Very Often CAT aspirants wonder how they will manage, what seems like
an Herculean task of mastering English vocabulary in the limited
amount of time available for CAT preparation. They say that VA should
be spelled as a "Walk - a - Bull - Awry" rather than Vocabulary!! One
of the simplest methods of becoming familiar with a language is to
read the language. To absorb it in your blood stream, so that it
becomes second nature. The focus should be on an integrated approach.
The best way to get familiar with English Vocabulary is to read books.
At this point alarm bells start ringing and even those who aspire high
begin to perspire much saying that it is difficult to persevere!
Reading books is too time-consuming or too boring! This may be a valid
point from an aspirant's point of view. How do we tackle this?
My solution is simple! Instead of reading one book of 500 pages (which
may be boring and time consuming) why don't you do the following?
* Share your books with your friends (sort of a mini library +)
* Read the first 10 pages of 50 different books
What is the rationale behind this?
* I am absolutely sure that every serious aspirant can take time out
each day to read 10 pages!!
* This will introduce you to a depth and range of topics that may not
be possible with one single book.
* I sincerely hope that while carrying out this process you will come
across a book that will spark your interest and you will end up
reading the whole book!
While reading a book we have to be on the look out for every single
bit of learning that we can garner from the book's 10 pages. It's like
Shah Rukh Khan saying: "These are your 10 pages - Do the best you can
with them - Change your life!"
Probably the most popular book right now for the current week is the
The Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows series. Lets see what we can
learn about Vocabulary. from the first ten pages of the book.
1. Title
A CAT aspirant must be curious and on the look -out for words all the
time : I am sure that you have heard "Hallows" many many times - but
ask yourself how many of you know the meaning of Hallows
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hallows)? Or have looked up the
meaning to see what could be the different meanings and usage of the
word? As soon as you see a new word all these questions should spring
in your mind. Ask yourself - what does the title mean? Does it convey
the right mood for the book?What kind of a title would you have given?
2. Epigraph :
Many books start off with an epigraph which is a motto or quotation,
at the beginning of a literary composition, setting forth a theme. For
Example DH has two quotations from Aeschylus ( The Libation Bearers)
and William Penn ( The Fruits of Solitude). Many a time the Epigraph
itself can be a rich source of words. For example in the DH epigraph I
can see words like haemorrhage, staunch, libation, omnipresent,
solitude. A pretty decent haul for reading a few lines - What do you
say?. Plus the epigraph gives you sources for further reading . If you
are serious about your prep you should look up these books and authors
or writings. And thus a chain is formed.
3. Roots of words:
While reading it is important to keep a watch on words that have been
derived from old roots. For example the word illumination on the
second page is derived from lumis i.e lumen which means light. You can
see throughout the novel what fun Rowling has had in making up names
with word roots. Mort means death - hence Voldemort. Mal is a
representative of bad ( maladjustment, malpractice etc.) - hence
Malfoy.
4. Meaning Plus and Meaning Minus :
Think in terms of synonyms and and antonyms from now on. . Whenever
you come across a difficult word ask yourself what could be the other
words that could fall in the same range. So for example the synonyms
of demonstrate will be establish,evidence, evince, exhibit, expose,
flaunt while the antonyms would be conceal and hide.
5. The Birth of Words:
Be on the look out for new words created by authors.A good link for
words added recently to the dictionary is the OED
site.http://www.oed.com/help/updates/pimesic-pleating.html. Rowling
herself has created quite a few words. For example her Avada Kedavra
is based on the Aramaic avda kedavra, meaning "what was said has been
done." This phrase is also the origin of abracadabra, which, like
hocus pocus, is used by magicians as amagic word when they perform
tricks Source:http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Avada_Kedavra_Curse.
Why the snake has been named Nagini - need not be explained to any
Indian!
6. Watch out for Idioms and Metaphors :
An idiom is a group of words established by usage as having a meaning
not easily deduced from those individual words. At one point Snape
talks about "laying a false trail" which mean misleading somebody. A
metaphor is an implied simile.For example when Bellatrix says " many
of our oldest family trees become a little diseased over time" she is
comparing a family tree to a real tree made of wood and timber which
can begin to rot.
This 'read 10-page-a-day plan' should work wonders for improving your
vocabulary skills.Once you begin to understand the value of vocabulary
in your daily life you will automatically develop a passion for it!
I leave you with a final quote from the Book.
That which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to
understand. Of house-elves and children's tales, of love, loyalty, and
innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing. That they
all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any
magic, is a truth he has never grasped - Albus Dumbledore - JK
Rowling.
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