1. ADVANCING VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist (Edited by B. Wulchak 2/2013)
© Townsend Press

2. Unit Two: Chapter 10 • autonomy • recourse • bureaucratic • reiterate
• mandate • tantamount
• ostracize • tenacious
• raucous • utopia
Page 54 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 autonomy – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 autonomy
– noun
• In 1776, the American colonists, tired of being ruled by England, fought for their autonomy.
• Children as young as age two begin to want some autonomy. The term “terrible twos” reflects their struggle for independence.
Autonomy means
A. assistance.
B. freedom from control.
C. self-sacrifice.
Page 54 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 autonomy – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 autonomy
– noun
• In 1776, the American colonists, tired of being ruled by England, fought for their autonomy.
• Children as young as age two begin to want some autonomy. The term “terrible twos” reflects their struggle for independence.
Autonomy means
A. assistance.
B. freedom from control.
C. self-sacrifice.
Page 54 in textbook.
Since the colonists were tired of being ruled by England, they fought for their freedom from British control. In the second item, the word independence is a clue that autonomy means “freedom from control.”

5. 1 autonomy Syn.- independence, self-sufficiency
Ant.- dependency, reliance

6. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 bureaucratic – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 bureaucratic
– adjective
• Bureaucratic organizations can become so bogged down in regulations that almost no work gets done.
• “This family is more bureaucratic than the federal government!” Mac complained to his parents. “You have rules for everything.”
Bureaucratic means
A. over-regulated.
B. old-fashioned.
C. independent.
Page 54 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

7. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 bureaucratic – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 bureaucratic
– adjective
• Bureaucratic organizations can become so bogged down in regulations that almost no work gets done.
• “This family is more bureaucratic than the federal government!” Mac complained to his parents. “You have rules for everything.”
Bureaucratic means
A. over-regulated.
B. old-fashioned.
C. independent.
Page 54 in textbook.
The words bogged down in regulations suggest that bureaucratic means “over-regulated.” Similarly, in the second item, the words rules for everything suggest the meaning “over-regulated.”

8. 2 bureaucratic Syn.- governmental, administrative, inflexible
Ant.- unregulated, unfettered, flexible

9. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 mandate – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 mandate
– noun
• All the union members voted for the strike, giving their leaders a clear mandate.
• The senator received so many letters supporting his position on gun control that he felt he had the mandate of the people.
Mandate means
A. a criticism.
B. a delay.
C. official permission.
Page 54 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

10. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 mandate – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 mandate
– noun
• All the union members voted for the strike, giving their leaders a clear mandate.
• The senator received so many letters supporting his position on gun control that he felt he had the mandate of the people.
Mandate means
A. a criticism.
B. a delay.
C. official permission.
Page 54 in textbook.
The vote by the union members would give the leaders official permission to call a strike. Similarly, many letters of support for the position would give the senator the official permission of the people.

11. 3 mandate
Syn.- order, command, decree
Ant.- disorder, disarray

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 ostracize – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 ostracize
– verb
• Children who look or act “different” are often ostracized by their classmates. No one will play with them or even talk to them.
• When Selena married a man twenty years younger than herself, she was ostracized by the entire family. No one would have anything to do with her.
Ostracize means
A. to reject.
B. to feel sorry for.
C. to control.
Page 54 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

13. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 ostracize – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 ostracize
– verb
• Children who look or act “different” are often ostracized by their classmates. No one will play with them or even talk to them.
• When Selena married a man twenty years younger than herself, she was ostracized by the entire family. No one would have anything to do with her.
Ostracize means
A. to reject.
B. to feel sorry for.
C. to control.
Page 54 in textbook.
If no one plays with the children or talks to them, they are being rejected. And if no one in Selena’s family had anything to do with her, her family was rejecting her.

14. 4 ostracize Syn.- exclude, banish, snub, ignore
Ant.- accept, take in, harbor

15. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 raucous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 raucous
– adjective
• The audience at the rock concert was so raucous that we feared the noise and commotion would lead to violence.
• At the horror movie, the audience’s behavior became raucous. Everyone was shouting at the characters on the screen and pretending to shriek with fright.
Raucous means
A. persistent.
B. disorderly.
C. angry.
Page 54 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.
Raucous soccer fans
Photo: zulfinho

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 raucous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 raucous
– adjective
• The audience at the rock concert was so raucous that we feared the noise and commotion would lead to violence.
• At the horror movie, the audience’s behavior became raucous. Everyone was shouting at the characters on the screen and pretending to shriek with fright.
Raucous means
A. persistent.
B. disorderly.
C. angry.
Page 54 in textbook.
The words noise and commotion suggest that raucous means “disorderly.” In the second item, if the audience is shouting and shrieking, they are being disorderly.
Raucous soccer fans
Photo: zulfinho

17. 5 raucous Syn.- boisterous, disorderly, unruly
Ant.- decorous, placid, subdued

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 recourse – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 recourse
– noun
• “Unless you pay your bill,” the company threatened, “we’ll have no recourse but to sue you.”
• “We’ll try treating you with medication.” the doctor explained. “If that isn’t effective, the only recourse will be surgery.”
Recourse means
A. a choice.
B. a problem.
C. a question.
Page 54 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 recourse – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 recourse
– noun
• “Unless you pay your bill,” the company threatened, “we’ll have no recourse but to sue you.”
• “We’ll try treating you with medication.” the doctor explained. “If that isn’t effective, the only recourse will be surgery.”
Recourse means
A. a choice.
B. a problem.
C. a question.
Page 54 in textbook.
If the bill is not paid, the company has no choice but to sue. And if medication does not solve the problem, the only choice left is surgery.

20. 6 recourse
Syn.- option, alternative
Ant.- compulsion, necessity

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 reiterate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 reiterate
– verb
• The agency director stated, “I have said this before, but let me reiterate: Unless we receive the funds to hire more staff, the children of this city will continue to suffer.”
• I hate it when a speaker reiterates the same point over and over, as if the listeners weren’t paying attention or were just too stupid to understand.
Reiterate means
A. to repeat.
B. to forget.
C. to exclude.
Page 55 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 reiterate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 reiterate
– verb
• The agency director stated, “I have said this before, but let me reiterate: Unless we receive the funds to hire more staff, the children of this city will continue to suffer.”
• I hate it when a speaker reiterates the same point over and over, as if the listeners weren’t paying attention or were just too stupid to understand.
Reiterate means
A. to repeat.
B. to forget.
C. to exclude.
Page 55 in textbook.
Since the agency director has “said this before,” he is repeating his statement. In the second item, the words the same point over and over suggest that reiterate means “to repeat.”

23. 7 reiterate
Syn.- restate, echo, recap
Ant.- to say nothing

24. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 tantamount – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 tantamount
– adjective
• Charging three dollars for a cup of coffee is tantamount to robbery.
• My mother’s refusal to let me have the car was tantamount to forbidding me to go to the beach.
Tantamount means
A. the result of.
B. just like.
C. independent of.
Page 55 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

25. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 tantamount – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 tantamount
– adjective
• Charging three dollars for a cup of coffee is tantamount to robbery.
• My mother’s refusal to let me have the car was tantamount to forbidding me to go to the beach.
Tantamount means
A. the result of.
B. just like.
C. independent of.
Page 55 in textbook.
Charging three dollars for a cup of coffee is just like robbery. And the mother’s refusal is the same as (just like) forbidding the speaker to go to the beach.

26. 8 tantamount Syn.- same thing as, equal to, equivalent
Ant.- different, dissimilar

27. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 tenacious – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 tenacious
– adjective
• The cat’s grip on the tree limb was tenacious, but we weren’t sure how long she could keep hanging on so firmly.
• My aunt’s tenacious determination to recover may have pulled her through her illness.
Tenacious means
A. grasping strongly.
B. weak and ineffective.
C. slowly shrinking.
Page 55 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.
“Of course I remember you. You’re the
salesman with the tenacious handshake.”

28. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 tenacious – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 tenacious
– adjective
• The cat’s grip on the tree limb was tenacious, but we weren’t sure how long she could keep hanging on so firmly.
• My aunt’s tenacious determination to recover may have pulled her through her illness.
Tenacious means
A. grasping strongly.
B. weak and ineffective.
C. slowly shrinking.
Page 55 in textbook.
In the first item, the words hanging on so firmly tell you that tenacious means “grasping strongly.” In the second item, since the aunt pulled through, she must have been grasping strongly her determination to recover.
“Of course I remember you. You’re the
salesman with the tenacious handshake.”

29. 9 tenacious Syn.- determined, persistent
Ant.- wavering, irresolute, undecided

30. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 utopia – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 utopia
– noun
• In 1888, Edward Bellamy wrote about a utopia where everyone would have a comfortable income, work only until the age of 45, and then enjoy leisure.
• Everyone has a different idea of utopia. A situation that seems perfect to me might make you miserable.
Utopia means
A. a city.
B. a self-government.
C. a paradise.
Page 55 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

31. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 utopia – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 utopia
– noun
• In 1888, Edward Bellamy wrote about a utopia where everyone would have a comfortable income, work only until the age of 45, and then enjoy leisure.
• Everyone has a different idea of utopia. A situation that seems perfect to me might make you miserable.
Utopia means
A. a city.
B. a self-government.
C. a paradise.
Page 55 in textbook.
A world in which everyone has a comfortable income and enjoys leisure is a paradise. In the second item, the word perfect suggests that utopia is a paradise.

32. 10 utopia
Syn.- an ideally perfect place, an imaginary dreamland, a seventh heaven
Ant.- dystopia, a place of oppression and terror

33. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
1. I’d love a job with a great deal of __________. I want to set my own hours, work at home whenever I like, and make many decisions on my own.
2. In high school, Felipe was _______(e)d because of his political views, but in college he found many people who shared his opinions.
Page 56 in textbook.
Answers: 1. autonomy; 2. ostracize
The next slide explains the answers.

34. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
1. I’d love a job with a great deal of __________. I want to set my own hours, work at home whenever I like, and make many decisions on my own.
autonomy
The description is of a job with a great deal of independence.
2. In high school, Felipe was __________ because of his political views, but in college he found many people who shared his opinions.
ostracized
Page 56 in textbook.
The people in high school who didn’t like Felipe’s political views would be likely to shun him.

35. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
3. When you write a letter of complaint, begin by stating what you want the company to do about the problem. Then __________ this request at the end.
4. Our local supermarket is so expensive that shopping there is __________ to throwing our money away.
Page 56 in textbook.
Answers: 3. reiterate; 4. tantamount; 5. raucous
The next slide explains the answers.
5. The children on the school bus were so __________ that the driver got a headache from all the noise.

36. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
3. When you write a letter of complaint, begin by stating what you want the company to do about the problem. Then __________ this request at the end.
reiterate
You should state what you want again at the end of the letter.
4. Our local supermarket is so expensive that shopping there is __________ to throwing our money away.
tantamount
Page 56 in textbook.
Shopping at the very expensive supermarket is the same as throwing money away.
5. The children on the school bus were so __________ that the driver got a headache from all the noise.
raucous
Since the driver got a headache from all the noise, the children must have been noisy and disorderly.

37. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
6. Helen’s smoking was a __________ habit; she wasn’t able to give it up until she watched her brother die of lung cancer.
7. Idealists have sometimes tried to establish ________s, but these communities have always failed. I wonder if it is possible to achieve perfection.
Page 56 in textbook.
Answers: 6. tenacious; 7. utopia
The next slide explains the answers.

38. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
6. Helen’s smoking was a __________ habit; she wasn’t able to give it up until she watched her brother die of lung cancer.
tenacious
It was a persistent habit that only her brother’s death could break.
7. Idealists have sometimes tried to establish _________, but these communities have always failed. I wonder if it is possible to achieve perfection.
utopias
Page 56 in textbook.
The word perfection suggests that these idealists have tried to establish an ideal or perfect place.

39. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
8. While most college instructors are flexible, some are very __________, allowing no exceptions to the rules regardless of the circumstances.
9. In a landslide election, the voters’ __________ is clear. If the vote has been close, though, it’s difficult to tell what “the people” really want.
Page 56 in textbook.
Answers: 8. bureaucratic; 9. mandate; 10. recourse
The next slide explains the answers.
10. In the past, workers often had no _________ when employers discriminated against them. Today, however, they can seek help from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

40. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. autonomy B. bureaucratic C. mandate
D. ostracize
E. raucous
F. recourse G. reiterate H. tantamount
I. tenacious
J. utopia
8. While most college instructors are flexible, some are very __________, allowing no exceptions to the rules regardless of the circumstances.
bureaucratic
Instructors who allow no exceptions to the rules are over-regulated.
9. In a landslide election, the voters’ __________ is clear. If the vote has been close, though, it’s difficult to tell what “the people” really want.
mandate
Page 56 in textbook.
In a landslide election, the voters have shown their expressed wishes.
10. In the past, workers often had no _________ when employers discriminated against them. Today, however, they can seek help from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
recourse
Before the EEOC, workers had no option when faced with discrimination.