Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 41 - Day 4

Word List
  • shibboleth [shib´ ə lith]
    pet phrase, slogan
    → Dialects are sometimes used as shibboleths to signal the ethnic or social status of the speaker.” Bill Bryson, Mother Tongue
  • bogus [bō´ gəs]
    counterfeit, fake
    → “The mayor denied his proposed change in the election law was a bogus attempt to seize more power.” New York Times, 9/25/99
  • substantiate [səb stan´ shē āt]
    confirm, ratify
    → “The Queens District Attorney said that there were not enough facts to substantiate the charges against the tour operator so no prosecution would take place.” Queens Courier, 1/18/00
  • nutritive [nü´ trə tiv]
    having nourishing properties
    → “They searched for anything that had nutritive value, but often found nothing.” “The Irish Famine,” Harpers, 5/73
  • raucous [rô´ kəs]
    harsh, shrill
    → “The 1968 Democratic nominating convention in Chicago was the scene of raucous confrontations.” I. F. Stone, Weekly Reader

Supermarkets now carry their own products to compete with the national brands. These “house” brands are not in a felicitous* position because they cannot be advertised widely. Supermarkets overcome this encumbrance* by making these brands less expensive. Many people believe the shibboleth,* “You get what you pay for,” and they purchase items on the premise* that quality varies as the price does. Are the claims made by nationally advertised brands bogus? How can one bread company substantiate its nutritive superiority over another? As there is no incontrovertible* evidence, the more expensive bread (or coffee, etc.) must compensate* by increased advertising. They make inordinate* claims, using those raucous techniques proven so successful in convincing the frugal* consumer to switch to a more costly brand.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in these sentences.

  1. Mothers should be vigilant* that their children’s food has the proper __________ value.
  2. There were __________ complaints about the inordinate* number of fatal* accidents caused by inebriated* drivers.
  3. People often try to compensate* for their deplorable* lack of culture by repeating the __________ , “I know what I like.”
  4. He had the audacity* to try to foist* a __________ dollar on me.
  5. The reporter wanted to elicit* the pertinent* facts from the reticent* witness so he could __________ the charge of moral turpitude* against the high city official.

Definitions Match the new words with their definitions.

  1. a. pet phrase, slogan
  2. b. harsh, shrill
  3. c. counterfeit, fake
  4. d. having nourishing properties
  5. e. confirm, ratify
  1. shibboleth __________
  2. bogus __________
  3. substantiate __________
  4. nutritive __________
  5. raucous __________

Answer Key
to twist around one’s finger—to control completely
He winked at* the little girl’s bad behavior; she had him twisted around her finger.

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