Wednesday 17 June 2009

Are you thinking of going to college in the US?
It´s time to test your readiness for college-level reading. In each of the following exercises, choose the word that best completes the sentence.

1-"Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness; but prejudice__________every tender disposition." (Montesquieu)
(A)eradicate (B)deprecate (C)abet (D)placate (E)pervert

2-Describing an argument as "sophistical" means that you believe it is___________-that is, misleading and false.
(A)jocular (B)specious (C)judicious (D)obsequious (E)conventional


3-Careful observation of popular culture as presented in the mass media reveals that many songs, movies, and television programs are ___________, teaching the values of society through entertainment.
(A) complicit (B)inscrutable (C)didactic (D)acerbic (E)titillating


*Selected from Word Fest by Philip Geer Check out the correct answers under: College-level reading.

6 comments:

  1. Maybe none of us would make it to college in the US. Tell me about it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Danuza

    Hi Danuza,

    Believe it or not, there's an ENTIRE book of "impossible" vocabulary that those students intending to go to college in the US are expected to be familiar with.
    Do you think most native speakers of English know such words?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chris,
    My nephew has just came back from the US. He has taken an exam to go to College, but he failed. I would like to help him, however I didn't know that it was so demanding. Anyway, Could you give some clues?
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. @Andrea

    Hi sweetie,
    Before I can offer you any sort of help, I need to know what exam he took. Was it TOEFL, SAT or something else? For each exam there's specific preparation.
    Please let me know so that I can help you.

    Love,
    Chris

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Chris.
    My hell goodness! those were difficult questions in terms of vocabulary. And, speaking of vocabulary, I have another great issue that you may know the answer...

    "Philosiphers and leaders are members of the trade"

    What, in this context, does "members of the trade" mean?

    all of my love,
    Guido

    ReplyDelete
  6. @Guido

    Hi sweetie,
    "Trade" means "a particular type of business" as in "the tourist trade".
    The trade that philosophers and leaders are members of must be clear from the context.

    Keep blogging.
    Love,
    Chris

    ReplyDelete