1. Vocabulary 15B

2. Raucous (adj.) disagreeably harsh-sounding; disorderly
S: boisterous, clamorous, strident
A: placid, tranquil, peaceful, serene, pastoral
A raucous voice can be a liability for someone wishing to pursue a career in television journalism.

3. receptive (adj.) open and responsive to ideas or suggestions
S: open-minded, tolerant, amenable
A: narrow-minded, intolerant, hidebound
People will generally be receptive to criticism of their work if it is given in a constructive manner.

4. renounce (v.) to give up or resign something
S: repudiate, disown, abdicate, abjure
A: retrain, secure, affirms, assent, aver
Throughout history, martyrs have willingly given up their lives rather than renounce their faith.

5. repress (V.) to hold back; to put down or check by force
S: subdue, curb, stifle, constrain, bottle up
A: liberate, set loose, provoke, excite
As history has repeatedly proved, even the most brutal tyrants cannot forever repress the human desire for freedom.

6. reticent (adj.) not inclined to speak; reserved; reluctant
S: taciturn, closemouthed, tight-lipped
A: talkative, garrulous, voluble, long-winded
She is understandably reticent about discussing her most deeply held beliefs with a group of total strangers.

7. savory
(adj.) tasty, appetizing; pungent or salty, not sweet; inoffensive, respectable
S: delectable, flavorful, aromatic, piquant
A: distasteful, unpalatable, malodorous, bland
Some of the characters a reader meets in a detective story are none too savory.

8. somnolent (adj.) sleepy, drowsy; inducing sleep S: groggy, soporific
A: alert, lively, wide-awake, stimulating
By the end of an enormous Thanksgiving feast, most diners usually feel quite somnolent.

9. vehement (adj.) intense, forceful, powerful
S: emphatic, fierce, vigorous, impassioned
A: apathetic, lukewarm, subdued, muted
The defendant’s vehement protestations of innocence failed to convince the jurors.

10. voluble (adj.) characterized by a ready flow of words; glib, fluent
S: loquacious, garrulous, long-winded, prolix
A: uncommunicative, reticent, taciturn, terse
Reporters never give much credence to tips that they receive from voluble but unreliable informants, however persistent.

11. zealous (adj.) eager, earnest, devoted
S: ardent, fervent, devout, dogged, gung ho
A: reluctant, unwilling, averse, tepid
Most members of my family are zealous supporters of our local high school’s basketball, baseball, and football teams.