Chapter 6 Answer Key
Create Your Own Mnemonics
You can use the list below to compare your mnemonics with ours. Remember, these are just
suggestions—there is no one correct answer!
ascertain: To make CERTAIN or be CERTAIN
assimilate: To make SIMILAR
astute: Good STUDENTS are ASTUTE.
asylum: You can breathe A SIGH of relief in a place of ASYLUM.
callous: The CALLUS on your foot is HARD and LACKS FEELING.
erudition: People who know a lot about ADDITION have ERUDITION.
gaffe: A GIRAFFE has an awkward or EMBARRASSING neck.
indolent: People who feel DULL are often INDOLENT.
insolent: INSOLENT sounds like/looks like INSULTING.
insular: An INSULAR place is INSULATED (ISOLATED) from everything else.
malinger: When you LINGER on the couch all day, you may be MALINGERing.
pedantic: The DANCE teacher is rather PEDANTIC. (Picture a STRICT dance teacher.)
penchant: My grandfather has a PENCHANT for nice PENS.
penitent: People in a PENITENTIARY are (or should be) PENITENT.
pragmatic: PRAGMATIC pianists know that PRACTICE makes perfect.
proliferate/prolific: LIFE GROWS and SPREADS.
reticent: If you are not READY for people (socially), you will be RETICENT.
rudimentary: RUDIMENTARY rhymes with ELEMENTARY.
sagacious: It is WISE to put SAGE in your turkey stuffing at Thanksgiving.
specious: The unicorn is a SPECIOUS SPECIES.
tentative: Putting up a TENT is a TENTATIVE job.