Day 15 Unmask the Great Pretenders: Test-worthy Words That Can Fool You - Part V Collect More Valuable Words

Ultimate word success - Peterson's 2009

Day 15 Unmask the Great Pretenders: Test-worthy Words That Can Fool You
Part V Collect More Valuable Words

Today, we’ll talk about test-worthy words that can fool you. Some of these words are tricky because they look like words with different meanings. Other words can be deceptive because they don’t seem to mean what they say. However, all the words are alike because they are likely to appear on standardized vocabulary tests!

Learn Fifteen Words That Look Deceptively Familiar

There’s an interesting dish called Welsh Rabbit or Welsh Rarebit. Looking at the words, you would assume the dish contains rabbit. Actually, Welsh Rabbit is a bread-and-cheese dish, like a cheesy French toast. Not a bit of rabbit in it!

The following words can be equally tricky because they all look like other words. For example, the word whet from the following list looks (and sounds) like wet. However, the words have absolutely nothing in common at all, as you’ll soon find out. As you’ve learned already, try making some word cards or using the words in a sentence. These techniques will help you learn the words more easily and remember them longer.

Word

Pronunciation

Meaning

Often Confused With…

abject

ab-jekt

utterly hopeless

object

motif

moh-teef

repeated element

motive

beatific

bee-uh-tif-ik

blissful

beautiful, beat

concomitant

kahn-kam-ih-tunt

accompanying; connected

commitment

dissemble

dis-sem-bul

disguise; lie

disassemble

enervate

en-er-vayt

weaken; debilitate

interview

feint

faynt

deceptive movement

faint

fraught

frawt

filled with

fought

friable

fry-uh-bul

easily crumbled

fry

querulous

kwer-oh-lus

petulant

queer

reproach

re-proach

to scold or blame

reapproach

reprobate

re-pro-bayt

unscrupulous person

reappropriate

protean

proh-tee-un

changeable

protein

whet

weht

to sharpen

wet

unwonted

un-wohn-tid

unusual or rare

unwanted

Time for Fun: Unmask the Tricksters!

Each of the fifteen words in this list look a bit like a more common word with which you are probably familiar. However, the two words are unrelated in meaning. To play this game, choose the word that is nearest in meaning to the word in boldface. The answers appear on here.

1.

abject


(a) hopeless

(b) argue

(c) goal

2.

motif


(a) repeated element

(b) massive

(c) morose

3.

beatific


(a) bold

(b) attractive

(c) blissful

4.

concomitant


(a) anxious

b) accompanying

(c) strong

5.

dissemble


(a) destroy

(b) disguise

(c) compare

6.

enervate


(a) interfere

(b) weaken

(c) invigorate

7.

feint


(a) modesty

(b) dizziness

(c) sham

8.

fraught


(a) fearful

(b) full

(c) imagined

9.

friable


(a) sturdy

(b) fragile

(c) flexible

10.

querulous


(a) whining

(b) meddling

(c) eccentric

11.

reproach


(a) retreat

(b) scold

(c) return

12.

reprobate


(a) ashamed

(b) unscrupulous

(c) likely

13.

protean


(a) sturdy

(b) fragile

(c) changeable

14.

whet


(a) to sharpen

(b) to moisten

(c) to consume

15.

unwonted


(a) commonplace

(b) rare

(c ) not welcome

Decode the Top Twelve Teasers

Here are twelve more teasers. Meet them now and get to know them well. Then you can be sure that they won’t fake you out on a standardized vocabulary test!

Word

Part of Speech

Pronunciation

Definition

accost

uh-kawst

verb

approach boldly

consequential

kahn-sih-kwen-chul

adjective

self-important; pompous

copious

koh-pee-us

adjective

abundant; plentiful

factotum

fak-toh-tum

noun

a handyman

leaven

leh-vun

verb

to rise

potable

poh-tuh-bul

adjective

drinkable

privation

prih-vay-shun

noun

hardship; destitution

refractory

rih-frak-tuh-ree

adjective

unmanageable; unruly

restive

res-tiv

adjective

restless; impatient

touchstone

tuch-stohn

noun

measure

untoward

un-tord

adjective

unfavorable or unfortunate

wizened

wih-zind

adjective

shriveled; withered

Give It a Try: Synonyms and Antonyms

Complete the following chart by writing a synonym and an antonym for each word. S-t-r-e-t-c-h your brain by writing as many synonyms and antonyms as you can. The answers appear on here.

Word

Synonyms

Antonyms

restive

accost

consequential

copious

wizened

potable

privation

refractory

untoward

leaven

Seventh-Inning Stretch: Multiple Choice

For each word in bold letters, select the word among the choices that is nearest in meaning. Some of the words have been covered in this lesson, while others may be new to you. The answers appear on here.

1. accost

(A) evaluate

(B) accumulate

(C) confront

(D) ignore

2. factotum

(A) veracity

(B) handyman

(C) directory

(D) factory

3. leaven

(A) joking

(B) fighting

(C) healing

(D) cause to rise

4. consequential

(A) arrogant

(B) satisfying

(C) shocking

(D) useless

5. officious

(A) savage

(B) angry

(C) pleasant

(D) authoritative

6. copious

(A) tearful

(B) imitated

(C) endured

(D) abundant

7. potable

(A) drinkable

(B) movable

(C) credible

(D) drunken

8. decorous

(A) layered

(B) demonic

(C) gaudy

(D) respectful

9. privation

(A) solitude

(B) hardship

(C) panic

(D) rank in the military

10. noisome

(A) odorous

(B) loud

(C) friendly

(D) hostile

11. factitious

(A) bothersome

(B) manufactured

(C) detailed

(D) foreign

12. redress

(A) repair

(B) conceal

(C) confront

(D) ignore

Tame the Top Ten Test-worthy Taunters

These bad boys can trip up unwary test takers. Study these words carefully so you know them when you take the GED, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, or TOEFL.

1. aggrandize (uh-gran-dyz) verb, to make larger, more powerful or important, or wealthier

2. amass (uh-mas) verb, to collect or accumulate

3. belated (buh-lay-tid) adjective, late

4. coalesce (koh-uh-les) verb, unite; come together to form a whole

5. contagion (kun-tay-jun) noun, communicable disease

6. efficacy (ef-ih-kih-see) adjective, capability; efficiency

7. evince (ee-vins) verb, to demonstrate clearly or convincingly

8. exigency (ek-zih-jin-see) noun, urgency

9. forestall (for-stahl) verb, to prevent in advance

10. frenetic (fruh-neh-tik) adjective, agitated; frantic

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.

ncgotaion

communicable disease

Image

qosebuious

overly servile or obedient

Image

gzadgranie

to make larger, more powerful or important, or wealthier

Image

enavle

to rise

Image

yeficfac

capability; efficiency

isnale

pertaining to salt

cnslteqouenia

self-important; pompous

inceev

to demonstrate clearly or convincingly

Image

Domesticate a Dozen Dirties

The following twelve words have misled many an unwary test taker. Learn these words so you can distinguish between them when it counts—on a standardized test!

Word

Pronunciation

Part of Speech

Definition

funereal

fyoo-neer-ee-ul

adjective

sorrowful; solemn; sad

guile

gyl

noun

deceit; fraud

insular

in-suh-ler

adjective

narrow-minded

largess

lahr-jes

noun

generosity

maculated

mak-yoo-lay-tid

adjective

spotted; stained

militate

mil-uh-tayt

verb

contemplate

nexus

nek-sus

noun

connection

polemic

puh-lem-ik

noun

controversy

politic

pahl-uh-tik

adjective

shrewd; expedient; judicious

quiescent

kwy-es-unt

adjective

quiet; inactive

remnant

rem-nunt

noun

left-over

requisite

reh-kwih-zit

adjective

necessary

Time for Fun: Word-Find Puzzle

There are fifteen words hidden in this puzzle. Many 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 on the next page.) They may be written forward, backward, or upside down. The answers appear on here. Good luck!

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f

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Word List

1. guile: deceit; fraud

2. militate: contemplate

3. requisite: necessary

4. funereal: sorrowful; solemn; sad

5. quiescent: quiet; inactive

6. nexus: connection

7. politic: shrewd; expedient; judicious

8. remnant: left-over

9. polemic: controversy

10. amass: to collect or accumulate

11. whet: to sharpen

12. coalesce: unite; come together to form a whole

13. efficacy: capability; efficiency

14. frenetic: agitated; frantic

15. contagion: communicable disease

Seventh-Inning Stretch: Game Time #1

Let’s finish today’s work with some fun. To play the following two games, match each numbered word in the left column with its lettered definition in the right column. Some of the words will be familiar, while others may be new to you. The answers appear on here.

1. calumny

a. command or order

2. conundrum

b. dabbler in the arts

3. debauch

c. excessive pride

4. dilettante

d. group with a common purpose

5. fiat

e. commonplace or everyday

6. gossamer

f. line up sequentially

7. queue

g. puzzle or mystery

8. hubris

h. malicious statement

9. insouciant

i. corrupt by sensuality

10. apparition

j. having a foul odor

11. milieu

k. sheer and light

12. peccadillo

l. slight offense

13. phalanx

m. a ghost

14. quotidian

n. surroundings or environment

15. noisome

o. unconcerned or carefree

Seventh-Inning Stretch: Game Time #2

The answers appear on here.

1. abject

a. surpass

2. adventitious

b. abolish

3. exceed

c. prevent

4. turgid

d. admiration

5. enervate

e. by chance

6. obeisance

f. complaining or whining

7. undulate

g. relief or assistance

8. obviate

h. deadly

9. protean

i. to move in a wavelike motion

10. virulent

j. swollen

11. predilection

k. demonstration of respect

12. querulous

l. deprive of vitality

13. succor

m. preference

14. adulation

n. utterly hopeless

15. abrogate

o. versatile

Answers and Explanations

Unmask the Tricksters! (here)

1. The correct answer is (a). Abject means utterly hopeless (as in abject poverty).

2. The correct answer is (a). Motif means a basic element repeated throughout the work.

3. The correct answer is (c). Beatific means blissful.

4. The correct answer is (b). Concomitant means accompanying; connected.

5. The correct answer is (b). Dissemble means disguise; lie.

6. The correct answer is (b). Enervate means weaken; debilitate.

7. The correct answer is (c). Feint means a deceptive movement; sham.

8. The correct answer is (b). Fraught means filled with.

9. The correct answer is (b). Friable means easily crumbled.

10. The correct answer is (a). Querulous means petulant.

11. The correct answer is (b). Reproach means to scold or blame.

12. The correct answer is (b). Reprobate means an unscrupulous person.

13. The correct answer is (c). Protean means the ability to take many forms or perform many functions; versatile; variable; changeable; mutable.

14. The correct answer is (a). Whet means to sharpen; make keen; intensify.

15. The correct answer is (b). Unwonted means not customary; not habitual; unusual or rare.

Synonyms and Antonyms (here)

(Possible answers)

Word

Synonyms

Antonyms

restive

restless; impatient

patient

accost

approach boldly

avoid

consequential

self-important; pompous

modest; meek

copious

abundant; plentiful

scarce

wizened

shriveled; withered

lush

potable

drinkable

poisoned

privation

hardship; destitution

affluence

refractory

unmanageable; unruly

docile; submissive

untoward

unfavorable or unfortunate

favorable

leaven

to rise

to fall

Multiple Choice (here)

1. C

2. B

3. D

4. A

5. D

6. D

7. A

8. D

9. B

10. A

11. B

12. A

Word Scramble (here)

contagion

obsequious

aggrandize

leaven

efficacy

saline

consequential

evince

Reading down: coalesce

Word-Find Puzzle (here)

Image

Game Time #1 (here)

1. h

2. g

3. i

4. b

5. a

6. k

7. f

8. c

9. o

10. m

11. n

12. l

13. d

14. e

15. j

Game Time #2 (here)

1. n

2. e

3. a

4. j

5. l

6. k

7. i

8. c

9. o

10. h

11. m

12. f

13. g

14. d

15. b