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Building a Lasting Vocabulary
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–2
Much of our thinkingis done in words
• The more words we have at our disposal, the more precise our thinking can be.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–3
Ways to boost your vocabulary
• Harness the power of interest
• Use the right tools
• Explore the boundaries of your existing vocabulary
• Learn the components for building new words
• Appreciate the vivid histories of many words
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–4
Interest can provide the engine for increasing your vocabulary
• Malcolm X saw a large vocabulary as a ticket to success. Once he did, he had a compelling interest in building his own vocabulary.
• A golf course caddy realized that a larger vocabulary resulted in bigger tips. He had an interest in increasing his vocabulary because it made him more money.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–5
How do you develop aninterest in words?
• Look around you. Words are being used in exciting and creative ways
– In newspaper headlines
– In billboards and other advertisements
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–6
The tools you need tobuild your vocabulary
• A dictionary
• A stack of file cards
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–7
A dictionary for every purpose
• Pocket dictionary: Always have it handy to look up unknown word
• Abridged dictionary: Keep it at your desk as you study
• Unabridged dictionary: Use it for in-depth investigation of words and their origins
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–8
Preserving words on file cards
• File cards allow you to recite and overlearn new words
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–9
Guidelines for vocabulary cards
• Put each new word on a separate card
• Include its context: Write the sentence where the word appeared.
• Write down the word’s pronunciation as well as its prefix and root
• Put the word’s definitions on the back of the card and star the closest one
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–10
How to master a stackof vocabulary cards
• Starting with the front of each card
– Pronounce the word properly
– Read the sentence it occurs in
– Define the word in your own words and from memory
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–11
How to master a stack of vocabulary cards (cont’d)
• Flip over to the back of each card
– Check to see if your definition was correct
– If your definition was incorrect, try again until you recite it correctly
– Mark troublesome words with a dot in the upper corner
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–12
Reciting your other words
• Grab another stack of cards and repeat the process
• Periodically review the stacks of cards you’ve mastered.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–13
The Frontier Vocabulary System
• Based on natural learning processes: from simple to complex
• The best words to learn are those you partially know: These are on your frontier
• Frontier words are anchored in your background
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–14
Ways to find yourown Frontier Words
• Unusual words you use in writing or speaking but can’t fully define
• Words you recognize but rarely use in writing or speaking
• Antonyms of words you already know
• Use only those words that appeal to you
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–15
The components of words
• Most words are not indivisible
• Many words are made up of a prefix, a root, and a suffix
• Learning these components can introduce you to constellations of words
• Knowing the meaning of word components can increase your understanding of individual words
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 7–16
Learning a word’s history
• Words, like people, often have their own stories
• Learning a word’s history can help you to like that word
• Knowing a word’s story strengthens your bond with it.