Transcript Chapter Three: Supporting Details

ADVANCING
VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© 2010 Townsend Press
Unit Three: Chapter 14
• austere
• metamorphosis
• esoteric
• notorious
• facsimile
• perfunctory
• grotesque
• provocative
• mesmerize
• travesty
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 austere
– adjective
• Ms. Stone’s appearance was austere. She wore plain, darkcolored clothing with no jewelry, and she never used makeup.
• The walls in Mario’s den are white and nearly bare, and his white
furniture has simple lines. This austere decor gives the room a
pleasantly calm mood.
Austere means
A. very ugly.
B. very plain.
C. very youthful.
An austere piece of furniture
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 austere
– adjective
• Ms. Stone’s appearance was austere. She wore plain, darkcolored clothing with no jewelry, and she never used makeup.
• The walls in Mario’s den are white and nearly bare, and his white
furniture has simple lines. This austere decor gives the room a
pleasantly calm mood.
Austere means
A. very ugly.
B. very plain.
C. very youthful.
An austere piece of furniture
Plain, dark clothing, no jewelry, and
no makeup would make Ms. Stone’s
appearance very plain. Bare, white
walls and white furniture with simple
lines are very plain decor.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 esoteric
– adjective
• The instruction manuals that come with computer software often
use such esoteric terms that they seem to be written in a foreign
language.
• The poetry of Ezra Pound, filled with references to ancient Greek
culture, is too esoteric for most readers.
Esoteric means
A. difficult to understand.
B. shallow.
C. unfavorable.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 esoteric
– adjective
• The instruction manuals that come with computer software often
use such esoteric terms that they seem to be written in a foreign
language.
• The poetry of Ezra Pound, filled with references to ancient Greek
culture, is too esoteric for most readers.
Esoteric means
A. difficult to understand.
B. shallow.
C. unfavorable.
If the manuals seem to be written in a foreign language, they must use
terms that are difficult to understand. Poetry filled with references to
ancient Greek culture would be too difficult for most readers to
understand.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 facsimile
– noun
• When a facsimile of an old Sears-Roebuck catalog was
published recently, it became a bestseller. People enjoyed
seeing what was for sale a century ago.
• The word fax is short for facsimile. With a fax machine, you
can send a precise image of a document across the country
electronically in seconds.
Facsimile means
A. an original.
B. a distorted version.
C. an accurate copy.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 facsimile
– noun
• When a facsimile of an old Sears-Roebuck catalog was
published recently, it became a bestseller. People enjoyed
seeing what was for sale a century ago.
• The word fax is short for facsimile. With a fax machine, you
can send a precise image of a document across the country
electronically in seconds.
Facsimile means
A. an original.
B. a distorted version.
C. an accurate copy.
In order for people to see what Sears-Roebuck sold a century ago,
the newly published catalog would have to be an accurate copy of
the old catalog. In the second item, the words precise image tell
you that a facsimile is an accurate copy.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 grotesque
– adjective
• Most people found the movie character E.T. adorable, but I
thought the little alien was grotesque, with its weird combination
of babyish features and old, wrinkled skin.
• The clown made grotesque faces, squinting his eyes, pulling down
the corners of his mouth, and sticking out his tongue.
Grotesque means
A. strange-looking.
B. hard to understand.
C. charming.
A grotesque face
(from Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream”)
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 grotesque
– adjective
• Most people found the movie character E.T. adorable, but I
thought the little alien was grotesque, with its weird combination
of babyish features and old, wrinkled skin.
• The clown made grotesque faces, squinting his eyes, pulling down
the corners of his mouth, and sticking out his tongue.
Grotesque means
A. strange-looking.
B. hard to understand.
C. charming.
A grotesque face
(from Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream”)
The description “weird combination of
babyish features and old, wrinkled
skin” makes E.T. sound strangelooking. In the second item, the faces
described sound strange-looking.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 mesmerize
– verb
• The intense eyes of the woman in the photograph mesmerized
me. I couldn’t take my eyes off the picture.
• When driving at night, you can become mesmerized by the lines
on the road or by other cars’ headlights or taillights. To avoid a
hypnotic state, keep your eyes moving from front to side to
rearview mirror.
Mesmerize means
A. to amuse.
B. to fascinate.
C. to distort.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 mesmerize
– verb
• The intense eyes of the woman in the photograph mesmerized
me. I couldn’t take my eyes off the picture.
• When driving at night, you can become mesmerized by the lines
on the road or by other cars’ headlights or taillights. To avoid a
hypnotic state, keep your eyes moving from front to side to
rearview mirror.
Mesmerize means
A. to amuse.
B. to fascinate.
C. to distort.
Being unable to take his or her eyes off the picture suggests that the
speaker was fascinated by the photograph. In the second item, the
words hypnotic state suggest that you can become fascinated by the
lines and the lights when driving at night.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 metamorphosis
– noun
• A caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly is a well-known
example of metamorphosis.
• In Franz Kafka’s famous story “The Metamorphosis,” a man
wakes up on his thirtieth birthday to discover that he has turned
into an enormous insect.
Metamorphosis means
A. a change in form.
B. a disaster.
C. a scientific theory.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 metamorphosis
– noun
• A caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly is a well-known
example of metamorphosis.
• In Franz Kafka’s famous story “The Metamorphosis,” a man
wakes up on his thirtieth birthday to discover that he has turned
into an enormous insect.
Metamorphosis means
A. a change in form.
B. a disaster.
C. a scientific theory.
A caterpillar can become a butterfly only by undergoing a change in
form. For a man to turn into an enormous insect, he must undergo
a change in form—as the title of the story indicates.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 notorious
– adjective
• Batman and Robin matched wits with the Joker and the Penguin,
who were notorious for their evil deeds.
• The local diner is notorious for bitter coffee, soggy vegetables,
limp salads, and mystery meat.
Notorious means
A. regarded negatively.
B. regarded with curiosity.
C. ignored.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 notorious
– adjective
• Batman and Robin matched wits with the Joker and the Penguin,
who were notorious for their evil deeds.
• The local diner is notorious for bitter coffee, soggy vegetables,
limp salads, and mystery meat.
Notorious means
A. regarded negatively.
B. regarded with curiosity.
C. ignored.
Because they are known for their evil deeds, the Joker and the Penguin
are regarded negatively. Bitter coffee, soggy vegetables, limp salads,
and mystery meat would insure that the diner would be regarded
negatively.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 perfunctory
– adjective
• The doctor’s examination was perfunctory. He seemed to be just
going through the motions without taking any interest in the
patient.
• Most of the candidates were passionate on the subject of nuclear
weapons, but one spoke in a very perfunctory way, apparently
bored with the topic.
Perfunctory means
A. uninterested.
B. enthusiastic.
C. exaggerated.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 perfunctory
– adjective
• The doctor’s examination was perfunctory. He seemed to be just
going through the motions without taking any interest in the
patient.
• Most of the candidates were passionate on the subject of nuclear
weapons, but one spoke in a very perfunctory way, apparently
bored with the topic.
Perfunctory means
A. uninterested.
B. enthusiastic.
C. exaggerated.
If the doctor is not taking any interest in the patient, he would seem
uninterested in his examination. A speaker who is apparently bored
with the topic would speak in an uninterested way.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 provocative
– adjective
• “A good essay is provocative,” said our English instructor. “It
gets the reader interested and attentive, starting with the very first
paragraph.”
• To arouse the viewers’ curiosity, the television ad began with a
provocative image: a spaceship landing on a baseball field, at
home plate.
Provocative means
A. predictable.
B. difficult to understand.
C. attention-getting.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 provocative
– adjective
• “A good essay is provocative,” said our English instructor. “It
gets the reader interested and attentive, starting with the very first
paragraph.”
• To arouse the viewers’ curiosity, the television ad began with a
provocative image: a spaceship landing on a baseball field, at
home plate.
Provocative means
A. predictable.
B. difficult to understand.
C. attention-getting.
An essay that makes the reader interested and attentive would be
attention-getting. The image of a spaceship landing on a baseball
field would be attention-getting.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 travesty
– noun
• The fraternity skit, a travesty of college life, exaggerated and
ridiculed many campus activities.
• The musical-comedy version of Hamlet was a travesty. The
critics and audience agreed that it made a mockery of
Shakespeare’s profound tragedy.
Travesty means
A. a joking, disrespectful
imitation.
B. an exact copy.
C. a simple version.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 travesty
– noun
• The fraternity skit, a travesty of college life, exaggerated and
ridiculed many campus activities.
• The musical-comedy version of Hamlet was a travesty. The
critics and audience agreed that it made a mockery of
Shakespeare’s profound tragedy.
Travesty means
A. a joking, disrespectful
imitation.
B. an exact copy.
C. a simple version.
A skit that exaggerated and ridiculed campus activities would be a
joking, disrespectful imitation of college life. A version that made a
mockery of a tragedy would be a joking, disrespectful imitation.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
1. The trial was a __________ of justice because several of
the jurors had been bribed.
2. To capture readers’ attention, an author sometimes
begins an article with a(n) _______ question, such as,
“Which do you think is more dangerous, climbing stairs
or parachuting out of an airplane?”
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
1. The trial was a __________
travesty of justice because several of
the jurors had been bribed.
If several jurors were bribed, the trial would be a mockery of justice.
2. To capture readers’ attention, an author sometimes
begins an article with a __________
provocative question, such as,
“Which do you think is more dangerous, climbing stairs
or parachuting out of an airplane?”
The sentence gives an example of a question that would arouse
the reader’s interest.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
3. King Henry VIII of England was __________ not only for
getting married six times, but also for having two of his wives
executed.
4. In some modern paintings, human figures are distorted into
such __________ shapes that it’s hard to recognize facial
features and body parts.
5. Lining the music school’s hallway are framed ________s of
handwritten pages of music by great composers.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
3. King Henry VIII of England was __________
notorious not only for
getting married six times, but also for having two of his wives
executed.
Executing two out of his six wives would give Henry a bad reputation.
4. In some modern paintings, human figures are distorted into
such __________
grotesque shapes that it’s hard to recognize facial
features and body parts.
The word distorted suggests the word grotesque.
5. Lining the music school’s hallway are framed _________
facsimiles of
handwritten pages of music by great composers.
A music school would be decorated reproductions of handwritten
pages of music written by great composers.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
6. Legal documents are usually worded in such __________
language that most people need a lawyer to translate the
“legalese” into plain English.
7. As I stood looking at the grandfather clock, I became
_______(e)d by the shiny pendulum that swung back
and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
6. Legal documents are usually worded in such __________
esoteric
language that most people need a lawyer to translate the
“legalese” into plain English.
If the document needs to be translated it must be difficult to understand.
7. As I stood looking at the grandfather clock, I became
__________
mesmerized by the shiny pendulum that swung back
and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
Staring at the shiny pendulum swinging back and forth could hypnotize
a person.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
8. Usually the therapist showed great interest in her patients,
but today she was too worried about her own family to
give more than __________ responses.
9. My sister’s dormitory room is rather _________, with cementblock walls and bare floors, but she’s made it less stark by
hanging colorful posters and adding bright bedspreads and
cushions.
10. The magician David Copperfield does a trick called
“_____________.” One person is chained and locked in a box.
When the box is opened, that person is gone, and someone
else is chained there instead.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. austere
B. esoteric
C. facsimile
F. metamorphosis G. notorious H. perfunctory
D. grotesque
E. mesmerize
I. provocative J. travesty
8. Usually the therapist showed great interest in her patients,
but today she was too worried about her own family to
give more than __________
perfunctory responses.
Being worried about her family, she gave uninterested responses.
9. My sister’s dormitory room is rather _________,
austere with cementblock walls and bare floors, but she’s made it less stark by
hanging colorful posters and adding bright bedspreads and
cushions.
If the room was stark, it was without decoration.
10. The magician David Copperfield does a trick called
“_____________.”
Metamorphosis One person is chained and locked in a box.
When the box is opened, that person is gone, and someone
else is chained there instead.
The trick results in the transformation of one person into someone else.