Essential Words for the TOEFL Lesson 13 Vocabulary Test

Choose the synonym.

oblivious

critical

predictably

sustain

inaccessible

elude

extensive

honor

evidently

exceed

Engineering geologists survey the geology of an area, and then prepare a geological map. One of their main responsibilities is to determine whether the geological structure of a location is suitable for the building of huge structures such as dams.

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

Experts believe that a child’s family experiences are crucial for personality development. The ways that basic needs are met in infancy, along with later techniques of child rearing, can leave a permanent mark on personality. Children learn behavior appropriate to their sex by identifying with the parent of the same sex. A warm, caring relationship with that parent helps such learning.

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

The Everglades comprises one of the wildest and most inaccessible areas in the United States. Its wildlife is plentiful and is largely protected within the Everglades National Park. The only inhabitants of the Everglades are several hundred Seminole Indians.

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

Bank credit and debit cards, now used worldwide, are examples of general purpose bank cards. Establishments offering almost every kind of product or service now honor such cards. These cards are designed to give customers access to credit, savings, and checking accounts, eliminating the need to purchase items with cash. It is predicted that, in the future, these cards will completely eliminate the need for carrying cash.

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

In Western culture, until about the middle of the seventeenth century, biographies were generally tributes to famous individuals. Their purpose was to enlighten and motivate. They often dealt with the exemplary lives of people who became heroes and heroines to the public, but sometimes also glorified the lives of infamous doers of bad deeds.

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

Kinesics is the name given to the study of nonverbal interactions such as facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact. In many cultures, direct eye contact is seen as a sign of disrespect in face-to-face encounters. Students, for example, are expected to lower their eyes while addressing a teacher. In other cultures, lowered eyes are construed as an indication of shame, embarrassment, or dishonesty. Kinesics focuses on many such cultural differences.

In discussing face-to-face encounters, the author is referring to social interactions in which two people are_____.

High standards and rigorous early training are evident where dance is an art performed before an audience. In early cultures, dance was something in which everyone participated; dancers were not singled out and trained because of their skill or charm. Once religious worship developed into ritual, it became important for dancers to be as skilled as possible.

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

Mineral deposits form because there is a transporting agent for the ore minerals. The transporting agent removes the minerals it carries from one area and deposits them in another. Groundwater and seawater are examples of transporting agents. The transporting agent process is involved in the creation of deposits of both abundant and exhausted metals.

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

The independent African states encounter numerous problems implementing an educational policy that will encourage economic and social development. The difficulties most governments face are basically political. There is also concern about the financial problems of the different states. The lack of communication between educational policy makers and economic and social planners may also create hardships.

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

Pop artists seek to portray modern culture. Their art emphasizes modern social values, the sprawl of urban life, and the flashy, frivolous, transitory, and offensive facets of modern life. These values are the very opposites of the values cherished by artists of the past.

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