Most of us would enjoy owning a larger vocabulary, but how do we go about it? And having learned the definitions of new words, how do we improve our verbal fluency—our ability to think of alternative words when we're speaking and writing? Of course, a good dictionary is a cornerstone for the building of a good vocabulary. Online unabridged dictionaries are available, and I've found my Random House Unabridged Dictionary  to be quite convenient. And a good Roget's Thesaurus is de rigeur for amplifying one's verbal fluency. A lot of thesauruses are thin broth, with quite-limited repertoires of synonyms. However, I own "Roget's International Thesaurus", Third Edition, published by Thomas Y. Crowell Company (1962), and it's a wonderful book.
    Although I've never played them, word games, such as crossword puzzles and Scrabble, probably help to build vocabulary. The study guides for the SAT, GRE, ACT, and kindred tests contain vocaulary-building lists and quizzes, including, in some cases, words used on prior SAT tests. Barron's SAT study guide contains 3,500 words.
    The vocabulary tests listed on the preceding page also offer a mechanism for vocabulary enhancement. WordSmart sells vocabulary building programs at 10 different levels A through J for about $70 a level. And if you're interested in more challenging words, there's always my 10,000 Most Difficult Words dictionary.