SATs looming

Mong — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:33:46 +0000

In a show of epic lack of foresight, I have neglected to take any measures to even attempt to procure an SAT book to prepare for my test on saturday. As a result I had to buy a book from Kinokuniya today, after all my attempted cheapness failed. I briefly considered just studying off the books at Kinokuniya, but….no – I shall not be a skinflint. Now courtesy of a certain Dr. Gruber, I’m full steam ahead to SAT glory! (I hope)

I sometimes wonder how people can do badly for SATs when there are these so called “infallible” guides to teach them precisely how to answer every single type of question out there. Even the esteemed Dr. Gruber who penned this massive 1000 page long volume was tested to have an IQ of 90 prior to the discovery of his supposed “miracle method”. In the meantime I’ve been perusing the content of the book, and while scanning through the word lists, I was surprised to learn the following:

There are 12 synonyms for “praise”, vs 22 for “belittle”

I knew more or less all the positive words – it was the negative words that forced me to reach for the dictionary. Evidently I’m a pretty nice guy.

“Niggardly” – Definition:

adj.

1. Grudging and petty in giving or spending.

2. Meanly small; scanty or meager: left the waiter a niggardly tip

They neglected to provide an etymology of the word, but my hopes were dashed when I learnt that it was in fact derived from Middle English, and that Shakespeare used the word a couple of times – before black people were invented. Damn. On the bright side, the same source also revealed what is possibly the greatest Shakespearen quote ever:

DEMETRIUS
Villain, what hast thou done?

AARON
That which thou canst not undo.

CHIRON
Thou hast undone our mother.

AARON
Villain, I have done thy mother.

Other fun words include skinflint and superabundant. Regarding the latter, it seems that somebody was slacking off when he was told to coin new words….

Stories about the box in the box » 2008 » October » 01

SATs looming