1. ADVANCING VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© Townsend Press

2. Unit One: Chapter 5 • equivocate • propensity
• fortuitous • reprehensible
• impeccable • sham
• liaison • solace
• predisposed • solicitous
Page 42 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 equivocate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 equivocate
– verb
• Bob can’t get his boss to say whether or not he intends to give him a raise. When Bob asks him, he equivocates, saying, “You’ve been doing good work, Bob.”
• Lonnell doesn’t want to come right out and tell Tiffany he doesn’t love her. If she asks, he equivocates by telling her something like “You know how I feel.”
Equivocate means
A. to be blunt.
B. to be unclear.
C. to deny.
Page 42 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 equivocate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 equivocate
– verb
• Bob can’t get his boss to say whether or not he intends to give him a raise. When Bob asks him, he equivocates, saying, “You’ve been doing good work, Bob.”
• Lonnell doesn’t want to come right out and tell Tiffany he doesn’t love her. If she asks, he equivocates by telling her something like “You know how I feel.”
Equivocate means
A. to be blunt.
B. to be unclear.
C. to deny.
Page 42 in textbook.
The boss’s answer is unclear as to whether or not he will give Bob a raise. Similarly, Lonnell’s statement is unclear as to whether he loves Tiffany or not.

5. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 fortuitous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 fortuitous
– adjective
• The birth of triplets wasn’t entirely fortuitous. The mother had taken a fertility drug, which often causes multiple births.
• It was strictly fortuitous that Vince found his missing class notes. They happened to drop out of his dictionary when it fell to the floor.
Fortuitous means
A. accidental.
B. predictable.
C. overdue.
Page 42 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

6. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 fortuitous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 fortuitous
– adjective
• The birth of triplets wasn’t entirely fortuitous. The mother had taken a fertility drug, which often causes multiple births.
• It was strictly fortuitous that Vince found his missing class notes. They happened to drop out of his dictionary when it fell to the floor.
Fortuitous means
A. accidental.
B. predictable.
C. overdue.
Page 42 in textbook..
Since the mother had taken a drug that often causes multiple births, the birth of triplets was not entirely accidental. Since Vince’s missing notes just happened to fall out when the dictionary fell on the floor, finding the notes was strictly accidental.

7. Two impeccably dressed sailors
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 impeccable
– adjective
• My aunt always looks stylish but never overdressed. Her taste in clothes is impeccable.
• When she auditioned for the play, Julie gave an impeccable performance. She read the lines perfectly and got the part.
Impeccable means
A. flawless.
B. deceptive.
C. faulty.
Page 42 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.
Two impeccably dressed sailors
Photo: Chelsea Kennedy/U.S. Navy

8. Two impeccably dressed sailors
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 impeccable
– adjective
• My aunt always looks stylish but never overdressed. Her taste in clothes is impeccable.
• When she auditioned for the play, Julie gave an impeccable performance. She read the lines perfectly and got the part.
Impeccable means
A. flawless.
B. deceptive.
C. faulty.
Page 42 in textbook.
Since the aunt looks stylish but not overdressed, her taste in clothes must be flawless. In the second item, the word perfectly is a clue that impeccable means “flawless.”
Two impeccably dressed sailors
Photo: Chelsea Kennedy/U.S. Navy

9. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 liaison – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 liaison
– noun
• The president of the Student Council acts as a liaison between the students and the administration.
• Because she is bilingual, Elena often serves as a liaison between the Spanish- and English-speaking personnel in her office.
Liaison means
A. a follower.
B. a caregiver.
C. a link.
Page 42 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

10. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 liaison – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 liaison
– noun
• The president of the Student Council acts as a liaison between the students and the administration.
• Because she is bilingual, Elena often serves as a liaison between the Spanish- and English-speaking personnel in her office.
Liaison means
A. a follower.
B. a caregiver.
C. a link.
Page 42 in textbook.
The president of the Student Council is a link between the students and the administration. Being bilingual allows Elena to be a link between the Spanish- and the English-speaking personnel.

11. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 predisposed – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 predisposed
– adjective
• Terry didn’t want to move in the first place, so she was predisposed to hate the new apartment.
• As a Brad Pitt fan, I’m predisposed to enjoy any movie he stars in.
Predisposed means
A. unlikely.
B. likely.
C. pretending.
Page 42 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 predisposed – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 predisposed
– adjective
• Terry didn’t want to move in the first place, so she was predisposed to hate the new apartment.
• As a Brad Pitt fan, I’m predisposed to enjoy any movie he stars in.
Predisposed means
A. unlikely.
B. likely.
C. pretending.
Page 42 in textbook.
Since Terry didn’t want to move, she would be likely to hate the new apartment. A Brad Pitt fan is likely to enjoy any movie he stars in.

13. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 propensity – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 propensity
– noun
• Because Ivan has a propensity to gain weight, he watches what he eats.
• Cheryl is aware of her propensity to blab, so she warns her friends not to tell her anything they wouldn’t want repeated.
Propensity means
A. a coincidence.
B. an inclination.
C. a concern.
Page 42 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

14. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 propensity – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 propensity
– noun
• Because Ivan has a propensity to gain weight, he watches what he eats.
• Cheryl is aware of her propensity to blab, so she warns her friends not to tell her anything they wouldn’t want repeated.
Propensity means
A. a coincidence.
B. an inclination.
C. a concern.
Page 42 in textbook.
If Ivan has to watch what he eats, he must have an inclination to gain weight. Since Cheryl warns her friends not to tell her anything they wouldn’t want repeated, she must have an inclination to blab.

15. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 reprehensible – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 reprehensible
– adjective
• The Riordans never discipline their son. No matter how reprehensible his behavior is, they just say, “Kids will be kids.”
• The company’s failure to clean up the oil spill was reprehensible and drew harsh criticism.
Reprehensible means
A. shameful.
B. misleading.
C. uncertain.
Page 43 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 reprehensible – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 reprehensible
– adjective
• The Riordans never discipline their son. No matter how reprehensible his behavior is, they just say, “Kids will be kids.”
• The company’s failure to clean up the oil spill was reprehensible and drew harsh criticism.
Reprehensible means
A. shameful.
B. misleading.
C. uncertain.
Page 43 in textbook.
One would expect the Riordans to discipline their son when his behavior is shameful—but they don’t. A company’s failure to clean up an oil spill is shameful.

17. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 sham – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 sham
– noun
• Karen’s apparent affection for Raul is a sham. He’s rich, and she cares only about his money.
• When the city inspectors came, the restaurant kitchen was sparkling. However, such cleanliness was a sham—the place is usually filthy.
Sham means
A. something false.
B. something confusing.
C. something accidental.
Page 43 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 sham – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 sham
– noun
• Karen’s apparent affection for Raul is a sham. He’s rich, and she cares only about his money.
• When the city inspectors came, the restaurant kitchen was sparkling. However, such cleanliness was a sham—the place is usually filthy.
Sham means
A. something false.
B. something confusing.
C. something accidental.
Page 43 in textbook.
Since Karen cares only about Raul’s money, her apparent affection for him is something false. Since the kitchen is usually filthy, its being sparkling clean for the city inspectors is something false.

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 solace – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 solace
– noun
• After a family quarrel, Tamara finds solace in the privacy and quiet of her own room.
• Whenever I’m upset and need solace, I call my friend Lisa. Talking to her always makes me feel better.
Solace means
A. excitement.
B. perfection.
C. relief.
Page 43 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

20. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 solace – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 solace
– noun
• After a family quarrel, Tamara finds solace in the privacy and quiet of her own room.
• Whenever I’m upset and need solace, I call my friend Lisa. Talking to her always makes me feel better.
Solace means
A. excitement.
B. perfection.
C. relief.
Page 43 in textbook.
The privacy and quiet of her own room would provide Tamara with relief after a quarrel. The words feel better suggest that talking with Lisa offers relief from being upset.

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 solicitous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 solicitous
– adjective
• The waiter was overly solicitous. He kept interrupting our conversation to ask, “Is everything all right here?”
• Solicitous toward her elderly neighbor, Marie calls every day to see how he is feeling and if he needs anything.
Solicitous means
A. distant.
B. attentive.
C. patient.
Page 43 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.
“I understand that you
are being solicitous, but you aren’t
allowed to come to work with me!”

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 solicitous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 solicitous
– adjective
• The waiter was overly solicitous. He kept interrupting our conversation to ask, “Is everything all right here?”
• Solicitous toward her elderly neighbor, Marie calls every day to see how he is feeling and if he needs anything.
Solicitous means
A. distant.
B. attentive.
C. patient.
Page 43 in textbook.
If the waiter kept interrupting the conversation, he was being overly attentive. Marie’s actions show that she is attentive toward her elderly neighbor.
“I understand that you
are being solicitous, but you aren’t
allowed to come to work with me!”

23. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
1. When my grandmother died, I found __________ in the thought that she had lived a long, happy life.
2. Jan writes at least three drafts of every paper so that the final result will be _________. She wants each assignment she turns in to be perfect.
Page 44 in textbook.
Answers: 1. solace; 2. impeccable
The next slide explains the answers.

24. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
1. When my grandmother died, I found _________ in the thought that she had lived a long, happy life.
solace
Thinking of the dead grandmother’s long, happy life would give the grandchild comfort.
2. Jan writes at least three drafts of every paper so that the final result will be _________. She wants each assignment she turns in to be perfect.
impeccable
Page 44 in textbook.
The word perfect tells you the meaning of impeccable.

25. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
3. The boss is in a rotten mood today, so he’s not __________ to tolerate any mistakes.
4. My brother and I are both grown up, but Mom is still ________ about our health. She says, “You’ll always be my babies.”
Page 44 in textbook.
Answers: 3. predisposed; 4. solicitous; 5. reprehensible
The next slide explains the answers.
5. Many people consider child abuse such a ___________ crime that they think the penalties should be as harsh as possible.

26. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
3. The boss is in a rotten mood today, so he’s not __________ to tolerate any mistakes.
predisposed
A person in a rotten mood would not be inclined to tolerate mistakes.
4. My brother and I are both grown up, but Mom is still ________ about our health. She says, “You’ll always be my babies.”
solicitous
Page 44 in textbook.
Since Mom feels that her grown children are still her babies, she continues to be attentive to their health.
5. Many people consider child abuse such a ___________ crime that they think the penalties should be as harsh as possible.
reprehensible
Most people would agree that child abuse is a shameful crime.

27. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
6. The “going-out-of-business” sale was a __________. A year later, the store was still open.
7. It’s hard to believe that Stacy, with her __________ for flashy clothes and nightlife, has become a missionary.
Page 44 in textbook.
Answers: 6. sham; 7. propensity
The next slide explains the answers.

28. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
6. The “going-out-of-business” sale was a __________. A year later, the store was still open.
sham
Since the store was still open a year later, the sale was only a pretense.
7. It’s hard to believe that Stacy, with her __________ for flashy clothes and nightlife, has become a missionary.
propensity
Page 44 in textbook.
Since Stacy has a preference for flashy cloths and nightlife, it would be hard to believe she became a missionary.

29. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
8. Unexpectedly, I ran into a former neighbor who had just started her own business. The __________ meeting led to a summer job offer for me.
9. For several months, Olive acted as a __________ between her divorced parents, but she finally insisted that they deal with each other directly.
Page 44 in textbook.
Answers: 8. fortuitous; 9. liaison; 10. equivocated
The next slide explains the answers.
10. The job candidate _______(e)d when he said he’d been “working out West.” Actually, he’d been a ski bum for three years.

30. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. equivocate B. fortuitous C. impeccable
D. liaison
E. predisposed
F. propensity G. reprehensible H. sham
I. solace
J. solicitous
8. Unexpectedly, I ran into a former neighbor who had just started her own business. The __________ meeting led to a summer job offer for me.
fortuitous
If the meeting led to a job offer, it was a lucky meeting.
9. For several months, Olive acted as a __________ between her divorced parents, but she finally insisted that they deal with each other directly.
liaison
Page 44 in textbook.
If Olive finally insisted her parents deal with each other directly, she must have been acting as a go-between.
10. The job candidate __________ when he said he’d been “working out West.” Actually, he’d been a ski bum for three years.
equivocated
Since he was a ski bum, he was being deliberately vague and misleading.