Lesson 30: Essential Words for the TOEFL

Jun 7, 2016

charisma ○ clever ○ convince ○ endure ○ forfeit ○ precarious ○ severe ○ sporadic ○ superior ○ wanton ○ weak ○ widespread ○ wisdom ○ witticism ○ woo

charisma
[n.] a special quality that endears other people to the person who has this quality
[Syn.] appeal

[adj.] charismatic

She has a charisma that no other candidate possesses.
John F. Kennedy was known for his charismatic personality.

clever
[adj.] intelligent; resourceful
[Syn.] astute

[adv.] cleverly
[n.] cleverness

Everyone appreciated their clever idea.
His cleverness enabled him to rise quickly in the organization.

convince
[v.] to make someone see things your way
[Syn.] persuade

[adv.] convincingly
[adj.] convincing

They could not convince the girls to go to the dance with them.
The video made a convincing argument for the recycling of paper and plastic materials.

endure
[v.] to last; to suffer pain
[Syn.] persevere

[adj.] endurable
[adj.] enduring
[n.] endurance

How he is able to endure living next to the airport is beyond my comprehension.
The endurance displayed by the athlete gave evidence of his rigorous training.

forfeit
[v.] to give up; to have something taken away, usually by rule or regulation
[Syn.] relinquish

[n.] forfeit

Usually you must forfeit your native country’s citizenship to become a citizen of another country.
The forfeit occurred because not enough players showed up.

precarious
[adj.] not safe, firm, or steady
[Syn.] hazardous

[adv.] precariously

The diver put himself in a precarious situation among the sharks.
The cup was positioned precariously on the edge of the table.

severe
[adj.] extreme; harmful
[Syn.] intense

[v.] severely
[n.] severity

The weather service issued a severe storm warning for most of Michigan.
The severity of his condition will not be known until the test results are studied.

sporadic
[adj.] not consistent; irregular
[Syn.] erratic

[adv.] sporadically

The radio communications were subject to sporadic sunspot interference.
Violent storms occur sporadically in the southwest.

superior
[adj.] excellent quality; above all the rest
[Syn.] exceptional

[n.] superiority

This is a superior fossil of a trilobite.
The restaurant’s superiority was established shortly after it opened.

wanton
[adj.] done without thought or consideration
[Syn.] senseless

[adv.] wantonly

Her wanton disregard of the rules was unexplainable.
The jealous man was wantonly impolite to the winner.

weak
[adj.] not strong; incapable
[Syn.] ineffective

[adv.] weakly
[v.] weaken
[n.] weakness

The weak light was inadequate for reading.
Most people have at least one area of weakness.

widespread
[adj.] found everywhere
[Syn.] extensive

There is a widespread rumor that there will be no class next Thursday.
The political influence of the developed countries of the world is widespread.

wisdom
[n.] knowledge and understanding
[Syn.] insight

[adv.] wisely
[adj.] wise

It is often said that wisdom is the product of experience.
It was a wise decision for you to buy a car.

witticism
[n.] a joke; a funny story
[Syn.] humor

[adv.] wittily
[adj.] witty
[n.] wit
[n.] wittiness

His witticisms captivated the audience.
Mark Twain was famous for his sharp wit.

woo
[v.] to make efforts to attain or gain something
[Syn.] attract

The directors tried to woo the support of the union.
The opponents of the proposed highway wooed nearby residents to defend their position.

Choose the synonym.
1. astute
  1. acknowledge
  2. extensive
  3. clever
  4. weak
2. sporadic
  1. prophetic
  2. intrinsic
  3. erratic
  4. archaic
3. relinquish
  1. recover
  2. disperse
  3. forfeit
  4. deplete
4. persevering
  1. enduring
  2. ineffective
  3. secure
  4. sincere
5. superior
  1. prosperous
  2. sustained
  3. superficial
  4. exceptional
6. appeal
  1. wit
  2. charisma
  3. impression
  4. wisdom
7. precarious
  1. peculiar
  2. dangerous
  3. widespread
  4. aggravating
8. persuade
  1. convince
  2. conform
  3. confirm
  4. conceal
9. wisdom
  1. acceleration
  2. insight
  3. caution
  4. marvel
10. intense
  1. instant
  2. hazardous
  3. severe
  4. robust
Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the sentence.
1. Politicians often woo voters by proposing sweeping reforms of governmental policy.
  1. forfeit
  2. attract
  3. convince
  4. deceive
2. Davy Crockett was well known for his witticisms and story telling skills.
  1. humor
  2. charisma
  3. endurance
  4. wisdom
3. When widespread thunderstorms occur, the sky is commonly overcast with many intermingled layers of clouds of various types.
  1. severe
  2. powerful
  3. extensive
  4. hazardous
4. Although jellyfish move by jet propulsion, most are weak swimmers.
  1. ineffective
  2. clever
  3. superior
  4. impressive
5. The disappearance of tropical rain forests is a direct result of wanton disregard of this valuable resource by mankind.
  1. precarious
  2. sporadic
  3. senseless
  4. troubling

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