USSS SAEE key terms

To become weaker or less intense over time. Storms, pain, noise, and strong emotions can all abate, meaning they gradually die down rather than stopping all at once.

To make a bad situation, problem, or feeling worse. For example, ignoring a small leak can exacerbate water damage in a building.

To make something less severe or harmful. Steps taken to mitigate risk reduce either the chance of a bad outcome or the damage it causes.

Speaking honestly and directly, without hiding one's true opinion or softening bad news. A candid answer may be blunt, but it is not meant to be cruel.

Showing steady, careful effort on a task until it is finished. A diligent worker pays attention to details and keeps going even when the work is boring.

To slow down or block progress. Heavy traffic, poor planning, or a lack of supplies can impede a project without stopping it completely.

No longer in use or no longer useful because something newer has replaced it. Typewriters and fax machines are often described as obsolete technology.

Showing good judgment by thinking ahead about risks and consequences. A prudent choice avoids unnecessary danger and prepares for problems before they happen.

Able to recover quickly from difficulty, stress, or damage. A resilient person bounces back after a setback instead of giving up.

To examine something very closely and critically, looking for errors or hidden details. Investigators scrutinize records, statements, and evidence before drawing conclusions.

Holding firmly to a goal or belief and refusing to give up. A tenacious investigator keeps pursuing leads even when progress is slow.

Likely to change suddenly and unpredictably, often in a dangerous way. Volatile situations, markets, or substances can shift without warning.

Cautious and alert to possible danger or trickery. Someone who is wary does not trust a situation quickly and watches for signs of trouble.

Open to more than one interpretation, so the meaning is unclear. An ambiguous order can be understood in different ways, which may lead to mistakes.

A conclusion drawn from evidence in a text rather than stated directly. Readers make inferences by combining clues in the passage with their own knowledge.

The central point a passage is built around. It is usually broader than any single detail and is often stated in a topic sentence or summary.

The attitude a writer expresses toward the subject or audience, such as serious, sarcastic, or hopeful. Tone is revealed through word choice and details.

The reason a writer produced a text, often to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain. Identifying the purpose helps a reader judge how to interpret the information.

The feelings or associations a word carries beyond its dictionary meaning. 'Cheap' and 'inexpensive' share a meaning, but their connotations differ.

A word or phrase near an unfamiliar term that helps reveal its meaning. Examples, contrasts, and definitions in surrounding sentences often serve as context clues.

To restate a passage's meaning in your own words while keeping the original ideas. A good paraphrase is accurate but does not copy the source's wording.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person. A singular subject takes a singular verb, even when other words sit between them.

The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers back to. In the sentence 'Maria lost her badge,' Maria is the antecedent of the pronoun 'her.'

A descriptive phrase that does not clearly connect to the word it is meant to describe. In 'Running late, the report was skipped,' the report is not the thing running.

Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or comparison. Matching forms, such as all nouns or all verbs, make sentences easier to read.

An error in which two complete sentences are joined with only a comma. Correcting it requires a period, a semicolon, or a conjunction.

Two or more independent clauses joined without correct punctuation or a conjunction. A run-on can be fixed by splitting the clauses or linking them properly.

A sentence construction in which the subject performs the action. 'The agent wrote the report' is active, while 'The report was written by the agent' is passive.

A way of expressing a number as a part of 100. Twenty-five percent means 25 out of every 100, or one quarter of the whole.

A comparison of two quantities by division, often written as a fraction or with a colon. A ratio of 3 to 4 means the first amount is three-fourths of the second.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal. Proportions are used to solve for an unknown value when scaling amounts up or down.

The result of adding a set of values and dividing by how many values there are; also called the mean. It summarizes a group with one representative number.

A rate expressed as an amount per one unit of another quantity, such as miles per hour or dollars per pound. Unit rates make comparisons between different offers easier.

Whole numbers that follow one another in order without gaps, such as 7, 8, and 9. Consecutive integers differ by exactly one.

The total distance around the outside edge of a flat shape. It is found by adding together the lengths of all the sides.

The amount of flat surface a shape covers, measured in square units. Rectangle area equals length times width, and triangle area is one-half base times height.

The amount of space a three-dimensional object occupies, measured in cubic units. A rectangular box's volume equals length times width times height.

The agreed sequence for evaluating math expressions: parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction. Following it ensures everyone computes the same result.

The smallest number that is a multiple of two or more given numbers. For 4 and 6, the least common multiple is 12.