SAT Vocab - Fun and Easy Method to Memorize

A Mystery - SAT Vocab Set #2

My dad left the shop a little earlier today claiming that he had work to do. My father did this often so I was used to running the shop alone. It was, I suppose, my responsibility when I was not busy with school. There wasn't much to do in a diminutive town; this was merely a daily routine in my lonely typical life.

Today, however, my dad gave me permission to abridge the hours the shop was open so I can go home early. Intermittently, I would check the continuously ticking clock while reading a book or something similar to that. I always feel alacrity to go home and spend time with my affable father. It was the always the best part of my day.

As I waited, the door opened and someone walked in through it. This always made me ebullient because everyone from this negligible town was always gregarious. But this man was not someone I had recognized. I watched him as he made his actions. He circumspectly looked through the store as if it was his first time there. When he found what he seemed to be looking for, he accosted me.

I rarely had to deal with strangers because I was already familiar with almost everyone who would find it necessary to come here. I grew uneasy as I saw a new face.

"Hello," the stranger said, smiling.

I stared at him cynically, "Hi."

"You work here?" he asked.

"Yes," I then realized that I was being wary for no reason and formed a fake smile on my face and tried to be amiable, "It's my dad's shop. I just help."

He pushed over the least exorbitant and most extraneous item in our shop. "I see," he said, "He's not around?"

I became prudent again. That was a strange question, but I answered while ringing the item into the cash-register, "No, not today." Then I told him the price.

He pulled out his wallet and handed me cash, "Oh," he smiled, "I wonder how he found it fit to leave a pretty girl alone."

I felt very uncomfortable again and said vigilantly, "He doesn't do this often." That was a lie. I gave him his purchase back and he left.

"Bye, Beautiful." And he walked out of the door.

That was very strange. No one has ever talked to me like that before. It made me feel uneasy. Either way, he was just a man who just needed to purchase something. There was no reason to be so callous towards him.
I glanced at the clock. Finally!!

I turned off the lights and locked the doors.

(to be continued)..

Diminutive - adj. tiny, small, little
abridge - v. Shorten, condense
Intermittently - adj. Sporadically, fragmentary
alacrity - n. eagerness, enthusiasm
affable - adj. friendly, genial, sociable
ebullient - adj. enthusiastic, excited, cheerful
negligible - adj. Insignificant, small, trivial
gregarious - adj. friendly, outgoing, sociable
circumspect - adj. Careful, cautious, prudent
accost - v. approach aggressively, confront
cynical - adj. pessimistic, distrustful
wary - adj. careful, cautious, suspicious
amiable - adj. friendly, amicable, sociable
exorbitant - adj. excessive, very expensive
extraneous - adj. unnecessary, irrelevant
prudent - adj. Careful, cautious, sensible
vigilant - adj. watchful, alert, attentive
callous- adj. insensitive, heartless