SAT 8

Question 1

Aesthetic; adjective

Answer 1

-showing an appreciation of beauty in nature or art; artistic. Kyra’s aesthetic qualities were apparent in her early art work.

Question 2

Catalyst – noun

Answer 2

a means or medium to bring about change. Ground Zero, as tragic as it was, worked as a catalyst in initiating a world wide alert on terrorism.

Question 3

Denunciation; noun

Answer 3

-expression of strong disapproval made openly or publicly. We were astonished by the tobacco heir’s denunciation of smoking.

Question 4

Embellish; verb

Answer 4

-to decorate; to elaborate upon. For $5,000 the decorator promised to embellish our living room with French Provincial touches.

Question 5

Forlorn; adjective

Answer 5

• deserted; left alone and neglected; unhappy. Feeling old, forlorn, and full of self-pity, Eddie was a danger to himself.

Question 6

Hypocritical; adjective

Answer 6

-insincere; pretending to be what one is not. I found it hypocritical of the judge to be involved in an illegal activity.

Question 7

Implausible; adjective

Answer 7

-not having the appearance of truth or reason. Only the most gullible member of our club would accept the implausibility of the ridiculous situation.

Question 8

Lethargic; adjective

Answer 8

-drowsy; dull; sluggish; indifferent. Eating a heavy meal tends to make me lethargic, which may explain why I become a couch potato after a big dinner.

Question 9

Perceptive; adjective

Answer 9

discerning; observant; sensitive. Having a perceptive nature, Jason was able to sense the child’s embarrassment even before she uttered a sound.

Question 10

Recluse; noun

Answer 10

• a person who lives alone, away from others. Every neighborhood has its recluse about whom mysterious secrets are whispered.

Question 11

Sanction; noun

Answer 11

-authorized approval or permission; support or encouragement something that gives binding force to a law. There is no sanction for murder in human society.

Question 12

Tactless; adjective

Answer 12

-not having or showing a sense of the right thing to do or say without causing anger or hurt feelings; without skill in dealing with people. Bringing up the matter of Grace’s losing her job was just about the most tactless way to start the conversation.

Question 13

Unassailable; adjective

Answer 13

-undeniable; unquestionable; not able to attack. Brenda’s claim that she was exempt from tuition because she had earned no money was unassailable.

Question 14

Vacillate; verb

Answer 14

-to say unsteadily; to totter; to waver; to fluctuate. Brian’s tendency to vacillate makes him a poor choice for president.

Question 15

Waive; verb

Answer 15

-to dispense with; to relinquish; to postpone. The defense attorney decided to waive the evidence since it was circumstantial.