Adult Literacy in the United States


FIGURE 21	Buswell Reading Test Item

TEST 5 VOCABULARY TEST
In the Example (A) below there is a check before the word need because it means the same as require . In Example (B) there is a check before shape ,which means the same as form.

(A) require:
_____ obey
_____ like
_____ authority
__x__ need
_____ refuse

(B) form:
_____ round
_____ pretty
__x__ shape
_____ race
_____ square

In the groups of five words which follow place a check before the one which means the same, or about the same, as the single word at the left.
1. far: _____ there _____ after _____ now _____ distant _____ foreign	10. hinder: _____ rear _____ last one _____ risk _____ prevent _____ persuade	19. potential: _____ electric _____ supernatural _____ protected _____ possible _____ parental
2. discover: _____ explore _____ travel _____ secret _____ fame _____ find	11. imperial: _____ cruel _____ dangerous _____ royal _____ governor _____ colonial	20. vagabond: _____ originate _____ freak _____ official _____ vagrant _____ purposeful
3. ready: _____ dressed _____ hurry _____ prepared _____ good _____ late	12. exalt: _____ attract _____ season _____ similar _____ honor _____ salary	21. qualify: _____ modify _____ individuality _____ excellence _____ amount _____ characteristic
4. attack: _____ secure _____ fight _____ unite _____ blame _____ surprise	13. incur: _____ disturb _____ contract _____ astonish _____ curse _____ dislike	22. incite: _____ understanding _____ cut into _____ intuition _____ attack _____ instigate
5. mistake: _____ lose _____ error _____ blame _____ break _____ surprise	14. revel: _____ fight _____ bugle _____ celebration _____ publish _____ excitement	23. largess: _____ colossal _____ shrub _____ tempo _____ gratuity _____ enormous
6. exact: _____ similar _____ raise _____ correct _____ fix _____ shape	15. equip: _____ transport _____ force _____ clothes _____ furnish _____ carriage	24. ephemeral: _____ parasitic _____ astronomical _____ transitory _____ supernatural _____ atmospheric
7. command: _____ order _____ praise _____ advance _____ control _____ organize	16. predict: _____ fear _____ news _____ decree _____ foretell _____ gamble	25. segregate: _____ imprison _____ immigrate _____ isolate _____ torture _____ deify
8. brand: _____ fire _____ seal _____ law _____ mark _____ qualify	17. paternal: _____ forever _____ parent _____ outdoors _____ fatherly _____ sorrowful	26. rescind: _____ implicate _____ abrogate _____ contemporary _____ antagonize _____ ameliorate
9. intent: _____ evil _____ press in _____ make _____ begin _____ purpose	18. tranquil: _____ rural _____ sleepy _____ tread _____ placid _____ arrow	27. autonomy: _____ spontaneity _____ pseudonym _____ independence _____ vehicle _____ generator

Source: G. Buswell (1937, August). How Adults Read. Supplementary Educational Monographs. Number 45. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, (p.154).

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