Postgraduate Entrance Examination English Vocabulary - Root + Association Memory Method

Author: Yu Minhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features:
"Root + Association" practical and fun, humorous illustrations enhance memory;
covers all words in the 2006 postgraduate entrance exam English syllabus, comprehensive word selection, and highlighted key points;
high-frequency words and new words are marked, focusing on key areas for targeted review;
clarifies the confusion of synonyms, thoroughly analyzes "similar-looking words";
also includes audio cassettes, combining vocabulary memorization with listening practice for a win-win situation.
The core vocabulary in the main text of this book is approximately 3,500 words, divided into 49 lists, with 440 words beyond the syllabus. It includes detailed appendices such as:
pairs of easily confused words, reading vocabulary from the past ten years of exam papers, lists of countries/regions, languages, nationalities, and state names, and common abbreviations—all of which help enrich the candidate's vocabulary.
Every year, tens of thousands of postgraduate entrance exam candidates from all over the country enter New Oriental classrooms. Although they come from different backgrounds and life experiences, their expressions are the same—filled with despair and confusion, yet also full of hope and desire for the future. Changing their destiny through their own efforts and striving for success once in a lifetime is a common belief among all postgraduate students.
Facing these young people who trade their youth's hard work for happiness in the future, I always hope to be of some help—even a small encouragement could become the last spiritual strength they need to overcome life's challenges.
Therefore, I have traveled to many cities and given many speeches. In each city, I share my own story, my struggles and pains, my struggles and efforts, my perseverance and determination, and my growth and joy during my life's journey.
I tell them that failure and success are equally close to us—if we stand still, we fail; but if we take a step forward, we succeed. Failure is a hazy paper covering our eyes, appearing boundless, but as long as we bravely tear it open, behind it is the blue sky and vast ocean of our lives.
While giving speeches to students, I have also strived to do practical things that help their studies and exams. So, in my busy schedule, I worked with my colleagues to write some English books to assist students in their learning.
The postgraduate vocabulary book presented before you today is one of the fruits of our efforts.
In English teaching, I have always favored etymology. Many years ago, I wrote a book titled GRE Vocabulary Essentials, which introduced the "Root + Association" method for memorizing words. This method was well-received by many students, and the book was affectionately called the "Red Treasure Book" by many classmates. The vocabulary memorization method used in the book has been referenced in many other publications, helping students remember words more quickly.
Now, I am introducing this proven effective method again in this book, Postgraduate Vocabulary, to help you overcome the major hurdle—vocabulary—in your postgraduate journey as quickly as possible.
This book starts from a practical perspective, not only helping you remember words quickly through effective memorization techniques but also emphasizing the meaning and usage of words in the postgraduate exam, complemented by humorous illustrations to enhance memory.
The book has removed words like "apple, news, university" that you have already mastered in high school, focusing on the more than 3,500 core words that appear in the postgraduate exam. It provides in-depth analysis of their common usage and collocations, and through computer statistics, simplifies some rarely used meanings in the syllabus that never appear in exams, improving the quality and efficiency of memorization.
At the same time, we have identified 500 "syllabus-excluded words" that frequently appear in the past ten years of exams but are not listed in the syllabus. These words are categorized and organized, including vocabulary from reading comprehension and the notoriously difficult "similar-looking words" in cloze tests, to help you achieve high scores.
The postgraduate exam is not just a competition of knowledge and skills but also a test of psychological resilience and endurance. Only those who can endure solitude and make good use of their time can achieve ultimate success.
When you have endured those sleepless nights and overcome the constant temptation to give up, and finally achieve success, what you gain is not just a graduate school admission letter but also confidence in yourself and firmer steps forward in your future life.
The completion of this book is especially thanks to the editors of Century Friendship. Jin Li, Yingwei, Wang Minxian, and Huang Bingqi have done a lot of research and proofreading work. The layout staff, Wang Ke, Liu Xiaoguang, and Zhan Ping, have also put in a great deal of effort. My heartfelt gratitude goes to all of them.