SAT 9

Question 1

Affinity; noun

Answer 1

-natural attraction to a person or liking for a thing; relation; connection. Harvey’s affinity for Linda led him to excel in our computer course. Ant. indifference

Question 2

Catharsis; noun

Answer 2

-an emotional purification or relief. The tragedy on stage brought about a catharsis among the spectators.

Question 3

Deprecate; verb

Answer 3

-to express strong disapproval of. If you continually deprecate Jeremy’s efforts thereby deflating his self-confidence he may stop trying. Ant. praise; laud

Question 4

Embroil; verb

Answer 4

-to involve in a quarrel. The rival party sought a way to embroil the government in a dispute over the economy.

Question 5

Formidable; adjective

Answer 5

-hard to overcome; to be dreaded. Seemingly a mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent was actually the formidable Superman.

Question 6

Hypothetical; adjective

Answer 6

-supposed; assumed. Saying that he has an aversion to hypothetical questions the governor refused to reply.

Question 7

Inadvertent; adjective

Answer 7

-not done on purpose, careless. I regarded the inadvertent comment as immaterial but it proved to be significant. Ant. purposeful; careful

Question 8

Levity; noun

Answer 8

-lightness; lack of seriousness; fickleness. Brad’s levity contrasted sharply with his roommate’s solemnity. Ant. gravity

Question 9

Perfidy; noun

Answer 9

-treachery; betrayal of trust. The double agent was obviously a man capable of acts of perfidy. Ant. honesty

Question 10

Redundant; adjective

Answer 10

-wordy; exceeding what is necessary or normal; lavish; overflowing. I wonder if authors who are called prolific are really merely redundant.

Question 11

Saturate; verb

Answer 11

• to soak through and through; to fill completely. What we need now said the farmer is a heavy rain that will saturate the soil for a good six inches.

Question 12

Talon; noun

Answer 12

-the claw of a bird or prey; a human finger or hand that looks or grasps like a claw; any object suggestive of a claw. The hawk’s talon closed on its prey locking it in a vise-like grip.

Question 13

Undermine; verb

Answer 13

-to dig or to make a tunnel under; to wear away and weaken the support of; to injure or to weaken in a slow or sneaky way. The constant pressure of water in the subterranean channels can undermine the building’s foundation.

Question 14

Validate; verb

Answer 14

-to declare or make legally sound; to substantiate; to verify. Floyd said he had an unimpeachable witness to validate his claim.

Question 15

Wanton; adjective

Answer 15

-immoral; senseless; deliberately malicious; excessive. The partisans condemned the dictator’s wanton disregard for human rights. Ant. benign