Sophie's World — Vocabulary
Jostein Gaarder
translated by: Moller
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	73	top 2000
accordaccord → accordance:keeping She will get a fair trial in accordance with the law.more Show sample from book Only then will you be acting in accordance with the moral law within you.78 more accord → accordance:keeping with Show general definition for accord (as in: according to, or in accord with) in keeping with; or in agreement/harmony/unity with This meaning of accord is often seen in the form according to or accordingly where it can take on more specific meanings. For example: "According to Kim, ..." -- as stated by "To each according to her ability." -- based upon "Points are scored according to how well they perform." -- depending upon "The dose is calculated according to body weight." -- in proportion to "We got a flat tire. Accordingly, I pulled to the side of the road." -- because of what was just said; or as a result
	6	top 2000
accord#2accord → own accord:own mind -- voluntarily (without anyone asking) She was not forced. She did it of her own accord.more Show sample from book people in his time were deeply fascinated by machines and the workings of clocks, which appeared to have the ability to function of their own accord.78 more accord → own accord:own mind (voluntarily without anyone making it do so) Show general definition for accord (as in: done of her own accord) mind Show editor's word notes This sense of accord is typically seen in the form own accord or one accord.
	58
Renaissancethe period of European history known for a revival of intellectual and artistic achievement (14th through mid-17th centuries) We're visiting the museum to see the exhibit of Renaissance art.more Show sample from book She had written reams on the Renaissance and the scientific breakthrough, the new view of nature and Francis Bacon, who had said that knowledge was power.59 more a period of European history known for a revival of intellectual and artistic achievement (14th through mid-17th centuries) Show general definition for Renaissance (as in: The Renaissance) the period of European history known for a revival of intellectual and artistic achievement (14th through mid-17th centuries) Show editor's word notes Named as an indication of a rebirth of certain classical ideas that had long been lost to Europe. It has been argued that the movement was strongly influenced by the rediscovery of ancient texts that had been forgotten by Western civilization, but were preserved in some monastic libraries and in the Islamic world, and the translations of Greek and Arabic texts into Latin. Some historians have suggested that the term Renaissance is loaded and are suggesting the term Early Modern to replace it -- as Middle Ages has largely replaced Dark Ages for the period that preceded the Renaissance.
	19	top 100
establishestablish → established:created Which word choice best maintains the tone established in the first paragraph?more Show sample from book The "Old Covenant" between God and Israel had been replaced by the "New Covenant" which Jesus had established between God and mankind.29 more establish → established:set in place Show general definition for establish (as in: establish a positive tone) create, start, or set in [a] place
	11	top 100
establish#2establish → establishing:showing or demonstrating The passage is primarily about establishing the relationship between the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and global temperature.more Show sample from book So we have established that we cannot use reason as a yardstick for how we ought to act.†29 more establish → established:proven or shown Show general definition for establish (as in: establish that there is a need) show or determine (cause to be recognized or figure out)
	30	top 2000
approachapproach → approaching:getting nearer Winter is approaching.more Show sample from book And just as in Rome around the beginning of the Christian era one could come across Greek, Egyptian, and Oriental religions, today, as we approach the end of the twentieth century, we can find in all European cities of any size religions from all parts of the world.†34 more get near Show general definition for approach (as in: approached the city) to get closer to (near in space, time, quantity, or quality)
	5	top 500
approach#2method (way of doing something) Perhaps I just need to work harder, but I may need an entirely different approach to the problem.more Show sample from book They had a decidedly anti-middle class approach to life and could refer to the police or their landladies as philistines, for example, or simply as the enemy.†34 more technique (way of doing something) Show general definition for approach (as in: use the best approach) a way of doing something; or a route that leads to a particular place
	9	top 1000
interprettranslate Can she interpret Spanish to English for us?more Show sample from book You're the interpreter.†20 more interpret → interpreter:someone who translates language Show general definition for interpret (as in: interpret Spanish to English) to translate someone’s words into spoken words of another language while they are speaking
	12	top 10
interpret#2understand (In this case: Why did she smile? What does it mean?) I don't know how to interpret her smile.more Show sample from book In order to interpret his patients' dreams, Freud often had to work his way through a dense language of symbols—rather in the way we interpret a picture or a literary text.20 more understand the meaning of Show general definition for interpret (as in: her interpretation of the data) to understand or explain something in a particular way -- often the meaning or significance of something
	49	top 500
perceivesee (become aware of) I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon.more Show sample from book In short, we can only have inexact conceptions of things we perceive with our senses.48 more become aware of Show general definition for perceive (as in: though blind, can perceive light) to become aware of -- especially by using the senses (to see, hear, smell, feel, or taste)
	11	top 2000
analysispsychiatric treatment I visited the psychiatrist who recommended I undergo analysis.more Show sample from book But as I mentioned, from the 1920s, Freud's psychoanalysis had a more direct influence on art and literature.17 more analysis → psychoanalysis:theory of psychiatric treatment Show general definition for analysis (as in: psychiatrist suggested analysis) psychiatric treatment -- (using any of many theories of the human mind that use talk therapy to understand the unconscious mind)
	30	top 200
moreoverin addition to what has just been said The company has too much debt. Moreover, it is responsible for a long-term lease on expensive office space.more Show sample from book Moreover, everything can be divided into even smaller parts, but even in the minutest parts there are fragments of all other things.†29 more
	22	top 500
materialistictoo concerned with wealth and possessions She thinks Americans are too materialistic.more Show sample from book Since he believed in nothing but material things, we call him a materialist.†21 more materialistic → materialist:overly concerned with wealth and possessions at the expense of other interests Show general definition overly concerned with wealth and possessions at the expense of other interests
	27
immutableunchangeable It is an immutable law of physics.more Show sample from book A philosopher, as we have seen, tries to grasp something that is eternal and immutable.26 more not subject to change
	5	top 500
thesistheory or proposition to be evaluated Her thesis is that efficiencies gained through competition outweigh the costs of redundancy, marketing, and profit.more Show sample from book You could, for example, say that Descartes's rationalism was a thesis—which was contradicted by Hume's empirical antithesis.6 more an unproved statement put forward as a premise for discussion Show general definition for thesis (as in: the thesis of her editorial) a proposition (unproved statement or theory) put forward as a premise for evaluation
	2	top 500
thesis#2a formal and lengthy research paper advancing a new point of view Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan's undergraduate thesis was a detailed history of the rise and fall of New York's Socialist Party in the early 20th Century.more Show sample from book About the same time, Marx had written a doctoral thesis on Democritus and Epicurus—in other words, on the materialism of antiquity.6 more research paper Show general definition for thesis (as in: her Master's thesis) a formal and lengthy research paper advancing a new point of view -- usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree
	16
natural lawrules of conduct said to be universally desired by all peoples Documents like the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights and the United States' Declaration of Independence are based on the importance of natural law.more Show sample from book And because this natural law was based on timeless human and universal reason, it did not alter with time and place.15 more Show general definition rules of conduct said to be universally desired by all peoples
	6	top 200
empiricalbased on experience or observation rather than theory Is her theory supported by empirical data?more Show sample from book We call this the empirical method.†5 more Show general definition based on experience or observation rather than theory
	1
existentialcharacterized by threatening existence Israel faces an existential threat from some of its neighbors.more Show sample from book Buddha answered by likening the monk to a man who gets pierced by a poisoned arrow. The wounded man would have no theoretical interest in what the arrow was made of, what kind of poison it was dipped in, or which direction it came from. He would most likely want somebody to pull it out and treat the wound. ... That would be existentially important to him.35 more Show general definition for existential (as in: existential threat) relating to or dealing with existence -- especially with human existence
	35
existential#2relating to knowing what is important It was a moment of existential angst when nothing made sense anymore.more Show sample from book I am scared that nothing is real. That's called existential angst, or dread, and is as a rule only a stage on the way to new consciousness.35 more relating to existence and what is important Show general definition for existential (as in: existential philosophy) Relating to existentialism — a philosophical movement where each person is free to determine their own meaning and purpose, not bound by convention, God, or authority Show editor's word notes Existentialist belief is varied. All such beliefs stress the need for each individual to find their own way, but most stress that there is no rational way of finding it. Atheistic existentialists often stress isolation of the individual in a hostile or indifferent universe. Some stress life without meaning. Others stress loss of a shared morality, uninhibited exercise of power, and/or hedonism. Existentialism is often associated with philosophers and writers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel, Sartre, Camus, Dostoevsky and Kafka.