prescribe – to order or direct the use of something as a remedy, as for medicine

dictator- a person ruling absolutely and often brutally and aggressively

paternal – related through the fatherdeport – to force an alien whose presence is unlawful or

harmful to leave a countrypatriotic – love of one’s own country and devotion to its

welfaredictate – to speak or read for a person to write down; to give

an orderscribble- to write or draw hastily or carelesslyportable – capable of being carried or moved aroundinscription – written, engraved, or printed words on a plaque,

trophy, etc. diction – choice of words especially with regard to

correctness, clearness, or effectiveness

VP 61. bewildered – to fill with uncertainty; confused2. speculation – to meditate on or ponder a subject;

reflect3. convictions – strong beliefs or opinions4. obsessed – overly concerned; to occupy the mind of

intensely or abnormally5. vary – change; alter6. dignity – the quality of being worthy, honored, or

esteemed7. passive – inactive; idle; patient; submissive8. status – position or rank in relation to others;

standing9. preview – see beforehand; shown in advance 10. align – bring into line

VP 71. opportunity – a good chance2. perplexity – confusion; bewilderment3. drab – being dull and monotonous; cheerless;

colorless4. comprehend – to grasp the meaning of; understand5. versatile – able to do many different kinds of things;

changing6. hardy – tough; sturdy; strong7. assert – to state clearly and strongly; declare

positively8. sanctuary – a safe place; a place of refuge or

protection9. bias – prejudice; slant; inclination10. wily – clever; cunning; foxy; sly

VP 81. noncommittal – not telling or showing what a person

thinks or decides2. incompetent – lacking qualities necessary for effective

action3. irrational – not based on reason; lacking mental reason4. oppose – to strive against; resist5. illegible – impossible or very hard to read6. unabridged – complete of its class; not based on one

larger7. antidote – a remedy to counteract the effects of poison8. malfunction – to fail to operate properly9. disoriented – confused; without sense of where you are10. detach – to separate from a larger mass without damage

VP 91. optimist – someone who is positive or hopeful2. topical – referring to topics of the time or place3. spontaneous – natural; arising without restraint;

impulsive4. abstract – theoretical; vague; not concrete; hard to

understand5. renegade – a person who turns against society and

conventional life6. unscathed – unharmed7. dwindle – shrink; go down; disappear8. throng – large crowd 9. portly – fat; overweight; chubby10. barren – unproductive; unable to grow plants

VP 101. assess – to determine the importance, size, or value

of2. eerie – arousing fear or uneasiness because of

strangeness; weird3. gauge – measure; to size up; evaluate4. loom – to appear in a large, indistinct, or distorted

form5. momentary – short; brief; temporary; not long6. outpost – an outlying frontier settlement; fort; hideout7. pitfall – hidden danger; trap; difficulty8. pursue – to follow in order to overtake and capture

or destroy9. undermine – to weaken or wear away secretly or

gradually10. zest – excitement; keen enjoyment; relish

VP 11

1. citadel – fortress; fort; stronghold

2. frenzy – wild excitement; a temporary madness

3. ominous – threatening; frightening; scary; worrisome

4. pinnacle – top; the summit or highest point

5. restore – renew; to bring back to original state

6. shun – to avoid deliberately and habitually

7. symbol – something that stands for something else

8. tranquil – calm; free from disturbance or turmoil; quiet

9. vigor – strength; power; force; energy

10. vital – alive; lively; spirited; spunky

VP 121. anarchy – a state of lawlessness, confusion, or disorder2. chronic – marked by long duration or frequent recurrence 3. chronicle – an historical account of events in order of

time4. dynamic – powerful; forceful; energetic 5. dynasty – a succession of rulers of the same line of

descent6. hydrant – a pipe with a valve and spout at which water

may be drawn from a main7. hydroelectric – relating to the production of electricity by

waterpower8. monarch – a person who reigns over a kingdom or

empire9. synchronize – to happen at the same time; agree in time10. tripod – a three-legged stand

VP 131. advantage – superiority of position or condition2. aviator – the pilot of an aircraft3. communism – a social system in which property and

goods are owned in common4. condemnation – the act of judging something to be

wrong5. investor – someone who invests money in a

business6. realism – the tendency to see situations in the light

of facts and deal with them practically7. spoilage – the act or process of decaying8. temptation – the act of being tempted to do

something wrong9. termination – ending; conclusion; finish10. vendor – one who sells

VP 15

1. anticipation – looking forward to

2. compassion – pity

3. confront – meet; to face

4. exuberant – joyously unrestrained

5. indifferent – unenthusiastic

6. nurture – develop the potential

7. obscure – vague; not clear

8. perilous – dangerous

9. refuge – shelter; place of safety

10. relinquish – release; let go

VP 161. beneficial – conferring benefits; advantageous;

helpful2. compensation – payment to make up for a loss3. consolation – something that consoles or comforts 4. crucial – decisive; marked by final determination of a

doubtful issue5. devise – to form in the mind; invent6. dispense – to deal out in portions; to give out7. murky – dark; gloomy8. premonition – sense that something will occur;

forewarning9. ravenous – very eager for food, satisfaction, or

gratification10. scour – to move about or through quickly especially

in search

VP 171. posterity – all future generations2. postscript – a note added at the end of a letter,

article, or book3. postseason – occurring after the regular season of a

sport4. preamble – an introductory statement5. preconceived – to form an opinion beforehand6. predate – to come before in time7. predetermine – to determine or settle beforehand8. premature – happening, coming, existing, or done

before the proper or usual time9. prerequisite – something required beforehand10. presume – to suppose to be true without proof

VP 191. modest – not boastful; humble; shy2. frail – physically weak; fragile; slight3. defiant – bold; insolent; openly disobedient4. intimidated – to frighten esp. by threats; frightened;

fearful5. ordeal – severe or difficult trial, experience, or test6. desolate – lacking inhabitants and visitors; deserted;

empty7. mobility – ability to move8. resilient – springy; flexible; able to spring back9. nimble – quick and light in motion or movement;

agile10. circumstance – surrounding conditions that affect an

event

VP 201. mock – ridicule; to treat with scorn; taunt; jeer2. collaborate – cooperate; to work together; conspire3. falter – to hesitate or become unsteady because of

fear or nervousness; stumble4. soberly – with a serious or thoughtful purpose;

solemnly5. surge – to swell or rise suddenly, like a wave; grow6. drastically – harshly; severely; extremely; radically7. displace – remove; to take the place of; shift8. somberly – in a gloomy or depressing manner;

cheerlessly9. acutely – sharply; keenly; intensely10. improvise – invent; to make or compose without

preparation

VP 211. docile – easily taught, led, or managed2. documentation – the providing of documents in

proof; evidence3. resent – to feel or express annoyance or ill will over4. sentimental – marked by excessive feeling or

emotion5. advocate – to speak in favor of; support or

recommend openly6. revoke – to put an end to by withdrawing or

canceling 7. aggravate – to make more serious or severe8. grave – meriting serious consideration; important9. invert – to turn inside out or upside down10. version – an account or description from one point of

view

VP 22

1. academic – of or relating to school or college

2. civic – of or relating to a citizen, a city, or citizenship

3. annual – covering a period of a year

4. lethal – causing or capable of causing pain

5. distinctive – clearly marking a person or thing as different

6. inquisitive – curious; questioning

7. despicable – deserving to be despised or hated

8. lamentable – sorrowful; regrettable; causing sorrow or sadness

9. lofty – rising high; noble; superior; proud

10. primary – of first rank, importance, or value; chief

VP 241. obstinate – stubborn; firm; headstrong2. uniform – having always the same form, manner, or

degree3. unsightly – unpleasant to the sight; ugly; unattractive4. offensive – causing unpleasant sensations; annoying5. toxic – poisonous; deadly; harmful6. precise – very exact; accurate; strict7. competent – capable; qualified; fit8. shrewd – clever; cunning; foxy9. raucous – disagreeably harsh or strident; raspy;

disorderly10. prosperous – successful; rich; wealthy; economic

well-being

VP 251. maneuver – to move into or out of position2. eventually – at some future time; in the end3. intercept – to take or seize on the way or before

arrival 4. restrain – to prevent from doing something; to hold

back5. thrive – to grow vigorously; do well6. moderately – neither very much nor very little; not

extreme7. simultaneously – existing or occurring at the same

time 8. conceive – to form an idea of; imagine9. jest – to act or speak playfully or jokingly10. squander – to spend extravagantly or wastefully

VP 26

1. tactful – an ability to deal with others without offending them

2. remote – far off in place or time; distant; slight

3. concise – brief; compact; succinct

4. prudent – wise; reasonable; sensible; sound

5. ample – enough to satisfy; abundant; plentiful

6. hinder – delay; hamper; to make slow or difficult

7. audacious – bold; daring; arrogant; foolhardy

8. foster – to give parental care to; nurture; promote

9. arid – very dry; barren; waterless

10. prevail – to win a victory; triumph; overcome

VP 27 1. abrupt – sudden; rudely brief; curt2. abstain – to refrain voluntarily; hold oneself back3. adjacent – lying next or near; having a common

border4. administer – to direct the affairs of ; manage; have

charge of 5. deduce – to draw a conclusion6. degenerate – to pass from a higher to a lower type

of condition 7. dejected – cast down in spirits; low-spirited; sad;

depressed8. symmetrical – having a balanced mirror-image

arrangement9. sympathy – feeling of pity for another’s distress10. symphony – harmonious arrangement of sound or

color

VP 29 1. brood – worry; think anxiously or moodily2. resourceful – inventive; able to meet situations;

creative3. potent – powerful; mighty; having force or influence4. enticing – tempting; attracting by arousing hope or

desire5. rash – reckless; being too hasty in speech or action6. uncanny – eerie; being beyond what is normal or

expected suggesting supernatural powers7. sufficient – adequate; enough to meet the needs of a

situation8. flounder – to struggle or proceed clumsily or

awkwardly9. saturate – to soak in or fill to capacity10. efficient – effective; capable of producing desired

effects

VP 301. clarify – to make or become more readily

understandable 2. tyrannize – to exercise power in a harsh or cruel

manner3. mobilize – to put into movement or circulation4. modify – to make changes in; alter5. implicate – to bring into connection; involve 6. itemize – to set down one by one7. vacillate – to incline first to one course or opinion

and then to another8. revitalize – to give new life or vigor to9. verify – to prove to be true or correct; confirm10. ruminate – meditate; to engage in contemplation;

muse

VP 311. backtrack – to go back over the way by which you have

come2. straightforward – direct in manner or expression3. good-humored – cheerful; good-natured 4. heat lightning – vivid flashes of light without thunder on a

hot day5. self-concept – image that a person has of himself or

herself6. shortchange – to give someone less than what is due

him or her7. spot-check – to check or inspect something in an

irregular way8. topsy-turvy – upside-down; in a state of disorder or

confusion9. sugarcoat – to make superficially attractive10. headroom – space above one’s head for standing,

sitting, or moving

VP 33

1. sluggish – slow and inactive in movement or reaction

2. drastic – acting rapidly or violently; extreme

3. glee – exultant high-spirited joy; happiness

4. scurry – to move briskly; scamper; hurry

5. fiction – something made up

6. cower – to crouch down from fear or cold; pull away in fear

7. hostile – unfriendly; of or relating to an enemy

8. extension – something extended; a lengthening

9. regal – royal; suitable for a king; majestic

10. lunge – move suddenly; act of leaping suddenly forward