Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 9 - Day 4

Word List
  • scrutinize [skrüt´ n īz]
    examine closely
    → “The jockey waited with his back to the wall and scrutinized the room with pinched, creepy eyes.” Carson McCullers, “The Jockey”
  • nefarious [ni fer´ ē əs]
    villainous, vicious
    → “A nefarious employee can still download secret weapons information to a tape, put it in his pocket and walk out the door.” William Safire, “Culture of Arrogance,” New York Times, 6/17/99
  • amicable [am´ ə kə bəl]
    friendly, peaceful
    → “Their parting is effective Friday, and was described in their joint statement as ‘amicable’.” Bill Carter, “Lou Dobbs Quits CNN,” New York Times, 6/9/99
  • vexatious [vek sā´ shəs]
    annoying
    → “This vexatious law suit dragged on interminably, becoming a legend in the process.” Charles Dickens, Bleak House
  • malady [mal´ ə dē]
    disease
    → “Homesickness can be a disease as trivial as a slight cold or it can be a deadly malady.” Z. Libin, “A Sign of Summer”

The quarantine method for handling bigots implies more than giving them the silent treatment. Prof. Fineberg urges community-relations organizations to scrutinize the nefarious activities of hate-mongers and to be prepared to furnish information about them to amicable inquirers. When a rabble-rouser is coming, those organizations should privately expose him to opinion-molders. In addition, constructive efforts should be taken to induce people to involve themselves in projects for improving intergroup relations. Bigger than the vexatious immediate problem is the need to find out the cause for such bigotry and to counteract this sinister* malady that afflicts* a segment of our society.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

  1. The __________ buzzing of the mosquitoes as they surged* about our heads nearly drove us insane.
  2. Our __________ relations with Latin America are an asset* to hemispheric trade.
  3. Once the virulent* __________ had run its course, my temperature dropped.
  4. We were distraught* upon hearing the venom* spewed* forth by the __________ bigot.*
  5. No sooner did the lawyer __________ the extortion* note than she called the police.

Definitions Match the new words with their definitions.

  1. a. annoying
  2. b. villainous, vicious
  3. c. examine closely
  4. d. disease
  5. e. friendly, peaceful
  1. scrutinize __________
  2. nefarious __________
  3. amicable __________
  4. vexatious __________
  5. malady __________

Answer Key
to look a gift horse in the mouth—to be critical of a present (from the practice of judging a horse’s age by his teeth)
Although I didn’t have much use for Uncle Roy’s present, I took it with a big smile since I have been taught never to look a gift horse in the mouth.

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