1. The Wright brothers’ desire to fly was never attenuated though they faced several failures.

• Parts: at (to); tenu (thin); ate (make cause)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: to reduce in force, value, or amount; to lessen the density of; to make less virulent; to become thin, weak, or fine.

• Antonyms: strengthen, fortify, improve

• Variant forms: attenuation(n); attenuated (adj)

• Context Phrase:

• Attenuate - verb

• Synonyms: impair, weaken, reduce, diminish, debilitate

2. I would never purchase a used car from a dealer whose motto is “Caveat emptor.”

• Parts: cavere (to beware); emp (buy); or (one who)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: The principle that a person who buys something does so at his or her own risk.

• Antonyms: na

• Variant forms: a caveat is a warning of specific conditions

• Context Phrase:

• Caveat emptor - noun

• Synonyms: na

3. The neonatal surgeon said that only a heart transplant could correct the congenital defect.

• Parts: con (together, with); gen (birth); al (pertaining to)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Existing from birth but not hereditary, such as a disease or physical deformity; Having a particular trait from birth or by firmly established habit

• Antonyms: acquired, learned

• Variant forms: congenitally (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• Congenital (adj)

• Synonyms: inborn, innate, inherent

4.The debacle of the company obliterated the life savings of most workers and stockholders.

• Parts: de (down, from); bacler (to bar)- literally to unbar

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: A sudden, disastrous collapse, downfall, or defeat; a total, even ludicrous, failure

• Antonyms: success, achievement, triumph, victory

• Variant forms: na

• Context Phrase:

• Debacle _ noun

• Synonyms: rout, fiasco, disaster, catastrophe

5. I could not discern any difference in quality, so I bought the less expensive leather coat.

• Parts: dis (apart, away); cern (separate)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: to perceive something obscure or concealed; to recognize or comprehend mentally; to perceive as separate and distinct; to perceive differences

• Antonyms: overlook, disregard, slight, neglect

• Variant forms:discernible(adj);discernibly(adv) discernment(n)

• Context Phrase:

• Discern - verb

• Synonyms: detect, discriminate, discover, distinguish

6. He hopes that the acquittal will finally exonerate him and that life will be normal again.

• Parts: ex(out, from); onus (burden); ate (make, cause)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: to free from blame; to free from a burden; to free from responsibility, obligation, or task

• Antonyms: charge, condemn, blame, indict, accuse

• Variant forms: exonerative (adj); exoneration(n)

• Context Phrase:

• Exonerate - verb

• Synonyms: vindicate, absolve, exculpate

7. If you expedite your tax refunds, you may choose to file your taxes electronically.

• Parts: ex (out); ped (foot) “to free the feet)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: to make an action or process happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly; to perform quickly and efficiently.

• Antonyms:delay, hinder, obstruct

• Variant forms:expedient (adj/n.) expediency (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Expedite _ verb

• Synonyms:facilitate, hasten, dispatch, enable

8. Some people think history will focus on President Nixon’s ignominy associated with the Watergate scandal; others think it will celebrate his

accomplishments in foreign affairs.

• Parts: ig(not); nomen (name); y (result of) Having a bad name

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Public shame or disgrace; Great personal dishonor or humiliation; Shameful or disgraceful action, conduct, or character.

• Antonyms: dignity, honor, admiration, virtue, eminence

• Variant forms: ignominious (adj); ignominiously (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• Ignominy - (n)

• Synonyms: infamy, dishonor, notoriety, shame,disgrace

9.Indubitable DNA evidence usually makes it easier for a jury to reach a guilty verdict.

• Parts: in (not); dubitabilis (doubt); al (related to)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Too apparent to be doubted

• Antonyms: doubtful, equivocal, dubious, questionable

• Variant forms: indubitably (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• Indubitable - (adj)

• Synonyms: unquestionable, certain, unmistakable,

10. The policeman risked his own life by interposing himself between the robber and his hostages.

• Parts: inter (between, among) pos (put, place)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: To place or insert between one thing and another; to intervene between parties; to inject a comment during conversation, to exert influence

• Antonyms: ignore, abstain, refrain, withdraw

• Variant forms: interposition (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Interpose - verb

• Synonyms: insert, interfere, intervene, interject

11. The substitute declared that she would never again work with that obstreperous class.

• Parts: ob (against); streper (to make noise); ous (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition:Noisy and difficult to control

• Antonyms: cooperative, docile, quiet, submissive

• Variant forms:obstreperously (adv); obstreperousness (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Obstreperous - adj.

• Synonyms: boisterous, rowdy, disorderly, rambunctious

12. Money is not a panacea, but it can certainly help to improve many situations.

• Parts:mal pan (all, entire); akos (remedy)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases: a universal remedy

• Antonyms:na

• Variant forms: panacean (adj)

• Context Phrase:

• panacea – (n.)

• Synonyms: curative, remedy

13.The perfidious soldier disappointed his commanders by attacking their quarters.

• Parts:per(through, thoroughly); fid (faith)ous(full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Deceitful and untrustworthy; characterized by the deliberate violation of faith or trust

• Antonyms: loyal,faithful, true, trustworthy

• Variant forms: perfidy(n); perfidiously (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• perfidious – (adj.)

• Synonyms: treacherous, disloyal, faithless, traitorous

14. The family accepted the posthumous honors their father had earned during the war.

• Parts:post (after); hum (ground, earth); ous (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator; Born after the death of one’s father; Published after the death of the author

• Antonyms: na

• Variant forms: posthumously (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• Posthumous – adj.

• Synonyms: na

15. Does the media contribute to the unhealthy and promiscuous behavior of Americans?

• Parts: pro (forth, forward)’ misc (mix); ous (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Lacking standards of selection; having frequent and diverse sexual relationships, especially transient ones

• Antonyms: moral, reserved, planned, deliberate, careful

• Variant forms:promiscuity (n); promiscuously (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• promiscuous - adj

• Synonyms: immoral, indiscriminate, casual, uninhibited

16. Though the Kennedy family faced numerous tragedies, they remained resilient in their faith.

• Parts: re (back, again); sal (jump, leap); ent (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: having the ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune; Able to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching or compressing

• Antonyms: rigid, stiff, tense, inflexible, unbending

• Variant forms: resilience (n), resiliency (n)

• Context Phrase:

• resilient – (adj.)

• Synonyms:buoyant, flexible,supple, strong, determined

17.The peaceful protest became sanguinary when the dictator authorized military force to stop it.

• Parts: sangui (blood); ary (pertaining to)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Accompanied by carnage, consisting of blood, bloodthirsty

• Antonyms: civilized, humane

• Variant forms: na

• Context Phrase:

• sanguinary – (adj.)

• Synonyms: bloody, bloodstained, brutal, savage

18. Some teenagers complain that supercilious sales associates in stores with expensive merchandise do not regard them as serious customers and do not offer assistance.

• Parts: super (above); cil (eyebrow): ous (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Behaving or looking as though one thinks he or she is superior to others.

• Antonyms: humble, simple, modest, respectful

• Variant forms: superciliously(adv); superciliousness(n)

• Context Phrase:

• superciloius - (adj.)

• Synonyms: snooty, haughty, scornful, snobbish

19. To attract readers’ attention, magazines such as People frequently feature the tempestuous relationships of celebrities.

• Parts: temp (time>weather>storm); ous(full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotions

• Antonyms: calm, peaceful, tranquil, harmonious

• Variant forms:tempestuously (adv); tempestuousness (n)

• Context Phrase:

• tempestuous– (adj)

• Synonyms: stormy, passionate, tumultuous, wild

20. People are not perfect; therefore, the society they create can never be a utopia.

• Parts: ou (not); topos (place)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: An ideal, perfect place, especially in its socio-political aspects; imaginary place or state of things in which everything is perfect

• Antonyms: na

• Variant forms: utopian (adj)

• Context Phrase:

• utopia – (n.)

• Synonyms: paradise, perfection, Shangri-la, bliss