OCM-BARMM CSE Review

English Category
Lecturer: Prof. Anifa Alonto-Nagamura

VOCABULARY: AN ESSENTIAL

Why is Vocabulary important?

 Vocabulary in general is an imperative element of any language.
 Broad knowledge of it makes it easy to understand and express oneself in a specific
vernacular, verbally or in writing.
 But it is particularly crucial when it comes to taking the civil service exam (CSE).
 Apart from the categorical part of the test on Vocabulary, with the exemption of a few
questions in Filipino, all questions in the exam are phrased in English, so the spectrum
of the examinee’s knowledge of vocabulary in English needs to be extensive.
What are Vocabulary Tests?
 Vocabulary tests are usually made use of to evaluate the width and depth of
vocabulary you have.
 The tests may be based on the number of words that you will recognize, and you
may have to know their meanings and understand the context where they might be
used.
 The difficulty of the words included in the tests may range from moderate to extreme,
depending on the sphere the test is designed for.
 Vocabulary tests are employed for choosing the right candidate for a job position, in
this case, your suitability to a position in government.
Vocabulary Building
 Affixes and roots
 Adding affixes to existing words (the base or root) to form new words is common in
academic English. Prefixes are added to the front of the base (like right arrow
dislike), whereas suffixes are added to the end of the base (active right arrow
activate). Prefixes usually do not change the class of the base word, but suffixes
usually do change the class of the word.
 The most common prefixes used to form new verbs in academic English are: re-,
dis-, over-, un-, mis-, out-. The most common suffixes are: -ise, -en, -ate, -(i)fy. By far
the most common affix in academic English is -ise.

COMMON LATIN PREFIXES

Prefix Meaning Examples

anti- Against anticlimactic, antidote, antithesis

auto- Self autobiography, automobile

bi- Two bilingualism, biculturalism, biannual

co- Joint co-founder, co-owner, co-descendant

counter-argument, counter-example,
counter- Against
counter-proposal
dis- the converse of discomfort, dislike
ex- Former ex-chairman, ex-hunter
hyper- Extreme hyperinflation, hypersurface
 in- the converse of inattention, incoherence, incompatibility

in- Inside inpatient,

inter- between interaction, inter-change, interference

Prefix Meaning Examples

mal- bad malfunction, maltreatment, malnutrition

mega- million megabyte

mis- wrong misconduct, misdeed, mismanagement

mini- small mini-publication, mini-theory

mono- one monosyllable, monograph, monogamy

neo- new neo-colonialism, neo-impressionism

out- separate outbuilding,
poly- many polysyllable
pseudo- false pseudo-expert

Prefix Meaning Examples

super- more than, above superset, superimposition, superpowers

sur- over and above surtax

tele- distant telecommunications,

tri- three tripartism

ultra- beyond ultrasound

under- below, too little underpayment, under-development, undergraduate

vice- deputy vice-president

COMMON LATIN SUFFIXES

Suffix Meaning Examples
-er person concerned with N astronomer, geographer
-ism doctrine of N Marxism, Maoism, Thatcherism
-ship state of being N friendship, citizenship, leadership
-age collection of N baggage, plumage
Ity state or quality of being A ability, similarity, responsibility, curiosity
-ness state or quality of being A darkness, preparedness, consciousness
-cy state or quality of being A urgency, efficiency, frequency

Idiomatic Expressions
-Rooted from an ‘idiom’ which is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative,
non-literal meaning attached to the phrase. Idiomatic expressions are a type of informal
language that have a meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression.
Here are some examples:
1. If you don’t spill the beans now, you might regret it.
A. spread rumours
B. let out a secret
C. plant some seeds
D. none of the above
2. Hey, man, you are absolutely barking up the wrong tree here because I’m innocent.
A. choosing the wrong dog
B. giving up a fight
C. accusing the wrong person
D. setting up an event in a tree
3. One proven way to beat an enemy is find his Achilles heel.
A. secret strategy
B. amulet
C. strong point
D. weak spot

Tips on how to answer a vocabulary test

 All the vocabulary questions on the CSE are “in context”: that is, you have to find a
definition that fits the way the word is used in the sentence. The test-makers often
camouflage the answer by surrounding it with other meanings of the word. No
worries! A simple method leads you to the right response:
 Restate the sentence, inserting your own word(s). Don’t worry about the
answer choices at this point. Just find a word or a phrase that makes sense.
 Locate an answer choice that fits your definition. Suppose you came up
with decorate for this step. In the five answer choices, you see beautify, which
matches your definition well enough.
 Insert your answer choice into the sentence. If it fits, you’re done. If not, try
another word.
 Use the process of elimination. For word choices that are difficult or unfamiliar
to you, eliminate the ones you feel are not the answers until you’re left with
two choices and choose between the two. The odds of getting the answer
correct is increased by using this method.

 Let’s Practice!
1. If you are ambivalent with the answers, analyze the given problem.
A. confusion
B. innocent
C. uncertain
D. unaware
2. He left the country because of the ominous experiences he had in the past.
A. unforgettable
 B. threatening
C. ugly
D. remarkable
3. Teenagers are easily susceptible to peer pressure.
A. influence.
B. flexible
C. inspired
D. dependable
E. inclined
4. My mother is always adamant in eating breakfast before leaving the house.
A. resolute
B. uncertain
C. forgetful
D. clueless
5. Reading words without understanding their meaning is futile.
A. helpless
B. useless
C. unnecessary
D. avoidable
6. She wears gold but people know how ostentatious she can be.
A. pretentious
B. ambitious
C. gorgeous
D. rebellious
7. He submitted a grotesque artwork that nobody in the class could relate to.
A. different
B. weird
C. beautiful
D. colorful
8. Their clandestine affair remained unknown for three years.
A. forbidden
B. surprise
C. secret
D. unacceptable
9. They say love is like a firework, a fleeting moment.
A. brief
B. unforgettable
C. shinny
D. remarkable
10. Cara is repulsive and rebellious. She always speaks sordid words.
A. scrupulous
B. vulgar
C. weird
D. Bizarre

11. Ang kanyang tatay ay nagta-trabaho bilang isang anluwage sa bahay ng kanilang kapit-
bahay.
A. karpintero
B. tubero
C. Mason
D. latero
12. Kailangan ang luop para hindi lumaganap ang dengue.
A. ineksyon
 B. suob
C. lason
D. lamok

Ways to improve your vocabulary

 Develop a reading habit
 Use a dictionary/thesaurus (app on phone)
 Play word games
 Use flashcards (app on phone)
 Subscribe to ‘word of the day’ feeds
 Practice new words you learn in conversations or in writing