ADVANCED
WORD POWER
Second Edition
BETH JOHNSON
JANET M. GOLDSTEIN
© 2011 Townsend Press
Unit Four: Chapter 17
Place the words below in Alphabetical Order
• reverent
• zany
• capitulate
• stupor
• sycophant
• premonition
• cajole
• urbane
• egregious
• prestigious
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 cajole
– verb
• No matter how I cajoled him, the police officer continued to write me a
ticket for speeding.
• Once my mother told us children “Absolutely not,” we knew better than to
try to cajole her into changing her mind. Begging only made her angry.
Cajole means
Painting: Auguste Toulemouche (1866)
A. to plead with.
B. to laugh at.
C. to hate.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 cajole
– verb
• No matter how I cajoled him, the police officer continued to write me a
ticket for speeding.
• Once my mother told us children “Absolutely not,” we knew better than to
try to cajole her into changing her mind. Begging only made her angry.
Cajole means
Painting: Auguste Toulemouche (1866)
A. to plead with.
B. to laugh at.
C. to hate.
People often (without success) try to
plead with police officers not to write
tickets. The word begging suggests
the children knew not to plead with
their mother once she said “no.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 capitulate
– verb
• Although Stacy has said she will never speak to Karen again, I expect
her to capitulate shortly—I think she will soon miss her old friend
• Mr. Henderson resisted the idea of his daughter going on dates, but he
capitulated when she became a high-school senior.
Capitulate means
A. to be capable.
B. to repeat.
C. to yield.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 capitulate
– verb
• Although Stacy has said she will never speak to Karen again, I expect
her to capitulate shortly—I think she will soon miss her old friend
• Mr. Henderson resisted the idea of his daughter going on dates, but he
capitulated when she became a high-school senior.
Capitulate means
A. to be capable.
B. to repeat.
C. to yield.
Stacy might eventually decide to yield to her desire to talk with her
old friend and break her vow never to speak to her again. The
father’s earlier resistance is contrasted with his eventual decision to
yield to his daughter’s request for permission to go on dates.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 egregious
– adjective
• “You certainly made an egregious fool of yourself,” George’s wife said
after the party. “Did you have to sing and dance with a lampshade on your
head?”
• “It was an egregious mistake to paint our office hot pink,” admitted the
president of the accounting firm. “No one seems to take us seriously
anymore.”
Egregious means
A. obviously bad.
B. minor.
C. easily overlooked.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 egregious
– adjective
• “You certainly made an egregious fool of yourself,” George’s wife said
after the party. “Did you have to sing and dance with a lampshade on your
head?”
• “It was an egregious mistake to paint our office hot pink,” admitted the
president of the accounting firm. “No one seems to take us seriously
anymore.”
Egregious means
A. obviously bad.
B. minor.
C. easily overlooked.
Wearing a lampshade would be an obviously bad decision—unless
one wanted to look like an outrageous fool. It would be an obviously
bad mistake to make a serious accounting firm look silly by painting
the office hot pink.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 premonition
– noun
• Although I’d had a premonition that I shouldn’t get on the airplane,
nothing bad happened. It was a perfectly ordinary flight.
• “Wait!” called out the fortuneteller as Malik walked past. “I have a
premonition about you! For only five dollars, I’ll tell you your future.”
Premonition means
A. a memory.
B. a warning in advance.
C. a plan.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 premonition
– noun
• Although I’d had a premonition that I shouldn’t get on the airplane,
nothing bad happened. It was a perfectly ordinary flight.
• Wait!” called out the fortuneteller as Malik walked past. “I have a
premonition about you! For only five dollars, I’ll tell you your future.”
Premonition means
A. a memory.
B. a warning in advance.
C. a plan.
The sense of having received a warning in advance not to board the
plane is contrasted with the fact that nothing bad actually happened
during the flight. The fortuneteller claimed to have a warning in
advance about Malik’s future.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 prestigious
– adjective
• Are those name-brand jeans really better than less expensive ones, or are
you just paying more for the prestigious label?
• A Rolls-Royce car, Dom Perignon champagne, a Harvard education, a
Tiffany diamond—all these are regarded as the most prestigious items
of their kinds.
Prestigious means
Virginia Reyes, Air Force News Agency
A. common.
B. highly valued.
C. beautiful.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 prestigious
– adjective
• Are those name-brand jeans really better than less expensive ones, or are
you just paying more for the prestigious label?
• A Rolls-Royce car, Dom Perignon champagne, a Harvard education, a
Tiffany diamond—all these are regarded as the most prestigious items
of their kinds.
Prestigious means
Virginia Reyes, Air Force News Agency
A. common.
B. highly valued.
C. beautiful.
Since people pay more for brand-name
jeans, the label must be highly valued.
The second sentence lists highly valued
items—three luxury objects and a
university with an excellent reputation.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 reverent
– adjective
• A huge, awesome natural wonder, such as the Grand Canyon or Niagara
Falls, makes most visitors feel reverent.
• As we walked through the art museum, our teacher spoke in hushed,
reverent tones about the masterpieces we were seeing.
Reverent means
A. scornful.
B. amused.
C. worshipful.
Photo: U.S. Air Force
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 reverent
– adjective
• A huge, awesome natural wonder, such as the Grand Canyon or Niagara
Falls, makes most visitors feel reverent.
• As we walked through the art museum, our teacher spoke in hushed,
reverent tones about the masterpieces we were seeing.
Reverent means
A. scornful.
B. amused.
C. worshipful.
Photo: U.S. Air Force
Natural sites that inspire awe and
wonder can make people feel
worshipful. Someone who
appreciates fine art might feel
worshipful when looking at
masterpieces.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 stupor
– noun
• At one time, patients who had surgery requiring general anesthesia would
remain in a stupor for many hours afterward. But with today’s improved
anesthetics, they often regain full consciousness within minutes.
• A recent study reported that many truck drivers get too little sleep on long
trips and often drive in a stupor, not aware that their senses are dulled.
Stupor means
A. a state of anxiety.
B. a state of grief.
C. a drowsy state.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 stupor
– noun
• At one time, patients who had surgery requiring general anesthesia would
remain in a stupor for many hours afterward. But with today’s improved
anesthetics, they often regain full consciousness within minutes.
• A recent study reported that many truck drivers get too little sleep on long
trips and often drive in a stupor, not aware that their senses are dulled.
Stupor means
A. a state of anxiety.
B. a state of grief.
C. a drowsy state.
Full consciousness is contrasted with a drowsy state caused by
general anesthesia. When people are in a drowsy state, their
senses are dulled.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 sycophant
– noun
• “I don’t expect a class full of sycophants,” the teacher told her argumentative
students, “but couldn’t you agree with me about something just once?”
• The manager of the restaurant where Ted works had a truly crazy idea about
how to reorganize the kitchen. Ted, always the sycophant, told him the plan
was brilliant.
Sycophant means
A. a chatterbox.
B. a flatterer.
C. a traitor.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 sycophant
– noun
• “I don’t expect a class full of sycophants,” the teacher told her argumentative
students, “but couldn’t you agree with me about something just once?”
• The manager of the restaurant where Ted works had a truly crazy idea about
how to reorganize the kitchen. Ted, always the sycophant, told him the plan
was brilliant.
Sycophant means
A. a chatterbox.
B. a flatterer.
C. a traitor.
A group of argumentative students is contrasted with a class full of
flatterers. Ted must be a flatterer if he always tries to win favor with
his boss by calling his crazy ideas “brilliant.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 urbane
– adjective
• The new student dressed all in black and spoke perfect French, making
her seem more urbane and sophisticated than her classmates.
• The critics loved the new movie by a director whose trademark was
worldly-wise, urbane comedy. “As witty, clever, and artful as ever!”
they wrote.
Urbane means
Photos: Fredrik Tersmeden (left);Arthur Rothstein (right)
A. impulsive.
B. refined.
C. careful.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 urbane
– adjective
• The new student dressed all in black and spoke perfect French, making
her seem more urbane and sophisticated than her classmates.
• The critics loved the new movie by a director whose trademark was
worldly-wise, urbane comedy. “As witty, clever, and artful as ever!”
they wrote.
Urbane means
Photos: Fredrik Tersmeden (left);Arthur Rothstein (right)
A. impulsive.
B. refined.
C. careful.
The word sophisticated suggests that
the new student is refined. The word
worldly-wise suggests that the new
movie is refined.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 zany
– adjective
• The audience at the circus roared with delight at the clowns’ zany tricks.
• As kids, my brother and I couldn’t get enough of Mad, a zany magazine
whose motto was “Humor in a jugular vein.”
Zany means
A. absurdly funny.
B. understated.
C. scary.
Hat: bzanyhats.com
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 zany
– adjective
• The audience at the circus roared with delight at the clowns’ zany tricks.
• As kids, my brother and I couldn’t get enough of Mad, a zany magazine
whose motto was “Humor in a jugular vein.”
Zany means
A. absurdly funny.
B. understated.
C. scary.
Hat: bzanyhats.com
If the circus-goers roared with laughter,
the clowns’ tricks must have been
absurdly funny. Mad magazine’s motto
is an example of absurdly funny humor.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
1. Mom resisted getting a cell phone for a long time, but she finally
________(e)d after getting a flat tire and having no way to call a
tow truck.
2. Mack comes up with one ________ get-rich-quick scheme after
another. He says we may find them silly now, but he’ll have the
last laugh: one of them will win him fame and fortune.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
1. Mom resisted getting a cell phone for a long time, but she finally
___________
capitulated after getting a flat tire and having no way to call a
tow truck.
The mother’s initial resistance is contrasted with her finally giving in.
2. Mack comes up with one ________
get-rich-quick scheme after
zany
another. He says we may find them silly now, but he’ll have the
last laugh: one of them will win him fame and fortune.
The word silly suggests that the schemes seem wildly silly or comical.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
3. “When my uncle is being annoying at family dinners, I wish you
wouldn’t be so nice to him,” Amy told her husband. “He doesn’t need
a(n) __________ to make him think he’s clever and amusing.”
4. I had a(n) __________ that Lisa and Todd would not hit it off, and
I was right. They were in a heated argument within five minutes
of being introduced.
5. To give himself a better chance of getting the job, the applicant
faked letters of recommendation from people with __________
positions in the community.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
3. “When my uncle is being annoying at family dinners, I wish you
wouldn’t be so nice to him,” Amy told her husband. “He doesn’t need
sycophant to make him think he’s clever and amusing.”
a ____________
The husband flatters the uncle by suggesting he’s clever and amusing.
4. I had a ____________
premonition that Lisa and Todd would not hit it off, and
I was right. They were in a heated argument within five minutes
of being introduced.
The argument confirmed the feeling that something bad would happen.
5. To give himself a better chance of getting the job, the applicant
faked letters of recommendation from people with __________
prestigious
positions in the community.
Recommendations from people with honored names or reputations
could help an applicant get a job—as long as they’re authentic.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
6. The owner of the restaurant is a gracious, ________ woman,
always poised and at ease greeting celebrities. And she is just
as courteous and amicable° to all her customers.
7. ________ is one symptom of hypothermia—very low body
temperature—in the elderly. Their memory loss and dazed
condition may be curable simply by turning up the heat.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
6. The owner of the restaurant is a gracious, ________
urbane woman,
always poised and at ease greeting celebrities. And she is just
as courteous and amicable° to all her customers.
Poise and ease with celebrities suggests a smooth, polished, suave manner.
7. ________
Stupor is one symptom of hypothermia—very low body
temperature—in the elderly. Their memory loss and dazed
condition may be curable simply by turning up the heat.
Their memory loss and dazed condition show they’re in a state of mental
numbness.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
8. The children managed to __________ their parents into letting
them stay up long past their usual bedtime.
9. “Don’t wear those torn jeans to the funeral,” Maude told her son.
“Put on a suit and tie so you’ll seem properly __________.”
10. Renata’s first public performance as a pianist was a(n) _________
disaster. The piano bench collapsed under her, much to the
amusement of the audience.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. cajole
B. capitulate
C. egregious
D. premonition E. prestigious
F. reverent
G. stupor
H. sycophant
I. urbane
J. zany
8. The children managed to __________
their parents into letting
cajole
them stay up long past their usual bedtime.
Children often sweet-talk parents into extending their bedtime.
9. “Don’t wear those torn jeans to the funeral,” Maude told her son.
“Put on a suit and tie so you’ll seem properly __________.”
reverent
Proper clothing expresses respect for the deceased and the mourners.
10. Renata’s first public performance as a pianist was an __________
egregious
disaster. The piano bench collapsed under her, much to the
amusement of the audience.
The word disaster and the example suggest it was a conspicuously bad
performance.