GRE VOCABULARY

McGraw-Hills CONQUERING THE NEW GRE Verbal and Writing (2011)

1. abjure , . He never did adjure his belief in the big bang theory. 2. abnegate () . . The king will abnegate power to his son, the prince. 3. accede , . Will the boss accede to her worker's demands? 4. accolade , My father won an accolade for bravery in wartime. 5. acrimonious (, ) , Their divorce was acrimonious; only the lawyers won. 6. adroitly , Our waiter adroitly balanced several trays at once. 7. aegis , He negotiated under the aegis of the prime minister. 8. altruistic Giving away her favorite coat was an altruistic act. 9. ambience , () I like the ambience at that tiny corner cafe. 10. anodyne , The singsong music had an anodyne effect. 11. apostate Having left the church, he was called an apostate. 12. asperity She spoke with asperity, but her eyes were twinkling. 13. assiduous The carpenter was assiduous in lining up the .... 14. auspices , The club functions under the auspices of the college. 15. avarice Midas lost his only daughter to his avarice for gold. 16. bacchanal , Chaperones kept the prom from being a bacchanal. 17. bastion The D.A.'s office is our bastion against crime. 18. beatific Accepting her award, she gave a beatific smile. 19. behemoth The elephant is the behemoth of the Indian forest.

20. bellicose Separating the twins kept them from being bellicose. 21. bellwether () Housing foreclosures(, ) were a bellwether of recession ( , ). 22. benighted , (=unenlightened) The benighted peasants through the Earth stood still. 23. bevy , (esp. of girls) A bevy of young girls flowed through the mall. 24. bifurcate , . The bifurcate stream flowed east and southeast. 25. blandishment , . She persuaded us both with blandishment and bribe. 26. boisterous , The merry, boisterous crowd cheered on the team. 27. brigand , That brigand was captured with the other pirates. 28. cajole . You cannot cajole me to try that new restaurant. 29. canard ( ) The suggestion that the senator is ill is just a canard . 30. celerity , With great celerity, the rumor raced around town. 31. censure , The committee urged censure for his misconduct. 32. choleric , , (=bad-tempered) Her choleric nature kept the whole office on edge. 33. clemency , , The judgment was harsh, but clemency was possible. 34. contumely Their contumely at his mistake was unbearable. 35. convivial , A convivial person makes friends wherever she goes. 36. coporeal , Your corporeal assets may include houses or cars. 37. coterie , , My coterie loves to celebrate birthdays as a group. 38. crux ( ) The crux of the matter seems to be affordability ( , ..). 39. culpable Insurance companies were held culpable in his death.

40. cupidity , Isn't cupidity one of the seven deadly (, ) sins? 41. deft His deft fingers on the keyboard left us in awe. 42. deleterious Chemical additives may be deleterious to our health. 43. demagogue A demagogue wins power by stirring up the people. 44. deprecate , , Do not deprecate my small attempts at humor. 45. derision , , Dr. Ding's peculiar(, ) theory was met with derision. 46. diaphanous , The dancers wore diaphanous skirts over leotards. 47. diffidence , People often mistook her diffidence for rudeness. 48. dissipate . The crowd will dissipate after the concert ends. 49. dolorous That dolorous music brought tears to my eyes. 50. dotage , In his dotage, he became more and more forgetful. 51. draconian Trespassing laws in this country are draconian. 52. dulcet () We could hear the dulcet tones of her flute. 53. ebullience The children's ebullience was delightful to see. 54. edict () , , , The king issued an edict demanding new taxes. 55. egregious , Your rudeness toward the principal was egregious. 56. egress , The nearest egress led through a door to the patio. 57. elan Her joyful lan is her most charming feature. 58. elegiac His reading at the funeral was lovely and elegiac. 59. epicure I'm no epicure, but I do like visiting fine restaurants. 60. epitome Their ranch() is the epitome of country living. 61. equivocal , The evidence was equivocal and led nowhere.

62. eschew , . Please eschew the passive voice in your writing. 63. euphonious The chirping of the birds made a euphonious sound. 64. exalt (, , , ) . That song was written to exalt the queen. 65. exhort ... , , . Our professors exhort us to continue our studies. 66. expiate , , . He worked in s soup kitchen to expiate his misdeeds. 67. expunge , . Can we expunge the record and start over again? 68. facile , , His answer was too facile for so complex a problem. 69. fallible To be human is to be fallible; we all err at times. 70. fealty (allegiance, loyalty) Knights pledged an oath() of fealty to their rulers. 71. fecund , Rabbits are quite fecund and produce many litters. 72. feign . () . She may feign illness to avoid taking the test. 73. fervent It is my fervent hope that you will visit soon. 74. fetid (foul-smelling) After three days in the heat, the garbage was fetid. 75. fidelity This tape has great fidelity to the original recording. 76. filch . Did you filch my yogurt from the refrigerator shelf? 77. foist () . He tried to foist his merchandise on innocent tourists. 78. fortuitous Our meeting in the park was entirely fortuitous. 79. fulminate , . His anger may fulminate if you continue to tease him. 80. fulsome , Her fulsome praise only made us mistrust her more. 81. gaffe , Joe's worst gaffe came when he called Lisa "Lucy." 82. galvanize . His brave speeches always galvanize his listeners.

83. gargantuan Three gargantuan derricks stood in the oil field. 84. genteel , As one time, a genteel woman always wore gloves. 85. germane , Your opinion is not germane to this discussion. 86. gibe . The continued to gibe at the speaker until he quit. 87. glib , Glib responses are inappropriate in serious times. 88. grandiloquence , I prefer plain speaking to grandiloquence. 89. gratuitous , Dont put up with that womans gratuitous insults. 90. gustatory , Sweet things appeal to my gustatory senses. 91. hackneyed , To use a hackneyed phrase, itll knock your socks off! 92. halcyon The day was halcyon; not a cloud was in the sky. 93. hector , . Please dont hector your teammates unnecessarily. 94. heinous , Superglueing his gloves was a heinous act. 95. hermetic If the flask is hermetic, no air will escape or enter. 96. heterodoxy , Her heterodoxy upset the elders of the church. 97. hiatus , My favorite TV show is on hiatus for the summer. 98. hirsute Will the boy grow to be as hirsute as his father? 99. histrionic , With a histrionic gesture, she sent us on our way. 100. homily , In his homily, the pastor urged us to show respect. 101. humbug , The wizard of Oz was something of a humbug. 102. idyll , My professor read aloud an idyll by Tennyson. 103. ignominy , The captured criminals will now live in ignominy. 104. ilk , People of that ilk rarely become managers. 105. impecunious , Back then, most mine workers were impecunious.

106. imprecation , The witchs imprecation doomed the princess. 107. incorrigible ( ) , The distressed counselor called the boy incorrigible. 108. ingratiate . You might ingratiate yourself by praising her work. 109. inimitable , , The inimitable style of his poetry cannot be copied. 110. iniquity , A den of iniquity is a place where evil is done. 111. insouciant , We could hear her insouciant whistling from indoors. 112. intrinsic , , Jose seemed to have an intrinsic ear for music. 113. inveigh , . Customers inveigh about the companys return policy. 114. irk , , . If you irk him, he will toss you out of his office. 115. itinerant The itinerant laborer moved from town to town. 116. jejune , A jejune drama will not entertain this audience. 117. jeremiad , , The speech was a jeremiad about the evils of slavery. 118. jibe , ( ) . Our sailboat will jibe as it comes close to shore. 119. jocular , A jocular actor is best for the job of store Santa. 220. judicious (), His judicious plan appeased accused() and accuser(). 221. juggernaut The storm was a juggernaut that crushed the town. 222. juxtapose , The kinetic sculpture turns slowly on its base. 223. kismet Running into each other at the mall was kismet. 224. kudos , We offered kudos for her fine dance performance. 225. lachrymose , , Although her tale was lachrymose, it made us giggle.

226. lambaste . I will lambaste Carl for his unacceptable behavior. 227. lambent , Lambent candles decorated each square window. 228. largesse () , Our bosss largesse extended to extra vacation days. 229. laudable Her focus on protecting our wetlands was laudable. 330. libation , He poured a libation and toasted the New Year. 331. licentious Licentious material is banned from school computers. 332. limpid , You could see to the bottom of the limpid stream. 333. lissome , The dancers lissome movements were soothing. 334. litany His litany of complaints did nothing to persuade us. 335. lithe , With a lithe leap, the gymnast landed on the beam. 336. lugubrious , , We nearly laughed at the deans lugubrious tone. 337. luminary , / (, ) We were joined by a luminary from the art world. 338. macerate () . () . The digestive system serves to macerate food. 339. mainstay Reading instruction is the mainstay of education. 340. martinet , My middle school principal was a stern martinet. 341. maudlin , Our great aunt sends us maudlin greeting cards. 342. meander . Three slow streams meander through the property (, ). 343. mellifluous , The meadowlark has a pleasant, mellifluous song. 344. mendacity , The mans mendacity will lead others to mistrust him. 345. mendicant A mendicant tugged at my coat and asked for help. 346. mercurial Her mercurial moods confused her roommates.

347. miasma ( ) , A dank (=damp) miasma rose from the flooded swamp. 348. mien , At an interview, your mien should be professional. 349. misanthrope No misanthrope should ever run for public office. 350. miscreant , Will the miscreant receive appropriate punishment? 351. modulate ( ) . Please modulate your voice in the library. 352. moribund , Onondaga may be considered a moribund language. 353. munificent , The munificent gift will build a new hospital wing. 354. mutable Our opinions on the subject seem to be mutable. 355. nadir (, ) The nadir of my career came when he fired me. 356. nebulous , His explanation was nebulous and left us baffled. 357. nefarious , The convicts nefarious crimes led to a life sentence. 358. nether , Colonial women wore layers of nether garments. 359. nexus , , Drugs may be a nexus between terrorism and crime. 360. niggardly The broker left a niggardly tip of only fifty cents. 361. nihilism (, , , ), Judes nihilism contrasts with his priestly () garments. 362. noisome , A noisome stench arose where we were digging. 363. nonplus . Their carefree attitude might nonplus their elders. 364. nostrum The poet found love to be a nostrum for melancholy. 365. noxious Keep noxious chemicals out of the water supply. 366. nuance (, , ) Notice the nuance in color between the two scarves. 367. nugatory , His opinion was nugatory to the groups decision. 368. obeisance , The knight made humble obeisance before the duke.

369. obloquy , , Their obloquy seemed cruel and almost slanderous. 370. odious , His behavior is odious, and his speech is rude. 371. offal Dress the deer and throw the offal into the woods. 372. onus Her grandfathers care is an onus she gladly bears. 373. ossify . The dried gourds seemed to ossify in the hot sun. 374. ostracize , . Do not ostracize him because he disagrees with you. 375. ouster After her ouster from the club, she considered suing (sue: ). 376. overweening , His overweening ambition nearly took over his life. 377. panache , , Aunt Ida wore her purple feather boa with panache. 378. parity , , Have women achieved parity in intramural (, ) sports? 379. patois Many folks along the river speak a Creole patois. 380. peccadillo , (trifling) It was easy to forgive him for that mild peccadillo. 381. pedant I prefer a know-it-all to a rules-obsessed (.., , .. .) pedant. 382. penumbra , ( ) We saw the moons penumbra during the eclipse. 383. peregrination , His peregrination took him many hundreds of miles. 384. perfidy , Benedict Arnold is now famous mostly for his perfidy. 385. phalanx , The phalanx of horsemen closed in on the fortress. 386. picayune () Dont trouble me with those picayune details. 387. piquant , , The sauce was smooth, with a piquant aftertaste. 388. plait , (, ) , Sarah Jane wrapped her long plait around her head. 389. platitude , No platitude is likely to engage the audience.

390. plebeian , , , , She thought bowling was too plebeian sport. 391. prosaic , , , He described his vacation in flat, prosaic terms. 392. provenance , What is the provenance of this oil painting? 393. puissance , The puissance of the unions led to that new law. 394. pulchritude () , Are models supposed to be the height of pulchritude? 395. putative , The putative author was later shown to be illiterate. 396. quaff . () . We merrily quaff the punch at the office party. 397. quagmire , The quagmire of Vietnam sank several careers. 398. qualms , , She had some qualms about hiring the whistle-blower. 399. quandary , , , He was in a quandary about which job to take. 400. quay , , Sailors docked the ships at the quay for unloading. 401. quell , , . Crackers may quell our hunger for a while. 402. queue The queue at the ticket booth was long and restless. 403. quiescence , , The deers quiescence ends with cooler weather. 404. quixotic He has a quixotic belief in the goodness of humanity. 405. quotidian , , My quotidian routine has become deadly dull. 406. raffish , , , He looked confident in his raffish scarf and cap. 407. rapacious , The young lioness() has quite a rapacious appetite. 408. raucous , , Their raucous laughter kept the rest of us awake. 409. regale , , . Our host will regale us with food and

conversation. 410. repast , A long walk will help us to digest that ground repast. 411. replete , , Everyone was replete following the wedding feast. 412. respite The long weekend was a welcome respite for all. 413. retinue (), Rapper D never travels without a retinue of friends. 414. ribald , The comedians Jokes were ribald and shocking. 415. rife , , Disease was rife in Europe during the middle ages. 416. rift After the earthquake, a rift appeared in the field. 417. riposte () , , . Her clever riposte stopped his argument in its tracks. 418. rostrum , , The speaker stood behind a rostrum on the stage. 419. rue , .. . You will rue the day that you angered my friend. 420. ruminate . . In class, we will ruminate on the theme of madness. 421. sagacious , One hopes that ones professors will be sagacious. 422. salutary , Drinking water seems to be salutary to everyone. 423. sanguine , He seemed oddly sanguine about the recession. 434. sardonic , In a sardonic tone, she suggested we look elsewhere. 435. saturnine , , Joe was saturnine, but his wife was always cheerful. 436. schism , When did the schism in the catholic church occur? 437. sinecure ( ) His sinecure with the governors office was a gift. 438. slake () . The hikers can slake their thirst at the ranger station. 439. sobriquet The sobriquet Lumpy does not describe her figure.

440. sophomoric , They regretted playing such a sophomoric prank (). 441. sordid , I quickly returned the sordid magazine to the shelf. 442. spate , After a spate of e-mails, I heard nothing for weeks. 443. spurious , Your argument is spurious, it lacks sense and logic. 444. stalwart , , Big Ben is a stalwart, obedient hunting dog. 445. steadfast A steadfast employee is likely to be rewarded. 446. stoic , The young boy was stoic as he received his flu shot. 447. stymie , . One move helped the class master stymie his rival. 448. succinct , Writing that is succinct is easier to understand. 449. supplicant , A supplicant stood palm upward beside the cathedral (). 450. surmise , , You might surmise that he is not a native speaker. 451. sycophant , , The king laughed at the sycophant behind his back. 452. tactile , Reading Braille is tactile rather than visual. 453. taint , , /.. , . Dont let prejudice taint your opinions and beliefs. 454. tautology , Its a tautology to say This may be true or untrue. 455. tawdry Her tawdry outfit was better suited to a saloon. 456. temerity , , It took temerity to question his captains orders. 457. terse , He gave a terse reply to our lengthy question. 458. timorous A mouse is timorous by nature, but a fox is sly (, ). 459. toady , The toady was always ready with an oily compliment. 460. tome , She lugged the weighty tome from the library. 461. torrid , They carried on a torrid correspondence for years.

462. tout . I always tout her books to all of my friends. 463. traverse . Are you allowed to traverse the bridge on foot? 464. travesty The trial was a travesty; the judge was half asleep. 465. trenchant , , Oscar Wilde was known for his trenchant wit. 466. truculent (), , His truculent speech won him new enemies. 467. turbid , The turbid water may hide many sharp rocks. 468. turpitude , , Crimes of moral turpitude may lead to deportation (). 469. ubiquitous , Cell phones seem to be ubiquitous in high schools. 470. umbrage , , She took umbrage when I laughed at her dog. 471. unctuous , His unctuous smile was obviously insincere. 472. undulate , The rattlesnake seemed to undulate over the sand. 473. unkempt Please comb your unkempt hair before going out. 474. unsung The soldiers bravery was unsung; he won no medal. 475. urbane . Clyde seemed rather urbane after his tour abroad. 476. usurp , . They cannot usurp power without support from us. 477. usury , , Some credit card companies seem to practice usury. 478. vacuous , Her vacuous stare made her appear bored and silly. 479. vagary , A vagary in the weather dumped six inches of snow. 480. vainglorious , She has no cause to act in such a vainglorious way. 481. valor , , Valor on the field of battle was crucial for a knight. 482. vanquish , . Our debating team will vanquish all rival teams.

483. venal , , A venal player might throw a game for money. 484. venerable , The venerable chief had ruled for nearly fifty years. 485. vicissitude , A vicissitude in fortune enabled him to go to college. 486. vilify , . The columnist tried to vilify the author in print. 487. virago , , Katharina is a virago in the taming of the shrew. 488. virulent , , Anthrax is a disease caused by a virulent bacterium. 489. vitiate , , . Sudden wealth can vitiate a well-meaning person. 490. vitriol () , , I will not listen to such vitriol about my friend. 491. vituperate , , . No good coach should vituperate a losing them. 492. voluble , Her voluble oration () kept us from adding one word. 493. waft , . Dead leaves waft on the cool autumn breeze. 494. wanton , , , Wanton cruelty to animals is always appalling ( , ). 495. waspish , (,) , Dinahs waspish personality irritated (irritable: , ) her sister. 496. wastrel , The young wastrel soon squandered () his inheritance (, , ). 497. whet (), (,). Delicious kitchen odors may whet your appetite. 498. wily , My wily puppy found a way to open the pantry door. 499. winnow , . Wash the berries and winnow out any unripe ones. 500. wizened Her wizened face seemed both wise and kindly. 501. wraith , The fog hung like a wraith over the churchyard. 502. xenophobia () Severe xenophobia kept him from enjoying travel.

503. yammer . Must you yammer on about your troubles? 504. yaw . The plane might yaw as it flies through the storm. 505. yurt My cousins lived in a yurt for the summer. 506. zealous , Paul is a zealous fan of the Cleveland Browns.

507. zenith , At the zenith of their climb, they saw the sea below. 508. zephyr , A constant zephyr warms their island home. 509. ziggurat ( , ) The Mayans built a ziggurat overlooking the ocean. () 510. Orlys directions to the soccer fields were completely ambiguous (, ); I could interpret them in so many different ways that they impeded () my attempts to get there rather than helping me. 511. Orly admits that he is m aladroit (, ) at giving directions under the best circumstances; however, that is exacerbated () by the fact that he is new to town and barely knows his own way around. 512. An atmosphere of antipathy (, ) seemed to permeate () the campus on the weekend. We played against the Springfield state panthers our biggest rivals. 513. Whenever we play the Panthers (), even a tradition as innocuous () as a pep rally ( ) can cause a conflagration (, ) of hostility among the students. 514. The prosecutors attempt to nonplus () the defendant were ultimately abortive (, ); either he had been coached extremely well to be on the witness stand or he was simply confident in his innocence. 515. Finally the prosecutor became so desperate that he resorted to blatant () harassment (harass: ), and the attorney (, ) for the defense loudly lodged an ardent () objection. 516. The credit card company has draconian () policies by most standards; even one delinquent (, ) payment can double a cardholders

interest rate and result in huge fees. 517. Now the company has been ordered by a court to remunerate (, ) some cardholders who paid late once but were by no means lackadaisical (, ) customers. 518. Dianas lack of confidence in her supervisory skills causes her to reply in an astringent way to those who seem to gainsay (, ) her directives. 519. Her moratorium ( ) on laughter during staff meetings, though, was what caused her staff to start calling her pejorative (, ) names, such as Dictator () Diana, behind her back. 520. The normally lethargic () city council is finally taking action in response to the waxing (wax: , ) public anger about the number of accidents at Third and Oak Streets. 521. The public has made it clear that the ramifications () for inaction on this issue will be dire (, , ). 522. Rauls attempts to delve () into the case were futile (, ) as it was difficult to get a straight answer from the only eye witness. 523. The eye witness only gave enigmatic (, ) replies, flatly refusing to be concerned that his intractability (, ) was preventing the case from ever coming to court. 524. After spending the day in crowded malls, Gayle found the sanctuary (, ) of a shaded park a welcome respite (, , ). 525. The subtle () fragrance of flowers and grass formed a gratifying () contrast to the overpowering () redolence (redolent: ) of the perfume counter at which she worked. 526. After much debate, the senator was forced to admit that his plan was simply chimerical ( ), devoid ( , [of]) of any real basis in solid public policy. 527. Once the bill had been withdrawn, time pressures made it necessary to draft () a replacement with a greater sense of exigency (, , , ) than before. 528. The coming of spring seems to infuse ( [with], (, )) everyone with a sense of joviality (), particularly after a long or harsh winter.

529. Vernal (, ) delights such as blossoming plants and longer days with more sunshine can make even the most dedicated stoic () more cheerful. 530. The climactic () moment of the play isnt until the penultimate ( ) scne, so the audience gets only one short scene of wrap-up after the main action. 531. Under close scrutiny (), though, the playwright ()s intentions become clear: she doesnt tie up loose ends very well because she wants the audience to leave with a sense of disquiet (, ). 532. The menu was clearly drawn from a mlange () of disparate ( ) sources, as Indian, Mediterranean (), and American Southwest dishes were all represented. 533. It would have been easy for the selections to seem like a scattered assortment, but under the chefs savvy (, ) direction, the dishes chosen appeared perfectly attuned (, , ) to each other. 534. The soft music programmed on the concert would have had a somnolent () effect were it not for a single aleatory ( ) element: occasionally the piano seemed out of tune. 535. To demystify ( ) the cause, the composer indicated in the program notes that a softball should be placed in the strings of the piano to produce discordant () sounds. 536. Saras brief visit to a smelly pig farm, though cursory (, ), convinced her that she could never live in such a noisome () environment. 537. Having grown up around horses, she found that she far preferred equine (, ) smells to the porcine (, ) ones at the pig farm. 538. The putative () cause of Marcos dismissal was the prank he had played on his boss the week before, for which he naively (, , ) believed he would not be punished. 539. Most of his coworkers, however, were unaware that he had been found guilty of a far more grievous (, ) infraction: he had filched () over a thousand dollars out of various cash registers. 540. Carmens frustration with her husbands frugality (frugal: , ) finally came to a head when he refused to spend five more dollars for a nonstop flight, and she called him a

parsimonious () miser (). 541. His response was that they wouldnt have to worry so much about money if Carmen were not such an edacious (, ) spendthrift ( ). 542. Ari was known as a m ugwump ( ) to his friends who liked to discuss politics: however, this senatorial race is so heated that even he will opine ( ) that the incumbent () must go. 543. He tells anyone who will listen that the current senator is jingoist (, ), and the time has come for politicians who have the sense to be pacifists () and diplomats. 544. Shahira enjoys spending summers on the lake, where she may placidly () enjoy the scenery and silence, away from the constant clamor () of the city. 545. Her children, however, have more urbane (, , /urban ) tastes: they think that life away from the comforts of the city is a little too rustic (, ) 546. Josh seems distant, but those close to him know that his aloofness () is just a facade (, ). 547. Clearly Joshs insecurities m anifest (, ) themselves in ways that make him seem cold and dispassionate (, =impartial). 548. The normally brusque () critic for the local paper is profuse (, ) with admiration for the sculptors new exhibit. 549. Frankly though, I dont think it deserves that much adulation (adulate: ); while technically stunning, it is not at all as artistically nuanced ( ) as his previous work. 550. Clouds on the horizon may very well portend (, ) rain, but rarely are they harbingers () of tornadoes. 551. Should those clouds be coupled with a tornado siren, however, it is foolhardy () not to assume that you are in imminent () danger. 552. Rarely have I met such an egocentric () individual as Howard; any topic of conversation will induce (, ) him to start a story about one of his fabulous (, ) adventures. 553. As our friends will attest (), he once spent half an hour telling us how he was

considered the epitome () of a model student and athlete in high school. 554. The collection of volumes in the library is so eclectic () that I suspect one could find books on even the most arcane () of topics. 555. However, gaining access the collection is hardly a nominal () task; all but the most respected scholars typically have to grovel () at the librarians feet to gain admission. 556. The small town on the edge of the woods attracts many tourists who brave losing themselves on Byzantine (, ) trails to enjoy the sylvan () landscapes. 557. For visitors who love exotic (, ) food, though, the towns two restaurants, a diner and a steak house, seem rather pedestrian (). 558. Harriets long-standing m elancholia () has isolated her, making her something of a social pariah (, ) among those who prefer cheerier companionship. 559. Though she has tried lately to be more cheerful, even the most altruistic () of her acquaintances considers her a hopeless curmudgeon ( ). -Select two answer choices that (1)complete the sentence in a way that makes sense and (2) produce sentences that are similar in meaning. ( ) 560. The World Cup took place on the continent of Africa for the very first time in 2010; (expectations/prospects) were high for an exciting and well-attended. 561. Everyone had heard of the poet John Milton, but few realize that his father, also John Milton, was an (admired/esteemed) composer. 562. Unless you have traveled (extensively/widely) in Northumberland, England, you have probably never been to the tiny village of Swarland. 563. Although most land snails are (juvenile/diminutive), the giant African snail is a notable exception; it can be 15 inches long and weigh 2 pounds. 564. The Profile in Courage Award is given to individuals who risk their lives or (careers/livelihoods) in pursuit of the public good. 565. Beautified by the Catholic Church in 1765, Italian cleric Ludovico Sabbatini is (venerated/honored) each year on the day of his death, June 11.

566. Despite the fact that the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas are (labeled/dubbed) mountains, the region is in fact a high plateau. 567. The so-called Superfund (authorizes/sanctions) two kinds of actions: emergency removal of hazardous materials and long-term remediation of pollution and toxic substances. 568. Nanoscience is the study of very small things; the word nano (stems/derives) from the Greek word for dwarf. 569. After Charlie Ebbets (bankrolled/financed) its construction by selling his shares in the team, Ebbets Field formally opened in 1913. 570. Very little is known about the (dialect/language) known as Eskayan, and there are currently no native speakers of that unusual tongue. 571. In what was only Rafer Johnsons fourth competition, he (surpassed/outstripped) the existing world record in the decathlon. 572. Following the Treaty of Rockilde in 1658, Kronoberg Castle in Sweden lost its importance as a military structure and fell into (disuse/neglect). 573. Although his original mission was a failure, Russian botanist Michael Friedrich Adams achieved an unexpected (triumph/success) when he found, by chance, the carcass of a woolly mammoth. 574. The Chicago journal known as Poetry has been the launching pad for many poets since its (foundation/inception) in 1913; among them, T.S.Eliot, Gwendolyn Brooks, and John Ashbery. 575. Because free hydrogen does not exist in nature, it cannot be (considered/thought of as) a primary energy source, as coal or oil can. 576. The phrase bread and circuses refers to early Roman politicians plans to (secure/earn) the votes of the poor by handing out cheap food and entertainment. 577. Pseudonyms are used for a variety of reasons, mostly (covert/clandestine); for example, to deny an actors ethnicity, to conceal an authors gender, or to hide a revolutionarys true identity. 578. After the Spanish conquest of South America, Catholic priests fought against pagan rituals, and as a result, the popular use of hallucinogenic plants was largely (suppressed/restricted). 579. Frederick Law Olmsteds design of New Yorks Central Park was (inspired/influenced) in part by the designers visit to Englands Derby Arboretum in 1859.

- Complete the text by picking the best entry for each blank from the corresponding column of choices. 580. Although people in the Middle Ages did wash from time, only the wealthy could (afford) to heat water for a bath. 581. Because his valise () was so (cumbersome-,), Jason found he had to stop at regular intervals to (relieve) his arms and back. 582. The proposal (enumerated) in great detail exactly which equipment would be purchased with the grant money and why each piece of equipment was (needed) to make the natural sciences department more (august-). 583. (Analgesics) such as aspirin are available in most pharmacies. 584. He was considered a (tyro-) because hed never before attempted this particular craft. 585. Their (perambulation), or roundabout walk, took place daily at teatime. 586. The lecture was (riveting), not at all dull as wed been warned. 589. Her speaking voice was as (mellifluous) as the swish of velvet drapes. 590. Although Hector was (affronted) by the cartoon, Louse found it inoffensive. 591. Just as cows look bemused () and detached as they chew their cuds(), so Luisa had an air of (distraction- ) as she chewed gum for hours in class. 592. The actors performance was so absurdly (, ) (maudlin- , ) that Gwen felt a little ashamed to have to resort to ( , ) tissues in the final scene. 593. Although his friends insisted that his black garb () was simply depressing, Peter felt just the opposite-that it gave him an air of upbeat, (urbane) maturity. 594. The gross () negligence (, , ) of the bank managers seemed so (odious-, ) to the general population that the minor (peccadillos- , ) of their underlings inspired little anger at all. 595. Your (blandishment-, ) do not impress us; furthermore, such false flattery can only serve to (counteract-) the sincerity of your proposal.

596. Due to the many (gaffes- ) in his committee presentation, Marks advisor suggested that he revise his work and practice in front of a mirror before presenting it to the entire department. 597. The wealthy donor was known for his annual acts of (largesse-) throughout the community, but even more (laudable-) was the fact that he was willing to get his hands dirty and serve the needy through hard physical labor as well as through (endowments-, ) and gift. 598. The children love to (regale-,) their parents with songs and dances from popular shows; their (raucous-, ) hilarity(, , ) may be heard throughout the neighborhood. 599. Although I consider myself moderately green, I am not nearly as (zealous-, ) as my friend Simon, who refuse to eat anything grown more than 50 miles away. 600. Syria spent a good deal of money attempting to achieve a kind of military (parity-) with Israel. (As a result), its coffers were nearly empty by the mid-1980s, and the Syrian people faced a life of (privation-,) and hardship. 601. As the release of the annual report drew near; it was clear that more than a few employees suspected the company was on the verge of bankruptcy; the belief was (pervasive=widespread) throughout the organization. 602. Gladys took a (pragmatic=practice) approach to problem solving, so when the committee needed ideas on how to create more how-cost public transportation, she suggested they study what worked well in other cities with similar needs. 603. The jurys verdict (, ) was such a surprise that the populace (, ) rioted (riot: , , ) in the streets; nothing less than a reversal of the verdict could (mollify=calm down) them. 604. Political comedy, largely viewed as (subversive: , ) even in countries in which it is legal and part of the culture, may have an opposite effect on society from the one its creators (intend). 605. The councilman ( , ) was a highly respected, even (venerate: .. , ) member of society, so when he was accused (, ) of fraud (), people were stunned (stun: , ) 606. Most of the teachers considered the infraction (, ) minor; the head of the department, on the other hand, responded with such (reproof: , , ) that it

caused the others to rethink their own classroom behavior. 607. While still a (nascent: , , ) technology, the Internet made dramatic shifts in the way individuals accessed information, communicated with others, and (traded) products on a scale that would have been (unfathomable: ) a decade earlier. 608. Some psychologists believe that parents who want to (encourage) intellectual curiosity in their children should try to answer even the silliest and most (inane: , ) questions the children ask. 609. Despite Nathans (antipathy: ) toward all things French he could not help being amused by Ritas reinterpretation of the Moliere play. 610. No longer can the town (fund) expensive snow removal. (Starting) from the date of this new resolution, they will require the townspeople to be responsible for their individual sidewalk clearance. 611. ascetic = abstemious (strict, frugal) 612. preclude = obviate (prevent) 613. incriminate = inculpate (lay blame on) 614. sanction = condone (approve) 615. acerbic = sardonic (biting, sharp) 616. attenuate = assuage (satisfy) 617. calumny = denigration (slander) 618. ascertain = verify (make sure, prove) 619. quandary = dilemma (sticky situation) 620. spurn = eschew (reject) 621. clemency = leniency (mercy) 622. nugatory = trifling (unimportant) 623. fulsome = immoderate (excessive) 624. injurious = noxious (harmful)

625. unwarranted = gratuitous (unnecessary) 626. wraith = specter (ghost) 627. asperity = curtness (harshness) 628. jocose = facetious (joking) 629. neophyte = novice (beginner) 630. blameworthy = culpable (at fault) 631. inveigh = rail (complain bitterly) 632. abnegate = renounce (give up) 633. dissolute = debauched (having loose moral standards) 634. airtight = hermetic (sealed) 635. rancorous = acrimonious (full of resentment) 636. lugubrious = somber (gloomy) 637. bellicose = combative (eager to fight) 638. censure = rebuke (scold, reprimand) 639. circumvent = bypass (go around) 640. commendable = laudable (worth of praise) 641. egress = outlet (a way out) 642. voluble = garrulous (talkative) 643. archetype = paradigm (model) 644. lissome = lithe (agile, flexible) 645. fluctuating = mutable (changing) 646. schism = rupture (split) 647. trenchant = caustic (biting) 648. vacuous = inane (silly)

649. miscreant = malefactor (evildoer) 650. celerity = alacrity (speed) 651. succumb = capitulate (give in) 652. vilify = malign (badmouth) 653. cantankerous = choleric (irritable) 654. hackneyed = trite (clichd) 655. regale = divert (entertain) 656. adhere = affix (stick) 657. obstreperous = truculent (disobedient) 658. nefarious = reprehensible (wicked) 659. annihilate = eradicate (get rid of) 660. quixotic = idealistic (unrealistically romantic) 661. avarice = greed, cupidity, materialism 662. cajole = coax, persuade, wheedle 663. edict = proclamation, announcement, decree 664. germane = relevant, pertinent, applicable 665. inimitable = unique, unmatched, incomparable 666. kismet = fate, luck, destiny 667. meander = wander, ramble, wind 668. odious = hateful, abhorrent, loathsome 669. ribald = coarse, vulgar, bawdy 670. turbid = cloudy, murky, muddy