Hot SAT Words Lessons 21-30

LESSON # 26 Do you know these people? Words Relating to the PEOPLE you meet on the PSAT!

ADVERSARY n. An opponent

ADVERSARY Off the court they are pals, but on the court they play tennis like the staunchest of ADVERSARIES.

Which is the REAL adversary?

ARTISAN n. A person who is skillful with his or her hands

ARTISAN In Italy, my grandfather worked as an ARTISAN; he was a glass blower.

ASCETIC N. A person who refrains from indulging in earthly pleasures

ASCETIC Why would one who claims to be an ASCETIC own five wristwatches and a suitcase full of jewelry? Tiffany lives ASCETICALLY in a simple, one-room cabin in the woods.

CHARLATAN N. A fraud; a quack or an imposter

CHARLATAN Catch Me If You Can is a movie about a charming CHARLATAN who impersonates everything from a doctor to an airline pilot.

DIVA N. A highly skilled singer, usually of opera

DIVA A DIVA’s dream is to sing at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

HEDONIST N. A person who lives for pleasure

HEDONIST We lived like HEDONISTS during our vacation at Club Med. Michael’s too HEDONISTIC to get a job. He’d rather just play around.

PARIAH N. A social outcast

PARIAH After he painted his house bright orange, Paul became the neighborhood PARIAH. Hilda is a PARIAH, but she doesn’t mind because she has her poetry to keep her company.

RACONTEUR n. A skillful storyteller

RACONTEUR Mark Twain is a great American RACONTEUR. Uncle Stephen is our family RACONTEUR. He has endless stories to tell about the old country.

SKEPTIC N. A person who doubts

SKEPTIC Now do you believe in UFOs, or are you still a SKEPTIC? Mary is SKEPTICAL about the wisdom of buying on credit.

VIRTUOSO N. A highly skilled performer, usually musical

VIRTUOSO As a VIRTUOSO trumpeter, Danny stands a good chance of getting into Julliard.