Ultimate word success - Peterson's 2009

Day 7 Discuss Useful Words About Speaking
Part III Build Your Word Bank

Many words that relate to speaking appear on standardized tests. That’s because these words are useful in daily life. Further, grouping words by a common theme makes them easier to remember as you study. Today, you’ll learn some of the words you’re most likely to encounter on the GED, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, and TOEFL and other important standardized tests.

Learn Ten Words About Talking

Below are ten useful words that all deal with speech and speaking. As you read each word, say it aloud, using the pronunciation as a guide. Then link the word to a mnemonic, such as a place, person, or color, to help you remember it. (Look back to Day 3 for help with creating mnemonics.)

Here’s how the words would be used in sentences. You’ll recall that standardized tests often assess how well you can figure out words used in context. You’ll get a sentence and have to define the words based on the surrounding words and phrases. Context clues are especially important when it comes to reading comprehension passages, too.

For example:

1. John made a strong assertion during the debate about immigration.

2. The plaintiff’s allegation of innocence was clearly ridiculous.

3. Due to the clarity of his speech, the teacher was easily understood by one and all.

4. The prostitutes were so explicit that their speech was censored by the networks!

5. After the professor gave a speech characterized by circumlocution, the students were left scratching their heads in confusion.

6. The politicians welcomed the chance to have some serious discourse.

7. Socrates and Plato engaged in a famous dialectic.

8. The teenager was late, but did he deserve his mother’s violent 3-hour diatribe?

9. The effervescent speaker held the audience’s attention through her bubbly personality.

10. You want a partner to share his or her feelings, but do they have to be effusive and let it all hang out?

Speak with the Root Loq

On Day 5, you learned that knowing just a handful of roots can help you decode scads of unfamiliar words. The root loq means “speak.” As you read the following words with the “loq” root, cover the last column and try to guess the meaning of each word.

Seventh-Inning Stretch: Multiple-Choice #1

Select the correct meaning for each of the following boldfaced words. Circle your choice.

The answers appear on here.

1. allegation

(A) lively

(B) locution

(C) talk that is not to the point

(D) claim

(E) long, usually abusive, argument

2. soliloquy

(A) abusive language

(B) locution

(C) clearness of expression

(D) point in a drama when a character reveals his or her thoughts to the audience

(E) loquacious

3. effervescent

(A) bubbling; lively

(B) talk that is not to the point

(C) eloquent

(D) dialogue

(E) art of public speaking

4. circumlocution

(A) lively

(B) soliloquy

(C) talk that is not to the point

(D) loquacious

(E) clearness of expression

5. diatribe

(A) clearness of expression

(B) lively

(C) talkative

(D) abusive language

(E) long, usually abusive, argument

6. locution

(A) eloquent

(B) claim

(C) talkative

(D) colloquy

(E) style of speech

7. explicit

(A) outspoken, specific

(B) soliloquy

(C) obloquy

(D) a long, usually abusive, argument

(E) claim

8. eloquent

(A) art of public speaking

(B) articulate

(C) outspoken, specific

(D) talk that is not to the point

(E) conversation

9. clarity

(A) soliloquy

(B) lively

(C) clearness of expression

(D) colloquy

(E) art of public speaking

10. assertion

(A) a long, usually abusive, argument

(B) statement

(C) conversation

(D) outspoken, specific

(E) argument through critical discussion

11. effusive

(A) pouring forth freely; gushing

(B) art of public speaking

(C) conversation

(D) colloquy

(E) claim

12. loquacious

(A) talkative

(B) clearness of expression

(C) a long, usually abusive, argument

(D) gushing

(E) outspoken, specific

13. elocution

(A) claim

(B) gushing

(C) conversation

(D) argument through critical discussion

(E) art of public speaking

14. dialectic

(A) clearness of expression

(B) outspoken, specific

(C) obloquy

(D) soliloquy

(E) argument through critical discussion

15. discourse

(A) abusive language

(B) obloquy

(C) argument through critical discussion

(D) gushing

(E) conversation

Word-Find Puzzle

Time for a break. There are fifteen words hidden in this word-find puzzle. (See the word list below.) Ten words have already been covered in this chapter, but five are new. To complete the puzzle, locate and circle all the words. The words may be written forward, backward, or upside down. The answers appear on here. Good luck!

Word List

1. colloquy: dialogue

2. clarity: clearness of expression

3. obloquy: abusive language

4. locution: style of speech

5. loquacious: talkative

6. assertion: statement

7. elocution: art of public speaking

8. effervescent: bubbling; lively

9. pugilism: the art of hand-to-hand fighting; boxing

10. eloquent: articulate

11. coy: pretending to be shy

12. salve: to soothe; to make better

13. explicit: outspoken, specific

14. diatribe: a long, usually abusive, argument

15. circumlocution: talk that is not to the point

Discover Words Everyone’s Talking About

Of the many words that have entered English from the Bible, few are more common than Babel. Now spelled babble, it means a “confusion of sound; senseless speech.”

If you look for the word Babel in the Bible, you’ll discover that it’s a proper noun. (That’s why it’s capitalized.) It refers to the city of Babylon. The Book of Genesis tells the story of the people of Babel who tried to build a tower to heaven. To block them, the Lord decided “to confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” From that din (racket) emerged many languages.

Knowing a word’s history is another way to enrich your vocabulary. Unfortunately, not all words have memorable pasts. Below are ten useful words about speech that have prosaic, pedestrian pasts. Nonetheless, they are often tested on standardized assessments because they are useful in professional discourse.

Master the Important Dic/Dict Root

The following words all include the root dic/dict, which means “say, claim.” Read the list and see how many of these words you already know. Try to memorize the new ones now.

Word-Definition Match

Match each numbered word in the left column with its lettered definition in the right column. Write your answer in the space provided. The answers appear on here.

Seventh-Inning Stretch: Multiple-Choice #2

Select the word that best completes each sentence. Then, write the letter of the word in the space. The answers appear on here.

1. In 1936, the Duke of Windsor __________ the throne so he could marry the woman he loved; as a result, he gave up all rights to becoming King of England.

(A) procured

(B) seized

(C) embraced

(D) abdicated

(E) salved

2. The DNA test completely __________ the accused and cleared him from blame.

(A) vindicated

(B) sanctified

(C) assimilated

(D) predicated

(E) abdicated

3. The teenager made a logical and _________ argument, but she was still grounded for a month because she chose to stay out all night.

(A) cogent

(B) asinine

(C) fallacious

(D) fraudulent

(E) insolvent

4. The retiring president of the company delivered a __________ at the last meeting.

(A) specter

(B) valediction

(C) stanchion

(D) torque

(E) colloquy

5. A person who is __________ is most likely academic and preachy.

(A) placid

(B) irrational

(C) didactic

(D) obtrusive

(E) perturbed

6. A(n) __________ person is often long-winded and bombastic.

(A) vindicated

(B) illustrious

(C) intrusive

(D) magniloquent

(E) eminent

7. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” is an example of a(n) __________.

(A) epithet

(B) epigram

(C) eulogy

(D) epitaph

(E) euphemism

8. People with ______________ speak smoothly and persuasively.

(A) verbiage

(B) eloquence

(C) turbulence

(D) effervescence

(E) malevolence

9. Saying “passed on” instead of “died” is an example of a(n) __________.

(A) epithet

(B) epigram

(C) epitaph

(D) eulogy

(E) euphemism

10. A(n) __________ is delivered at a funeral.

(A) revulsion

(B) convulsion

(C) artifice

(D) epigram

(E) eulogy

11. Saying “My sister is as big as an elephant” is an example of __________.

(A) hyperbole

(B) valediction

(C) sedition

(D) mutiny

(E) eczema

12. The success of the project was __________ on the company obtaining sufficient funds to proceed.

(A) expunged

(B) vindicated

(C) predicated

(D) exacerbated

(E) embellished

Keep Up the Conversation: Twenty More Words About Speaking

A kibitzer is an onlooker who offers a great deal of advice—mostly unwanted. Originally, the word referred to a person who offered advice at a card game. Today, however, the word has been expanded to mean anyone who meddles in someone else’s business. The word comes from Yiddish, a German-Jewish language.

Now, you don’t need to meddle in another person’s affairs, but you do need to know the words you need to speak about speaking. These words will also help you excel on standardized tests that involve English.

Root for Clam!

The following words about speech all contain the root clam (or claim), which refers to speech. (By the way, to clam up is a slang expression that means “to stop speaking.”)

Seventh-Inning Stretch: Multiple-Choice #3

Select the correct meaning for each of the following boldfaced words. Circle your choice.

The answers appear on here.

1. articulation

(A) speaking quietly

(B) keeping secrets

(C) delivering a criminal from one state or nation to another

(D) deducing an unknown (e.g., a quantity) from something that is known

(E) speaking clearly

2. neologism

(A) newly created word

(B) newly born person

(C) violent speech

(D) sedition

(E) praise

3. acclaim

(A) to close out or block out

(B) to shout approval

(C) to cry out abruptly

(D) to announce privately

(E) to filter (liquid) through a membrane

4. reiterate

(A) withhold

(B) rhetoric

(C) repeat

(D) recant

(E) revise

5. ineffable

(A) limpid

(B) clear

(C) unequivocal

(D) inexpressible

(E) manifest

6. insolent

(A) rude

(B) chivalrous

(C) decorous

(D) polished

(E) polite

7. pundit

(A) expert

(B) dilettante

(C) novice

(D) dabbler

(E) bluestocking

8. brusque

(A) meek

(B) docile

(C) submissive

(D) dumb

(E) abrupt, impatient

9. frank

(A) disingenuous

(B) taciturn

(C) reticent

(D) secretive

(E) open, sincere

10. cogitate

(A) to speak

(B) to think

(C) to dream

(D) to wish

(E) to write

11. caustic

(A) sweet

(B) luscious

(C) sarcastic

(D) melodious

(E) effulgent

12. candor

(A) withholding necessary facts

(B) using jargon

(C) eating candy

(D) being open, sincere

(E) traveling on foot through the countryside

13. emphasize

(A) ignore

(B) downplay

(C) stress

(D) overhaul

(E) correct

14. cant

(A) jargon

(B) unable to complete a task

(C) slow gallop

(D) slander

(E) edge; boundary; outer region

15. dogmatic

(A) dog-like

(B) asserted without proof, usually arrogantly

(C) loyal

(D) abrupt, impatient

(E) flows easily

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.

Answers and Explanations

Word-Find Puzzle (here)

Multiple-Choice #1 (here)

1. D

2. D

3. A

4. C

5. E

6. E

7. A

8. B

9. C

10. B

11. A

12. A

13. E

14. E

15. E

Word-Definition Match (here)

1. g

2. k

3. d

4. m

5. h

6. e

7. o

8. l

9. c

10. f

11. b

12. j

13. n

14. a

15. i

Multiple-Choice #2 (here)

1. D

2. A

3. A

4. B

5. C

6. D

7. B

8. B

9. E

10. E

11. A

12. C

Multiple-Choice #3 (here)

1. E

2. A

3. B

4. C

5. D

6. A

7. A

8. E

9. E

10. B

11. C

12. D

13. C

14. A

15. B

Word Scramble (here)

ineffable

neologism

soliloquy

obloquy

lacerated

effervescent

naval

transitory

Reading down: insolent