Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
by Toby Luria
Who and Where?
The vocabulary units easily lend themselves to both a home and a classroom
experience. The poems can be read aloud by an adult, read individually silently or
aloud by a child/student, or as classroom readers’ theater to then be followed by
completion of the activities for each unit either individually, in partners, or in
small groups.
What?
This Word Booster consists of 18 chapters. It includes most commonly used SAT
words and definitions garnered from Burchers’ The Unofficial SAT Word Dictionary; Kaplan’s SAT Score-Raising Dictionary; Carnevale’s Hot Words for the
SAT; The Oxford Thesaurus, American Edition; Barron's SAT, and The Concise
Oxford Dictionary.
Words were chosen for their frequency of use, the importance of possessing the
knowledge of these words for presentation of oneself as a well-educated person, as
well as the short-range goal of excelling on standardized tests for college and
graduate schools. The author, Toby Luria, is a Cornell University graduate in
Child Development and Family Relations and spent many years as a test coordinator and administrator for the Educational Testing Service. She brings the wisdom of her successful direct experience to the composition of this resource.
The words selected were challenging, yet not beyond a child’s development. Words
with abstract definitions, or ones that have unclear meaning, were eliminated. An
effort was made to include frequently-used words. Idiomatic expressions were also
included to familiarize children with the meaning of words used in unexpected
ways but that are part of our culture.
These poems incorporate all words for a particular letter within a fascinating story. Each story is intended to contribute the added benefit of addressing the proper
development of personal attitudes—each one covers a personality ―quirk.‖ Issues
include greed, pollution, egoism, fear of change, fear of growing up, bullying,
overwork, overindulgence, work ethics etc.
The exercises are varied, with the intent of incorporating the higher learning aspects of Bloom’s Taxonomy; are tailored to accommodate all types of learners; and
build all aspects of critical thinking.
While not the objective, because of the comprehensive inclusion of words, these
are the building blocks for success on entrance exams for educational institutions.
The units are geared toward junior high through high school students, and they
are also for parents as an educational tool to build the vocabulary of younger
children.
© Pieces of Learning
..........Introduction......1
Vocabulary That Matters:
An SAT Word Booster
Three types of activities are presented after each poem:
 to promote understanding of the word through concepts given that will reinforce
and further exemplify the meaning and usage, as well as form more associations
with the word;
 using word games to further enhance word recognition and creative written use of
several words in a cohesive idea to strengthen writing skills, to help make the
words a more solid part of a student’s vocabulary; and
 to foster deeper thinking about values.
Why?
Is a child ever too young to be presented with the full complexity of the English
language? One of the most valuable, yet often neglected, parts of a child’s education is vocabulary. Vocabulary creates vital building blocks that contribute to impressive presentation throughout life.
Understanding and learning to communicate with sophisticated language help
build a strong foundation to take into the world. The ability to communicate well
is a significant factor in academic success as well as in the attainment of higherquality employment opportunities.
These vocabulary activities will prepare students so that they may excel not only on
high-stakes standardized tests such as the PSAT, SAT, and ACT exams but also in life.
Educators recognize the value of hearing language in context for accelerated
development of the intellect.
Acquiring an extensive vocabulary is not unlike learning a foreign language.
There is no evidence that the language presented to children must be simplified.
Reading not only subliminally patterns written presentation for a child but also
can serve to build a greater comfort and skill level in expression that results from
amassing a diversity of words.
When?
Within the classroom the units can stand alone or be offered as a strong addition
to a traditional language arts program, as the activities are designed to focus on
creative writing and critical thinking skills in addition to vocabulary.
If every activity is completed, there is a full year’s worth of activities – daily activities
including time allotted to read reasonable sections of each poem. It is possible to modify
the number of weeks to complete the activities.
The activities presented can be alternated with, or added to, the teacher’s own
preparation of more traditional retention-building assignments.
© Pieces of Learning
Introduction................2
Vocabulary That Matters:
An SAT Word Booster
How?
Learning takes place most effectively while having fun. Do you remember the
―memorized facts,‖ or the ―interesting facts‖ that you learned in school? These
vocabulary words are inserted into interesting rhyming poems. Rhymes ―slide
down‖ easily. The poems, when read out loud, catch the reader’s and listener’s attention, so that the mind endeavors to fully understand them. With each rereading, the mind retains more.
The vocabulary words in the Vocabulary That Matters are presented in a light,
humorous, and engaging way. This creates the best learning environment. A
child will absorb information unconsciously and more fully if they are involved
with, and interested in, the material. Words will seep into the unconscious in
much the same way that familiar songs and jingles become internalized.
As an added bonus, the stories identify aspects of the personality which create
challenges that are resolved within the story. There is an upbeat solution and positive lesson within each adventure.
The verses are written so that the words embedded are both defined and understandable from context. In general, the vocabulary words are followed by a hyphen
and then a simple definition.
The concept “Twenty Questions” focuses on the more difficult words,
likely standardized test words, and words that might need a realistic example
to ensure that the concept is fully grasped. The answers require a well-constructed sentence.
The puzzles – Crosswords and Word Scrambles – present another example of
usage and are generally reiterating words that may be a little more familiar
to the student.
The “Creative Written Expression” activities offer prompts that will
challenge the student to incorporate words in a creative story based on self
exploration, analysis of moral values, or in critical thinking related to the
protagonist of the poem. Suggestions for a more simplified writing response
are offered where appropriate. When words are suggested for use within
the creative writing activities, they were selected from those that should
become a regular part of verbal expression. As the alphabet continues, the
writing assignments encourage the student to refer to both earlier poems
and the thesaurus. There is intentionally no length suggested for the writing assignments, as that will be left up to the discretion of the teacher.
Access to a web-based thesaurus, and/or hard copy in the classroom, school
or personal library, is highly recommended.
© Pieces of Learning
Introduction................3
Vocabulary That Matters:
An SAT Word Booster
How to Use Vocabulary that Matters:
An SAT Word Booster
Research tells us 1) the size of a student’s
vocabulary is a predictor of the ability to comprehend what is written in all content areas,
and that 2) students need specific vocabulary
instruction in order to improve reading comprehension levels (Snow, Porche, Tabors &
Harris, 2007).
That instruction entails more than a list
of words. It must involve content area words,
knowledge of components of words (prefixes,
suffixes, and root words), and cross-discipline
words that can be applied to other content
areas.
In order to make a new word a part of a
student’s permanent vocabulary, those words
must be seen and used many times in different ways. They must be read, written, spoken, and used in conversation.
Toby Luria offers a unique and engaging
strategy to introduce new words –
storytelling through poetry. The new
words are subtly defined within the poem,
and when the students discuss the poem’s
story they begin to use their newly acquired
vocabulary. Activities that follow reinforce
learning new words.
If students read the poems aloud, in addition to hearing the definition of new words,
the auditory strategy reinforces what the eyes
see as students read along.
The activities that accompany the poem
are Twenty Questions, Crossword Puzzles and
complementary Vocabulary in Context, Word
Scrambles, and Creative Written Expression.
Twenty Questions involves Bloom’s levels
of thinking – knowledge of the word, comprehension of its meaning, and application of the
word in order to answer the questions. Often
the student is called upon to analyze and
evaluate the situation in order to provide an
answer. This activity also requires correct
grammar whether the questions are answered
orally or in writing. None of the questions
refer to the poem. Therefore, the poem does
not have to be read to do the activity.
The Crossword Puzzles and Vocabulary in
Context use most of the same words. Therefore, students can do one or both activities to
reinforce learning new words. The poem does
not have to be read to do these two activities.
Word Scrambles are easily unscrambled
because the objective is not unscrambling, but
to learn to spell and use the new words in
context. Again, the poem does not have to be
read to do the Scrambles.
The Creative Written Expression often
asks open-ended questions about the story
poem involving characters’ values and actions
before asking students to use new vocabulary
words in their writing task.
For use by teachers and parents:
Poem
© Pieces of Learning
Read independently silently or aloud,
Read to classmates, partners, or
parents,
Readers’ theater in the classroom,
Read in sections if the poem is long,
and/or
Record the poem orally for others to
listen to.
Introduction................4
Vocabulary That Matters:
An SAT Word Booster
Twenty Questions
Crossword
and
Vocabulary in Context
Have each student take 1 or more
questions and report answers back to
the class,
Work individually,
Work in pairs – one defines the word,
one answers the question, and they
discuss the answer,
Use as homework, and/or
Make a notebook with questions and
answers for all to read.
One activity complements the other,
so they can be done together to find
answers,
Work in pairs, with parents, or individually at whatever pace is appropriate, and/or
Laminate the answer sheets so
students can check their own work.
Additional Activities for the Letters
Word Scramble
The objective is to learn the spelling
and meaning in context of the
words, not to make the unscrambling overshadow that objective, so
words are easily unscrambled.
Often students discover the
author’s patterns of scrambling.
That is an unexpected bonus in this
activity – the critical thinking skill
discovering patterns.
For kinesthetic learners, use
Scrabble® letters to form the
words.
© Pieces of Learning
Successful Sagacity – Using a new
word each week.
Card Activity – Making flash cards
with words and definitions.
Win, Lose, Draw – Team game that
calls for illustrating the words.
Charades - Team game that calls
for acting out the word.
Diurnal Dictionary – Claiming
ownership of 5 words per poem.
Introduction................5
Vocabulary That Matters:
An SAT Word Booster
Substitute Activities
1. Define the following word and use it in a sentence.
Example:
Burgeon: (answer: flourish, expand)
Unfortunately, weeds seem to burgeon in my garden more easily than vegetables.
2. Underline the correct definition.
Example:
Belligerent: friendly, quarrelsome, sad, accommodating
Sanguine: sad, cheerful, irritable, good-smelling
3. Underline the antonym.
Spurious: genuine, angry, false, happy
4. In the following two columns of words, draw a line to the two matching words.
a. exuberant
a. high point
b. extraneous
b. joyful
c. acme
c. unneeded
5. In the following two columns of words, draw a line to the antonyms
a. reprehensible
a .extraordinary
b. pompous
b. honorable
c. prosaic
c. humble
6. Is the following underlined word a verb, an adjective, a noun, or an adverb? Write your
answer and then define the word.
Their voices were so mellifluous that I listened to their songs for hours.
Mellifluous (adjective)
Definition: flowing, musical, pleasing
She obfuscated her answer, so they would not be able to know she was guilty.
Obfuscate (verb)
Definition: obscure; confuse; bewilder
7. Fill in the blank. Choose the definition for the following sentence, check your answer, and
then rewrite the sentence with the vocabulary word.
Example:
He was so stingy and sparing (______________) that he would not even go to the
movies.
a. parsimonious
b. perceptive
c. pernicious
d. pompous
8. Using a web-based thesaurus, find two relevant words (that fit in with the story) for the
vocabulary word provided.
Example:
Inept: awkward, clumsy
© Pieces of Learning
Introduction................6
The Adventures of Letter
Letter A is overwhelmed and overworked as a result of being the most highly
utilized letter. When she rebels and escapes her duties, it creates total chaos.
Once the other letters realize that she needs some assistance, they pledge to
help her. Letter A accepts their offer and is determined to take more
responsibility and deal with her feelings so she’ll remain a more balanced
letter.
Table of Contents – Letter A
The Adventures of Letters A ................................ 1 – 8
Diurnal Dictionary ................................................. 9
Activity One – Twenty Questions ....................... 10 – 13
Activity Two – Twenty Questions ........................ 14 – 17
Activity Three – Crossword .................................. 18
Activity Four – Vocabulary in Context .............. 19 - 21
Activity Five – Twenty Questions........................ 22 – 24
Activity Six - Word Scramble .............................. 25 – 27
Activity Seven – Twenty Questions..................... 28 - 30
Creative Written Expression ................................ 31
And There’s More .................................................... 32
Answers ..................................................................... 33 -34
Page |1
The Adventures of Letter
Letter is a letter who’s always so busy;
running here, running there, she gets very dizzy.
Her job is so arduous—strenuous and hard—
it forces the A to be alert and on guard.
There’s hardly a sentence, maybe not ever,
in which you won’t hear this abounding letter.
There are so many letters with which A aligns—
they line up—with the A in a definite design.
Her voice is so audible—can clearly be heard—
in this alphabet stew into which she is stirred.
She articulates—pronounces her words very
clearly—
knows all definitions…well, all of them, nearly.
If a word is ambiguous—unclear—she’s aware,
that she’d better look carefully and make others
beware.
Her acuity—her sharp and keen understanding—
makes her so accurate when words are demanding.
n appurtenance, an accessory—an additional
feature—
is the fact that she’s such an amenable creature—
agreeable, pleasant—to all those around, one could
argue that she’s a most popular sound.
lways in harmony, she agrees—she's in accord—
with every request, and this makes her adored.
Readily accessible—available to all,
so very accommodating—no job seems too tall.
So affable—so friendly, so easy-going—
her likable personality just keeps on growing.
With an avid—an eager—desire to please,
she satisfies everyone—they all feel appeased.
Her actions apropos —appropriate and right—
she just does her job with all of her might.
Her supporters attest—confirm that it's true—
that little A is so good, right through and through.
© Pieces of Learning
Without affectation—false behavior to impress—
there’s hardly a fault that she’d need to confess.
She’s never aloof—distant or cool.
She even accepts those labeled as fools.
So very astute—so clever and shrewd—
not a thing ever happens to affect her good mood.
She’s acclaimed—so approved, given great
praise—
and never, not once, has she asked for a raise.
She’s adulated—admired to the utmost extreme—
yet, throughout all of this, she’s one of the team.
n amalgam—a blend—of both strength and
charm,
she allays—she relieves—all fears with her calm.
Her appeal and attraction—her giant allure—
attracts followers—adherents—who see her as
pure.
So extremely compatible—everyone is her friend,
whereas antipodal—opposites—fight till the end.
For instance, the B, never goes with the Z;
or the D never thinks of being with G.
Not true of the A, she likes them all well.
No antipathy—dislike—she thinks they’re all
swell.
She works with alacrity—she’s cheerfully ready,
eager and prompt—her response is so steady.
n ardent—an eager, dedicated—worker,
she never is lazy, she’s never a shirker.
Adroit, adept—so skillful, so clever—
she succeeds at her efforts, attempts—her
endeavors.
She’s assimilated—absorbed, learned—so many
words, some of which hardly anyone’s heard.
She’s called on so much, she’s athletically active.
She’s also astoundingly—amazingly—attractive.
To help her grow tall, slender, and slim,
she works out every day in the alphabet gym.
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
Page |2
A’s clothes are androgynous—for girls or for boys,
claiming, “Character, not clothes, gives one their
joy.”
Her affinity—attraction—for walking and biking
keeps her quite fit, along with her hiking.
She’s altruistic—selflessly concerned for the
others;
she expects nothing back—like sisters and brothers.
She advocates—stands for the rights—of all
letters.
She fights to make everyone's life so much better.
Her words not archaic—never outdated.
Other letters had words that were gone—so illfated.
Others seem secret, mysterious—arcane—
so ambiguous, so cryptic—not at all plain.
n academic—so very interested in learning...
so avid—so eager—her curiosity burning.
With archeology A—studies the long ago past
by digging up things that just happened to last—
such as fossils, and bones, and pottery, and dishes,
and things that a culture has valued as riches.
When studying water—or all things aquatic—
A keeps it all orderly, arranged, not chaotic.
There’s also astronomy—which studies the sky
with its planets and stars—which daily glide by.
Let’s all applaud A and give a salute,
she’s steadfast, determined—so resolute.
Let’s give her accolades—praise, and applause—
but…hold on just a moment, there’s reason to
pause.
A moved all the time—she was constantly astir…
but, was this quite frankly, what A did prefer?
We’re thinking that A must be a great sport.
But, in truth, the fact is, I’m obliged to report
She felt antagonism—hostility—she just couldn't
mend.
© Pieces of Learning
that although our great A is usually there,
to A this was feeling extremely unfair.
In fact, the great A now felt hopeless—
despair.
t the apex—the top of achieving, the peak—
her life began looking alarmingly bleak.
The acme—the height, the success—of her career
should not have made A feel such humongous fear,
but she couldn’t keep up, and that was quite clear.
ll thoughts of relaxing got so quickly dashed.
If she ambled—moved slowly—everyone was
aghast, appalled—they were shocked—that she’d
arrived last.
Her task astronomical—tremendous; extensive
—thorough and vigorous—extremely intensive.
She’d listen so closely for her letter, the A.
She’d anticipate—expect—but then someone
would say a word with a letter that sounded like
A...“neighbor,” or “weigh,” or “reindeer,” and
“sleigh.”
She’d run to the word, so amicable—so nice—
and abruptly—quite suddenly—was told, “Be
precise!”
This shocking and sudden turn of affairs
made chaos—confusion—that ruffled her hair.
lthough an anomaly—irregular, not the norm—
she’d been known for her superb, most perfect of
forms.
She wanted approbation—approval and praise—
not criticism or judgment about changing her ways.
Her role felt ambiguous—confusing, unclear.
The ambiance—the atmosphere— increased her
fear.
She couldn’t stick with it—she couldn’t adhere—to
the rules which used to be so very clear.
A words were an adversary—an enemy, not a
friend.
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
Page |3
It seemed that her words daily accrued—
they greatly increased—and her anxiety grew.
Her words so abstruse—hard to understand—
the list grew so fast it was hard to withstand.
A’s life felt austere—so harsh and so strict.
She knew this was not the life she had picked.
She felt apathy—a lack of excitement, emotion.
She’d lost her old sense of focus, devotion.
The array—the display—had too many words.
There began to be words that A never heard!
Unevenly apportioned—distributed, and
assigned—just seemed the way that words were
designed.
Others had avarice—great desire for wealth—
but A always had valued the state of her health.
Day-by-day she grew more nervous and pale,
yet, her efforts to change were of no use—no avail.
s her words just augmented—grew ever
greater—she was tempted to say, “Bye, bye, see you
later.
To think I’d keep up is just simply absurd, I'm
allocated, allotted—assigned—too many words.”
Now, A was not bad, she was utterly true blue,
but constant overuse would get to you, too.
She wished to be more like the X, Y, or Z.
She began to yell back, “You’re calling on me?
No, no, not again, please just let me be!
I’m agitated—shaken, disturbed, and upset.
I’m jumpy, and jittery, and I constantly fret.”
So apprehensive—filled with such dread,
resentment increased with each A word they said.
Feeling abysmal—completely without hope—
it became very clear that she just could not cope.
It was as if she were walking on a slippery slope.
The situation acute—so severe and intense.
Her responsibilities just seemed to grow more
immense.
ll this just aggravated her weakened condition—
it increased and worsened—her uncomfortable
position.
It ruined her attitude—her good disposition.
Her anxiety accrued—built-up over time;
the accretion—the increase——took a
steep climb.
It was as if she had fallen into an abyss—
a bottomless pit—that felt wrong—so amiss.
© Pieces of Learning
Her power attenuated—weakened, reduced—
there were far fewer words that she could produce.
Feeling anemic—no vitality, no power,
she was pale and so weak—like an old wilted
flower.
Her muscles had atrophied—wasted away—
from the hours, and hours in bed every day.
ghost of herself—like a thin apparition—
how could she improve this horrible condition?!
She felt very isolated as her life rearranged;
she was alienated—distanced, detached, and
estranged.
How could she abolish—remove and wipe out—
some of her words, which must go, without doubt?
One afternoon her energy sapped.
She dragged herself home to take a long nap.
She was not even ambulatory—capable of
walking—as she lay in her bed, not even talking.
She cried and she thought, “I can take it no more.
My job I just hate, I detest—I abhor.
What would ameliorate—make better, improve—
the way that I feel, so at least I could move?
I used to be active, so nimble—so agile,
but now all I feel is so frail and so fragile.
I have an aversion—dislike—for my sound.
It seems that my spirit has just run aground.”
Aggrieved—she then felt such suffering and
distress. She didn't know how to climb out of this
mess.
Would she be annihilated—completely destroyed?
The thought of that really disturbed and annoyed.
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
Page |4
Sounds seemed so amplified—enlarged and so
loud.
lthough no one was with her, there felt like a
crowd.
She thought very carefully about what she should
do.
She knew that she needed a huge change of view.
Feeling adamant—stubborn—that she'd no longer
work, she questioned if she were going berserk.
Ambivalence—indecision, conflicting emotions
disappeared and a plan was set into motion.
“I need recreation—I need a diversion.
I must take a trip, an outing—an excursion.”
That was a thought that did not augur well—
predicting the future—became easy to tell.
Feeling audacious—so daring and bold—
a trip to the mountains for fresh air, felt like gold.
round her frail shoulders warm clothing she
draped.
She absconded—secretly took flight, she escaped.
She bought some accouterments (uh Koo tur
munts)—needed equipment.
She'd learn how to ski...A was done with
commitments!
She was feeling autonomous—independent and
free.
The surroundings were some that just seemed to
agree.
s A settled in to learn how to ski,
words wasted away—they just atrophied.
The activity then proved too much for the
A.
She abraded her knees—scraped them
up—while at play.
She packed up, she went home, and she called it a
day.
She returned to her abode— her quaint little
house,
feeling puny, so small, like a quite tiny mouse.
© Pieces of Learning
The aftermath—consequence—outside was
confusion;
letters were bruised black and blue—with
contusions.
This dreadful event into which they were hurled,
felt like the apocalypse—the end of the world.
For a moment they thought, “It's anarchy—
disorder.
Has the government gone mad and run for the
border?
Had letter A been assailed—treated with violence?
Perhaps, some mean letter, scared A into silence?
Had she been kidnapped—was she abducted?
Or just disappeared, or perhaps self-destructed?
Perhaps, she was just being asinine—silly?
If that was the case, this stunt was a dilly.
They wondered if artifice—trickery or cunning—
played a role in this plight that truly was stunning.
They wondered if A had a partner who aided—
an accomplice—who helped make this day so illfated.
The happenings were anathema—they detested
them so.
Were they suitable, appropriate—at all apropos
(ap ruh POH)?
The answer quite clearly was a resounding “No!”
fter a while they felt much less stress;
the situation abated—became so much less—
but, they’d need to determine the cause of this
mess.
They decided they’d immediately go find the A.
By now she was home, tucked in bed where she lay.
They amassed, accumulated—gathered—a
group.
Then they marched to the A as one most-solid
troop.
Her actions seemed arbitrary—not according to
law,
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
Page |5
random, just preference—and this was the last
straw.
s they proceeded, their anger just grew.
What truly was wrong they did not have a clue;
but, they all were alleging—charging without
proof—
her crime was quite serious—A clearly had goofed.
Where was A’s allegiance—her loyalty—her
devotion?
They were sure from her actions, she hadn’t a
notion.
Did A have an alibi—an excuse to avoid blame?
If not, they’d make sure the A would feel shame.
Perhaps, she’d aggrandized—exaggerated her
power?
Their thinking was really turning them sour.
Affiliating—getting close—to a crowd that was
bad
perhaps, made results that now seemed so sad.
The antagonism—hostility, and anger they felt—
grew, as they walked to the house where A dwelt.
The aspersions—the insults—continued to form.
It seemed that there was a fast-growing storm.
They wanted to arraign her—accuse her—of
deserting.
They said she was wrong—they were insisting—
asserting.
They avowed—they declared—that the A must
comply—she must listen, obey—requests not be
denied.
They gathered their facts to accuse—to
confront;
they decided they’d be direct—they’d be
blunt.
They prepared for an altercation—a vigorous
fight.
They thought they would have to enforce with their
might.
© Pieces of Learning
“We’ll accost letter A—we’ll approach and address
so very boldly—and then she’ll confess.
She’ll acquiesce—give in, agree to our demands.
We’ll assail her—attack her—with all our
commands.
One of them said, “That’s just too crude.
We’ll refer indirectly—we’ll vaguely allude…
we won’t outright say it, we’ll not be that rude.”
s they talked, and they argued, they attributed
blame,
they ascribed—they assigned, attached—bad
things to A’s name.
They finally arrived at little A’s home.
They stood there a moment and heard the A groan.
A’s door partially open—it was sitting ajar—
this allowed her to hear them approach from afar.
A was aghast—filled with shock and such fear.
She shrunk back when she heard the letters draw
near.
A looked askance—with distrust and suspicion—
she knew they had entered without her permission.
She averted her eyes—she turned them away—
as she saw that they now settled in there to stay.
They expected an A who was strong—so robust—
but, the A looked pathetic in her room filled with
dust.
They were appalled—just so horrified, full of
dismay.
They were really unsure of what they should say.
They stood there dumbfounded—astounded,
astonished.
They let go of their plans to scold her—admonish.
She’d been the apotheosis—the perfect example—
of a letter whose skill was much more than ample.
They’d seen A as shrewd, clever—astute.
Seeing A as now weak, didn’t make sense, didn’t
compute.
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
Page |6
The accusations they’d formed—all of their
blame—
was arrantly—completely—not what they’d
claimed.
They suddenly realized they should've been
grateful…
A had served them so well; they should not have
been hateful.
Letter B, who was with them, an avuncular
fellow—friendly and kindly—who made others feel
mellow,
now wanted to bolster—to give A support.
He could see she was nervous—so overwrought.
He called for a meeting out there in the hall,
and said, “Let’s acquit her—declare her not
guilty—at all.
A's life has obviously gone so awry—
so far off course—that it about makes me cry.
We’ve been much too acrid—our manner too
bitter.
We shouldn’t have assumed that the A was a
quitter.
We must call an armistice—let’s call off the
troops,
make peace—make A feel she’s a part of the
group.”
B ascertained—discovered—that A
was living a life with all work and no play.
The situation assessed—judged fully—right
through,
they returned to the room to express their new
view.
“We’ve adjourned our discussion—we stopped it,
we paused—to meet with you now to perhaps
change our laws.
We attest to—confirm—all that you do.
We're sure you could prove—you've enough work
for two...
© Pieces of Learning
and you’ve rarely received a heartfelt thank you.
We understand your affliction—illness and pain—
we see that you really were under great strain.
You must be accountable—responsible for your
deeds.
You must express honestly your most vital needs.
Right now you’re opposite of what you should be—
the antithesis—of what we thought we would see.
We need to alleviate—lessen—your pain,
to help you reduce—diminish—the strain.”
They assuaged—soothed, relieved—all her fears.
B said, “I now speak for everyone here.
clear aberration—abnormal—behavior,
will be forgiven with no trace of disfavor.
We appeal—we beseech, we beg, and we plead-that you go back to work, and we'll help you
succeed.
n antidote—a remedy—will make this all better;
we always come through for our most-troubled
letters.
We’re apprised—aware of—your difficult plight,
we understand why you weren’t feeling alright.
We’ll assent, accede—give in to—requests.
We can see very plainly that you need time to rest.”
A felt hopeless, defeated, miserable—abject—
but, she now heard a kindness that she could
detect.
They were amiable, amicable—
friendly— it showed.
Her feelings of self-pity definitely slowed.
Shyly—so meekly—A explained how she’d felt.
The explanation so touching, their hearts all did
melt.
She averred, asserted, affirmed—said it’s
true—
she’d let her emotions make her feel blue.
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
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She’d abased—humiliated, brought so much
shame, degraded—herself and destroyed her good
name.
There were favorable signs—it felt quite
auspicious—the future looked promising—very
propitious.
They said, “Now we now know where we all stand;
this occurrence was adventitious—not expected,
nor planned.
What seemed so—unfavorable—so very adverse—
and what seemed to both sides to be just the
worst—created animosity—a feeling of ill will—
but we must get our needs completely fulfilled.
Our rules anachronistic—out of place, and
outdated,
too out of touch...too old—antiquated.
Now, we’ll ad lib—make up on the spot—
rules to help overworked letters a lot.
Auxiliary—additional help and support—
will be given whenever the need you report.
We'll always be ancillary—less than your A
but, essential support—in our own special way.
We’ll show you great amity—friendship—good
will.
Now, please have some juice—drink to your fill!”
A’s asset—a valuable quality—a skill
was the ability to gather the strength of her will.
She was clearly amenable—agreeable, and willing.
She suddenly saw her work as fulfilling.
“You’ve allayed—diminished my pain and my
fear—I’m ready to work, that’s become clear.
I’m abashed—so embarrassed, I feel so ashamed.
It now seems so different with this all re-framed.
I’ll make up for—atone for, make my amends—
for my behavior that clearly was wrong in the end.
I can now apprehend—I can now understand
how I let this thing get so out of hand.
This is anticlimactic—this now seems so small.
© Pieces of Learning
It had seemed so important, and in the end, not at
all.”
They wished to prevent any more pain.
They said, “You’re absolved—freed of all blame.
From all overwork you must now abstain—
refrain, give it up—without any shame.”
They held in abeyance—they stopped for awhile—
all of the words that had made such a pile.
They allied—united together—for words.
To be without A would have been quite absurd.
They'd help her anonymously—without anyone
knowing.
They did it so well, her words just kept flowing.
Antecedent to problems—what came before—
was way too much work that A couldn't ignore.
She'd felt so much angst—unhappiness and dread;
now she could feel much more joyful instead.
She avowed—she declared—she always would try
to take a deep breath if things went awry.
She’d acclimated—adjusted, adapted—quite well.
If she felt very tense, she’d just let out a yell.
Her autonomy grew—she gained independence.
Her life was so glorious, brilliant—resplendent.
Appraising—examining the value—of her words
she thought them some of the best she had heard.
Her attitude so apposite—so appropriate and
fitting, suitable, well-chosen—no thoughts left of
quitting.
Under the auspices—protection—of
friends,
this hardship of A had a most pleasant
end.
Just like an umbrella when the weather gets rough,
they protect her when storms are just way too
tough.
Her job had appreciated—its value increased.
Her complaining and griping had stopped—had
ceased.
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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Page |8
She was not averse—opposed to hard work.
She was regretful that she had behaved like a jerk.
She was animated—lively—as if set ablaze—
she seemed set on fire—with her words that
amazed.
She was very assiduous—she worked very hard;
she was diligent, busy—always on guard.
Her importance affirmed—considered as true.
She did everything that she could do.
She’d been willing to abdicate—give up her
position.
She’d lost all her will—all her volition.
They’d averted—avoided—such great disaster;
they were able to keep letter A as a master.
n aphorism—a principle, a widely-accepted
belief—
work hard, but success should not cause you grief.
© Pieces of Learning
Then there’s an axiom—a self-evident truth—
that is so very obvious it requires no proof:
ll letters are equal, and they all deserve rest.
If given a chance, they will all do their best.
n adage—a proverb, a witty saying that’s
heard—
says seeing only the bad side is somewhat absurd:
“Every cloud, although dark, has a nice silver
lining.”
So what is the use of crying and whining?
A learned that all work without any play
is something that leads to a feeling so gray.
Her appellation—her name—became “Most
wesome A.”
She was asked for her autograph most every day.
With charm and charisma—so much allure—
the most popular letter—that much is for sure!
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
Page |9
Diurnal Dictionary
With this poem, start a dictionary in a notebook that will include five of the most
challenging words for you to remember. Either jot them down as you read the poem to
yourself, or record those words as you go through the activities.
Write the word, the definition, and a sentence. Then try to think of a mnemonic device that will assist
you in remembering this word. A mnemonic device is an association of some sort that will trigger your memory.
For instance, atrophy is a word meaning to wither away. Muscles will atrophy from disuse. So you might write
down, “never win a trophy with shriveling muscles.” Or, the word enervate means to gradually drain of
strength. This might sound as if it means energize, but it is actually the opposite. So, you might make a special
note in your mind: Remember, this is the opposite of what it sounds as if it means.
The same logic might apply to the word peruse. Most people think that sounds as if it means to skim over
material and not read carefully, when it actually means to read or study thoroughly. You might think about the
word “use” within that word. If you are going to use something, you want to study it carefully first. Because
those words have now been isolated for you, those will most likely be three words and definitions that you will
always remember.
At the end of all the poems, you should have at least 90 words in your dictionary. Periodically, peruse
your dictionary and do a self-test to see which words have stuck in your memory and which ones you must,
once again, reinforce in your memory. You may decide to choose one of those words that you did not
remember, and use it in a sentence during the next week.
You may even name your dictionary with a word that feels appropriate to you or is perhaps a
challenging word for you to remember. Perhaps each letter could have a different name, such as “Assiduous A,”
meaning hardworking, or “Captious C,” which means critical C, but is a challenging word to remember. You
should do whatever you feel will be most beneficial to help you remember words. As with anything else,
practicing and making it a part of your life will allow you to excel.
© Pieces of Learning
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
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Activity One
Twenty Questions
Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that you
know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two questions
to enable you to see how the word is used.
1. If someone describes the class you are about to attend as arduous, are you looking forward
to the class? Why or why not?
2. If you answer a question, and someone says, “You are not audible,” what is he telling you?
3. If you were told to articulate better, what would you do?
4. If someone says that eye shadow accentuates your eyes, what does she mean? If somebody
says, “When you have a job interview, accentuate your strengths,” what does he mean?
5. Would you prefer a rule that is ambiguous? Why or why not?
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6. Do you have acuity when it comes to understanding science? Justify your
answer.
7. If getting room and board is an appurtenance to a salary for a job, what does that mean?
8. Would you choose to be around someone who is amenable to your desires? Why or why not?
9. Are you generally in accord with your parents? What does that mean?
10. If your teacher is not accessible when you have questions, is that a good thing?
Why or why not?
11. If someone describes you as affable, is that a compliment? What does she mean?
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12. If someone suddenly begins speaking with a French accent, is that an
affectation? Explain your answer.
13. If someone says you are aloof, is that a compliment or an insult?
14. If someone says that you are an astute problem solver, what does she mean?
15. If you were in a situation that could cause you fear, who might be a person who could allay
your fears? Why that person? Does music ever help to allay some of your fears?
16. If you had antipathy for your coach, do you think you would feel close to that person? Why
or why not?
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17. Do you do your homework with alacrity? Why or why not?
18. When you are asked to do a favor for someone, is your enthusiasm for helping described
as ardent? Why or why not?
19. If you were a foreigner in another country and you assimilated into their culture, what does
that mean? Do you find it difficult or easy to assimilate material for a math test?
20. If someone says to you, “My goodness, you look so androgynous. I just was not sure what to
think,” what might he be saying to you?
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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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Activity Two
Twenty Questions
Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that you
know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two questions
to enable you to see how the word is used.
1. If someone says, “I have a great affinity for you,” what does she mean?
2. Many rich people get so wealthy that they become very altruistic. What does that mean?
3. If someone says “Please use a computer. A typewriter is so archaic,” what does he mean?
4. If someone says, “Your handwriting looks arcane to me,” what is she saying about
your handwriting?
5. Where do aquatic animals live?
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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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6. If you receive accolades in front of the rest of the school, is that a
good thing? Why or why not?
7. If you are at the apex of a mountain, are you at the top or the bottom?
8. If you are at the acme of your career, is that the best or worst time? If the sun is
at its acme, about what time is it?
9. Are you generally amicable to newcomers in your class?
10. If you stole something and said, “That’s really an anomaly,” what would you mean?
11. If all you wanted from your teacher was approbation, what is it you hoped to get?
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12. If the ambiance at a sports game suddenly turned sour, what would that mean?
What might be happening?
13. If your friend’s money was accruing monthly, what do you think she was doing with it?
14. If the rules of the game seem abstruse to you, are they clear or unclear?
15. If your parents’ anger seemed to augment every time you requested permission to go to
your friend’s house, what is happening to their anger?
16. If you’ve been allocated three pencils for the year, what does that mean?
17. If you are apprehensive about going somewhere, are you dreading it or looking
forward to it?
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18. If you are feeling abysmal about your performance in a play, how do you feel
about your performance?
19. If an illness is acute, is the illness serious or not?
Note: When referring to the senses, “acute” means keen, as in acute eyesight which would
be very good. It can also mean shrewd and perceptive, as in an acute scientist.
20. If you feel as though you were in an abyss of unhappiness, what does that mean? Is it a
small amount or a great deal of unhappiness?
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CROSSWORD A
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
10
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
www.CrosswordWeaver.com
ACROSS
1 Appropriate; to the point. He was careful to make
all his remarks _______ to what the situation
required; he did not mention any extraneous
information.
2 Partner in crime. They thought that he must have
had an _________, as no one could have created
such a heinous scheme by themselves.
5 Having distress or grief (adj.); to cause to suffer
(verb). He was ______d to find out that his son
had committed a crime. The conditions for
agricultural workers _______d the pregnant
women as they knew that the chemicals were
dangerous.
7 Ascribe to; to credit to; attach to a specific cause.
She _______d her love of broccoli to the fact that
her mother had served it to her every day. He
_______d his honesty to his belief in the idea that
what goes around comes around, or you get back
what you give out.
8 A blend or mixture. She was an_______ of charm
and wit.
9 Random, not according to law; preference or
deciding by judgment; opinion. She claimed the
grade she received on her essay was _________
and was not based on the quality of her work.
11 Allure(adj.); to beseech; plead. Make a formal
request (verb). His ______ (adj.) was that he
would do anything they requested. He _____ed
(verb) to his employer to give him a raise.
13 Quick moving; nimble; active. She was so
______in her gymnastic skills that her teacher
suggested that she train for the Olympics.
14 Formal name or title. Many actors create an
___________ that they feel represents who they
are more accurately than their name given at
birth.
18 Exact opposite. Sometimes _________
personalities make the best match for a couple.
They say opposites attract.
19 Given public approval and praise. He _________
her to be the best author he had ever read.
21 The increase; growing of separate things into one;
addition. The _________ of a coral reef takes
many thousands of years, yet it takes only a short
time for humans to step on it and kill it.
22 Charm; appeal; attraction. Attract; charm (verb).
The _______ of the job caused her to move to
another state. He ______d him to the job with a
huge bonus.
DOWN
1 Shaken; disturbed. He ________ the container to
stir up his milk shake. He felt ________ by her
criticism of him.
2 Become less. Once the pain _____d, she was
allowed to leave the doctor's office. After an hour,
the storm ______d.
3 Extreme admiration or flattery. They had such
great _________ for the basketball player that
they never missed attending the games in which
she played.
4 Adept; clever; skillful. He was ______ at handling
all emergency situations.
5 Dislike or unwillingness. He had an ________ to
doing anything that required too much effort.
6 To free from blame or obligation; to pardon.
When she finally understood his actions, she
_______d him of what she had thought was a
crime.
9 Lacking vitality; pale. She was feeling so ______
that she decided to restructure her diet to include
more leafy green vegetables.
10 Anxiety; guilt or remorse; dread. The _____ that
she felt as she waited for the test results caused
her to be unable to sleep.
11 Distribute a share. She _________ed her
paycheck to pay all her bills.
12 United. They had wanted to make an ______
effort, but no one wanted to commit to the cause.
15 Eager; greedy. She was an ____ reader of
mystery books.
16 A proverb. "Look before you leap" is an _____
which is difficult to follow because so many
situations tempt us into trouble.
17 Charge without proof. They _____d that he
committed the crime, however ultimately he
proved it was actually his friend who was the
perpetrator (person who commits a crime).
19 Self-evident truth. "All men are created equal" is
an _____ that is often quoted, but is not always
quite as evident in people's behavior.
20 Put in a straight line. She _____ed all the chairs
for the meeting. Please note: This word can also
refer to being in agreement with as in a cause, a
policy, or a political party. She ______ed herself
with the Republican party.
WORD BANK: abate, absolve, acclaimed, accomplice, accretion, adage, adroit, adulation, aggrieved, agile, agitated, align, allege, allied, allure, amalgam,
anemic, angst, antipodal, appeal, appellation, apportion, apropos, arbitrary, attributed, aversion, avid, axiom.
© Pieces of Learning
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
P a g e | 19
Activity Four
Vocabulary in Context
Select your answers to the following sentences using the following vocabulary words.
The sentences allow you to see how to use the word and will help you to remember it.
angst
amalgam
allege
align
axiom
adage
arbitrary apportion
agile
aversion
aggrieved apropos
appellation
agitated
adulation
appeal
attribute
anemic
antipodal
accretion
absolve
avid
accomplice abate
adroit
allied
acclaim
put in a straight line
1. She ______________________________ed all the chairs for the meeting. Note: This word can also refer to
being in agreement with as in a cause, a policy, or a political party.
She ______________________________ed herself with the Republican party.
eager; greedy
2. She was an ___________________________________ reader of mystery books.
appropriate; to the point
3. He was careful to make all his remarks _____________________________ to what the situation required;
he did not mention any extraneous information.
beseech, plead, make a formal request
4. He __________________________________ed (verb) to his employer to give him a raise.
the increase; growing of separate things into one; addition
5. The ____________________________________ of a coral reef takes many thousands of years, yet it takes
only a short time for humans to step on it and kill it.
given public approval and praise
6. He was __________________________________ (ed) for his contributions to the field of genetic research.
extreme admiration or flattery
7. They had such great _____________________________________ for the basketball player that they never
missed attending the games in which she played.
a blend or mixture
8. She was an ______________________________________________ of charm and wit.
charm; appeal; attraction. Attract; charm (verb)
9. The _______________________________________of the job caused her to move to another state.
He ________________________________________d him to the job with a huge bonus.
© Pieces of Learning
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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distribute a share
10. She ___________________________________________ed her paycheck to pay all her bills.
shaken; disturbed
11. He ____________________________________________the container to stir up his milkshake.
He felt _________________________________________by her criticism of him.
lacking vitality; pale
12. She was feeling so ______________________________ that she decided to restructure her diet to
include more leafy green vegetables.
partner in crime
13. They thought that he must have had an ____________________, as no one could have created such a
heinous scheme by themselves.
become less
14. Once the pain _____________________________________d, she was allowed to leave the doctor’s office.
After an hour, the storm _________________________________________d.
charge without proof
15. They _________________________________________d that he committed the crime, however ultimately
he proved it was actually his friend who was the perpetrator (person who commits a crime).
quick moving; nimble; active
16. She was so ____________________________________ in her gymnastic skills that her teacher suggested
that she train for the Olympics.
dislike or unwillingness
17. He had an ______________________________________ to doing anything that required too much effort.
having distress or grief (adj.); to cause to suffer (verb)
18. He was _________________________________________ to find out that his son had committed a crime.
The conditions for agricultural workers _______________________ the pregnant women as they knew
that the chemicals were dangerous.
united
19. They had wanted to make an ____________________ effort, but no one wanted to commit to the cause.
anxiety; guilt or remorse; dread
20. The ________________________________________ that she felt as she waited for the test results caused
her to be unable to sleep.
self-evident truth
21. “All men are created equal,” is an _________________________________________ that is often quoted,
but is not always quite as evident in people’s behavior.
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a proverb
22. “Look before you leap,” is an ____________________ which is difficult to follow because so
many situations tempt us into trouble.
formal name or title
23. Many actors create an ______________________________________ that they feel represents who they
are more accurately than their name given at birth.
ascribe to; to credit to; attach to a specific cause
24. She _____________________d her love of broccoli to the fact that her mother had served it to her every
day.
He ____________________d his honesty to his belief in the idea that what goes around comes around,
or you get back what you give out.
random, not according to law; preference or deciding by judgment; opinion
25. She claimed the grade she received on her essay was _________________________________________
and was not based on the quality of her work.
to free from blame or obligation; to pardon
26. When she finally understood his actions, she _________________________________________d him of
what she had thought was a crime.
exact opposite
27. Sometimes _________________________________________ personalities make the best match for a couple.
They say opposites attract.
clever; skillful
28. He was _________________________________________ at handling all emergency situations.
© Pieces of Learning
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
P a g e | 22
Activity Five
Twenty Questions
Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that
you know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two
questions to enable you to see how the word is used.
1. If someone’s house is very austere, does it have a lot of decorations?
2. If you feel apathetic about bowling, how do you feel about going to a bowling tournament?
3. If a very wealthy person contributed half her money to a charity, would you say she had great
avarice? Why or why not?
4. If you begged to be able to take piano lessons, but your enthusiasm attenuated after a month, what
happened? If the force of an earthquake attenuated by the time it reached your town, did it grow
stronger or weaker? (adjective form) If your power as student body president was attenuated by the
principal, what did he do? (verb form)
5. If you had been working out, and someone says, “You look as if your muscles have atrophied," would
that be a good thing? Why or why not?
6. If you are the new person in the class, and you were feeling alienated after the first month, is
that good? Why or why not?
7. If you are feeling a little bit sick but are ambulatory, are you expected to go to school? Why
or why not?
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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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8. What could ameliorate your worries on the day before a big test?
9. If the visiting team annihilated all your team’s dreams, what do you think was the outcome of the
game?
10. If someone feels ambivalent about being your friend, how does that make you feel?
11. If you are feeling audacious, are you more or less likely to stand up to your enemy?
12. If your friend says, “Every time final exams come, I feel like absconding from the country,” what does
that mean?
13. Some people theorize that if we don’t stop mistreating the earth, an apocalypse will occur. What are
they thinking?
14. If a substitute teacher says, “I will not tolerate anarchy in this classroom today,” what might she be
thinking would happen?
15. If your friend says, “You’re acting asinine,” what does that mean?
16. If your parent says, “I’m not going to resort to artifice to get you to clean your room,” what does he
mean?
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17. What might be an anathema to a person who is a vegetarian?
18. If a teacher says, “Don’t give me an alibi for your not getting your homework done,” what does she
mean?
19. Dictators often aggrandize their power by treating others who disagree with them quite cruelly. What
does that mean?
20. If you are affiliated with a particular political party, what does that mean?
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Activity Six
Word Scramble
Select your answers to the Word Scramble from the following vocabulary words. Fill in the
blank with your answer. The sentences allow you to see how to use the word and will help
you to remember it.
antithesis
attest
apprentice
abject
antagonism
abraded
alleviate
assert
accost
acquit
amplified
assailed
armistice
allay
abstain
absolve
adamant
aspersions
ascertain
accede
allied
archaic
augur
arraign
ascribed
arsenal
abashed
ambled
accouterments
admonish
declare; state clearly; say with force or confidence
1. She (teassr)
ed that all her statements were true.
______
Note: An _ _ _ _ _ _ive person is a person who insists on their rights and opinions and
demands recognition.
approach and address boldly
2. She felt (tosacc)
_ _ _ _ _ _ed by her teammates, but it was just their way of getting her to
feel that she was one of the team; she was used to a more reserved approach.
assign; attach; attribute
3. He (bedirasc)
his parents.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ his talent at debating to the many arguments he’d had with
supply (of weapons)
4. He had an (senalar)
not guilty
5. He was (tiuqca)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ of arguments to persuade her.
_ _ _ _ _ _ed, but the general public thought he was guilty.
stopping of hostilities; truce; to make peace
6. The violence between the gangs had gotten so out of control that the police knew they had to find a way
to get them to declare an (ticeamirs)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
find out as fact; discover
7. She could not (tercainas)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ if there would be a final exam.
They _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ed that she had never lived there.
bear witness to; confirm; certify validity
8. He could (stetta)
to the fact that he did not go, but he did not really know about
anyone else.
______
The fact that her parties always went well,
to plan events.
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_ _ _ _ _ _ s to the excellence of her ability
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
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opposite
9. The outcome was the (theissitan)
would come to pass, but he adjusted to the circumstances.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of all that he had hoped
lessen; make less severe
10. The medicine (teaivllae)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _d the symptoms almost immediately.
The large donation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ d the severity of the situation.
assent; agree; give into; to yield
_ _ _ _ _ _ to their demands to raise their grades.
11. He refused to (eedacc)
miserable; wretched; defeated
12. We were shocked by the (tjecba)
_ _ _ _ _ _ circumstances still evident a year after the
tsunami had hit; it seemed the world had forgotten.
a person learning a trade; a beginner or novice
13. Hiring an (cetinerppa)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to repair something can often be less
expensive than hiring a professional, but that is sometimes risky.
diminish; relieve; calm, pacify
14. She tried to (yalla)
_ _ _ _ _ the child’s fears after the incident, but the child could not regain trust.
embarrassed; ashamed
15. He was (ashedba)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ when he was caught telling his friend’s secret.
He was _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when she said she loved him.
restrain oneself; refrain from
16. She had to (naitsba)
trust her again.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ from criticizing for a month before anyone would
united
17. They wanted to make an (diella)
_ _ _ _ _ _ effort, but no one wanted to commit to the cause.
to free from blame or obligation; to pardon
18. When she finally understood his actions, she (velosba)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _d him of what she had
thought was a crime.
urge; rebuke; criticize or scold mildly but firmly; to caution or warn
19. He (onismhda)
ed his son for snacking too much before dinner.
________
antiquated
20. Although some might consider an abacus to be an (caichra)
used in Japan.
move at easy pace; move slowly
21. Although they were late, they just (bledma)
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ tool, it is still
______
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
along enjoying the weather.
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opposition; hostility
22. There was such (tagnoismna)
they were placed into separate classes.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ between the two students that
increase in volume or strength; enlarge
23. As he grew exhausted, his fears (dieflimpa)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to the point of making him
irrational and unable to think clearly.
stubbornly resolute
24. She was always so (damtana)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ about not letting her daughter go anywhere.
portend; foresee; predict
25. Spraining her ankle while warming up did not (rugau)
equipment
26. Although he bought all the fanciest (treemtsuoaccn)
_ _ _ _ _ a successful performance.
_____________
with which to fish, he never caught anything.
scraped
27. As she slid down the side of the trail, the sharp rocks (deadbra)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ her arms.
attack
28. He was (sailsade)
money for their families.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ by a group of robbers, who desperately needed
insults
29. Casting (persionssa)
on the character of an opponent has become
a common way for politicians to attempt to win their race.
__________
accuse; charge in court; indict
30. She was (raingar)
providing the car.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ed on the charge that she assisted in the crime by
© Pieces of Learning
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
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Activity Seven
Twenty Questions
Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that
you know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two
questions to enable you to see how the word is used.
1. If someone afflicted his enemy, what did he do?
Note: In this example “afflict” is a verb. An affliction (noun) is a condition in which one is suffering pain,
or distress. Despite her affliction, she participated in several different sports.
2. How does your teacher deal with any altercations that might arise?
3. If your friend will never acquiesce to any of your requests, would you like her? Why or why not?
4. If someone says, “You’re assailing my ears with your music,” what does she mean?
5. If someone alluded to the fact that he did not like your shoes, how would he make that clear to
you?
6. After the experience she had, she looked askance at going back there again. What did the experience
create in her?
Note: Askance also means sideways or squinting. She looked askance at the teacher and displayed
embarrassment.
7. At the last moment she averted her eyes, so no one would know what she actually wanted. What did
she do?
Note: Avert can also mean prevent or avoid. They averted disaster by evacuating everyone from the town.
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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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8. Do you know anyone famous (or not famous) who is the apotheosis of dishonesty? Who?
9. If someone is an advocate for children, what is her job?
10. Do you know anyone who is arrantly rude? What does that mean?
11. Do you think Scrooge was an avuncular fellow? Why or why not?
12. If you thought a smell was acrid, how would you describe it?
13. If a meeting was adjourned, what happened to the meeting?
14. If someone says, “Think before you act. You are accountable for your deeds,” what does he mean?
15. During her fever, it seemed that nothing could assuage her thirst. What does that mean?
16. If you were arguing with another student, would you want to be the one to apprise the teacher of the
situation? Why or why not?
17. If someone says, “I aver that it is true,” is it true or not?
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18. If you were accused of doing something wrong, would you feel abased? Why or why not?
19. If someone says, “This is an auspicious start for our trip,” is something good or bad just happen?
20. If someone had an adventitious meeting with her friend, was it planned or unplanned?
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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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Creative Written Expression
Choose one of the following two prompts.
Prompt 1: After-school activities today take many forms. In addition to hours of homework, these include
participating in clubs, competing on teams, caring for siblings, and working.
Letter A felt overwhelmed with all her responsibilities in life. Although A’s appellation became “Miss
Awesome A,” A felt awfully awful for quite a while. Incorporating three vocabulary words from the list below,
briefly summarize A's feelings, how she reacted, and how others viewed her. Then relate her experience of
doing too much, or feeling overwhelmed to something with which you have had to deal. You may choose to
write about how society puts pressure on young people to over-achieve and to over-schedule activities. Or,
perhaps you feel having many activities is exciting and beneficial, and someone like letter A just needs to be
able to manage their time more effectively.
Prompt 2: Summarize the poem in your own words, incorporating five or more vocabulary words from the
list below in original ways. Describe Letter A's behavior, how Letter A was viewed by others at the beginning of
the poem, how she viewed herself, and what she could have done differently to avoid the desperation she felt in
the middle of the poem.
Describe what activities, if any, you have experienced, how you have felt about them, whether you were
glad or sorry that you did them. Include your opinion concerning whether young people should participate in
extracurricular activities, what type of activities they should seek, and the value, or negative aspects, of participating.
angst
aloof
adept
adulated
abashed
acclaimed
aptitude
altruistic
acme
arduous
amicable
allied
accrued
alienated
abate
atypical
averted
ambivalent
adamant
abeyance
aversion
accelerated
affliction
accountable
alacrity
amenable
avid
aspire
apotheosis
arrant
accolades
array
abscond
allay
apprehensive
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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
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“And There’s More….”
Don’t Forget Your “Diurnal Dictionary” entries.
Check Your Progress with The “Final Quiz”
“Successful Sagacity”
Find your favorite word (or words) from this poem and think of a sentence for it or a situation
where it might come in handy. Make a mental note to use it at some point during the week. A
situation will pop up in which you can use that word. After you use it, remember to record it in
your dictionary as a “success.” You may notice that when you use this word, it makes you feel
proud of yourself…perhaps it will make you feel that you are wise.
Card Activity
Using index cards, make five flash cards of the five words you found to be most challenging in each
poem. Put the word on the front and the definition on the back. In groups, take turns testing each
other. There may be repeats, but that will reinforce the meaning of the word that others found
challenging as well.
“Win, Lose, or Draw”
Each team gets 10 vocabulary words as a list (or the teacher may write them on the board). Words
are written on pieces of small paper along with a brief definition and placed into a container. The
drawer gets one word along with the definition that he will attempt to draw on the board in the
form of a picture that hints at the word. Whoever guesses the word first gets the point for their
team.
“Charades”
Each team gets the same 10 vocabulary words as a list (or the teacher may write them on the
board). The words are written on small pieces of paper and placed into a container.
The actor acts out the word. Whoever guesses the word first gets the point for their team
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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
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CROSSWORD A
Solution:
A P R O P O S
G
I
A
T
D
A
A T T R I B U
T
O
S
E
I
O
D
T
L
V
A P P E A
P
L
A P P E L L
A
O
I
D
R
E
A N T I P O D
G
I
E
O
A C C
N
A L L U
© Pieces of Learning
A C C O M
B
A
A
T
V
T E D
E
R
S
A R B I
N
O
L
E
N
M
A T I O N
C
A
A L
A C C
L
X
R E T I O N
G
O
R E
M
P L I C E
G G R
A
T R A
N
A G
S
T
A
I E V E D
U
L
M A L G A M
T
R Y
I
O
I L E
N
A
V
I
L A I M E D
L
I
G
N
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A
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Vocabulary in Context
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
align
avid
appropos
appeal
accretion
acclaim
adulation
amalgam
allure
apportion
agitated
anemic
accomplice
abate
Word Scramble A
1. assert
2. accost
3. ascribed
4. arsenal
5. acquit
6. armistice
7. ascertain
8. attest
9. antithesis
10. alleviate
11. accede
12. abject
13. apprentice
14. allay
15. abashed
© Pieces of Learning
Activity Four
15. allege
16. agile
17. aversion
18. aggrieved
19. allied
20. angst
21. axiom
22. adage
23. appellation
24. attribute
25. arbitrary
26. absolve
27. antipodal
28. adroit
Activity Six
16. abstain
17. allied
18. absolve
19. admonish
20. archaic
21. ambled
22. antagonism
23. amplified
24. adamant
25. augur
26. accouterments
27. abraded
28. assailed
29. aspersions
30. arraign
Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster
Letter A