Developing Your Potty Language!
To the distress of many students, vocabulary is an integral part of the SAT reading component (both sentence completion and reading comprehension questions). Therefore, studying vocabulary must become an integral part of every SAT-taker’s life.
Now, I don’t know the ins and outs of my students’ lives. I don’t know when they have sports, when they have time to do homework, or how they balance their social engagements with academic responsibilities. But I do know this – each and every student uses the bathroom – more than once – each and every day. Therefore, I promote multi- tasking. Study vocabulary in the bathroom! The bathroom is a place without distraction, and also a great place to focus for a mere five to ten minutes.
Is it vulgar? Slightly. Is it effective? Absolutely.
All vocabulary words should be put on index cards, and thrown into a big shoebox (Girls, a sneaker box, not a strappy-heel box!) This way, the index cards are loosely contained, and constantly mixed up. This shoebox belongs in the bathroom by the toilet! So whenever we use the bathroom, we should be studying our vocabulary.
Exercise of the Week
Complete the following matching quiz. Test your potty language!
Word Bank: ebullient, ethereal, exculpate, fulsome, sagacious
1. Although new to the office, Jane quickly became known for her energy, infectious cheer,
and otherwise _________ nature.
2. Everyone assumed the man was a thief, but the jury was quick to_________ him when the
police confirmed his alibi.
3. When the _________ monarch was replaced by his ignorant son, the kingdom’s problems
multiplied.
4.The pragmatist quickly dismissed her brother’s lofty hopes as _________.
5. The CEO did not want ___________advisors to agree with every point he made; he wanted
aids who challenge him to think through things in a more complex way.
Answers: 1.ebullient 2.exculpate 3.sagacious 4.ethereal 5.fulsome
Vocabulary
Prudent – (adj.) wise in handling practical matters
Sagacious Suzy realized it was prudent to study vocabulary words in the bathroom.
COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT
Northeastern University – Boston, MA
Northeastern has become best known for its preprofessional education, which includes a one year “co-op” job or internship. As a five year undergraduate education, students generally spend one year working at a major-related internship, gaining experience and insight into their chosen field.
Enrollment: 21,324
SAT: 580-660 verbal, 610-690 math
ACT: 26-30
Strongest Programs: Engineering, Business, Computer Science, and Psychology