Academic Vocabulary: Academic Words - Olsen Amy E. 2012

Chapter 11. Word Parts II

Look for words with these prefixes, roots, and/or suffixes as you work through this book. You may have already seen some of them, and you will see others in later chapters. Learning basic word parts can help you figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words.

prefix: a word part added to the beginning of a word that changes the meaning of the root

root: a word's basic part with its essential meaning

suffix: a word part added to the end of a word; indicates the part of speech

Self-Tests

1 Read each definition, and choose the appropriate word. Use each word once. The meaning of the word part is underlined to help you make the connection. Refer to the Word Parts list if you need help.

Vocabulary list

pervade

sympathize

fluid

export

foremost

coherent

complacent

anthrophobia

exhale

stationary

1. to feel with someone ...

2. pleased with oneself often without an awareness of some problem ...

3. a substance that is capable of flowing ...

4. sticking to one point ...

5. to breathe out ...

6. the most important ...

7. a fear of people ...

8. to carry out of a country ...

9. to spread throughout ...

10. standing still; not moving ...

2 Finish the sentences with the meaning of each word part. Use each meaning once. The word part is underlined to help you make the connection.

Vocabulary list

please

flow

out of

most

together

stand

completely

fear of

stick

to carry

1. Terry used extortion to get money ... fee man.

2. Her perfume permeated the room; the smell ... took over the space.

3. Anthony is fluent in five languages. The ability to speak another language just seems to ... out of him.

4. I enjoy going to the symphony. I like how all the instruments come ... to make beautiful sounds.

5. To placate the hungry guests, Alexa thought she could ... them with cheese and crackers before the main course was ready.

6. I did not know Tina suffered from ailurophobia until Seeley jumped on her lap and she confessed to a ... cats.

7. The adhesive tape really helped my package ... together. My sister said it took her an hour to get it open.

8. I reveal my innermost secrets to my diary. I don't dare share my ... secret feelings wife anyone.

9. I asked the porter at the train station ... my bags to my car because I was tired of lifting them.

10. I am not going to let any obstacles (financial, emotional, or physical) ... in fee way of my completing college.

3 Finish the story using the word parts found below. Use each word part once. Your knowledge of word parts, as well as the context clues, will help you create the correct words. If you do not understand the meaning of a word you have made, check the dictionary for the definition or to see whether the word exists.

Word parts list

her

per

ex

most

plac

flu

sti

port

sym

phobia

Crossing a Bridge

For years I suffered from aqua(1) ... . My fear of water had been with me since I was a teenager. I can remember swimming in the community pool when I was in elementary school, but something happened around the age of fourteen that led to an intense fear of being in, on, or over water. I went to a psychologist who suggested that my fear could be a(n) (2) ... ptom of a larger problem, but I wasn't willing to explore that idea.

My fear (3) ... cluded my doing so many things. I once had the chance to im(4)... some beautiful vases for my antique shop, but the man in Japan would only sell to me personally, and I was afraid to fly over the Pacific Ocean. My fear also never (5) ... mitted me to take hikes in the local woods with the rest of my family because I

would have had to cross several streams. I looked fondly at their photographs for years, and they kept encouraging me to join them. And, of course, the swimming that I enjoyed as a child was absolutely out of the question.

My son finally forced me to quit being so ob(6)...nate and face my fear. He reminded me that I had always ad(7)...ed to the idea that he could do anything, so he asked why couldn't I. He took me to a beautiful spot in the woods and showed me how (8)...id the water was under the bridge. It certainly did look calm, almost pleasant.

Then he showed me how to walk gently across the bridge. With a few in(9)...ential words, he coaxed me across. It was a major breakthrough! I was so proud of myself.

After two more years of gradual progress, I am ready to undertake a fabulous trip to the southern(10)...point on the planet. I am planning a cruise to Antarctica. I will actu­ally be spending two weeks on a ship. Now I truly believe fears can be overcome. I wish I hadn't waited so long to face mine.

4 Pick the best definition for each underlined word using your knowledge of word parts. Circle the word part in each of the underlined words.

a. the maximum

b. conduct; how one carries oneself

c. tending to unify or stick together

d. sweetly or smoothly flowing

e. not to be pacified or pleased

f. cannot be passed through

g. stale or foul from standing, as in a pool of water

h. the former president

i. an abnormal fear of being alone

j. a pleasant arrangement of parts with each other

1. Because our dog has monophobia, we have to take her with us everywhere.

2. The bank's new lock is impervious to known methods of safe cracking.

3. The symmetry of the building made it appealing to most people.

4. I was proud of my son's deportment at the luncheon. He is usually loud, but he was quiet and well mannered.

5. The ex-president of the company had to face a barrage of questions from reporters about his actions after it was discovered that he had hidden money in a secret account.

6. I tried my utmost to keep the party a surprise, but the day before her graduation, I accidently mentioned ordering a cake, and Paloma guessed that there was something going on.

7. The stagnant pond had a horrible smell to it.

8. The singer's mellifluous voice kept the audience enchanted for two hours.

9. Because of the movie's cohesive structure, it was easy to understand how the different characters all came to know each other.

10. The little boy was implacable; nothing would quiet him until his mother stopped at the toy store.

5 A good way to remember word parts is to pick one word that uses a word part and understand how that word part functions in the word. Then you can apply that meaning to other words that have the same word part. Use the words to help you match the word part to its meaning.

Set One

1. ex-: export, exclude, ex-husband

2. -flu-, -flux-: fluid, fluctuate, influx

3. -sta-, -sti-: status, stationary, destitute

4. -most: utmost, foremost, southernmost

5. -plac-: placate, placid, complacent

a. to flow

b. to please

c. out, out of, former

d. to stand, to be in a place

e. most

Set Two

6. per-: pervasive, perennial, permutation

7. -port-: portfolio, portable, import

8. sym-: symbiotic, symmetrical, sympathy

9. -her-, -hes-: coherent, inherent, adhesive

10. -phobia: acrophobia, metrophobia, aquaphobia

f. fear of

g. to carry

h. through, throughout, completely

i. with, together

j. to stick

Interactive Exercise

Use the dictionary to find a word you don't know that uses each word part listed below. Write the meaning of the word part, the word, and the definition. If your dictionary has the etymology (history) of the word, see how the word part relates to the meaning, and write the etymology after the definition.

Match each photograph to one of the word parts below, and write the meaning of the word part.

sym- -flu-/-flux- -her-/-hes- -port-  -phobia

Internet Activity: Writing a Book Review

A perfect place to practice your newly acquired vocabulary is on the Internet. You can share your thoughts with others and use new words by writing a book review at Amazon.com. This online store has a space for you to write reviews of the books it sells. Go to the site and type in the name of a book you would like to review. You can pick a book you enjoyed reading or one that you dis­liked. It can be a work of fiction or nonfiction. You may even want to rate one of your textbooks. If Amazon sells the book, it will come up in a list of books. Go to the page for the book you want, and click on the "Create your own review" link. You will need to supply an e-mail address and a password before you can begin your review. Click on the "review guidelines" to read Amazon's rules for writing a review. You will be asked to rate the book from 1 to 5 stars, supply a title for your review, and then write the review. Use at least five of the vocabulary words you are learning in your review. You can use your real name on the review or create a pen name. Read through the directions for both to decide which you want to do. Most reviews are posted within two days. Once your review is posted, let your classmates know what book you reviewed. You can then read each others' reviews and practice reading the vocabulary words in new contexts. Your instructor may ask you to print out your review to display it in class or to read it aloud. Have fun sharing your opinions with the world and getting a chance to use your new knowledge in a real-life setting.

Test-Taking Strategies

Studying is essential to do well on a test, but for some people that isn't enough to ease the stress that testing can bring. A few strategies may help you deal with test anxiety.

✵ Get a good night's rest, and eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner before the exam.

✵ Exercise before the exam. Take a walk or do some stretching to help you relax.

✵ When you get to the classroom, take a few deep breaths and visualize yourself in a soothing spot such as hiking in a forest or taking a bath. Also picture yourself as being successful at the test; don't focus on any negatives.

✵ Read each question carefully. Look for important words in a question such as "the least" or "always."

✵ If the test is multiple-choice, read each of the choices before making your decision. Be aware of choices such as "all of the above" or "none of the above."

✵ If the test is a fill-in-the-blank, try putting each choice in the blank and see which.sounds best.

✵ If you get stuck on a question in a matching test, go on to the next one. When you finish answering the questions that are easy for you, see which questions and choices are left. With fewer choices, the answers should be easier to find (for example, look at Self-Tests 2 and 3 in this chapter).

Being a bit nervous can help during a test by keeping you alert, but too much stress can ruin even the most prepared student's chances of success. If text anxiety becomes a serious problem for you, check with the counselors at your college for advice.