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Princeton Review Vocab MinuteThese free podcasts are terrific. (Go to iTunes, which is a free download even if you don't have an iPod. Under "podcasts" go to "Educational" and you will find it there. Please note, once you subscribe. you need to go into your podcast folder in iTunes, then hit the little triangle pointing towards the name. That will make a drop-down menu of over 40 songs. You will need to hit the "get" button for each one individually, but will get new ones as they are uploaded.) Below are vocab lists from some of the recent songs. (I have complete lists for my students.) Make sure you know how the words are spelled. For example: Feudal vs. Futile--they sound the same in American spoken English, so get someone who knows the words to go over each song with you. Often, I will put a word you know, with some you may not: For example, under discernment, I expect you know what "good judgment" is, but not necessarily acumen & perspicacity. Those synonyms are words you should probably know as well. (Personally, I find it easier to memorize groups of words, so that is why I added them in.)
Exile: Banishment from your home or country Incarceration: But in prison Sober: Usually means not drinking, but can also mean serious, or good, sound judgment Persuaded: Convince Inebriated: Drunk Indiscrete: Lacking good judgment, unwise Note: indiscrete also means not divided into parts, because discrete means, good judgment, not sharing things one shouldn't share and separate Discernment: Good judgment, acumen, perspicacity & shrewdness Internment: Confinement, imprisonment: Note: Inter means to bury someone, but internment doesn’t.
Uni Means One Unique: The only one Unison: All speaking/singing as one Unity: All agreeing Universe: Everything, the solar systems and planets, treated as one
Feel Like A Frenchman Blues Ennui: Gored Adieus: Good byes Joie de vivre: Joy of living Blasé: Laid-back, cool, nonchalant (connotation of not caring about anything) Malaise: Feeling blue Milieus: In French, it is our surroundings, but in English, it means the place we feel at home, in our best. So, I might say “A bookstore is my natural milieu—I never feel at home in that bar on the corner.
LOC Means Talk (Loq too Loquacious: Talking a lot Eloquent: Talking well, in terms of your choice of words Elocution: Speaking with clear diction Soliloquy: Talking to yourself Obloquy: People talking badly to you: humiliation, criticism
Poverty Allure: Appeal Indigence: Poverty---the state of being indigent Insolvent: No money flow: Solvent means have money flowing in Frugal: Careful with money Impecunious: Poor, destitute,
MOTHER Maternal: Being like a mom Optimistic: Believing in the future Tenacious: Determined Heedful: Watchful Effusive: Lots of praise Resourceful: Coming up with lots of options, ingenious
Smart Astute: Smart Precocious: Smart at an early age Prodigy: A genius, usually at an early age Erudite: Sounding smart Pedantic: Too into book knowledge, not concerned about stuff that matters
Tax Words Income: Money an individual makes from a job Revenue: Money a business or government makes Dependent: Someone that depends on you, usually a child Deduction: Something you can take away from the whole—in taxes, you deduct from what you would owe Evasion: Avoiding
Common Mistakes Nonplussed: Confused (not nonchalant) Antidote: A cure for poison Anecdote: Amusing story Irregardless: Not a word! Use regardless Altar: Where to pray Alter: Change
Quagmire Intractable: Resisting attempts to be controlled or influenced: a child could also be intractable Quandary: Dilemma with no good outcome Futile: In vain, to no effect Frivolous is linked to futile, but it means lacking seriousness or responsibility Fiasco: Total, humiliating failure Debacle: A chaotic failure, a disaster (Note: Feudal and Futile sound the same in American English, Feudal means relating to feudalism, the medieval method of governing through fiefdoms. Futile means in vain.
New Year’s Resolution Asseveration: Resolution Eradication: Purge, Abolition, Annihilation, Obliteration, Suppression Abstemious: one who abstains from too much (usually food or drink), ascetic, temperate, sober, teetotaler. Gluttonous: Greedy, (usually eating too much), voracious, insatiable (From Gluttony) Magnanimous: Generous, Avaricious: Greedy, rapacious Industrious: hard-working, diligent, assiduous Lethargic: lazy, languid, indolent Modest: Humble, diffident, reticent Narcissistic: You’re so vain! You probably think this song is about you….
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