Toughest Vocabulary of the SAT
This volume focuses on the level 4 and 5 words a student needs to score above a 650. The book is organized as follows:
Chapters Seven and Eight present literary terms and key words from science and the social sciences.
Chapter Nine examines words with multiple meanings and uses, which have appeared with greater regularity on recent tests.
Chapters Ten and Eleven contain 127 level 5 words which were the answers to the most challenging sentence completion and Critical Reading questions on recent SATs.
The book concludes with five critical reading and 30 sentence completion questions (and answers) to test mastery of the SAT words presented.
Sample Words
MEMOIR: An autobiography; personal journal
What do President Ulysses S. Grant, rapper 50 Cent, and rocker Anthony Kiedis have in common? All three wrote CANDID (open, honest) MEMOIRS describing their lives and careers. Written to pay off debts and provide for his family, the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant is now considered the first and best presidential MEMOIR. From Pieces to Weight is 50 Cent's unflinching MEMOIR chronicling his rise from Jamaica, Queens to the top of the Billboard charts. Scar Tissue is Anthony Kiedis's account of his career as the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
EFFUSIVE: Unrestrained praise
Movie critics are normally restrained and hard-to-please. However, critics have been overwhelmingly EFFUSIVE in their praise for Christopher Nolan's work as the director of "The Dark Knight." Praising the film as "an EPIC (Word 208) masterpiece" and "quite possibly the best superhero movie ever made," critics have LAUDED (Word 91) Nolan for superbly crafted scenes that include innovative sequences shot using IMAX cameras and breathtaking VERTIGINOUS (Word 393) mid-air escapes. Reviewers have not limited their EFFUSIVE praise to Nolan's DEFT (Word 68) cinematic techniques. They have also commended his ability to create complex characters who embody the moral AMBIGUITIES (Word 21) of a city where there is a constant tension between good and evil.
OSTENTATIOUS: Showy; intended to attract notice; pretentious
Wearing OSTENTATIOUS jewelry has a long history. Egyptian Pharaohs, European rulers, and Mughal sultans all enjoyed wearing OSTENTATIOUS jewelry. For example, Queen Elizabeth I’s wardrobe included 2,000 velvet and jewel-encrusted gowns.
The passion for wearing OSTENTATIOUS jewelry has not gone out of fashion. Commonly referred to as “bling-bling,” OSTENTATIOUS jewelry is a hallmark of hip-hop culture. For example, Rick Ross is well known for his OSTENTATIOUS jewelry. The “Big Boss” recently purchased a chain featuring a pendant with an image of himself. The eye-catching piece includes Ross’s trademark shades and reportedly cost $200,000.
