VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
23
TOEFL iBT, it is a good idea to become an active reader. This is a skill you can
practice every day. As you read an English-language newspaper or magazine, have
a dictionary handy. Look up as many unfamiliar words as you can so that your bank
of vocabulary words becomes as large as possible.
This may sound like a contradiction, but if you make a habit of taking the time
to read carefully and actively, you will actually spend less time learning the mean-
ing of new vocabulary words. By reading carefully, you will often be able to deter-
mine meaning from context. By reading actively, you will continually expand your
bank of vocabulary words—and the bigger your word base, the more you will com-
prehend, and the less time you will spend looking up words.
TIPS AND STRATEGIES
Vocabulary-in-context questions are common on standardized tests, like the
TOEFL iBT. Here are some specific tips and strategies to use while preparing for
and taking the exam:
●
On any vocabulary-in-context question on an exam, there will be some kind
of context clue to help you determine meaning. Remember the four types:
restatement, positive/negative, contrast, and specific detail.
●
Remember that you have a very powerful tool on a multiple-choice exam:
the process of elimination. From the start, you can usually eliminate one or
two answers that you know are incorrect. For example, you can eliminate
negative choices if the context suggests the word is positive.
●
To help you eliminate answers, read the sentence with each answer choice
substituted for the vocabulary word. Often, putting the word in the context
of the sentence can help you determine whether an answer is right or wrong.
●
Consider the tone and connotation of the other words in the sentence. At

d. nocturnal
3. The _____________ collected from real estate taxes helped to balance the
town budget.
a. domain
b. remainder
c. revenue
d. assessment
4. She pretended to be _____________ about the new job opportunity, but
secretly she was very excited.
a. dedicated
b. receptive
c. candid
d. blasé
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VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
25
5. We were tired when we reached the _____________, but the spectacular
view of the valley below was worth the hike.
a. circumference
b. summit
c. fulcrum
d. nadir
6. The suit had a(n) _____________ odor, as if it had been stored in a trunk for
a long time.
a. aged
b. scented
c. musty
d. decrepit
7. Because his workplace was so busy and noisy, he longed most of all for
_____________.

d. ambiguous or implied.
12. The hotel is teeming with security personnel because the leaders of several
countries are here for a summit meeting. Teem means
a. to close down temporarily.
b. to lose business due to circumstances beyond one’s control.
c. to be full of, nearly overflowing.
d. to be under close scrutiny.
13. Karen was relieved to learn that the chemicals in her well water were all
benign. Benign means
a. natural.
b. dangerous.
c. of local origin.
d. harmless.
14. Although it was futile because he didn’t meet half of the requirements,
Jensen applied for the job anyway because it was his dream position. Futile
means
a. useless.
b. fruitful.
c. radical.
d. insane.
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VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
27
15. The editor, preferring a more terse writing style, cut 500 words from the
2,000-word article. Terse means
a. elegant.
b. factual.
c. descriptive.
d. concise.
16. Victor Frankenstein spent the last years of his life chasing his elusive mon-

b. to surprise.
c. to believe.
d. to guess.
21. Their conversation was considered playful _______ between two old
friends.
a. antics
b. banter
c. behavior
d. activities
22. He tried to ______________ the sinking morale of his friend in the hospital.
a. sustain
b. foster
c. bolster
d. nourish
ANSWERS
How did you do on identifying context clues? Check your answers here, and then
analyze the results to figure out your plan of attack for mastering this topic.
1. d. Incumbent means holding any post or position.
2. b. Demographic data is the branch of research that deals with human popu-
lations.
3. c. Revenue is the income of a government.
4. d. Blasé means bored or unimpressed by things after having seen or experi-
enced them too often.
5. b. The summit means the highest point, where the hikers would have a
good view.
6. c. A musty odor is one that is stale or moldy.
7. a. Solitude, unlike loneliness, can be a desirable thing, and it would be
something a person who works in a busy office would crave.
8. a. Accessible means capable of being reached or being within easy reach.
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keeps shifting from the main topic to unrelated subjects.
19. a. To evade means to elude or avoid by cleverness or deceit; to avoid fulfill-
ing, answering, or doing. The senator avoids answering the question by
changing the subject.
20. d. To surmise means to form a notion from scanty evidence. The narrator is
guessing that Samantha has been withdrawn because she is upset about not
being able to go to camp.
21. b. Banter is defined as remarks or talk that is playful and teasing. Choice a
is incorrect because antics are unpredictable behavior or actions. Choices c
and d are incorrect because their definitions are too broad and do not focus
on conversation.
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VOCABULARY FOR TOEFL iBT
30
22. c. If the friend has a “sinking morale,” this means that the friend’s feelings
or attitude are overwhelmed or defeated. The speaker would, thus, want to
raise or bolster this morale. Choice a, b, and d are all incorrect. The speaker
would not want his friend’s morale to continue to sink.
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W
hen you come across unfamiliar words without context, breaking
those words into their parts can help you determine their meaning. This
chapter reviews prefixes and suffixes and how you can use them to add new words
to your vocabulary—and better understand words you already know.
A good knowledge of prefixes and suffixes is essential to building an effective
vocabulary. The more familiar you are with these fundamental word parts, the eas-
ier it will be to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
There are dozens of prefixes and suffixes in the English language. Learning pre-
fixes and suffixes in another language may seem like a daunting task, but the job may
be easier than you think. Though prefixes and suffixes often appear in books like

a. is an expert in global issues.
b. administers lie detector tests.
c. is easily frightened.
d. speaks many languages.
Choice d is the only answer that includes the idea of many or multiple. Thus, it
is the only possible correct answer.
DEFINITIONS
root: the main part of a word; the base upon which prefixes and suffixes are added
prefix: syllable(s) attached to the beginning of a word to change or add to its
meaning
suffix: syllable(s) attached to the end of a word to change or add to its meaning
You will not always be so lucky as to eliminate all of the incorrect answers, but
even eliminating two or three will be a great help. For example, knowing that the
O
U
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