Lethargic
(adj)
I’m feeling lethargic since I’m
getting so much less sleep
than I’m used to.
Drowsy, sluggish, tired
Sounds like: leather chick
Picture: A young chicken is trying to run
around the barn, but she’s too tired.
The problem is that when she hatched
she was covered with leather instead of
feathers, and the combination of heat
and the weight of the leather has
drained her of all her energy.
Vilify
(verb)
Politicians like to vilify
their opponents so no
one will vote for the
opposition.
To defame; to attack
someone’s
reputation
Sounds like: village fly
Picture: A giant fly, known as the
Village Fly, who goes from house to
house, saying bad things about the
neighbors.
Other form: Vilification (noun)
EX: The vilification of Batman made the city hate him.
Unanimous
(adj)
(yu-NAN-ih-muss)
Other forms: unanimously (adv);
unanimity (noun)
When I asked the class
if they wanted to talk
for ten minutes, their
answer was
unanimous: yes!
In total agreement
Sounds like: you, Nanny Moose
Picture: Nanny Moose is running for
president of the PTA. Immediately
after the election, the members stand
up and announce, “We all voted for
you, Nanny Moose!”
Eccentric
(adj)
(ek-SEN-trik)
Santa Claus is an eccentric
old guy; he uses the
chimney instead of the
door.
Different from most,
especially in personality
or behaviors
Picture: An old man named Rick who sits
in a rocking chair on the sidewalk in front
of his house and speaks in a different
accent every five minutes. (The neighbors
think he’s a little weird).
Sounds like: accent Rick
Bumptious
(adj.)
(BUMP-shuss)
Jack’s bumptious
behavior kept his group
off task and resulted in a
detention.
pushy; obnoxiously
self-assertive
Picture: A man and woman are playing
chess. The man is annoying, pushy, and
rude. Whenever he captures one of his
opponent’s pieces, he bumps it off the
board and yells out, “Bump chess! I love
this game! And I really love winning!”
Usurp
(verb)
(yoo-SERP)
Katie gave me a hard
push and usurped my
place in line.
to seize or take over
by force
Picture: Two ladies sitting in a
diner. One lady is slurping her
soup. The other grabs her
spoon and says, “You slurp,
and I take your spoon!”
Wither
(verb)
(WIH-ther)
Other Forms: withered (adj.)
25
Dry out; shrivel up; lose
life or energy
26
The flower withered in the hot
desert sun.
27
Picture: A woman who carries
old, shriveled flowers with her
wherever she goes.
28
Destitute
(adjective)
(DESS-tih-toot)
Other Forms: destitution (noun)
29
Poor; lacking
possessions
30
In order to qualify for the
scholarship, you had to be almost
destitute.
31
Picture: A man so poor that he has
only one tooth left (he can’t afford
dental care). And even that one
tooth is dusty because he can’t
afford a toothbrush.
32
Volatile
(adjective)
(VAHL-ah-till)
Other Forms: volatility (noun)
33
Capable of evaporating,
exploding or changing
moods very quickly
34
The judge had a volatile temper, so
the lawyers were on their best
behavior.
We had to be careful with the
volatile fireworks during the
drought.
35
Picture: A game similar to volleyball,
except that instead of a ball, a tile is
hit back and forth over the net. The
tile is volatile and could explode at
any time, so the players try to keep it
in the air.
36
Conundrum
(noun)
(kah-NUN-drum)
37
–riddle; mystery
38
The real conundrum was trying to
figure out how to serve three meals
a day on a $10 a day budget.
39
Picture: A man playing the drum,
but instead of drumsticks, he’s
using ice cream cones. An
observer asks: “How does he play
music with those things?” A
second observer: “It’s a mystery
to me.”
40
Pretentious
(adjective)
(pre-TENCH-us)
41
showy; making
ridiculous claims;
excessively ambitious
42
My sister seemed pretentious at her
birthday party, with her hair
professionally done and her
designer clothes.
43
Picture: A man showing his new shoes
to his family. He is proud of everything
he does, to the point of being
unrealistic. But regarding these shoes,
he seems to be even more out of touch
with reality than usual. He calls them
his “pretend shoes,” and he says that
while wearing them, he’ll be able to fly.
44
Morose
(adjective)
(mawr-OSE)
45
Depressed
46
My morose grandfather had lost all
his friends to cancer.
47
Picture: Depressed horse at a bar. The
bartender asks, “More oats, pal?”
48
ALTRUISTIC
(al-troo-ISS-tik)
Adj.
Other form: Altruism (noun)
• I know Ghandi was altruistic
because he spent his life
trying to help others.
unselfish; caring
Sounds like: Al True’s Wish
Stick
Picture: A man named Al True
has a “wish stick,” or magic
wand. He uses it to help
people by giving them what
they need.
OPAQUE
(oh-PAKE)
Adj.
• Because the curtains in my
room are opaque, I can
sleep until noon in total
darkness.
too dark or thick for light to
pass through
Sounds like: oh cake
Picture: Right after the wedding reception,
the newlyweds run to their car to leave for
their honeymoon. They’re surprised to
find no “Just Married” sign on the back or
bells hanging from the mirrors. But when
they get into the car they notice the entire
windshield has been covered by a thick,
white substance, which they obviously
can’t see through. When they look more
closely they say, “Oh, cake!”
EXUBERANT
(ex-ZOO-burr-ent)
Adj.
• After winning the lottery,
Matt was exuberant. He
ran around kicking up his
heels and yelling,
“Yeehaw!”
uncontrollably joyous
Sounds like: ex-zoo bear aunt
Picture: A grizzly bear who had
left the zoo returns to visit his
aunt. When they see each
other, they are both very
happy, hugging and dancing
and singing for many hours.
Impede
Other Forms: impediment (verb)
(verb)
(im-PEED)
The rain impeded my ability to take
my dog for a walk.
The teacher stood in the doorway,
impeding my rapid entrance at the
bell.
get in the way;
hinder
–
Picture: Pete walks out onto the
track while a women’s relay race is
going on. Just as two racers are
about to exchange the baton, he
walks between them and says to
one, “I’m Pete.”
Concur
(kun-KERR)
Verb
Other form: concurrence (noun)
• Scientists do not concur on
what caused the dinosaurs
to die out.
-to agree
Sounds like: can curl
Picture: Two hairstylists
discussing a customer’s hair.
“I believe it can curl,” says
one. The other concurs, or
agrees.
Pompous
(POMP-us)
adjective
Other forms: pompously (adv.); pomposity
(noun)
• The new manager seemed
like a pompous jerk who
wasn’t interested in anyone
else’s ideas.
-filled with selfimportance; arrogant;
obnoxiously proud
Sounds like: pom-poms
Picture: The new head cheerleader at
the high school has just been chosen,
and she has decided to appear before
an assembly of the entire school to
tell everyone how much she deserves
the honor and how lucky they are to
have her. “And now,” she says,
waving her pom-poms over her head,
“how about a BIG CHEER just for
ME?”
Sardonic
(sar-DONN-ik)
adjective
Other forms: sardonically (adv)
• The student’s comment
had a sardonic tone that,
while funny, was also kind
of mean.
-Humorous, but humor
tinged with sarcasm;
mocking
Sardonic Example
• Teacher: “To make the academic team,
you have to be one of the smartest kids in
school.”
• Student 1: “I’m really smart.”
• Sardonic Student: “If you were twice as
smart as you are now, you'd be absolutely
stupid.”
Sounds like: Sardine
Nick
Picture: A sardine
named Nick who’s
working as a
stand-up
comedian. Much of
his act consists of
sardonic, sarcastic
humor.
You are
not as
bad as
people
say, you
are much,
much
worse.
NICK
Peruse
(puh-ROOZ)
Verb
Other forms: perusal (noun)
• In order to complete the
study guide questions, I had
to peruse the novel
thoroughly.
-read carefully; study in
detail
Sounds like: Peru’s
Picture: A man
carefully reading a
map of Peru.
Incessant
(in-SESS-ent)
adjective
Other forms: incessantly (adverb)
• The incessant buzzing of
mosquitoes drove us crazy.
-continuous; endless
Sounds like: in says ant
Picture: An ant hill just before a storm. One
ant stands at the door and says “In! In!
In!” over and over and over again as an
endless stream of ants pours into the
shelter.
Cordial
(Kor-jil)
adjective
Other forms: cordially (adv.)
• We’d heard she was a
grouch, so we were
surprised by her cordial
welcome.
-friendly; welcoming;
gracious
Sounds like: cord Jill
Picture: A girl named Jill who stands at the
post office and hands out cord to
customers in case they need to tie up
packages. She is known to everyone as
the warmest, friendliest person in town.
Extol
(ex-TOLE)
Verb
• The writer was extolled for
her creativity.
-to praise
Sounds like: eggs toll
Picture: A giant egg working as a toll
collector. The driver must praise the egg
before he’s permitted to pass through the
gate.
Superfluous
(soo-PURR-floo-us)
adjective
Other forms: superfluously (adv.)
• She has six mailboxes
outside of her house; five of
them were superfluous.
-unnecessary; extra
Sounds like: super floss
Picture: A dental floss that’s advertised as
“Super Floss,” so strong that one strand
can lift a fleet of dump trucks without
breaking. Such strength, and such claims,
would be superfluous—unnecessary, far
beyond the possible needs of any
customer.
Upbraid
(up-BRADE)
Verb
Other forms: NONE
• He was afraid he would be
upbraided for his mistake.
-criticize severely;
scold
Sounds like: up braid
Picture: A school girl with braided hair.
She’s being scolded so harshly by her
teacher that her braids are standing
straight up.
Inscrutable
(in-SKROO-tuh-bul)
adjective
Other forms: inscrutability (noun); inscrutably
(adv)
1. After tryouts, the coach gave
me an inscrutable smile.
2. The girl’s suicide was
inscrutable, as many
considered her to be popular
and outgoing.
Difficult to understand
or interpret.
Sounds like: on scooter bull
Picture: Archaeologists have discovered
drawings on the walls of a cave. The
drawings are thousands of years old and
clearly show a bull riding a scooter. “We
shall call these drawings “On Scooter
Bull,” says a scientist. “But we may never
know what they mean.”
Embellish
(em-BEL-ish)
verb
Other forms: embellishment (noun)
• Their home was plain and
simple, but embellished with
handmade crafts.
-to make more
beautiful; decorate;
adorn
Sounds like: M bell fish
Picture: A young girl showing her mother
how she’s decorated the fish in their
goldfish bowl. The fish have bells hanging
from their bodies, and each of the bells
has a letter “M” on it. “Look mommy,”
says the girl, “M Bell Fish!” “Oh, they’re
beautiful,” says the mother, “and if they
ever jump out of the bowl, we’ll be able to
hear them flopping around on the floor!
Let’s go decorate the hamsters!”
Gregarious
(greh-GAIR-ee-uss)
adjective
Other forms: gregariously (adv.) and
gregariousness (noun)
• Gregarious people probably
make better salesmen.
-sociable; extroverted;
enjoying
companionship
Sounds like: Greg, Gary, us
Picture: A man and woman are getting
ready to leave for vacation. As the
husband carries his suitcase down the
stairs, he sees that two friends are seated
in his living room. His wife explains that
she’s inviting everyone they want to go
on vacation with them. “Well, so far, it’s
Greg, Gary, and us,” she says. “But I’m
still waiting to hear from Audrey, Fred, and
Nora…..
Depleted
(dee-PLEET-id)
verb
Other forms: depletion (noun)
• The epidemic became a
medical emergency when
supplies of the antibiotic
were depleted.
-emptied; drained; used
up
Sounds like: the pleated
Picture: Saleswoman to a customer who is
looking through a rack of pants. “I’m
sorry,” she says, “the pleated ones are all
gone.”
Tenacious
(ten-AY-shuss)
adjective
Other forms: tenacity (noun); tenaciously
(adv.)
• The defensive lineman was
small but tenacious, and he
sacked the quarterback
twice.
-strong; persistent,
determined to hold on
Sounds like: tennis shoes
Picture: The women’s finals at Wimbledon.
After the match, the winner sits down to
take off her tennis shoes, but she can’t.
Even with the help of her opponent, the
judge, two ball boys, and seventeen
spectators pulling at her shoes, they
won’t come off her feet. Tennis shoes can
be tenacious.
Wane
(WAIN)
Verb
Other forms: None
• With her strength waning,
she was rescued from the
river just before drowning.
-Gradually get smaller
Sounds like: The name “Wayne”
Picture: Wayne is getting shorter, and his
clothes are becoming too big for him.
Ludicrous
(LOO-dih-kruss)
adjective
Other forms: ludicrousness (noun);
ludicrously (adv.)
• It’s ludicrous to say that
second hand smoke is
harmless.
-absurd; ridiculous
Sounds like: Lou to cross
Picture: A 24-lane super highway. Cars are racing
by at 80 mph in every lane. Lou stands at the
edge of the highway, waiting for a break in the
traffic, so he can cross the road. “Lou,” yells a
friend from a passing car, “it’s ludicrous to think
you can ever get across. There hasn’t been a
break in traffic since 1986!” “Well isn’t that
ludicrous?” Lou says to himself. “Does that guy
really think I can hear with all these cars going
by?”
Obsolete
(obb-so-LEET)
adjective
Other forms: obsolescence (noun)
• Manual typewriters should
be considered obsolete in
most modern offices.
-no longer usable;
outdated
Sounds like: Hobb so late
Picture: Hobb riding in a horse and buggy,
arriving fro an important meeting. His coworkers are annoyed at his lateness, and
wonder why he is driving such an obsolete
vehicle.
Versatile
(VERS-uh-tile)
adjective
Other forms: versatility (noun)
• Most small companies value
versatile people; they can’t
afford to hire a different
person for each job.
-having many uses or
talents
Sounds like: reverse a tile
Picture: A TV commercial promoting a
Reverse-a-Tile, “the amazing new floor
tile with 1001 uses. Each Reverse-a-tile is
a ceramic tile. Flip it over, and it’s a
square of carpet. Reverse-a-Tile covers
floors, walls, counter tops, ceilings, and
driveways.
Flippancy
(FLIP-an-see)
noun
Other forms: flippant (adj.) and flippantly
(adv.)
• Hal’s flippant attitude after
his arrest only angered the
police more.
-treating a serious
situation with arrogant
humor or disrespect
Sounds like: flip and see
Picture:A man sits in the electric chair. Just
minutes earlier, a storm knocked out power and
now one of the guards asks if the electricity is
back on. The prisoner smiles casually and
gestures to the large switch on the wall next to
the chair: “Just flip and see.”
Myraid
(MEER-ee-id)
adjective
Other forms: NONE
• The myriad choices in a stor
can be confusing.
-large number; many
Sounds like: Mary had
Picture: The song, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
Now imagine that this lamb grew up and had
little lambs of her own. And then they all had
little lambs, and so on, so that in a few years,
Mary had thousands of little lambs. (They all
still followed her to school.  just laugh…you
know you want to…
Baaaaaaaah!
Loquacious
(low-QUAY-shuss)
adjective
Other forms: loquaciousness (noun);
loquaciously (adverb)
• The loquacious lady in the
library irritated those trying
to read.
-talkative
Sounds like: low gray shoes
Picture: A pair of low gray shoes. Both shoes are
talking.
Yeah. The
weather is
really
bringing me
down.
Man, I’m so
sad today.
Capricious
(cuh-PREE-shuss)
adjective
Other forms: caprice (noun); capriciously
(adv.)
• It’s hard to plan a vacation
when the weather can be so
capricious.
-unpredictable
Sounds like: cap riches
Picture: A man standing in front of a slot machine
in a casino. He puts a quarter into the slot, pulls
the handle, and holds his cap under the chute,
waiting hopefully for his riches. He doesn’t
know if or when it will happen, but he’s sure it
could happen.
Stoic
(STO-ik)
noun
Other forms: stoic (adj.)
• Even during torture, he was
a stoic and never
responded.
-a person who shows
no response to
pleasure or pain;
someone who is
impassive.
Sounds like: his toe wick
Picture: A man who makes candles by pouring
melted wax over his foot. After the wax hardens,
he lights his big toe, which acts as the wick.
Even with his toe wick burning, the man shows
no sign of pain!
Cajole
(cuh-Jole)
Verb
• The scam artist cajoled
them out of their money.
-to fool with flattery or
false promises; coax;
deceive
Sounds like: cage hole
Picture: A large cat sits outside a parakeet’s
cage. The cage has a small hole at the top.
Inside, a parakeet is perched on a swing. “You
have the most beautiful feathers I’ve ever
seen,” says the cat. “The colors are
magnificent. Why don’t you squeeze out
through that hole so I can get a better look at
you?”
Prudent
(PROO-dent)
adjective
Other forms: prudently (adv.), prudence (N.),
prudential (adj.)
• Sometimes the most
prudent thing to say is
nothing at all.
-wise; shrewd; cautious
Sounds like: prune dent
Picture: Two gangs are on opposite sides of the
street. They’re having their monthly prune war,
in which they continue to throw prunes at each
other until one side gives up. Your car is parked
in the street, directly in the line of fire. It’s a
new car, without a scratch, and you wish to
keep it that way. So, to avoid prune dents and
other such blemishes, you prudently run to the
car and drive it to safety.
Sumptuous
(SUMP-choo-uss)
adjective
Other forms: sumptuously (adv.),
sumptuousness (n.)
• The hotel lobby was so
sumptuous, I knew instantly
I couldn’t afford a room.
-rich; magnificent
NOTE: Does NOT
mean delicious.
Sounds like: some chew us
Picture: A bountiful feast set on a magnificent
table. The platters rest on a linen tablecloth.
The glasses are expensive crystal, the forks and
spoons fine silver. Each plate of food is
beautifully prepared and presented. As you
approach the feast, you overhear one of the
dinner rolls say to a carrot, “People are so
impressed when they see us. Some chew us,
but most just stand and stare!”
Concise
(kun-SISE)
adjective
Other forms: conciseness (noun); concisely
(adv.)
• Phil read the concise note
from his wife: “Leave.
Now.”
-short and to the point;
terse
Sounds like: Kahn’s Ice
Picture: A company, called “Kahn’s Ice,”
that sells and delivers blocks of ice. The
slogan on their truck is “Cold!”
Impudence
(IMP-yoo-dense)
noun
Other forms: impudent (adjective);
impudently (adverb)
• Impudence, or any
disrespectful behavior, is
not tolerated in a court of
law.
-rudeness; insolence
Sounds like: in pew dance (a pew is a seat
or bench in a church)
Picture: It’s Sunday morning, and the church is
filled. The minister is about to begin the sermon
when suddenly a man jumps up in his pew and
performs a wild dance. The churchgoers are
shocked, to say the least, at this rudeness and
lack of consideration for others.
Validate
(VAL-ih-date)
verb
Other forms: valid (adj.); validity, validation
(nouns)
• Ellen felt validated when the
company took a chance and
supported her idea.
-confirm; corroborate;
support; sanction
Sounds like: Valid date
Picture: Two archeologists. One is handing
the other a small statue and saying, “I’ve
done all the tests on this piece and
believe it was made in 1962 B.C. It was a
Tuesday, July 18th. Will you please
confirm that this is a valid date?”
Meager
(MEE-grr)
adjective
Other forms: meagerness (noun); meagerly
(adverb)
• The movie promised plenty
of action, but the plot was
meager.
-small in size or
amount; thin; weak
Sounds like: me grr
Picture: A puppy has just been given his
bowl which contains a tiny amount of food.
As gigantic human feet walk by, the puppy
expresses his anger over the meager
dinner. “Me grrr!”
Placate
(PLAY-kate)
Verb
• She is skillful at placating
unhappy customers.
-to appease (to satisfy);
pacify; mollify
Sounds like: play Kate
Picture: Two girls are playing hopscotch. A
third girl, Katie, who is younger, is
obviously upset because she has been
excluded. Finally, in an effort to pacify her,
one of the girls says, “It’s okay, you can
play, Katie.” When she hears this, Katie’s
face lights up and she happily joins the
others.
Rudimentary
(rood-ih-MEN-ter-ee)
Adj.
• Most of the people were
inadequately clothed and
lived in rudimentary houses.
-undeveloped;
fundamental;
basic
Sounds like: Rudy Elementary
Picture: Rudy’s Elementary School, where
the students learn only the simplest
concepts. In math, they never get past
2+2, in spelling “cat” is the most difficult
word they study.
WEEK # 18
AUSPICIOUS (adj)
(aw-SPIH-shuss)
Other forms: auspiciousness (noun); auspiciously (adv)
The weather report calls for
sunny skies and 70 degree
weather; it is an auspicious
beginning for her wedding.
195
• Taking place under promising conditions;
likely to succeed
196
Sounds like: our space shoes
Picture: Two astronauts have just landed on
the planet Neptune. Looking out the window
of their spaceship, they see that they are
surrounded by a frozen lake. In order to
accomplish their mission, they must cross
the ice and return to the spaceship quickly.
One astronaut thinks it’s going to be very
difficult. The other pulls out two pairs of
special boots fitted with large ice skate
blades. “This will be easy,” he says. Then,
gesturing to the boots, “Our space shoes!”
197
FUTILE (adj)
(FYOO-til)
Other forms: futility (noun); futilely (adv)
No matter how many times I
read the passage, it was futile; I
could not answer the question.
199
hopelessly ineffective; useless;
in vain
200
Sounds like: few tile
Picture: Two men on a roof. They’re
professional roofers, which is why they’re
up there and which means they’re
supposed to know how to estimate how
many tiles they’ll need to do a certain roof.
But they underestimated and now they’re
trying to figure out how to stretch the few
tiles they have left to cover about forty
square feet of roof area. “It’s hopeless,”
says one. “Too few tiles.”
201
SONOROUS (adj)
(SAHN-er-uss)
Other forms: Sonorousness (noun); sonorously (adv)
His clear voice was not so
sonorous as his gigantic frame
would suggest.
203
loud, full in sound; booming
204
Sounds like: son of Russ
Picture: Russ and his wife have a baby, a
boy named Son of Russ, who’s voice is
unbelievably loud. Russ is on the couch
trying to take a nap (Son of Russ kept him
up all night). But once again, the baby’s
booming cry is bounding down the stairs
and bouncing off the walls, right into his
father’s ears.
205
WEEK19
MISCONSTRUE
verb
(miss-kun-STROO)
Jon filled in letters for the
answers instead of writing
words—clearly misconstruing
the directions.
207
misunderstand; interpret incorrectly
Sounds like: Miss Kahn’s Two
208
Picture: Woman on the phone at a restaurant
called Miss Kahn’s Two. She’s speaking to a
friend who thought they were supposed to meet at
Miss Kahn’s on the other side of town. Here’s
how they each misconstrued what the other was
saying:
Woman 1: “I am going out to dinner tonight.”
Woman 2: “So am I. Where do you want to go?”
Woman 1: “I want to go to Miss Kahn’s.”
Woman 2: “Really? I want to go to Miss Kahn’s,
too (meaning Miss Kahn’s Two)!”
Woman 1: “Oh, okay. I’ll see you there.”
209
BOLSTER
(BOLE-ster)
verb
I bolstered my confidence by
practicing every day for two
hours before the recital.
211
to support; to reinforce
212
Sounds like: bowl stir
Picture: A mixing bowl, filled with cake
batter, is talking to the wooden spoon:
“Come on spoon, stir that batter. I know
you can do it!” (The batter joins in: “Hey
you’re really bolstering the spoon’s
confidence! This cake may just pan out
after all!”)
213
TACITURN
(TASS-it-turn)
Adj
When I first began dating my
husband, my family thought he was
boring because he was taciturn; he
barely said two words every time
they saw him.
215
Quiet; keeps one’s
thoughts to oneself
216
Sounds like: that’s Saturn
Picture: The planet Saturn with a face. The
rings are across the mouth, so it can’t talk.
217
Week 20
PERVADE
(per-VADE)
verb
Other forms: pervasiveness (noun); pervasively (adv)
Cali’s laughter pervaded the
classroom until nothing could be
heard above the joyful sound.
219
to spread to every part
220
Sounds like: parade
Picture: It had been raining all
morning, but just as the parade
began, the clouds moved away
and the sun appeared.
Instantly, a feeling of joy
pervaded the crowd (marchers
and spectators too).
221
REDOLENT
(REDD-uh-lint)
adj
Other form: redolence (noun)
Lilacs have a rich perfume,
redolent of my childhood.
223
- suggestive or reminiscent of
224
Sounds like: red doe lint
Picture: A doe (a female deer)
has red lint on her back. It has
attracted a male deer to her
side. He cuddles close and
says, “This reminds me of my
favorite sweater when I was
child.”
225
SERPENTINE
(SIR-pen-tine)
(adj)
The serpentine rope lay in the
doorway as though it might
suddenly rise and bite me at
any moment.
227
coiled; twisted; winding
228
Looks like: serpent
Rhymes with: turpentine
Picture: A serpent (snake) that
has coiled itself around a can of
turpentine. The curved shape
of the snake’s body would be
described as serpentine.
229
WEEK 21
ZEALOT
(Noun)
(ZELL-ut)
Other forms: zeal (n) zealous (adj) zealously (adv)
David was a zealot when it
came to his Pokemon cards; if
anyone touched them he
punched first and warned later.
231
someone with an extreme
enthusiasm for a particular
belief or activity; a fanatic
232
Sounds like: sell it
Picture: A used-car salesman who is
driven to sell as many cars as he can.
His motto is “Sell it!” His zealous
behavior is both admired and criticized
by his co-workers. One day his zeal is
curbed, at least momentarily, by one of
his fellow salesmen, who rushes over
to him and says, “What do you mean,
‘Sell it’? That’s my car!”
233
AUDACIOUS
(aw-DAY-shuss)
adj
In an audacious move, Kathy
began flirting with Susan’s
boyfriend.
235
brazen; brash; nervy
236
Sounds like: all day shhh’s
Picture: A librarian, referring to a
boy talking at a nearby table: “
‘Shhhh,’ I say, ‘please Shhh,’ all
day ‘Shhh’s’ and he just keeps
talking. What brashness! What
nerve! What audacity!” The boy
turns to the librarian and says,
“Shhh! I’m trying to read!”
237
COMPLACENT
(kum-PLAY-sent)
Adj
Other forms: complacence, complacency (n)
During the 1960’s, many people
were complacent and did
nothing to help during the Civil
Rights Movement.
239
self-satisfied; unconcerned;
happy with the way things are
240
Sounds like: come play, cent
Picture: A penny sits on a park
bench. Two small children call
to him, “Come play, Cent!” But
the penny, smiling, hands
behind head, eyes closed, is too
self-satisfied to move from the
bench.
241
WEEK 22
EVASIVE
(ee-VAY-siv)
adj
Other forms: evade (verb); evasiveness
(noun)
When questioned by the police
as to his whereabouts at the
time of the crime, the suspect’s
answer was evasive; he said he
didn’t remember where he as
an hour ago.
243
tending to avoid giving direct
answers
244
Looks like: Eva’s hive
Picture: A bumble bee has flown his
date, Eva, home. But she lives in a
condominium of hives and doesn’t
want him to know which one is hers.
“So,” he says, “which hive do you live
in, Eva?” “Oh, one of those over
there,” she answers evasively. “Well,
anyway, I better get some rest. Give
me a buzz some time.”
245
SUBLIME
(suh-BLIME)
adj
Other form: sublimely (adv)
All year I look forward to
October when Handel’s begins
making pumpkin ice cream; it is
sublime.
247
of very special quality;
noble
*so excellent it inspires awe
248
Looks like: sub lime
Picture: A sub (submarine)
shaped like a lime. This sub is
so wonderful that it floats in the
air above the water.
249
MAGNATE
(MAG-net)
noun
Donald Trump is a real estate
magnate in New York City; he
can get any project he wants
green lighted.
251
a person of great power
252
Sounds like: magnet
Picture: A country populated by
paper clips and other small,
metal objects. The country’s
ruler is a large, powerful
magnet. The magnet has total
influence and control over the
citizens.
253
Lesson 23
ADVOCATE
(ad-vuh-kate)
verb
Other forms: (an) advocate, advocacy (nouns)
In Monster, O’Brian is advocating
for Steve; she is pleading his case
before the judge.
255
support; plead for; speak on
behalf of
256
Sounds like: ad for Kate
Picture: Kate is seeking her first job. She’s
smart and well-educated, but has no
experience, so most people won’t even give
her an interview. Kate’s aunt, publisher of
the local newspaper, has always been very
supportive of Kate. She begins running ads
for Kate in the newspaper. The ads tell the
reader how talented and reliable Kate is. “I
strongly advocate your hiring her” is the last
line of each ad.
257
OBSTINATE
(OBB-stin-ett)
adj
Other forms: obstinately (adv)
Always obstinate, Sue insisted
on going to the movies, even
though she had the flu.
259
stubborn; refusing to be
persuaded
260
Sounds like: Hobbs ten-eight
Picture: Hobb playing basketball with some of
his friends. Hobb insists the score is ten-eight,
even when assured by his opponents and his
own teammates that the score is twelve-six.
“Look,” says Hobb, “I don’t care that you all
think it’s twelve-six, or that we have spectators
who agree with you, or that we have the game
on videotape and that it shows the score to be
twelve-six. I still say the score is ten-eight.
Why should I change my mind?
261
PRECOCIOUS
(pre-KO-shuss)
adj
Other forms: precociously (adv)
The precocious child informed
his teacher that he would be a
cardio-vascular surgeon when
he grew up.
263
mature at a young age
264
Sounds like: pre-coat shoes
Picture: A young boy dressed in a
business suit. His mother is admiring
his stylish shoes. “Those are beautiful
shoes, dear. Just don’t forget to wear
your coat.” The boy’s response:
“Please don’t talk to me as though I
were a child, Mother. I am, after all,
nearly eight years old.”
265
WEEK 24
CONTEND
(kun-TEND)
Verb
Other forms: contention (noun); contentious (adj)
As the policeman wrote the
ticket, the man tried to contend
that the stop sign was hidden by
a tree.
267
to argue to a point or position;
or, to struggle for
268
Sounds like: can’t end
Picture: A football team, losing
118 to 0. In the locker room at
halftime, the captain speaks up:
“We’ve fought back all year
and it can’t end here. If we’re
to be contenders, we can’t give
up!”
269
PROFOUND
(pro-FOWND)
adj
Other forms: profoundly (adv)
Tina came through the near
death experience with a new
and profound understanding of
life.
271
filled with wisdom and insight;
deep
272
Looks like: Prof. Found
Picture: A philosophy professor from the local
college had been missing for a week, but he’s
been discovered alive and well, trapped at the
bottom of an abandoned mine shaft. The headline
in today’s newspaper: “PROF FOUND!” Upon
first seeing his rescuers, the professor looks up
and says, “I am a symbol of mankind, fallen from
the heights of power and wisdom to the depths of
despair and destitution, until you, the gods of
Goodness and Health, arrived to bring me the gifts
of freedom and rebirth.” Looking down from the
top of the mine shaft, one rescuer says to the
273
other: “Wow, that’s deep!”
SANGUINE
(SANG-gwinn)
adj
Her sanguine outlook was
contagious, and soon everyone
was feeling hopeful.
275
optimistic; cheerful
276
Sounds like: sang win
Picture: A young woman is in a
singing contest and has just
finished her song. She comes
backstage and says to her
mother, “I know I won. I sang
more than well enough to win.
I’m sure of it!”
277
Lesson 25
EMULATE
(EM-yoo-late)
verb
Other forms: Emulation (noun)
We often try to emulate those
we admire.
279
imitate
280
Sounds like: Em, you’re late
Picture: Emily is being scolded by her
mother for getting home late: “Em,
you’re late.” Standing right behind
Emily is her younger brother, who says,
“I’m late too, Mom, because I want to
be just like Em.”
281
IMPETUOUS
(im-PETCH-oo-us)
adj
Other forms: impetuously (adv)
Dan is often impetuous; today,
he saw an interesting tree on
his way to work and stopped to
examine it. He was late for his
meeting.
283
making quick decisions and
taking sudden action; hasty;
impulsive
284
Sounds like: in pet shoes
Picture: Wife comes home with the family
sheepdog. Husband is watching TV and
looks over to see that the dog is wearing
very stylish shoes on all four paws. “I just
bought them without thinking,” wife explains.
“They were there in the window, we were
walking by, we both liked them, so I bought
them. I know it was impetuous, but hey, he
does have that kennel dance next Friday.”
285
STEALTH
(STELTH)
Noun
Other forms: stealthy (adj); stealthily (adv)
A good pick pocket must have
stealth to be successful.
287
secretive behavior
288
Looks like: steal wealth
Picture: A very quiet, highly-skilled
burglar breaking into the home of a
wealthy person. Everything the burglar
does (or doesn’t do) in getting into that
house without being detected is an
example of stealth.
289
WEEK 26
BEGUILE
(be-GYLE)
Verb
With a bat of her eyelashes, she
beguiled the boy into paying for
her movie ticket.
291
To influence, usually through
trickery or charm
292
Sounds like: beg a while
Picture: Two children plotting to
talk their parents into something.
The older child says to the
younger, “Let’s try this. You go
out there and beg a while. They
love when you do that. They think
it’s cute. They’ll laugh, they’ll say,
‘Come here and give us a hug, you
cute thing,’ and then they’ll say
yes.”
293
CANDOR
(CANNED-er)
noun
Other forms: candid (adj); candidly (adv)
I appreciated her candor.
Instead of letting me think I had
a chance at the job, she told me
I wasn’t a good fit.
295
honesty; frankness
296
Looks like: can door
Picture: A door on stage. The
door is trying out for a dance
job. The producer, a tin can, is
delivering the bad news with as
much honesty as possible.
297
298
VERACITY
(ver-RASS-sih-tee)
noun
Other forms: Veracious (adj)
The veracity of his alibi stood up
in court; he really was at the
dentist when the murder took
place.
300
truth
301
Looks like: Vera City
Picture: Vera City, where
everyone tells the truth.
302
Week 27
SYCOPHANT
(SIK-oh-fant)
Noun
Hoping to get the best grade in
the class, the sycophant
flattered the teacher at every
opportunity.
304
someone who flatters
in order to gain favor;
wimpy follower
305
Sounds like: sicko fan
Picture: There’s this rock star. She is incredibly
successful, with hit records coming out every week. She
also seems to have more and more fans who follow her
wherever she goes. One is the president of her fan club.
He writes her letters of praise every day, constantly tells
her she’s the greatest musician in history, and has even
begun to dress like her so that she will like him. But while
she appreciates the attention to some degree, she doesn’t
like or respect this person, and often describes him as “that
sicko fan.”
306
IMMINENT
(IMM-uh-nint)
Adj.
imminently (adv.); imminence (noun)
Because she had texted to say
that she was on her way to his
house, he knew her arrival was
imminent.
308
about to take place;
happening soon
309
Sounds like: in a minute
Picture: A farmer and his son discussing the
tornado that’s supposed to be on its way.
The father, listening to the radio: “They say
the tornado is imminent. When do you think
it will get here?” The son, looking out the
window, sees the dark funnel on the horizon.
“In a minute,” he says.
310
TENTATIVE
(TEN-ta-tiv)
Adj.
Other forms: tentatively (adv); tentativeness
(noun)
The tentative date for the lunch
picnic was set for May 22nd.
312
not fully developed or
definitely planned;
provisional
313
Sounds like: tend to give
Picture: Woman interviewing a man for a
job. She is responding to his question about
vacation time by saying, “We tend to give
two weeks’ vacation the first year, but that
isn’t definite yet for this particular job. I’d
have to let you know later.”
314
WEEK 28
INCORRIGIBLE
(in-KORR-ij-uh-bull) adj
Other forms: incorrigibility (noun); incorrigibly (adv)
The incorrigible child continued to scream
for 10 minutes after he was told he could not
have ice cream; he then began kicking his
mother.
316
• impossible to correct, control, or discipline
317
Sounds like: in car itch a bull
Picture: A bull family out for a drive in their
Ford Taurus. One of the children in the
back seat has put fleas and ticks under his
father’s seat. The father, trying to drive, is
squirming from the itch. Mother Bull
scolds her son: “You are absolutely
incorrigible.”
318
MEANDER
(me-ANN-der) verb
Other forms: meandering (adj)
The trail meandered for miles through the
woods before coming out in a large
meadow.
320
wander in a carefree manner; follow a
winding course; ramble
321
Sounds like: me and her
Picture: A young man, newly in love, walks
down a path along a winding river, his arm
around his girlfriend. They walk slowly,
mindlessly, he singing a song he makes
up as they go along:
“Me and her,
My girl Wanda,
We love to wander,
Me and her…”
322
PRODIGIOUS
(pro-DIJ-uss) adj
Other forms: prodigiousness (noun);
prodigiously (adv)
His prodigious appetite led him to eat eight
eggs, four pieces of toast, two glasses of
orange juice and three cinnamon rolls for
breakfast.
324
very large; great in size or degree
325
Sounds like: pro dishes
Picture: A man eating a large amount of
food from very large dishes. He is a pro.
326
Week #29
ADAMANT
(ADD-um-ent) adj
Alternate form: adamantly (adv.)
327
She was adamant that her son
be home by midnight.
328
refusing to change; stubborn;
unyielding
329
Sounds like: a dam ant
Picture: A giant ant acting as a
dam, blocking a stream. The other
ants are upset because they need
the water for their colony. “Come
on,” they say, “get out of the way!”
But the large ant refuses to move.
330
COPIOUS
(KO-pee-us) adj.
331
It was a lavish party with
copious food and drink.
332
in large quantity; abundant
333
Sounds like: copy us
Picture: A classroom with three
teachers at the blackboard.
Each is filling his or her board
with notes. One says to the
students, “Copy us. You’ll
have copious notes by the end
of this course!”
334
ENIGMA
(en-IGG-muh) noun
335
The origin of Saturn’s rings
remain a puzzling enigma.
336
mystery;puzzle
337
Sounds like: an egg, Ma
Picture: Remember the story of
the chicken and the egg? Well,
which one came first … the
chicken or the egg? It is still an
enigma to many people.
338
Week 30
Irreverent
(err-REV-rent) adj.
Other forms: irreverence (noun); irreverently
(adv.)
339
Pamela’s irreverent remarks got
her into trouble with her
supervisor.
340
disrespectful
341
Sounds like: ear Reverend
Picture: In the lobby of the
church hangs a photograph of
the Reverend. One of the
members of the congregation,
obviously lacking in respect for
this particular member of the
clergy, has painted enormous
ears on the Reverend’s picture.
342
QUELL
(KWELL) verb
343
Her fears were quelled as soon
as she saw her friends
approach the campsite
344
to calm; pacify
345
Looks like: a combination of
‘queen’ and ‘quill’
Picture: A violent riot is taking
place just outside the castle.
The queen comes to a window,
waves a quill (feather) over the
crowd, and everyone
immediately calms down and
goes peacefully home.
346
REPRIMAND
(REP-rih-mand) verb
347
In addition to the fine, Jim was
harshly reprimanded for running
the red light.
348
scold; criticize
349
Sounds like: Rep. Raymond
Picture: Representative
Raymond has an unusual
approach to campaigning. He
walks around the city scolding
and criticizing the voters for
their beliefs.
350