SAT Words 7 -11 Root 2 7

SAT Words 7 -11 Root 2

7. enigma His disappearance is an enigma that has given rise to much speculation about his whereabouts.

enigma • (en-IGG-muh) noun • Sounds like: An egg, Ma! • Picture… a woman calling her mother from the maternity ward of a hospital, where she has just given birth to something unexpected. “This is hard to explain, but it’s an egg, Ma. ” As she speaks, she glances over to the large egg in the crib next to her bed. • Other form: enigmatic (adjective) • Definition: mystery; puzzle

8. penchant Whether you have a penchant for musicals, dramas, or comedies, there is likely the perfect show for you.

penchant • (PENCH-ent) noun • Sounds like: pendant • Picture… a woman with many pendants around her neck. She obviously has a strong liking for pendants. • Definition: a strong liking; attraction

9. prodigal At the celebrity’s party, the food is often much more prodigal than at my neighborhood’s summer block party.

prodigal • (PROD-ih-gull) adjective • Sounds like: proud of gulls • Picture… a person who has spent his entire inheritance to buy a flock of seagulls. He’s very proud of his purchase, not realizing that he has squandered away his entire fortune. • Note: Don’t confuse with “prodigy, ” a highly-talented child. • Definition: wasteful, especially of money; extravagant

10. reticent He's less reticent about discussing his frequent-flier mileage balance, which presumably exceeds that of his peers.

reticent • (RETT-ih-sent) adjective • Sounds like: Redder, Cent? • Picture… a giant penny being painted red. The penny sits quietly as the artist repeatedly asks, “Redder, Cent? Do you want to be redder? Cent? Huh? Penny for your thoughts. Hello, Cent…” • Other forms: reticence (noun); reticently (adverb) • Definition: quiet; uncommunicative

11. vagrant The vagrant left the food pantry and headed to the homeless shelter for the night.

vagrant • (VAY-grent) noun • Looks like: VA Grant (VA= abbreviation for Virginia) • Picture… a man named Grant, wearing tattered clothes and carrying his belongings in a plastic bag. He is answering a policeman’s questions about his current residence: “So your name is Grant? ” “Yes, sir, Officer. ” “Where do you live, Mr. Grant? ” “In VA. ” “VA? ” “Virginia. The call me VA Grant. My home is Virginia. ” “Any particular place in Virginia? ” “Nope. It’s a big state and I use it all. ” • Other forms: vagrant (adj); vagrantly (adv); vagrancy (n) • Definition: homeless person; wanderer

Root 2: ced, cess Before entering the dangerous trail, there was a sign that read, “Proceed with caution. ”

ced, cess • Meaning: go, move, yield • Sample words: recede, proceed, excess • • Accessible: able to enter or approach Concede: to yield with someone else; to admit defeat Exceed: to go beyond the limit or expectations Proceed: to keep on going; to move along Incessant: something that does not yield; consistent Recede: to go back, move back or away Procedure: a way of going forward with a task