Transcript Chapter Three: Supporting Details

IMPROVING
VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© 2010 Townsend Press
Unit One: Chapter 3
• acclaim
• exploit
• adjacent
• methodical
• elicit
• obsolete
• engross
• tangible
• escalate
• terminate
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 acclaim
– noun
• Any subway system that is clean, quiet, and safe deserves
acclaim.
• Although Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings are now worth millions
of dollars, the artist received little acclaim in his lifetime and
died in poverty.
Acclaim means
A. criticism.
B. praise.
C. change.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 acclaim
– noun
• Any subway system that is clean, quiet, and safe deserves
acclaim.
• Although Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings are now worth millions
of dollars, the artist received little acclaim in his lifetime and
died in poverty.
Acclaim means
A. criticism.
B. praise.
C. change.
A clean, quiet, safe subway system would deserve praise. If Van Gogh
died in poverty, he must have received little praise as an artist during
his lifetime.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 adjacent
– adjective
• Because their desks are adjacent, Jeff and Kellie often exchange
looks and comments.
• If you keep your dishes in a cupboard that’s adjacent to the
dishwasher, you won’t have to walk too far when putting away
the clean dishes.
Adjacent means
A. close.
B. similar.
C. separated.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 adjacent
– adjective
• Because their desks are adjacent, Jeff and Kellie often exchange
looks and comments.
• If you keep your dishes in a cupboard that’s adjacent to the
dishwasher, you won’t have to walk too far when putting away
the clean dishes.
Adjacent means
A. close.
B. similar.
C. separated.
Jeff and Kellie would be able to exchange looks and comments if their
desks were close to one another. If the cupboard were close to the
dishwasher, you wouldn’t have to walk too far to put away the dishes.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 elicit
– verb
• The movie star’s violet eyes always elicit admiration and wonder.
• The basketball player’s three-point shot to win the game in its
final seconds elicited a roar of delight from the excited fans.
Elicit means
A. to stop.
B. to follow.
C. to bring out.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 elicit
– verb
• The movie star’s violet eyes always elicit admiration and wonder.
• The basketball player’s three-point shot to win the game in its
final seconds elicited a roar of delight from the excited fans.
Elicit means
A. to stop.
B. to follow.
C. to bring out.
Violet eyes would bring out admiration and wonder. A game-winning
shot in the final seconds would bring out a roar of delight from the fans.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 engross
– verb
• The suspenseful TV movie so engrossed Bryan that he didn’t even
budge when he was called to dinner.
• The fascinating single-file march of black ants along the sidewalk
engrossed me for several minutes.
Engross means
A. to hold the interest of.
B. to disgust.
C. to bore.
A chocolate maker
engrossed in his work
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 engross
– verb
• The suspenseful TV movie so engrossed Bryan that he didn’t even
budge when he was called to dinner.
• The fascinating single-file march of black ants along the sidewalk
engrossed me for several minutes.
Engross means
A. to hold the interest of.
B. to disgust.
C. to bore.
A chocolate maker
engrossed in his work
If Bryan didn’t budge when called for
dinner, the suspenseful movie must
have held his interest. If the ant
march was fascinating, it would hold
a person’s interest.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 escalate
– verb
• The fight between the two hockey players escalated into an allout battle among members of both teams.
• “We need to escalate our fund-raising efforts,” the theater
manager said. “Otherwise, the company won’t survive.”
Escalate means
A. to expand.
B. to delay.
C. to weaken.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 escalate
– verb
• The fight between the two hockey players escalated into an allout battle among members of both teams.
• “We need to escalate our fund-raising efforts,” the theater
manager said. “Otherwise, the company won’t survive.”
Escalate means
A. to expand.
B. to delay.
C. to weaken.
If the fight began between two players and ended as an all-out
battle among the members of both teams, it expanded. If the
company’s survival is in danger (for lack of funds), the company
would need to expand its fund-raising efforts.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 exploit
– verb
• At the turn of the century, factory owners exploited children by
making them work in terrible conditions for as many as eighteen
hours a day.
• Although Ricky is the English teacher’s son, he refuses to exploit
his status. He works as hard as anyone else in the class.
Exploit means
A. to forget.
B. to take advantage of.
C. to be sad about.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 exploit
– verb
• At the turn of the century, factory owners exploited children by
making them work in terrible conditions for as many as eighteen
hours a day.
• Although Ricky is the English teacher’s son, he refuses to exploit
his status. He works as hard as anyone else in the class.
Exploit means
A. to forget.
B. to take advantage of.
C. to be sad about.
To make children work in terrible conditions for eighteen hours a
day is to take advantage of children. If Ricky works as hard as
anyone else, he is refusing to take advantage of his status.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 methodical
– adjective
• A methodical way to store spices is to shelve them in
alphabetical order.
• Juanita is so methodical about her diet that she classifies the
foods in each meal into different nutritional categories.
Methodical means
A. accidental.
B. out-of-date.
C. orderly.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 methodical
– adjective
• A methodical way to store spices is to shelve them in
alphabetical order.
• Juanita is so methodical about her diet that she classifies the
foods in each meal into different nutritional categories.
Methodical means
A. accidental.
B. out-of-date.
C. orderly.
Putting spices in alphabetical order is an orderly way to store them.
If Juanita classifies the foods in nutritional categories, she is being
orderly.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 obsolete
– adjective
• Cell phones are so common now that they have made pagers
almost obsolete.
• In the United States, the automobile quickly made travel by horse
and carriage obsolete.
Obsolete means
A. popular.
B. useful.
C. extinct.
Obsolete farm equipment
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 obsolete
– adjective
• Cell phones are so common now that they have made pagers
almost obsolete.
• In the United States, the automobile quickly made travel by horse
and carriage obsolete.
Obsolete means
A. popular.
B. useful.
C. extinct.
Obsolete farm equipment
Because of cell phones, pagers are
almost extinct. Travel by horse and
carriage became extinct when
automobiles took over.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 tangible
– adjective
• The sculptor loved making her ideas tangible by giving them
form in metal and stone.
• Corn-chip crumbs, empty soda bottles, and dirty napkins were
tangible evidence that a party had taken place the night before.
Tangible means
A. clever.
B. solid.
C. hidden.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 tangible
– adjective
• The sculptor loved making her ideas tangible by giving them
form in metal and stone.
• Corn-chip crumbs, empty soda bottles, and dirty napkins were
tangible evidence that a party had taken place the night before.
Tangible means
A. clever.
B. solid.
C. hidden.
Transforming ideas into metal and stone sculptures would make
those ideas solid. Corn-chip crumbs, empty soda bottles, and dirty
napkins are solid evidence of the party.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 terminate
– verb
• As the clock’s hands inched toward 3:00, the students waited
impatiently for the bell to terminate the last class before spring
vacation.
• The referee should have terminated the boxing match when he
first saw the weaker fighter losing the ability to defend himself.
Terminate means
A. to end.
B. to revive.
C. to begin.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 terminate
– verb
• As the clock’s hands inched toward 3:00, the students waited
impatiently for the bell to terminate the last class before spring
vacation.
• The referee should have terminated the boxing match when he
first saw the weaker fighter losing the ability to defend himself.
Terminate means
A. to end.
B. to revive.
C. to begin.
The 3:00 bell would end the last class before vacation. If the
boxer was losing the ability to defend himself, the fight should
have been ended.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
1. A wedding ring is a(n) _________ expression of a
couple’s commitment to each other.
2. If solar energy becomes as cheap and plentiful as
sunshine, nuclear energy, which is expensive, may
become __________.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
1. A wedding ring is a ____________
expression of a
tangible
couple’s commitment to each other.
A wedding ring (an object that symbolizes a couple’s commitment)
is something that can be touched.
2. If solar energy becomes as cheap and plentiful as
sunshine, nuclear energy, which is expensive, may
become __________.
obsolete
A plentiful and cheap energy source would make an expensive
energy source become extinct.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
3. With movies like Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Cast
Away, and Charlie Wilson’s War to his credit, actor Tom
Hanks has won Oscars and the ________ of admiring critics.
4. Our house is __________ to one with a high wooden fence,
so our view on that side is completely blocked.
5. The shouting match between Rose and her brother ______(e)d
until it was so loud that the neighbors complained.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
3. With movies like Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Cast
Away, and Charlie Wilson’s War to his credit, actor Tom
Hanks has won Oscars and the ________
acclaim of admiring critics.
Tom Hanks has won praise for his roles in movies such as these.
4. Our house is __________
adjacent to one with a high wooden fence,
so our view on that side is completely blocked.
If the high fence blocks their view, their house must be close to it.
5. The shouting match between Rose and her brother _________
escalated
until it was so loud that the neighbors complained.
The shouting match must have intensified if it became so loud that
the neighbors complained.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
6. Sometimes an article I’m reading on the bus will
__________me so much that I’ll pass my stop.
7. When workers feel _______(e)d by their employers, they
often go on strike for larger salaries and better working
conditions.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
6. Sometimes an article I’m reading on the bus will
__________me
so much that I’ll pass my stop.
engross
One would have to be absorbed in the article to miss one’s bus stop.
7. When workers feel __________
exploited by their employers, they
often go on strike for larger salaries and better working
conditions.
If employees go on strike, they must feel they are being taken
unfair advantage of by their employers.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
8. Diana is very __________ when it comes to cooking. She
reads the recipe carefully, gathers all the ingredients,
and gets out the utensils before beginning.
9. When Luke was caught stealing money on the job, the
company _______(e)d his employment and brought him up
on criminal charges.
10. In one disturbing survey, the question “Which do you like
better, TV or Daddy?” _______(e)d this response from a
number of children: “TV.”
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. acclaim
B. adjacent
C. elicit
D. engross
E. escalate
F. exploit
G. methodical
H. obsolete
I. tangible
J. terminate
8. Diana is very __________
methodical when it comes to cooking. She
reads the recipe carefully, gathers all the ingredients,
and gets out the utensils before beginning.
The second sentence describes three ways that Diana is systematic.
9. When Luke was caught stealing money on the job, the
company __________
terminated his employment and brought him up
on criminal charges.
One would expect the company to stop Luke’s employment if he was
caught stealing money on the job.
10. In one disturbing survey, the question “Which do you like
better, TV or Daddy?” __________
elicited this response from a
number of children: “TV.”
Asking the question brought forth the response from the children.