Banal-Cacophony

Question 1

boring; trite; insipid

Answer 1

banal

Question 2

banal sounds like

Answer 2

ban Al

Question 3

banal mnemonic device

Answer 3

A club’s members want to keep Al from joining. “I say we ban Al,” says one. “He’s too boring.”

Question 4

to cheat or deceive, usually through charm; also, to amuse

Answer 4

beguile

Question 5

beguile sounds like

Answer 5

beg a while

Question 6

beguile mnemonic device

Answer 6

Two children plotting to talk their parents into something. The older child says to the younger, “Let’s try this. You go out there and beg a while. They love when you do that. They think it’s cute. They’ll laugh, they’ll say, ‘Come here and give us a hug, you cute thing,’ and then they’ll say yes.”

Question 7

to give an impression that is the opposite of the way things really are; to misrepresent

Answer 7

belie

Question 8

belie sounds like

Answer 8

bee lie

Question 9

belie mnemonic device

Answer 9

A scientist is studying the daily routine of a bumblebee, keeping careful records of what the bee does and when. Like all bees, this one is energetic and hard working, but also like other bees, this one enjoys a good practical joke. Every day at one o’clock in the afternoon, The bee lies down on a tiny toy couch in the scientists office and pretends to watch “All My Children. “The scientist, of course, is surprised by the bee’s behavior and notes it every day in his journal: “every day at one, the bee lies down on the couch and watches television. Where is the industrious bee we’ve all heard about?”

Question 10

Having a strong tendency to urge and fight

Answer 10

Belligerent

Question 11

Belligerent sounds like

Answer 11

Bell ledger rent

Question 12

Belligerent mnemonic device

Answer 12

The landlord is standing at your door, holding his rent ledger and bringing a large bell. By the time you open the door to see what’s going on, he’s rung the bell three or four more times. “Where is your rent?” He asks angrily, waving his ledger in the air. “It was due an hour ago. I’m going to stand right here and bring the spell and wave this ledger until I have your rent. And if you don’t like it, you can just step outside and I’ll punch you so hard you won’t remember to say ouch. Come on out here you miserable cheating lowlife deadbeat!”

Question 13

Good wishes; a blessing

Answer 13

Benediction

Question 14

Benediction sounds like

Answer 14

Benedict shine

Question 15

Benediction mnemonic device

Answer 15

Benedict, who always says good and encouraging things to people, so that they come away from him shining with happiness

Question 16

Kindhearted; good-natured; generous

Answer 16

Benevolent

Question 17

Benevolent sounds like

Answer 17

Ben Elephant

Question 18

Benevolent mnemonic device

Answer 18

A kindly old elephant named Ben lives at the zoo. He saves the peanuts that visitors give him and takes them to the other animals late at night. “That Ben Elephant, “says one bear to another, “what a nice guy!”

Question 19

Gentle; kindhearted; mild

Answer 19

Benign

Question 20

Benign sounds like

Answer 20

Be nine

Question 21

Benign mnemonic device

Answer 21

A machine that measures a person’s kindness level. It’s meter ranges from 1 to 9, with nine designated as extremely kind and gentle. A girl places the electrode helmet on her head, pulls the lever, and prays oh I hope I’m a 9. Be 9. please be nine

Question 22

To leave behind or hand down through a will; transmit

Answer 22

Bequeath

Question 23

Bequeath sounds like

Answer 23

Beneath

Question 24

Bequeath mnemonic device

Answer 24

The reading of a will. “…and to my son, Robert, who always thought my possessions were beneath him, I bequeath something that is beneath him: the rug on the floor in this room.”

Question 25

Decay; disease; widespread death

Answer 25

Blight

Question 26

Blight sounds like

Answer 26

B light

Question 27

Blight mnemonic device

Answer 27

An entire orchard of fruit trees has died. A scientist hired to study the situation concludes: “the problem is too much B – light. B – light is that part of the light spectrum emitted by car headlights. These trees were too close to the road, and the headlights wiped them out.”

Question 28

To support; to reinforce

Answer 28

Bolster

Question 29

Bolster sounds like

Answer 29

Bowl stir

Question 30

Bolster mnemonic device

Answer 30

A mixing bowl, filled with cake batter, is talking to the wooden spoon; “come on spoon, stir that better. I know you can do it!” ( the batter joins in: “hey, you’re really bolstering the spoons confidence! This cake may just pan out after all! (Ba dum chhhh…))

Question 31

Speech or writing intended to impress the audience; pompous

Answer 31

Bombast

Question 32

Bombast sounds like

Answer 32

Bomb blast

Question 33

Bombast mnemonic device

Answer 33

A convention of scientists who specialize in explosives. The speaker is talking about his latest discovery: “ladies and gentlemen, without bragging, I must tell you that this invention will change the world. My bomb fits in the palm of the hand, yet one such device produces a blast that can destroy all of North America and rattle teacups in London. It is, probably, the greatest single advance in the history of mankind, if I may say so…”

Question 34

Briefness; conciseness

Answer 34

Brevity

Question 35

Brevity sounds like

Answer 35

Bravo Tea

Question 36

Brevity mnemonic device

Answer 36

Tea that takes just a few seconds to make. Also, when people drink Bravo Tea, they say what they have to say with very few words. It gives them the gift of brevity.

Question 37

Pushy; obnoxiously self-assertive

Answer 37

Bumptious

Question 38

Bumptious sounds like

Answer 38

Bump chess

Question 39

Bumptious mnemonic device

Answer 39

A man and woman are playing chess. The man is annoying, pushy, and rude. Whenever he captures one of his opponents pieces, he bumps it off the board and yells out, “bump chess! I love this game! And I really love winning!”

Question 40

A collection of sounds or voices that don’t blend well; harshness of sound

Answer 40

Cacophony

Question 41

Cacophony sounds like

Answer 41

A combination of cocoon and symphony

Question 42

Cacophony mnemonic device

Answer 42

A cocoon hanging from the branch of a tree. Inside, a caterpillar on his way to becoming a butterfly has decided to make good use of the time by learning to play the violin. On this particular day, the caterpillar is playing an entire symphony, although not very well. Outside, birds and squirrels are covering their ears, trying to escape the cacophony coming from the cocoon.