Vocabulary_for_TOEFL_iBT

ANSWERS

How did you do on identifying the correct word? Check your answers here, and then analyze the results to figure out your plan of attack for mastering this topic.

1.alluded. To allude means to make an indirect reference to.

2.extent. Extent means the range, distance, or degree to which something reaches or extends.

3.disbursed. To disburse means to pay out.

4.ingenious. Ingenious means marked by inventive skill or creativity; showing inventiveness and skill, remarkably clever.

5.waive. To waive is to give up (a right or claim) voluntarily, relinquish; to refrain from enforcing or insisting upon (a rule, penalty, standard procedure, etc.).

6.proceed. To proceed means to go forward or onward, especially after an interruption; move on, advance.

7.imminent. Imminent means about to occur, impending.

8.prosecuted. To prosecute is to bring a criminal action against someone.

9.ascent. An ascent is an upward slope; a movement upward, advancement.

10.censor. To censor is to forbid the publication, distribution, or other public dissemination of something because it is considered obscene or otherwise politically or morally unacceptable.

UON YOUR OWN

CAMPUS-SPEAK

You are likely to encounter certain words on a college campus or in any post-high- school program. Some of the words you’ll find in the world of academia, or the world of education, might also appear on the TOEFL iBT. These include:

•tenure: protected employment for professors who have reached a certain level of rank or experience. A related term is tenure track, which means that the position carries with it the possibility of tenure.

•prerequisite: requirements needed before a promotion or the granting of a job. In college, the word (sometimes shortened to prereq) refers to the course or courses that you must take in order to qualify for an advanced course.

•semester: one of two terms in an academic year

•bursar: the financial officer of a college

•tuition: the cost of attending courses

On your own, try and locate the definitions of the following words, which are frequently heard around campus.

You might want to use the Internet to locate these definitions, or even ask a university representative.

The word idiom is from the Latin word idio, referring to the self. An idiosyncrasy, for example, is a habit or custom peculiar to one’s self. An idiom is seen as any kind of language use that has gained wide usage in that particular language. An idiom is peculiar not to an individual person but to an individual culture’s use of language. Here are some things to keep in mind about idioms:

Idioms can be confused with clichés, colloquialisms, and slang.

•Clichés are overused phrases that have remained in the language for a long time. “Pretty as a picture,” “right as rain,” and “selling like hotcakes” are examples of clichés. They are too well known to English speakers. Through overuse, their impact is lessened.

•Colloquialisms are expressions that may be appropriate in informal speech but are incorrect in formal writing. The use of “should of” for “should have” and “plan on going” instead of “planning to go” are examples of colloquialisms.

•Slang is informal language that is often peculiar to a particular age or occupational group. Examples of slang are “tellin’ it like it is” or “What’s up?”

Idiomatic phrases in English include hundreds of verbs paired with smaller words (prepositions) that change the meaning of the verb. Watching out for (being alert to) something is different than watching over (attending to) something. You might get up early one morning so you can get away on a vacation to France, where you hope to get by with your high school French so you can get along with the locals.

All languages have their own idioms, which can make translation from one language to another a bit difficult. Even different cultures that speak the same language can have trouble understanding each other’s idioms. For instance, people in the United Kingdom use idioms that are different from those used in the United States. What people in the United States call an “apartment building,” the British call a “block of flats.”

ODEFINITION

cliché: an overused word or phrase that has lost its impact in the language; it is a

French word used in English

Some idioms are derived from images rooted in experience; it makes sense that cool heels would refer to excessive waiting because, presumably, hot heels result from running hard. You could see that laughing off something would have to do with not taking it very seriously.

Then there are idioms that have evolved over a long period of time and have no particular logic or origin: for example, up to the job. Somewhere in between are idioms whose meanings made sense once upon a time but are now lost. Spitting image has nothing to do with saliva. It’s a corruption of “spit and image,” and spit simply meant “exact likeness.”

Here are some idioms with their definitions.

give it a shot: try for the first time watch out: be careful

take a stab at: attempt

laugh off: ignore with good humor

TIPS AND STRATEGIES

Idioms and vocabulary variations are likely to appear on standardized tests like TOEFL iBT and occur regularly in newspaper articles, textbooks, and other day- to-day communications. Here are some specific tips and strategies to use as you add these words to your vocabulary and prepare for your exam.

●Use the context of the sentences provided with the definitions to help you understand these words and memorize their meanings.

●Solidify these words and phrases in your memory by teaching them to someone else.

●Pronounce these words each time you go over their meaning. The more you hear how they sound, the more familiar they will feel to you, and the easier it will be to remember them.

●Once again, use the power of mnemonic devices and associations to help you remember meaning.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

On the lines provided or on a separate piece of paper, indicate whether each of the following expressions represents slang, a colloquialism, or a cliché. Then compare your selection to the correct answers at the end of the chapter.

1.“She may of gone to the movies” is an example of __________.

2.“The car battery was dead as a doornail” is an example of __________.

3.Hang a right at the next corner” is an example of __________.

Answer yes or no to the following sentences, on the basis of your knowledge of the idioms. Then compare your selection to the correct answers at the end of the chapter.

4.If you burn out at something, it means that you need the services of an electrician. _____

5.If it happens once in a blue moon, it happens rarely. _____

6.If you give the slip to someone, you hand over your undergarment. _____

7.You have to stand near a window if you are going to watch out for something. _____

8.If you give something a shot, you are willing to try. _____

ANSWERS

How did you do on identifying idioms and word variations? Check your answers here, and then analyze the results to figure out your plan of attack for mastering this topic.

1.colloquialism

2.cliché

3.slang

4.no

5.yes

6.no

7.no

8.yes