The web article titled “Top 3 Reasons to Improve Your Vocabulary” points out that developing a vocabulary is one of the most overlooked ways to improve our lives. A common myth is that learning words is useful only for writers and public speakers, but the truth is that everyone benefits from it both personally and professionally.
The article says that the point of having a large vocabulary is not to use fancy, arcane or complicated words to impress or confuse. Communication, in order to be effective, must be simple. Having a good vocabulary is more than knowing a large amount of words; the point of having a good vocabulary is being able to choose the right words with greater precision.
Your vocabulary is a communication toolbox with every word as a tool. You wouldn’t use pliers to hammer a nail and you wouldn’t use a hammer or pliers to loosen a bolt. The more tools/words you master, the better your chances of saying the right one for your communication task.
Add these tools to your communication toolbox and use them!
1. sardonic (sar-DON-ik)
[A.] humorous in a skeptical manner
[B.] marked by bitterness and a power or will to cut or sting
[C.] scathing
[D.] derisively mocking
2. platonic (pla-TON-ik)
[A.] mercurial
[B.] when one has romantic sensations for the first time
[C.] skeptical
[D.] of, relating to, or being in a relationship marked by the absence of romance or sex
Thanks to Merriam-Webster for help with the definitions of sardonic and platonic. All four are correct for sardonic. D is the answer for platonic.
——————-
3. prodigious (pruh-DI-jus)
[A.] sardonic
[B.] when a trench or pond is dug by a professional digger
[C.] when something or someone causes sheer amazement
[D.] autumnal
4. paladin (PAL-uh-dun)
[A.] a lifelong friend
[B.] a leading champion of a cause
[C.] morose
[D.] the feel of early autumn
No. 3 is C. Example: Auburn’s prodigious comeback on the evening of Aug. 31.
No. 4 is B. Example: My friend Yael Eckstein is the paladin of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
——————-
5. filial (FILL-ee-ul)
[A.] the process of filling a container
[B.] of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter
[C.] a prodigious individual
[D.] motivational
Example: Tabatha has taken on a filial relationship with Mrs. Conner, her college dorm mom. No. 5 is B.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Don Rodney Vaughan is the pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church near Eupora and is on the faculty of East Mississippi Community College, Golden Triangle Campus. Contact him at dvaughan@eastms.edu.
