Lesson 33 : History and Government

Lesson 33

History and Government

1. canon: an ecclesiastical or secular law or code of laws; a basis for judgment; any officially recognized set of books. Canon has many specialized meaning in religion and in literature referring to the authoritative list of accepted books.

2. hegemony: leadership; preponderant influence or authority, especially of a government or state.

3. oligarchy: form of government in which the ruling power lies in the hands of a select few

4. peonage: a system by which debtors are bound in servitude to their creditors until debts are paid; the condition of being an unskilled day laborer, especially in Latin America and the southwestern United States. The word peon ultimately is traceable to the Latin word for “walker” and therefore also developed a meaning of “foot soldier”

5. pharisaical: making an outward show of piety but lacking the inward spirit; hypocritical. Originally, Pharisaism referred to the doctrine and practices of the Pharisees, the Hebrew sect that followed the path of withdrawal, separation, and dedication and became the mainstream of Jewish belief. Later chirstological history gave the work a negative connotation.

6. plebiscite: a direct vote of the qualified electors of a state in regard to some important public question. The word is derived form the Latin words plebes scitum (“the people’s decree”)

7. plenipotentiary: invested with or conferring full power; a diplomatic agent fully authorized to represent his government.

8. proxy: an agent or substitute; a document giving one authority to act for another.

9. recession: the act of withdrawing or going back; a moderate and temporary decline in economic activity that occurs during a period of otherwise increasing prosperity.

10. regicide: the killing of a king; one who kills or helps to kill a king.

11. renascent: coming into being again; showing renewed growth or vigor. The word is related to Renaissance, the humanistic revival of classical art, literature and learning that originated in Italy in the fourteenth century and later spread throughout Europe.

12. reprisal: the practice of using political or military force without actually resorting to war; retaliation for an injury with the intent of inflicting at least as much injury in return

13. subversion: ruination or complete destruction; corruption; complete overthrow. As the meaning implied, the original Latin word meant “to turn upside down”

14. surrogate: a substitute; in some states, a judge having jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the settlement of estates. As a verb, the word means “to substitute or to put into the place of another”

15. votary: a person bound by vows to live a life of religious worship and service, as a monk or nun; any person fervently devoted to a religion, activity, or ideal.

Exercises

I. Which Word Comes to Mind?

In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind.

1. Sharecroppers or migrant workers

                                                (surrogate, proxy, peonage)

2. You can’t judge a book by its cover

                                                (pharisaical, reprisal, renascent)

3. Vox populi

                                                (votary, plebiscite, subversion)

4. A man to be reckoned with

                                                (regicide, canon, plenipotentiary)

5. Times are bad but they could be worse

                                                (oligarchy, recession, hegemony)

6. Holier than thou

                                                (surrogate, canon, regicide)

7. Tit for tat

                                                (proxy, subversion, reprisal)

8. A commitment for life

                                                (votary, renascent, oligarchy)

9. Who’s the boss?

                                                (peonage, hegemony, surrogate)

10. A second chance

                                                (proxy, renascent, surrogate)

II. True or False

In the space provide, indicate whether each statement is true or false.

____ 1. Hegemony refers to the currency of circulation

____ 2. A proxy and a surrogate are similar, both suggesting a substitute

____ 3. A votary is one who keeps his word

____ 4. A regicide favors the restoration of a monarchy

____ 5. Vengeance is an act of reprisal

____ 6. In an oligarchy everyone has an equal share in the government

____ 7. The word “pharisaical”  has acquired a derogatory connotation.

____ 8. Subversion is an attempt to change the system that is now in place

____ 9. Working under peonage is a good way to build a future in government.

____ 10. In a plebiscite the people exercise their right of self-determination

Lesson 32 : Speech

Lesson 32

Speech

1. argot: the specialized vocabulary and idioms of those in the same work or way of life, especially of the underworld. The French origin, meaning “to beg” associated beggary with thievery.

2. aspersion: act of defaming; a damaging or disparaging remark; a sprinkling of water, as in baptizing. This final definition, now rare, is based on an archaic meaning of the original Latin word for “sprinkle” The modern definition refers to “sprinkling” a few maliciously chosen words to vilify someone.

3. badinage: playful, teasing talk, banter

4. bombast: originally a soft material used for padding, talk or writing the sounds grand or important but has little meaning; pompous language. Bombastic refers to speech or writing that is heavily padded with words; grandiloquent suggests grandiose language and an oratorical effect; turgid suggests the style has obscured the meaning.

5. braggadocio: a braggart; pretentiousness; vain, noisy, or bragging swaggering manner. The word was coined by Edmund Spenser for his personification of boasting in the “Faerie Queena”

6. censure: strong disapproval; a judgement or resolution condemning a person for misconduct.

7. countermand: to cancel or revoke a command; to call back by a contrary order

8. gainsay: to deny; to speak or act against contradiction; denial

9. gobbledegook: wordy and generally unintelligible jargon; specialized language of a group of people that is usually wordy and complicated and often incomprehensible

 to an outsider; a meaningless jumble of words.

10. guttural: of the throat, a harsh, rasping sound.

11. harangue: a long, blustering, noisy, or scolding speech, tirade. The original Italian word meant “a site for horse races and public assembles.

12. jargon: a language or dialect unknown to one so that it seems incomprehensible; a mixed or hybrid language or dialect, especially pidgin, specialized idioms of those in the same work, profession, speech or writing full of long, unfamiliar; or roundabout words or phrases. The Middle French root means “a chattering of birds” The word is ultimately of echoic origin.

13. mellifluous: sounding sweet and smooth, honeyed

14. resonant: echoing, reinforced and prolonged by reflection or by sympathetic vibration of other bodies. The word has specialized uses in various fields-chemistry, electricity, medicine, phonetics, physics.

15. sententious: abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims; terse; self-righteous.

Exercises

I. Which Word Comes to Mind?

In each of the following, read the statement, the circle the word that comes to the end.

1. Spots lingo

                                                (harangue, jargon, resonant)

2. A snide remark

                                                (countermand, badinage, aspersion)

3. Coughing sound

                                                (gobbledegook, guttural, censure)

4. Sweet-sounding talk

                                                (mellifluous, sententious, bombast)

5. A thousand times no!

                                                (braggadocio, argot, gainsay)

6. How the rejected suitor concealed the sorrow in his hear

                                                (gainsay, badinage, harangue)

7. The opera star shook the room with his voice

                                                (resonant, braggadocio, mellifluous)

8. A 180-degree turnaround

                                                (gobbledegook, argot, countermand)

9. Frank’s threats are not as frightening as the sound

                                                (aspersion, bombast, censure)

10. An incomprehensible language

                                                (argon, sententious, guttural)

II. True or False?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false

____ 1. Argot and jargon have one meaning in common

____ 2. Bombast may be a cover for weak content

____ 3. Countermanding is equivalent to sticking to your guns.

____ 4. Sententious is more concerned with sense than sound.

____ 5. Badinage is a minor vice that indicates immaturity

____ 6. A harangue is likely to be full of bombast

____ 7. Censure refers to a firm belief in a theory under discussion

____ 8. Gobbledegook is a language that attempts imitate bird sounds

____ 9. Guttural speech is socially unacceptable

____ 10. Observing the size and strength of his opponent, Mark was wise not to gainsay his assertions.

III. Synonyms and Antonyms

Find and circle two words on each line that are either synonyms or antonyms.

1. glorification             release             aspersion         dismay

2. mellifluous              ethos                attitude                        soft

3. timidity                   paranoid                      braggadocio                freedom

4. plebescite                gainsay                        votary              deny

5. rhapsodic                 peccadillo                    falsetto                        bombastic

Lesson 31: Language

Lesson 31

Language

1. bathos: anticlimax; triteness or triviality in style; sentimentality. Bathos is also used to denote an insincere pathos, an evocation of pity or compassion.

2. malapropism: ridiculous misuse of words, especially by confusion of words that are similar in sound. Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Sheridan’s famous Restoration play. The Rivals, is noted for her misapplication of words

3. metaphor: the application of a word or phrase to an object or concept that it does not literally denote, in order to suggest a comparison with another object or concept. The use of metaphors may help to clarify or ennoble an idea, but one must not mix metaphors. This practice results in humorous effects, such as “We must put our noses to the grindstone and push.”

4. metonymy: the use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related, or of which it is a part, as “the bottle” for strong drink.

5. onomatopoeia: formation of words in imitation of natural sounds; the use of words whose sound suggests the sense. The “bow-wow theory” of language maintains the language that originated in imitation of natural sounds; the use of words whose sound suggest the sense. By contrast, the “pooh-pooh theory” says language originated in interjections that gradually acquired meaning.

6. oxymoron: a figure of speech by which a particular phrasing of words produces an effect by seeing self-contradiction, as in “cruel kindness” or “laborious idleness.” The Greek meaning is “pointed foolishness”

7. panegyric: an oration, discourse, or writing in praise of a person or thing; eulogy

8. paradigm: example or pattern; a set of forms in grammar all of which contain a particular element, especially the set of all inflected forms based on a single stem (as in verb declensions)

9. paralipsis: the suggestion, by deliberately concise treatment of a topic; that much significant material is being omitted, as in the use of the phrase “not to mention other faults.” Another name for paralipsis is preterition.

10. pleonasm: the use of more words than necessary to express an idea; redundancy; superfluity. It is derived form the Greek word for “to be or have more than enough”

11. polyglot: knowing many or several languages; containing, composed of, or in several languages; a confusion of languages; a person with a speaking or reading knowledge of a number of languages; a book, especially a Bible, containing the same text in several languages.

12. semantics: the study of meaning; the study of linguistic development by classifying and examining changes in meaning and form. Semantics is also called significi, a branch of semiotics (signs and symbols) dealing with the relationship between signs and what they denote. General semantics is an educational discipline concerning the relationships between symbols and reality and with improving the adjustment of people to each other and to the environment.

13. simile: a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared using the words “like” or “as” as in “she is like a rose”

14. synecdoche: a figure of speech in which a part is used for a while or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special, as in “ten sail” for “ten ships” or a Croesus for a “rich man” or the name of the material for the thing made (“willow” for “bat”)

15. threnody: a poem, speech, or slang of lamentation, especially of the dead; dirge; funeral song.

Exercises

Which Word Comes to Mind?

In each of the following read the statement then circle the word that comes to mind.

1. She was too young to die

                                                (polyglot, simile, threnody)

2. The allegories on the banks of the Nile

                                                (malapropism, metonymy, synecodoche)

3. Snap! Crackle! Pop!

                                                (paradigm, oxymoron, onomatopoeia)

4. A true fact

                                                (bathos, pleonasm, semantics)

5. The least of his crimes is his complicity with drugs

                                                (metaphor, panegyric, paralipsis)

6. Jack answered the insult by saying, “I resemble that remark”

                                                (bathos, malapropism, oxymoron)

7. Napoleon is credited with saying “From the sublime to the ridiculous it is but one step”

                                                (panegyric, metonymy, bathos)

8. He was a lion in battle

                                                (smile, metaphor, paralipsis)

9. Our guest spoke seven languages

                                                (paradigm, pleonasm, polyglot)

10. The pot calling the kettle black

                                                (semantics, synecdoche, threnody)

II. True or False?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false.

____ 1. Both metaphor and smile use forms of comparison

____ 2. Synecdoche and metonymy are similar figures of speech in which an object or idea is describing reference to only a part of it.

____ 3. A polyglot is a person with a taste for exotic foods

____ 4. Semantics is concerned with the syntax of a language.

____ 5. A panegyric is a test devised to determine the linguistic level of a speaker.

____ 6. Paradigm and paragon both refer to an example.

____ 7. Every simile uses the words “like” or “as”

____ 8. Onomatopoeia refers to a group of words beginning with the same consonant

____ 9. Bathos is the sudden change in style producing a ludicrous effect

____ 10. This sentence illustrates, demonstrates, and exemplifies a pleonasm.

III. Find the Imposter

Find and circle the one word on each line that is not related to the other three.

1. metaphor                 simile                           literary                         comparative

2. threnody                  legacy                          elegy                            dirge

3. encomium                panegyric                     panorama                     accolade

4. paradox                   paradigm                     paragon                       touchstone

5. insinuation               intuition                       innuendo                     paralipsis

Lesson 30 : Size and Shape

Lesson 30

Size and Shape

1. amorphous: without definite form; shapeless

2. gargantuan: huge; gigantic; prodigious. The word comes from Rabelais sixteenth-century political satire, Gargantua and Pantagruel

3. iota: very small quantity; a jot. iota is the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet

4. lissome: supple; limber; flexible

5. macrocosm: the great world; the universe. The opposite of this is microcosm

6. magnitude: greatness of size or extent; importance of influence

7.magnum opus: a great work, especially of art or literature

8. microcosm: a little world; miniature universe. It is the opposite of macrocosm.

9. micrometer: an instrument for measuring very small distance, angles, diameters. In Latin, micro means small and meter means to measure.

10. scabrous: rough with small points or knobs; bumpy; scaly; full of difficulties. In Latin, scabere means “to scratch”

11. scintilla: the least trace; a particle. In Latin, scintilla means “a spark”

12. serpentine: evilly cunning or subtle; treacherous; coiled; twisting.

13. sinuous: bending; wavy. The word sinus (“a cavity in the bones of the skull”) is related to sinuous.

14. smidgen: a small amount; a bit. This word is related to “midge” or midget.

15. tenuous: unsubstantial; flimsy; physically thin.

Exercises

I. Which word comes to mind?

In each of the following, read the statement then circle the word that comes to mind.

1. A writer spends ten years preparing his masterpiece.

                                                (macrocosm, magnum opus, micrometer)

2. Cyclops had an enormous appetite

                                                (scintilla, gargantuan, microcosm)

3. A graceful gymnast

                                                (lissome, smidgen, iota)

4. An indefinite proposal

                                                (serpentine, scabrous, tenuous)

5. The actress adopted a sexy walk

                                                (amorphous, magnitude, sinuous)

6. A doctor carefully measures the size of the tumor

                                                (amorphous, micrometer, scabrous)

7. The overthrow of the government began with the act of treachery

                                                (serpentine, scabrous, lissome)

8. An insignificant amount

                                                (sinuous, scintilla, gargantuan)

9. A face knotted with bumps and rough spots

                                                (amorphous, tenuous, scabrous)

10. A trace of seasoning

                                                (microcosm, smidgen, magnum opus)

II. True or False?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false?

____ 1. The microcosm of the man reflects the macrocosm of the universe

____ 2. The magnitude of the Grand Canyon frequently awes travelers

____ 3. A tenuous idea is often offered hesitantly

____ 4. Two words in this lesson that are closely related are smidgen and iota

____ 5. The amorphous scheme was spelled out in such detail that it was grasped by all

____ 6. The scabrous surface reminded one of the shiny smoothness of a marble table

____ 7. The million dollar gift exemplified his gargantuan kindness

____ 8. The lissome ballerina glided through her performance with unparalleled grace

____ 9. Fielding’s Joseph Andrews was his magnum opus.

____ 10. Frank’s tenuous explanation was hardly enough to justify his outburst

III. Fill in the Blank

Insert one of the new words in the proper space in each sentence below

1. Because of the _________________ of the offense, the judge set a high bail

2. Space exploration advances suggest that our civilization has developed in a very limited ___________________.

3. Mr. Ludwig would not admit that his business success had been achieved through _________________ tactics

4. The race was so close it would take a(n) ___________________ to measure who was the winner

5. Margaret Mitchell’s __________________ Gone With the Wind was her only book

6. There was not a _____________________ of truth to the accusation

7. The team had a(n) ________________ hold on first place until a rash of injuries sent them reeling.

8. The commencement speaker told the graduates that the road to success is full of __________________ turns.

9. Cleaning up after the parade proved to be a __________________ task.

10. The strange creature we found on the beach was so __________________, we could not identify its species.

IV. What’s the Antonym?

Which of the new words is most nearly the opposite in meaning to the one provided?

1. sturdy                                  ________________________

2. diminutive                           ________________________

3. smooth                                ________________________

4. having form                         ________________________

5. wooden                               ________________________

6. straight                                ________________________

7. inflexible                             ________________________

8. insignificance                      ________________________

9. universe                               ________________________

10. amateur attempt                ________________________

Lesson 29 Appearances and Attitudes II

Lesson 29

Appearances and Attitudes

]

1. ambivalent: having conflicting feelings toward a person or thing, such as love and hate

2. bucolic: rural; rustic; pastoral. The Greek word boukolikos means “herdsman”

3. crotchety: full of peculiar whims; ill-tempered; eccentric. Crochet work was done with a small, twisted hook; from “twisted” it was an easy jump to “eccentric” –thus the connection between crochet and crotchety

4. dilatory: slow; late in doing things; inclined to delay; meant to gain time

5. disconsolate: sad; dejected; cheerless

6. dudgeon: resentment; an angry or offended feeling. It comes from the Anglo-French expression en digeon, which meant “the hand on the dagger hilt”

7. froward: contrary; not easily controlled; stubbornly willful

8. genteel: well bred; refined; excessively polite

9. jocund: pleasant; agreeable; genial. Our word joke can be traced back to jocund.

10. loquacious: talkative. Some synonyms are garrulous, voluble, prolix, verbose, and prating.

11. splenetic: irritable; bad-tempered; spiteful. The word derives from spleen, the abdominal organ that the ancients regarded as the seat of emotions

12. tendentious: opinionated; advancing a definite point of view or doctrine

13. truculent: fierce; cruel; savage

14. vacuous: empty; purposeless; stupid; senseless

15. venal: really bribed or corrupted

Exercises

I. Which Word comes to Mind?

In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind

1. Cows in meadow, sheep in the corn

                                                (venal, bucolic, disconsolate)

2. First, I want to go-then I want to stay

                                                (ambivalent, truculent, dudgeon)

3. “What’s your rush? So what if we’re late?”

                                                (jocund, dilatory, genteel)

4. The millionaire asked to be buried in his Rolls Royce

                                                (crotchety, tendentious, froward)

5. “Were you vaccinated with a phonograph needle?”

                                                (vacuous, loquacious, splenetic)

6. Jane always has a smile on her face

                                                (froward, venal, jocund)

7. Firing someone can easily put him/her into this frame of mind

                                                (dudgeon, tendentious, bucolic)

8. The slightest remark sets Virginia off on a rampage

                                                (truculent, splenetic, dilatory)

9. I can’t make up my mind

                                                (crotchety, ambivalent, tendentious)

10. A decidedly partisan view of the inaugural address

                                                (genteel, splenetic, tendentious)

II. True or False?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false

____ 1. A jocund person has a good chance of being hired as a receptionist

____ 2. Splenetic behavior is always a sign of good breeding

____ 3. Truly great bullfighters welcome an animal that is froward

____ 4. Watergate has become synonomous with venal arrangements

____ 5. Skyscrapers and subways are integral parts of the bucolic life

____ 6. Greg’s genteel nature may account for his shyness

____ 7. A truculent response is guaranteed to win friends.

____ 8. Feeling disconsolate over his loss, Fred briefly considered retiring from baseball.

____ 9. The student’s vacuous stare suggested he did not understand the question

____ 10. Because of his loquacious nature. Carlos had little to say.

III. Fill in the Blank

Insert one of the new words in the proper space in each sentence below.

1. Martha wondered how Gary could hope to convince her with such ______________ explanations

2. The successful politician walks a thin line between appearing too ______________ and too wishy-washy.

3. Stephan tired to sort out his ___________________ feelings of respect and resentment towards his father.

4. After the hectic campaign, the president-elect was refreshed by his _______________ retreat

5. A(n) ____________________ child perhaps needs more love than a well-adjusted one

6. The _____________ life has its merits, but most people cannot resist the attractions and excitement of the city.

7. A _________________ person tends to give others little opportunity to express themselves.

8. The fans were deeply disappointed to learn that their idol had been bitten by the ______________ bug

9. The _________________ host easily broke the iciness between two of the guests who had been enemies for years.

10. Because of George’s ________________ habits, we often referred to him as the late George Owens.

IV. What’s the Antonym?

Which of the new words is most nearly opposite in meaning to the one provided?

1. punctual                              ______________________

2. gentle                                  _____________________

3. even-tempered                    _____________________

4. gross                                    _____________________

5. incorruptible                        _____________________

6. agreeable                             _____________________

7. cheerful                               _____________________

8. unequivocal                         _____________________

9. urban                                   _____________________

10. intelligent                          _____________________

Lesson 28 : Foreign Terms

Lesson 28

Foreign Terms

1. a cappella: without instrumental accompaniment. Usually used to describe choral singing. In Italian, the meaning is “in the chapel style”

2. ad hoc: for this case only; temporary. The most frequent use of this Latin term is to describe a committee that is organized to deal with a specific issue and will be disbanded later.

3. bon vivant: one who enjoys good food and other pleasant things.

4. de facto: in fact; actual. The law may require one thing (de jure), but as a matter of fact (de facto) the reality is quite different.

5. gemutlich: agreeable; cheerful. This German word is often used to describe a sense of well being.

6. leitmotif: a short musical phrase that recurs and is associated with a given character, situation, or emotion in an opera. This technique was first used by the German composer, Richard Wagner.

7. nolo contendere: a defendant’s plea declaring that he will not make a defense but not admitting hit guilt.

8. per excellence: in the greatest degree of excellence. This French term also means “beyond comparison”

9. parvenu: one who has suddenly acquired wealth or power; a person who is considered an upstart because he does not conform to the standards of the class into which he has risen. This word has the same “put down” connotation as “nouveau riche”

10. piece de resistance: the principal dish of a meal; the main item or event in a series.

11. postprandlal: after dinner. In Lain prandium means “noonday meal”

12. quid pro quo: one thing in return for another

13. qui vive: to be on the lookout or on the alert is to be on the qui vive. The literal French meaning is “who lives?” or “who goes there?” and, as such, was a term used by sentries.

14. savoir faire: a ready knowledge of what to do or say; tact.

15. sub rosa: secretly; confidentially. In Lain, “under the rose” The rose was a symbol of silence or secrecy in ancient times.

16. vis-à-vis: a person or thing that is face to face with another opposite; in reference to; opposed to.

Exercises:

I. Which Word Comes to Mind?

In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind.

1. A person who enjoys good food and one wine

                                                (bon vivant, postprandial, piece de resistance)

2. A group of citizens form a committee to beautify their town.

                                                (a cappella, qui vive, ad hoc)

3. In court, the defendant rises to plead

                                                (nolo contendere, parvenu, de facto)

4. Every time the camera switches to the cavalry, trumpets are heard

                                                (par excellence, leitmotif, sub rosa)

5. You are asked to repay a favor

                                                (savoir faire, quid pro quo, gemutlich)

6. Though the general was not voted in he was, in fact, the leader of their country

                                                (bon vivant, de facto, sub rosa)

7. As expected, when the songstress appeared on stage, the strains in her latest hit wafted across the packed theater.

                                                (leitmotif, savoir faire, par excellence)

8. Charles knew just what to say to cover up his slip of the lip

                                                (qui vive, parvenu, savoir faire)

9. The amateur boxer was quite cheerful after scoring a first round KO

                                                (gemutlich, postprandial, vis-à-vis)

10. Ronald’s deep baritone was so compelling, we did not miss the absence of the musical accompaniment

                                                (piece de resistance, a capella, bon vivant)

II. True or False ?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false

____ 1. Publication of a sub rosa agreement can prove embarrassing.

____ 2. An opportunist may be described as one who is on the qui vive.

____ 3. Minority groups are likely to protest about de facto segregation.

____ 4. In her a cappella performance, the star criticized her accompanist

____ 5. Sophisticated people are expected to possess savoir faire

____ 6. Being in a gemutlich mood, Kate enjoyed the comedian’s “bring-down-the-house” monologue

____ 7. The weightiest problems are sometimes solved by ad hoc committees

____ 8. The piece de resistance of the program, the fireworks display, naturally drew the greatest applause

____ 9. Henry’s qui vive was a big factor in his political downfall.

____ 10. Coping with his status as a parvenu was more difficult for Scoot than the poverty he endured before striking it rich.

III. Fill in the Blank

Insert one of the new words in the proper space in each sentence below

1. The lawyer suggested a(n) __________________ plea as the most prudent way to deal with the charges against his client.

2. The commissioner’s response to the question _________________ his exorbitant travel expenses was a flat denial

3. During the long illness of the leader; the country was in a(n) _________________ state of anarchy.

4. One has to admit that singing ____________________ places a greater strain on the performer.

5. The Congressional Medal of Honor is bestowed upon the solder _______________ who has demonstrated consummate bravery

6. The best way to get things done is a deal with problems on a(n) _________________ basis.

7. When a _______________________ meets a hedonist you can bet the conversation will center around good food and good times.

8. Gary learned very quickly that ______________ was the rule in politics.

9. Saddam Hussein claimed he had destroyed all his biological and nuclear weapons, but the __________________ situation was quite different.

10. Rosa’s presence made everyone feel _____________________ and ready to enjoy the evening with friends.

IV. What’s the Antonym?

Which of the new words is most nearly opposite in meaning to the one provided?

1. grouch                                 _______________________

2. offensive                             _______________________

3. publicly                               _______________________

4. permanent                           _______________________

5. tactlessness                          _______________________

6. blundering                           _______________________

7. inferior                                _______________________

8. ascetic                                 _______________________

9. public                                  _______________________

10. trivial                                 _______________________

Lesson 27 Appearances and Attitudes

Lesson 27

Appearances and Attitudes

1. pedantic: stressing trivial points of learning; lacking a sense of proportion in scholarship. A pedant is a narrow-minded teacher who insists on rigid adherence to a set of arbitrary rules.

2. pertinacious: stubborn; unyielding; holding firmly to some belief.

3. pontifical: ornate; stiff; having the pomp and dignity of a high priest or Pope.

4. pretentious: making claims to some distinctions; showy. Pretentious people put on airs, try to appear more important than they are.

5. prolix: wordy; long-winded

6. puerile: childish; silly; young. In Latin it means “boy”

7. quiescent: inactive; in repose; latent

8. recalcitrant: unruly; refusing to obey authority. In Latin it meant “to kick one’s heels (calx) in defiance)

9. restive: hard to control; restless; contrary

10. ribald: coarse; vulgar in language; irreverent

11. sardonic: sarcastic; bitterly sneering. it is believed that this word can be traced back to a Sardinian plant whose bitter taste caused facial distortion

12. sedulous: busy; working hard; diligent

13. sleazy: flimsy or thin in texture or substance; of poor quality. This word can be traced back to cloth made in Silesia, Germany.

14. supercilious: naughty; arrogant; contemptuous

15. voluptuous: sensuous; full of sensual delights and pleasures

Exercises

I. Which Word Comes to Mind?

In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind.

1. A gangster’s cruel smile

                                                (puerile, sedulous, sardonic)

2. Second-rate fabric that wears poorly

                                                (quiescent, pertinacious, sleazy)

3. Someone who uses a dozen words when one would do

                                                (prolix, supercilious, recalcitrant)

4. The natives were nervous before the battle

                                                (pontifical, restive, pretentious)

5. A night club comic’s suggestive monologue

                                                (pedantic, ribald, voluptuous)

6. A child who refuses to obey his parents and teachers

                                                (puerile, recalcitrant, sedulous)

7. The actress’s beauty rather than her talent was responsible for her popularity

                                                (ribald, pertinacious, voluptuous)

8. Once Barry forms an opinion, he’ll never change his mind

                                                (pertinacious, pretentious, pontifical)

9. A trait that makes a person a success

                                                (pedantic, sedulous, supercilious)

10. Someone follows the rules but misses the spirit

                                                (pontifical, pedantic, quiescent)

II. True or False?

In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false

____ 1. Mules and oxen are frequently described as being pertinacious

____ 2. Sleazy products deserve the high price they command

____ 3. Gary Cooper, famed for using words sparingly drew compliments for that prolix style.

____ 4. Although we strive to be young, no one wants to be described as puerile

____ 5. Quiescent talent can often be brought to the surface through patient teaching techniques

____ 6. Puerile behavior is not likely to win you friends

____ 7. The defendant was acquitted because of his sleazy background

____ 8. A restive person would appreciate frequent periods of silence.

____ 9. Being puerile, Brenda often does not act her age

____ 10. The voluptuous figures in the museum attracted the attention of the crowd

III. Fill in the Blank

Insert one of the new words in the proper space in each sentence below

1. Joanna, finding it difficult to tolerate the _____________________ attitude of the salespeople in the exclusive boutique, left without buying anything

2. The unscrupulous travel agent tried to sell the mystery trip as an adventure that would contain many _____________________ experiences

3. Realizing he was losing friends because of his ________________ airs, Martin vowed to stop being showy.

4. The ______________________ character of the two rivals prolonged the argument; neither would budge an inch

5. Defending his _________________ style, Professor Dobbins claimed he had written the book for scholars like himself.

6. The teacher advised the class not to adopt a(n) __________________ tone in a letter of application

7. Jerry actually drove his customers away with his ____________________ sales pitch.

8. The valedictorian was careful to keep _________________ expressions out of her speech

9. Parents wait for the day when their children will be as __________________ in fulfilling their family responsibilities as they are in preparing for a party.

10. There is a time for fun and revelry, but that does not include an overdoes of _______________ speech.

IV. What’s the Antonym?

Which of the new words is most nearly opposite in meaning to the one provide?

1. indolent                               _________________________

2. mature                                 _________________________

3. terse                                     _________________________

4. docile                                  _________________________

5. refined                                 _________________________

6. dynamic                              _________________________

7. docile                                  _________________________

8. unassuming                         _________________________

9. austere                                 _________________________

10. concise                              _________________________