Word Power ANSWERS

1. bauble (a) showy trinket. Most of my accessories are baubles I found at yard sales. 2. gilt (c) covered in gold. Lenore slipped a gilt barrette into her long dark hair. 3. carat (a) unit of weight. The famous Hope Diamond weighs a whopping 45 carats! 4. amulet (b) protective charm. Clutching the amulet that hung around his neck, Rowen turned to face the evil sorcerer. 5. iridescent (b) having rainbow colors. Kelly’s iridescent opal bracelet sparkled in the sunshine. 6. alloy (a) mixture of metals. Rose gold is actually an alloy of gold, silver, and copper. 7. solitaire (b) gem set alone. “Will you marry me?” asked the duke, slipping the diamond solitaire ring onto his beloved’s finger. 8. girandole (a) pendant earring. In the 19th century, a fashionable lady might wear ornate girandoles to dinner. 9. citrine (b) yellow quartz. Citrine’s distinctive color comes from traces of iron. 10. adorn (b) make beautiful. The fortuneteller’s wrists were adorned with countless bangles, which clinked softly as she walked. 11. baguette (c) rectangular stone. “May I suggest a baguette, rather than an oval cut?” the salesperson said. 12. filigree (c) delicate metalwork. The queen’s tiara features Victorian filigree. 13. palladium (c) silver-white metal. Palladium looks similar to platinum, but it’s lighter and less expensive. 14. facet (a) surface on a cut gem. When a gem is expertly cut, facets create beautiful patterns on the stone. 15. rondelle (c) jeweled ring. Chaya’s most prized possession is a sapphire rondelle that belonged to her great-grandmother. Vocabulary Ratings 9 & below: hidden gem 10–12: heart of gold 13–15: crown jewel