CO155

Question 1

CHARLATAN

Answer 1

A fake; fraud; imposter; cheat

Would you trust the Wizard of Oz, Gilderoy Lockhart ( Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), or Chaucer’s Friar ( The Canterbury Tales )? I hope not. All three of these men were CHARLATANS, imposters who could not be trusted. The Wizard of Oz was a CHARLATAN who tried to trick Dorothy and her friends. Gilderoy Lockhart was a CHARLATAN who interviewed famous wizards and witches and then took credit for their heroic deeds. The Friar, a member of a medieval MENDICANT (begging) order, was supposed to beg from the rich and give to the poor. Instead, he spent his time with well-off people, knew all the taverns, and dispensed pardons based solely on the amount of money he was given. It is even suggested that he had an active love life that required him to find husbands for the young women he had made pregnant.

TIP

The word CHARLATAN often appears in sentence completion questions. A CHARLATAN is associated with negative traits. A CHARLATAN will try to DUPE (mislead) UNWARY (incautious) victims with SPURIOUS (false) information.

Question 2

SKEPTIC

Answer 2

A person who doubts, asks questions and lacks faith

In the movie Men in Black, Edwards was originally a SKEPTIC who did not believe that aliens were actually living in New York City. In Bruce Almighty, Bruce was originally a SKEPTIC who did not believe that the man he met was really God. And in the movie Superbad, Seth was originally a SKEPTIC who did not believe that Fogell’s fake Hawaiian ID, with the name “McLovin”, would work.

Question 3

RHETORICIAN

Answer 3

An eloquent writer or speaker; a master of RHETORIC (the art of speaking and writing)

Frederick Douglass, Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan were all CHARISMATIC (magnetic and inspiring) leaders and superb RHETORICIANS, whose eloquent speeches inspired millions of people. For example, in his inaugural address, President Kennedy challenged Americans by proclaiming, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

Question 4

HEDONIST

Answer 4

A person who believes that pleasure is the chief goal of life

In Ancient Greece, the HEDONISTS urged their followers to “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Although it is a long way from Ancient Greece to the home of rapper Ricky Ross in Miami, the HEDONISTIC principle of pursuing pleasure remains the same. During the tour of his “crib,” Ross proudly displays the interior of his Escalade Maybach, a Cadillac Escalade with the interior of a Maybach. Hooked up with leather seats, plasmas, and satellites, the interior provides everything a HEDONIST could possibly ask for.

Question 5

ASCETIC

Answer 5

A person who gives up material comforts and leads a life of self-denial, especially as an act of religious devotion

At the age of 29, Prince Siddhartha Gautama left the luxuries of his father’s palace and for the next six years adopted an extreme ASCETIC life. For days at a time, he ate only a single grain of rice. His stomach became so empty that, by poking a finger into it, he could touch his backbone. Yet, Gautama found only pain, not wisdom. He decided to give up extreme ASCETICISM and seek wisdom in other ways. Gautama was successful and soon became known as Buddha, a title meaning “the Enlightened One.”

Question 6

RACONTEUR

Answer 6

A person who excels in telling ANECDOTES

Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was a renowned RACONTEUR. Many of the ANECDOTES (Word 238) in the movie 300 are taken from his famous history of the Persian Wars. For example, Herodotus recounts how a Persian officer tried to intimidate the Spartans by declaring, “A thousand nations of the Persian Empire descend upon you. Our arrows will blot out the sun.” UNDAUNTED (Word 73), the Spartan warrior Stelios retorted, “Then we will fight in the shade.”

Question 7

ICONOCLAST

Answer 7

A person who attacks and ridicules cherished figures, ideas, and institutions

What do the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaton and the modern filmmaker Michael Moore have in common? Both are ICONOCLASTS. Akhenaton challenged ancient Egypt’s longstanding belief in a large number of gods by rejecting polytheism and insisting that Aton was the universal or only god. Michael Moore is a modern ICONOCLAST whose documentary films have attacked the Iraq War, the American health care system, Wall Street bankers, and Washington politicians. Like a true ICONOCLAST, Moore ridiculed Congress, saying that most of its members are scoundrels who deserve to be “removed and replaced.”

Question 8

PARTISAN

Answer 8

A supporter of a person, party, or cause; a person with strong and perhaps biased belief

Are you pro-life or pro-choice? Do you support health care reform legislation? How do you feel about illegal immigration? If you have a strong view on these issues, you are a PARTISAN. In contrast, NONPARTISAN issues enjoy widespread public support. For example, during the Cold War, most Americans supported the policy of containing Soviet expansion.

Question 9

POLYMATH

/ˈpɑː.li.mæθ/

Answer 9

A person whose expertise spans a significant number of subject areas

DILETTANTE /ˌdɪl.əˈtæn.ti/

An amateur or dabbler; a person with a SUPERFICIAL (Word 90) interest in an art or a branch of knowledge; a trifler

POLYMATH Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), noted author, printer, inventor, scientist, political theorist, musician, satirist, diplomat, and statesman, had a MYRIAD (Word 352) of interests, all of which he developed to a remarkable degree. His diligence, intelligence, common sense, strength of character, and TENACITY (Word 56) helped him to become one of the most influential of the Founding Fathers.

In contrast, Max Fischer, a high school sophomore in Wes Anderson’s movie Rushmore, is flunking every subject, but he is involved in virtually every extra-curricular activity offered at his school. The BIZARRE (conspicuously unusual) list of activities—from Beekeeping to Debate to JV Decathlon to Second Chorale Director—SATIRIZES (Word 233) the culture of the DILETTANTE, a “Jack of all trades, but master of none.”

In recent years colleges have been sending the message that they would prefer candidates who DELVE (dig) deeply into one or several areas of interest instead of those who pad their resumés with long lists of activities that could only have commanded DILETTANTISH attention.

TIP:

DILETTANTE comes from the Italian, meaning a “lover of the arts” and goes back to the Latin dilettare, to delight. Originally it did not carry the PEJORATIVE (negative) connotations that it holds today. In the 17th and 18th centuries, people were more inclined to celebrate the “well-rounded Renaissance man.” Perhaps it was easier to master a number of fields when there was less to be known.

Question 10

MENTOR

Answer 10

An advisor; a teacher; a guide

ACOLYTE /ˈækəlaɪt/ = A devoted follower

In the Star Wars SAGA (Word 236), Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Jedi Knight who serves as Luke Skywalker’s MENTOR. As an eager young ACOLYTE of the SAGE (profoundly wise) Kenobi, Skywalker learns the ways of the Force, a natural power harnessed by the Jedi in their struggle against the VILLAINOUS (vile, DEPRAVED, wicked) Darth Vader and the evil Galactic Empire.

Question 11

DEMAGOGUE

Answer 11

A leader who appeals to the fears, emotions, and prejudices of the populace

Adolf Hitler is often cited as the EPITOME (perfect example) of a DEMAGOGUE. Hitler rose to power by using impassioned speeches that appealed to the ethnic and nationalistic prejudices of the German people. Hitler exploited, embittered, and misled WWI veterans by blaming their plight on minorities and other convenient scapegoats.

Unfortunately, Americans have not been immune to the impassioned pleas of DEMAGOGUES. During the 1950s Senator Joseph McCarthy falsely alleged that Communist sympathizers had infiltrated the State Department. As McCarthy’s DEMAGOGIC rhetoric grew bolder, he DENOUNCED (Word 177) General George Marshall, former Army Chief of Staff and ex-Secretary of State, calling him “part of a conspiracy so immense and an infamy so black as to dwarf any previous venture in the history of man.”

Question 12

AUTOMATON

Answer 12

A self-operating machine; a mindless follower; a person who acts in a mechanical fashion

In the Harry Potter series, the Imperius Curse was a spell that caused its victim to fall under the command of the caster. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the Death Eater Yaxley placed an Imperius Curse on Pius Thickness. When Thickness became Minister of Magic, he behaved like an AUTOMATON or mindless follower of Lord Voldemort.

Question 13

RECLUSE

Answer 13

A person who leads a secluded or solitary life

In The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Andy Stitzer was a complete RECLUSE until he started hanging out with his coworkers from SmartTech. Andy’s only hobbies were collecting action figures, playing video games, and watching Survivor. In fact, Andy was so RECLUSIVE that when a coworker asked him what the highlight of his weekend was, Andy recounted the adventures of making an egg salad sandwich!

Another example of a RECLUSE is Harper Lee. Although she is the world-famous Pulitzer Prize- winning author of To Kill A Mockingbird, she rarely ever appears in public.

Question 14

BUNGLER

Answer 14

Someone who is clumsy or INEPT; a person who makes mistakes because of incompetence BUNGLERS have been featured in a number of movies. For example, in the movie 21 Jump Street, officers Morton Schmidt and Greg Jenko are BUNGLERS who botch their investigations and police work. They forget to read the Miranda rights to a criminal during an arrest, confuse their undercover identities, and even get fired from the Jump Street division for their INEPT work.

In the movie The Princess Diaries, Mia Thermopolis is a BUNGLER who is INEPT in social situations, awkward and clumsy. However, she discovers that she’s the princess of Genovia, a small European country. After taking many “Princess Lessons,” she emerges as a confident princess, fit to rule her country.

Question 15

CLAIRVOYANT

Answer 15

Having the supposed power to see objects and events that cannot be perceived with the five traditional senses; a SEER

Sybill Trelawney was the Divination professor at Hogwarts who claimed to be a CLAIRVOYANT. She used tea leaves and crystal balls to see the future. Both Harry and Professor Dumbledore were SKEPTICAL (Word 102) about her claim to be a CLAIRVOYANT. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Dolores Umbridge fired Sybill for being a CHARLATAN (Word 101). Nonetheless, readers of the Harry Potter series know that Trelawney did make two extremely important and very accurate prophecies.

In the show Psych, Shawn Spencer convinces the police department that he is CLAIRVOYANT, and they hire him as a psychic consultant. However, he is a CHARLATAN (Word 101), for he is not actually CLAIRVOYANT. Instead, he is extremely observant and has a keen memory. His exceptional observational and DEDUCTIVE (drawing conclusions based on reasoning from the general to the particular) skills allow him to maintain his charade as a psychic since they help him solve complex cases.

Question 16

PROGNOSTICATOR

Answer 16

A person who makes predictions based upon current information and data

Weather forecasters, sports announcers, and financial analysts are all PROGNOSTICATORS who use information and data to make predictions and forecasts. It is important to understand the difference between a PROGNOSTICATOR and a CLAIRVOYANT (Word 115). Although both make predictions, a PROGNOSTICATOR uses empirical data that can be collected, seen, and studied. In contrast, a CLAIRVOYANT claims to see the future through means beyond the five senses.

In medicine, a doctor will often give a patient his PROGNOSIS (a forecast concerning the causes of his disease and outlining the chances of recovery).

Question 17

PUNDIT

Answer 17

An expert commentator; an authority who expresses his or her opinion, usually on political issues

From CNN’s News Center to ESPN’s Sports Center, television programs are filled with PUNDITS who offer their “expert” commentary on issues ranging from political campaigns to March Madness brackets. The PUNDITS almost always sound authoritative and convincing. But it is wise to maintain a healthy SKEPTICISM (Word 102). Here are expert opinions from famous pundits who turned out to be wrong:

• “Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.”* Pierre Packet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872
• “Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.”* Lord Kelvin, President of the Royal Society, 1895
• “Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.”* Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929
• “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”* Ken Olson, President, Chairman, and Founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

Question 18

ZEALOT

Answer 18

A very enthusiastic person; a champion; a true believer, perhaps to an excessive degree; a fanatic

William Lloyd Garrison was a ZEALOT who championed the cause of unconditional and immediate abolition of slavery. In the first issue of The Liberator, Garrison left no doubt as to his intentions when he wrote: “I am in earnest—I will not EQUIVOCATE (Word 215)—I will not excuse—I will not retreat a single inch—AND I WILL BE HEARD.”

Question 19

NEOPHYTE, NOVICE, GREENHORN

Answer 19

A beginner; someone new to a field or activity

In October 2008 Justin Bieber was an unknown NEOPHYTE who had never professionally recorded a song. However, Usher recognized that although Bieber was a NOVICE, he was a musical PRODIGY (Word 123) with the potential to become a superstar. With Usher as his MENTOR (Word 110), Bieber quickly MORPHED (transformed) from a GREENHORN into a global sensation. No longer a NOVICE, Bieber has begun MENTORING and promoting other musical GREENHORNS. After hearing Carly Rae Jepsen’s song “Call Me Maybe,” he tweeted about the song and convinced his manager to sign the Canadian singer. “Call Me Maybe” became the source of numerous PARODIES (Word 233) that were very popular and became a major hit.

Question 20

BENEFACTOR, PATRON

Answer 20

A person who makes a gift or bequest

BENEFICIARY

The recipient of funds, titles, property, and other benefits

Nicholas Sparks has achieved international fame by writing romance novels such as The Notebook and A Walk to Remember that are often set in New Bern, North Carolina. Residents of New Bern also know Sparks as a generous BENEFACTOR and PATRON who has donated nearly $1 million to build a state-of-the-art track and field facility for New Bern High School. As the BENEFICIARIES of this MUNIFICENCE (Word 258), the New Bern Bears have become one of North Carolina’s top track and field teams. Note that both BENEFACTOR and BENEFICIARY begin with the Latin root bene, which means “good.” So a BENEFACTOR, like Nicholas Sparks, gives good gifts, and a BENEFICIARY, like New Bern High School, receives good gifts.

KNOW YOUR ROOTS

LATIN ROOT:

BENE | good, well

BENEFIT

to do good, (noun) a good thing

BENEFICIAL

good, wholesome

BENEFICENT

doing good

BENEFACTOR

one who helps another

BENEVOLENCE

good will towards others

BENEDICTION the act of blessing

Question 21

DISSEMBLER, PREVARICATOR

Answer 21

A liar and deceiver

In Mean Girls, Regina George is a cunning DISSEMBLER who deliberately lies to her friends and to her enemies. In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Captain Barbossa is a PREVARICATOR who repeatedly lies to Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, and Will Turner.

Question 22

PROPONENT

Answer 22

One who argues in support of something; an ADVOCATE; a champion of a cause

Although America has faced a number of challenging social problems, our nation has always produced leaders who were strong PROPONENTS of reform. For example, during the 19th century, Jane Addams was an outspoken PROPONENT of urban settlement houses. Today, former Vice- President Al Gore is a vigorous ADVOCATE of implementing measures that will reduce global warming. One way to remember PROPONENT is to note that the prefix pro means to be for something.

KNOW YOUR ROOTS

LATIN PREFIX:

PONE, POSE | to place, set, put

EXPOSE

to set forth, show for all to see

DEPOSE

to remove from office

REPOSE

to rest

IMPOSE

to place on, as a penalty

SUPPOSE

to assume to be true

PROPOSE

to offer, to put forward

EXPONENT

a person who sets forth or interprets

POSTPONE

to place later, to delay

POSIT

to assert, to declare

POSTURE

(vb) to pose, assume a fake position (n.) placement of the limbs, carriage

Question 23

PRODIGY

Answer 23

A person with great talent; a young genius

What do Wolfgang Mozart and Pablo Picasso have in common? They were PRODIGIES who demonstrated uncanny artistic talent at a young age. Mozart was a child PRODIGY who wrote his first symphony at the age of eight and grew into a PROLIFIC (Word 381) adult who wrote over 600 pieces of music before his death at the age of 35. Like Mozart, Picasso also demonstrated PRECOCIOUS (very advanced) talent, drawing pictures before he could talk. Picasso mastered many styles but is best known as the PROGENITOR (originator) of Cubism.

Question 24

ORACLE

Answer 24

A person considered to be ORACULAR, that is a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinions

Would you like to know what is going to happen in the future? All you have to do is ask an ORACLE. Just as the ancient Greeks asked the Delphic Oracle to predict the future, 2010 World Cup soccer fans watched televised reports featuring the predictions of an octopus named Paul. The eight- legged ORACLE became a global sensation when he correctly predicted the winner of eight straight matches. Paul’s PROGNOSTICATIONS (Word 116) attracted LUCRATIVE (Word 253) offers from people who wanted to know the outcome of elections and the gender of future children.

Question 25

MISANTHROPE

Answer 25

A person who hates or distrusts humankind

Ebenezer Scrooge and Alceste are two of the best-known MISANTHROPES in literature. Scrooge is the main character in Charles Dickens’s 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. He is a cold-hearted, MISERLY (very stingy) MISANTHROPE who despises poor people and Christmas. Alceste is the main character in Molière’s 1666 play, The Misanthrope. He is a judgmental MISANTHROPE, quick to criticize the flaws in people.

TIP:

MISANTHROPE combines the Greek prefix MISO meaning “hate” with the Greek root

ANTHROPOS meaning “humankind.” Prefixes make a difference in the meaning of words. If we place the Greek prefix PHILO, meaning “love,” in front of ANTHROPOS, we form the word PHILANTHROPY, meaning love of humankind. A PHILANTHROPIST loves humanity so much that he or she donates time and money to charity.

Question 26

INNOVATOR

Answer 26

A person who introduces something new

Google has now become a verb, synonymous with “to search.” But Google was not the first to invent the search engine; others ANTEDATED (preceded in time) Google. However, what made Google INNOVATIVE was the PageRank algorithm, which ranks websites on their relevance to a search in order to provide the most useful results. Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the INNOVATORS behind Google and PageRank, implemented this algorithm Innovate incorporates the Latin root NOV, meaning “new.” For another use of NOV, see Word 170.

Question 27

SYCOPHANT

/ˈsɪk.ə.fænt/

Answer 27

A person who seeks favor by flattering people of influence; a TOADY; someone who behaves in an OBSEQUIOUS (Word 371) or SERVILE manner

Louis XIV compelled France’s great nobles to live at the Versailles Palace. Life at the royal palace transformed HAUGHTY (arrogant) aristocrats into favor-seeking SYCOPHANTS. Instead of competing for political power, nobles SQUANDERED (wasted) their fortunes jockeying for social prestige. For example, nobles vied for the COVETED (Word 32) honor of holding Louis XIV’s shirt as he prepared to get dressed.

Question 28

STOIC, STOLID

Answer 28

Seemingly INDIFFERENT (Word 10) to or unaffected by joy, grief, pleasure, or pain; impassive and emotionless

What would you do if you scored the winning goal in a championship soccer game? What would you do if your error caused your team to lose a championship baseball game? Most people would be elated to win and dejected to lose. However, a STOIC would remain impassive, showing no emotion in victory or defeat.

Being STOLID is not easy. It requires great discipline and self-control. For example, tourists to London are familiar with the distinctive bearskin helmets and scarlet uniforms worn by the guards at Buckingham Palace. The guards are famous for their ability to endure hot summer weather while STOLIDLY standing in the same position for hours.

Question 29

REPROBATE

Answer 29

A morally unprincipled person

Who is the most despised REPROBATE living in America today? For thousands of betrayed investors there is only one answer—Bernard Madoff. On June 29, 2009, Judge Denny Chin sentenced Madoff to 150 years in prison for running a giant Ponzi scheme that cheated investors out of almost $65 billion. Madoff’s victims included pension funds, charitable institutions, and elderly retirees.

Although Madoff was a CHARLATAN (Word 101), he is best described as a REPROBATE because of the ENORMITY (outrageousness) of a fraud that Judge Chin called “extraordinarily evil.”

Question 30

RENEGADE

Answer 30

A disloyal person who betrays his or her cause; a traitor; a deserter

In 1777 Benedict Arnold was one of America’s most admired Revolutionary War generals. Yet, just three years later, Arnold was VILIFIED (slandered, defamed) as a RENEGADE whose name became synonymous with traitor. What happened to cause this amazing change in Arnold’s reputation? Despite his bravery at the pivotal battle of Saratoga, Arnold was passed over for promotion while other officers took credit for his accomplishments. Frustrated and bitter, Arnold secretly became a British agent. In 1780, he obtained command of West Point, with plans to surrender it to the British. American forces discovered Arnold’s treacherous scheme, and he was forced to flee to London to avoid capture. Today, Arnold’s contributions to the colonial cause are forgotten, and he is remembered as our nation’s first and foremost RENEGADE.

Tip for a Direct Hit

The words REPROBATE (Word 129) and RENEGADE (Word 130) are easy to confuse. They sound similar, and both are negative words that describe despicable people. A REPROBATE is best remembered as a morally unprincipled and evil person. A RENEGADE is best remembered as a traitor and deserter.

Question 31

DRACONIAN

Answer 31

Characterized by very strict laws, rules, and punishments

Draco was an ancient Athenian ruler who believed that the city-state’s haphazard judicial system needed to be reformed. In 621 B.C.E., he issued a comprehensive but very severe new code of laws. Whether trivial or serious, most criminal offenses called for the death penalty. Draco’s laws were so severe that they were said to be written not in ink but in blood.

Today, the word DRACONIAN refers to very strict laws, rules, and punishments. For example, in Iran both men and women can be stoned to death as punishment for being convicted of adultery.

Question 32

LACONIC

Answer 32

Very brief; concise; SUCCINCT; TERSE

The ancient city-state of Sparta was located in a region of Greece called Laconia. The Spartans were fearless warriors who had little time for long speeches. As a result, they were renowned for being LACONIC or very concise. For example, Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, sent the Spartans a long list of demands. The LACONIC Spartans sent it back with a one-word answer: “No!”

Today, the word LACONIC still means very brief and TERSE. New Englanders are often described as LACONIC. For instance, Robert Frost, the poet who spent most of his life in Vermont and New Hampshire, is considered the QUINTESSENTIAL (the most perfect embodiment) LACONIC writer, one who expressed much in few words.

Question 33

SPARTAN

Answer 33

Plain; simple; AUSTERE (Word 19)

The Spartans were more than just LACONIC. They also prided themselves on being tough warriors who avoided luxuries and led hardy lives. For example, Spartan soldiers lived in army barracks and ate meager servings of a coarse black porridge.

Today, the word SPARTAN still describes a plain life without luxuries. Like the ancient Spartans, American soldiers undergo a rigorous period of training. For example, recruits at the Marine training center at Parris Island must live in SPARTAN barracks and endure an ARDUOUS (demanding) 12-week training schedule before they can be called United States Marines.

Question 34

HALCYON

Answer 34

Idyllically calm and peaceful; an untroubled golden time of satisfaction, happiness, and tranquility

In Greek mythology, Alcyone was the daughter of Aeolus, god of the winds, and the devoted wife of Ceyx. When Ceyx tragically drowned in a shipwreck, the distraught Alcyone threw herself into the sea. Out of compassion, the gods transformed Alcyone and Ceyx into a pair of kingfishers. The ancient Greeks named this distinctive bird halkyon after Alcyone. According to legend, kingfishers built a floating nest on the sea at about the time of the winter solstice in December. To protect their nest, the gods ordered the winds to remain calm for a week before and after the winter solstice. The expression “halcyon days” refers to this period of untroubled peace and tranquility.

Today, HALCYON still refers to a golden time of untroubled happiness and tranquility. In the movie, The Notebook, Allie and Noah are two carefree teenagers who meet at a local carnival on Seabrook Island, South Carolina, and spend a HALCYON days inspire their lifelong love for each other. Companies can also enjoy HALCYON days with content employees, satisfied customers, and robust profits.

Question 35

SOPHISTRY

Answer 35

A plausible but deliberately misleading or FALLACIOUS argument designed to deceive

someone

The Sophists were originally a respected group of ancient Greek philosophers who specialized in teaching rhetoric. However, over time they gained a reputation for their ability to persuade by using clever and often tricky arguments. Today, SOPHISTRY is a negative word that refers to a PLAUSIBLE (Word 38) but deliberately misleading argument.

In the movie Animal House, the Deltas are a notorious group of fun-loving misfits who gleefully break campus rules. Outraged by their low grades and wild parties, Dean Wormer holds a hearing to revoke the Deltas’ charter. UNDAUNTED (Word 73) by Dean Wormer’s accusations, Otter resorts to SOPHISTRY in a clever but ultimately FUTILE (Word 46) attempt to save the Deltas:

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules or took a few liberties with our female party guests—we did. But you can’t hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of few sick, twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn’t we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn’t this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you—isn’t this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we’re not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen! ”

Pleased with his SOPHISTRY, Otter then leads the defiant Deltas out of the chamber as all the fraternity brothers hum the Star-Spangled Banner.

Question 36

CHIMERICAL

/kaɪˈmer.ɪ.kəl/

Answer 36

Given to fantastic schemes; existing only in the imagination; impossible; vainly conceived

The Chimera was one of the most fearsome monsters in Greek mythology. A fire-breathing female, she had the head and body of a lion, a serpent’s tail, and a goat’s head protruding from her midsection. This frightening combination was unusually fantastic even for the ancient Greeks. Today, a CHIMERICAL scheme or claim is one that is a product of unrestrained fantasy. For example, according to popular legend, Ponce de Leon discovered Florida while searching for the fabled Fountain of Youth. While the Fountain of Youth proved to be fanciful, we have still not given up our search for longevity. Fad diets, vitamin supplements, and exercise routines all offer claims that have often proved to be CHIMERICAL.

TIP:

CHIMERICAL is a difficult word that often appears in challenging sentence completion questions. Typically, test writers associate CHIMERICAL with once-promising medical advances that were never fully realized and were thus CHIMERICAL.

Question 37

OSTRACIZE

Answer 37

To deliberately exclude from a group; to BANISH

In ancient Athens, an ostrakon was a tile or shell. The Athenians used these shells as ballots in an annual vote to decide who, if anyone, should be banished from their city. Each voter wrote a name on his ostrakon. If at least 6,000 votes were cast and if a majority of them named one man, then that man was banished or OSTRACIZED and had to leave Athens for 10 years because he was thought to be dangerous by the state.

Today, the word OSTRACIZE still retains its original meaning of deliberately excluding someone from a group. For example, following World War II, angry French citizens OSTRACIZED people who had collaborated with the Nazis. In Chartres, vigilantes shaved the head of a young woman whose baby was fathered by a German soldier. Crowds of jeering people taunted the OSTRACIZED woman as she walked alone on the city streets.

Question 38

IMPECUNIOUS

Answer 38

Poor; penniless; NOT AFFLUENT (Word 257)

When the Romans first settled the lands along the Tiber River, they lacked a metal currency. Nonetheless, Roman farmers did have an ample supply of cattle. As a result, cattle were often used as a measure of wealth. In Latin, pecus is the word for cattle. A Roman without a cow or pecus was thus IMPECUNIOUS (IM is a prefix meaning NOT) or NOT WEALTHY.

Today, the word IMPECUNIOUS means lacking money and, thus, poor. The recent global financial crisis is considered by many to be the worst since the Great Depression. The United States’ weak economy has RENDERED (made) many citizens IMPECUNIOUS. The official unemployment rate in the United States reached a staggering 9.1 percent, a figure that did not even include the underemployed or those who had given up looking for work. Moreover, foreclosure rates were at an all-time high, leaving many Americans in a PRECARIOUS (Word 205) state financially.

Question 39

NEFARIOUS

Answer 39

Famous for being wicked; VILLAINOUS; vile

In ancient Rome, the Latin word nefarius referred to a criminal. This unsavory connotation continued over the centuries. Today, the word NEFARIOUS is used to describe someone who is extremely wicked. Some of the most NEFARIOUS villains in film include Lord Voldemort ( Harry Potter), the Joker ( The Dark Knight), Darth Vader ( Star Wars ), and the Wicked Witch of the West ( The Wizard of Oz).

Question 40

JOVIAL

Answer 40

Good-humored; cheerful; JOCULAR

Jupiter was the chief deity of the Roman PANTHEON (all the gods of a particular mythology). The Romans believed that each of their gods possessed particular attributes of character. As the most powerful god, Jupiter was majestic and authoritative. However, he was also believed to be fun-loving and the source of joy and happiness. Since Jupiter was also known as Jove, the word JOVIAL came to refer to people who have a cheerful, jolly temperament.

Today, JOVIAL still retains its meaning of good-humored, cheerful, and JOCULAR. While most people do not associate JOVIAL with Jupiter, they do associate the word with Santa Claus. Often referred to as “JOVIAL old St. Nicholas,” Santa Claus is usually presented as a jolly, good-humored man who brings presents to well-behaved children.

Question 41

DIRGE

Answer 41

A funeral hymn; a slow, mournful, LUGUBRIOUS (Word 411) musical composition

When medieval Christians gathered to pay their final respects to the deceased, the Church ceremony began with this solemn Latin phrase: “Dirige, Domine, Deus meus, in conspectus tuo viam meam.” (“Direct, O Lord my God, my way in thy sight.”) Today, a DIRGE refers to a sad, mournful song or hymn of lament. For example, as the Titanic slowly sank, its musicians supposedly played the DIRGE “Nearer, My God, To Thee” to comfort the desperate souls still on the doomed ship. As POIGNANTLY (Word 77) depicted in the movie, the band played the LUGUBRIOUS DIRGE until the very end. They then calmly went down with their ship.

Question 42

MAUDLIN

/ˈmɑːd.lɪn/

Answer 42

Tearful; excessively sentimental, but not MAWKISH

Mary Magdalene played an important and recurring role in the Gospel accounts of Christ’s life and death. According to the Gospels, she stood at the foot of the cross, saw Christ laid in the tomb, and was the first recorded witness of the Resurrection. During the 15th century, artists frequently portrayed Mary Magdalene weeping as Christ was being taken down from the Cross. The word MAUDLIN is an alteration of the name Magdalene. Today MAUDLIN refers to excessively sentimental behavior. Fans of the Harry Potter novels will recall that Moaning Myrtle lives up to her name by crying INCESSANTLY (endlessly) and thus being MAUDLIN. Still, most would agree that she is a strong character who stops short of becoming MAWKISH (nauseatingly sentimental in a sickly, dull, INSIPID (Word 36) way), which is MAUDLIN carried to the extreme.

Question 43

QUIXOTIC

Answer 43

Foolishly impractical in the pursuit of ideals; impractical idealism

Miguel de Cervantes’ epic novel Don Quixote describes the chivalric adventures of the would-be knight Don Quixote. Motivated by chivalric ideals, Don Quixote is determined to undo the wrongs of the world. His fertile imagination turns lonely inns into castles and windmills into fearsome giants. After a long series of misadventures, Don Quixote returns home a tired and disillusioned old man.

Derived from his name, the modern word QUIXOTIC refers to the foolish and impractical pursuit of noble but unattainable ideals. Every year, 10’s of thousands of wannabe singers audition to compete on American Idol. Many of the auditionees have left their jobs, skipped important events, and traveled across the country just to attend the auditions. All of the auditionees are convinced that they have the talent to be the next American Idol. The majority of the singers are QUIXOTIC, for they give up their livelihoods in order to pursue unrealistic dreams of fame and fortune. Since only a few Idol hopefuls make it to the next round, most of the singers return home sadly, with no ticket to Hollywood.

Question 44

PANDEMONIUM

Answer 44

A wild uproar; tumult

In Book I of Milton’s Paradise Lost, the fallen Satan commands his heralds to announce: “A solemn Councel forthwith to be held/At Pandemonium, the high Capital/of Satan and his Peers.” Milton COINED (Word 296) this name for the capital of Hell by combining the prefix PAN, meaning “all,” with the Late Latin word daemonium, meaning “place of the evil spirits.” As Satan’s capital, Pandemonium was characterized by a place of noise, confusion, and wild uproar.

Today, the word PANDEMONIUM refers to a wild uproar rather than a specific place. On September 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon created states of PANDEMONIUM in New York City and Washington, DC. Recent natural disasters have also caused significant PANDEMONIUM. The devastaitltltlt livele World ting earthquake in Haiti in January 2010 and the destructive tsunami in Japan in March 2011 caused massive uproar and panic in those countries.

TIP:

The prefix PAN is in a number of words that are ALL around you. For example, a PANORAMIC view enables you to see in ALL directions. A PANACEA is a remedy that will supposedly cure ALL diseases. A PANOPLY is a complete suit of armor and thus any covering that has ALL the necessary array of materials.

Question 45

MARTINET

Answer 45

A strict disciplinarian; a person who demands absolute adherence to forms and rulesThe French king Louis XIV dreamed of winning glory by expanding France’s boundaries to the Rhine River and the Alps. To achieve this goal, Louis and his war minister, the Marquis de Louvois, created Europe’s first professional army. In order to be effective, the new army required strict discipline. Louvois assigned this exacting task to Colonel Jean Martinet. A stern drillmaster, Ma rtinet trained his troops to march in linear formations at exactly 80 paces a minute. The rigid control imposed by Martinet helped transform NOVICE (Word 119) soldiers into highly-disciplined fighting units.

Today, the word MARTINET still refers to a strict disciplinarian. The Marine Drill Sergeants at Parris Island are renowned for being merciless MARTINETS. As readers of Harry Potter are well aware, MARTINETS are not limited to the military. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Dolores Umbridge was a MARTINET who tried to impose rigid standards of discipline on the students and faculty at Hogwarts.

Question 46

FIASCO

Answer 46

A complete failure; a DEBACLE

Venetian glassblowers were r enowned for their skill in making intricate glass vases and bowls. Italian etymologists explain that when a master craftsman discovered a flaw in a piece he was working on, he would turn it into an ordinary bottle to avoid wasting the glass. Since “far fiasco” is an Italian phrase meaning “to make a bottle,” the bottle would represent a failure and thus a FIASCO.

Today, the word FIASCO still refers to a complete failure or DEBACLE. Most observers believe that the government’s and BP’s BELATED (tardy, slow) response to the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill transformed a disaster into a devastating human-made DEBACLE.

Question 47

BOWDLERIZE

Answer 47

To remove or delete parts of a book, song or other work that are considered offensive; to EXPURGATE (Word 156)

Dr. Thomas Bowdler, an English physician, thought parents should read Shakespeare’s plays to their children. Although Shakespeare may be an immortal bard, his plays do contain profanity and suggestive scenes that may not be appropriate for family reading. So in 1818, Bowdler decided to publish a family edition of Shakespeare. In his preface, Bowdler noted that he carefully edited “those words and expressions which cannot, with propriety, be read aloud to a family.” Outraged critics attacked Bowdler and COINED (Word 296) the new word BOWDLERIZE to describe the deletion of parts of a book or play that are deemed offensive. Interestingly, the BOWDLERIZED edition of Shakespeare proved to be a commercial success, thus, perhaps, vindicating Bowdler’s judgment.

The controversy over BOWDLERIZED books did not end with Thomas Bowdler. In her book The Language Police, Diane Ravitch argues that American students are compelled to read bland texts that have been BOWDLERIZED by publishers and textbook committees who cut or change controversial material from books, even classics. For example, an anthology used in Tennessee schools changed “By God!” to “By gum!”

Question 48

GALVANIZE

Answer 48

To electrify; to stir into action as if with an electric shock

Luigi Galvani (1737–1790) was an Italian professor of physiology whose pioneering work stimulated important research into the nature of electricity. Galvani’s name is still associated with an electrical process that puts a zinc coating over iron or steel.

One of the first uses of the word in a FIGURATIVE (metaphorical) sense is in Charlotte Bronte’s 1853 novel Villette: “Her approach always GALVANIZED him to new and spasmodic life.” In more recent times Rosa Parks’s simple but powerful act of protest GALVANIZED the people of Montgomery, Alabama, to boycott the buses, thus giving additional IMPETUS (Word 78) to the Civil Rights Movement.

Question 49

PICAYUNE

Answer 49

Small value or importance; petty; trifling

The New Orleans Times-Picayune has one of the best-known and oddest names of an American newspaper. The word “picayune” originally referred to a small Spanish coin worth about six cents. Back in 1837, the original proprietors of the then New Orleans Picayune gave their new paper that name because a copy cost about six cents, or one picayune.

Today, the word PICAYUNE refers to something of small value and thus of little importance. After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans leaders angrily accused FEMA officials of ignoring urgent problems while they focused on minor details that could best be described as PICAYUNE.

Question 50

GERRYMANDER

Answer 50

To divide a geographic area into voting districts so as to give unfair advantage to one party in elections

If you think the word GERRYMANDER sounds like the name of a strange political beast, you are right. The name was COINED (Word 296) by combining the word salamander, “a small lizard-like amphibian,” with the last name of Elbridge Gerry, a former governor of Massachusetts. Gerry was immortalized in this word because an election district created by members of his party in 1812 looked like a salamander. When the famous artist Gilbert Stuart noticed the oddly-shaped district on a map in a newspaper editor’s office, he decorated the outline of the district with a head, wings, and claws and then said to the editor, “That will do for a salamander!” “Gerrymander!” came the reply, and a new SAT word was COINED (Word 296).

Today, the word GERRYMANDER still retains its meaning of an oddly-shaped district designed to favor one party. For example, California has drawn district lines so that two pockets of Republican strength in Los Angeles separated by many miles were connected by a thin strip of coastline. In this way, most Republican voters were assigned to one GERRYMANDERED district. District 23 is one of the narrowest districts in the United States and is often referred to as “the district that disappears at high tide.” IRONICALLY (Word 231), the seat has recently been held by a Democrat.

Question 51

MAVERICK

Answer 51

An independent individual who does not go along with a group or party; a nonconformist

Samuel A. Maverick was one of the early leaders of Texas. He fought for Texas independence, served as mayor of San Antonio, and eventually purchased a 385,000-acre ranch. While Maverick’s achievements have been forgotten, his name is remembered because of his practice of refusing to brand the cattle on his ranch. These unbranded cattle were soon called mavericks. Today, the meaning of the word MAVERICK has been extended from cattle to pople. A MAVERICK is anyone who doesn’t follow the common herd, thus a nonconformist. In the movie Top Gun, Lt. Peter Mitchell received the nickname “Mav” because he was a nonconformist who did not always follow the rules.

Question 52

JUGGERNAUT

Answer 52

An irresistible force that crushes everything in its path

Jagannath (or “Lord of the World”) is an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. In the early 14th century, a Franciscan missionary named Friar Odoric visited India. When he returned to Europe, Odoric published a journal describing how Jagannath’s devoted followers placed the god’s image on justify enormous carriage which they pulled through the streets. According to Odoric’s inaccurate but sensational report, excited worshippers threw themselves under the carriage and were crushed to death. As Odoric’s exaggerated story spread across Europe, Jagannath’s name was transformed into the new word JUGGERNAUT. Today, the word JUGGERNAUT refers to an irresistible force that crushes everything in its path.

The D-Day assault forces were a JUGGERNAUT that crushed the German defenses. The Hunger Games’ JUGGERNAUT continued to gain momentum with the release of the first movie in China and on home entertainment. Sales of the trilogy have become Amazon’s best-selling series, ECLIPSING (Word 295) the Harry Potter series.

Question 53

SERENDIPITY

Answer 53

Discovery by fortunate accident

Sri Lanka is an island off the southeast coast of India. Known to Arab geographers as Serendip, the exotic island was the setting of a fanciful Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip. The story and its title inspired the English writer Horace Walpole (1717–1797) to COIN (Word 296) the word SERENDIPITY. In a letter written in 1754, Walpole explained that SERENDIPITY refers to the uncanny ability of the three princes to make chance discoveries.

Today, the word SERENDIPITY refers to an accidental but fortunate discovery. When Scottish physician Alexander Fleming went on vacation in 1928, he left a dish smeared with Staphylococcus bacteria on a bench in his laboratory. In his absence, a mold from another lab drifted onto the culture. When Fleming returned, he noticed that the bacteria had not grown where the mold had fallen. Fleming named the active ingredient in the mold penicillin. His SERENDIPITOUS discovery proved to be a WATERSHED (Word 268) event in modern medicine. Penicillin is still one of the most effective antibiotics used around the world.

Question 54

ZENITH

Answer 54

The highest point; the peak; the APEX

Arab astronomers called the point of the celestial sphere directly above the observer the samt, meaning “way of the head.” When Muslims conquered the Iberian Peninsula, many Arabic words entered the Spanish language. Within a short time, the Arabic word samt became the Spanish word zenit. Over time, zenit passed into English and became ZENITH.

Today, the word ZENITH refers to the highest point or peak. On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan spoke for the people of West Berlin and the entire Free World when he called upon Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. Reagan’s dramatic speech marked the ZENITH of his presidency and the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

Question 55

NADIR

Answer 55

The lowest point; the bottom

Arab astronomers called the point of the celestial sphere directly under the observer the nazir, or opposite. Thus, the phrase nazir assant meant “opposite of the zenith.” With a slight modification, nazir entered the English language as NADIR.

Today the word NADIR is used to describe someone’s (or something’s) lowest point. In The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne’s NADIR is when Bane physically cripples him and places him in The Pit, an essentially inescapable foreign prison, so that he must helplessly watch the destruction of Gotham on television. Defeated, filled with physical ANGUISH (Word 88), and forced to watch the annihilation of his beloved Gotham, Wayne is at his NADIR in The Pit. However, over several months, he slowly recovers from his injuries, regains his strength, escapes, and saves his city.