Essential Words for the TOEFL (7th edition) » Lesson 17
Word List
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abysmal
→ adj. very bad; awful
syn. appalling
Her performance on the test was abysmal.
He made an abysmal attempt to lift the heavy couch.
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agitate
n. agitation; n. agitator
→ v. to shake or move; to cause worry
syn. disturb
The fact that she had not arrived by midnight agitated her parents.
He was known as a political agitator.
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comply
adj. compliant; n. compliance
→ v. to agree to follow a request or command; to adhere to specific standards
syn. acquiesce
A well-trained dog will comply when told to sit.
Students must maintain a B average to remain in compliance with the scholarship’s rules.
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confidential
v. confide; adv. confidentially; n. confidant
→ adj. to be said or written in secret
syn. secret
We were told that the information is strictly confidential.
She confided to me that she had always wanted to be a movie star.
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delighted
adj. delightfully; adj. delightful; n. delight
→ adj. to be satisfied; very happy
syn. elated
He was delighted with the results of the experiment.
It was a delightful afternoon.
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discreetly
adj. discreet
→ adv. in a careful, polite manner
syn. cautiously
The teacher discreetly told the parents about their child’s inappropriate behavior.
You can count on me to be discreet.
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documented
adj. documentary; v. document; n. documentation
→ adj. proven with written evidence
syn. proven
He had documented proof that the bank had made an error.
The car’s documentation was in order.
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endemic
→ adj. native to or commonly found in a specific place
syn. indigenous
Kiwi birds are endemic only to Australia.
The use of English is by no means endemic to English-speaking countries.
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evoke
→ v. to call up or produce memories or feelings; to cause to remember
syn. remind
Hearing her favorite song evoked fond memories of her high school years.
Most sounds evoke hints of time and place.
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gradually
adj. gradual
→ adv. slowly, but surely
syn. steadily
The bay has gradually deteriorated over the years.
There has been a gradual change in the climate over the past decade.
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impartial
n. impartiality
→ adj. showing no favoritism; being fair or just
syn. objective
Teachers must be impartial judges of their students’ work.
Judges are known for their impartiality.
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inordinate
adv. inordinately
→ adj. a large amount or quantity; more than reasonable
syn. excessive
The airlines had to cancel an inordinate number of flights due to the fog.
There was an inordinately large number of whales off the coast.
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intentionally
adj. intentional; n. intention; n. intent
→ adv. with definite purpose and planning
syn. deliberately
The machine was left on intentionally.
Her action was an indication of her good intentions.
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intrinsic
adv. intrinsically
→ adj. being a primary part of something
syn. inherent
A penny has little intrinsic value.
The forests of the Northwest are intrinsically rich in natural resources.
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inundate
n. inundation
→ v. to flood
syn. overwhelm
The radio stations were inundated with reports of a severe traffic accident.
The charity received an inundation of donations after the news story was published.
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mindset
→ n. an established attitude or mood
syn. mentality
A person is more likely to succeed if he or she approaches projects with a positive mindset.
The political mindset is different in every region of the country.
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nominal
adv. nominally
→ adj. very small; in form, but not in substance
syn. moderate
The office building was sold at a nominal price.
She was nominally successful as an actress.
Matching
Choose the synonym.
- impartial
- a. objective
- b. overwhelmed
- c. conscientious
- d. confident
- diminutive
- a. conscientious
- b. minuscule
- c. conspicuous
- d. obvious
- documented
- a. proven
- b. intrinsic
- c. substantial
- d. durable
- nominal
- a. moderate
- b. inherent
- c. inevitable
- d. harmful
- excessive
- a. impressive
- b. lasting
- c. deliberate
- d. inordinate
- discreetly
- a. obviously
- b. cautiously
- c. unlikely
- d. deceptively
- agitate
- a. heighten
- b. reject
- c. inundate
- d. disturb
- steadily
- a. gradually
- b. uniquely
- c. intentionally
- d. immediately
- mentality
- a. mindset
- b. proficiency
- c. docility
- d. jargon
- delighted
- a. involved
- b. elated
- c. overwhelmed
- d. highlighted
Multiple-Choice Test Questions
- Modes of suggestion, while usually verbal, may be visual or involve other senses. In fact, a mere suggestion may evoke a memory that causes a specific reaction. For instance, a person who is allergic to roses may develop an attack of asthma just from looking at a seed catalog. The element of suggestion also plays a significant role in group behavior and hypnosis.
The word evoke in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. produce
- b. engross
- c. emit
- d. favor
- The American actor-director Orson Welles worked on the stage and in films for nearly 50 years. Yet his fame rests principally on two projects. The first, his 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds, was a fictitious eyewitness report of a Martian attack. The radio broadcast created a panic among listeners who, believing the attack to be real, inundated law enforcement agencies with numerous inquiries.
The word inundated in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. agitated
- b. overwhelmed
- c. astonished
- d. delighted
- The use of cast-metal pieces as a medium of exchange is an ancient tradition. It probably developed out of the use in commerce of ordinary ingots of bronze and other metals that had an intrinsic value. Until the development of bills of exchange in medieval Europe and paper currency in medieval China, metal coins were the only means of exchange for goods and services.
The word intrinsic in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. inherent
- b. nominal
- c. documented
- d. inordinate
- The stimuli in a projective test are intentionally ambiguous and open to diverse interpretations so that each person will project his unique reactions in his answers. Techniques for evaluating such responses range from the intuitive impressions of the rater to complex schemes for scoring and interpretation that require extensive calculations and interpretation.
The word intentionally in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. confidentially
- b. fundamentally
- c. arbitrarily
- d. deliberately
- The Greek philosopher Anaximander argued that human beings are so appallingly helpless at birth that they would instantly die if left on their own. He also believed that known elements are continuously opposing and changing into one another and that, as a result, something different from these elements must underlie and cause changes.
The word appallingly in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. completely
- b. partially
- c. abysmally
- d. immediately
- Some economists resist the notion that cutting taxes is beneficial. Theoretically, decreasing taxes returns money to citizens, therefore increasing jobs and improving conditions for everyone. Some economists say that will happen only with a large, sudden tax reduction. A gradual decrease, they say, will not stimulate spending or result in more jobs or a stronger economy. Still others oppose tax reduction altogether.
In referring to a gradual decrease in taxes, the author means one that- a. is imposed all at once.
- b. occurs slowly over time.
- c. stimulates a lot of jobs.
- d. affects everyone equally.
- Traditionally, children of Southwest Indian tribes were treated with warmth and submissiveness during the period of infancy. Weaning was gradual, and training in cleanliness was delayed until a child could walk. Care was taken so that the children were not unduly agitated, and that they were protected from harm.
The word agitated in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. disturbed
- b. inundated
- c. favored
- d. exhausted
- Most Latin-American countries achieved nominal independence in the ninteenth century. Yet they remained politically, economically, and culturally dependent on U.S. and European powers throughout the first half of the twentieth century. By 1960, people believed that this dependency could best be alleviated through educational reform.
The word nominal in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. scarce
- b. durable
- c. gradual
- d. moderate
- Opinion polls have been developed since the 1930s. Polls are a scientific way of learning what large numbers of people think about various topics. They are used extensively in politics and business. In both fields many polling companies provide political candidates and businesses with confidential information about their public image.
The word confidential in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. discreet
- b. mysterious
- c. secret
- d. classified
- At a meeting to discuss the federal Constitution, John Hancock was persuaded to support ratification. To get Hancock’s support, some people promised him a nomination for the presidency if George Washington declined. Though appearing to be among the leaders of the revolutionaries, he was not considered an independent figure. Rather, he was a tool of Samuel Adams, who took advantage of Hancock’s ambition, vanity, and inordinate love of popularity.
The word inordinate in the passage is closest in meaning to- a. excessive
- b. unwarranted
- c. exhaustive
- d. overwhelming
Answer Key

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