Lesson 16: Essential Words for the TOEFL

Jun 7, 2016

conscientious ○ convey ○ encompass ○ expansion ○ heighten ○ highlight ○ inadvertently ○ inevitable ○ infancy ○ miraculously ○ retrieve ○ systematically ○ unlikely ○ unwarranted ○ zenith

conscientious
[adj.] showing serious purpose; one who works carefully and with enthusiasm
[Syn.] meticulous

[adv.] conscientiously

She is a conscientious representative of the student body.
They approached the task conscientiously.

convey
[v.] to make something known to others; to communicate
[Syn.] communicate

The manager of the store conveyed his displeasure directly to the workers.
He was able to convey his message to the audience with ease.

encompass
[v.] to surround completely; to envelop
[Syn.] include

Her plan of the study encompasses every aspect of computer science.
The course encompasses all the literature of the nineteenth century.

expansion
[n.] the act of making larger
[Syn.] growth

[adj.] expandable
[v.] expand
[n.] expansion

Expansion occurs when matter is heated.
The laboratory is expanding its capacity to produce computer chips.

heighten
[v.] to cause to become greater
[Syn.] intensify

[adj.] heightened
[n.] height

A very successful interview can heighten a candidate’s chances to get a job.
The public teas in a heightened state of nervousness as the hurricane approached.

highlight
[v.] to emphasize the part of a greater whole
[Syn.] emphasize

[n.] highlight

The manual highlights basic operation of the videotape player.
The final goal was the highlight of the game.

inadvertently
[adv.] by accident; without paying attention; unexpectedly
[Syn.] carelessly

[adj.] inadvertent

The reporters had inadvertently failed to include the name of one of the dignitaries.
His inadvertent calculation caused him to derive the wrong answer.

inevitable
[adj.] something that cannot be prevented from happening
[Syn.] unavoidable

[adv.] inevitably
[n.] inevitability

When two weather systems meet, unsettled weather conditions are inevitable.
The inevitability of the outcome made the challenge less exciting.

infancy
[n.] in the beginning stages of development
[Syn.] beginning

[adj.] infantile
[n.] infant

The new theory is in its infancy and will be thoroughly tested by its critics.
Certain head injuries can cause infantile behavior.

miraculously
[adv.] caused by something that cannot be explained by the laws of nature.
[Syn.] astonishingly

[adj.] miraculous
[n.] miracle

Miraculously, he was unharmed after being hit by lightning.
Given the extent of her injuries, it is almost a miracle that she is still alive.

retrieve
[v.] to find and bring back
[Syn.] recover

[adj.] retrieve
[n.] retrieval

Will Detroit retrieve its status as the car manufacturing center of the world?
This computerized information retrieval system is the most up-to-date system available.

systematically
[adv.] done according to a plan
[Syn.] methodically

[adj.] systematic
[n.] system

The plan was developed systematically by a team of experts.
Systematic changes in foreign policy have been proposed.

unlikely
[adj.] not probable
[Syn.] doubtful

Rain is unlikely during the summer.
It is unlikely that he will want to attend the conference.

unwarranted
[adj.] without good reason or cause; inappropriate
[Syn.] unjustified

His negative reaction was unwarranted.
The motorist felt that the ticket for the infraction was unwarranted.

zenith
[n.] the highest point
[Syn.] apex

He reached the zenith of his profession at a very young age.
The publication of the book represented the zenith of his career.

Choose the synonym.
1. convey
  1. intensify
  2. promote
  3. communicate
  4. solve
2. unlikely
  1. suitable
  2. persistent
  3. doubtful
  4. inevitable
3. growth
  1. expansion
  2. function
  3. highlight
  4. recover
4. meticulously
  1. haphazardly
  2. conscientiously
  3. inadvertently
  4. conspicuously
5. retrieve
  1. generate
  2. recover
  3. accelerate
  4. broaden
6. encompass
  1. emphasize
  2. gain
  3. heighten
  4. include
7. apex
  1. facet
  2. zenith
  3. pier
  4. flaw
8. systematically
  1. unexpectedly
  2. persuasively
  3. astoundingly
  4. methodically
9. unwarranted
  1. insignificant
  2. unjustified
  3. unacceptable
  4. unappealing
10. miraculously
  1. exceedingly
  2. astonishingly
  3. theoretically
  4. appropriately
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the sentence.
1. Great technological advances were made during the infancy of the United Stages’ industrial growth.
  1. zenith
  2. expansion
  3. beginning
  4. recovery
2. Many cross-cultural communication difficulties can be attributed to inevitable blunders in behavior or speech.
  1. unwarranted
  2. unlikely
  3. unavoidable
  4. unpleasant
3. Teflon was inadvertently discovered by two scientists who were working with synthetic resins.
  1. unexpectedly
  2. miraculously
  3. systematically
  4. conscientiously
4. The sport of basketball highlights the athletic qualities of endurance, agility, and skill.
  1. demands
  2. encompasses
  3. emphasizes
  4. develops
5. Daniel Webster applied the oratorical skill he had mastered as a lawyer to heighten his appeal for an end to slavery.
  1. intensify
  2. convey
  3. retrieve
  4. popularize

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