Essential Words for the TOEFL Lesson 27 Vocabulary Test

Choose the synonym.

marvel

display

succinct

appropriately

moderate

involuntary

elements

motivate

reflection

tangible

The mechanical traps of various carnivorous plants can be observed in many varieties. However, the snap trap, such as that found on the Venus Flytrap, is found only in the sundew family of plants. When an animal touches its sensory hairs, the prey is trapped by a rapid automatic closure of a set of lobes that surround the animal. After that, the digestion process starts. Any insect that lands on the Venus Flytrap will become a meal for the plant.

The word automatic in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

In the Western world, contemplation on art began with the philosophers of ancient Greece. Plato discussed proportion as the source of beauty, and imitation as the primary mode of art. Aristotle identified different kinds of imitation, and Xenocrates wrote technical dissertations on painting and sculpture that examined the ideal synthesis of proportion and imitation in terms of the lives of classical Greek artists.

The word synthesis in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

Anthropologists who study human communication tend to focus on its central role in the survival of a society. Communication serves to preserve and transmit all aspects of a culture. A society communicates its culture through language. The concepts of honor, bravery, love, cooperation, and honesty are embedded in all languages. There is no human culture that has deviated from the development of the expression of these traits.

The word deviated in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

Based on the inscriptions called codices, linguists believe that the Maya spoke a language closely related to modern Native American groups. During the classical period, the Maya also had sustained contact with warriors and traders from Teotihuacan in central Mexico, the largest and most powerful state of the era. There is no proof of a conquest, but the Maya embraced some foreign deities, symbols, and styles of clothing of other groups.

The word sustained in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

The Oregon Trail followed the Sweetwater River westward from the vicinity of Casper to South Pass. Independence Rock, a granite monolith on the north bank of the river near a reservoir, was a significant trail landmark. The river was supposedly named by General William Ashley in 1823 because its water tasted sweet to his trappers.

The word supposedly in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

At 46,000 gross tons, the Titanic was the largest floating object ever built. It was 853 feet long, 93 feet wide, and 61 feet high. As many people said, it was aptly named the Titanic —in ancient Greek mythology, the Titans ruled the universe until Zeus defeated and replaced them. The mighty Titanic was also overthrown: while carrying over 2,200 passengers, it crashed into an iceberg off Newfoundland and sank on April 14, 1912.

In stating that the Titanic was aptly named, the author means that_____.

The date of the earliest UFO sighting in history is unknown and the evidence for such sightings is scanty and purely speculative. The beginning of the UFO phenomenon began with the sighting of dirigiblelike “mystery ships” over the United States in 1896–1897. In 1946, people in Scandinavia reported large-scale sightings of “ghost rockets,” odd looking “rockets” that made no noise. None of these phenomena has been satisfactorily explained.

The word odd in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

A living cell is a marvel of detailed and complex structure. When examined with a microscope, it gives the appearance of almost chaotic activity. On a deeper level, it is known that molecules are being synthesized at a tremendous rate. Almost any enzyme causes the synthesis of more than 100 other molecules per second. In 10 minutes, a large percentage of the total mass of a metabolizing bacterial cell has been synthesized.

The word marvel in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

In the 1790s, a variety of agricultural machinery was developed. At that time, an efficient seed drill had been designed but still required demonstrations in the 1830s to convince farmers of its value. A few threshing machines were in use before 1800, and gradually increased in popularity. However, in the 1830s, farm laborers in England rebelled because the machines deprived them of winter employment.

The word demonstrations in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.

The oxygen supply in the Earth’s atmosphere is a result of photosynthesis by green plants. Plants require all the essential ingredients of photosynthesis to build the vital compounds and structures. Water is required, because cell enlargement is a result of internal water pressure extending the walls. This explains why in periods of drought, plants tend to have smaller leaves.

The word ingredients in the passage is closest in meaning to_____.