• Ron, who is basically bored by food, eats in order to live.
Conversely, Nate loves food so much that he seems to live in
order to eat.
• Mary drives her children to school whenever it rains. Conversely,
Thea makes her kids walk because she thinks a little rain never
hurt anyone.
Conversely means
A. in contrast.
B. in a modern way.
C. similarly.
Nate’s love of food is in contrast to Ron’s being bored with food.
Thea’s making her kids walk in the rain is in contrast to Mary’s
driving her kids when it rains.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 extrovert
– noun
• Surprisingly, not all performers are extroverts. Offstage, many
are quiet and shy.
• Ms. Stein hired Roberto to greet and chat with her clients
because he’s such an extrovert.
Extrovert means
A. a supporter of causes.
B. a timid person.
C. a sociable person.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 extrovert
– noun
• Surprisingly, not all performers are extroverts. Offstage, many
are quiet and shy.
• Ms. Stein hired Roberto to greet and chat with her clients
because he’s such an extrovert.
Extrovert means
A. a supporter of causes.
B. a timid person.
C. a sociable person.
In the first item, the words quiet and shy contrast with the meaning of
extrovert—“a sociable person.” Ms. Stein would want a sociable person
to greet and chat with her clients.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 poignant
– adjective
• The service honoring American soldiers missing in action was
touching. A speech by a friend of one of the soldiers was
particularly poignant.
• I cried when I read a poignant story about a dying girl who gave
away all of her dolls to “poor children.”
Poignant means
A. affecting the emotions.
B. correct.
C. lively.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 poignant
– adjective
• The service honoring American soldiers missing in action was
touching. A speech by a friend of one of the soldiers was
particularly poignant.
• I cried when I read a poignant story about a dying girl who gave
away all of her dolls to “poor children.”
Poignant means
A. affecting the emotions.
B. correct.
C. lively.
In the first item, the word touching is a clue that poignant means
“affecting the emotions.” In the second item, the word cried is a
clue that poignant means “affecting the emotions.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 prevalent
– adjective
• Television sets are more prevalent in the United States than
bathtubs. Over half of American homes have three or more TVs.
Far fewer homes have more than one bathtub.
• Unemployment was prevalent during America’s Great
Depression. By 1932, over twelve million people were out of
work.
Prevalent means
A. favorable.
B. found frequently.
C. unlikely.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 prevalent
– adjective
• Television sets are more prevalent in the United States than
bathtubs. Over half of American homes have three or more TVs.
Far fewer homes have more than one bathtub.
• Unemployment was prevalent during America’s Great
Depression. By 1932, over twelve million people were out of
work.
Prevalent means
A. favorable.
B. found frequently.
C. unlikely.
The statistics given in the first item demonstrate that television sets are
more frequently found in U.S. homes than are bathtubs. If over twelve
million people were out of work, unemployment was widespread (found
frequently) in 1932.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 proponent
– noun
• I voted for Senator Williams, a proponent of improved services
for the elderly, because I feel that many older people need greater
assistance.
• Although Elaine quit work to take care of her children, she is a
proponent of employer-supported day care.
Proponent means
A. a recipient.
B. an opponent.
C. a supporter.
Proponents of women’s
right to vote (early 1900s)
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 proponent
– noun
• I voted for Senator Williams, a proponent of improved services
for the elderly, because I feel that many older people need greater
assistance.
• Although Elaine quit work to take care of her children, she is a
proponent of employer-supported day care.
Proponent means
A. a recipient.
B. an opponent.
C. a supporter.
Proponents of women’s
right to vote (early 1900s)
Someone who feels older people need
assistance would vote for a supporter of
improved services for the elderly. In spite of
the fact that Elaine quit to care for her
children, she is a supporter of employersupported day care.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 quest
– noun
• During Carlo’s quest for the perfect pizza, he sampled the cheese
pizza at twenty-seven different restaurants.
• Ponce de Leon’s quest was for the Fountain of Youth; what he
found instead was Florida.
Quest means
A. a hunt.
B. a question.
C. a design.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 quest
– noun
• During Carlo’s quest for the perfect pizza, he sampled the cheese
pizza at twenty-seven different restaurants.
• Ponce de Leon’s quest was for the Fountain of Youth; what he
found instead was Florida.
Quest means
A. a hunt.
B. a question.
C. a design.
If Carlo tried pizza at twenty-seven restaurants, he must have been
on a hunt for the perfect pizza. In the second item, the word found
is a clue that quest means “a hunt.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 traumatic
– adjective
• Divorce can be less traumatic for children if their fears and
feelings are taken into account as the divorce takes place.
• My cousin has had nightmares ever since his traumatic
experience of being trapped in a coal mine.
Traumatic means
A. familiar.
B. reasonable.
C. extremely upsetting.
The traumatic results
of a California wildfire
Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 traumatic
– adjective
• Divorce can be less traumatic for children if their fears and
feelings are taken into account as the divorce takes place.
• My cousin has had nightmares ever since his traumatic
experience of being trapped in a coal mine.
Traumatic means
A. familiar.
B. reasonable.
C. extremely upsetting.
The traumatic results
of a California wildfire
Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA
A divorce can be an extremely
upsetting event in the life of a child.
Being trapped in a coal mine would be
an extremely upsetting experience—
upsetting enough to cause nightmares.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
1. I study best in the morning. __________, my sister
concentrates better at night.
2. Nancy is a(n) _______ by nature, but since she’s become
depressed, she has avoided other people.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
1. I study best in the morning. __________,
Conversely my sister
concentrates better at night.
The time of day the one person studies best is in contrast to the
time of day the other person concentrates best.
2. Nancy is an _________
extrovert by nature, but since she’s become
depressed, she has avoided other people.
Nancy’s current avoidance of other people is contrasted with her
outgoing, sociable nature.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
3. At the airport, I was very moved by the __________
reunion of family members who had been separated for
years.
4. Underage drinking was so _________ in the fraternity house
that college officials ordered the house closed for a year.
5. “This woman ________s that she was here before you,” said
the supermarket checkout clerk. “Is it her turn now?”
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
3. At the airport, I was very moved by the __________
poignant
reunion of family members who had been separated for
years.
The word moved tells you that poignant means “touching.”
4. Underage drinking was so _________
prevalent in the fraternity house
that college officials ordered the house closed for a year.
If the fraternity house was closed for a year, the underage drinking
must have been widespread.
5. “This woman _________
contends that she was here before you,” said
the supermarket checkout clerk. “Is it her turn now?”
The woman claims that she was there first.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
6. Felipe is a(n) _______ of exercising for good health. He
even encourages his young children to swim or cycle
every day.
7. Certain movie stars may not be great actors, but they
have a(n) _______ that makes people want to see their
films.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
6. Felipe is a _________
proponent of exercising for good health. He
even encourages his young children to swim or cycle
every day.
Felipe’s actions show he is someone who supports exercising.
7. Certain movie stars may not be great actors, but they
have a _________
charisma that makes people want to see their
films.
If the stars make people want to see their films, they must have
a personal magnetism.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
8. Repeating third grade was __________ for my brother. It still
pains him to think about it, even though he’s a successful
businessman now.
9. Abby didn’t like the apartment with the old-fashioned bathtub and radiators. She preferred a more ___________ place.
10. During the past three hundred years, several people have
gone on a __________ for Noah’s ark. Some have looked
for it in northeastern Turkey, on Mount Ararat, sixteen
thousand feet above sea level.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charisma
B. contemporary C. contend
D. conversely
E. extrovert
F. poignant
G. prevalent
I. quest
J. traumatic
H. proponent
8. Repeating third grade was __________
traumatic for my brother. It still
pains him to think about it, even though he’s a successful
businessman now.
If it still pains him years later, it must have been extremely upsetting.
9. Abby didn’t like the apartment with the old-fashioned bathtub and radiators. She preferred a more ___________
contemporary place.
Old-fashioned is a clue that Abby preferred a more modern place.
10. During the past three hundred years, several people have
gone on a __________
for Noah’s ark. Some have looked
quest
for it in northeastern Turkey, on Mount Ararat, sixteen
thousand feet above sea level.
People would go on a search for Noah’s ark. The word looked is a clue.