Essential Words for the TOEFL Lesson 11 Vocabulary Test

Choose the synonym.

amenity

justify

overbearing

mortify

exaggerate

disperse

release

vital

commonplace

emerge

Kapok is made from the silky fiber that encircles the seeds of the tropical silk-cotton tree. This dense mat of cottony fibers surrounds each seed within the fruit. However, unlike cotton fibers, kapok fibers do not lend themselves to spinning. Since they are water-resistant and buoyant, kapok fibers were extensively used for padding and insulation until the development of synthetic fibers.

The word encircles in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

Lewis and Clark’s expedition’s central objective, the discovery of the “water communication,” was not realized. However, a huge blank space on the map of North America had been filled as a result of the expedition. The rumor and myth related to the American West had been eliminated and new knowledge about the Wild West was made known to the American people.

The word eliminated in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

The most elementary type of convection can be explained by the fact that heat rises. Convection currents permit buildings to be heated without the use of circulatory devices. The heated air moves solely by gravity. In the atmosphere, convection causes the wind to blow. Most severe weather conditions, such as tornadoes, result from particularly sharp convection currents.

The word elementary in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

The key element of the air conditioner is a fluorocarbon refrigerant that flows constantly through the conditioner’s mechanisms. It becomes a liquid and gives off heat when it is compressed, and becomes a gas and absorbs heat when the pressure is removed. The mechanisms that evaporate and compress the refrigerant are divided into two areas, one on the interior, which includes an air filter, fan, and cooling coil, and one on the exterior, which includes a compressor, condenser coil, and fan.

The word element in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

A common inhabitant of the southwest United States, the prairie dog lives in groups called coteries. A breeding coterie contains one male, one to four females, and the young of the past two years. Several coteries form large groups called wards, which are determined by the structure of the terrain. The wards in turn are united into towns—complex dwellings of interconnecting burrows and many entrances. The towns may cover as many as 65 to 160 acres, which contain thousands of individuals. While the prairie dog population is thought to have once been in the billions, urban development of the southwestern region has precipitated a population decline of nearly 95 percent.

The word precipitated in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

The sport utility vehicle, or SUV, is the most popular type of automobile in the United States today. SUVs are spacious, powerful, and rugged; they have more room for passengers, equipment, groceries, and boxes than ordinary cars. Therefore, they are more commonly found in the country than in the city, and in some suburban neighborhoods, they are more prevalent than compact cars or vans. Even their high consumption of gas has little effect on their popularity.

In stating that SUVs are more prevalent than compact cars, the author means that they_____.

Water whirlwinds, commonly called waterspouts, are whirling columns of air and watery mist. Brief whirlwinds are erratic in motion, but the longer-lasting ones move slowly with the prevailing winds and are more regular in their movement. Storms generate most waterspouts, but tornado spouts, generated in thunderstorms, in association with tropical cyclones, are the most dangerous.

The word erratic in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

Partly because it has promoted U.S. interests, the Monroe Doctrine has had a considerable effect and enjoyed strong support in the United States. It has been used to justify intervention in the internal affairs of other American nations. However, U.S. diplomatic relations are strained due to growing anxiety over the prevalent instability of Latin American politics and recent controversial interventions.

The word prevalent in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

A caricature is a picture or other representation that exaggerates a particular physical, facial appearance, dress, or the manners of an individual to produce a distinct comical effect. It is used to ridicule political, social, or religious situations and institutions, or actions by individuals, groups, or classes of a society. The latter types of caricature are usually done with satirical rather than humorous intent, in order to encourage political or social change.

The word exaggerates in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

Geologic changes provide a convincing explanation for the puzzling way that plant species are spread around the world. The conifers of the genus Araucaria, for example, have large seeds that do not float in seawater and are dispersed only short distances. However, they have been found either as fossils or as actively growing plants on all continents and on some islands that appear to be fragments of continents.

The word dispersed in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.