STAAR 2 VOCAB

Question 1

beguile

Answer 1

• charm or enchant (someone), often in a deceptive way.
  “he beguiled the voters with his good looks”
• ( LITERARY) help (time) pass pleasantly.
  “to beguile some of the time they went to the cinema”

Question 2

transact

Answer 2

conduct or carry out (business).
“traders transact business in the public exchange”

Question 2

ravenous

Answer 2

• extremely hungry.
  “I’d been out all day and was ravenous”

Question 3

spontaneous

Answer 3

performed or occurring as a result of a sudden impulse or inclination and without premeditation or external stimulus.
“the audience broke into spontaneous applause”

Question 4

unkempt

Answer 4

(especially of a person) having an untidy or dishevelled appearance.
“they were unwashed and unkempt”

Question 5

diverse

Answer 5

showing a great deal of variety; very different.
“subjects as diverse as architecture, language teaching, and the physical sciences”

Question 6

intangible

Answer 6

unable to be touched; not having physical presence.
“the moonlight made things seem intangible”

Question 7

shirk

Answer 7

avoid or neglect (a duty or responsibility).
“I do not shirk any responsibility in this matter”

Question 8

avian

Answer 8

elating to birds.
“avian tuberculosis”

Question 8

saunter

Answer 8

• walk in a slow, relaxed manner.
  “Adam sauntered into the room”
• a leisurely stroll.
  “a quiet saunter down the road”

Question 9

debilitating

Answer 9

(of a disease or condition) making someone very weak and infirm.
“debilitating back pain”
* tending to weaken something.
“the debilitating effects of underinvestment”

Question 9

reverently

Answer 9

with deep and solemn respect.
“the people fell to their knees and bowed reverently”

Question 10

incubate

Answer 10

(of a bird) sit on (eggs) in order to keep them warm and bring them to hatching.

Question 11

curative

Answer 11

able to cure disease.
“the curative properties of herbs”

Question 12

acquiesce

Answer 12

accept something reluctantly but without protest.
“Sara acquiesced in his decision”

Question 13

gallantry

Answer 13

• courageous behaviour, especially in battle.
  “a medal awarded for outstanding gallantry during the raid”
• polite attention or respect given by men to women.
  “no young man offers to carry this burden for her: such gallantry is out of fashion”

Question 14

sovereignty

Answer 14

• supreme power or authority.
  “the sovereignty of Parliament
• the power of a country to control its own government

Question 15

faltered

Answer 15

lose strength or momentum.
“the music faltered, stopped, and started up again”
* speak hesitantly.
“‘A-Adam?’ he faltered”

Question 16

permissible

Answer 16

that can be permitted; allowable

Question 17

soporific

Answer 17

tending to induce drowsiness or sleep.
“the motion of the train had a somewhat soporific effect”

Question 18

careeining/careen

Answer 18

(north american) move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way.
“an electric golf cart careened around the corner”

Question 19

onlooker

Answer 19

a non-participating observer; a spectator.
“a crowd of fascinated onlookers”

Question 20

excursion

Answer 20

a short journey or trip, especially one taken as a leisure activity.
“an excursion to London Zoo”

Question 20

adhere

Answer 20

stick fast to (a surface or substance).
“paint won’t adhere well to a greasy surface”

Question 21

amble

Answer 21

walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace.
“they ambled along the riverbank”

Question 22

brook

Answer 22

a small stream.
“the Lake District boasts lovely lakes and babbling brooks”

Question 23

e

errant

Answer 23

• (FORMAL) erring or straying from the accepted course or standards.
  “an errant husband coming back from a night on the tiles”
• (archaic*literary) travelling in search of adventure.
  “that same lady errant”

Question 24

stupefied/stupefy

Answer 24

make (someone) unable to think or feel properly.
“the offence of administering drugs to a woman with intent to stupefy her”
* astonish and shock.
“the amount they spend on clothes would appal their parents and stupefy their grandparents”

Question 25

fortuintously

Answer 25

by chance rather than intention.
“he fortuitously ended up in Detroit when his car broke down”
* by a lucky chance; fortunately.
“my arrival appears to be fortuitously timed

Question 26

err

Answer 26

be mistaken or incorrect; make a mistake.
“the judge had erred in ruling that the evidence was inadmissible”
* fail to adhere to the proper or accepted standards; do wrong.
“he has erred and strayed as many of us have”

Question 27

voracious

Answer 27

wanting or devouring great quantities of food.
“a voracious appetite”
* engaging in an activity with great eagerness or enthusiasm.
“she’s a voracious reader”