Vocabulary list 13 - Commonly Tested Words

CHAPTER
Vocabulary
List 13:
Commonly
Tested Words
CHAPTER SUMMARY
In this chapter, you will learn words that don’t fit neatly into any partic-
ular category, but are used occasionally in adult-level writing and very
often found on standardized tests. It can sometimes seem as if test
makers have some magical list of words that they think will trip up the
average test taker. Of course, that is not the case, but if you had never
encountered these words before seeing them on a test, they could cer-
tainly be intimidating. Perhaps many of these words are somewhat famil-
iar from your reading or studies, but they are the type of words that you
skip over and hope you don’t need to know to understand the reading
passage. By learning and mastering the words in this chapter, you can
give yourself the extra advantage you need on tests and in your reading.
16
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VOCABULARY LIST 13: COMMONLY TESTED WORDS
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199
1
3
4
2
6
5
7

8
9
12
11
10
14
17
15
18
16
13
Across
3 animosity
5 apathetic, impassive
6 related to, or resembling
an ape
7 to cringe
9 ponder, muse
10 waste
11 possible
12 adapted for wrapping
around, grabbing
13 bashful
16 misuse
17 to set free, disentangle
18 wordy
Down
1 blunt, brief
2 deviation from the norm
4 exaggeration

5 aid, assistance
8 banter
11 obstinance
14 determined
15 coarse food for cows
and horses
Choose the word from the Vocabulary List that best fits into the crossword puzzle. You can check your answers
at the end of the chapter following the answers to the questions.
Vocabulary List 13: Commonly Tested Words
anomaly
badinage
brusque
cower
diffident
dross
extricate
fodder
garrulous
hyperbole
malapropism
pertinacity
plausible
prehensile
rancor
resolute
ruminate
simian
stolid
succor

anomaly (ə·na·mə·le¯)
(noun)
abnormality; irregularity; deviation from the norm
or usual
The one year the company did not break even was
just an .
badinage (ba·dən·azh)
(noun)
playful and joking conversation or banter
The two men never met without beginning a little
that entertained us all.
brusque (brəsk)
(adj.)
abrupt, blunt, or short in manner or speech
His manner was often mistaken for
rudeness by people who did not know him
better.
cower (kau˙·ər)
(verb)
to shrink and tremble, as from someone’s anger or
threats; to cringe
It was unnerving to watch the dog in the
corner when he misbehaved.
diffident (di·fə·dənt)
(adj.)
modest, shy, reserved, bashful, humble
Her smile seemed to indicate that she
would dance if only someone would encourage
her.
dross (dras)

(noun)
the worthless part of something that is separated
from the better part; waste; garbage
The cook trimmed the fillet and swept the
away.
extricate (ek·strə·ka¯t)
(verb)
to set free or release; to disentangle, as from a
difficulty or embarrassment
She hung up the phone and wondered how she
would ever herself from really
having to attend the luncheon.
fodder (fa˙·
dər)
(noun)
dry, coarse food for cattle, horses, or sheep, like hay
or straw; often also used in expressions
unrelated to animals
We were waiting by the barn for the new
to be delivered.
garrulous (ar·ə·ləs)
(adj.)
overly talkative about unimportant things; chattering
I regretted striking up a conversation with him when
I remembered how he can be.
hyperbole (h¯·pər·bə·le¯)
(noun)
exaggeration for effect, not to be taken literally
He often spoke with , as when he said he
was so hungry he could eat a horse.

malapropism (ma·lə·pra·pi·zəm)
(noun)
a ridiculous or humorous misuse of words, usually
due to a resemblance in sound
She was quite amusing with her frequent
(s), like when she excused herself
from the table to go to the laboratory.
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VOCABULARY LIST 13: COMMONLY TESTED WORDS
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