ADVANCING
VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© 2010 Townsend Press
Unit One: Chapter 1
• detriment
• optimum
• dexterous
• ostentatious
• discretion
• scrupulous
• facetious
• sensory
• gregarious
• vicarious
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 detriment
– noun
• Loni’s purple hair may be a detriment when she goes for a job
interview.
• Smoking is a detriment to your health. It’s estimated that each
cigarette you smoke will shorten your life by one and a half
minutes.
Detriment means
A. an aid.
B. a discovery.
C. a disadvantage.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 detriment
– noun
• Loni’s purple hair may be a detriment when she goes for a job
interview.
• Smoking is a detriment to your health. It’s estimated that each
cigarette you smoke will shorten your life by one and a half
minutes.
Detriment means
A. an aid.
B. a discovery.
C. a disadvantage.
Unless the interviewer likes purple hair, Loni’s purple hair could be a
disadvantage in a job interview. If each cigarette shortens your life,
smoking is a disadvantage to one’s health.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 dexterous
– adjective
• The juggler was so dexterous that he managed to keep five balls
in motion at once.
• Although he has arthritis in his hands, Phil is very dexterous. For
example, he builds detailed model airplanes.
Dexterous means
A. skilled.
B. educated.
C. awkward.
Two dexterous jugglers
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 dexterous
– adjective
• The juggler was so dexterous that he managed to keep five balls
in motion at once.
• Although he has arthritis in his hands, Phil is very dexterous. For
example, he builds detailed model airplanes.
Dexterous means
A. skilled.
B. educated.
C. awkward.
Two dexterous jugglers
A juggler who can keep five balls in
motion at once must be skilled.
Someone who builds detailed
model airplanes would have to be
skilled with his hands.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 discretion
– noun
• Ali wasn’t using much discretion when he passed a police car at
eighty miles an hour.
• Small children haven’t yet developed discretion. They ask
embarrassing questions like “When will you be dead, Grandpa?”
Discretion means
A. skill.
B. good sense.
C. courage.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 discretion
– noun
• Ali wasn’t using much discretion when he passed a police car at
eighty miles an hour.
• Small children haven’t yet developed discretion. They ask
embarrassing questions like “When will you be dead, Grandpa?”
Discretion means
A. skill.
B. good sense.
C. courage.
Passing a police car at eighty miles an hour is not using good sense.
Asking Grandpa when he will be dead suggests that small children
have not yet developed good sense.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 facetious
– adjective
• Dr. Segura has a facetious sign on his office door: “I’d like to help
you out. Which way did you come in?”
• My boss always says, “You don’t have to be crazy to work here,
but it helps.” I hope she’s just being facetious.
Facetious means
A. serious.
B. dishonest.
C. funny.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 facetious
– adjective
• Dr. Segura has a facetious sign on his office door: “I’d like to help
you out. Which way did you come in?”
• My boss always says, “You don’t have to be crazy to work here,
but it helps.” I hope she’s just being facetious.
Facetious means
A. serious.
B. dishonest.
C. funny.
Dr. Segura’s sign and the boss’s statement both are playfully funny.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 gregarious
– adjective
• Melissa is so gregarious that she wants to be with other people
even when she’s studying.
• My gregarious brother loves parties, but my shy sister prefers to
be alone.
Gregarious means
A. attractive.
B. outgoing.
C. humorous.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 gregarious
– adjective
• Melissa is so gregarious that she wants to be with other people
even when she’s studying.
• My gregarious brother loves parties, but my shy sister prefers to
be alone.
Gregarious means
A. attractive.
B. outgoing.
C. humorous.
Since Melissa wants to be with other people even when she is
studying, she must be outgoing. In the second item, the antonym
clue shy tells you that gregarious means “outgoing.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 optimum
– adjective
• The road was so icy that the optimum driving speed was only
about ten miles an hour.
• For the weary traveler, optimum hotel accommodations include
a quiet room, a comfortable bed, and efficient room service.
Optimum means
A. ideal.
B. hopeful.
C. questionable.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 optimum
– adjective
• The road was so icy that the optimum driving speed was only
about ten miles an hour.
• For the weary traveler, optimum hotel accommodations include
a quiet room, a comfortable bed, and efficient room service.
Optimum means
A. ideal.
B. hopeful.
C. questionable.
Since the road was very icy, ten miles an hour was the ideal driving
speed. A quiet room, a comfortable bed, and efficient room service
would be ideal hotel accommodations for a weary traveler.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 ostentatious
– adjective
• My show-off aunt has some ostentatious jewelry, such as a gold
bracelet that’s so heavy she can hardly lift her arm.
• The lobby of that hotel is ostentatious, with fancy furniture,
thick rugs, and tall flower arrangements. The guest rooms
upstairs, however, are extremely plain.
Ostentatious means
A. humble.
B. showy.
C. clean.
An ostentatious wristwatch
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 ostentatious
– adjective
• My show-off aunt has some ostentatious jewelry, such as a gold
bracelet that’s so heavy she can hardly lift her arm.
• The lobby of that hotel is ostentatious, with fancy furniture,
thick rugs, and tall flower arrangements. The guest rooms
upstairs, however, are extremely plain.
Ostentatious means
A. humble.
B. showy.
C. clean.
An ostentatious wristwatch
A show-off would wear jewelry that
is showy. In the second item, the
antonym clue extremely plain
suggest that ostentatious means
“showy.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 scrupulous
– adjective
• The judge was scrupulous about never accepting a bribe or
allowing a personal threat to influence his decisions.
• The senator promised to run a scrupulous campaign, but her ads
were filled with lies about her opponent’s personal life.
Scrupulous means
A. ethical.
B. economical.
C. unjust.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 scrupulous
– adjective
• The judge was scrupulous about never accepting a bribe or
allowing a personal threat to influence his decisions.
• The senator promised to run a scrupulous campaign, but her ads
were filled with lies about her opponent’s personal life.
Scrupulous means
A. ethical.
B. economical.
C. unjust.
A judge who never accepts a bribe and isn’t influenced by personal
threats must be an ethical judge. In the second item, the senator’s
lies about her opponent indicate she did not run an ethical campaign.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 sensory
– adjective
• Because our sensory experiences are interrelated, what we taste
is greatly influenced by what we smell.
• A person in a flotation tank has almost no sensory stimulation.
The tank is dark and soundproof, and the person floats in water at
body temperature, unable to see or hear and scarcely able to feel
anything.
Sensory means
A. of the senses.
B. social.
C. intellectual.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 sensory
– adjective
• Because our sensory experiences are interrelated, what we taste
is greatly influenced by what we smell.
• A person in a flotation tank has almost no sensory stimulation.
The tank is dark and soundproof, and the person floats in water at
body temperature, unable to see or hear and scarcely able to feel
anything.
Sensory means
A. of the senses.
B. social.
C. intellectual.
The words taste and smell suggest that sensory means “of the
senses.” In the second item, since the person is unable to see, hear,
or feel anything, he or she has almost no stimulation of the senses.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 vicarious
– adjective
• I don’t like to take risks myself, but I love the vicarious thrill of
watching death-defying adventures in a movie.
• If you can’t afford to travel, watching videos and visiting tourist
websites can give you the vicarious experience of traveling in
foreign countries.
Vicarious means
A. thorough.
B. indirect.
C. skillful.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 vicarious
– adjective
• I don’t like to take risks myself, but I love the vicarious thrill of
watching death-defying adventures in a movie.
• If you can’t afford to travel, watching videos and visiting tourist
websites can give you the vicarious experience of traveling in
foreign countries.
Vicarious means
A. thorough.
B. indirect.
C. skillful.
Watching death-defying adventures in a movie is an indirect way to
experience a thrill. Watching videos and visiting tourist websites are
indirect ways of traveling in foreign countries.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
1. Any employee who wants to use _________ would simply
ignore a piece of spinach on the boss’s front tooth.
2. A weak voice is a serious _________ to a stage actor’s
or actress’s career.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
1. Any employee who wants to use _________
discretion would simply
ignore a piece of spinach on the boss’s front tooth.
Ignoring spinach on the boss’s front tooth shows good judgment.
2. A weak voice is a serious _________
detriment to a stage actor’s
or actress’s career.
Because a stage actor or actress with a weak voice could not be heard,
a weak voice would clearly be a disadvantage to the person’s career.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
3. Playing with blocks and puzzles makes children more
__________ with their hands.
4. My roommate used to be __________, but since he was
mugged, he’s begun to avoid people.
5. Lonnie is so __________ about filling out his tax return that
he even reported the $12.50 he was paid for jury duty.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
3. Playing with blocks and puzzles makes children more
__________
dexterous with their hands.
Playing with blocks and puzzles would make children more skillful
in using their hands.
4. My roommate used to be __________,
gregarious but since he was
mugged, he’s begun to avoid people.
The words avoid people are an antonym clue for gregarious (seeking
the company of others).
5. Lonnie is so __________
scrupulous about filling out his tax return that
he even reported the $12.50 he was paid for jury duty.
Reporting the $12.50 on his tax return show Lonnie is conscientious.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
6. Jasmine wants to practice her vocabulary skills, so she’s
not just being __________ when she uses long words.
7. Do you think a spectator sport gives the fans __________
triumphs and defeats, or real ones?
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
6. Jasmine wants to practice her vocabulary skills, so she’s
not just being __________
ostentatious when she uses long words.
Since Jasmine wants to practice her vocabulary, she is not just
intending to impress others by using long words.
7. Do you think a spectator sport gives the fans __________
vicarious
triumphs and defeats, or real ones?
The word real contrasts with triumphs and defeats that are not
experienced directly.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
8. The __________ order in which to answer test questions is
from easiest to most difficult, so that you can write the
answers you know before time runs out.
9. Wandering through the bee-filled fields of red and yellow
flowers was an amazing __________ experience, one that
appealed to the eyes, ears, and nose.
10. The performer Oscar Levant had a tendency to cause
disasters. He once made the ___________ comment, “In
my hands, Jell-O is a deadly weapon.”
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. detriment
B. dexterous
C. discretion
D. facetious
E. gregarious
F. optimum
G. ostentatious
H. scrupulous
I. sensory
J. vicarious
8. The __________
optimum order in which to answer test questions is
from easiest to most difficult, so that you can write the
answers you know before time runs out.
Starting with the easiest questions is the best possible way to answer.
9. Wandering through the bee-filled fields of red and yellow
flowers was an amazing __________
sensory experience, one that
appealed to the eyes, ears, and nose.
Something appealing to eyes, ears, and nose has to do with the senses.
10. The performer Oscar Levant had a tendency to cause
disasters. He once made the ___________
facetious comment, “In
my hands, Jell-O is a deadly weapon.”
The sentence gives an example of a humorous statement.