Lesson 30

Essential Words for the TOEFL (7th edition) » Lesson 30

Word List

charisma

adj. charismatic

→
n. a special quality that endears other people to the person who has this quality
syn. appeal
She has charisma that no other candidate possesses.
John F. Kennedy was known for his charismatic personality.
clever

adv. cleverly; n. cleverness

→
adj. intelligent; resourceful
syn. astute
Everyone appreciated their clever idea.
His cleverness enabled him to rise quickly in the organization.
convince

adv. convincingly; adj. convincing

→
v. to make someone see things your way
syn. persuade
They could not convince the girls to go to the dance with them.
The video made a convincing argument for the recycling of paper and plastic materials.
endure

adj. endurable; adj. enduring; n. endurance

→
v. to last; suffer pain
syn. persevere
How he is able to endure living next to the airport is beyond my comprehension.
The endurance displayed by the athlete gave evidence of his rigorous training.
forfeit

n. forfeit

→
v. to give up; have something taken away, usually by rule or regulation
syn. relinquish
You may have to forfeit your home country’s citizenship to become a citizen of another country.
The forfeit occurred because not enough players showed up.
precarious

adv. precariously

→
adj. not safe, firm, or steady
syn. hazardous
The diver put himself in a precarious situation among the sharks.
The cup was positioned precariously on the edge of the table.
severe

adv. severely; n. severity

→
adj. extreme; harmful
syn. intense
The weather service issued a severe storm warning for most of Michigan.
The severity of his condition will not be known until the test results are studied.
sporadic

adv. sporadically

→
adj. not consistent; irregular
syn. erratic
The radio communications were subject to sporadic sunspot interference.
Violent storms occur sporadically in the Southwest.
stumble upon

→
ph. v. to discover or run into a person or thing accidentally
syn. come across
She stumbled upon a lot of interesting information about her research topic.
We might stumble upon deer while hiking in the woods.
superior

n. superiority

→
adj. excellent quality; above all the rest
syn. exceptional
This is a superior fossil of a trilobite.
The restaurant’s superiority was established shortly after it opened.
truncate

adj. truncated

→
v. to shorten; to end something suddenly
syn. cut
The television program was truncated because the soccer match went into extra time.
The publishers of the newspaper asked the writer to truncate her report.
wanton

adv. wantonly

→
adj. done without thought or consideration; grossly negligent
syn. senseless
Her wanton disregard of the rules was unexplainable.
The jealous man was wantonly impolite to the winner.
widespread

→
adj. found everywhere
syn. extensive
There is a widespread rumor that there will be no class next Thursday.
The political influence of the developed countries of the world is widespread.
wisdom

adv. wisely; adj. wise

→
n. knowledge and understanding
syn. insight
It is often said that wisdom is the product of experience.
It was a wise decision for you to buy a car.
witticism

adv. wittily; adj. witty; n. wit; n. wittiness

→
n. a joke; a funny story
syn. humor
His witticisms captivated the audience.
Mark Twain was famous for his sharp wit.
woo

→
v. to make efforts to attain or gain something
syn. attract
The directors tried to woo the support of the union.
The opponents of the proposed highway wooed nearby residents to defend their position.

Matching

Choose the synonym.

astute
- a. acknowledge
- b. extensive
- c. clever
- d. weak
sporadic
- a. prophetic
- b. intrinsic
- c. erratic
- d. archaic
relinquish
- a. recover
- b. disperse
- c. forfeit
- d. deplete
persevering
- a. enduring
- b. ineffective
- c. secure
- d. sincere
superior
- a. prosperous
- b. sustained
- c. superficial
- d. exceptional
truncate
- a. impress
- b. cut
- c. uphold
- d. postpone
precarious
- a. peculiar
- b. dangerous
- c. widespread
- d. aggravating
persuade
- a. convince
- b. conform
- c. confirm
- d. conceal
wisdom
- a. acceleration
- b. insight
- c. caution
- d. marvel
intense
- a. instant
- b. hazardous
- c. severe
- d. robust

Multiple-Choice Test Questions

The circulation war of the tabloids that took place in New York City in the 1920s was copied in Britain in the 1930s. This brought numerous circulation-boosting schemes. Prizes for readers were introduced in the 1890s and had become popular measures to woo new subscribers by the 1900s. Although the practice was condemned by the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, gift schemes grew along with the number of newspapers for many years. They continue today.

The word woo in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. forfeit
- b. attract
- c. convince
- d. deceive
Intensity, intimacy, and omnipresence have been identified as the distinctive characteristics of the motion-picture image. Its intensity stems from its power to capture the complete attention of the theatergoer. Outside the theater, a person’s attention is usually divided among the elements of the limitless reality around him or her, except for sporadic moments of concentration on what is selected for closer examination.

The word sporadic in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. occasional
- b. charismatic
- c. recurrent
- d. splendid
Established in 1942, the Voice of America is the international radio network of the U.S. Information Agency. Its charge is the widespread decree of a favorable understanding of the United States abroad. It achieves this task with a wide range of programs, including news, editorials, features, and music. The VOA has established a long-term modernization plan to increase its number of broadcasting languages from 42 to 60.

The word widespread in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. unlimited
- b. discernible
- c. extensive
- d. alluring
Jellyfish capture their prey by using nematocysts, small stinging organs found on their tentacles. They feed on organisms such as plankton, fish, and other jellyfish they may stumble upon while propelling themselves through the ocean. Their movement is produced through rhythmic contractions of the bell’s perimeter surface, which discharges water. This causes water to move the animal forward by jet propulsion. Some varieties of jellyfish are able to swim well, but most are weak swimmers that drift with sea currents.

The phrasal verb stumble upon in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. encounter
- b. ingest
- c. engender
- d. attack
During his administration, Thomas Jefferson pursued a policy of expansion. He seized an opportunity when Napoleon Bonaparte decided to forfeit French ambitions in North America by offering the Louisiana Territory for sale. This remarkable acquisition, purchased for a few cents per acre, more than doubled the area of the United States. Jefferson had no constitutional right to complete the transaction. Nevertheless, he made up the rules as he went along, broadly interpreting the Constitution.

The word forfeit in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. accelerate
- b. restrain
- c. relinquish
- d. disrupt
In some countries, high-speed driving is severely punished, while in others speed is ignored, tolerated, or encouraged. For example, French police fine drivers as much as 380 euros on the spot for driving more than 110 kilometers per hour, while the famous German expressway known as the “Autobahn” has no speed limit, although sections of it may have recommended limits. The lack of a speed limit and lighter police surveillance turn many drivers into skillful competitors.

In stating that high-speed driving is severely punished, the author means that
- a. offenders are sure to be arrested at once.
- b. exceeding the limit carries the death penalty.
- c. severely punished—authorities impose a large fine.
- d. speeding is officially encouraged.
As a U.S. congressman, Davy Crockett won a reputation as a witty, shrewd, and outspoken backwoodsman. It was in Washington that the legend of this man as a coonskinhatted bear hunter and tall-tale teller was created. There, his political allies promoted this image so he could compete with President Jackson’s image as a democrat.

The word witty in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. robust
- b. scattered
- c. humorous
- d. instinctive
The volcanic areas of southern Guatemala contain some of the nation’s most richest soils. However, the northern parts of this region are particularly subject to erosion encouraged by steep slopes and deforestation. Within the Sierra region, heavier rainfall combined with thinner soils on the steep slopes and the wanton destruction of forests have led to widespread erosion.

The word wanton in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. senseless
- b. sustained
- c. proportional
- d. outlandish
In all the Apache groups, the family structure was matrilocal. The women cared for the children, gathered plant food, and collected firewood and water. The men of the family hunted, fought, raided, and made weapons and shields. The most persuasive, tenacious, and successful family heads became Apache leaders. Those in authority were chosen because they had personal charisma and success in warfare.

The word charisma in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. obligations
- b. fallacies
- c. appeal
- d. capriciousness
Bishop Wright profoundly influenced the lives of his children. Wilbur and Orville, like their father, were independent thinkers. They had deep confidence in their own talents, and an unwavering faith in the soundness of their judgment. They were taught to endure difficulties and continue in the face of disappointment. Those qualities, when combined with their unique talents, help to explain the accomplishments of the Wright brothers as inventors.

The word endure in the passage is closest in meaning to
- a. disguise
- b. endorse
- c. reject
- d. persevere

Answer Key

Favorite Books

400 Must Have Words for the TOEFL

400 Must-Have Words for the TOEFL® will help you improve your score on the TOEFL test. In particular, this book will build your TOEFL vocabulary for the new Internet-based TOEFL of 2005.

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.

Table of Contents