1. Power Plus Vocabulary Preparing for the SAT, increasing diction, and learning new, precise words to impress our friends.

2. Vocabulary Routine ● Use your handout to complete your vocabulary homework by the day of the quiz. I will collect it before the quiz. ● Quizzes are given every other Tuesday. ● Occasionally, class instruction will offer practice through grammar concepts, writing creative sentences, describing characters from short stories, playing charades, etc. ● This powerpoint contains the words for lessons 1-8. Feel free to create your own for lessons 9-21. Quizlet is another great way to study the words for identification. I suggest using one quizlet and adding words from the new lessons, as the quizzes include a few words from previous lessons. ● The BEST way to learn the words is to USE them in your writing and in your speaking.

3. Lesson One divulge (v)- to tell; to reveal (as a secret) syn: unveil; discloseant: conceal The quiz was supposed to be a surprise, but the teacher divulged it ahead of time so students could be prepared. abet (v)- to assist or encourage, especially in wrongdoing syn: promote; inciteant: impede; dissuade Maria refused to abet her classmate in cheating by allowing her to copy the grammar homework.

4. Lesson One dogmatic (adj)- arrogant and stubborn about one’s beliefs syn: dictatorialant: open-minded One’s assertion of the certainty of the existence of God may seem dogmatic, but a gentle approach might bring others to believe also. insipid (adj)- lacking flavor; dull; not at all stimulating syn: flat; lifelessant: challenging General Zaroff gave a hint about his sick plans when he allowed that he had begun to find hunting exotic game like tigers to be insipid.

5. Lesson One extraneous (adj)- not essential; not constituting a vital part syn: irrelevant; superfluousant: essential; critical The professor felt that the extraneous paragraph in the essay took away from the more important information. coerce (v)- to force by using pressure, intimidation, or threats syn: compel You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t coerce him to drink.

6. Lesson One jaundiced (adj)- prejudiced; hostile syn: skeptical; cynicalant: believing; trusting Gabe had a jaundiced view of Syria after reading so much about the violence there. meticulous (adj)- extremely, sometimes excessively, careful about small details; precise syn: fastidiousant: sloppy It takes a while for students to get used to Mrs. Hathaway’s meticulous attention to detail in reading and writing.

7. Lesson One Vocabulary temerity (n)- recklessness a foolish disregard of danger syn: audacityant: prudence I couldn’t believe that Bret had the temerity to bungee jump over a lake full of alligators. gregarious (adj)- sociable; fond of the company of others syn: genial; friendlyant: reclusive Learning when to be gregarious and when to work silently and alone is a skill one learns quickly in high school.

8. Lesson Two Vocabulary heresy (n)- the crime of holding a belief that goes against established doctrineant: orthodoxy During the Inquisition, those found guilty of heresy were sometimes burned at the stake. docile (adj)- easy to teach or manage; obedient syn: submissiveant: unmanageable; willful The poodle, usually docile, went mad and attacked his owner.

9. Lesson Two Vocabulary libation (n)- a drink, especially an alcoholic one syn: intoxicant Some kid from a different school offered me a libation but I admonished him instead of accepting it. anathema (n)- a hated, repellant person or thing syn: abhorration; destestationant:beloved Cannibalism is anathema to almost every society on planet.

10. Lesson Two Vocabulary banter (n)- teasing; playful conversation syn: joshing; badinage; railleryant: vituperation Ruth enjoyed the flirtatious banter of the young man seated next to her, even though he sometimes needed to attend more in class rather than distract her. castigate (v)- to criticize or punish severely syn: reprimand; chasitise; scoldant: praise She hoped the teacher would not castigate the boy for being disruptive.

11. Lesson Two gauche (adj)- lacking social graces; tactless syn: awkwardant: graceful Some people use a fork to eat pizza because they think it is gauche to use their fingers. ignominy (n)- public shame, disgrace, or dishonor syn: disgrace; infamyant: renown; eminence; repute Having been an esteemed captain of the football team, being caught with alcohol after the game brought ignominy to his family and to himself.

12. Lesson Two motley (adj)- made up of dissimilar parts; being many colors syn: variedant: uniform; homogeneous; similar The international clown convention was a motley sight in the otherwise dull exhibition center. emaciated (adj)- extremely thin; wasted away syn: witheredant: plump; fattened Dead from starvation, the emaciated prisoner was buried in the camp cemetery.

13. Lesson Three avarice (n.)- greed; desire for wealth syn: acquisitivenessant: largesse He became a doctor, not to save lives but to appease his avarice. furtive (adj.)- stealthy; secretive syn: surreptitiousant: overt Not wanting to be rude, Jean cast only a furtive glance at the man’s prominent scar.

14. Lesson Three bacchanalian (adj.)- wild and drunken ant: restrained Adam paid for his bacchanalian weekend when he flunked his exam on Monday. extradite (v)- to turn over to deliver to the legal jurisdiction of another government or authority. syn: deport After two months of incarceration in Sacramento, the suspect was extradited to Florida.

15. Lesson Three copious (adj.)- numerous; large in quantity syn: profuse; abundantant: sparse It is good to drink a copious amount of water before and after working out. irascible (adj.)- easily angered syn: irratibe; ill-temperedant: easygoing We walk on eggshells around Mary because she is so irascible.

16. Lesson Three mercenary (n.)- a professional soldier hired by a foreign army. ant: volunteer Though American by birth, the mercenary fought for France. bastion (n)- a strong defense or fort (or something likened to it) syn: stonghold The United States has been called the bastion of democracy.

17. Lesson Three jettison (v)- to cast overboard; to discard syn: deployant: retain The passengers quickly jettisoned the heavy cargo from the damaged plane. ostracize (n)- to banish, to shut out from a group or society by common consent. syn: exileant: accept The strict religious community ostracized Eli when he married a woman of another faith.

18. Lesson Four bigot (n)- one who is intolerant of differences in others syn: racist; extremist The bigot refused to share a cab with anyone of a different race. expunge (v.)- to erase or eliminate syn: obliterateant: add If Matt can stay out of trouble for one year, his criminal record will be expunged.

19. Lesson Four candid (adj)- outspoken; blunt syn: frank; directant: evasive He gave a candid speech about the atrocity of abortion. argot (n.)- special words or phrases used by a specific group of people. syn: jargon Don’t agree to “a trip to the East River” proposed by anyone speaking mafia argot.

20. Lesson Four negligence (n.)- careless neglect, often resulting in injury syn: carelessnessant: care; attention Sara’s negligence allowed the sharp point of her compass to fall from her locker and puncture my shoe. appease (v)- to calm; to make satisfied (often only temporarily) syn: mollifyant: aggravate The small snack before dinner did nothing to appease Shane’s appetite.

21. Lesson Four strident (adj)- harsh sounding; grating syn: shrillant: soothing Lisa’s strident voice gave us all headaches. chaos (n)- complete disorder syn: confusion; jumbleant: order; harmony The new teacher was expected to end the chaos and restore order in the classroom.

22. Lesson Four augment (v)- to enlarge; to increase in amount or intensity syn: expand; supplementant: narrow; reduce I had to take a second job to augment my income after buying a new SUV. jingoism (n)- extreme, chauvinistic patriotism, often favoring aggressive, warlike foreign policy The candidate subdued his jingoism long enough to get voted into office.

23. Lesson Five rancor – (n.) extreme hatred or ill will syn: animosity; enmityant: amity; sympathy The reason for the defendant’s rancor was unclear to most people in the courtroom. inexorable – (adj.) unrelenting; unavoidable Syn: relentless; certain ant: amity; sympathy The inexorable heat made the crowd even more miserable.

24. Lesson Five extol – (v.) to praise highly syn: exalt; laudant: chastise Her peers grew weary of listening to the girl extol her new found boyfriend. clement – (adj.) merciful; lenient syn: forbearing; benignant: malevolent; harsh Their only hope rested in the clemency of the judge.

25. Lesson Five cliche – (n.) a worn out idea or overused expression syn: platitude The teacher warned the writers to avoid clichés like the plague. adamant – (adj.) unyielding; firm in opinion syn: stubbornant: amenable; flexible After having been so adamant that I was right about the date of the event, I was embarrassed to learn that I was wrong.

26. Lesson Five diffident – (adj. ) lacking in self-confidence; shy syn: timidant: outgoing His diffidence may have been mistaken for rudeness. opus – (n.) a creative work, especially a numbered composition (The plural of opus is opera.) His self proclaimed opus would have been impressive if it had been his own creation.

27. Lesson Five ostensible – (adj.) professed but not necessarily true syn: supposedant: actual Mrs. Jones ostensibly makes the best cookies in the world. disparity – (n.) inequality; difference syn: gap ant: similarity The disparity between the two stories makes it hard to believe either one.

28. Lesson Six condone – (v.) to forgive or overlook an offense syn: pardon; excuseant: condemn Condoning dishonesty does not help anyone. nuance – (n.) a slight or subtle degree of difference syn: gradation; shade The nuance between two similar words can make a huge difference in meaning.

29. Lesson Six connoisseur – (n.) an expert in matters of culture, food, or wineant: tyro; novice; neophyte Taco Bell may not be the top choice for the connoisseur of Mexican cuisine. enigma – (n.) a mystery; something seemingly inexplicable Syn: riddle; puzzle The appearance of the image of the Blessed Mother on the side of the glass building remains an enigma.

30. Lesson Six apathy – (n.) lack of interest; state of not caring syn: indifferenceant: interest; eagerness Robert Frost warns of the dangers of apathy in “Fire and Ice.” officious – (adj.) excessively eager to deliver unasked for or unwanted help Syn: meddlesome; interfering The fear of seeming officious discourages some people from offering help to others.

31. Lesson Six credence – (n.) belief or trust syn: faith; confidenceant: disbelief Her knowledge of the Bible encouraged credence to her audience. jaunty – (adj.) having a buoyant, self-confident air; brisk and crisp Syn: confident; poised He hoped his jaunty gait would hide his true shyness.

32. Lesson Six dilettante – (n.) one who merely dabbles in an art or a science syn: amateur; triflerant: expert; professional While Jordan was famous for his basketball success, he may have been viewed as more of a dilettante in his game of golf. cult – (n.) an organized group of people with an obsessive devotion to a person or a set of principles If one does not have a foundation in Christian truth, one becomes vulnerable to membership in a cult, or even worse, the apathy of indifference.

33. Lesson Six dilettante – (n.) one who merely dabbles in an art or a science syn: amateur; triflerant: expert; professional While Jordan was famous for his basketball success, he may have been viewed as more of a dilettante in his game of golf. cult – (n.) an organized group of people with an obsessive devotion to a person or a set of principles If one does not have a foundation in Christian truth, one becomes vulnerable to membership in a cult, or even worse, the apathy of indifference.

34. Lesson Seven cynical – (adj.) doubtful or distrustful of the goodness or sincerity of human motives syn: skepticalant: idealistic; optimistic Having been disappointed once too many, the boy became cynical. ambivalent – (adj.) having opposing attitudes or feelings toward a person, thing, or idea; unable to decide syn: uncertain; wavering ant: certain; resolute Her ambivalence about the book choice ended in frustration and an unproductive shopping trip.

35. Lesson Seven demagogue – (n.) a leader who appeals to citizens’ emotions to obtain power syn: rabble-rouser The human tendency to be led by one’s emotions can lead to the election of a dangerous demagogue such as Hitler. demure – (adj.) quiet and modest; reserved syn: prim ant: indiscreet There was great disparity between the demure behavior of the student in class and on the basketball court.

36. Lesson Seven intrepid – (adj.) without fear; brave syn: bold; fearlessant: cowardly A. J. Mohr is intrepid when it comes to killing wasps! destitute – (adj.) extremely poor; lacking necessities like food and shelter syn: impoverished; penniless ant: affluent Mother Theresa’s love for the destitute “throwaways” of society makes her a model of Christ.

37. Lesson Seven erudite – (adj.) scholarly; learned syn: educatedant: unlettered; illiterate Attending ALC to get help with your essay can help you present yourself in the most erudite fashion to colleges. dilemma – (n.) a choice between two unpleasant or difficult options Procrastination presented her with the dilemma of staying up all night to get the work done or getting the work done and doing poorly on her test the next day.

38. Lesson Seven culmination – (n.) the highest point of attainment; the end or climax syn: apexant: nadir Being awarded the Nobel Peace prize was the culmination of his many accomplishments. concur – (v.) to be of the same opinion; to agree with If both doctors concur regarding your diagnosis, you should opt for the procedure to correct your ailment.

39. Lesson Eight abate – (v.) to lessen in violence or intensity syn: subside; decreaseant: intensify; increase There was a one hour delay for school in hopes the snow storm would abate by then. decorum – (n.) conformity to accepted standards of conduct; proper behavior Traditional decorum would find students standing upon the entrance of a priest to the classroom.

40. Lesson Eight abate – (v.) to lessen in violence or intensity syn: subside; decreaseant: intensify; increase There was a one hour delay for school in hopes the snow storm would abate by then. decorum – (n.) conformity to accepted standards of conduct; proper behavior Traditional decorum would find students standing upon the entrance of a priest to the classroom.

41. Lesson Eight abhor – (v.) to detest; to hate strongly syn: despise; loatheant: love; adore I have come to abhor irreverence and to appreciate solemnity. dole – (v.) to distribute; to out sparingly ant: hoard Even with the ten point scale, A’s are doled out only when great effort is exerted.

42. Lesson Eight gamut – (n.) the whole range or extent West Catholic’s curriculum represents the gamut of a classic education. extrovert – (n.) one who is outgoing; one who is energized rather than drained by interactions with others ant: introvert To be a teacher, one should also be an extrovert.

43. Lesson Eight droll– (adj.) amusing in an odd or whimsical way syn: quaint While staying at a hotel can seem droll for a while, home is the best place of all. duplicity – (n.) intentional deceit in speech or conduct Satan is the master of duplicity.

44. Lesson Eight effigy – (n.) a crude dummy or image representing a hated person or group The most cathartic part of his therapy was that in which he was encouraged to create an effigy of his persecutors and to pretend to confront them. austere – (adj.) stern; plain The naked nails and unpainted face of the guest teacher seemed austere compared to the eccentric flair with which their regular teacher adorned herself.