Essential Words for the TOEFL Lesson 17 Vocabulary Test

Choose the synonym.

impartial

diminutive

documented

nominal

excessive

discreetly

agitate

steadily

mentality

delighted

Modes of suggestion, while usually verbal, may be visual or involve other senses. In fact, a mere suggestion may evoke a memory that causes a specific reaction. For instance, a person who is allergic to roses may develop an attack of asthma just from looking at a seed catalog. The element of suggestion also plays a significant role in group behavior and hypnosis.

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

The American actor-director Orson Welles worked on the stage and in films for nearly 50 years. Yet his fame rests principally on two projects. The first, his 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds, was a fictitious eyewitness report of a Martian attack. The radio broadcast created a panic among listeners who, believing the attack to be real, inundated law enforcement agencies with numerous inquiries.

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

The use of cast-metal pieces as a medium of exchange is an ancient tradition. It probably developed out of the use in commerce of ordinary ingots of bronze and other metals that had an intrinsic value. Until the development of bills of exchange in medieval Europe and paper currency in medieval China, metal coins were the only means of exchange for goods and services.

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

The stimuli in a projective test are intentionally ambiguous and open to diverse interpretations so that each person will project his unique reactions in his answers. Techniques for evaluating such responses range from the intuitive impressions of the rater to complex schemes for scoring and interpretation that require extensive calculations and interpretation.

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

The Greek philosopher Anaximander argued that human beings are so appallingly helpless at birth that they would instantly die if left on their own. He also believed that known elements are continuously opposing and changing into one another and that, as a result, something different from these elements must underlie and cause changes.

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

Some economists resist the notion that cutting taxes is beneficial. Theoretically, decreasing taxes returns money to citizens, therefore increasing jobs and improving conditions for everyone. Some economists say that will happen only with a large, sudden tax reduction. A gradual decrease, they say, will not stimulate spending or result in more jobs or a stronger economy. Still, others oppose tax reduction altogether.

In referring to a gradual decrease in taxes, the author means one that_____.

Traditionally, children of Southwest Indian tribes were treated with warmth and submissiveness during the period of infancy. Weaning was gradual, and training in cleanliness was delayed until a child could walk. Care was taken so that the children were not unduly agitated, and that they were protected from harm.

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

Most Latin-American countries achieved nominal independence in the nineteenth century. Yet they remained politically, economically, and culturally dependent on U.S. and European powers throughout the first half of the twentieth century. By 1960, people believed that this dependency could best be alleviated through educational reform.

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

Opinion polls have been developed since the 1930s. Polls are a scientific way of learning what large numbers of people think about various topics. They are used extensively in politics and business. In both fields, many polling companies provide political candidates and businesses with confidential information about their public image.

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

At a meeting to discuss the federal Constitution, John Hancock was persuaded to support ratification. To get Hancock’s support, some people promised him a nomination for the presidency if George Washington declined. Though appearing to be among the leaders of the revolutionaries, he was not considered an independent figure. Rather, he was a tool of Samuel Adams, who took advantage of Hancock’s ambition, vanity, and inordinate love of popularity.

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