Essential Words for the TOEFL (7th edition) » Lesson 27

Word List
  • aptly
    adj. apt; n. aptness
    →
    adv. having a tendency to do something; likely
    syn. appropriately
    It was an aptly timed remark.
    Emotional problems are apt to damage personal relationships.
  • demonstration
    adv. demonstrably; v. demonstrate; adj. demonstrative*; adj. demonstrable
    →
    n. a show or exhibit
        *overtly showing emotion
    syn. display
    The demonstration clarified the procedure for everyone.
    I have never seen the politicians so demonstrative of their feelings.
  • deviate
    n. deviation
    →
    v. to break away from what is normal or average
    syn. differ
    She deviated from the typical study path and graduated early.
    He enjoys deviating from the main trail when he goes hiking.
  • ingredients
    →
    n. things combined to make something; the contents of something
    syn. elements
    The ingredients of the product are kept secret.
    Good style, punctuation, and grammar are the important ingredients of a good essay.
  • involuntarily
    adj. involuntary
    →
    adv. in an unthinking manner; not chosen
    syn. automatically
    He involuntarily worked overtime.
    Reflexes are involuntary reactions to external stimuli.
  • marvel
    adv. marvelously; adj. marvelous
    →
    n. something that surprises or impresses
    syn. wonder
    The Great Wall of China is one of the world’s marvels.
    The weather was marvelous for an afternoon get-together in the park.
  • moderate
    adv. moderately; v. moderate*; n. moderation
    →
    adj. not too much, not too little;
           *to reduce
    syn. medium
    She made the best of her moderate dancing ability.
    The Broadway play was moderately successful.
  • motivate
    n. motivation; adj. motivated
    →
    v. to provide a reason or purpose for doing something
    syn. encourage
    Grades motivate most students to do well in their studies.
    The speaker gave a motivational speech that inspired everyone in the audience.
  • odd
    adv. oddly; n. oddity
    →
    adj. unusual
    syn. strange
    It is odd to find a person who speaks many languages.
    The moon rock is an oddity available at the museum for all to view.
  • profuse
    n. profuseness; adv. profusely
    →
    adj. to be very generous, often in excess
    syn. abundant
    The company apologized profusely for the defects in its product.
    She deserved the profuse praise from her teacher.
  • reflection
    adj. reflected; v. reflect
    →
    n. a picture or element thrown back
    syn. image
    His bright smile was a reflection of his satisfaction.
    In order for us to perceive something visually, light must be reflected from the object’s surface.
  • succinct
    adv. succinctly
    →
    adj. short and to the point
    syn. concise
    Since she had little time to speak, the biologist made her presentation succinct.
    The class assignment is to summarize the book’s plot as succinctly as possible.
  • supposedly
    adj. supposed; v. suppose; n. supposition
    →
    adv. according to reports or hearsay; widely believed or accepted
    syn. presumably
    The new trains are supposedly able to reach speeds of 150 miles per hour.
    The stockbroker’s supposition is that the economy will improve.
  • sustained
    v. sustain; adj. sustenance
    →
    adj. continuing in a constant way; remaining strong
    syn. consistent
    Sustained rainfall is the only hope they have for relief from the drought.
    Luckily, the trees did not sustain any damage from the attack of the locusts.
  • synthesis
    adv. synthetically*; adj. synthetic*; v. synthesize
    →
    n. the mixing of separate things to form a whole;
        *not made by nature
    syn. combination
    The language of Papiamento is a synthesis of Dutch and native Indian languages of Curaçao.
    Vitamins are synthetically produced.
  • tangible
    adv. tangibly; n. tangibility
    →
    adj. real; that which can be felt
    syn. concrete
    The work of a teacher seldom produces tangible results until years after a student has graduated.
    The solution to this problem can be tangibly demonstrated.
Matching

Choose the synonym.

  1. marvel
    • a. ridge
    • b. chaos
    • c. wonder
    • d. combination
  2. display
    • a. disperse
    • b. decline
    • c. disguise
    • d. demonstration
  3. succinct
    • a. odd
    • b. moderate
    • c. strange
    • d. concise
  4. appropriately
    • a. supposedly
    • b. aptly
    • c. tangibly
    • d. durably
  5. moderate
    • a. sustained
    • b. medium
    • c. sharp
    • d. periodic
  6. involuntary
    • a. infrequent
    • b. substantial
    • c. automatic
    • d. immeasurable
  7. elements
    • a. ingredients
    • b. measurements
    • c. marks
    • d. spans
  8. motivate
    • a. travel
    • b. isolate
    • c. sustain
    • d. encourage
  9. reflection
    • a. image
    • b. synthesis
    • c. solid
    • d. tightness
  10. tangible
    • a. firm
    • b. consistent
    • c. concrete
    • d. tedious
Multiple-Choice Test Questions

  1. The mechanical traps of various carnivorous plants can be observed in many varieties. However, the snap trap, such as that found on the Venus Flytrap, is found only in the sundew family of plants. When an animal touches its sensory hairs, the prey is trapped by a rapid automatic closure of a set of lobes that surround the animal. After that, the digestion process starts. Any insect that lands on the Venus Flytrap will become a meal for the plant.

    The word automatic in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. temporary
    • b. incessant
    • c. involuntary
    • d. impartial
  2. In the Western world, contemplation on art began with the philosophers of ancient Greece. Plato discussed proportion as the source of beauty, and imitation as the primary mode of art. Aristotle identified different kinds of imitation, and Xenocrates wrote technical dissertations on painting and sculpture that examined the ideal synthesis of proportion and imitation in terms of the lives of classical Greek artists.

    The word synthesis in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. image
    • b. symbolism
    • c. display
    • d. combination
  3. Anthropologists who study human communication tend to focus on its central role in the survival of a society. Communication serves to preserve and transmit all aspects of a culture. A society communicates its culture through language. The concepts of honor, bravery, love, cooperation, and honesty are embedded in all languages. There is no human culture that has deviated from the development of the expression of these traits.

    The word deviated in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. dispersed
    • b. differed
    • c. thrived
    • d. eroded
  4. Based on the inscriptions called codices, linguists believe that the Maya spoke a language closely related to modern Native American groups. During the classical period, the Maya also had sustained contact with warriors and traders from Teotihuacan in central Mexico, the largest and most powerful state of the era. There is no proof of a conquest, but the Maya embraced some foreign deities, symbols, and styles of clothing of other groups.

    The word sustained in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. tangible
    • b. consistent
    • c. moderate
    • d. measurable
  5. The Oregon Trail followed the Sweetwater River westward from the vicinity of Casper to South Pass. Independence Rock, a granite monolith on the north bank of the river near a reservoir, was a significant trail landmark. The river was supposedly named by General William Ashley in 1823 because its water tasted sweet to his trappers.

    The word supposedly in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. presumably
    • b. oddly
    • c. aptly
    • d. predictably
  6. At 46,000 gross tons, the Titanic was the largest floating object ever built. It was 853 feet long, 93 feet wide, and 61 feet high. As many people said, it was aptly named the Titanic —in ancient Greek mythology, the Titans ruled the universe until Zeus defeated and replaced them. The mighty Titanic was also overthrown: while carrying over 2,200 passengers, it crashed into an iceberg off Newfoundland and sank on April 14, 1912.

    In stating that the Titanic was aptly named, the author means that
    • a. the ship’s captain was criminally negligent.
    • b. there were too many passengers on board.
    • c. the ship’s name, Titanic, was appropriate.
    • d. the word Titanic comes from Greek history.
  7. The date of the earliest UFO sighting in history is unknown and the evidence for such sightings is scanty and purely speculative. The beginning of the UFO phenomenon began with the sighting of dirigiblelike “mystery ships” over the United States in 1896–1897. In 1946, people in Scandinavia reported large-scale sightings of “ghost rockets,” odd looking “rockets” that made no noise. None of these phenomena has been satisfactorily explained.

    The word odd in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. strange
    • b. ample
    • c. intriguing
    • d. elusive
  8. A living cell is a marvel of detailed and complex structure. When examined with a microscope, it gives the appearance of almost chaotic activity. On a deeper level, it is known that molecules are being synthesized at a tremendous rate. Almost any enzyme causes the synthesis of more than 100 other molecules per second. In 10 minutes, a large percentage of the total mass of a metabolizing bacterial cell has been synthesized.

    The word marvel in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. invention
    • b. wonder
    • c. magnification
    • d. swiftness
  9. In the 1790s, a variety of agricultural machinery was developed. At that time, an efficient seed drill had been designed but still required demonstrations in the 1830s to convince farmers of its value. A few threshing machines were in use before 1800, and gradually increased in popularity. However, in the 1830s, farm laborers in England rebelled because the machines deprived them of winter employment.

    The word demonstrations in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. illustrations
    • b. circulations
    • c. displays
    • d. preconceptions
  10. The oxygen supply in the Earth’s atmosphere is a result of photosynthesis by green plants. Plants require all the essential ingredients of photosynthesis to build the vital compounds and structures. Water is required, because cell enlargement is a result of internal water pressure extending the walls. This explains why in periods of drought, plants tend to have smaller leaves.

    The word ingredients in the passage is closest in meaning to
    • a. characteristics
    • b. parts
    • c. basics
    • d. elements
Answer Key
Favorite Books
Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know

The study of the English language has spread all over the world, and high school and college students everywhere have come to realize that language mastery depends on the possession of a comprehensive vocabulary. This is just what 1100 Words You Need to Know has been offering through the five earlier editions and continuing on this sixth one.

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