Here is a 10-question quiz I made up for the fun of it tonight. (I'm a word nerd.) As you read it, list your answer (by letter) on a scrap piece of paper before checking your answers. (I will post answers in the comment box, so don't cheat.) I'd be curious to know your score! Don't worry. I promise all these words were new to me two years ago when I picked up an SAT prep book called 600 Words You Need to Know to Pass Your Exam.
Ready with your pen and paper?
1. procrustean (adj) ("pro-cruss'-tee-uhn")
a. violently demanding of conformity
b. unable to control one's love of pastries
c. wandering aimlessly
d. excessively talkative
2. xenophobia (n.) (ze'-nuh-foh'-bee-uh")
a. fear of heights
b. fear of arid places such as deserts
c. fear of strangers and foreigners
d. fear of precipitation
3. glabrous (adj.) ("glay'-briss")
a. robust
b. bald
c. eccentric
d. f ulfilling
4. soupcon (n) ("soup'-sohn")
a performance
b. synthetic silk
c. smidgen
d. tyrade
5. sycophant (n.) ("sick'-uh-funt")
a. a meandering body of water
b. a noisy, uproarious crowd
c. a misinterpreted word
d. a self-seeking flatterer
6. spoonerism (n) ("spoon' -er-ism":))
a. the transposition of initial or other sounds of words, usually by accident,
as in a blushing crow for a crushing blow.
b. a social blunder, as in slurping soup from a spoon
c. a verbal mistake that is thought to reveal an unconscious belief, thought, or emotion
d. a distinctive quality or style, as in behavior or speech
7. salvos (sal' -vohz)
a. round of applause ,accolades, congratulations
b. automobile parts
c. selfish ambitions
d. broken pieces
8. lapidary (n.) (lap'-uh-dair-ee)
a. ranch hand,farmer
b. clergyman
c. professional pilot
d. cutter/engraver of precious stones
9. lissome (adj.) ("liss'-um")
a. restless
b. flexible
c. lethargic
d. hilarious
10. anon (adv.) (uh-non')
a. always
b. never
c. yesterday
d. in a short time
7 comments:
I have cut-and-pasted several defintions from Dictionary.com, in part or in full. Example sentences are my own.
1.A. violently demanding of conformity. After Procrustes, a mythical Greek giant who stretched or shortened captives to make them fit his beds. Despite what my kids may tell you about my homeschooling ideals, I did not resort to procrustean measures to get good results from them.
2. C. Fear of strangers or foreigners. Someone with xenophobia would probably not possess the gift of hospitality!
3. B. Bald. A glabrous head looks like a bowling ball.
4. C. Smidgen. Some people like a soupcon of ketchup on their fries, but I like a heavy dose of vinegar on mine!
5. D. A self-seeking flatterer, from Greek sūkophantēs, informer, from sūkon phainein, to show a fig (probably originally said of denouncers of theft or exportation of figs)
6. A. the transposition of initial or other sounds of words, usually by acciden. Instead of saying "Want to pillow fight?" my little boy will often ask his brother, "Want to fillow pight?"
7. A. Accolades or cheers, often given as a round of cheers or applause. Whever someone gets engaged in our church, all the people erupt with salvos for the happy couple.
8, d. Lapidary-cutter/engraver of stones. I would love to show you the peridot ring from my husband; its setting is an original design by a retired lapidary.
9. b. Flexible. As a high school cheerleader, I was bouncy and lissome, but time, gravity,lack of exercise, and multiple childbirth experiences have turned me limpsome!
10. D. In a short time, in a little while, soon. Don't be surprised if I adopt this cute little word and say, "Anon" with a wave instead of "See ya soon!"
I got 6 out of 10. Is that a D? ;)
7 of 10 for me--a few I knew and a couple of good guesses :)
I'm showing my intelligence here, or lack thereof! 3 out of 10. This was fun!
I got 7 out of 10. That WAS fun. Takes me back to my SAT days.
I give each of you an A for effort. Glad it was fun for you. Want to do another sometime?
I'm a total tard and will not participate in your quiz time anymore! (slams the door and goes to her room and pouts!)
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