I'm preparing for the GRE and I don't know how to memorize/learn 3500 words !

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Andy said:
All the joking aside, let give credit where it's due. We have to admit that the bigbadwolf has an impressive command on the Queen's language and he has read extensively.
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This is the most frightening post on this thread. Without false modesty, I do not use exotic or abstruse words on this forum. That my vocabulary is being construed as such appalls me. This is the way I speak in my everyday life. Note, however, that I stay away from Americans as a general rule, as their diction kinda like, sucks. As Wittgenstein once observed, "the limits of my language are the limits of my world"; I can't understand or describe my world if I lack the words. This is a truly awesome observaton by Wittgenstein and he rocks -- a really cool dude.

For those who have read Orwell's 1984 (such is the dismal state of education these days, one can't assume everyone has), they might recall that there is a deliberate conspiracy on the part of the state to diminish the number of words so as to constrain the possibilities of thought. Thus the concoction of words such as "doubleplusungood" (which presumably means "egregiously bad"). Here is a recent essay by Ralph Nader on the issue of the abuse of language. Now y'all have a nice day.
 
Out of the topic (which has already been out of topic) I would like to say that I really miss the thumbs up and thumbs down buttons !
 
Words, like people, do not live in isolation. Each has an identity linked with those of others, quite like us humans linked to our relatives, cultures, and history. By knowing the roots of words, the suffixes and prefixes, you can end up learning the meanings and usages of many by just learning a few.

Here are some examples and explanations:

Look at the word COMPRESS.

The root is PRESS, which basically means "to squeeze", and the prefix COM means "together". So, COM+PRESS means something like "to press together; to make more compact by applying pressure".

Now take another prefix, let's say IM (originally in the form IN, meaning "in" or "into"), and combine it with the same root PRESS to get IMPRESS, which means "to use pressure so as to leave a mark into a thing".

Now take the prefix DE (meaning "down") and combine it with PRESS to get DEPRESS, which means "to press down; to push or pull down".

We can also take the prefix SUP (originally in the form SUB, meaning "under") and combine it with the root PRESS to get SUPPRESS, which means "to put down by force; to subdue".

So, with just one root we can get to know the meanings of several words in the same family.

Here's a collection of words within the same family involving the root PRESS:

COMPRESS, IMPRESS, DEPRESS, SUPPRESS, REPRESS, OPPRESS,

Let's look at another root: POSE.

Here are many words formed by the above and other prefixes plus the root POSE:

COMPOSE, IMPOSE, DEPOSE, SUPPOSE, REPOSE, OPPOSE, PROPOSE, DISPOSE, APPOSE, PREPOSE, POSTPOSE, JUXTAPOSE.

A favorite of mine is the root GRESS:

CONGRESS, REGRESS, INGRESS, EGRESS, PROGRESS, RETROGRESS, DIGRESS, AGGRESSIVE (along with the suffix IVE, making the word an adjective).

Or look at the root FIX combined with some prefixes:

SUFFIX, PREFIX, AFFIX.

Disclaimer: Just like humans, so with words there are always exceptions and variations, and as you know, language is always in a state of flux and fluidity.

There are books that deal with the English word constructions. Studying one can dematerialize some of the mystery surrounding English.



roni said:
I bought Barron's Book, Princeton Book and Kaplan 500 flash cards.

Barron's has 3500 words, Princeton has approx 500 words(?) and Kaplan has 500 flash cards.
3500 looks WAY TOO MUCH... I don't know how it's possible to study approx 2700 words ( I figured that I'll know approx 800-1000 words from the list).

I thought maybe I should study Kaplan flash cards and combine it with Princeton's words (will probably have 800 words)...

What do you say ??
I figured that if I study 10-15 words a day, it will take me 8-10 months to study Barron's word list ( O_o OMG)...

even though I am planning on taking the exam in May-Sept 2010, it's still too much for studying vocabulary


Thanks,
Roni.
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I can learn 3500 words in like week or less. I am very good with words i just learn then and never thing about how to or how many I have to learn and my mind does the rest for me all i have to do is to introduce myself to the right sense and spellings
 
QUASAR said:
I can learn 3500 words in like week or less. I am very good with words i just learn then and never thing about how to or how many I have to learn and my mind does the rest for me all i have to do is to introduce myself to the right sense and spellings
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Oh, like, wow dude. Let's work on your ego now, alright?
 
You can buy this software called "GRE Bible," which I think is really good. It's much better than a book w/ thousand words and trying to learn it.
 
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