Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 46 - Day 4

Word List
  • hyperbole [hī pėr´ bə lē]
    exaggerated figure of speech
    → “It is not hyperbole to state that, most terribly, justice and judgment lie often a world apart.” Emmeline Pankhurst, My Own Story
  • munificent [myü nif´ ə sənt]
    generous
    → “His munificent gift will enable us to place computers in all the elementary schools.” Newsday, 6/20/98
  • prevarication [pri var´ ə kā´ shen]
    deviation from the truth, lying
    → “They must honestly swear to this oath without prevarication or reservation.” Supreme Court Justice Byron White, speech, 12/1/64
  • charisma [kə riz´ mə]
    quality of leadership inspiring enthusiasm
    → “Yali radiated charisma and energy as he led his people.” Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel
  • genocide [jen´ ə sīd]
    planned destruction of an entire people
    → “Accounts of the destruction of masses of people recall that genocide is an ancient practice.” Otto Friedrich, Before the Deluge

The Machiavellian* Pizarro held the captured Atahualpa for ransom. He was adamant* about receiving a room filled with gold to the height of a man’s shoulder. This was taken as a hyperbole at first, but Pizarro knew the gullible* Incas would be munificent when it came to rescuing their sacred ruler. They did not procrastinate,* and a frenetic* collection of gold took place. Pizarro, to whom prevarication was natural in dealing with the Incas, had no qualms* about executing their ruler as soon as he had the gold. The Inca empire was moribund,* but the charisma that surrounded Atahualpa was such that, after his death, the Incas fought on tenaciously* in his name for several years. Eventually, superior weapons quelled* all opposition. A policy of genocide was adopted by the Spanish conquerors, and almost two million of these proud people died in the carnage* that followed. The saga* of an ancient civilization thus came to an end.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in these sentences.

  1. Even those who were not fans of the movie star candidly* admit the __________ that surrounded him.
  2. The United Nations has outlawed __________ as the ultimate* crime, which must be eradicated.*
  3. Her constant __________ made her a pariah* to her friends.
  4. The rhetoric* soared into flagrant* __________ .
  5. He was surprised by the __________ gratuity* given by the usually parsimonious* termagant.*

Definitions Match the new words with their definitions.

  1. a. quality of leadership inspiring enthusiasm
  2. b. planned destruction of an entire people
  3. c. deviation from the truth, lying
  4. d. generous
  5. e. exaggerated figure of speech
  1. hyperbole __________
  2. munificent __________
  3. prevarication __________
  4. charisma __________
  5. genocide __________

Answer Key
to throw cold water—to discourage a plan or idea
I was going to pull up stakes* and move out lock, stock, and barrel,* but my wife threw cold water on the whole thing.

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