1. Orthodox Conventional, adhering to traditional ways Adjective –Noun: orthodoxy Sample sentences: –She takes a strictly orthodox approach. –His unorthodox approach startled traditionalists. –There is a prevailing economic orthodoxy which purports to draw the safety limits of safe government borrowing. (Hint: Orthodox sounds like orthodontist; the orthodontist makes teeth straight or right.) 91

2. Brawn Muscular bulk Noun –adjective: brawny Sample sentences: –Schwarzenegger succeeded because he had both brains and brawn. –Brawny actors are highly valued in action flicks. (Remember: Brawny paper towels) 92

3. Exacerbate Verb: To make matters worse, to annoy Related words: acerbic, acrid, acrimony (Latin adjective acer, “sour or sharp”) Sample sentences: –The heat exacerbated my bad temper. (Hint: acerbic means bitter and harsh; to exacerbate is to make something more bitter. Synonyms: aggravate, exasperate.) 93

4. Luminous Emitting light, enlightened Adjective –Verb: illuminate –Noun: illumination Sample sentences: –Her face was luminous when she received the award. – We need a lamp to illuminate the darkness. –The candle shed insufficient illumination for me to read by. (Hint: Harry Potter spell – lumos) 94

5. ethical Adjective: in accordance with standards for right conduct Noun: ethics Sample sentences: –She was a vegetarian, not for ethical reasons, but for reasons of health. –His unethical actions eventually caused him to be disbarred. –The House Ethics Committee investigated the congressman's actions and accused him of impropriety. (Synonym: honorable.) 95

7. Morose Sad, depressed Adjective –Adverb: morosely Sample sentences: –At the start of the play, Romeo was morose; he sighed, he cried, he shut himself up in the dark alone because Rosaline didn’t love him. –Despite our efforts to cheer him, he remained morose. (Hint: Romeo was morose – he cried.) 96

8. perfunctory Adjective: Without thoroughness or enthusiasm Related words: function, malfunction, functionary, fungible (Latin verb fungi, “to perform, carry out, undergo”) Sample sentences: –Her perfunctory approach to cleaning left dust and dirt in all the corners of the room. –Having given the text only a perfunctory glance, he missed essential points of information. (Hint: perform in a hurry) 97

9. preclude Verb: To shut out, make impossible or prevent Related words: include, exclude, recluse, seclusion (Latin claudere, “to close”) Sample sentences: –The heavy rain precluded a picnic that day. –His criminal history precluded him from serving on the school board. 98

10. Stagnation Motionless inactivity Noun –Verb: stagnate –Adjective: stagnant Sample sentences: –Stagnation in the business sector has led to a recession. –Lack of curiosity caused his mind to stagnate. –Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. (Hint: Stale) 99

11. ascetic Hermit-like, self-denial Adjective or noun Sample sentences: –As a monk he adopted an ascetic life-style. –She was an ascetic who lived simply. (Hint: He is living ascetic life by drinking and eating only acidic things (not good in taste) and avoiding things that taste good.) 100

12. condone To overlook, allow, or appear to approve verb Sample sentences: –He never disciplined his children for fighting; he appeared to condone it. –I cannot condone such bad behavior. 101

13. atrophy To waste away from lack of use Verb or noun Sample sentences: –After years of paralysis his left arm had atrophied. – Atrophy withered his muscles during the months of bed rest. (Hint: he didn’t win a trophy.) 102

14. zealous Enthusiastically devoted to something Adjective –Noun: zeal, zealot Sample sentences: –He was a zealous musician; he practiced during every spare minute. –I admired the zeal he brought to every practice and game. –Terrorist organizations are filled with dangerous zealots. 103

15. abdicate To give up or yield a position verb –Noun: abdication Sample sentences: –King Edward VIII abdicated the British throne to marry Wallis Simpson. –His abdication allowed his younger brother to ascend to the throne. –I am not abdicating my responsibilities. (Hint: abandon a dictatorship.) 104

16. Sumptuous Rich, magnificent Adjective Sample sentences: –Every year she serves a sumptuous feast on New Year’s Eve. –Each starlet wore a sumptuous gown on the red carpet (Hint: I consumed a scrumptious, sumptuous meal.) 105