4 out of 4 stars
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Do you find yourself not understanding words you come across while reading that bestselling novel? Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation and just can't think of the next right word? Do the meanings of "sitting duck", "flying pig" and "dark horse" escape you? R. Kent Smith's new workbook Vocab-35 may be the resource to help you. It is a collection of 35 10-word lists with sample sentences and exercises, designed to increase your mastery of the English language.
The book is divided into eight sections. The first seven are each composed of five of the word lists accompanied by review exercises. The last one contains appendices for parts of speech and word parts (prefixes, suffixes and roots), indices of words and idioms, and an answer key for the exercises. In each part readers will complete activities using matching, multiple choice questions, analogies and fill-in-the-blank sentences.
Don't expect this book to be based on rote memorization. There are no definitions included in Vocab-35. Mr. Smith relies on readers to use context clues to understand word meanings based on their use in sample sentences. Mr. Smith distinguishes between expressive vocabulary (what we are able to produce) and understanding vocabulary (what we comprehend). He stresses that this book can help readers expand both types.
Teachers may consider using this as a text book for writing, spelling, English, grammar and speech classes. It is not to be read cover to cover, but could be worked through in a little over a month if the user studied one list each day. Especially useful for test preparation are the analogy exercises, for example, "mild : gentle :: severe : rough". These analogies not only assist readers to better understand the words' meanings, but they provide practice for standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, and GRE. More casual users can find value in this text by perusing the lists and completing the exercises as desired.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The format is appealing, the editing is professional and the resources included are useful. Vocab-35 can be a valuable tool for those preparing for standardized tests, writers seeking to enlarge their working vocabulary, and general users wanting to stretch their minds. Perhaps after completing this workbook, you will understand more of that novel, and the right words will flow from you in every conversation. You won't say "extinct" when you mean to say "extant", and "fastidious" will not replace "felicitous". You'll be unstoppable.
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Vocab-35
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