1 The critics acidulous review of the movie

1. The critic’s acidulous review of the movie persuaded many people not to see it. • Acidulous - adj • Parts: ac (sharp, bitter); ous (full of) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Sharp tasting or sour; Bitter and cutting (a remark) • Synonyms: caustic, acrimonious, sardonic, trenchant • Antonyms: kind, benevolent, considerate, affable • Variant forms: na • Context Phrase:

2. What anthropomorphic traits do bears and monkeys share? • Anthropomorphic - adj • Parts: anthrop(mankind); morph(shape, form) ic(char. of) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Having human characteristics or behavior (god, animal, object) • Synonyms: humanlike, anthropoid, human • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: anthropomorphism (n) • Context Phrase:

3. Tired of the oppressive autocrat who had ruled for many years, the people finally revolted. • Autocrat - noun • Parts: auto (self); crat (rule) • Educated Guess: one who rules by himself only • Definition: A ruler who has absolute power; An imperious or domineering person; Someone who insists on complete obedience from others • Synonyms: despot, dictator, tyrant, oppressor • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: autocratic (adj) autocracy (n) • Context Phrase:

4. Who wrote the bon mot, “Parting is such sweet sorrow: ? (Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. ) • Bon mot - noun • Parts: bon (good); mot (word) • Educated Guess: • Definition: A witty remark; A clever saying • Synonyms: witticism, pun, quip, paronomasia, adage • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: na • Context Phrase:

5. His collusion with the enemy resulted in his being convicted of treason. • collusion - noun • Parts: col (together, with) lus (play, mock); ion (act of) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others. • Synonyms: conspiracy, plot, scheme, cabal, machination • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: collude (v) • Context Phrase:

6. The bad news abruptly ended the convivial mood of the party. • Convivial - adj • Parts: con (together, with); viv (life); ial (related to) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Friendly, lively enjoyable (atmosphere or event); Cheerful, amiable, jovial (person) • Synonyms: sociable, outgoing, extroverted, exuberant • Antonyms: gloomy, depressing, introverted, glum • Variant forms: conviviality (n); convivially (adv) • Context Phrase:

7. In a court of law, every person should be treated with equity and respect. • Equity - noun • Parts: equ (same); ity (state or condition) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Fairness; Net value of property after debts paid • Synonyms: fairness, impartiality, justice, equality • Antonyms: inequity, disparity, bias, unfairness • Variant forms: equitable (adj); equitably (adv) • Context Phrase:

8. The philanthropist’s fervid interest in sculpture motivated her to give millions of dollars to build a new art museum. • Fervid - adj • Parts: ferv (boil, bubble) id (related to) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Intensely enthusiastic or passionate, especially to an excessive degree; Hot, glowing, fiery • Synonyms: zealous, impassioned, intense, ardent, avid • Antonyms: apathetic, indifferent, dispassionate, blasé • Variant forms: fervent (adj); fervor (n) • Context Phrase:

9. The media referred to the murderer as “evil incarnate. ” • Incarnate - adj • Parts: in (in, into); carn (flesh, meat); ate (cause, make) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Embodied in flesh; In human form; To give bodily, especially human, form to; To give concrete shape or form to • Synonyms: embody, personify • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: na • Context Phrase:

10. The minister advised his congregation to avoid lying, stealing, and other iniquities. • Iniquities - noun • Parts: in (not); equ (same, equal, just); ity (state) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Immoral or grossly unfair behavior, gross injustice • Synonyms: wickedness, sinfulness, unrighteousness • Antonyms: righteousness, virtue, godliness • Variant forms: na • Context Phrase:

11. Winning the lottery jackpot brought him worry and fear, not he joie de vivre he had expected. • Joie de vivre - noun • Parts: joie (joy); de (of, from); viv (life) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Exuberant enjoyment of life; Hearty or carefree enjoyment of life • Synonyms: exuberance, vitality, zest, zeal • Antonyms: doldrums, despair, gloominess, melancholy • Variant forms: na • Context Phrase:

12. Sometimes we become overwhelmed by the minutiae of everyday life and neglect to enjoy what is truly important. • Minutiae - noun • Parts: minut (small); ae (indicates plural) • Educated Guess: • Definition: The small, precise, or trivial details of something • Synonyms: trivialities, details, trifles, superficialities • Antonyms: importance, priorities • Variant forms: minutia (singular noun) • Context Phrase:

13. The in-laws thought they were being helpful, but the young couple thought that they were being nosy and officious. • Officious - adj • Parts: opus (work); fic (do) ious (full of) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Offering unwanted advice or service, usually in an assertive, domineering way • Synonyms: meddlesome, intrusive, nosy, prying • Antonyms: uninterested, uninvolved • Variant forms: officiously (adv. ) • Context Phrase:

14. The scientist perused thousands of pages of research before proposing his theory. • Peruse - verb • Parts: per (through); us (use) • Educated Guess: • Definition: To read or examine with great care • Synonyms: scrutinize, study, examine • Antonyms: skim, riffle, scan • Variant forms: perusal (noun) • Context Phrase:

15. The manager was totally unsuccessful in his effort to appease the petulant customer. • petulant - adj • Parts: pet (seek, ask); ant (characterized by) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Displaying or characterized by bad humor, especially over something minor, Childishly sulky; Unreasonably irritable or ill-tempered • Synonyms: peevish, bad-tempered, testy, fretful • Antonyms: pleasant, good natured, charming, cheerful • Variant forms: petulance (n); petulantly (adv) • Context Phrase:

16. The popular guy was presumptuous to think the new girl would feel flattered by his attention. • Presumptuous - adj • Parts: pre (before); sumere (take); ous (full of) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Excessively forward or confident • Synonyms: arrogant, bold, audacious, egotistical • Antonyms: shy, cautious, circumspect, fearful, timid • Variant forms: presumption (n); presumptuously (adv) • Context Phrase:

17. The police thought that, if they could apprehend the putative leader, he would give them important info about the others. • Putative - adj • Parts: put (think); ive (tending to) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Generally regarded as such; thought to be so • Synonyms: reputed, supposed, purported • Antonyms: confirmed • Variant forms: putatively (adv) • Context Phrase:

18. The booming voice of the dictator resonated throughout the crowd. • resonated - verb • Parts: re (back, again); son (sound); ate (cause, make) • Educated Guess: • Definition: To produce or be filled with a deep, full reverberating sound • Synonyms: resound, reverberate, echo • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: resonance (n); resonant (adj) • Context Phrase:

19. Early scientists often used sophistry in their efforts to explain the universe. • Sophistry - noun • Parts: soph (wise); try (science, art) • Educated Guess: • Definition: A plausible but misleading argument; A fallacious argument • Synonyms: fallacy • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: sophist (n) • Context Phrase:

20. He traversed the country collecting material and interviewing people for the book he planned to write. • Traversed - v erb • Parts: trans (across); vers (turn) • Educated Guess: • Definition: To travel across or through; To move back and forth, over, or along • Synonyms: crisscross, wander, intersect • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: traversal (n), traverser (n) • Context Phrase: