The Wonder of Words

Words are the carriers of communication and emotions. The one and only common characteristic of outstandingly successful people is “an extensive knowledge of the exact meaning of English words”. Vocabulary is one indication of intelligence. Learning power measurably sharpens when vocabulary increases. Why is a good working vocabulary such a definite asset to have? Words are the tools of thinking. It naturally follows, then, that the more words you have at your command, the clearer and more accurate your thinking will be. We read, we study, we understand, we write with them. You may have a “feeling” or an amorphous idea or a vague sense about something. But it will not become a clearly defined image until we become a kind of sculptor. A sculptor shapes his feeling or idea by molding clay until the image he has in mind emerges. We, as sculptors of ideas, mold a possible thought into what is clear and understandable by using the right words.

Though you may not be aware of it consciously, the fact is you have always had an interest in language. The day you were born you attempted to express your feelings and you’ve been trying to do so ever since. You were taught to read and you found out writers could use words as weapons, as humor, to instruct or to create emotions. Words are your medium of exchange, the coin with which you do business with all those around you. With words you relate to people, communicate your feelings and thoughts to them, influence them, persuade them, and control them. In short, through words you shape your own destiny. In vocabulary building, the problem is not so much finding new words or even finding out what they mean. The problem is to remember them, to fix them permanently in your mind. If all you know about a word is its meaning, you do not know the word. If you meet someone unusual, you want to know more than her name; you want to know where she comes from, what she does. It’s the same with words. If you know where they come from (their derivation) and what they do in a sentence, then you know the words. A dictionary sometimes gives you this information. Avail yourself of it every time you can.

Let’s test your word power and spelling power.

Word Power

1)   aficionado

A: expert             B: good friend              C: guide           D: ardent fan

2)   impresario

A: magician         B: mountebank              C: organizer     D: impersonator

3)   inveigle

A:  to complicate             B: entice                C: denounce       D: break into

4)   Herculean

A: immensely difficult      B: violent             C: reckless            D: creative

5)   torpid

A: hot and heavy              B: rapid                  C: sluggish          D: dangerous

6)   crescendo

A: wavy motion               B: gradual increase    C: shrillness    D: decreasing pace

7)   quintessence

A: embodiment            B: allowance               C: mannerism       D: curiosity

8)   nadir

A: difficult obstacle           B: large number         C: anniversary     D: lowest point

9)   nemesis

A: accident            B: trusted advisor              C: punisher            D: idol

10)   mendacious

A: tattered         B: outrageous          C: not truthful                   D: poor

11)   impasse

A: impractical condition      B: confrontation    C: bewilderment   D: stalemate

12)   mesmerize

A: to polish        B: bewilder         C: day-dream           D: hypnotize

13)   Machiavellian

A: crafty              B: weird             C: straightforward        D: practical

14)   cartel

A: credit        B: two-wheeled wagon          C: small map         D: group of businesses

15)   collage

A: art collection    B: educational institute         C: picture made from fragments                                  D: one-color painting

16)   magnanimity

A: hearty enjoyment             B: great enthusiasm            C: nobility of spirit                                 D: soundness of judgment

17)   wannabe

A: career woman       B: homeless teenager      C: dedicated follower  D: lazy person

18)   fastidious

A: sentimental            B: intolerant         C: difficult to please         D: crucial

19)   esoteric

A: ancient               B: hard to understand        C: wondrous       D: light and frothy

20)   onerous

A: possessive       B: independent           C: selfish           D: burdensome

21)   troika

A: soviet bureaucrat      B: type of pastry    C: hang-gliding maneuver  D: group of three

22)   inveterate

A: irresistible             B: shameless         C: habitual             D: in retirement

23)   conjecture

A: explanation        B: pledge                 C: joint                D: guess

24)   acquiescence

A: collective opinion    B: passive consent           C: lacking interest       D: control

25)   intrepid

A: timid                    B: honest                 C: tasteless                 D: very brave

26)   smithereens

A: list                    B: broken pieces         C: hotchpotch            D: garments

27)   semblance

A: agreement          B: optical illusion             C: likeness       D: clarity

28)   panache

A: cure-all        B: good-natured banter       C: disorder     D: verve, spirited

29)   hyperbole

A: soft ball    B: high tension   C: enlargement of an organ   D: exaggerated statement

30)   aeon

A: interval        B: period in history        C: eternity           D: long journey

Answer Key: 1) D  2) C  3) B  4) A  5) C  6) B  7) A  D  9) C  10) C  11) D  12) D

13) A  14) D  15) C  16) C  17) C  18) C  19) B  20) D  21) D  22) C  23) D  24) B  25) D

26) B  27) C  28) D  29) D  30) C

Vocabulary ratings:

21 or more correct………………………..excellent

14-20 correct……………………………..good

7-13 correct……………………………..fair

Below 7…………………………………poor

Spelling Power

Choose the correct one:

1. a. supprise                   b. surprise
2. a. definitely                  b. definately
3. a. priviledge                  b. privilege
4. a. incidently                  b. incidentally
5. a. predictible                b. predictable
6. a. occurance                  b. occurrence
7. a. reccomend                b. recommend
8. a. irresistible                 b. irresistable
9. a. occassional                   b. occasional
10. 10. a. repetition                   b. repitition
11. a. dissipate                    b. disippate
12. 12. a. descriminate               b. discriminate
13. a. description                  b. discription
14. a. truely                          b. truly
15. 15. a. assistant                      b. asisstant
16. 16. a. grammer                     b. grammar
17. 17. a. drunkeness                  b. drunkenness
18. 18. a. embarassment            b. embarrassment
19. 19. a. noticeable                  b. noticable
20. 20. a. developement              b. development

Answer Key: 1) b  2) a  3) b  4) b  5) b  6) b  7) b  a  9) b  10) a  11) a  12) b  13) a

14) b   15) a  16) b  17) b  18) b  19) a  20) b