Ultimate word success - Peterson's 2009
Day 9 Acquire Test-worthy Words About the Human Condition
Part III Build Your Word Bank
The word narcissism refers to excessive self-admiration and vanity. It comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus. According to one version of the legend, the handsome Narcissus fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool of water. Because he was unable to embrace his image, he died from unrequited love.
The words in this chapter concern what it’s like being human. Some of the words describe our faults; others, our strengths. Many of the words come from the fields of psychology, religion, and sociology. There are also a lot of games to make learning fun—as well as help you remember the words by using them in different ways.
Learn Ten Words About Vanity and Pride
The following ten test-worthy words all concern human faults: in this case, excessive pride. As you read the chart, use each word in a sentence to help you fix it in your mind.
Word |
Pronunciation |
Definition |
arrogant |
ar-oh-gant |
conceited |
condescending |
kon-de-send-ing |
patronizing, smug |
contemptuous |
kun-temp-choo-us |
scornful |
dictatorial |
dik-tuh-tor-ee-ul |
domineering |
haughty |
haw-tee |
vain and egotistical |
imperious |
im-peer-ee-us |
overbearing |
indolent |
in-duh-lunt |
lazy |
insipid |
in-sip-id |
dull; unchallenging |
patronizing |
pay-truh-ny-zing |
to treat someone in a condescending way |
torpor |
tor-per |
dullness; inactivity |
It’s Your Turn: Synonyms and Antonyms
Write a synonym (word that means the same) and antonym (word that means the opposite) for each of the following words. The answers appear on here.
Word |
Synonym |
Antonym |
arrogant |
||
condescending |
||
contemptuous |
||
dictatorial |
||
haughty |
||
imperious |
||
indolent |
||
insipid |
||
patronizing |
||
torpor |
Give It a Try: The Blame Game
Each of the following words concerns disapproval, criticism, and punishment. Determine which of the following four phrases best describes each word in the list that follows. Write the number of your answer choice on the line to the left of each entry. The answers appear on here.
1. to free from blame
2. to disapprove, criticize, or blame
3. to criticize or condemn abusively
4. to punish or discipline
____ absolve |
____ exculpate |
____ ostracize |
____ acquit |
____ execrate |
____ reprimand |
____ castigate |
____ exonerate |
____ reproach |
____ censure |
____ fulminate |
____ reprove |
____ chastise |
____ indict |
____ vindicate |
____ deprecate |
____ inveigh |
____ vituperate |
____ excoriate |
Time for Fun: I Cogitate (Think), Therefore I Am
Determine which of the following four words or phrases best describes each word in the list that follows. Write the number of your answer choice on the line to the left of each entry. The answers appear on here.
1. existing
2. newly existing
3. enduring or everlasting
4. temporary; not lasting
____ evanescent |
____ neonate |
____ tangible |
____ extant |
____ perdurable |
____ temporal |
____ inchoate |
____ perennial |
____ transient |
____ incipient |
____ protracted |
____ transitory |
Analyze Test-worthy Words from Psychology
The word quixotic is used to describe lofty but impractical sentiments like those of its namesake, Don Quixote. In 1605, the Spanish writer Miguel Cervantes created the novel’s tragicomic hero, nobleman Don Quixote, and his stout servant, Sancho Panza, to parody valiant knights and faithful servants created by previous writers. The elderly Don was the purest embodiment of chivalry; unfortunately, he was also pitifully unaware of his false dreams.
The following ten words are all psychological terms that often appear on standardized tests. Try to vocalize as you learn. Remember that saying the words several times aloud can help fix them in your mind.
1. angst (angst) noun, anxiety
2. catharsis (kuh-thar-sis) noun, a discharge of strong emotions
3. empathy (em-puh-thee) noun, the ability to participate in another person’s feelings and experiences and to understand them
4. euphoria (yoo-for-ee-uh) noun, a feeling of well-being or happiness
5. gestalt (guh-shtawlt) noun, a unified whole
6. libido (lih-bee-doh) noun, sexual energy
7. misogynist (mih-sah-juh-nist) noun, a person who hates women
8. neurosis (nore-oh-sis) noun, mild emotional disorder
9. subliminal (suh-blim-uh-nul) adjective, beneath the threshold of consciousness
10. vicarious (vy-kayr-ee-us) adjective, experienced indirectly through observation
Give It a Try: Word Scramble
To complete the following acrostic, first unscramble each of the vocabulary words so that it matches its definition. Then, use the words to fill in the appropriate spaces on the corresponding lines. When you have completed the entire puzzle, another vocabulary word will read vertically in the circles. The answers appear on here.
paeuorih |
a feeling of well-being or happiness |
|
tiyssnomgi |
a woman-hater |
|
aptrzgoniin |
condescending |
|
ntsag |
anxiety |
|
orrtpo |
dullness; inactivity |
|
yahtugh |
egotistical |
|
elloyw |
a pale lemon color |
It’s Your Turn: A Love-Hate Relationship
For each word below, determine whether the word is closer in meaning to love (like) or hate (dislike). Indicate your choice by writing “L” for “love” or “H” for “hate” on the line to the left of each word. The answers appear on here.
L = love (like)
H = hate (dislike)
____ abhor |
____ delectation |
____ pique |
|
____ abominate |
____ infatuation |
____ predilection |
|
____ amity |
____ loathe |
____ repugnant |
|
____ antipathy |
____ odium |
____ umbrage |
|
____ captivate |
____ penchant |
Give It a Try: For Richer, for Poorer
Divide the following words into seven pairs of synonyms. The answers appear on here.
dowry |
penurious |
profligate |
specie |
wastrel |
parsimonious |
mercenary |
largess |
philanthropic |
penury |
impecunious |
munificent |
lucre |
venal |
Get the Test Writers’ Favorite Test Words About Religion
Below are some important words about religion that are sure to appear on the next standardized test you take. The words are arranged in alphabetical order for ease of use. As you study, rearrange the words into other groupings that help you learn them.
Word |
Pronunciation |
Part of Speech |
Meaning |
apostle |
uh-pah-sul |
noun |
disciple |
benediction |
ben-uh-dik-shun |
noun |
blessing, prayer |
canon |
kan-un |
noun |
religious doctrine |
cherub |
chayr-ub |
noun |
angel, represented as a child |
cleric |
kler-ik |
noun |
member of the clergy |
creed |
kreed |
noun |
statement of religious beliefs |
ecclesiastical |
eh-klee-zee-as-tih-kul |
adjective |
pertaining to the church |
ecumenical |
ek-yoo-men-ih-kul |
adjective |
universal; worldwide |
laity |
lay-uh-tee |
noun |
non-clergy |
liturgy |
lih-ter-jee |
noun |
religious ceremonies |
martyr |
mar-ter |
noun |
one who suffers death as a penalty of refusing to renounce religious beliefs |
orthodox |
or-thuh-dahks |
adjective |
conventional; traditional |
penance |
pen-uns |
noun |
act of repentance |
sect |
sekt |
noun |
a breakaway religious group |
Seventh-Inning Stretch: Multiple Choice
Select the correct meaning for each of the following boldfaced words. Circle your choice. The answers appear on here.
1. orthodox
(A) liturgy
(B) ecumenical
(C) religious ceremonies
(D) conventional; traditional
(E) radical
2. ecclesiastical
(A) pertaining to dissenters
(B) pertaining to pain
(C) pertaining to the church
(D) pertaining to fidelity
(E) pertaining to religious doubt
3. laity
(A) liturgy
(B) slothful
(C) canon
(D) clergy
(E) non-clergy
4. penance
(A) heartache
(B) anguish
(C) liturgy
(D) benediction
(E) act of repentance
5. cherub
(A) angel, represented as a child
(B) canon
(C) liturgy
(D) religious ceremonies
(E) benediction
6. apostle
(A) disciple
(B) benediction
(C) blessing
(D) curse
(E) heretic
7. canon
(A) martyr
(B) religious doctrine
(C) criterion
(D) religious test
(E) spiritual journey
8. liturgy
(A) martyr
(B) religious ceremonies
(C) sect
(D) breakaway religious group
(E) cleric
9. benediction
(A) denunciation
(B) canon
(C) blessing, prayer
(D) affliction
(E) small, poor religious meeting place
10. creed
(A) cruel
(B) martyr
(C) statement of religious doubt
(D) cream of the crop
(E) statement of religious beliefs
It’s Your Turn: Good versus Evil
Each of the following words concerns morality. For each word below, determine whether the word is closer in meaning to righteous or depraved. Indicate your choice by writing “R” for “righteous” or “D” for “depraved” on the line to the left of each word. The answers appear on here.
R = righteous
D = depraved
____ altruistic |
____ infamous |
____ opprobrious |
____ beneficent |
____ licentious |
____ pious |
____ benevolent |
____ magnanimous |
____ reprobate |
____ heinous |
____ nefarious |
____ vile |
____ ignominious |
____ odious |
Explore Test-worthy Words from Sociology
The following eight words come from the field of sociology, so they all describe aspects of the human condition. How many of these words do you already know?
1. anomie (an-uh-mee) noun, weakened social norms
2. caste (kast) noun, a hierarchical social system
3. ethnocentric (eth-noh-sen-trik) adjective, evaluating others according to your own ethnic group
4. guild (gild) noun, an association for the promotion of common goals
5. more (mor-ay) noun, a custom
6. stigma (stig-muh) noun, negative trait
7. taboo (tab-oo) adjective, forbidden action
8. yeoman (yoh-man) noun, farmer
Time for Fun: Word-Find Puzzle
There are twelve words hidden in this word-find puzzle. Many of the words have already been introduced in this chapter, but a few are new. To complete the puzzle, locate and circle all the words. (See the word list below.) The words may be written forward, backward, or upside down. The answers appear on here. Good luck!
s |
a |
t |
l |
a |
t |
s |
e |
g |
o |
l |
a |
t |
a |
b |
o |
o |
m |
o |
r |
e |
d |
i |
n |
i |
e |
n |
a |
m |
o |
e |
y |
e |
i |
b |
o |
g |
u |
i |
l |
d |
e |
l |
i |
v |
o |
i |
n |
m |
a |
e |
t |
s |
a |
c |
i |
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u |
d |
a |
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n |
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m |
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a |
n |
a |
s |
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c |
Word List
1. stigma: negative trait
2. anomie: social instability caused by a breakdown in standards and values
3. taboo: forbidden action
4. guild: workers’ cooperative
5. caste: a hierarchical social system
6. yeoman: farmer
7. gestalt: a unified whole
8. more: a custom
9. odious: disgusting
10. vile: hateful
11. libido: sexual energy
12. canon: religious doctrine
Give It a Try: Relatively Speaking
Each of the following words concerns family relationships. To play this game, match each word in the left column below to the word or phrase in the right column that best describes it. Write the matching letter on the line to the left of each entry in the left column. The answers appear on here.
______ 1. affinity |
a. ancestor |
______ 2. consanguineous |
b. produce offspring |
______ 3. fecund |
c. kinship |
______ 4. kin |
d. father |
______ 5. patriarch |
e. brother or sister |
______ 6. procreate |
f. fertile |
______ 7. progeny |
g. descendants |
______ 8. sibling |
h. related by blood |
______ 9. posterity |
i. a relative |
______ 10. progenitor |
j. future generations |
It’s Your Turn: In the Mood
The following words describe moods and temperaments—your personality. To play this game, determine which of the following three words or phrases best describes each word in the list that follows. Write the number of your answer choice on the line to the left of each entry. The answers appear on here.
1. cheerful
2. irritable
3. somber or gloomy
____ acrimonious |
____ despondent |
____ peevish |
____ bilious |
____ irascible |
____ pensive |
____ buoyant |
____ jocular |
____ petulant |
____ choleric |
____ jocund |
____ querulous |
____ demure |
____ lugubrious |
____ saturnine |
Answers and Explanations
Synonyms and Antonyms (here)
(Possible answers)
Word |
Synonym |
Antonym |
arrogant |
conceited |
modest |
condescending |
smug |
humble |
contemptuous |
scornful |
kind |
dictatorial |
domineering |
considerate |
haughty |
egotistical |
modest |
imperious |
overbearing |
obsequious |
indolent |
lazy |
hard-working |
insipid |
dull |
exciting |
patronizing |
condescending |
solicitous |
torpor |
inactivity |
activity |
The Blame Game (here)
1. to free from blame
absolve: to free from blame
acquit: to clear from blame
exculpate: to free from blame
exonerate: to clear from blame
vindicate: to clear from blame
2. to disapprove, criticize, or blame
censure: to criticize severely
deprecate: to express disapproval of
indict: to charge with a crime
reprimand: to scold
reproach: to scold
reprove: to blame
3. to criticize or condemn abusively
excoriate: to denounce severely
execrate: to denounce
fulminate: to denounce
inveigh: to denounce
vituperate: to censure harshly
4. to punish or discipline
castigate: to punish
chastise: to discipline
ostracize: to banish
I Cogitate (Think), Therefore I Am (here)
1. existing
extant: outstanding
tangible: real
2. newly existing
inchoate: new
incipient: initial
neonate: newborn
3. enduring or everlasting
perdurable: permanent
perennial: lasting for a long time
protracted: prolonged
4. temporary; not lasting
evanescent: temporary
temporal: pertaining the present life
transient: of short duration
transitory: existing only for a time
Word Scramble (here)
euphoria
misogynist
patronizing
angst
torpor
haughty
yellow
Reading down: empathy
A Love-Hate Relationship (here)
Love (like)
amity: friendship
captivate: to attract
delectation: delight
infatuation: foolish love
penchant: bias
predilection: a predisposition to prefer
Hate (dislike)
abhor: to detest
abominate: to hate
antipathy: strong dislike
loathe: to detest
odium: hatred
pique: fit of displeasure
repugnant: repulsive
umbrage: offense
For Richer, for Poorer (here)
dowry: money or property given by the bride’s family to the bridegroom at marriage
largess: a generous bestowal of gifts
impecunious: penniless
penury: poverty
lucre: money
specie: coins
mercenary: available for hire
venal: mercenary
munificent: very generous
philanthropic: giving to charity
parsimonious: stingy
penurious: stingy
profligate: extravagant
wastrel: wasteful, especially with money
Multiple Choice (here)
1. D
2. C
3. E
4. E
5. A
6. A
7. B
8. B
9. C
10. E
Good versus Evil (here)
Righteous
altruistic: generous
beneficent: kind-hearted
benevolent: generous
magnanimous: generous
pious: devout
Depraved
heinous: abominable
ignominious: shameful
infamous: notorious
licentious: immoral
nefarious: wicked
odious: disgusting
opprobrious: disgraceful
reprobate: depraved
vile: evil
Word-Find Puzzle (here)
Relatively Speaking (here)
1. c
2. h
3. f
4. i
5. d
6. b
7. g
8. e
9. j
10. a
In the Mood (here)
1. cheerful
buoyant: light-hearted; vivacious; cheerful
jocular: joking
jocund: merry; cheerful
2. irritable
acrimonious: caustic; bitter
bilious: ill-tempered
choleric: angry
irascible: easily provoked to anger
peevish: ill-tempered
petulant: cranky
querulous: whiny
3. somber or gloomy
demure: serious
despondent: depressed
lugubrious: sorrowful
pensive: thoughtful
saturnine: gloomy