Vocabulary list 14 - More Commonly Tested Words

CHAPTER
Vocabulary
List 14:
More Commonly
Tested Words
CHAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter introduces you to another group of words that are com-
monly found on standardized tests. No doubt you have encountered
some of them before in your reading, but you may also be seeing many
of the words for the first time. Be sure to say the words aloud to your-
self as you read over the list, as this helps commit them to memory.
17
211

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VOCABULARY LIST 14: MORE COMMONLY TESTED WORDS
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213
1
342
6
5
78
9
12
11
10
14
17
15
18

19
20
16
13
Across
2 indulge
5 group of women
7 small amount
9 a person who tries to get
ahead by flattering people of
wealth or power
10 a category
12 having conflicting or divided
feelings
14 all-knowing
16 throaty
18 confuse or fluster
20 carefree, easy-going
Down
1 steal
3 dull or dense
4 vibrant, full, resounding
6 paleness, wanness, pastiness
8 melancholy
11 strongly in favor of one side or
one political party
13 hearty chuckle
15 stationary, inactive
17 refined, polite
19 changeable

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 14: More Commonly Tested Words
addle
ambivalent
bevy
disconsolate
guffaw
genteel
guttural
inert
insouciance
mutable
obtuse
omniscient
pallor
partisan
purloin
resonant
rubric
smidgen
sycophant
wallow

addle (a·dəl)
(verb)
to confuse, fluster, or muddle
He likes to his opponent by being overly
confident.
ambivalent (am·bi·və·lənt)

(adj.)
having at the same time two conflicting feelings or
emotions toward another person or thing, such
as love and hate; having divided feelings about
something or someone; equivocal; uncertain
I am about inviting her to the wedding.
bevy (be·ve¯)
(noun)
a group of girls or women; or a flock of birds
Because Ivan was trying to find a date for the prom,
he was delighted to see that there was a large
at my birthday party.
disconsolate (dis·kän(t)sələt)
(adj.)
hopeless, sad, melancholy, dejected
The grieving child was when her mother
passed away.
genteel (jen·te¯ (ə)l)
(adj.)
refined, polite, elegant, gentlemanly, or ladylike
Though Deborah was raised in a carefree way—her
parents let her do whatever she wanted—her
manners are quite .
guffaw (ə·fo˙ )
(noun)
a loud, rough burst of laughter
Martin tends to rather than laugh quietly.
guttural (ə·tə·rəl)
(adj.)
throaty; used to describe sounds that originate in the

throat, like the k
in kite
When my dog wants to play, she tries to get your
attention by making noises, like the
beginnings of a growl.
inert (i·nərt)
(adj.)
inactive, sluggish, without power to move
It was so hot last Sunday that I remained ;
I lay on the couch all day and enjoyed the air
conditioning.
insouciance (in·sü·se¯ ·ən(t)s)
(noun)
carefree, unconcerned
Her at losing her job made us all think
that she was independently wealthy.
mutable (myu·tə·bəl)
(adj.)
changeable, unstable, variable
Unfortunately, my schedule this week is not
, as I have clients coming in from
out of town that I must meet.
obtuse (ab·tus)
(adj.)
dull, not sharp or acute; when used to describe a
person, it means slow to understand or notice,
or insensitive
Even though Robert is a brilliant man, he can be
about the simplest of concepts.
omniscient (am·ni·shənt)

(adj.)
all-knowing; having universal knowledge of all things
The Judeo-Christian God is believed to be
.
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VOCABULARY LIST 14: MORE COMMONLY TESTED WORDS
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