Memory Tricks: Emotion and Repetition

Email exchange with PWNtheSAT while on phone with very nice supervisor of credit report website.

Attempting to get charges reversed:

Me (to PWN): Is this the proper use of specious?

PWNtheSAT: I wouldn't say specious for that...specious is really more about arguments.

Uh Oh. Whoops. Hopefully she didn't notice.

Me: What about spurious?

PWNtheSAT: :) yeah that works

Spurious charges now reversed, I can return to the reason for this blog post:

What's the Best Way to Learn Vocabulary for the SAT?

In a line: Make abundant use of the words in your everyday life.

And if your brain refuses to remember a word? Ask the smartest person you know to use this word in a personalized sentence for you, with real life context. Then free associate.

Below are a few of my free association words that I couldn't remember for the life of me, until I employed this "Smart Friend Real Life Context" strategy:

• Phlegmatic -- Alfred Hitchcock

• Temporize -- Administrator

• Supine -- Yoga

• Chary -- Wary

• Avuncular -- Uncle

• Salvo -- Boy

• Truculent -- Truck Driver

• Portent -- Falling Stars

Now? Seared, forever. <3

Illustrations by Jennifer Orkin Lewis