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 Appropriate Wor ds or
Expressions in Context

Astonished?
Astounded?
Bewildered?
What’s the
Confounded?
right word?
Dazed?
Dazzled?
This presentation will
help you distinguish
between
appropriate and
inappropriate
words or expressions
for the given
context.
On an objective test, an
item evaluating the skill
might look like this ...
 Sample Item

When Lawrence stuck French fries up his nose,

we shouted, “Yuck!” We were __________ by his
behavior.

A. unfazed
B. dazzled Is unfazed,
Repulsed, which
dazzled, or
C. repulsed
repulsed means disgusted
repulsed the best
or sickened, is
word to fill the
the right choice.
blank?
 Don’t panic!
Try to
What if I don’t determine the
know any of right word by
words that are looking for
options? clues about
meaning!
 Clue 1: Look for a definition.

fearofof
Sharilyn suffers from cynophobia, or the fear
dogs
dogs, ,so
soshe
shewon’t
won’tbe
beinterested
interestedininadopting
adoptingaa
puppy.

Look for
Look at the Cynophobia!
commas, That’s such a
sentence! The
parentheses, big word! How
author has
or dashes that
defined it for am I supposed to
encapsulate know what it
you! It means the
(or set off) the means?
fear of dogs.
definition.
 Clue 2: Look for examples.

My dog Jack is obdurate; for forexample,

example he, he won’t
won’t get
off the
get off couch
the couch
whenwhen
I askI ask
or come
or come
when
when
he’she’s
called.
called.
Look
Look at the
for phrases
like toThe
sentence!
illustrate , for
author gives
examples
instance!, Youor Obdurate!
such as that
can conclude That’s another
that
provide
Jack is big word! I
examples
stubborn,that a don’t know what
define
synonymthe word
for it means!
obdurate
you don’t know..
 Clue 3: Look for contr ast.

sickwith
Jill was sick withthe
theflu,
flu,so
sowhen
whenwe
weexplained
explainedthe
the
salubrious properties of chocolate-broccoli muffins,
she ate one.

Look for an Salubrious!

Look at the I’ve never
antonym—a
sentence! If she’s heard of it! How
word that means
sick, she wants am I supposed
the opposite—
to get well, so to know if it’s the
to help figure out
salubrious right word or
the meaning of
must mean
the word you not?
health-giving!
don’t know.
 Clue 4: Infer the meaning.

SparkyOnly
Everyone calls that boy Sparky. . Only
hishis mother
mother
“Cornelius!”
refuses to use the sobriquet, shouting, “Cornelius!”
when dinner is ready.

Guess, or
Sparky
infer, the
must Sobriquet!
be a
meaning! Who uses that
nickname
Mothers ,
like to word! I don’t
which
call ischildren
their what a know what it
sobriquet
by their realis! means!
names.
At many o b je c tive ex a ms, you
c a n not use a dictionar y!

X
 W hen in doubt, rely on
“gut” feelings.

Your eyes have seen in print—and your

brain has registered —all of the possible
words that you will encounter for this skill. If
you don’t know the meaning of any of the
words, go with the one that feels right.

Hey, I’ve seen

that word
before!
 Quick Test

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the most effective word or phrase within the
context suggested by the sentence(s).

Let’s see
Your
what you
turn!
can do!
 Item 1

After an exhausting all-nighter to finish Professor

Clark’s research paper, we found his dull lecture
the next morning __________.

A. uplifting
B. excruciating
excruciating
C. inspiring
 Item 2

After Betsy’s last purchase of a lemon—and the

dealership’s unwillingness to repair problems that
she thought the warranty covered—Betsy
__________ the contract for her new car before
she signed it.

A. scrutinized
scrutinized
B. skimmed
C. glanced at
 Item 3

Walter winced as he tasted the sauce, shook his

head, and sighed. His __________ for Loretta’s
cooking was obvious.

A. horror
B. excitement
C. disdain
disdain
 Item 4

The students wished Professor Davis gave

__________ directions for essays. Instead, the
assignment sheets are pages long and chocked
full of requirements.

A. complicated
B. wide
C. succinct
succinct
 Item 5

Sara was filled with __________, for she had

emailed Professor Carson to explain that she was
too ill to attend class but then ran into him at the
Student Center, a tennis racquet in her hand.

A. trepidation
trepidation
B. mirth
C. brevity
 Item 6

Simon had to __________ his cell phone after it

rang for the third time in class.

A. relinquish
relinquish
B. amputate
C. postpone
 Item 7

Roger’s car holds four people comfortably, but he

stuffed nine classmates into the little vehicle.
Larissa had difficulty __________ herself from the
backseat when they arrived at her house.

A. modifying
B. hovering
C. extricating
extricating
 Item 8

Winston read his essay with a ruler, scrutinizing

each line for errors. When he finished, he read it
again just as carefully. We found his behavior
__________, but teachers loved his control of
grammar.

A. punitive
B. redundant
redundant
C. lackadaisical
 Item 9

Larry dyed his hair blue and green and painted his
face and torso in the same school colors. In
addition, he wore flippers on his feet and hands.
When his girlfriend Maria saw his game-day
preparations, she gasped and declared them
__________.

A. subdued
B. ostentatious
ostentatious
C. pedestrian
 Item 10

We followed the guide down the stairs to the floor

below the lobby. Then we toured the __________
storerooms where the museum kept priceless
treasures not on display.

A. subterranean
subterranean
B. lofty
C. incapacitated
 After the
denouement

Or the End.