1. Second Edition BETH JOHNSON JANET M. GOLDSTEIN
ADVANCED WORD POWER
Second Edition
BETH JOHNSON
JANET M. GOLDSTEIN
© Townsend Press

2. Unit Three: Chapter 12 • amicable • immutable • devious • ponderous
• dissonance • predecessor
• efface • rebuff
• garrulous • static
Page 68 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 amicable – adjective Amicable means A. hostile.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 amicable
– adjective
• Who says that cats and dogs are enemies? Our dog and two cats live together in the most amicable way.
• Because the two countries had always maintained amicable relations, they were able to settle their border dispute through friendly talks.
Amicable means
A. hostile.
B. peaceable.
C. cute.
Page 68 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.
Photo: Rufus Sarsaparilla

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 amicable – adjective Amicable means A. hostile.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 amicable
– adjective
• Who says that cats and dogs are enemies? Our dog and two cats live together in the most amicable way.
• Because the two countries had always maintained amicable relations, they were able to settle their border dispute through friendly talks.
Amicable means
A. hostile.
B. peaceable.
C. cute.
Page 68 in textbook.
Enemies are contrasted with friendly animals that live together in a peaceable way. Peaceable relations would allow countries to settle disputes through friendly talks.
Photo: Rufus Sarsaparilla

5. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 devious – adjective Devious means A. obvious.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 devious
– adjective
• Beware of devious advertising. For example, a sign may say in huge letters “PRICES SLASHED 75 PERCENT” and then in tiny type “on selected items only.”
• Aimee’s mother didn’t want to ask her directly if she and her boyfriend were going to get married, so she used more devious wording: “Do you and Dave have any plans for the future?”
Devious means
A. obvious.
B. rude.
C. sneaky.
Page 68 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.
Photo: North Carolina DOT

6. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 devious – adjective Devious means A. obvious.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 devious
– adjective
• Beware of devious advertising. For example, a sign may say in huge letters “PRICES SLASHED 75 PERCENT” and then in tiny type “on selected items only.”
• Aimee’s mother didn’t want to ask her directly if she and her boyfriend were going to get married, so she used more devious wording: “Do you and Dave have any plans for the future?”
Devious means
A. obvious.
B. rude.
C. sneaky.
Page 68 in textbook.
It is sneaky to try to hide restrictions on a sale. In the second item, a direct question is contrasted with a more sneaky way to find out information.
Photo: North Carolina DOT

7. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 dissonance – noun Dissonance means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 dissonance
– noun
• Over time, people’s ideas of dissonance in music change. Chords that sounded harsh and grating to previous generations now seem pleasant to us.
• Kids like to create dissonance on a piano by using both arms to slam down all the keys at once.
Dissonance means
A. an unpleasant sound.
B. a rare sound.
C. an everyday sound.
Page 68 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

8. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 dissonance – noun Dissonance means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 dissonance
– noun
• Over time, people’s ideas of dissonance in music change. Chords that sounded harsh and grating to previous generations now seem pleasant to us.
• Kids like to create dissonance on a piano by using both arms to slam down all the keys at once.
Dissonance means
A. an unpleasant sound.
B. a rare sound.
C. an everyday sound.
Page 68 in textbook.
Harsh-sounding chords would make an unpleasant sound. Slamming down all the piano keys at once would also make an unpleasant sound.

9. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 efface – verb Efface means A. to face up to.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 efface
– verb
• When Joanie and Gary broke up, she said, “I’ve thrown away all his letters and photographs. Now I wish I could efface my memories.”
• Last Thanksgiving, the turkey slid off its platter onto the dining-room rug. We scrubbed and rubbed, but we weren’t able to efface the stain completely.
Efface means
A. to face up to.
B. to remove all traces of.
C. to try to preserve.
Page 68 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.
Photo: Oliver Wolters

10. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 efface – verb Efface means A. to face up to.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 efface
– verb
• When Joanie and Gary broke up, she said, “I’ve thrown away all his letters and photographs. Now I wish I could efface my memories.”
• Last Thanksgiving, the turkey slid off its platter onto the dining-room rug. We scrubbed and rubbed, but we weren’t able to efface the stain completely.
Efface means
A. to face up to.
B. to remove all traces of.
C. to try to preserve.
Page 68 in textbook.
One way to remove all physical traces of an ex-boyfriend is to throw away all his letters and photos. One way to try to remove all traces of a stain is to rub and scrub the area.
Photo: Oliver Wolters

11. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 garrulous – adjective Garrulous means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 garrulous
– adjective
• Our waiter at dinner last night was extremely garrulous. He hung around our table telling us long stories when all we wanted was to eat in peace.
• Because Arnie is so garrulous, I always need an excuse to escape. Today I broke into his non-stop talk with, “I’d love to hear more, but I have a class now.”
Garrulous means
A. long-winded.
B. short-tempered.
C. open-minded.
Page 68 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 garrulous – adjective Garrulous means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 garrulous
– adjective
• Our waiter at dinner last night was extremely garrulous. He hung around our table telling us long stories when all we wanted was to eat in peace.
• Because Arnie is so garrulous, I always need an excuse to escape. Today I broke into his non-stop talk with, “I’d love to hear more, but I have a class now.”
Garrulous means
A. long-winded.
B. short-tempered.
C. open-minded.
Page 68 in textbook.
Since the waiter hung around and told long stories to the diners’ dismay, the speaker thought he was long-winded. In the second item, the phrase non-stop talk suggests that Arnie is long-winded.

13. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 immutable – adjective Immutable means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 immutable
– adjective
• Does Mr. Madison ever smile? The frown on his face seems immutable.
• For years, my aunt has followed an immutable schedule: she always gets up at 6:30 a.m., works out for a half hour, and then has a soft-boiled egg and toast.
Immutable means
A. changeless.
B. flawless.
C. fearless.
Page 68 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.
Photo: National Park Service
An immutable expression—
carved in stone at Mount Rushmore

14. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 immutable – adjective Immutable means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 immutable
– adjective
• Does Mr. Madison ever smile? The frown on his face seems immutable.
• For years, my aunt has followed an immutable schedule: she always gets up at 6:30 a.m., works out for a half hour, and then has a soft-boiled egg and toast.
Immutable means
A. changeless.
B. flawless.
C. fearless.
Page 68 in textbook.
If the answer is, “No, he never smiles,” then Mr. Madison’s frown is changeless. The aunt’s schedule is changeless since she always does the same thing at the same time each day.
Photo: National Park Service

15. trying to move gracefully
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 ponderous
– adjective
• Ads for the circus always used to describe the elephants as “ponderous pachyderms.”
• There used to be a theory that dinosaurs became extinct because they grew too large for their own good. They were so huge and ponderous that they could hardly move.
Ponderous means
A. living in ponds.
B. delicate.
C. weighty.
Page 69 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.
Photo: Usien
A ponderous animal
trying to move gracefully

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 ponderous – adjective Ponderous means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 ponderous
– adjective
• Ads for the circus always used to describe the elephants as “ponderous pachyderms.”
• There used to be a theory that dinosaurs became extinct because they grew too large for their own good. They were so huge and ponderous that they could hardly move.
Ponderous means
A. living in ponds.
B. delicate.
C. weighty.
Page 69 in textbook.
Elephants are weighty animals. If dinosaurs were so huge that they could hardly move, they must have been very weighty.
Photo: Usien

17. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 predecessor – noun Predecessor means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 predecessor
– noun
• It won’t be easy to get used to the new boss. She seems quiet, formal, and serious, whereas her predecessor was easygoing and loved to laugh.
• When they moved into their new apartment, the Martins had to get rid of a lot of junk that their predecessors had left behind.
Predecessor means
A. someone earlier.
B. someone later.
C. someone who predicts.
Page 69 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 predecessor – noun Predecessor means
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 predecessor
– noun
• It won’t be easy to get used to the new boss. She seems quiet, formal, and serious, whereas her predecessor was easygoing and loved to laugh.
• When they moved into their new apartment, the Martins had to get rid of a lot of junk that their predecessors had left behind.
Predecessor means
A. someone earlier.
B. someone later.
C. someone who predicts.
Page 69 in textbook.
The quiet new boss is contrasted with someone who held the position earlier. In the second item, someone who lived in the apartment earlier left behind a lot of junk.

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 rebuff – verb Rebuff means A. to treat coldly.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 rebuff
– verb
• Here’s a good way to rebuff a telephone pollster who’s trying to find out which candidate you’re supporting. Just say, “I’m sorry, but I never discuss politics with strangers.”
• The new puppy bounded joyfully up to the resident housecat. But the cat rebuffed his advances with a loud hiss and a scratch to his nose.
Rebuff means
A. to treat coldly.
B. to welcome warmly.
C. to reward.
Page 69 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

20. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 rebuff – verb Rebuff means A. to treat coldly.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 rebuff
– verb
• Here’s a good way to rebuff a telephone pollster who’s trying to find out which candidate you’re supporting. Just say, “I’m sorry, but I never discuss politics with strangers.”
• The new puppy bounded joyfully up to the resident housecat. But the cat rebuffed his advances with a loud hiss and a scratch to his nose.
Rebuff means
A. to treat coldly.
B. to welcome warmly.
C. to reward.
Page 69 in textbook.
One way to treat a pollster coldly is to refuse to talk about your political opinion. The cat who’d been living in the house used a hiss and a scratch to treat coldly the new puppy’s joyful attempt to become friends.

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 static – adjective Static means A. silent.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 static
– adjective
• “This scene is too static,” the director said to the actors. “It’s dead. We’ve got to get some action into it.”
• A still life, as the name suggests, is a static painting: it might show, for example, a bowl of apples. By contrast, an action painting shows a dramatic scene full of movement.
Static means
A. silent.
B. inactive.
C. stressful.
Page 69 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 static – adjective Static means A. silent.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 static
– adjective
• “This scene is too static,” the director said to the actors. “It’s dead. We’ve got to get some action into it.”
• A still life, as the name suggests, is a static painting: it might show, for example, a bowl of apples. By contrast, an action painting shows a dramatic scene full of movement.
Static means
A. silent.
B. inactive.
C. stressful.
Page 69 in textbook.
Something that is dead and without action is inactive. Paintings that show scenes full of action and movement are contrasted with those that depict subjects that are still and inactive.