Transcript Chapter Three: Supporting Details

IMPROVING
VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© 2010 Townsend Press
Unit Four: Chapter 23
• bizarre
• gist
• conducive
• hamper
• falter
• paradox
• flaunt
• repertoire
• frenzy
• viable
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 bizarre
– adjective
• Some mentally ill people have bizarre ideas. For example, they
may think that the TV is talking to them or that others can steal
their thoughts.
• Wally’s outfits may seem bizarre, but when you see him with his
even stranger-looking friends, his clothing looks quite ordinary.
Bizarre means
A. limited.
B. ordinary.
C. odd.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 bizarre
– adjective
• Some mentally ill people have bizarre ideas. For example, they
may think that the TV is talking to them or that others can steal
their thoughts.
• Wally’s outfits may seem bizarre, but when you see him with his
even stranger-looking friends, his clothing looks quite ordinary.
Bizarre means
A. limited.
B. ordinary.
C. odd.
The first item gives two examples
of odd ideas. In the second item,
the words stranger-looking suggest
that bizarre means “odd.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 conducive
– adjective
• A deliciously warm and sunny April day is conducive to a bad
case of spring fever.
• Learning to budget an allowance at a young age is conducive to
good spending habits later in life.
Conducive means
A. favorable.
B. similar.
C. damaging.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 conducive
– adjective
• A deliciously warm and sunny April day is conducive to a bad
case of spring fever.
• Learning to budget an allowance at a young age is conducive to
good spending habits later in life.
Conducive means
A. favorable.
B. similar.
C. damaging.
An April day that is deliciously warm and
sunny would be favorable to a bad case of
spring fever. Learning to budget one’s
money at a young age would be favorable to
good spending habits later in life.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 falter
– verb
• Vince faltered on the first few notes of his piano piece but then
played the rest without pausing.
• Even public speakers who now sound smooth and confident must
have faltered when giving their first speeches.
Falter means
A. to show off.
B. to hesitate.
C. to succeed.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 falter
– verb
• Vince faltered on the first few notes of his piano piece but then
played the rest without pausing.
• Even public speakers who now sound smooth and confident must
have faltered when giving their first speeches.
Falter means
A. to show off.
B. to hesitate.
C. to succeed.
If Vince played the rest of the piece without pausing, he must have
hesitated on the first few notes. The words smooth and confident
suggest that, in contrast, falter must mean “hesitate.”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 flaunt
– verb
• Instead of enjoying their wealth quietly, the Stewarts flaunt every
new thing they buy in front of their poor relatives.
• Tamika never flaunted her high grades. In fact, I didn’t know that
she was first in her class until she received the highest academic
award at graduation.
Flaunt means
A. to interfere with.
B. to approve of.
C. to exhibit.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 flaunt
– verb
• Instead of enjoying their wealth quietly, the Stewarts flaunt every
new thing they buy in front of their poor relatives.
• Tamika never flaunted her high grades. In fact, I didn’t know that
she was first in her class until she received the highest academic
award at graduation.
Flaunt means
A. to interfere with.
B. to approve of.
C. to exhibit.
The Stewarts do the opposite of enjoying their wealth quietly—they
exhibit it. If people didn’t know Tamika was first in her class until she
received the award, she must not have exhibited her high grades.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 frenzy
– noun
• When Grace couldn’t find her little son in the department store,
she went into a frenzy and didn’t calm down until she knew he
was safe.
• The holiday season always includes a frenzy of last-minute
shopping.
Frenzy means
A. a calm condition.
B. an angry condition.
C. an excited condition.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 frenzy
– noun
• When Grace couldn’t find her little son in the department store,
she went into a frenzy and didn’t calm down until she knew he
was safe.
• The holiday season always includes a frenzy of last-minute
shopping.
Frenzy means
A. a calm condition.
B. an angry condition.
C. an excited condition.
The words calm down suggest that Grace was in an excited condition
over the disappearance of her son. Shopping that is done at the last
minute is likely to be done in a state of excitement (an excited
condition).
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 gist
– noun
• We asked Alex to skip the details and get right to the gist of the
argument.
• The gist of Joan Didion’s book The Year of Magical Thinking is
that life as you know it can change in a second.
Gist means
A. the small parts.
B. the main idea.
C. the benefit.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 gist
– noun
• We asked Alex to skip the details and get right to the gist of the
argument.
• The gist of Joan Didion’s book The Year of Magical Thinking is
that life as you know it can change in a second.
Gist means
A. the small parts.
B. the main idea.
C. the benefit.
If Alex skips the details, he will get right to the main idea of the
argument. In the second item, the sentence states the main idea
of Didion’s book.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 hamper
– verb
• “We never meant to hamper your struggle for independence,”
Tom’s parents said. “From now on, we’ll let you handle your
own life, including your laundry and meals.”
• A series of major computer crashes hampered business all along
the West Coast today.
Hamper means
A. to restrict.
B. to show off.
C. to promote.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 hamper
– verb
• “We never meant to hamper your struggle for independence,”
Tom’s parents said. “From now on, we’ll let you handle your
own life, including your laundry and meals.”
• A series of major computer crashes hampered business all along
the West Coast today.
Hamper means
A. to restrict.
B. to show off.
C. to promote.
If Tom’s parents are now going to let Tom handle his own life, they
must have restricted his life in the past (or, at least, so Tom thinks).
A series of major computer crashes would restrict business.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 paradox
– noun
• When Della kept postponing her decision about whether or not to go back
to school, I reminded her of the paradox: “No decision is also a decision.”
• The story of King Midas illustrates a famous paradox: “When the gods
wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” The king gets what he thinks
will be the best thing in the world—the golden touch—and then discovers
that it is the worst thing when he accidentally turns his daughter into a
golden statue.
Paradox means
A. an outburst.
B. a simple statement.
C. a seeming contradiction.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 paradox
– noun
• When Della kept postponing her decision about whether or not to go back
to school, I reminded her of the paradox: “No decision is also a decision.”
• The story of King Midas illustrates a famous paradox: “When the gods
wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” The king gets what he thinks
will be the best thing in the world—the golden touch—and then discovers
that it is the worst thing when he accidentally turns his daughter into a
golden statue.
Paradox means
A. an outburst.
B. a simple statement.
C. a seeming contradiction.
Each item gives an example of a seeming contradiction.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 repertoire
– noun
• The actor’s repertoire includes drama, storytelling, song, and
dance.
• In order to be successful in school, it’s important to have a
repertoire of study strategies from which to choose.
Repertoire means
A. a variety of skills.
B. a reason to do something.
C. a statement of intent.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 repertoire
– noun
• The actor’s repertoire includes drama, storytelling, song, and
dance.
• In order to be successful in school, it’s important to have a
repertoire of study strategies from which to choose.
Repertoire means
A. a variety of skills.
B. a reason to do something.
C. a statement of intent.
Drama, storytelling, song, and dance are a variety of skills that an
actor has. In the second item, one cannot choose unless there is a
variety of strategies to choose from.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 viable
– adjective
• The parties in the labor dispute can reach a viable agreement
only if both sides benefit equally.
• The little boy quickly learned that using plastic tape is not a
viable solution to mending a broken vase.
Viable means
A. practical.
B. attractive.
C. expensive.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 viable
– adjective
• The parties in the labor dispute can reach a viable agreement
only if both sides benefit equally.
• The little boy quickly learned that using plastic tape is not a
viable solution to mending a broken vase.
Viable means
A. practical.
B. attractive.
C. expensive.
If both sides benefit equally, the agreement would be practical.
Using plastic tape to mend a broken vase is not a practical solution.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
1. Halloween offers everyone the chance to look as
__________ as possible.
2. Al Pacino’s __________ includes both modern dramas
and Shakespearean plays.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
1. Halloween offers everyone the chance to look as
__________
as possible.
bizarre
Halloween offers everyone the chance to look as strange as possible.
2. Al Pacino’s __________
repertoire includes both modern dramas
and Shakespearean plays.
If Al Pacino has acted in both modern dramas and Shakespearean
plays, he must have a range of acting skills.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
3. When a reporter asked Senator Drake a difficult question,
the senator _______(e)d for a moment before answering.
4. For snails, heat is __________ to sleep. In fact, desert
snails may sleep three or four years at a time.
5. The __________ of Kelly’s essay was that school should be
open only four days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
3. When a reporter asked Senator Drake a difficult question,
the senator __________
faltered for a moment before answering.
A difficult question would be likely to make the senator hesitate a
moment before answering.
4. For snails, heat is __________
conducive to sleep. In fact, desert
snails may sleep three or four years at a time.
If desert snails sleep three or four years at a time, heat must tend
to promote sleep for snails.
5. The __________
of Kelly’s essay was that school should be
gist
open only four days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The sentence tells us the central idea of Kelly’s essay.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
6. Since ordinary clothes may __________ movement,
sweatpants and loose T-shirts are recommended for the
exercise class.
7. This morning, the staff could not come up with a
__________ plan to improve business. Every suggestion
had a drawback.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
6. Since ordinary clothes may __________
hamper movement,
sweatpants and loose T-shirts are recommended for the
exercise class.
For exercise class, one should wear clothes that don’t restrict movement.
7. This morning, the staff could not come up with a
__________
plan to improve business. Every suggestion
viable
had a drawback.
If every suggestion had a drawback, the staff could not come up with
a workable plan.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
8. When Chun’s parents said they worried when he didn’t call
home, he said, “Remember that well-known __________—
no news is good news.”
9. Delia was in a ________ because she had locked her keys in
the car and she was already twenty minutes late for work.
10. Lucas believed the only way he could get a date was to
_________ his wealth by wearing a gold watch and driving
an expensive sports car.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. bizarre
B. conducive
C. falter
D. flaunt
E. frenzy
F. gist
G. hamper
H. paradox
I. repertoire
J. viable
8. When Chun’s parents said they worried when he didn’t call
home, he said, “Remember that well-known __________—
paradox
no news is good news.”
“No news is good news” is an example of a seeming contradiction.
9. Delia was in a ________
frenzy because she had locked her keys in
the car and she was already twenty minutes late for work.
Locking her keys in the car when she is already late for work would
cause Delia to exhibit a wild outburst of excited feelings.
10. Lucas believed the only way he could get a date was to
_________
flaunt his wealth by wearing a gold watch and driving
an expensive sports car.
Wearing a gold watch and driving an expensive car are ways to show
off one’s wealth.