Page 70 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

07_571656 ch03.qxd 11/10/04 12:34 PM Page 61
C: SAT Words
congruous (KON groo uhs) adj. 1. congruent; 2. fitting; suitable; appropriate 61
• Congruous figures are exactly the same shape and size.
• When appearing in public, a member of Congress is expected to demon-
strate congruous behavior at all times.
[-ly adv., -ness n.]
connection (kuhn NEK shuhn) n. 1. a coupling, a joining or unifying; a unifi-
cation 2. a means of joining; 3. a relationship; 4. a business associate; 5. the means
of changing from one train, bus, etc. en route to somewhere; 6. a circuit in electric-
ity; a line of communication between two points in telegraphy, telephony, etc.
•A connection is made between two pipes by means of some type of coupling.
• Connection from car engine to radiator is by rubber hose.
• You can just sense that Ted and Alice have a connection.
• Bill was looking for an MP3 player, and he thought his connection with the
appliance store worker might help him to get one at a good price.
• When Juanita flew from New York to Miami, she had to make a connection
at Atlanta.
• Most electrical connections are made by sticking a plug into a wall outlet.
consciousness* (KON shuhs nes) n. 1. the state of being aware; awareness of one’s
own feelings or one’s surroundings; 2. the totality of one’s thoughts, feelings, etc.
• Having been out cold, Ali gradually regained consciousness.
• Stream of consciousness entails saying or writing whatever pops into your
head in the order that it does.
• Consciousness implies both an awareness of and an inclination to interact
with the world around you.
consensus (kuhn SEN suhs) n. 1. an opinion held by all or most; 2. general
agreement of opinion
• There is a consensus among Americans that democracy is a superior form of
government to autocracy.
• There is a consensus among men that male drivers are superior to female
drivers.
• Amazingly, the exact opposite consensus exists among women and, aston-
ishingly, is supported by statistical data.
consequence (KON si KWENS) n. 1. a result of an action; outcome; effect; 2. a
logical conclusion; 3. the relation of effect to cause; 4. importance
•A consequence of buying a new pen is a handwritten note.
• Having the correct time can be a consequence of keeping a fresh battery in
your wristwatch.
• The consequence of consuming a lot of dairy products as a child will be
strong teeth and bones as an adult.
• The Emperor Maximillian’s presence in Mexico during the American Civil
War was of no consequence in the war’s outcome.
[consequent adj., consequently adv.] [Syn. effect, importance]