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

1. 1. The Wright brothers’ desire to fly was never attenuated though they faced several failures. • Attenuate - verb • 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. • Synonyms: impair, weaken, reduce, diminish, debilitate • Antonyms: strengthen, fortify, improve • Variant forms: attenuation(n); attenuated (adj) • Context Phrase:

2. 2. I would never purchase a used car from a dealer whose motto is “Caveat emptor.” • Caveat emptor - noun • 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. • Synonyms: na • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: a caveat is a warning of specific conditions • Context Phrase:

3. 3. The neonatal surgeon said that only a heart transplant could correct the congenital defect. • Congenital (adj) • 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 • Synonyms: inborn, innate, inherent • Antonyms: acquired, learned • Variant forms: congenitally (adv) • Context Phrase:

4. 4.The debacle of the company obliterated the life savings of most workers and stockholders. • Debacle _ noun • 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 • Synonyms: rout, fiasco, disaster, catastrophe • Antonyms: success, achievement, triumph, victory • Variant forms: na • Context Phrase:

5. 5. I could not discern any difference in quality, so I bought the less expensive leather coat. • Discern - verb • 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 • Synonyms: detect, discriminate, discover, distinguish • Antonyms: overlook, disregard, slight, neglect • Variant forms:discernible(adj);discernibly(adv) discernment(n) • Context Phrase:

6. 6. He hopes that the acquittal will finally exonerate him and that life will be normal again. • Exonerate - verb • 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 • Synonyms: vindicate, absolve, exculpate • Antonyms: charge, condemn, blame, indict, accuse • Variant forms: exonerative (adj); exoneration(n) • Context Phrase:

7. 7. If you expedite your tax refunds, you may choose to file your taxes electronically. • Expedite _ verb • 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. • Synonyms:facilitate, hasten, dispatch, enable • Antonyms:delay, hinder, obstruct • Variant forms:expedient (adj/n.) expediency (n) • Context Phrase:

8. 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. • Ignominy - (n) • 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. • Synonyms: infamy, dishonor, notoriety, shame,disgrace • Antonyms: dignity, honor, admiration, virtue, eminence • Variant forms: ignominious (adj); ignominiously (adv) • Context Phrase:

9. 9.Indubitable DNA evidence usually makes it easier for a jury to reach a guilty verdict. • Indubitable - (adj) • Parts: in (not); dubitabilis (doubt); al (related to) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Too apparent to be doubted • Synonyms: unquestionable, certain, unmistakable, • Antonyms: doubtful, equivocal, dubious, questionable • Variant forms: indubitably (adv) • Context Phrase:

10. 10. The policeman risked his own life by interposing himself between the robber and his hostages. • Interpose - verb • 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 • Synonyms: insert, interfere, intervene, interject • Antonyms: ignore, abstain, refrain, withdraw • Variant forms: interposition (n) • Context Phrase:

11. 11. The substitute declared that she would never again work with that obstreperous class. • Obstreperous - adj. • Parts: ob (against); streper (to make noise); ous (full of) • Educated Guess: • Definition:Noisy and difficult to control • Synonyms: boisterous, rowdy, disorderly, rambunctious • Antonyms: cooperative, docile, quiet, submissive • Variant forms:obstreperously (adv); obstreperousness (n) • Context Phrase:

12. 12. Money is not a panacea, but it can certainly help to improve many situations. • panacea – (n.) • Parts:mal pan (all, entire); akos (remedy) • Educated Guess: • Definition: A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases: a universal remedy • Synonyms: curative, remedy • Antonyms:na • Variant forms: panacean (adj) • Context Phrase:

13. 13.The perfidious soldier disappointed his commanders by attacking their quarters. • perfidious – (adj.) • Parts:per(through, thoroughly); fid (faith)ous(full of) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Deceitful and untrustworthy; characterized by the deliberate violation of faith or trust • Synonyms: treacherous, disloyal, faithless, traitorous • Antonyms: loyal,faithful, true, trustworthy • Variant forms: perfidy(n); perfidiously (adv) • Context Phrase:

14. 14. The family accepted the posthumous honors their father had earned during the war. • Posthumous – adj. • 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 • Synonyms: na • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: posthumously (adv) • Context Phrase:

15. 15. Does the media contribute to the unhealthy and promiscuous behavior of Americans? • promiscuous - adj • 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 • Synonyms: immoral, indiscriminate, casual, uninhibited • Antonyms: moral, reserved, planned, deliberate, careful • Variant forms:promiscuity (n); promiscuously (adv) • Context Phrase:

16. 16. Though the Kennedy family faced numerous tragedies, they remained resilient in their faith. • resilient – (adj.) • 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 • Synonyms:buoyant, flexible,supple, strong, determined • Antonyms: rigid, stiff, tense, inflexible, unbending • Variant forms: resilience (n), resiliency (n) • Context Phrase:

17. 17.The peaceful protest became sanguinary when the dictator authorized military force to stop it. • sanguinary – (adj.) • Parts: sangui (blood); ary (pertaining to) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Accompanied by carnage, consisting of blood, bloodthirsty • Synonyms: bloody, bloodstained, brutal, savage • Antonyms: civilized, humane • Variant forms: na • Context Phrase:

18. 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. • superciloius - (adj.) • 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. • Synonyms: snooty, haughty, scornful, snobbish • Antonyms: humble, simple, modest, respectful • Variant forms: superciliously(adv); superciliousness(n) • Context Phrase:

19. 19. To attract readers’ attention, magazines such as People frequently feature the tempestuous relationships of celebrities. • tempestuous– (adj) • Parts: temp (time>weather>storm); ous(full of) • Educated Guess: • Definition: Characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotions • Synonyms: stormy, passionate, tumultuous, wild • Antonyms: calm, peaceful, tranquil, harmonious • Variant forms:tempestuously (adv); tempestuousness (n) • Context Phrase:

20. 20. People are not perfect; therefore, the society they create can never be a utopia. • utopia – (n.) • 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 • Synonyms: paradise, perfection, Shangri-la, bliss • Antonyms: na • Variant forms: utopian (adj) • Context Phrase: