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Essential Vocabulary for the GRE - Café Society

Here you will learn some English words about society, such as "stratum", "ethnicity", "caste", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.

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Essential Words Needed for the GRE
stratum
stratum
[noun]

a group of people with similar social standing, education, or income

Ex: The political party gained support from the working-class stratum.
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acculturation

the process of cultural exchange and adaptation when individuals or groups from different cultures come into contact, leading to changes in their respective cultural patterns

Ex: Cultural festivals serve as platforms for acculturation, where people from different backgrounds share and celebrate their customs .
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apartheid
apartheid
[noun]

a system where people are treated differently or separated based on their race, ethnicity, or other characteristics

Ex: He wrote a book detailing his experiences growing up under apartheid.
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aristocracy

people in the highest class of society who have a lot of power and wealth and usually high ranks and titles

Ex: The aristocracy opposed many social reforms that threatened their privileges .
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bourgeoisie

the society's middle class

Ex: The revolutionaries aimed to overthrow the bourgeoisie and establish a more equitable society .
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class-conscious
class-conscious
[Adjective]

fully aware of the ranking system that distinguishes the general public

Ex: He grew up in a class-conscious environment , aware of the differences in social classes .
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hierarchical
hierarchical
[Adjective]

relating to a system that is organized based on social ranking or levels of authority

Ex: The military operates on a hierarchical chain of command , with officers giving orders to subordinates .
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demographic

the statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, gender, and ethnicity

Ex: Companies often tailor their products to appeal to a specific demographic.
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ethnicity
ethnicity
[noun]

the state of belonging to a certain ethnic group

Ex: The festival showcases music , food , and art from various ethnicities around the world .
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subsistence

a situation in which one has just enough money or food to survive

Ex: The family struggled to maintain subsistence on their small farm .
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overlord
overlord
[noun]

someone who is in a position of power, especially in the past

Ex: During the empire , the emperor was considered the ultimate overlord.
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polity
polity
[noun]

the specific form or system of government of a society or institution

Ex: The party 's structure reflects the polity of the state .
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to segregate

to employ a system that sorts out people in the society based on their race or religion

Ex: The university came under scrutiny for segregating students into separate dormitories based on their ethnicity .
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caste
caste
[noun]

a system that divides the people of a society into different social classes based on their wealth, privilage, or profession

Ex: Efforts to address caste-based discrimination require legislative measures, educational reforms, and social awareness campaigns to promote equality and inclusivity.
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supremacist

someone who believes that a particular group of people, especially one determined by sex, religion, or race, is better than other groups and should dominate them

Ex: The supremacist's rhetoric fueled division and conflict in the community .
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political asylum

the protection that a country grants to someone who has fled their home country because of political reasons

Ex: The government granted political asylum to the journalist who fled from a repressive regime .
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benefactor

a person who gives money or support to help others

Ex: She wrote a letter to her benefactor, expressing her appreciation for the support .
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class struggle

the conflict of interests between different social classes in a society, as mentioned in Marxist ideology

Ex: The activist spoke about the ongoing class struggle in modern urban environments .
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deportation

the expulsion of a non-citizen or foreigner from a country, often for being undesirable or violating laws

Ex: The government debated stricter deportation policies .
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discrimination

the practice of treating a person or different categories of people less fairly than others

Ex: She spoke out against discrimination after witnessing unfair treatment of her colleagues .
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to displace

to make someone leave their home by force, particularly because of an unpleasant event

Ex: The wildfire raging through the forest threatened to displace residents in nearby towns .
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elite
elite
[noun]

a small group of people in a society who enjoy a lot of advantages because of their economic, intellectual, etc. superiority

Ex: He aspired to join the intellectual elite of the academic world .
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homophobia

hatred, antipathy, or prejudice toward homosexuals

Ex: The school 's new policy addresses and seeks to reduce homophobia.
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to impoverish

to take away a person or a country's riches to the point of poverty

Ex: By the time the reforms were introduced , the region had already been impoverished.
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indigent
indigent
[Adjective]

extremely poor or in need

Ex: The nonprofit organization aimed to provide support and resources for the indigent community.
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intersectional
intersectional
[Adjective]

related to the social categories such as gender, race, sexuality, or age and the way they can extend over the experiences of an individual belonging to an oppressed population

Ex: Intersectional feminism looks at how various forms of oppression intersect .
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to marginalize

to treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant or of secondary or minor importance

Ex: By marginalizing diverse perspectives , we limit our ability to address complex social issues effectively .
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to naturalize

to grant citizenship to a foreigner

Ex: The government announced plans to naturalize children born abroad to citizen parents .
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parity
parity
[noun]

a state in which two or more things are equal

Ex: They discussed ways to achieve parity in funding for rural and urban schools .
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penury
penury
[noun]

a state of being exceedingly poor and in need

Ex: The sudden loss of his job pushed him into a state of penury.
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positive discrimination

the act of enhancing different opportunities for the people who have been treated as inferior due to belonging to a specific social category like race, sex, and etc. in a society

Ex: The scholarship program was an example of positive discrimination to support minority students .
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quota system

a system that allows a limited number of immigrants to officially enter a country annually

Ex: The quota system ensures that immigration levels remain manageable .
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slumlord
slumlord
[noun]

an owner of a house of land in a location where people are exceedingly poor and have really bad living conditions, who demands rents more than one can afford

Ex: After years of neglect , the government intervened and forced the slumlord to improve the living conditions of their tenants or face legal consequences .
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social conscience

an awareness of other people's pain and problems who have a bad condition in the society and feeling a sense of duty to take care of them

Ex: The film highlighted the importance of having a social conscience in addressing inequality .
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bigotry
bigotry
[noun]

the fact of having or expressing strong, irrational views and disliking other people with different views or a different way of life

Ex: They worked hard to challenge the bigotry that was prevalent in their society .
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unrest
unrest
[noun]

a political situation in which there is anger among the people and protests are likely

Ex: The rise in fuel prices caused unrest among the workers .
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