Personal Vocab

Question 1

extraneous

Answer 1

Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with.

Question 2

Altruism (al-true-iz-um)

Answer 2

Selfless concern for others.

E.g Many charities were formed thanks to Matthew’s altruism and generosity.

Question 3

Alchemy (al-kuh-me)

Answer 3

The medieval study of transforming lead into gold. In many ways alchemy is related to the study of chemistry nowadays.

Question 4

Androgynous: (an-drodj-uh-nuhs)

Answer 4

Adj. not distinguisable between male and female.

The name Sam is androgynous because Sam could mean Samantha or Samuel.

Question 5

Ambivalence: (am-biv-uh-lence)

Answer 5

N. indifference or confused feelings.

The bride’s ambivalence towards the colour of the roses meant the groom had to decide.

Question 6

Precocious: (prih-koh-shuhs)

Answer 6

Adj. unusually quick development or maturation, especially in intelligence.

My precocious understanding of life stunned my parents.

My precocious understanding of maths stunned my teacher.

Question 7

Allude: (uh-lewd)

Answer 7

V. to refer to another concept indirectly.

My cousin would always allude to a summer house, though none of my family knew exactly where it was.

Question 8

Callous: (kal-uhs)

Answer 8

Adj. insensitive; having no feeling.

The callous remark upset the entire family.

Question 9

Ameliorate: (uh-meal-yuh-rate)

Answer 9

V. to make better.

The new medicine ameliorated her condition rather quickly.

Question 10

Esoteric: (es-uh-ter-ik)

Answer 10

Adj. intended for or understood only by a particular group.

Adj. not publicly disclosed; confidential.

The esoteric ideas of the cult failed to enlighten many outsiders.

Question 11

Amenable: (uh-men-ih-bul)

Answer 11

Adj. open to suggestion or criticism.
Adj. Accountable.

A good manager is amenable to his employee’s new ideas.

Question 12

Extraneous:

Answer 12

Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with.

i.e issues that have nothing to do with the main subject

Question 13

Tetchy

Answer 13

Irritable and bad-tempered

Question 14

Jubilant

Answer 14

Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.

Question 15

Fundamental

Answer 15

Forming a nevessary base or core, of central importance

I.e underlying

Question 16

Rogue

Answer 16

A dishonest or unprincipled man

I.e villain

Question 17

Embezzle

Answer 17

Steal or misappropriate (money placed in one’s trust or belonging to the organisation for which one works)

I.e steal

Question 18

Defiance

Answer 18

Open resistance; bold disobedience

Question 19

Parallel (noun)

Answer 19

A person or thing that is similar or analogous to another.

I.e match, twin

Question 20

External (noun)

Answer 20

The outward features of something.

Question 21

Superficial

Answer 21

Appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.

Question 22

Essentially

Answer 22

Used to emphasize the basic fundamental or intrinsic nature of a person or thing.

Essentially, they are amateurs.

Question 23

Intrinsic

Answer 23

Belonging naturally; essential

I.e permanent, natural.

Question 24

Intellect

Answer 24

The faculty of reasoning and understanding objectively, especially with regard to abstract matters.

He was a man of action rather than of intellect

I.e intelligence, clever

Question 25

Faculty

Answer 25

An inherent mental or physical power

Her criticial faculties

I.e capability, potential

Question 26

Cultivate

Answer 26

Try to acquire or develop (a quality or skill) i.e encourage

Try to improve of develop (one’s mind)
I.e improve

Question 27

Rehabilitate

Answer 27

Restore (someone) to health or normal life by training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction or illness.

I.e retrain

Question 28

Narcissist

Answer 28

A person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves.

“Narcissists who think the world revolves around them”

Question 29

Spectrum

Answer 29

Used to classify something in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme points.

“The left or right pf the political spectrum”

Question 30

Analogous

Answer 30

Comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared.

I.e comparable, similar

Question 31

Arduous

Answer 31

Adj. Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.

“An arduous journey”

I.e difficult, hard.

Question 32

Strenuous

Answer 32

Adj. Requiring or using great effort or exertion.

I.e difficult or hard

Question 33

Exertion

Answer 33

Noun. Physical and mental effort.

“She was panting with the exertion”

I.e effort, struggle.

Question 34

Liberate

Answer 34

Verb. Set (someone) free from imprisonment, slavery or oppression.

“The serfs had been liberated” (serf meaning agricultural labourer)

I.e set free

Question 35

Oppression

Answer 35

Noun. Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority.

“A region shattered by oppression and killing”

I.e abuse, maltreatment.

Question 36

Tyranny

Answer 36

Noun. Cruel and oppressive government or rule.

“Refugees fleeing tyranny and oppression”

I.e dictatorship.

Question 37

Scabrous

Answer 37

Dealing with suggestive, indecent themes