IMPROVING VOCABULARY SKILLS

Unit One: Chapter 5 • allusion • banal • altruistic • euphemism • appease • mercenary • arbitrary • syndrome • assail • taint

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 1allusion – noun •After I suggested that Monty have fruit for dessert instead of chocolate cake, he responded, “Is that an allusionto my weight?” • Ramon didn’t have the courage to come right out and ask Lia to marry him. Instead, he made only an allusionto marriage by asking, “Wouldn’t it be easier if we had to fill out just one tax return?” Allusion means A. a contrast to. B. a hint about. C.an answer for.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 1allusion 1allusion – noun – noun •After I suggested that Monty have fruit for dessert instead of chocolate cake, he responded, “Is that an allusionto my weight?” • Ramon didn’t have the courage to come right out and ask Lia to marry him. Instead, he made only an allusionto marriage by asking, “Wouldn’t it be easier if we had to fill out just one tax return?” Allusion means A. a contrast to. B. a hint about. C.an answer for. The suggestion that Monty have fruit for dessert makes Monty think the person dropping a hint about his weight. Ramon’s question about filling out one tax return is a hint about getting married.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 2altruistic – adjective •When an enemy approaches, ground squirrels show altruisticbehavior. They risk their own lives to give alarm calls to nearby relatives. • “I’m not often altruistic,”Brett admitted. “I usually put my own welfare first.” Altruistic means A. unselfish. B. cheerful. C.greedy.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 2altruistic – adjective •When an enemy approaches, ground squirrels show altruisticbehavior. They risk their own lives to give alarm calls to nearby relatives. • “I’m not often altruistic,”Brett admitted. “I usually put my own welfare first.” Altruistic means A. unselfish. B. cheerful. C.greedy. If the squirrels risk their own lives to protect relatives, they are being unselfish. If Brett puts her own welfare first, she is being selfish, not unselfish.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 3appease – verb •My sister was so outraged when I accidentally dropped and broke her cell phone that nothing I could say or do would appeaseher. • Roger was furious when he saw me out with another guy, but I quickly appeasedhim by explaining that the “date” was my cousin. Appease means A. to annoy. B. to heal. C.to calm.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 3appease – verb •My sister was so outraged when I accidentally dropped and broke her cell phone that nothing I could say or do would appeaseher. • Roger was furious when he saw me out with another guy, but I quickly appeasedhim by explaining that the “date” was my cousin. Appease means A. to annoy. B. to heal. C. to calm. If the sister was extremely outraged, no words or actions would be able to calm her. In the second item, the news that her “date” is her cousin would calm Roger’s fury.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 4arbitrary – adjective •Professor Miller’s students were angry that he graded essays in an arbitraryway, rather than using clear-cut standards. • Parents should not enforce rules according to their moods. Such arbitrarydiscipline only confuses children. Arbitrary means A. steady. B. slow. C.impulsive.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 4arbitrary – adjective •Professor Miller’s students were angry that he graded essays in an arbitraryway, rather than using clear-cut standards. • Parents should not enforce rules according to their moods. Such arbitrarydiscipline only confuses children. Arbitrary means A. steady. B. slow. C. impulsive. If Professor Miller doesn’t use clear-cut standards to grade the essays, he must grade them in an impulsive way. If parents enforce rules according to their moods, the discipline is impulsive rather than consistent.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 5assail – verb •The storm assailedus with hail and heavy rain. • The two candidates continuously assailedeach other with accusations of dishonesty. Assail means A. to attack. B.to confuse. C.to support.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 5assail – verb •The storm assailedus with hail and heavy rain. • The two candidates continuously assailedeach other with accusations of dishonesty. Assail means A. to attack. B.to confuse. C.to support. The hail and heavy rain of the storm attacked them. If the candidates are making accusations of dishonesty against one another, they are attacking each other.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 6banal – adjective •The film, with its overused expressions and unimaginative plot, was the most banalI had ever seen. • “Nice to see you” may be a banalcomment, but what it lacks in originality it makes up for in friendliness. Banal means A. greedy. B.unoriginal. C.clever. “If my paper seems banal, that’s because my dad wrote it, and he hasn’t had an original idea in years!”

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 6banal – adjective •The film, with its overused expressions and unimaginative plot, was the most banalI had ever seen. • “Nice to see you” may be a banalcomment, but what it lacks in originality it makes up for in friendliness. Banal means A. greedy. B. unoriginal. C.clever. If the film had overused expressions and an unimaginative plot, it must have been unoriginal. If the comment lacks originality, it is unoriginal. “If my paper seems banal, that’s because my dad wrote it, and he hasn’t had an original idea in years!”

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 7euphemism – noun •Common euphemismsinclude “final resting place” (for grave), “Intoxicated” (for drunk), and “Powder room” (for toilet). • The Central Intelligence Agency is on record as having referred to assassination with the euphemism“change of health.” Euphemism means A. a harsh term. B.a term that doesn’t offend. C.a foreign term. A euphemism for toilet

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 7euphemism – noun •Common euphemismsinclude “final resting place” (for grave), “Intoxicated” (for drunk), and “Powder room” (for toilet). • The Central Intelligence Agency is on record as having referred to assassination with the euphemism“change of health.” Euphemism means A. a harsh term. B. a term that doesn’t offend. C.a foreign term. The first item gives three examples of terms that don’t offend. In the second item, “change of health” is a term that doesn’t offend, while the term assassination would be offensive to some. A euphemism for toilet

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 8mercenary – adjective •Ed is totally mercenary.His philosophy is, “Pay me enough, and I’ll do anything.” • The con man pretended to love the wealthy widow, but he actually married her for mercenaryreasons. Mercenary means A. jealous. B.angry. C.greedy.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 8mercenary – adjective •Ed is totally mercenary.His philosophy is, “Pay me enough, and I’ll do anything.” • The con man pretended to love the wealthy widow, but he actually married her for mercenaryreasons. Mercenary means A. jealous. B.angry. C. greedy. If Ed’s philosophy is that he’ll do anything if he gets enough money, he must be greedy. If the con man only pretended to love the wealthy widow, he must have married her for greedy reasons rather than for love.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 9syndrome – noun •Headaches are usually harmless, but as part of a syndromeincluding fever and a stiff neck, they may be a sign of a serious illness. • Jet lag is a syndromeresulting from flying long distances; it often includes exhaustion, headache, and loss of appetite. Syndrome means A.a group of symptoms. B.a cause. C.something required.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 9syndrome – noun •Headaches are usually harmless, but as part of a syndromeincluding fever and a stiff neck, they may be a sign of a serious illness. • Jet lag is a syndromeresulting from flying long distances; it often includes exhaustion, headache, and loss of appetite. Syndrome means A. a group of symptoms. B.a cause. C.something required. Taken together, headache, fever, and stiff neck is a group of symptoms. In the second item, exhaustion, headache, and loss of appetite is another a group of symptoms.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 10taint – verb •The involvement of organized crime has taintedmany sports, including boxing and horse racing. • The government scandal taintedthe reputations of everyone involved. Taint means A.to benefit. B.to damage. C.to start.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word. 10taint – verb •The involvement of organized crime has taintedmany sports, including boxing and horse racing. • The government scandal taintedthe reputations of everyone involved. Taint means A.to benefit. B. to damage. C.to start. The involvement of organized crime has damaged boxing and horse racing. A scandal would damage the reputations of those involved.

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 1. There have been people _____________ enough to sell their own children for the right price. 2. “Someone hasn’t shown me his report card.” my mother said, making a(n) ________ to my brother.

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 1. There have been people _____________ enough to sell their own children for the right price. mercenary People who would sell their own children must be greedy. 2. “Someone hasn’t shown me his report card.” my mother said, making an _________ to my brother. allusion By using the word someone, the mother is making an indirect reference to her son.

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 3. It takes a(n) _______ person to adopt a disabled child. 4. The mugger _______ed his victims with a baseball bat. 5. The local undertaker insists on using a(n) ________ for the chapel of his funeral parlor. He calls it the “slumber room.”

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 3. It takes an ________ person to adopt a disabled child. altruistic Caring for a disabled child takes a lot of time and energy, so a person who adopts such a child would have to be unselfish. 4. The mugger _________ his victims with a baseball bat. assailed A mugger physically attacks people. 5. The local undertaker insists on using a __________ for the chapel of his funeral parlor. He calls it the “slumber room.” euphemism By calling the chapel the “slumber room,” the undertaker is trying to use a less offensive term.

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 6. The report that the halfback was addicted to drugs _______(e)d the team’s image. 7. The only thing that would __________ the dead boy’s parents was imprisonment of the drunk driver who had killed him.

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 6. The report that the halfback was addicted to drugs ___________ the team’s image. tainted Having a team member who is addicted to drugs would damage the team’s image. 7. The only thing that would __________ the dead boy’s parents was imprisonment of the drunk driver who had killed him. appease The parents would be calmed only if their son’s killer was sent to prison.

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 8. Abraham Lincoln is thought to have had Marfan’s __________, a group of symptoms which includes unusually long bones and abnormal blood circulation. 9. The judge’s harsh sentence was _______. Rather than being based on past similar cases or on the seriousness of the crime, it was based on the judge’s opinion of the defendant. 10. “You’re special” probably appears on thousands of greeting cards, but when someone says it to you and means it, it never seems _________.

SENTENCE CHECK 1 Complete each item with the correct word from the box. A. allusion B. altruistic C. appease D. arbitrary E. assail F. banal G. euphemism H. mercenary I. syndrome J. taint 8. Abraham Lincoln is thought to have had Marfan’s __________, a group of symptoms which includes unusually long bones and abnormal blood circulation. syndrome The words a group of symptoms tell you the meaning of syndrome. 9. The judge’s harsh sentence was _______. Rather than being based on past similar cases or on the seriousness of the crime, it was based on the judge’s opinion of the defendant. arbitrary A sentence based on the judge’s opinion is determined by personal judgment. 10. “You’re special” probably appears on thousands of greeting cards, but when someone says it to you and means it, it never seems _________. banal If it appears on thousands of greeting cards, it could seem overused.

IMPROVING VOCABULARY SKILLS