Sat Spark Notes B

Front 1

balk

Back 1

balk (v.) to stop, block abruptly (Edna’s boss balked at her request for another raise.)

Front 2

ballad

Back 2

ballad (n.) a love song (Greta’s boyfriend played her a ballad on the guitar during their
walk through the dark woods.)

Front 3

banal

Back 3

banal (adj.) dull, commonplace (The client rejected our proposal because they found
our presentation banal and unimpressive.)

Front 4

bane

Back 4

bane (n.) a burden (Advanced physics is the bane of many students’ academic lives.)

Front 5

bard

Back 5

bard (n.) a poet, often a singer as well (Shakespeare is often considered the greatest bard
in the history of the English language.)

Front 6

bashful

Back 6

bashful (adj.) shy, excessively timid (Frankie’s mother told him not to be bashful when
he refused to attend the birthday party.)

Front 7

battery

Back 7

battery 1.(n.) a device that supplies power (Most cars run on a combination of power
from a battery and gasoline.) 2. (n.)assault, beating (Her husband was accused of
assault and battery after he attacked a man on the sidewalk.)

Front 8

beguile

Back 8

beguile (v.) to trick, deceive (The thief beguiled his partners into surrendering all of
their money to him.)

Front 9

behemoth

Back 9

behemoth (n.) something of tremendous power or size (The new aircraft carrier is
among several behemoths that the Air Force has added to its fleet.)

Front 10

benevolent

Back 10

benevolent (adj.) marked by goodness or doing good (Police officers should be
commended for their benevolent service to the community.)

Front 11

benign

Back 11

benign (adj.) favorable, not threatening, mild (We were all relieved to hear that the
medical tests determined her tumor to be benign.)

Front 12

bequeath

Back 12

bequeath (v.) to pass on, give (Jon’s father bequeathed his entire estate to his mother.)

Front 13

berate

Back 13

berate (v.) to scold vehemently (The angry boss berated his employees for failing to
meet their deadline.)

Front 14

bereft

Back 14

bereft (adj.) devoid of, without (His family was bereft of food and shelter following the
tornado.)

Front 15

beseech

Back 15

beseech (v.) to beg, plead, implore (The servant beseeched the king for food to feed his
starving family.)

Front 16

bias

Back 16

bias (n.) a tendency, inclination, prejudice (The judge’s hidden bias against smokers led
him to make an unfair decision.)