GRE Vocabulary Reverse Order Memory Dictionary

Author: Yu Minhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2011-08-01
Features: ★ A sister volume to GRE Word Selection (New Edition); ★ ，; ★ Use to distinguish between frequently tested and less frequently tested GRE words; ★ Includes newly added vocabulary for the GRE exam; ★，; ★ This book has been a bestseller since its publication. The concept of reverse-order vocabulary involves arranging words in reverse alphabetical order. Typically, people memorize words in ascending alphabetical order, but this method has a drawback: it can create contextual hints that make it easier to guess the meaning of adjacent words. For example, memorizing "penitent" (regretful) and "penitentiary" (prison) together makes it very easy to infer their meanings. However, if these words are placed separately, you might struggle to recall their meanings. The advantages of reverse-order vocabulary are: (1) There is no semantic connection between consecutive words, thus breaking the habit of contextual hinting. (2) It remains very convenient to look up a word. For instance, to find "incisive" (incisive), in ascending order it falls under the "i" category, while in reverse order it falls under the "e" category. You simply start searching from the last "e" and quickly locate "incisive" among words ending with "e." (3) Words of the same part of speech, words with the same root, and words with similar forms are grouped together, which greatly enhances memorization speed. For example, words ending with "a" are mostly nouns: "insignia" (emblem), "insomnia" (sleeplessness); similarly, words with the same root are arranged together: "pyromania" (fire), "kleptomania" (stealing), both ending with the root "mania" (crazy). Grouping words with similar forms makes it easier to memorize them by comparison, such as "flagrant" (offensive) and "fragrant" (sweet). The difference between them is just one letter—"l" versus "r." Think about how to remember these words: The "r" at the beginning resembles a flower, naturally making it "fragrant," while the "l" looks like a stick used for stirring manure, naturally making it "flagrant."
Memorizing words should be done in segments. Each page of this book contains about 30 words, making it an ideal unit for memorization. First, review the English-Chinese, then cover the Chinese and try to recall the meaning of the English words. If you can remember the meaning of all 30 words, cover the English and write down the Chinese translations. Spelling reinforces memory. After completing one page, move on to the next. Aim to memorize 10 pages (about 300 words) each day. When you reach 50 pages (about 1,500 words), conduct a comprehensive review 3-5 times to deepen your memory. Following this method, you can become quite familiar with all GRE vocabulary within a month.