ADVANCED
WORD POWER
Second Edition
BETH JOHNSON
JANET M. GOLDSTEIN
© 2011 Townsend Press
Unit One: Chapter 4
• brevity
• querulous
• clemency
• reproach
• frivolous
• respite
• heist
• torpor
• lampoon
• unscathed
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 brevity
– noun
• Everyone was surprised by the brevity of the principal’s speech
at graduation. He spoke for less than five minutes.
• President Calvin Coolidge was famous for the brevity of his
remarks. When a woman told him, “I have a bet that I can get
you to say three words to me!” his response was, “You lose.”
The brevity
of a flash
of lightning
captured
on camera
Photo: NOAA
Brevity means
A. strength.
B. intelligence.
C. briefness.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 brevity
– noun
• Everyone was surprised by the brevity of the principal’s speech
at graduation. He spoke for less than five minutes.
• President Calvin Coolidge was famous for the brevity of his
remarks. When a woman told him, “I have a bet that I can get
you to say three words to me!” his response was, “You lose.”
The brevity
of a flash
of lightning
captured
on camera
Brevity means
A. strength.
B. intelligence.
C. briefness.
A graduation speech lasting for less
than five minutes is unusually brief.
Coolidge’s two-word refusal to speak
even three words illustrates his
characteristic briefness in speaking.
Photo: NOAA
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 clemency
– noun
• A good teacher knows when to show clemency. For instance, if a
student has been working very hard but does poorly on one quiz,
the teacher might offer not to count that score.
• The convicted murderer was executed, even though religious
leaders asked the court to show clemency and reduce his
sentence to life in prison.
Clemency means
A. mercy.
B. haste.
C. strength.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 clemency
– noun
• A good teacher knows when to show clemency. For instance, if a
student has been working very hard but does poorly on one quiz,
the teacher might offer not to count that score.
• The convicted murderer was executed, even though religious
leaders asked the court to show clemency and reduce his
sentence to life in prison.
Clemency means
A. mercy.
B. haste.
C. strength.
Not counting an unusual low quiz score shows the teacher’s mercy
for a hard-working student. Instead of showing mercy by allowing
the convict to remain alive, the court ordered him to be executed.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 frivolous
– adjective
• Do you feel like seeing a serious movie, or one that’s more
frivolous?
• We were laughing over some ridiculous joke when the news of
our friend’s injury put an end to our frivolous mood.
Frivolous means
A. lighthearted.
B. cold-hearted.
C. brokenhearted.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 frivolous
– adjective
• Do you feel like seeing a serious movie, or one that’s more
frivolous?
• We were laughing over some ridiculous joke when the news of
our friend’s injury put an end to our frivolous mood.
Frivolous means
A. lighthearted.
B. cold-hearted.
C. brokenhearted.
A serious movie is contrasted with one that is lighthearted.
A ridiculous joke had put the friends in a lighthearted mood.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 heist
– noun
• Hollywood loves making heist movies. A few of the robberythemed movies of recent years include Ocean’s Eleven, Catch Me
If You Can, and Snatch.
• The police believe three people were involved in the jewelry-store
heist: the lookout, the thief, and the driver of the getaway car.
Heist means
A. a purchase.
B. an imitation.
C. a theft.
Photo: FBI
A bank heist in progress
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 heist
– noun
• Hollywood loves making heist movies. A few of the robberythemed movies of recent years include Ocean’s Eleven, Catch Me If
You Can, and Snatch.
• The police believe three people were involved in the jewelry-store
heist: the lookout, the thief, and the driver of the getaway car.
Heist means
A. a purchase.
B. an imitation.
C. a theft.
Photo: FBI
A bank heist in progress
The word robbery suggests that heist
means “theft.” The words lookout,
thief, and getaway car suggest that
these three people were involved in a
theft.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 lampoon
– verb
• Someone in our office lampooned all our paperwork by circulating
a six-page form to be submitted, in triplicate, by anyone who
wanted a pencil. Several humorless employees actually filled it out.
• The funny movie Tropic Thunder lampoons a number of targets:
the washed-up action star, the rapper-turned-actor, and the
obnoxious Hollywood agent.
Lampoon means
A. to summarize.
B. to make fun of.
C. to praise.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 lampoon
– verb
• Someone in our office lampooned all our paperwork by circulating
a six-page form to be submitted, in triplicate, by anyone who
wanted a pencil. Several humorless employees actually filled it out.
• The funny movie Tropic Thunder lampoons a number of targets:
the washed-up action star, the rapper-turned-actor, and the
obnoxious Hollywood agent.
Lampoon means
A. to summarize.
B. to make fun of.
C. to praise.
The humorless employees didn’t realize that the phony six-page form
was intended to make fun of all the actual paperwork required. In the
second item, the word funny suggests that lampoon means “to make
fun of.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 querulous
– adjective
• Although Mr. Hackman frequently says, “I don’t like to
complain,” his conversation is full of querulous comments about
all the things that upset him.
• The spoiled little boy looked at his pile of birthday presents and
said in a querulous voice, “There aren’t very many of them, are
there?”
Querulous means
A. shaky.
B. dishonest.
C. discontented.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 querulous
– adjective
• Although Mr. Hackman frequently says, “I don’t like to
complain,” his conversation is full of querulous comments about
all the things that upset him.
• The spoiled little boy looked at his pile of birthday presents and
said in a querulous voice, “There aren’t very many of them, are
there?”
Querulous means
A. shaky.
B. dishonest.
C. discontented.
Since Mr. Hackman fills his conversation with complaints about things
that upset him, he must be quite discontented. The spoiled boy must
be discontented if he thinks he didn’t receive many presents.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 reproach
– noun
• The kids deserve some words of reproach for making such a
mess of the house while their parents were away.
• During the campaign, both candidates drew reproach from the
newspapers for making untruthful statements and generally
behaving very badly.
Reproach means
A. thanks.
B. disapproval.
C. respect.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 reproach
– noun
• The kids deserve some words of reproach for making such a
mess of the house while their parents were away.
• During the campaign, both candidates drew reproach from the
newspapers for making untruthful statements and generally
behaving very badly.
Reproach means
A. thanks.
B. disapproval.
C. respect.
Most parents would express disapproval if their children made a mess
of the house while they were away. Most newspapers would express
disapproval if candidates lied and behaved badly.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 respite
– noun
• Emergency-room doctors work long shifts. Their only respite is
a short nap on a couch.
• Twice a week, a nurse spends an afternoon at the Hendersons’
house, so that Mrs. Henderson can have some respite from
caring for her sick husband.
Respite means
A. time off.
B. a salary.
C. a mark of respect.
Photo: Michael Rieger/FEMA
A moment of respite for heroic firefighters
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 respite
– noun
• Emergency-room doctors work long shifts. Their only respite is
a short nap on a couch.
• Twice a week, a nurse spends an afternoon at the Hendersons’
house, so that Mrs. Henderson can have some respite from
caring for her sick husband.
Respite means
A. time off.
B. a salary.
C. a mark of respect.
Photo: Michael Rieger/FEMA
Short naps give doctors time off
from their duties. The visiting nurse
gives Mrs. Henderson time off from
caring for her sick husband.
A moment of respite for heroic firefighters
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 torpor
– noun
• When Brendan took a midwinter vacation in Florida, the
unaccustomed heat drained his energy. His torpor was so
overwhelming that all he wanted to do was lie in a hammock.
• The sleepy little town seemed to doze peacefully through the
summer afternoon. It looked as if nothing could rouse it from its
torpor.
Torpor means
A. hostility.
B. curiosity.
C. drowsiness.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 torpor
– noun
• When Brendan took a midwinter vacation in Florida, the
unaccustomed heat drained his energy. His torpor was so
overwhelming that all he wanted to do was lie in a hammock.
• The sleepy little town seemed to doze peacefully through the
summer afternoon. It looked as if nothing could rouse it from its
torpor.
Torpor means
A. hostility.
B. curiosity.
C. drowsiness.
If Brendan was so drained of energy that all he wanted to do was lie
in a hammock, he must have been overwhelmed by drowsiness. The
words sleepy and doze suggest that torpor means “drowsiness.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 unscathed
– adjective
• “Thanks to my seat belt,” said Jermaine, “I was able to walk away
from the collision unscathed. Without it, I would probably have
been badly injured.”
• When her best friend began dating her ex-boyfriend, Mimi lamented,
“I wish I could say that this has left me unscathed. But the truth is I
feel hurt and betrayed.”
Unscathed means
A. strengthened.
B. angry.
C. unhurt.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 unscathed
– adjective
• “Thanks to my seat belt,” said Jermaine, “I was able to walk away
from the collision unscathed. Without it, I would probably have
been badly injured.”
• When her best friend began dating her ex-boyfriend, Mimi lamented,
“I wish I could say that this has left me unscathed. But the truth is I
feel hurt and betrayed.”
Unscathed means
A. strengthened.
B. angry.
C. unhurt.
In the first item, being badly injured is contrasted with being unhurt.
In the second item, feeling hurt and betrayed is contrasted with
remaining unhurt.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
1. Feeling __________ on a sunny Saturday morning, I treated
myself to a manicure rather than doing the housework that was
waiting for me.
2. In the action movie, the attempted __________ of a famous
painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, was prevented by a
beautiful young art student and a quick-thinking security guard.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
1. Feeling __________
frivolous on a sunny Saturday morning, I treated
myself to a manicure rather than doing the housework that was
waiting for me.
Getting a manicure is less serious and sensible than doing housework.
2. In the action movie, the attempted __________
of a famous
heist
painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, was prevented by a
beautiful young art student and a quick-thinking security guard.
The job of security guards is to prevent acts of stealing.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
3. Since the shoplifting incident was James’s first such offense, the
court showed __________ and only fined him, rather than
sending him to jail.
4. That teacher’s classes are famous for their __________. He
frequently runs out of material halfway through the class and, with
a brusque° “That’s all for today,” lets his students leave early.
5. At a restaurant last night, I could not help overhearing the incredibly
__________ man at the next table. He complained to the waiter that
the napkins were too thin, the soup was too hot, the ice cubes were
too small, and the holes in the salt shaker were too large.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
3. Since the shoplifting incident was James’s first such offense, the
court showed __________
clemency and only fined him, rather than
sending him to jail.
A fine is a more lenient judgment than a jail sentence.
4. That teacher’s classes are famous for their __________.
He
brevity
frequently runs out of material halfway through the class and, with
a brusque° “That’s all for today,” lets his students leave early.
The classes must be short in duration if they last only half the period.
5. At a restaurant last night, I could not help overhearing the incredibly
__________
querulous man at the next table. He complained to the waiter that
the napkins were too thin, the soup was too hot, the ice cubes were
too small, and the holes in the salt shaker were too large.
The man’s constant fault-finding shows he was whining and complaining.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
6. After a snake eats, it generally falls into a state of __________
for a day or more, barely moving or even breathing.
7. Our cat fell out of an attic window but walked away __________.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
6. After a snake eats, it generally falls into a state of __________
torpor
for a day or more, barely moving or even breathing.
A snake that is barely moving is in a state of physical inactivity.
7. Our cat fell out of an attic window but walked away __________.
unscathed
If the cat was able to walk away after falling from an attic, it must not
have been injured by the plunge.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
8. The very funny online Onion News Network ________s 24-hour
news networks with absurd stories like “NASCAR Coach Reveals
Winning Strategy: ‘Drive Fast.’”
9. I spend Thursday mornings at my sister’s house, giving her some
__________ from her very active two-year-old twins.
10. Charisse is a very forgiving person. Although she had every right to
be angry at me for what I did, she accepted my apology without a
word of __________.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. brevity
B. clemency
C. frivolous
D. heist
E. lampoon
F. querulous
G. reproach
H. respite
I. torpor
J. unscathed
8. The very funny online Onion News Network _________
lampoons 24-hour
news networks with absurd stories like “NASCAR Coach Reveals
Winning Strategy: ‘Drive Fast.’”
The item describes a humorous imitation of a news story.
9. I spend Thursday mornings at my sister’s house, giving her some
__________
respite from her very active two-year-old twins.
Once a week, the sister has a short period of relief from caring for her
children.
10. Charisse is a very forgiving person. Although she had every right to
be angry at me for what I did, she accepted my apology without a
word of __________.
reproach
The word forgiving suggests that Charisse accepted the apology
without criticism or blame.