Essential Vocabulary - Noel's ESL eBook Library

C: SAT Words 69
crisis (KRY sis) n. 1. the turning point of an illness for better or for worse; 2. a
very painful attack of illness; 3. a decisive, crucial time in the course of anything; a
turning point; 4. a time of great danger or trouble
• Alessandra’s fever declined after the crisis had passed.
• The doctor could tell that Dylan was in crisis by the pained expression on
his face.
• The battle’s crisis came when the enemy turned and fled.
• September 11 has played a significant role in more than one crisis.
[crises pl.] [Syn. emergency]
QUICK REVIEW #22
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. convey
2. conviction
3. coop
4. corroborate
5. cosmopolitan
6. couch
7. counterfeit
8. courage
9. creation
10. creative
11. creature
12. crisis
a. dependent
b. invention
c. urbane
d. artistic
e. valor
f. emergency
g. confine
h. express
i. transport
j. confirm
k. certainty
l. sham
critic (KRIT ik) n. 1. someone who makes judgments of people or things based
on certain standards; 2. such a person whose occupation is to write or broadcast
such judgments of books, music, paintings, etc.; 3. a person who indulges in finding
fault with everything
• Critics help to maintain high standards in many fields.
• Checking what trusted movie critics have to say is one way to keep from
wasting hard-earned money on fluff.
• My mother was a critic, finding fault with almost everything I ever did—
but she meant well.