esoteric facsimile grotesque mesmerize austere notorious perfunctory provocative travesty metamorphosis Ten Words in Context Ms Stones appearance was austere She wore plain darkcolored clothing with no jewelry and she never used makeup ID: 781362
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Slide1
SAT Chapter
6
Advancing Vocabulary
esoteric
facsimile
grotesque
mesmerize
austere
notorious
perfunctory
provocative
travesty
metamorphosis
Slide2Ten Words in Context
Ms. Stone’s appearance was
austere
. She wore plain, dark-colored clothing with no jewelry, and she never used makeup.The walls in Mario’s den are white and nearly bare, and his white furniture has simple lines. This austere decor gives the room a pleasantly calm mood.Austere meansA.
very ugly.
B. very plain.C. very youthful.
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 1 austere
–
adjective
An austere classroom© Branko Grujic | Dreamstime.com
Slide3Ten Words in Context
Ms. Stone’s appearance was
austere
. She wore plain, dark-colored clothing with no jewelry, and she never used makeup.The walls in Mario’s den are white and nearly bare, and his white furniture has simple lines. This austere decor gives the room a pleasantly calm mood.Austere meansA.
very ugly.
B. very plain.C. very youthful.
1 austere– adjective
An
austere
classroom© Branko Grujic | Dreamstime.comPlain, dark clothing, no jewelry, and no makeup would make Ms. Stone’s appearance very plain. Bare, white walls and white furniture with simple lines are very plain
decor.
Slide4Ten Words in Context
The lecture “Is There Life On Other Planets?” sounded interesting, but it was so
esoteric
that only a few scientists in the audience understood it.The poetry of Ezra Pound, filled with references to ancient Greek culture, is too esoteric for most readers.Esoteric meansA. difficult to understand.
B.
shallow. C. unfavorable.
2 esoteric– adjective
Odd shapes and mysterious symbols
make this an
esoteric painting. Painting: Peruartevalor via Wikimedia Commons
Slide5Ten Words in Context
The poetry of Ezra Pound, filled with references to ancient Greek culture, is too
esoteric
for most readers.2 esoteric
–
adjective
Painting: Peruartevalor via Wikimedia CommonsIf only a few scientists could understand the lecture, it must have been difficult to understand. Poetry filled with references to ancient Greek culture would be too difficult for most readers
to understand
.
Esoteric meansA. difficult to understand.B. shallow. C. unfavorable. Odd shapes and mysterious symbols make this an esoteric painting. The lecture “Is There Life On Other Planets?” sounded interesting, but it was so esoteric that only a few scientists in the audience understood it.
Slide6Ten Words in Context
When a
facsimile
of an old Sears-Roebuck shopping catalog was published, it became a bestseller. People enjoyed seeing what was for sale a century ago.The little girl was amazed to see a famous painting on the classroom wall. “That’s the Mona Lisa!” she said. Of course, it was a facsimile, not the original.Facsimile meansA.
an original.
B. a distorted version. C. an accurate copy.
3 facsimile– noun
Slide7Ten Words in Context
Facsimile
meansA. an original. B. a distorted version. C. an accurate copy.
3
facsimile
– nounIn order for people to see what Sears-Roebuck sold a century ago, the newly published catalog would have to be an accurate copy
of the old catalog. If the girl thought the picture was actually the Mona Lisa, then it must have been
a perfect copy of the original painting. The words not the original are a clue.
When a facsimile of an old Sears-Roebuck shopping catalog was published, it became a bestseller. People enjoyed seeing what was for sale a century ago.The little girl was amazed to see a famous painting on the classroom wall. “That’s the Mona Lisa!” she said. Of course, it was a facsimile, not the original.
Slide8Ten Words in Context
Some breeds of cats are hairless. Some people find their bare pink skin adorable, but I think they look
grotesque
.The clown made grotesque faces, squinting his eyes, pulling down the corners of his mouth, and sticking out his tongue.Grotesque meansA.
strange-looking.
B. hard to understand. C. charming.
4 grotesque– adjective
A
grotesque
facePainting: from Edvard Munch (1863–1944) “The Scream” via Wikimedia Commons
Slide9Ten Words in Context
The clown made
grotesque
faces, squinting his eyes, pulling down the corners of his mouth, and sticking out his tongue.Grotesque meansA. strange-looking.B. hard to understand. C. charming.
4
grotesque– adjective
A
grotesque face
Painting: from Edvard Munch (1863–1944) “The Scream” via Wikimedia CommonsAn "adorable" cat would be delightful to look at. The opposite would a strange-looking cat. In the second item, the faces described sound strange-looking. Some breeds of cats are hairless. Some people find their bare pink skin adorable, but I think they look
grotesque.
Slide10Ten Words in Context
The intense eyes of the woman in the photograph
mesmerized
me. I couldn’t take my eyes off the picture.The toddler was mesmerized by the fish tank and stood in front of it, gazing at the fish for nearly an hour. Mesmerize means
A.
to amuse.B. to fascinate.C.
to distort. 5 mesmerize– verb
Mesmerized
by a video game
Greg Campbell via Wikimedia Commons
Slide11Ten Words in Context
The intense eyes of the woman in the photograph
mesmerized
me. I couldn’t take my eyes off the picture.Mesmerize meansA. to amuse.B. to fascinate.C.
to distort.
5
mesmerize– verb
Mesmerized
by a video gameGreg Campbell via Wikimedia Commons
Being unable to take his or her eyes off the picture suggests that the speaker was fascinated by the photograph. A toddler would have to be fascinated by an object to stand and gaze at it for nearly an hour.The toddler was mesmerized by the fish tank and stood in front of it, gazing at the fish for nearly an hour.
Slide12Ten Words in Context
A caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly is a well-known example of
metamorphosis
.In Franz Kafka’s famous story “The Metamorphosis,” a man wakes up on his thirtieth birthday to discover that he has turned into an enormous insect.Metamorphosis meansA. a change in form.
B.
a disaster. C. a scientific theory.
6 metamorphosis– noun
The
metamorphosis
of a tadpole into a frogIllustration: Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (1885-90) via Wikimedia Commons
Slide13Ten Words in Context
A caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly is a well-known example of
metamorphosis
.In Franz Kafka’s famous story “The Metamorphosis,” a man wakes up on his thirtieth birthday to discover that he has turned into an enormous insect.Metamorphosis meansA. a change in form.
B.
a disaster. C. a scientific theory.
6 metamorphosis– noun
The
metamorphosis
of a tadpole into a frogIllustration: Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (1885-90) via Wikimedia CommonsA caterpillar can become a butterfly only by undergoing a change in form. For a man to turn into an enormous insect, he must undergo a change in form—as the title of the story indicates.
Slide14Ten Words in Context
Batman and Robin matched wits with the Joker and the Penguin, who were
notorious
for their evil deeds.The local diner is notorious for bitter coffee, soggy vegetables, limp salads, and mystery meat.Notorious meansA.
regarded negatively.
B. regarded with curiosity. C. ignored.
7 notorious– adjective
Billy the Kid,
a
notorious outlaw in the 1870sBy Ben Wittick (1845-1903) via Wikimedia Commons
Slide15Ten Words in Context
Batman and Robin matched wits with the Joker and the Penguin, who were
notorious
for their evil deeds.The local diner is notorious for bitter coffee, soggy vegetables, limp salads, and mystery meat.Notorious meansA.
regarded negatively.
B. regarded with curiosity. C. ignored.
7 notorious– adjective
Billy the Kid,
a
notorious outlaw in the 1870sBy Ben Wittick (1845-1903) via Wikimedia CommonsBecause they are known for their evil deeds, the Joker and the Penguin are regarded negatively. Bitter coffee, soggy vegetables, limp salads, and mystery meat would ensure that the diner would be regarded negatively.
Slide16Ten Words in Context
The doctor’s examination was
perfunctory
. He seemed to be just going through the motions without taking any interest in the patient.Most of the candidates were passionate on the subject of nuclear weapons, but one spoke in a very perfunctory way, apparently bored with the topic.Perfunctory meansA.
uninterested.
B. enthusiastic. C. exaggerated.
8 perfunctory– adjective
Slide17Ten Words in Context
The doctor’s examination was
perfunctory
. He seemed to be just going through the motions without taking any interest in the patient.Most of the candidates were passionate on the subject of nuclear weapons, but one spoke in a very perfunctory way, apparently bored with the topic.Perfunctory meansA.
uninterested.
B. enthusiastic. C. exaggerated.
8 perfunctory– adjective
If the doctor is not taking any interest in the patient, he would seem
uninterested
in his examination. A speaker who is apparently bored with the topic would speak in an uninterested way.
Slide18Ten Words in Context
“A good essay is
provocative
,” said our English instructor. “It gets the reader interested and attentive, starting with the very first paragraph.”To arouse the viewers’ curiosity, the television ad began with a provocative image: a spaceship landing on a baseball field, at home plate.Provocative means
A.
predictable. B. difficult to understand. C.
attention-getting. 9 provocative– adjective
A
provocative
hair styleJagvar via Wikimedia Commons
Slide19Ten Words in Context
“A good essay is
provocative
,” said our English instructor. “It gets the reader interested and attentive, starting with the very first paragraph.”To arouse the viewers’ curiosity, the television ad began with a provocative image: a spaceship landing on a baseball field, at home plate.Provocative means
A.
predictable. B. difficult to understand. C.
attention-getting. 9 provocative– adjective
A
provocative
hair styleJagvar via Wikimedia CommonsAn essay that makes the reader interested and attentive would be attention-getting. The image of a spaceship landing on a baseball field would be attention-getting.
Slide20Ten Words in Context
The election was a
travesty
. Voters were threatened to support the current leader, so it was anything but a genuine, fair process. The musical-comedy version of Hamlet was a travesty. The critics and audience agreed that it made a mockery of Shakespeare’s profound tragedy.Travesty means
A.
a disrespectful imitation.B. an exact copy. C.
a simple version. 10 travesty – noun
Leonardo’s
Mona Lisa
Painting: Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) via Wikimedia CommonsA travesty of theMona LisaImage: Jagvar via Wikimedia Commons
Slide21Ten Words in Context
The musical-comedy version of
Hamlet
was a travesty. The critics and audience agreed that it made a mockery of Shakespeare’s profound tragedy.Travesty meansA. a disrespectful imitation.B. an exact copy. C.
a simple version.
10
travesty – noun
Leonardo’s
Mona Lisa
Painting: Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) via Wikimedia CommonsA travesty of theMona LisaImage: Jagvar via Wikimedia CommonsA version that made a mockery of a tragedy would be
a disrespectful imitation. A
version that made a mockery of a tragedy would be a disrespectful imitation.
The election was a travesty. Voters were threatened to support the current leader, so it was anything but a genuine, fair process.
Slide22Name: ________________________ Class: _____________________ Date: __________. Period: _______
1. Lining the music school’s hallway are framed ________________s of handwritten pages of music by great composers.
2. In some modern paintings, human figures are distorted into such ________________ shapes that it’s hard to recognize facial features and body parts.
3. To capture readers’ attention, an author sometimes begins an article with a(n) _________________ question, such as, “Which do you think is more dangerous, climbing stairs or parachuting out of an airplane?”4. King Henry VIII of England was _________________ not only for getting married six times, but also for having two of his wives executed.5. The trial was a(n) ___________________ of justice because several of the jurors had been bribed.6. The magician David Copperfield performed a trick called “____________________.” One person was chained and locked in a box. When the box was opened, that person was gone, and someone else was chained there instead.7. My sister’s dormitory room is rather _________________, with cement-block walls and bare floors, but she’s made it less stark by hanging colorful posters and adding bright bedspreads and cushions.8. Usually the therapist showed great interest in her patients, but today she was too worried about her own family to give more than _________________ responses.9. As I stood looking at the grandfather clock, I became ________________(e)d by the shiny pendulum that swung back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.10. Legal documents are usually worded in such _________________ language that most people need a lawyer to translate the “legalese” into plain English.Extra Credit:
Quiz: Complete the item with the correct word from the box.
A.
austere B. esoteric C. facsimile D. grotesque
E.
mesmerize
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory I. provocative J. travesty