Lesson 29: Essential Words for the TOEFL

Jun 7, 2016

acknowledge ○ acquire ○ assimilate ○ assortment ○ caliber ○ condensed ○ contradictory ○ disregard ○ precious ○ prominent ○ requisite ○ unravel ○ vague ○ vast ○ volume

acknowledge
[v.] to know, remember, and accept the existence of something
[Syn.] recognize

[n.] acknowledgment
[adj.] acknowledged

The foreman acknowledged the fact that there had been a mistake in the design of the house.
The promotion he received was an acknowledgment of his excellent work.

acquire
[v.] to gain or come to possess
[Syn.] obtain

[adj.] acquisitive
[n.] acquisition

He acquired two beautiful paintings during his visit to Taipei.
The office’s most recent acquisition was a new photocopier.

assimilate
[v.] to become a part of
[Syn.] incorporate

[n.] assimilation

The United States of America has assimilated people from all parts of the world.
Assimilation of a new cultural environment can be difficult.

assortment
[n.] a variety
[Syn.] selection

[adj.] assorted

You have an assortment of elective courses from which to choose.
He bought a box of assorted books at the book fair.

caliber
[n.] the standard of; the degree of goodness
[Syn.] quality

The high caliber of her work earned her a raise in pay.
Only parts of the highest caliber can be used to make repairs on the spacecraft.

condensed
[adj.] made smaller; shortened; merged
[Syn.] summarized

[v.] condense

This is a condensed version of the original research report.
Try to condense the two chapters into one.

contradictory
[adj.] not agreeing with the facts or previous statements made on the subject; declared wrong
[Syn.] inconsistent

[v.] contradict
[n.] contradiction

It is contradictory to say that you know French after only studying it for three months.
The expert contradicted himself during his presentation.

disregard
[v.] to pay no attention
[Syn.] ignore

[n.] disregard

They disregarded the no parking signs and were ticketed by the police.
His disregard of the lab instructions caused him to make many errors.

precious
[adj.] having much monetary or sentimental value; beautiful
[Syn.] cherished

This golden ring is my most precious possession.
The precious stone was one of a kind.

prominent
[adj.] famous; having a high position
[Syn.] renowned

[adv.] prominently
[n.] prominence

Their talent for locating oil deposits made them prominent geologists in the corporation.
He gained prominence through his television appearances.

requisite
[adj.] needed for a specific purpose
* a formal request
[Syn.] demanded

[v.] require
[n.] requirement
[n.] requisition*
[v.] requisition

Here is the list of requisite courses for the master’s degree in biology.
The project team made a requisition for a new set of reference books.

unravel
[v.] to organize; to make clear
[Syn.] separate

[n.] unraveling

The detective was not able to unravel the mystery of the missing money.
The unraveling of the Soviet Union took place in the span of a few months.

vague
[adj.] not clear; ambiguous
[Syn.] unclear

[adv.] vaguely
[n.] vagueness

She only has vague memories of her childhood.
The vagueness of his directions caused us to get lost.

vast
[adj.] very much; very large
[Syn.] huge

[adv.] vastly

I have noticed a vast improvement in your English vocabulary.
Unfortunately, the water quality has deteriorated vastly since my last visit here.

volume
[n.] the amount of something contained in a space
*holding a lot
[Syn.] quantity

[adv.] voluminously*
[adj.] voluminous

The volume of information that a computer diskette can hold is astounding.
This voluminous report will erase your doubt about the financial condition of the company.

Choose the synonym
1. caliber
  1. volume
  2. marvel
  3. quality
  4. acclaim
2. ignore
  1. disregard
  2. separate
  3. deplete
  4. withstand
3. acknowledged
  1. exaggerated
  2. recognized
  3. exemplified
  4. accentuated
4. assortment
  1. assertion
  2. selection
  3. pattern
  4. ingredient
5. obtain
  1. acquire
  2. unravel
  3. demand
  4. perceive
6. precious
  1. cherished
  2. substantive
  3. vague
  4. tangible
7. condensed
  1. summarized
  2. emphasized
  3. legitimized
  4. authorized
8. assimilate
  1. illustrate
  2. incorporate
  3. investigate
  4. isolate
9. renown
  1. reaction
  2. vast
  3. prominent
  4. requisite
10. contradictory
  1. ambiguous
  2. requisite
  3. inconsistent
  4. disregarded
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the sentence.
1. The volume of music contained in the archives of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers is extraordinary.
  1. sound
  2. quantity
  3. caliber
  4. assortment
2. Technical curricula are requisite in a wide range of fields.
  1. assimilated
  2. promoted
  3. demanded
  4. acquired
3. Pioneers traveling to the west found a vast treasury of natural resources.
  1. prominent
  2. precious
  3. elaborate
  4. huge
4. Evidence concerning the origins of the native people living in the coastal areas of western Canada is vague.
  1. contradictory
  2. abundant
  3. acknowledged
  4. unclear
5. History consists of a complex weave of social, cultural, and economic forces that are not easily unraveled.
  1. separated
  2. disregarded
  3. illustrated
  4. condensed

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