to make a bad or difficult situation better
The school added shaded areas and water stations to ameliorate the effects of extreme heat.
Tim's Teachers Vocabulary Mastery
High-Utility Vocabulary for ISEE & SSAT
Chapter
9
30 High-Utility Words
Name
Date
Section 1 Learn the Words
Read each word, its part of speech and its meaning. Say the word aloud, then read the example sentence. The Chinese is a quick support only.
ameliorate
verb 改善；减轻
augment
verb 增加；扩大
to increase the size, amount, strength, or value of something
The researcher augmented the survey data with information from personal interviews.
coalesce
verb 合并；联合
to come together and form one larger group or whole
Several small volunteer groups began to coalesce into a single community organization.
condone
verb 宽恕；纵容
to accept or allow behavior that is considered wrong
The coach refused to condone cheating even when winning the championship was at stake.
construe
verb 解释；理解
to interpret the meaning of a word, statement, or action in a particular way
Some readers might construe the character's silence as agreement, although he never actually says yes.
delineate
verb 勾画；清楚描述
to describe or show something precisely and clearly
The report delineates the responsibilities of each member of the research team.
denounce
verb 谴责；公开抨击
to publicly condemn or strongly criticize someone or something
Community leaders gathered to denounce the deliberate destruction of the historic building.
disseminate
verb 传播；散布
to spread information or ideas widely
The health department used social media to disseminate accurate information about the outbreak.
engender
verb 产生；引起
to cause a feeling, condition, or situation to develop
A leader who listens carefully can engender trust among team members.
enumerate
verb 列举；枚举
to list things one by one
In her conclusion, Maya enumerated the three main reasons for protecting the wetlands.
equivocate
verb 含糊其辞；支吾
to use deliberately unclear language to avoid committing to a clear position
When asked whether he had approved the plan, the official began to equivocate instead of giving a direct answer.
expound
verb 详述；阐释
to explain an idea or theory in detail
The professor was invited to expound her theory during the question-and-answer session.
extrapolate
verb 推断；外推
to estimate or infer something beyond the known information
Scientists used five years of measurements to extrapolate how the glacier might change over the next decade.
forestall
verb 预先阻止；抢先行动
to prevent or delay something by taking action in advance
Workers reinforced the riverbank to forestall further erosion during the rainy season.
hamper
verb 妨碍；阻碍
to make progress or movement more difficult
Heavy fog may hamper the rescue team's search for the missing hikers.
impugn
verb 质疑；抨击
to challenge the truth, honesty, or character of someone or something
The attorney warned that speculation alone was not enough to impugn the witness's honesty.
juxtapose
verb 并列；并置比较
to place two things close together so their differences or similarities are clear
The exhibit will juxtapose photographs of the neighborhood from 1920 and today.
negate
verb 否定；使无效
to cancel, deny, or make something ineffective
One serious calculation error could negate the apparent advantage of the new design.
precipitate
verb 促成；使突然发生
to cause an event or situation, especially a sudden or unwanted one, to happen
A sudden shortage of fuel could precipitate a sharp increase in transportation costs.
proliferate
verb 激增；迅速扩散
to increase or spread rapidly
Once the invasive plant reached the lake, it began to proliferate along the shoreline.
qualify
verb 限定；修正
to limit or modify a statement so it is more precise or less absolute
The scientist qualified her conclusion by noting that the experiment involved only a small sample.
rectify
verb 纠正；改正
to correct something that is wrong or unfair
The company refunded the extra charge to rectify its billing error.
reiterate
verb 重申；反复说明
to say or state something again for emphasis or clarity
Before the trip began, the guide reiterated the rule that nobody should leave the marked trail.
renounce
verb 放弃；宣布拒绝
to formally give up, reject, or refuse to continue supporting something
After learning how the organization operated, she publicly renounced her membership.
salient
adjective 突出的；显著的
most noticeable, important, or relevant
The most salient point in the report was the dramatic decline in water use.
stipulate
verb 规定；明确要求
to state clearly that something is required as part of an agreement
The contest rules stipulate that every entry must be submitted by Friday.
tenable
adjective 站得住脚的；可辩护的
able to be defended with evidence or maintained as a reasonable position
Her explanation remained tenable because each part was supported by reliable evidence.
thwart
verb 阻挠；挫败
to prevent someone from succeeding or a plan from being completed
A locked gate thwarted the thieves' attempt to enter the warehouse.
unequivocal
adjective 明确无误的；毫不含糊的
completely clear and leaving no room for doubt or more than one interpretation
The principal gave an unequivocal response: the competition would proceed as scheduled.
vindicate
verb 证明无辜；证实正确
to clear someone from blame or show that a claim or action was justified
The newly discovered video helped vindicate the student who had been blamed for the accident.
Section 2 Immediate Retrieval
Write the word that matches each meaning. Do not look back at the word cards.
1.
An author places two contrasting scenes side by side. Write the j-word.
2.
Bad weather makes progress harder without stopping it completely. Write the h-word.
3.
A politician avoids a direct answer by speaking vaguely. Write the e-word.
4.
Complete the phrase: Extra evidence can a weak argument by adding support.
5.
What a-word means to make a difficult situation better?
6.
New evidence clears an accused person of blame. Write the v-word.
7.
A speaker names several reasons one by one. Write the e-word.
8.
A public figure strongly condemns an act in a speech. Write the d-word.
9.
Researchers extend a known trend beyond the available data. Write the e-word.
10.
An argument remains defensible after careful questioning. Write the t-adjective.
11.
A response is completely clear and leaves no room for doubt. Write the u-adjective.
12.
Write the s-adjective for a detail that is especially important or noticeable.
13.
A teacher states an important instruction again for emphasis. Write the r-word.
14.
Several separate groups gradually become one. Write the c-word.
15.
Rumors multiply rapidly across many websites. Write the p-word.
16.
A writer adds an important limitation to an overly broad claim. Write the q-word.
17.
If you interpret a brief remark as an insult, what c-word can describe what you do?
18.
Officials act early so a predicted shortage never occurs. Write the f-word.
19.
Someone formally rejects a belief once supported. Write the r-word.
20.
Mutual respect can trust within a team.
21.
Write the i-word for attacking someone's honesty or credibility.
22.
Security measures prevent a planned theft from succeeding. Write the t-word.
23.
A principal knowingly allows repeated cheating to continue. What c-word describes accepting the misconduct?
24.
Write the d-word for spreading information widely.
25.
One announcement suddenly triggers a crisis. Write the p-word.
26.
Write the e-word for explaining an idea in detail.
27.
A major flaw cancels the benefit of a plan. Write the n-word.
28.
Write the d-word for showing boundaries or responsibilities precisely.
29.
An organization discovers an error and corrects it. Write the r-word.
30.
A contract clearly requires payment by a certain date. Write the s-word for stating that requirement.
Section 3 Review from Earlier Chapters
These words come from earlier lessons. Use what you remember - the meanings are not repeated here.
1.
During the interview, the athlete was ______ about her mistakes rather than trying to conceal them.
2.
A debater adds reliable statistics and expert testimony to make her position more convincing. Which earlier-lesson word best describes what the new evidence does?
□bolster
□negate
□hamper
□impugn
3.
A leader consistently acts with generosity and concern for other people's welfare. Write the earlier-lesson adjective that best describes the leader.
4.
Because the evidence was incomplete, the investigator remained ______ and avoided making accusations too quickly.
5.
A researcher carefully checks the data every day for months and never neglects the smallest detail. Which earlier-lesson word best describes the researcher?
□clandestine
□assiduous
□capricious
□abrasive
6.
The noise from the construction gradually became less intense. Write the earlier-lesson word that best describes this change.
7.
Restoring the abandoned trail was a(n) ______ task that required weeks of exhausting physical labor.
8.
One result differed sharply from the consistent pattern found in hundreds of other measurements. Which earlier-lesson word best describes that result?
□tenable
□salient
□unequivocal
□aberrant
9.
An activity is deliberately kept secret because the participants do not want others to know about it. Write the earlier-lesson adjective that best describes the activity.
10.
Several students decided to ______ for a later library closing time by presenting their proposal to the school board.
11.
A manager constantly speaks to employees in a harsh, irritating way that creates unnecessary conflict. Which earlier-lesson word best describes the manager's manner?
□benevolent
□candid
□abrasive
□circumspect
12.
A person's choices change unpredictably according to sudden impulses. Write the earlier-lesson adjective that best describes this behavior.
Section 4 Context Practice
Choose the word that best completes each sentence. Fill in one box for each question.
1.
A shortage of replacement parts continued to ______ efforts to repair the damaged equipment.
□guide
□hamper
□motivate
□advocate
2.
The museum upgraded its alarm system to ______ any attempt to steal the valuable manuscript.
□detect
□describe
□forestall
□document
3.
Using the growth recorded during the first six months, analysts attempted to ______ what sales might look like next year.
□verify
□circumspect
□calculate
□extrapolate
4.
To strengthen the small research team, the university decided to ______ it with two additional specialists.
□restrict
□replace
□augment
□observe
5.
Although the coach understood the players' frustration, she would not ______ their decision to deliberately injure an opponent.
□predict
□condone
□examine
□report
6.
At the public meeting, residents gathered to ______ the destruction of the neighborhood's only park.
□denounce
□record
□anticipate
□discuss
7.
The agency created a multilingual website to ______ accurate safety information throughout the region.
□disseminate
□conceal
□arduous
□evaluate
8.
A sudden power failure threatened to ______ the scientists' attempt to complete the experiment before midnight.
□delay
□thwart
□alter
□abate
9.
Once the contradictory evidence emerged, the prosecutor's original explanation was no longer ______.
□obvious
□clandestine
□tenable
□popular
10.
The captain hoped that admitting her own mistake would ______ greater honesty among the rest of the team.
□prevent
□measure
□clandestine
□engender
11.
After the organization adopted policies he strongly opposed, the founder decided to ______ his association with it.
□explain
□review
□renounce
□maintain
12.
The rental agreement will ______ that tenants must obtain permission before making structural changes.
□stipulate
□predict
□observe
□suggest
13.
The judge's instructions were ______: jurors were not permitted to discuss the case with anyone.
□lengthy
□unequivocal
□tentative
□subtle
14.
The critic disagreed with the scientist's conclusion but had no evidence with which to ______ her integrity.
□praise
□describe
□assess
□impugn
15.
The documentary chose to ______ images of luxurious resorts with scenes from nearby impoverished villages.
□aberrant
□separate
□juxtapose
□describe
16.
The historian had to ______ her original claim after discovering evidence that several exceptions existed.
□qualify
□repeat
□publish
□defend
17.
Among dozens of minor details, the most ______ finding was that attendance had increased by nearly forty percent.
□ordinary
□salient
□complex
□uncertain
18.
Because his brief reply sounded sarcastic, several classmates chose to ______ it as criticism.
□repeat
□publish
□dismiss
□construe
Section 5 Semantic Discrimination
All four words are close in meaning. Choose the one that fits the situation most precisely.
1.
A bank discovers that it charged a customer twice and reverses the extra charge to correct the mistake. Which word best describes its action?
□resolve
□repair
□rectify
□compensate
2.
A new bus route does not eliminate traffic congestion, but it noticeably improves a difficult transportation problem. Which word most precisely describes what the route does?
□alter
□ameliorate
□conceal
□resolve
3.
A scholar spends an hour developing the reasoning behind a complicated theory, including its assumptions and implications. Which word best describes what the scholar does?
□expound
□clarify
□abate
□elaborate
4.
A single unexpected bank failure suddenly triggers widespread panic in financial markets. Which word most precisely describes the failure's role?
□worsen
□cause
□accelerate
□precipitate
5.
A safety improvement saves ten minutes, but a new inspection requirement adds exactly ten minutes back to the process. Which word best describes what the requirement does to the time savings?
□reduce
□clandestine
□reverse
□negate
6.
Asked for a clear position, a spokesperson deliberately uses vague phrases so that neither side can tell what she actually supports. Which word best fits?
□equivocate
□generalize
□hesitate
□evade
7.
A policy document identifies the exact authority and responsibilities of each department so there is no confusion about their roles. Which word best describes what the document does?
□illustrate
□outline
□delineate
□summarize
8.
After already explaining the evacuation rule, a principal states it again because it is especially important. Which word best describes this action?
□review
□reiterate
□repeat
□rephrase
9.
Three independent student movements gradually unite and become one organization with shared leadership. Which word best describes the change?
□collaborate
□assiduous
□coalesce
□assemble
10.
Rather than saying there were many problems, a witness names the six problems individually. Which word best describes this action?
□summarize
□enumerate
□categorize
□assiduous
11.
After appearing on one website, nearly identical false stories rapidly multiply across hundreds of accounts. Which word best describes what the stories do?
□proliferate
□circulate
□accumulate
□expand
12.
A student is blamed for altering a file, but computer records later prove that another person made the change. Which word best describes what the records do for the student?
□exonerate
□defend
□aberrant
□vindicate
Section 6 Synonyms
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
S1.
PRECIPITATE:
□trigger
□prevent
□restrain
□predict
S2.
THWART:
□pursue
□threaten
□foil
□enable
S3.
EXPOUND:
□condense
□expose
□elaborate
□dismiss
S4.
QUALIFY:
□generalize
□quantify
□repeat
□limit
S5.
NEGATE:
□affirm
□nullify
□negotiate
□increase
S6.
IMPUGN:
□challenge
□endorse
□improve
□repeat
S7.
REITERATE:
□retract
□conceal
□repeat
□invent
S8.
STIPULATE:
□question
□simulate
□suggest
□specify
S9.
UNEQUIVOCAL:
□uncertain
□unambiguous
□lengthy
□equivalent
S10.
ENGENDER:
□generate
□prevent
□endanger
□measure
S11.
RENOUNCE:
□forsake
□explain
□announce
□embrace
S12.
CONSTRUE:
□construct
□ignore
□repeat
□interpret
S13.
FORESTALL:
□permit
□describe
□prevent
□forecast
S14.
AMELIORATE:
□worsen
□improve
□amplify
□memorize
S15.
CONDONE:
□condemn
□examine
□tolerate
□console
S16.
EXTRAPOLATE:
□observe
□project
□extract
□verify
S17.
DELINEATE:
□obscure
□delete
□combine
□define
S18.
EQUIVOCATE:
□hedge
□declare
□equate
□confirm
S19.
DENOUNCE:
□praise
□explain
□announce
□condemn
S20.
HAMPER:
□hinder
□assist
□hammer
□praise
S21.
DISSEMINATE:
□conceal
□spread
□collect
□dissolve
S22.
RECTIFY:
□predict
□recite
□correct
□damage
S23.
ENUMERATE:
□omit
□summarize
□list
□estimate
S24.
SALIENT:
□prominent
□ordinary
□silent
□trivial
S25.
JUXTAPOSE:
□conceal
□justify
□separate
□contrast
S26.
TENABLE:
□untenable
□defensible
□temporary
□obvious
S27.
PROLIFERATE:
□diminish
□isolate
□multiply
□prolong
S28.
AUGMENT:
□reduce
□organize
□argue
□increase
S29.
VINDICATE:
□exonerate
□criticize
□indicate
□accuse
S30.
COALESCE:
□separate
□merge
□wander
□coerce
Section 7 Cumulative Reading
Read the passage carefully. You may underline words you recognise from this lesson and earlier lessons.
The River Project
When eighth grader Leila Moreno first proposed restoring the neglected stream behind her school, she expected a small weekend cleanup. Instead, the idea began to coalesce into a much larger community project. Science teachers, neighborhood volunteers, and members of an environmental club all offered assistance. Their combined efforts would augment the school's limited resources.
The project soon encountered a problem. Rumors began to proliferate online that the restoration would close a popular walking trail permanently. Leila's team needed to disseminate accurate information before the rumors undermined public support. At a community meeting, Leila carefully delineated the project's boundaries on a large map and explained that only one short section of trail would close temporarily.
One resident asked whether the students could guarantee that no wildlife would be disturbed. Leila resisted the temptation to equivocate. Instead, she qualified her earlier claims. The project could reduce long-term damage to the stream, she explained, but any construction might temporarily disturb some animals. Her precise answer seemed to engender trust because she acknowledged uncertainty rather than pretending it did not exist.
A second challenge emerged when heavy rain was forecast for the weekend. The team placed barriers around exposed soil to forestall erosion, but the storm arrived earlier than expected. Muddy water damaged several newly planted areas and threatened to hamper the project for weeks. Some volunteers wanted to abandon the effort.
Leila disagreed. She argued that one setback did not negate months of careful planning. She enumerated the tasks that could still be completed indoors and asked the group to focus on those until the ground dried. Her proposal was tenable: the team could build signs, organize tools, and prepare educational materials without entering the muddy site.
Two weeks later, the volunteers returned to the stream. The restored section was smaller than originally planned, but the most salient result was not its size. Students who had barely spoken to one another at the beginning were now working as a coordinated team. The difficulties had forced them to communicate clearly, revise their assumptions, and solve problems together. What began as a cleanup had become a lesson in how communities respond when good plans meet complicated reality.
Section 8 Reading & Application
Answer the questions using the passage. For the written questions, reply in complete sentences on the lines provided.
1.
What does the statement that the project began to coalesce suggest about the volunteers and organizations involved?
□They divided the work into unrelated projects.
□They gradually lost interest in the project.
□They competed to control the project.
□They began coming together around one larger shared effort.
2.
Why did Leila qualify her earlier claims at the community meeting?
□She wanted to make her original statement sound more absolute.
□She wanted to make her claim more precise by acknowledging an important limitation.
□She had forgotten the details of the project.
□She wanted to withdraw the restoration proposal entirely.
3.
Why did the team place barriers around the exposed soil?
□To measure how much rain fell.
□To act in advance to prevent erosion.
□To make the trail permanently inaccessible.
□To encourage water to flow through the planted areas.
4.
When Leila says that one setback did not negate months of planning, what is she arguing?
□The setback did not cancel the value of the work already completed.
□The planning had caused the storm damage.
□The team should repeat all of its earlier planning.
□The planning was less detailed than volunteers had believed.
5.
Why is Leila's indoor-work proposal described as tenable?
□It required the volunteers to ignore the weather conditions.
□It guaranteed that the project would finish immediately.
□It was a reasonable plan that could be supported by practical alternatives.
□It was the most popular idea before the storm.
6.
According to the final paragraph, what was the most salient result of the project?
□The restored area was larger than expected.
□The walking trail was closed permanently.
□The students completed every part of the original plan.
□The students learned to work together as a coordinated team.
7.
Describe a school problem and explain one action that could ameliorate it and one obstacle that might hamper the solution.
8.
Imagine you are creating a history presentation. Explain two things you would juxtapose and identify the salient difference you want the audience to notice.
9.
Write two sentences about a contest: one describing something its rules stipulate and another explaining how organizers could rectify an unfair mistake.
10.
Describe a situation in which someone's honesty is impugned and later evidence vindicates that person.
Section 9 Final Retrieval
Close the workbook to the previous sections. Write the word for each meaning from memory.
1.
Write the word for a claim that can still be reasonably defended with evidence.
2.
Complete the sentence: One serious flaw could ______ the benefits of the otherwise efficient system.
3.
Write the word for challenging someone's honesty, integrity, or credibility.
4.
A writer puts two descriptions next to each other specifically to make their differences striking. What word describes this technique?
5.
A school discovers that a student's grade was entered incorrectly and changes the record to fix the error. What word describes this action?
6.
Researchers use an established pattern in existing data to estimate what may happen beyond the measured period. What word describes this process?
7.
Write the word for interpreting a statement or action in a particular way.
8.
Complete the sentence: The agreement will ______ that all participants must wear protective equipment.
9.
False accounts rapidly multiply across a social network. What word describes what the accounts do?
10.
Complete the sentence: New documents may ______ the scientist whose results were unfairly questioned.
11.
Complete the sentence: The chairperson paused to ______ the three requirements individually.
12.
Complete the sentence: The revised policy was designed to ______ the burden on families with limited transportation.
13.
Complete the sentence: The organization used radio, websites, and posters to ______ the warning throughout the region.
14.
A security system prevents intruders from completing their plan. What word describes what the system does?
15.
Early repairs prevent a minor crack from becoming a major structural failure. What word describes what the repairs do?
16.
Write the word for publicly condemning an action in strong terms.
17.
Write the word for formally giving up or rejecting a former belief or allegiance.
18.
Write the word for explaining a complex idea extensively and in detail.
19.
Write the adjective for the point that is most important or noticeable in a complicated discussion.
20.
Complete the sentence: The report will ______ the precise limits of the proposed development zone.
21.
The museum adds oral histories to an existing exhibit to make the exhibit richer and more complete. What word describes what the new material does?
22.
Complete the sentence: Poor visibility could ______ the pilots' efforts to locate the landing area.
23.
A manager knows that employees are falsifying reports but continues to allow the practice. What word describes what the manager is doing?
24.
Complete the sentence: Respectful treatment can ______ loyalty among employees.
25.
A scientist adds a limitation to a broad statement so it more accurately reflects the evidence. What word describes this?
26.
Several small organizations gradually become one unified coalition. What word describes this process?
27.
Complete the sentence: The teacher had to ______ the safety instruction because several students had missed it the first time.
28.
A sudden announcement triggers a rush of withdrawals from a bank. What word describes what the announcement does?
29.
A speaker deliberately avoids committing to either side of a controversial question. What word describes what the speaker does?
30.
Complete the sentence: The director's answer was ______; everyone understood that the deadline would not be extended.