Academic Vocabulary: Academic Words - Olsen Amy E. 2012

Getting Started

Learning Objectives

The ultimate goals of Academic Vocabulary' are to increase your vocabulary and build your critical- thinking skills, and you will attain these goals by achieving a number of learning objectives. Each exercise in Academic Vocabulary will help you to master one or more of the following objectives:

Look for the "Learning Objective" icon in the Review Chapters to identify exercises that will help you master each objective. Though only one or two learning objectives are identified for most of the exercises, you may discover that you are also using skills found in other objectives.

Using the Dictionary

There will be times when you need to use a dictionary for one of its many features; becoming familiar with dictionary entries will make using a dictionary more enjoyable. The words in a dictionary are arranged alphabetically. The words on a given page are signaled by guide words at the top of the page. If the word you are looking for comes alphabetically between these two words, then your word is on that page. When using online dictionaries, you will simply type in the word you are looking for, so guide words will not be important, but the other features of an entry remain the same.

SOURCE: By permission. From Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition ©2011 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (www.merriam-webster.com).

Most dictionaries contain the following information in an entry:

✵ The pronunciation—symbols that show how a word should be spoken, including how the word is divided into syllables and where the stress should be placed on a word. The Pronunciation Key for this book is located on the inside front cover. The key shows the symbols used to indi­cate the sound of a word. Every dictionary has a pronunciation method, and a pronunciation key or guide is usually found in the front pages, with a partial key at the bottom of each page. The differences in the pronunciation systems used by dictionaries are usually slight.

✵ The part of speech—usually abbreviated, such as n. for noun, v. for verb, and adj. for adjective. A key to these abbreviations and others is usually found in the front of the dictionary.

✵ The definition—usually the most common meaning is listed first followed by other meanings.

✵ An example of the word in a sentence—the sentence is usually in italics and follows each meaning.

✵ Synonyms and antonyms—synonyms are words with similar meanings, and antonyms are words with opposite meanings. (You should also consider owning a thesaurus, a book that lists synonyms and antonyms.)

✵ The etymology—the history of a word, usually including the language(s) it came from.

✵ The spelling of different forms of the word—these forms may include unusual plurals and verb tenses (especially irregular forms).

Despite the popularity of online dictionaries, it can still be handy to own a paper version. When choosing a dictionary, take the time to look at different dictionaries to see what appeals to you. Dictionaries come in several sizes and are made for different purposes. First read some of the entries to see if the definitions make sense to you. See which of the features above are used in the dictionary. Is it important to you to be able to study the etymology of a word? Would you like sample sentences? Some dictionaries have illustrations in the margins. Decide if that is a feature you would use. Check to see if the print is large enough for you to read easily.

Decide on how you will use this dictionary. Do you want a paperback dictionary to put in your backpack? Or is this going to be the dictionary for your desk and a large hardback version would be the better choice? Several disciplines have specialized dictionaries with meanings that apply to those fields such as law or medicine. There are also bilingual dictionaries, such as French/English or Span- ish/English, that can be helpfol for school or travel. Take time in picking out your dictionary because a good dictionary will be a companion for years to come. A few dictionaries to consider are Merriam- Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, The American Heritage Dictionary, The Random House College Dictionary, and The Oxford Dictionary.

In general, when you are reading, try to use context clues, the words around the word you don't know, to first figure out the meaning of a word, but if you are still in doubt, don't hesitate to refer to a dictionary for the exact definition. Don't forget that dictionaries also contain more than definitions and are an essential reference source for any student.

Guide Words Practice

Use the sample guide words to determine on which page each of the six words will be found. Write the page number next to the entry word.

Parts of Speech

There are eight parts of speech. A word's part of speech is based on how the word is used in a sentence. Words can, therefore, be more than one part of speech. For an example, note how the word punch is used below.

nouns: (n.) name a person, place, or thing

Examples: Ms. Lopez, New Orleans, lamp, warmth

Ms. Lopez enjoyed her trip to New Orleans where she bought a beautiful lamp. The warmth of the sun filled Claire with happiness. I drank five cups of the orange punch.

pronouns: (pron.) take the place of a noun

Examples: I, me, you, she, he, it, her, we, they, my, which, that, anybody, everybody

Everybody liked the music at the party. It was the kind that made people want to dance. They bought a new car, which hurt their bank account.

verbs: (v.) express an action or state of being

Examples: enjoy, run, think, read, dance, am, is, are, was, were

Lily read an interesting book yesterday. I am tired. He is an excellent student. She punched the bully.

adjectives: (adj.) modify (describe or explain) a noun or pronoun

Examples: pretty, old, two, expensive, red, small

The old car was covered with red paint on one side. The two women met for lunch at an expen­sive restaurant. The punch bowl was empty soon after Uncle Al got to the party.

adverbs: (adv.) modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb

Examples: very, shortly, first, too, soon, quickly, finally, furthermore, however

We will meet shortly after one o'clock. The very pretty dress sold quickly. I liked her; however, there was something strange about her.

prepositions: (prep.) are placed before a noun or pronoun to create a phrase that relates to other parts of the sentence

Examples: after, around, at, before, by, from, in, into, of, off, on, through, to, up, with

He told me to be at his house in the afternoon. You must go through all the steps to do the job.

conjunctions: (conj.) join words or other sentence elements and show a relationship between the connected items

Examples: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet, after, although, because, if, since, than, when

I went to the movies, and I went to dinner on Tuesday. I will not go to the party this weekend because I have to study. I don't want to hear your reasons or excuses.

interjections: (interj.) show surprise or emotion

Examples: oh, hey, wow, ah, ouch

Oh, I forgot to do my homework! Wow, I got an A on the test!

Completing Analogies

An analogy shows a relationship between words. Working with analogies helps one to see connections between items, which is a crucial critical thinking skill. Analogies are written as follows: big : large : : fast : quick. The colon (:) means is to. The analogy reads big is to large as fast is to quick. To complete analogies there are two steps to follow:

1. find a relationship between the first pair of words

2. look for a similar relationship in another set of words

In the example above, big and large have similar meanings; they are synonyms. Fast and quick also have similar meanings, so the relationship between the four words uses synonyms.

Common relationships used in analogies (with examples) include

Analogies in this book come in matching and fill-in-the-blank forms. Try the following analogies for practice.

Matching

Fill-in-the-Blank

Answers

1. To figure out this analogy, first one needs to see that old and young are opposites, or antonyms. Next look at the choices and see if another pair of words are antonyms, and, yes, rested and tired are opposites. The answer is d.

2. A person would clip coupons and then go shopping, so there is a sequence of events. Of the choices, one would put on shoes and then take a walk, another sequence. The answer is b.

3. A peel is a part of a banana, while a preface is part of a book, so the connection is part to a whole. The answer is a.

4. When an area gets no rain, it can lead to a drought, and when people get paid low wages, they can go on strike. The connection among these pairs is cause and effect. The answer is c.

5. Frozen and chilled have similar meanings; they are synonyms. To solve the analogy, pick a word that has a similar meaning to kidnap, which would be abduct.

6. Interrupting a person is an example of a rude behavior. Embracing is an example of another type of behavior; in this case, it fits as an example of passion.

7. Slow is an adjective, and slowly an adverb; sad is an adjective, and sadly an adverb. This analogy works by using the same grammatical structure between the words.

8. A baton is used by a conductor. Who uses a computer? Among the choices, writer obviously fits. The relationship here is object to user.

Sometimes you may come up with a relationship between the first two words that makes sense but doesn't fit any of the choices. Look at the choices and the two words again to see if you can find a way any four words fit together. Also do any obvious matches first, and with fewer choices it will be easier to spot the harder connections. Doing analogies can be fun as you begin to make clever connec­tions and see word relationships in new ways. Finding word connections will help your brain make other connections in areas as diverse as writing essays, doing math problems, and arranging travel plans. Analogies are just another way to exercise your thinking skills.

Try a few more analogies, and check your answers on page 12 to see how you did.

Matching

Fill-in-the-Blank

Benefits of Flash Cards and Word Maps

There are several benefits to using flash cards and word maps to help you study vocabulary words.

Creating The first benefit comes from just making the cards or maps. When you make a card, you will practice writing the word and its definition. You may also write a sentence using the word, record its part of speech, or draw a picture of the word. See the section "Create Your Own Flash Cards" on page 174 at the back of this book for ideas on how to make flash cards. When you make a word map, you will practice writing the word, its definition, and a synonym and antonym for the word. See the section "Make Your Own Word Maps" on page 177 for examples. Creating the cards or maps allows for a personal experience with the words, which makes learning the words easier.

Working with Others Another benefit is that using the cards or maps can lead to collaborative activities. When you ask a friend, family member, or classmate to quiz you on the words, you get the chance to work with someone else, which many people enjoy. You may even establish a study group with the friends you find from quizzing each other.

Evaluating Your Learning A third benefit is that the cards or maps serve as pre-tests that let you evaluate how well you know a word. When a friend quizzes you, ask him or her to go over the words you miss several times. As the stack of flash cards or maps with words you don't know gets smaller, you know that the words are becoming part of your vocabulary. You know that you are prepared to face a word on a quiz or test when you can correctly give the definition several times.

Making and using the flash cards or word maps should be fun. Enjoy the process of learning new words. Turn to the back of the book now to review the directions for both methods, and you will be ready to make cards or maps beginning with Chapter 1. Experiment with using both methods early in the term to see which method best helps you le^ the words.

Word Wise Features

The Word Wise boxes share information on different areas related to vocabulary. There are six types of features.

Internet Activity suggests ways to use technology to enhance your learning experience.

Context Clue Mini-Lessons provide different types of context clue situations and give you the opportunity to practice using each type. Context means the words surrounding a specific word that give clues to that word's meaning. When you encounter a word whose meaning you don't know, keep reading the passage, looking for clues to help you figure out the meaning. These clues might be in the same sentence as the unknown words or in a sentence that comes before or after the word. Look for these types of clues in a passage:

Synonym—word that has a similar meaning to the unknown word

Antonym—word that means the opposite of the unknown word

General meaning—the meaning of the sentence or passage as a whole that could clarify the meaning of the unknown word

Example—a single item or list of items that explain the unknown word

A way to remember the four types of context clues is to use the acronym SAGE (synonym, anto­nym, general meaning, example). Sage also means wise or showing wisdom, so you can feel smart

about using this mnemonic device. Each type of context clue has a mini-lesson, and a final lesson combines the methods. You will not find a context clue every time you encounter a word you don't know, but being aware of context clues will help you determine the meaning of many new words and make reading more enjoyable.

Though more than a clue, also watch for times when writers provide the definition of a word right after using it. The definition may be in parentheses or come after a comma. In a textbook, the definition might be highlighted in the margin or given in a footnote. Writers usually provide a definition when the word is a technical term or they feel the word would be an uncommon one for their readers.

Collocations show ways words are used together. The groupings can come in several forms, such as a verb with a noun (commit a crime), an adjective with a noun (handsome stranger), or a verb with a preposition (come over). Leming collocations will help you understand common ways to use the words you are studying. Sentences with the collocations in italics for some of the vocabulary words in this text are spread throughout the chapters. To become more familiar with collocations, look and listen for other repeated word combinations in the materials you read, in the phrases people use when speaking, and as you do the self-tests in this book.

Word Pairs illustrate how some words are often used near each other. Leaning word pairs can help you to better remember both words. Some words are pairs because the items they represent are often used together, such as peanut butter and jelly. Other word pairs are opposites that are often found together when describing objects, actions, or people (such as "My friends are as different as night and day"). Word pairs are presented in several chapters with sample sentences to show how the words can be used near each other.

Connotations and Denotations examine reactions to a word. A denotation is "the explicit or direct meaning of a word." This is the kind of definition you would find in the dictionary. A connotation is "the suggestive or associative meaning of a word beyond its literal definition." This is the emotional response you have to a word. (A mnemonic device for remembering the difference between the two is that denotation begins with a "d," and it is the dictionary or direct meaning, both beginning with a "d").

It is important to realize that words have two kinds of meanings because carefol writers use both kinds. You, as a writer and reader, want to make sure you are clearly expressing your point and understanding another writer's ideas by recognizing how words are used. Some connotations are personal reactions. For example, seclusion means "solitude; a sheltered place." Depending on your personality or current living conditions, you might picture seclusion as a wonderful chance to be alone and relax without all the chaos surrounding you, or if you hate being by yourself, you may envision it as a kind of torture separating you from friends and family. Other connotations have broader emotional responses. If you wanted to describe a thin person, you could use the words slender or scrawny. What do you picture in your mind for each word? Talk to your classmates about their images. Are they similar? Some words have positive connotations that people feel good about, and other words have negative connotations that tum people off. Not all words have strong connota­tions. For most people a pencil is a pencil, and there isn't much to get excited about. But other words can bring out strong feelings, such as frugal. The Connotations and Denotations lessons look at some of the vocabulary words in this text and the differences in their meanings.

Interesting Etymologies present notable word histories. Some of the histories use the word parts presented in the three Word Parts chapters of the text. Learning the history of a word can help you to remember its meaning.