Difficult+Exam+Vocab

These are all the words from the exam multiple choice passages that you will find helpful to know in advance! Please put a user-friendly definition and sign your name ...

Eg: The girls face was aesthetically pleasing. (n.) A set of principles underlining and guiding the work of a particular artist or movement Eg: The painters aesthetic was largely symmetrical shapes contrasted with color. - Zara
 * aesthetic: ** (adj.) Concerned with beauty of the appreciation of beauty; Giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty.

**aloof:** distant, reserved, detached (ex) The aloof boy showed no interest in socializing with the nearby group of children. - Grace

**condescending:** showing or characterized by a patronizing or superior attitude toward others (ex) The students saw the teacher as condescending, because she thought she knew the most about everything. - Grace

(e.g.) The commentators made various reasonable conjectures about the outcome of the election. - Jean
 * conjecture: ** the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence for proof (guesswork).

**deference / deferential**: (n.) Deference is a respectful submission or yielding to judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another. Deferential means showing respect (courteous). (e.g.) The author, in deference to her deceased friend's wishes, wrote a memoir about their time together. - Jean

**digression:** (verb) to go off-topic; to leave the main subject temporarily in a speech/writing Eg: Her essay digressed from the question asked. - Juhi

Eg: Scientists and doctors alike are trying to eradicate AIDS from the world - Zara
 * eradicate: ** (verb) Destroy completely; Put an end to.

Eg. The man that had just committed murder was fretting before his court case. -Scott
 * fretting: ** (verb) Being constantly worried and anxious; uneasy.

**gobbledygook:** a modern noun that describes the use of jargon that is difficult to understand example: This guy is spouting a bunch of gobbledygook, I don't understand a single word he is saying. -Kevin Ma

**hegemony:** leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others Ex) The hegemony of Microsoft in the software industry lead others to suspect that it was a monopoly. (Emily Zhang)

Ex. Emily's impressionistic, impromptu speech on fashion bored her friends.
 * impressionistic: **based on subjective (opinionated) reactions presented unsystematically (not according to a fixed plan or system).
 * -Alex Z. **

**inherent:** (adj.) Existing as something permanent and inseparable; an element, quality or attribute. Ex. His inherent concept of justice was shocking. - Scott (Also often has the sense of 'built-in' -- not sure why an inherent sense of justice would be shocking, therefore! Maybe his inherent sense of racism?! Mrs. Rosen)

**inscrutable**: difficult to fathom or understand e.g. The script's dialogue was so inscrutable, neither the actors nor the directors had any idea what the dialogue actually meant -Alex Z.

**lexicographer**: (n.) a person who compiles dictionaries - Juhi

example: Lucy Grealy's licentious behavior was a result of her loneliness. -Dan
 * licentious: ** sexually unrestrained, promiscuous; more broadly, going beyond accepted rules or limits

**nought (as in "come to nought")**: be ruined or foiled. e.g. Get good grades, otherwise your schooling will come to nought. -Alex Zhang

**subjective**: opinionated (you can remember this, because stating that a subject (something abstract) exists, could be an opinion).
e.g. The subjective speech was almost humorous in its rampant tirades, in its sarcastic tone, and in its vendetta against the opposing side. -Alex Zhang

e.g. Vanessa railed the teacher for hours upon end upon discovering that they misgraded her test.
-Alex Zhang

**sardonic**: (adj.) scornful and bitterly sarcastic -Vanessa

ex: The sunny weather is propitious for traveling. - Nataly
 * Propitious**: favorable; being of good omen

**Pernicious**: having a harmful effect ex: The storm was pernicious and resulted in thousands of dollars worth of damage. - Nataly

**skeptical:** not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations. e.g. My mom was very skeptical about my weekend plans.. They all involved being away from home. -Alex Sot

e.g. "i was so disappointed to hear you didn't get that promotion," said kit, using a smarmy tone of voice that made me want to punch him. -lynette
 * smarmy: ** unpleasantly and excessively suave.

**snobbish:** of, characteristic of, or like a snob e.g. The writer uses a snobbish tone in her writing, appearing as if she is better than the reader. -Alex Sot

e.g. The homework I was assigned was very tedious, after five hours I could not wait to leave the house. - Crystal
 * tedious: ** slow or dull; tiresome monotonous

** tenacity: persistent determination; quality of being tenacious (not giving up) **  e.g. He studied with so much tenacity that he got a 100% on the exam.  - Michael

**turmoil** : a state of great disturbance, confusion, agitation, or uncertainty e.g. The country has had significant turmoil due to the recent stock market crash. - Amelie

**unassailable** : impossible to dispute or disprove; undeniable *can also refer to something that is unable to be attacked or defeated e.g. In spite of its apparently unassailable position, opposition has emerged. - Amelie

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"> ** underscore: ** to give extra weight or significance to (a communication) <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt;"> e.g. Your bad grades underscore the extent of your laziness. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt;"> - Michael

example: Everybody stopped what they were doing to listen when the venerable, old man began to talk. -Dan
 * venerable: ** commanding respect because of age, wisdom, dignity or character

**voracious**: wanting or devouring great quantities

e.g. Dan Ni had a voracious appetite, he ate everything in his way, and then had seconds. -Alex Zhang