Advanced vocabulary exercise 1

This exercise will help you practice advanced-level vocabulary. Complete each of the following sentences using one of these words: exalt, cultivate, saccharine, philanthropic, stagnate, obtuse, banal, obsequious, debunk, pernicious

1. She managed to several common misconceptions about Muslim women.

2. Her ( = overly sweet) way of addressing people came across as fake.

3. He is a selfish man. He doesn't have a bone in his body.

4. You wanted to hire someone who was quick-witted, but you ended up hiring someone who is .

5. The president tried to an atmosphere of mutual respect.

6. As a society, we tend to ( = put on a pedestal, etc.) sports stars and not teachers.

7. Instead of coming up with clever, innovative ideas, he just rehashed the same old rhetoric.

8. Instead of growing, the economy began to .

9. We believe that the new measures will have a ( = very negative) effect on the economy.

10. I'd prefer you to treat me as your equal. Your ( = overly submissive) behavior is making me uncomfortable.

TOP TIP!

Want to improve your vocabulary? Here's a daily 15-minute vocabulary improvement plan designed to be easy to follow but highly effective. The key is consistency and active use of words.

Minute 0-5: Exposure (Read & Listen)
Read a short article, essay, or book passage (150-300 words).
Listen to a short podcast segment or TED Talk snippet.
Goal: Notice words you don't know. Don't stop for every word—just mark them.

Minute 5-10: Active Learning
Pick 3-5 unfamiliar words from your reading/listening.
Write them down in a notebook or app.
Format: Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Synonym/Antonym | Example sentence
Example:
Word: ubiquitous
POS: adj
Meaning: present everywhere
Synonym: omnipresent
Example sentence:
Smartphones are ubiquitous today.
Tip: Learn words in context, not isolation.

Minute 10-12: Recall & Reinforce
Cover the definitions and try to recall them.
Say the word out loud in a sentence you create.
Repeat this for all 3-5 words.

Minute 12-15: Quick Usage Practice
Use the words in writing or speaking:
Writing: Make a mini-story, journal entry, or paragraph using the words.
Speaking: Summarize your day or the article using at least 2 of the new words.

Make sure you try both our advanced-level vocabulary practice tests:
Advanced vocabulary test 1
Advanced vocabulary test 2

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