90 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Vocabulary Unit I Exercise Set II
Write the meaning next to each root, and then write as many words as you can that contain the root.
1. ANIMA __________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
2. VAC _____________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
3. BENE ___________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
4. EU ______________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
5. LOQU ___________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
6. CIRCUM _________________
__________________________
__________________________

__________________________
__________________________
7. EX-, E____________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
8. LEG______________________
__________________________
__________________________
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9. JUR______________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
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10. VERB____________________
__________________________
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__________________________
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11. JUD______________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
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12. CIS______________________
__________________________
__________________________

__________________________
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13. CO-______________________
__________________________
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14. VOL______________________
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15. GRAT____________________
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__________________________
CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 91
Vocabulary Unit I Exercise Set III
1. Should a talk show host be laconic?YN
2. Is wearing a seat belt prudent?YN
3. Should a politician be perspicacious?YN
4. Is something innocuous harmful? Y N
5. Is a beneficiary one who gives? Y N
Write the word with the given meaning.
6. to change form m____________________
7. lacking substance v____________________
8. even-temperedness e____________________
9. commonplace p____________________
10. overused h____________________

11. sluggish p____________________
12. resistant to authority r____________________
13. disposed to complain q____________________
14. rudely abrupt b____________________
15. talkative g____________________
16. a political split s____________________
17. keenly perceptive p____________________
18. with sound judgment j____________________
19. to examine carefully s____________________
20. keenness of judgment a____________________
21. evasive speech c____________________
22. short humorous story a____________________
23. change one’s mind often v____________________
24. able to change form p____________________
25. feeling of weakness l____________________
Write the correct form of the italicized word.
26. the state of feeling lethargic
____________________________________________
27. the quality of being pusillanimous
____________________________________________
28. having the quality of a euphemism
____________________________________________
29. the act of adjudicating
____________________________________________
30. the act of perjuring
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Write the word with the given root.
31. beyond comprehension (scrut)
____________________________________________
32. existing at birth (con)

____________________________________________
33. kind-hearted (anim)
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34. to command solemnly ( jur)
____________________________________________
35. speaking in a pompous manner (loqu)
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36. a praising tribute (eu)
____________________________________________
37. harmless (ben)
____________________________________________
38. inoffensive term substituted for an offensive
one (eu)
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39. to please (grat)
____________________________________________
40. expressive delivery of public speech (loqu)
____________________________________________
41. sphere of legal authority ( jur)
____________________________________________
92 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Unit I Exercise Set I Answer Key
1. B The colon (:) introduces an explanation.
Adeptly means with great skill. A 5-year-old would
have to be pretty sharp to persuade reluctant
parents.
concise = brief and to the point
astute = shrewd, keen
verbose = wordy
recalcitrant = stubborn

capricious = whimsical
2. C The information after the semicolon (;) descri-
bes the word in the blank. If he reads it as if he
had written it himself, it implies that he knows it
very well, and perhaps can read it word for word.
loquaciously = in a talkative manner
insipidly = in a painfully dull way
verbatim = word for word
curtly = in an abrupt manner, rudely
diffidently = timidly, lacking confidence
3. C They did not like him at first, so the second
blank is a negative word. The first blank should
describe a speaking style that would cause some-
one to think that he is described by the second
word.
monosyllabic = one syllable; incisive = cogent
surly = rude; congenial = friendly
laconic = terse; brusque = rude, unfriendly
circumlocutory = talkative
garrulous = talkative; phlegmatic = sluggish
4. E Ricardo clearly changed from a shy person to
a talkative extrovert. The word that fits the blank
should mean change.
schism = rift, large gap
adjudication = judgment
benediction = blessing
soliloquy = speech to one’s self
metamorphosis = major change in form
5. E The second word is a verb that should com-
plement the first word. Only E presents a pair that

makes sense. Fickle people do
tend to vacillate.
shrewd = clever; perjure = to lie under oath
magnanimous = generous; denigrate = to slander
pusillanimous = cowardly; admonish = to scold
surreptitious = sneaky; purge = to clear away
fickle = erratic; vacillate = to go back and forth
6. A Despite indicates a contrast. So look for two
words that are nearly opposite.
pessimistic = negative; sanguine = optimistic
lethargic = sluggish; placid = calm
morose = sullen, gloomy; querulous =
complaining
prudent = wise, provident; verbose = wordy
succinct = concise, to the point; terse = concise
7. A The recipient of generosity is a beneficiary.
beneficiary = one who receives benefits
benefactor = one who supports or helps another
benediction = a blessing
patron = a customer, someone who protects
sanction = approval, permission
8. D A person short on time would likely appreci-
ate something that is quick, which makes brevity
a good choice.
circumlocution = speaking in circles
allegation = accusation
pontification
= speaking in a pompous manner
brevity
= briefness

lassitude = fatigue, torpor
9. E The presentation was vacuous, which means
lacking substance. This implies that the two
clauses in the sentence are parallel, so the missing
word must be similar to unimaginative.
dormant = inactive
unanimous = everyone agrees
amorphous = lacking shape
dolorous = causing pain or sorrow
prosaic = dull, unimaginative
10. A Use the parallelism in the sentence. The two
adjectives in the first clause are parallel to the two
ideas in the second clause. The first word de-
scribes something that makes one cry, and the
second word describes mirthful scenes. Two sim-
ple words to complete the sentence would be
d
epressing and funny.
melancholy = sadness; hilarious = funny
reprehensible = blameworthy; wistful = sad
somber = gloomy; bitter = unhappy
humorous = funny; jocular = joking
despicable = mean; whimsical = impulsive
CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 93
Unit I Exercise Sets II and III Answer Key
Exercise Set II
1. ANIMA: spirit, life, mind
unanimous, magnanimous,
animosity, animation,
animal, inanimate

2. VAC: empty
vacate, evacuate, vacuum,
vacuous, vacation, vacant
3. BENE: good
benevolent, beneficiary,
bonus, bona fide, benediction
4. EU: good
euphemism, eulogy, euphony,
euphoria, eugenics
5. LOQU: talk
loquacious, eloquent,
ventriloquist, elocution,
circumlocution
6. CIRCUM: around
circumference, circumnavi-
gate, circumlocute, circuit,
circuitous
7. EX-, E-: out
emit, extract, exclaim, exit,
egregious, enormous
8. LEG: law
allege, legal, legitimate,
legislate
9. JUR: oath, law
jurisdiction, abjure, adjure,
jury, jurisprudence
10. VERB: word
verbatim, verbose, verbal,
verbalize, proverb
11. JUD: judge

adjudicate, judicious,
adjudge, judiciary
12. CIS: cut
incisive, scissors, concise,
schism, decide, suicide
13. CO-: together, with
cooperate, connect, correlate,
committee, collect, conspire
14. VOLE: wish
voluntary, benevolent,
malevolent, volition
15. GRAT: please, thank
gratify, ingratiate, ingrate,
congratulate, gratuity
Exercise Set III
1. N
2. Y
3. Y
4. N
5. N
6. mutate
7. vacuous
8. equanimity
9. pedestrian
10. hackneyed
11. phlegmatic
12. recalcitrant
13. querulous
14. brusque
15. garrulous

16. schism
17. perspicacious
18. judicious
19. scrutinize
20. acumen
21. circumlocution
22. anecdote
23. vacillate
24. protean
25. lassitude
26. lethargy
27. pusillanimity
28. euphemistic
29. adjudication
30. perjury
31. inscrutable
32. congenital
33. magnanimous
34. adjure
35. grandiloquent
36. eulogy
37. benign
38. euphemism
39. gratify
40. elocution
41. jurisdiction
Visit Online Practice Plus at www.MHPracticePlus.com/SATvocab for additional tools and resources you can use to boost your
SAT vocabulary.
94 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Vocabulary Unit 2

Vocabulary Lesson 8: Sneaky Sneaky
Today’s roots: duplit twofold pseudo fake
nym name rapere to seize
❑ spurious (adj) fake; counterfeit
The head of the FBI cursed the spurious tip that incorrectly led them to an abandoned warehouse.
Synonyms: fictitious, dubious, fabricated Antonyms: authentic, substantiated
❑ guile (n) trickery; deceit
The Big Bad Wolf deceived Little Red Riding Hood with guile and cunning.
Synonyms: cleverness, cunning, duplicity Antonyms: candor, straightforwardness
❑ beguile (v) to deceive with charm
The con artist beguiled me out of my money, convincing me to play his game over and over.
Synonyms: charm, entrance, captivate Antonym: disenchant
❑ strategem (n) a deceitful scheme (strategos army general)
The teenager devised an elaborate strategem to escape his parents’ curfew.
Synonyms: ploy, gimmick, ruse, subterfuge
❑ surreptitious (adj) deceptive; sneaky (sub- secretly + rapere seize)
The surreptitious movements of the lion lured the gazelle into a trap.
Synonyms: covert, furtive, stealthy Antonyms: honest, trustworthy, overt
❑ clandestine (adj) secret; hidden
The clandestine military facility in the capital city was unknown even to the President of the United States.
Synonyms: stealthy, surreptitious, covert Antonyms: forthright, straightforward, candid
❑ stealth (n) sneakiness; ability to avoid detection
The “stealth bomber” is so effective because it is undetectable by most radars.
Synonyms: furtiveness, covertness Antonyms: perceptible, observable
❑ duplicity (n) deceit; hypocritical deception (duplit twofold)
Synonyms: chicanery, improbity
❑ specious (adj) false, but plausible (specere to look at)
Synonyms: ostensible, sophistic
❑ furtive (adj) secretive; sneaky <a furtive plan to steal the diamond>
Synonyms: stealthy, cloaked, guileful

❑ pseudonym (n) pen name ( pseudo- fake + onoma name)
Synonyms: alias, anonym
❑ fallacious (adj) deceptive; false ( fallacia deceit + -ious full of)
Synonyms: delusory, erroneous
❑ rapacious (adj) greedy; ravenous (rapere seize + -ious full of)
Synonyms: ravenous, covetous
CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 95
Vocabulary Lesson 9: Time Is of the Essence
Today’s roots: trans across, through fluere to flow
chronos time tempus time
❑ transient (adj) fleeting; short-lived (transire to go across)
We never understand the transient nature of childhood until we wake up one day and realize we’re all grown up.
Synonyms: ephemeral, evanescent, deciduous, transitory Antonyms: permanent, interminable
❑ ephemeral (adj) short-lived (hemera day)
Critics wrote off the band as a fad, their success as an ephemeral phenomenon.
Synonyms: transient, evanescent, fleeting Antonyms: permanent, everlasting, interminable
❑ sporadic (adj) irregular or unpredictable; infrequent (sporas scattered)
He has experienced sporadic success as an actor, with occasional big roles amid many unmemorable parts.
Synonyms: intermittent, episodic, mercurial Antonyms: frequent, regular, permanent
❑ capricious (adj) whimsical; impulsive
My English teacher runs her class capriciously, flitting from idea to idea with no reason or direction.
Synonyms: fickle, volatile, mercurial, erratic
❑ evanescent (adj) likely to vanish (vanescere to disappear)
The aurora borealis is beautiful but evanescent, a curtain of cascading light that can disappear in a heartbeat.
Synonyms: transient, ephemeral, transitory Antonyms: perpetual, enduring
❑ extemporaneous (adj) done with little or no practice (ex tempore of time)
The speech was all the more remarkable because Dr. Sherman gave it extemporaneously, filling in for the scheduled
speaker at the last moment.
Synonym: impromptu
❑ anachronism (n) something out of place in time (ana- backward + chronos time)

Her old-fashioned perspective on motherhood makes her an anachronism among her friends.
Synonyms: archaism, incongruity, asynchronism
❑ transitory (adj) lasting for a short time (transitus gone across)
Synonyms: transient, fleeting
❑ expedite (v) to speed up (ex- out + pedis foot)
Synonyms: hasten, quicken, facilitate
❑ influx (n) a flowing in (in- in + fluere to flow)
The country of Chad has seen a massive influx of refugees from the fighting in neighboring Sudan.
❑ superfluous (adj) beyond what is necessary or sufficient (super- over + fluere to flow)
❑ contemporaneous (adj) existing or occurring at about the same time (con- together + tempore time)
❑ interminable (adj) never ending (in- not + term end)
Synonyms: incessant, unremitting
❑ protracted (adj) prolonged; extended in time (pro- forward + tract pull)
Synonym: drawn out
96 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Vocabulary Lesson 10: If You Can’t Say Anything Nice . . .
Today’s roots: dia thoroughly, through de- down
dictus declared, word pugn to fight
❑ censure (n) official condemnation; harsh criticism (censor Roman supervisor for morals)
Congress voted to declare censure on the representative who took money and gifts from a lobbyist.
Synonyms: castigation, derision, rebuke Antonyms: laudation, endorsement
❑ calumny (n) slander; false accusation
Too many tabloids know that calumny about celebrities is more profitable than the truth.
Synonyms: libel, denigration, defamation Antonyms: acclaim, extolment, approbation
❑ diatribe (n) malicious criticism or abuse (dia- through + tribein to rub)
A good debate must avoid vicious personal diatribe, and focus on a respectful discussion of issues.
Synonyms: castigation, derision, harangue Antonyms: laudation, extolment, honor
❑ caustic (adj) corrosive; sarcastic
James immediately regretted making such a caustic remark; he could tell his words truly hurt Vanessa.
Synonyms: abrasive, acrimonious Antonyms: mitigating, conciliatory, mollifying

❑ repudiate (v) to cast off publicly (repudium divorce)
The consumers repudiated the shoe company for using sweatshops, and began buying from its competitor.
Synonyms: disavow, abjure, forswear Antonym: condone
❑ derogatory (adj) disparaging; belittling (de- down, away)
Derogatory remarks are not allowed in class; discussions should criticize ideas, not people.
Synonyms: pejorative, derisive, disparaging
❑ admonish (v) to reprimand mildly (ad- to + monere to warn)
The boy was admonished by his mom for spilling his soda on the brand-new rug.
Synonyms: rebuke, reprove Antonyms: laud, revere, endorse
❑ disparage (v) to belittle; to demean (dis- apart + parage rank, peer)
Synonyms: deprecate, discredit
❑ impugn (v) to attack as untrue; to refute by argument (in- against + pugn to fight)
❑ malediction (n) a curse (mal- bad + dictus declared)
Synonyms: anathema, execration
❑ denigrate (v) to attack the character of; to disparage
Synonyms: slander, decry
❑ harangue (n) a long, critical, and pompous speech
Synonyms: diatribe, discourse
❑ pejorative (adj) tending to make worse (pejor worse)
The senator suggested that discussing the issue dispassionately would be more productive than slinging pejorative
personal comments.
Synonym: disparaging
❑ slander (n) false comments that injure another’s reputation (scandalum scandal)
CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 97
Vocabulary Lesson 11: Holy Cow
Today’s roots: sacer sacred venus respect, love
sanctus holy vereri respect
❑ sanctimonious (adj) falsely pious or self-righteous (sanctus holy)
I prefer ministers who are real people, not sanctimonious know-it-all preachers.
Synonyms: holier-than-thou, self-righteous, unctuous Antonyms: sincere, unaffected, guileless

❑ sacrosanct (adj) profoundly sacred (sacer sacred + sanctus holy)
To Hindus, the cow is a sacrosanct creature to be treated with the utmost respect.
Synonyms: inviolable, consecrated, divine, revered Antonym: unholy
❑ sanctuary (n) a place of refuge; a sacred place (sanctus holy)
The Notre Dame cathedral is a sanctuary to all; anyone in need of a safe place to rest is welcome.
Synonyms: shrine, asylum
❑ sacrilegious (adj) grossly irreverent; disrespectful of something sacred (sacer sacred)
To Hindus, to whom cows are sacred, the mass slaughter of cattle is considered sacrilegious.
Synonyms: blasphemous, desecrating, impious Antonyms: reverent, pious
❑ revere (v) to regard with honor and devotion (re- intensive + vereri respect)
Every genre of music has its stars, whom fans revere like gods.
Synonyms: venerate, idolize, esteem Antonyms: condemn, loathe
❑ pious (adj) showing religious reverence
Cotton Mather, being a devoted Puritan, considered it his pious duty to hang anyone in Salem accused of witchcraft.
Synonyms: devout, reverential Antonyms: irreverent, blasphemous
❑ deference (n) respect for the wishes of others (de- away + ferre carry)
It is important to show deference to your elders and treat them with respect.
Synonyms: courtesy, reverence Antonyms: irreverence, impertinence
❑ sacrament (n) a formal religious act or oath (sacer sacred)
Synonyms: rite, liturgy
❑ venerable (adj) worthy of respect (venus respect)
Synonyms: revered, honorable
❑ venerate (v) to regard with reverence or respect (venus respect)
Synonyms: revere, extol
❑ consecrate (v) to declare to be holy (sacer sacred)
The marriage was consecrated by both a priest and an imam.
Synonyms: venerate, bless
❑ talisman (n) an object with magical powers (telos result)
Synonyms: charm, amulet
❑ lionize (v) to treat as a celebrity

Synonyms: glorify, exalt, panegyrize, apotheosize, deify
98 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Vocabulary Lesson 12: Power It Up!
Today’s roots: potens strong in-, im- not
domit lord efficere to effect
❑ formidable (adj) awesome; hard to overcome; dreadful ( formido fear)
The Yankees are a formidable team; we’ll be lucky to win a single game against them this year.
Synonyms: indomitable, redoubtable Antonyms: anemic, ineffectual
❑ potent (adj) strong and effective (potens strong)
Although the drug is clearly the most potent treatment for depression, it also has the strongest side effects.
Synonyms: efficacious, forceful Antonyms: impotent, enervated, feckless
❑ bulwark (n) a strong defense
The newly constructed dam is in place as a bulwark against future flooding.
Synonyms: bastion, redoubt, rampart
❑ indomitable (adj) unable to be conquered (in- not + domit lord)
The indomitable castle has been under the control of the Spaniards for 6,000 years, despite repeated attacks.
Synonyms: impregnable, invincible
❑ redoubtable (adj) arousing fear; formidable; awesome (re- intensive + douter to doubt)
The mob boss is a redoubtable figure who makes his enemies cower in fear.
Synonyms: formidable, intimidating
❑ robust (adj) full of vigor
The robust young men were able to run miles at a time through the rugged terrain without breaking a sweat.
Synonyms: brawny, athletic, potent Antonyms: weak, delicate
❑ impervious (adj) incapable of being penetrated or affected (im- not + per- through + via road)
Bulletproof vests are almost always impervious to bullets.
Synonyms: impenetrable, impregnable Antonyms: permeable, penetrable
❑ efficacious (adj) capable of producing a desired effect (efficere to effect)
Synonym: proficient
❑ stalwart (n) physically or morally strong person; strong supporter
Synonyms: mainstay, partisan

❑ impotent (adj) lacking strength or power (im- not + potens strong)
Synonyms: enervated, effete
❑ predominant (adj) most important (pre- before + domit lord)
Synonyms: paramount, preeminent
❑ impregnable (adj) unable to be entered by force (im- not + prehendere grasp)
The castle was an impregnable fortress.
Synonyms: impenetrable, invincible, indomitable
❑ brawn (n) muscular strength
Our best wrestler was all brawn and no brains.
Synonyms: robustness, vigor
❑ bastion (n) stronghold, fortress
The college is a bastion of liberalism.
Synonym: bulwark
CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 99
Vocabulary Lesson 13: Come Together
Today’s roots: co-, com-, con- together vocare to call
syn- same, together legere choose
❑ coalesce (v) to blend or fuse together (co- together)
Raindrops are usually formed when water vapor coalesces on microscopic particles in the atmosphere.
Synonyms: amalgamate, consolidate, fuse Antonyms: disperse, diverge, dissipate
❑ anthology (n) a collection of works
The Beatles’ Anthology is one of the best-selling greatest hits albums of all time.
Synonyms: compilation, compendium, treasury
❑ convoke (v) to call together (con- together + vocare call)
The village elders convoked the citizens to discuss the sale of the ceremonial land.
Synonyms: assemble, summon Antonyms: dismiss, disperse
❑ synchronize (v) to arrange events to occur simultaneously (syn- same + chron time)
Nothing is harder for a dance teacher than trying to synchronize ten eight-year-old ballerinas.
Synonym: coordinate
❑ synthesis (n) a fusion; a bringing together (syn- together + tithenai to put)

The synthesis of DNA occurs when many ribonucleic acids are joined together into one long double helix.
Synonyms: amalgam, composite, fusion Antonyms: division, disjuncture
❑ eclectic (adj) made up of parts from many different sources (ec- out + legere to choose)
Rob Mathes’ eclectic compositions reveal a subtle yet effective blend of blues, gospel, classical, and jazz styles.
Synonyms: multifaceted, multifarious, manifold, diverse, synthesized
❑ yoke (v) to join different things
Politicians often yoke unpopular legislation to popular bills so that they can sneak them through Congress.
Synonym: couple
❑ amalgam (n) a combination of different substances into one mass
Synonyms: composite, hybrid
❑ amass (v) to gather; to pile up
We amassed a huge collection of CDs.
Synonyms: stockpile, accrue
❑ invoke (v) to call on for help or inspiration (in- in + vocare call)
The judge invoked an obscure, seldom-used statute in order to keep the defendant in jail.
❑ compatible (adj) capable of living together harmoniously
The two were very compatible roommates.
Synonym: agreeable
❑ contemporary (adj) living or occurring during the same time period (con- together + tempore time)
❑ predilection (n) disposition in favor of something (pre- before + legere to choose)
Scott has a strong predilection for chocolate.
Synonyms: inclination, bent, proclivity, propensity, penchant