SAT · Literature & Rhetoric · Intermediate

• narrative

  n. a spoken or written account of connected events

  The film follows a clear narrative from start to finish.

• exaggerate

  v. to make something seem larger or greater than it is

  The ad tends to exaggerate the product's benefits.

• argument

  n. a set of reasons given to support a claim

  His argument for the new policy was well organized.

• emphasis

  n. special importance given to something

  The writer placed emphasis on honesty.

• contrast

  n. a clear difference between two things

  There is a sharp contrast between the two essays.

• criticize

  v. to point out faults in something

  The teacher did not criticize the student harshly.

• interpret

  v. to explain the meaning of something

  Readers may interpret the poem in different ways.

• symbol

  n. an object that stands for something else

  The dove is a symbol of peace.

• summarize

  v. to give a brief statement of the main points

  Please summarize the article in two lines.

• vague

  adj. not clearly expressed or defined

  His reply was too vague to be useful.

• sincere

  adj. honest and truly meant

  She gave a sincere apology for her mistake.

• skeptical

  adj. doubtful about something

  He was skeptical of the bold claims.

• biased

  adj. unfairly favoring one side

  The report seemed biased toward the company.

• objective

  adj. based on facts, not feelings

  A good review should stay objective.

• subjective

  adj. based on personal feelings or opinions

  Taste in music is highly subjective.

• illustrate

  v. to make clear by giving examples

  He used a story to illustrate his point.

• portray

  v. to show or describe someone in a particular way

  The novel portrays the hero as deeply flawed.

• convey

  v. to communicate an idea or feeling

  Colors can convey strong emotions.

• reflect

  v. to express or show something

  The diary reflects her changing thoughts.

• context

  n. the situation that surrounds an event or text

  The phrase makes sense only in context.

• passage

  n. a short section of a longer text

  Read the passage carefully before answering.

• assert

  v. to state something firmly and confidently

  The author asserts that change is necessary.

• analyze

  v. to examine something in detail

  Students learn to analyze difficult texts.

• evaluate

  v. to judge the value or quality of something

  Critics evaluate films using clear standards.

• implication

  n. a likely result or hidden meaning

  The decision had serious implications.

• imagery

  n. language that creates pictures in the mind

  The poet uses rich imagery of the sea.

• emotion

  n. a strong feeling such as joy or anger

  The song stirs deep emotion in listeners.

• contradict

  v. to say the opposite of something

  His later words contradict his earlier claim.

• reinforce

  v. to make something stronger

  The example reinforces the writer's point.

• literal

  adj. following the exact basic meaning of words

  He took the joke in a literal sense.

• figurative

  adj. using words in a non-literal, imaginative way

  The phrase is figurative, not literal.

• tension

  n. a feeling of stress or excitement in a story

  The scene builds tension before the reveal.

• critique

  n. a careful judgment of something

  She wrote a thoughtful critique of the play.

• clarity

  n. the quality of being easy to understand

  The essay is praised for its clarity.

• flaw

  n. a fault or weakness

  The plan has one major flaw.

• insight

  n. a deep understanding of something

  The book offers insight into human nature.

• perspective

  n. a particular way of viewing things

  The story is told from a child's perspective.

• intention

  n. an aim or plan behind an action

  The writer's intention was to inform.

• intense

  adj. very strong or extreme

  The debate became intense near the end.

• gentle

  adj. mild and soft in manner

  The poem has a gentle, calming rhythm.

• bitter

  adj. filled with anger or resentment

  His tone grew bitter as he spoke.

• tender

  adj. showing gentle care and affection

  The letter was full of tender words.

• harsh

  adj. severe and unpleasant

  The review used harsh language.

• witty

  adj. clever and amusing in speech

  Her witty remarks made the crowd laugh.

• solemn

  adj. serious and dignified

  The speech had a solemn tone.

• neutral

  adj. not taking any side

  The reporter kept a neutral position.

• defend

  v. to argue in support of something

  She rose to defend her position.

• challenge

  v. to question whether something is true or right

  The author challenges a common belief.

• justify

  v. to give a good reason for something

  He could not justify his rude behavior.

• acknowledge

  v. to admit that something is true

  The writer acknowledges the other side's points.

• dramatic

  adj. sudden, striking, and full of emotion

  The story ends with a dramatic twist.

• descriptive

  adj. giving a detailed picture in words

  The opening is rich and descriptive.

• poetic

  adj. having the beauty of poetry

  His prose has a poetic quality.

• fluent

  adj. smooth and flowing in expression

  She gave a fluent and confident talk.

• concise

  adj. brief but complete

  The summary was clear and concise.

• abstract

  adj. dealing with ideas rather than concrete things

  The essay explores abstract concepts.

• explicit

  adj. stated openly and clearly

  The rules were explicit and easy to follow.

• implicit

  adj. suggested without being directly stated

  The warning was implicit, not direct.

• compose

  v. to create a written or musical work

  She composed a moving piece of writing.

• revise

  v. to change and improve a text

  He revised the essay three times.

• draft

  n. an early version of a piece of writing

  The first draft needed many changes.

• concision

  n. the quality of being brief and clear

  The editor admired the concision of her prose.

• emphatic

  adj. expressed with strong feeling

  He gave an emphatic denial.

• relevant

  adj. closely connected to the matter at hand

  Only relevant evidence should be included.

• credible

  adj. able to be believed or trusted

  The witness gave a credible account.

• plausible

  adj. seeming reasonable or probable

  The theory sounds plausible at first.

• profound

  adj. very deep in meaning or feeling

  The poem leaves a profound impression.

• mundane

  adj. ordinary and lacking excitement

  The diary records mundane daily events.

• underscore

  v. to give emphasis to something

  The example underscores the danger.

• narrate

  v. to tell a story or describe events in order

  The grandmother narrates the family's history.

• evoke

  v. to bring a feeling or memory to mind

  The smell evoked her childhood.

• distinguish

  v. to recognize a difference between things

  Readers must distinguish fact from opinion.

• appeal

  n. a quality that attracts interest

  The novel has wide appeal.

• sentiment

  n. a feeling or opinion about something

  The poem expresses warm sentiment.

• attitude

  n. a way of thinking or feeling shown in tone

  The narrator's attitude is hopeful.

• impact

  n. a strong effect on someone

  The ending had a lasting impact.

• significance

  n. the importance or meaning of something

  Scholars debate the significance of the text.

• ambition

  n. a strong desire to achieve something

  The character is driven by fierce ambition.

• dilemma

  n. a difficult choice between options

  The hero faces a moral dilemma.

• conflict

  n. a serious disagreement or struggle

  The conflict drives the entire plot forward.

• resolve

  v. to find a solution to a problem

  The final scene resolves the tension.

• elegant

  adj. graceful and pleasingly refined

  Her writing style is elegant and smooth.

• awkward

  adj. clumsy and not smooth

  The transition between scenes felt awkward.

• compelling

  adj. strongly holding one's attention

  The essay makes a compelling case.

• striking

  adj. very noticeable and impressive

  The book opens with a striking image.

• tedious

  adj. boring because it is too long or slow

  The long speech became tedious.

• optimistic

  adj. hopeful about the future

  The closing lines are warmly optimistic.

• pessimistic

  adj. expecting the worst to happen

  The tone of the essay is pessimistic.

• passionate

  adj. showing strong emotion or belief

  He delivered a passionate appeal for change.

• restrained

  adj. controlled and not extreme

  The author keeps a restrained tone.

• intricate

  adj. detailed and complicated

  The novel has an intricate structure.

• contemplate

  v. to think about something deeply

  The poem invites us to contemplate time.

• counter

  v. to respond against an argument

  She countered his claim with strong evidence.

• endorse

  v. to give public support to something

  The critic endorsed the new collection.

• dismiss

  v. to reject something as unimportant

  He dismissed the idea too quickly.

• conclusion

  n. the final part summing up the main points

  The conclusion ties the essay together.

• introduction

  n. the opening part of a written work

  The introduction states the main claim.

• evidence

  n. facts that support a claim

  The essay offers strong evidence.

• claim

  n. a statement said to be true

  The writer's claim is bold but unproven.

• counterargument

  n. a point made against another argument

  She anticipated every counterargument.

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