Defining Twilight: Vocabulary Workbook for Unlocking the SAT, ACT, GED, and SSAT (Defining Series) [Paperback]

Brian Leaf (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 14, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0470507438 | ISBN-13: 978-0470507438 | Edition: 1

Can you resist the allure of Edward’s myriad charms—his ocher eyes and tousled hair, the cadence of his speech, his chiseled alabaster skin, and his gratuitous charm? Will you hunt surreptitiously and tolerate the ceaselessdeluge in Forks to evade the sun and uphold the facade? Join Edward and Bella as you learn more than 600 vocabulary words to improve your score on the *SAT, ACT®, GED®, and SSAT® exams!

Use this workbook side-by-side with your own copy of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight!

• Each chapter of the workbook gives you eight words taken from Twilight, with page references for you to read the words in the context of your favorite novel
• Define the words on your own before turning back to the workbook for their actual definitions
• At the end of each section you’ll take SAT, ACT, GED, and SSAT drills and quizzes to review and integrate what you’ve learned
• Plus, you’ll learn synonyms, Latin word parts, and memorization tools throughout the workbook

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brian Leaf has taken the pain out of studying for standardized tests. He shows students how to use Twilight to increase their word power. Who would have thought that learning vocabulary could be so much fun?"
–Bruce Hammond, Fiske Guide to Getting Into the Right College.

"I never would have believed that students could study vocabulary and enjoy a great book like Twilight at the same time, but Brian Leaf makes it possible!"
–Peter Facinelli, Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the Twilightsaga movies

From the Back Cover

This publication has not been prepared, approved, or licensed by any entity that created or produced the Twilight series of books or movies.

"Brian Leaf has taken the pain out of studying for standardized tests. He shows students how to use Twilight to increase their word power. Who would have thought that learning vocabulary could be so much fun?"
—Bruce Hammond, coauthor of Fiske Guide to Getting Into the Right College

"I never would have believed that students could study vocabulary and enjoy a great book like Twilight at the same time, but Brian Leaf makes it possible!"
—Peter Facinelli (Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight saga movies)

Can you resist the allure of Edward's myriad charms—his ocher eyes and tousled hair, the cadence of his speech, his chiseled alabaster skin, and his gratuitous charm? Join Edward and Bella as you learn more than 600 vocabulary words to improve your score on the *SAT, ACT, GED, and SSAT exams!

Use this workbook side by side with your own copy of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight!

• Each chapter of the workbook gives you eight words taken from Twilight, with page references for you to read the words in the context of your favorite novel

• Define the words on your own before turning back to the workbook for their actual definitions

• Plus, you'll learn synonyms, word parts, and memorization tools throughout the workbook

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Cliffs Notes; 1 edition (July 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470507438
• ISBN-13: 978-0470507438
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #319,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > Education & Reference > Test Preparation > High School > GED
  • #89 in Books > Education & Reference > College & University > Test Preparation > ACT (American College Tests)

More About the Author

Brian Leaf, M.A., is the author of eleven books, including Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi, Name That Movie!, Defining Twilight, and McGraw-Hill's Top 50 Skills for a Top Score. He is the only man alive to have written both a yoga memoir and multiple test-prep guides. He is not sure if this is a noble or dubious distinction.

Brian is Director of the New Leaf Learning Center in Massachusetts, where he has helped thousands of students from throughout the United States manage ADD and overcome test and math phobias.

Brian graduated from Georgetown University in 1993 with a B.A. in Business, English, and Theology.
In 1999, he completed a Masters through Lesley College specializing in yoga and ayurveda for Attention Deficit Disorder.
Brian is certified as a Yoga Instructor, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Massage Therapist, Energyworker, and Holistic Educator, and he is an avid meditator. He has also dabbled with Bach Flower Essences, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Reiki, Shiatsu, and Tai Chi. Can you top that?

So what's the connection between yoga and test-prep? Let's just say that one of Brian's first yoga teaching gigs was at the ETS corporation (Educational Testing Service) in Princeton, NJ. They're the folks who make the SAT. So now Brian gets paid hundreds of dollars per hour to share what he learned while the test-makers were half asleep in relaxation pose.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Twilight has no concept of grammar October 5, 2011

By Ardem Whaile

Format:Paperback

Twilight as a test prep book.

.....Huh?

How on earth is this possible? Yes, Stephenie Meyer knows how to use a thesaurus, but many times throughout her books she MISuses the words. She uses them in the wrong context, she excessively uses some words ("dazzle" and "murmur" are used way too many times) and this is only talking about her word choice. Her grammar is atrocious, and is convoluted and horrific in places. Not to mention the sexism and classism prevalent in the series.

Just look at this blog, http://reasoningwithvampires.tumblr.com/ which conveniently analyses and pinpoints the many, many mistakes and problems in general of the series. If this Brian Leaf is going to make a test prep book, he should at least base it off of a book that has some concept of, you know, editing.

But then again: the book sells, the people using it probably aren't smart enough to notice the atrocity of Twilight as it is, and the book sells.

And I guess that's all that really matters (to Brian Leaf).

15 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent and Engaging Learning Tool July 16, 2009

By B. Ostiguy

Format:Paperback

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to improve their vocabulary and/or standardized test scores. Fans of "Twilight" will no doubt appreciate the references to words and characters from that book, but one does not need to read the novel to find Mr. Leaf's methods engaging and highly effective.

As an educational professional, I am very impressed with Mr. Leaf's ability to increase the reader's vocabulary (and ability to determine the meaning of unknown words) while seamlessly weaving in loads of invaluable exam taking strategies and techniques. "Defining Twilight" is a powerful educational tool that I highly recommend to parents and teachers, fans of "Twilight," or anyone who is seeking an engaging and enjoyable way to harness the power of words.

18 of 27 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Redefining the English language? September 13, 2009

By Alicia Sorrenti

Format:Paperback

Um. I suppose if this is the only thing to get the inane Twilight kids to want to actually learn, I guess that's fine. What I don't understand is why the words are being redefined? A vegetarian vampire is *noble*? And not to echo the last critical comment but gratuitous is most certainly misused and makes absolutely no sense in the context they used it in. If we're going to manipulate these kids in to learning words and their meanings...can WE at least get them right?