Mountains Beyond Mountains — Vocabulary
Tracy Kidder
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	57	top 1000
peasantpeasant → peasants:an historical term describing people of low income, education, and social standing Most people in the Middle Ages were peasants.more Show sample from book He'd leave peasant huts full of malnourished babies and, arriving in Miami Airport, overhear well-dressed people talk about their efforts to lose weight.56 more used historically and sometimes in relation to a very poor country: a person of low income, education, and social standing -- especially one who raises crops or livestock Show general definition used historically or possibly in relation to a very poor country: a person of low income, education, and social standing -- especially one who raises crops or livestock
	6	top 1000
interprettranslate Can she interpret Spanish to English for us?more Show sample from book I asked the interpreter.†9 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
	20
impoverishimpoverish → impoverished:made poor Bad economic policy has impoverished the country.more Show sample from book And here, in one of the most impoverished, diseased, eroded, and famished regions of Haiti, there was this lovely walled citadel, Zanmi Lasante.†19 more impoverish → impoverished:poor, or (more rarely) made poor Show general definition make someone poorer; or make something less valuable
	15
regimensystematic program The team's strict practice regimen led to weekly improvement.more Show sample from book Farmer sent orders in great detail and devised the drug regimens for every patient, inventing tricks, as he put it, for the most resistant cases.†14 more regimen → regimens:systematic plans Show general definition a systematic plan -- typically to improve health or fitness
	14
pediatricrelated to medical care for children She hopes to become a pediatric nurse and work with young children in a hospital setting.more Show sample from book To get official approval, he told the Peruvian doctors that he'd discussed the matter with every world-renowned expert, and studied the pediatric literature.†13 more related to the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of infants and children Show general definition of the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of infants and children
	12	top 1000
liberateset free She works to liberate the religious minority from persecution.more Show sample from book He also did some reading about the branch of Catholicism called liberation theology, which Romero had been murdered for preaching.†11 more liberate → liberation:the act of being set free Show general definition to set free -- as from prison, political oppression, persecution, expectations...
	2	top 100
hypothesisa seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea The study will test the hypothesis that a good marriage is more important than a higher income when measuring happiness.more Show sample from book He'd tell the story of how, early in the aids epidemic in the United States, sociologists and even medical people had hypothesized that HIV had come from Africa to Haiti, then to the United States.2 more hypothesis → hypothesized:proposed a seemingly reasonable, but unproven, idea Show context notes The suffix "-ize" converts a word to a verb. This is the same pattern you see in words like apologize, theorize, and dramatize. Show general definition for hypothesis (as in: a study to test her hypothesis) a seemingly reasonable, but unproven idea or explanation based upon known facts Show editor's word notes In casual conversation, theory is a synonym for hypothesis, but a scientist would say that a hypothesis needs to pass rigorous tests before it could be accepted as a theory.
	1
hypothesis#2something that may or may not be true, but is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation For the purpose of discussion, let's accept that the hypothesis that she is guilty as true. What would we have expected her to do after the incident?more Show sample from book I began to pose a hypothetical question, which I thought expressed great insight into his peripatetic life.2 more hypothesis → hypothetical:imagined for discussion Show general definition for hypothesis (as in: assume as a working hypothesis) something that may or may not be true, but is temporarily treated as true to advance a discussion or to further investigation Show editor's word notes This sense of hypothesis is typically seen in the form, hypothetical, or hypothetically.
	8	top 500
thesisa 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 His thesis won a prize, and a university press accepted it for publication.7 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
	10	top 2000
theologythe study of religion She studied theology at Yale Divinity School.more Show sample from book He also did some reading about the branch of Catholicism called liberation theology, which Romero had been murdered for preaching.†9 more the study of religion; OR a particular system or school of religious beliefs Show general definition the study of religion; or a particular system or school of religious beliefs
	6	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, most Haitians don't like being out in the rain.†5 more
	9
censusan official count of a population The U.S. Constitution requires a census every ten years to determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.more Show sample from book Farmer began modestly, with a preliminary health census.†8 more Show general definition an official count of a population (often accompanied by collection of other data)
	8	top 1000
prescribeprescribe → prescribed:gave medical instructions instructing that the patient should take The doctor prescribed an antibiotic for the infection.more Show sample from book Sometimes Zanmi Lasante's pharmacy muddled a prescription or ran out of a drug.†7 more prescribe → prescription:a recommendation or requirement OR (from a medical doctor) an instruction -- such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics Show general definition to recommend or require what should be done or more specifically: of a medical doctor: to give medical instructions -- such as writing that a patient should take antibiotics
	8	top 1000
afflictafflict → afflicted:made to suffer The region was afflicted by a long drought that destroyed most crops.more Show sample from book The thesis was to be an "interpretive anthropology of affliction," combining evidence from ethnography, history, epidemiology, and economics.†7 more afflict → affliction:something that causes ongoing suffering Show general definition to cause pain, suffering, or trouble -- especially something long-lasting or hard to endure
	5	top 1000
indigenousoriginally from there Los Angeles replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.†more Show sample from book That is, not every peasant practiced the indigenous religion called Voodoo, but virtually everyone, including Catholics and Protestants and Voodooists, believed in the reality of maji, of sorcery.†4 more of local origin Show general definition of local origin
	6
efficacyeffectiveness The doctor weighed the efficacy of each treatment against potential side-effects.more Show sample from book She gave him the information and then told him, in effect, "Surely you are collecting these leaves in order to better understand their power and improve their efficacy."†5 more Show general definition effectiveness (the ability to produce a desired result)
	5
hepatitisdisease that causes inflammation of the liver She is tired and looks a little yellow, so I want a doctor to test her for hepatitis.more Show sample from book Classic for hepatitis, he thought.†4 more Show general definition inflammation of the liver that can make it hard for the body to process wastes and other chemicals Show editor's word notes There are several types of hepatitis viruses, including hepatitis A, B, and C. Type A spreads mainly through contaminated food or water. Types B & C spread through contact with infected blood or body fluids. Some infections go away, but others can become long-term and damage the liver.
	2	top 500
abysmalvery bad The refugee camp has abysmal living conditions.more Show sample from book In his report to the German government, he wrote that abysmal social conditions, which the government had fostered and done nothing to relieve, had caused the epidemic.†1 more
	4
status quoexisting state of affairs Despite the rhetoric, the new agreement largely maintains the status quo.more Show sample from book Now they were protesting the continuation of the status quo.3 more Show general definition the existing situation (the way things are now or the way they typically are)
	4
embargoban The country placed an embargo on oil exports to pressure its rival.more Show sample from book One could argue that the U.S. embargo had protected the island, but then again, back at the start of the epidemic Cuba had engaged in a lot of commerce with Africa.†3 more an official ban or restriction -- especially a government-imposed trade barrier Show general definition an official ban or restriction -- especially a government-imposed trade barrier