Читать книгу 2022 / 2023 ASVAB For Dummies - Angie Papple Johnston - Страница 57

Pulling apart words is a great strategy when you’re not sure what something means. Even knowing what part of a word means can help you make a smarter choice — and on the ASVAB, every question counts.

Try to pull apart the word in this question to see whether you can figure out its meaning.

Detractor most nearly means

(A) critic.

(B) driver.

(C) expert.

(D) adulatory.

Take apart the word detractor:

 de- is the prefix

 tract is the root

 -or is the suffix

If you’ve learned what any part of the word means, whether it’s the prefix, root, or suffix, finding the correct answer is easier. (Check Tables 4-2, 4-3, and 4-4 if you’re not sure yet.)

The prefix de- means “away from,” tract means “pull,” and the suffix -or means “one who does a thing.” After you’ve broken down the word detractor, you can see that it means a person who pulls away from something.

Remember, too, that the suffix -or often makes a word a noun (a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea), so you can immediately rule out Choice (D). That leaves three choices: critic, driver, and expert.

If you guessed that detractor most nearly means critic, Choice (A), you’re right. It’s the only one that makes sense when you know what each part of the word means.