Laurie Rozakis - Ultimate Word Success

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2009 Petersons, a Nelnet company

Previous edition 2003

Stephen Clemente, President; Bernadette Webster, Director of Publishing; Jill C. Schwartz, Production Editor; Ray Golaszewski,Manufacturing Manager; Linda M. Williams, Composition Manager

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by anymeansgraphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, or information storageand retrieval systemswithout the prior written permission of the publisher.

First eBook Edition: June 2010

ISBN: 978-0-7689-3242-3

Lets start by exploring some frequently asked questions about learning words for standardized exams. Then, well take a lookat strategies for using this book to your best advantage.

Q:How is vocabulary measured on standardized exams?

A: The SAT*, PSAT/NMSQT*, GED, ACT, and TOEFL all test your vocabulary. For example, the SAT includes vocabulary-in-contextquestions, in which you must determine the meaning of words as used in specific sentences. If you know the meaning of everyword in the question, youll probably get the answer right. The more words you know, the better your chances of narrowingdown the choices to the correct one. In addition, standardized tests assess your vocabulary indirectly through the use ofreading comprehension passages and questions. Test takers with a strong vocabulary have an advantage in answering these questions.

Q:How do the test makers choose words for the exams?

A: The test makers want to determine whether you possess a well-rounded, educated vocabularythe kind of vocabulary you needto read, write, and speak effectively in college and beyond. Test-worthy words include those that any educated person mightuse in speaking or writing, as well as those that are quite specific to particular academic fields.

Q:What kind of words wont be on the exam or in this book?

A: The following types of words are excluded from this book because theyre not likely to appear on a standardized test:

Relatively common words that most high school students already know

Highly technical words understood only by specialists or experts in certain academic fields and professions

Non-English words that are not widely used among English speakers

Informal jargon, slang, or colloquialisms

Words no longer in common use

Q:Does this book include all of the words I need to know for my exam?

A: Of course notthe English language includes thousands of test-worthy words. The Oxford English Dictionary lists more than 600,000 words; German has fewer than one-third that number, French fewer than one-sixth. No matter how thoroughlyyouve prepared for the test, you will most likely encounter new and unfamiliar words on the exam.

Q:Can I learn the words I need to know by taking simulated practice tests?

A: Unfortunately, no. Youll learn a few new words this way but not nearly enough. Simulated testing is more useful for learningtest-taking skillsanalyzing questions and developing strategies for responding to themthan for improving vocabulary.

A phonetic spelling spells out a word just the way it sounds when spoken, without the confusing marks that you find in dictionaries.The syllable receiving primary emphasis is spelled with italics or capital letters. Heres an example of a word with its phonetic spelling as used in this book:

ideology (eye-dee-ol-oh-jee)

You can tell that the first syllable receives the emphasis because it is written in italics.

Heres a guide to help you properly interpret the phonetic spellings used in this book:

Before you can determine where you have to go, you need to figure out where you are. Take the following pretest to see howyour vocabulary measures up to that of other test takers. The following pretest conforms to the format of the vocabulary portionof the SAT. This format will help you assess your current knowledge of vocabulary and standardized test-taking format forthis all-important college admissions test.

Directions: For each question in this section, select the best answer from among the choices given. Circle your answer or write yourchoice on a separate sheet of paper.

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath each sentence arefive words or sets of words labeled (A) through (E). Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence,best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

A pidgin is a(n) __________ jargon containing words of various languages and little in the way of grammar.

(A) precise

(B) explicit

(C) demanding

(D) makeshift

(E) anecdotal

The correct answer is (D).

By working a great deal of overtime, Hector gave the boss a(n) __________ reason to give him a raise.