Critical Reading: Building Your Vocabulary

Vocabulary

________ is a very important aspect of the PSAT reading and writing exam.

Read many different fields

art history, physics, technology, geology, etc

convoluted

intricate and complicated

corrosion

the gradual wearing away of a metal element due to a chemical reaction

absolve

(v.) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt

abstract

existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.

consider (something) theoretically or separately from something else.

a summary of the contents of a book, article, or formal speech.

acrimony

a rough and bitter manner

adversary

opponent

adverse

(adj) unfavorable, negative; working against, hostile

affable

friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to

affinity

A likeness, a natural relationship, a kinship

alleviate

to relieve, make more bearable

altruistic

adjective
showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others

accessible

easy to approach; obtainable

acclaim

enthusiastic approval

accommodate

(v.) to do a favor or service for, help out; to provide for, supply with; to have space for; to make fit or suitable

acknowledge

recognize; admit

ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation

ambivalence

mixed feelings or emotions

amenable

adjective
disposed or willing to comply

apathy

a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest

apprenticeship

Apprenticeship is a kind of job training that involves following and studying a master of the trade on the job instead of in school. Carpenters, masons, doctors, and many other professionals often learn their trade through apprenticeship.

aristocracy

noun
the most powerful members of a society

assert

(v.) to declare or state as truth, maintain or defend, put forward forcefully

aversion

noun
a feeling of intense dislike

antagonism

noun
an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility

apprehension

anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen

aspire

(v.) to have ambitious hopes or plans, strive toward a higher goal, desire earnestly; to ascend

banal

adjective
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

benign

adjective
kind in disposition or manner

brittle

Something brittle is easily broken. Do you have brittle bones? Then no football or rugby for you

buoyant

Something that is buoyant floats in water. Since floating is happier than sinking, buoyant also refers to things are fun and upbeat.

candor

Candor usually means the quality of being open, honest, and sincere. If someone tells you they think you're boring, you might reply with, "While I appreciate your candor, I don't think we need to be friends anymore."

noun
the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech

captivate

verb
attract; cause to be enamored

To captivate means to attract others, fascinating or enchanting them. Some people are able to captivate with wit and charm, others with physical beauty, still others with intelligence.

caricature

noun
a representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect

A caricature is a satirical, exaggerated portrayal of a person. You'd better not caricature your father by walking bent-over and speaking in his high voice. If he catches you, you'll be in trouble!

collaborate

(v.) to work with, work together

composure

mental calmness

compromise

to settle differences

condone

to pardon or overlook

curtail

To cut short or reduce

dawdle

to waste time, to spend time idly, to move in a lackadaisical manner

dearth

(n.) a lack, scarcity, inadequate supply; a famine

debilitate

to weaken, to enfeeble

decorous

proper; tasteful; socially correct

decry

(v.) to condemn, express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

defamation

the action of damaging the good reputation of someone; slander or libel.

deference

Sure you wear ripped jeans to school every day, but you don't wear them to your grandmother's house out of deference to her. When you show deference to someone, you make a gesture of respect.

confirm

to settle as true

conformity

Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

congenial

(adj.) getting on well with others; agreeable, pleasant

conscientious

(of a person) wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly.

consolidation

the action or process of combining a number of things into a single more effective or coherent whole.

chronicle

a record of events in order of time; a history

circumspect

wary and unwilling to take risks.

cite

quote

degenerate

to break down; to deteriorate

demean

to lower the status or stature of something like a person

denounce

inform against.

contentious

quarrelsome, inclined to argue

cliché

a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.

coalesce

come together to form one mass or whole.

convention

a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude

reticent

Reticent means either quiet or restrained. If you're reticent about your feelings, you like to keep them to yourself, and you're probably quiet in rowdy groups where everyone is talking over each other.

reverent

feeling or showing deep and solemn respect

satirize

to make fun of

scrutinize

If you want to examine something closely and go over every single detail, then you should scrutinize it. Like the way your mom probably assesses your outfit before you leave the house for school.

seclusion

isolation from others, solitude

serenity

noun
the absence of mental stress or anxiety

sever

to separate, divide into parts

espouse

(v.) to take up and support; to become attached to, adopt; to marry

exonerate

verb
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges

expedite

to make easy, cause to progress faster

exploit

(v.) to make use of, develop; to make improper use of for personal profit; (n.) a feat, deed

fallacious

false; misleading

farce

A farce is a broad satire or comedy, though now it's used to describe something that is supposed to be serious but has turned ridiculous. If a defendant is not treated fairly, his lawyer might say that the trial is a farce.

fastidious

adjective
giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness

fawning

adjective
attempting to win favor by flattery

feasible

possible, able to be done

fervor

intense and passionate feeling

flippant

(adj.) lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy

forthright

directly frank without hesitation

frail

being easily broken or destroyed

frivolous

(adj.) of little importance, not worthy of serious attention; not meant seriously

garrulous

talkative

generate

(v.) to bring into existence; to be the cause of

phenomena

observable facts

philanthropist

lover of humanity; person active in promoting human welfare

potency

power

pragmatic

dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations

precedent

an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.

premise

an assumption; the basis for a conclusion

premonition

(n.) forewarning or foreboding of a future event

presumptuous

too forward or bold; overstepping proper bounds

profound

Having great depth or seriousness

proliferation

a rapid increase

prolific

(adj.) abundantly productive; abundant, profuse

prologue

A speech, passage, or event coming before the main speech or event

prominent

standing out so as to be easily seen; important, well-known

promote

to raise or move to a higher grade, rank, or job; to advocate

prophetic

Foreseeing or predicting the future