The process of packing one's life into neat little boxes stirs forgotten memories of days past. While packing books recently I came across a stack of flash cards that I used to study for the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE. Contrary to the section title's name, the test examines very little of your verbal reasoning skills, but is rather a vocabulary test in disguise. Accordingly, I had made flash cards with the hope of increasing my working vocabulary. As I was reminiscing over the words an idea struck me as I was preparing to drop the stack of cards in the rubbish bin. I had never learned the vast majority of the words on those cards. A word a day is all it would take. If I were to bring a flash card to work each day I could greatly improve my austere vocabulary. I've made a bit of a game of it with a friend from work. Whoever is able to work the word of the day into their spiel first wins the day. Today's word was Austere -markedly simple or unadorned; stern and cold in appearance or manor. It wasn't an easy word to work in to my presentation, but I took the day. (My friend isn't competing well. Does she not realize that the contest will prove to facilitate her learning better than simply hearing the word and definition?) I try to practice the word throughout the day. Below you will find the words of the day for the past week.
Abscond (v) -to depart secretly.
Aberrant (adj) -straying from the norm.
Alacrity (n) -eager and enthusiastic willingness.
Anomaly (n) - deviating from the normal order, form or rule.
Approbation (n) -an expression of approval or praise.
Arduous (adj) -strenuous, taxing, difficult.
Audacious (adj) -daring and fearless; contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum.
