Take Action: 11th Grade Launch Curriculum - 204

LAUNCH GRADE 11: TAKE ACTION!

Vocabulary Word List
abbreviate - (v) to shorten, abridge
abstinence - (n) the act of refraining from
pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking

empathy - (n) identification with the feelings
of others

precocious - (adj) unusually advanced or
talented at an early age

emulate - (v) to imitate, follow an example

pretentious - (adj) pretending to be
important, intelligent, or cultured

adulation - (n) high praise

enervating - (adj) weakening, tiring

adversity - (n) misfortune, an unfavorable
turn of events

enhance - (v) to improve, bring to a greater
level of intensity

aesthetic - (adj) pertaining to beauty or the
arts

ephemeral - (adj) momentary, transient,
fleeting

amicable - (adj) friendly, agreeable

evanescent - (adj) quickly fading, short-lived,
esp. an image

procrastinate - (v) to unnecessarily delay,
postpone, put off
prosaic - (adj) relating to prose; dull,
commonplace
prosperity - (n) wealth or success

exasperation - (n) irritation, frustration

provocative - (adj) tending to provoke a
response, e.g., anger or disagreement

anecdote - (n) short, usually funny account
of an event

exemplary - (adj) outstanding, an example
to others

prudent - (adj) careful, cautious
querulous - (adj) complaining, irritable

anonymous - (adj) nameless, without a
disclosed identity

extenuating - (adj) excusing, lessening the
seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating
factors

rancorous - (adj) bitter, hateful

anachronistic - (adj) out-of-date, not
attributed to the correct historical period

antagonist - (n) foe, opponent, adversary
arid - (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring
assiduous - (adj) persistent, hard-working

florid - (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy,
ornate

reclusive - (adj) preferring to live in isolation
reconciliation - (n) the act of agreement
after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute
renovation - (n) repair, making something
new again

asylum - (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge

fortuitous - (adj) happening by luck,
fortunate

benevolent - (adj) friendly and helpful

frugal - (adj) thrifty, cheap

camaraderie - (n) trust, sociability among
friends

hackneyed - (adj) cliched, worn out by
overuse

censure - (v) to criticize harshly

haughty - (adj) arrogant and condescending

circuitous - (adj) indirect, taking the longest
route

hedonist - (n) person who pursues pleasure
as a goal

clairvoyant - (adj) exceptionally insightful,
able to foresee the future

hypothesis - (n) assumption, theory
requiring proof

spontaneity - (n) impulsive action,
unplanned events

collaborate - (v) to cooperate, work together

impetuous - (adj) rash, impulsive, acting
without thinking

spurious - (adj) lacking authenticity, false

compassion - (n) sympathy, helpfulness, or
mercy
compromise - (v) to settle a dispute by terms
agreeable to both sides
condescending - (adj) possessing an attitude
of superiority, patronizing

impute - (v) to attribute an action to a
particular person or group
incompatible - (adj) opposed in nature, not
able to live or work together

resilient - (adj) quick to recover, bounce back
restrained - (adj) controlled, repressed,
restricted
reverence - (n) worship, profound respect
sagacity - (n) wisdom
scrutinize - (v) to observe carefully

submissive - (adj) tending to meekness, to
submit to the will of others
substantiate - (v) to verify, confirm, provide
supporting evidence

inconsequential - (adj) unimportant, trivial

subtle - (adj) hard to detect or describe;
perceptive

conditional - (adj) depending on a condition,
e.g., in a contract

inevitable - (adj) certain, unavoidable

superficial - (adj) shallow, lacking in depth

conformist - (n) person who complies with
accepted rules and customs

integrity - (n) decency, honesty, wholeness
intrepid - (adj) fearless, adventurous

superfluous - (adj) extra, more than enough,
redundant
suppress - (v) to end an activity, e.g., to
prevent the dissemination of information

congregation - (n) a crowd of people, an
assembly

intuitive - (adj) instinctive, untaught

convergence - (n) the state of separate
elements joining or coming together

lobbyist - (n) person who seeks to influence
political events

deleterious - (adj) harmful, destructive,
detrimental

longevity - (n) long life

demagogue - (n) leader, rabble-rouser,
usually appealing to emotion or prejudice

mundane - (adj) ordinary, commonplace

tenacious - (adj) determined, keeping a firm
grip on

nonchalant - (adj) calm, casual, seeming
unexcited

transient - (adj) temporary, short-lived,
fleeting

novice - (n) apprentice, beginner

venerable - (adj) respected because of age

opulent - (adj) wealthy

vindicate - (v) to clear from blame or
suspicion

digression - (n) the act of turning aside,
straying from the main point, esp. in a speech
or argument

jubilation - (n) joy, celebration, exultation

surreptitious - (adj) secret, stealthy
tactful - (adj) considerate, skillful in acting to
avoid offense to others

diligent - (adj) careful and hard-working

orator - (n) lecturer, speaker

discredit - (v) to harm the reputation of,
dishonor or disgrace

ostentatious - (adj) showy, displaying wealth

wary - (adj) careful, cautious

parched - (adj) dried up, shriveled

disdain - (v) to regard with scorn or contempt

perfidious - (adj) faithless, disloyal,
untrustworthy

Source: Washington Post Education Marketplace. Available:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/
eduadv/kaplan/kart_ug_sat100.html

divergent - (adj) separating, moving in
different directions from a particular point

204

LESSon 20: InTroDuCTIon To ThE SAT AnD ACT
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Take Action: 11th Grade Launch Curriculum

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