Ancestor (ANsestr): noun--a relative from long ago
His ancestors are from China.
Her ancestors are from Russia and Sweden.
Clever (CLEvr): adj--intelligent
Parots are clever birds. They can imitate speech.
He is the most clever person in his class.
Endure (enDOOR): verb--to put up with, to deal with
Many people had to endure poverty during the Great Depression.
It can be difficult to endure an illness.
Face (FAS): noun: the place of the eyes, nose and mouth; verb: to turn one's face toward or to deal with something directly
The two fighters faced each other before the match.
She was in a car accident, and she had to face many challenges to recover her health.
Interpret (inTERpret): verb--to put in one's own words or ideas
He can speak Mandarin Chinese, so he always finds work as an interpreter.
I could not interpret the meaning of the painting, but my friend seemed to like it.
2
Appealing (uhPEEling): adj - pleasing to the senses
That food smells appealing. Let's eat!
He thought the college was not very appealing. He's going to visit other schools.
Appropriate (uhPROpriut): adj - good for the occasion, right for the time and place
It is wise to wear appropriate clothes to a job interview.
Attractive (uhTRAKtiv): adj - having good features, either physically or symbolically
The job offer was very attractive. I have never been offered so much vacation time.
The little baby was very attractive. Everyone was enjoying her bright smile.
Autonomous (ahTAHnumus): adj - independent, from one's own doing, related to one person
Her autonomous work created great results. Everyone was impressed.
Complex (cumPLEX): adj - having many sides or points for consideration, either physically or symbolically
People want world peace, but the world is very complex. Every nation has a different government, a different culture and different advantages.
3
alter (AL-ter) verb: to change, usually to change in small or detailed ways
He has not altered his appearance in years. He still has the same beard and mustache.
Please do not alter your plans because of me. You should go on vacation without me.
analyze (AN-ul-ize) verb: to organize information for usefulness, to observe information and figure out how and why things are
When we analyzed the budget, we found that with several small cuts we can save $500 a month.
baffle (BA-ful) verb: to confuse, often used with the phrase "as to why" or used with an object-word following, as in "she baffled him."
I'm baffled as to why the salesman called me 10 times in one day. I certainly won't buy anything from him.
My nephew baffled me with his electronics knowledge. He knew of so many applications and devices.
bear (BĀR) verb: to put up with, to deal with, usually something difficult
Please bear with me. I'm doing my best to help you.
She had to bear many difficulties last year. Her husband was sick, and then he lost his job.
block (BLOCK) verb: to stop something physically
He blocked the ball with his arm.
The exit was blocked by a large family that stood in the doorway.
4 tightly (TIT-lee): adv--with grip, pulling inward, closely
He tightly grabbed my hand.
She tightly held onto the jungle gym bars.
precarious (pre-CARE-ee-us): adj--dangerous, uncertain
I used to climb trees. I never knew how precarious it was until I almost fell.
"This is a precarious situation," the FBI agent said.
limber (LIM-ber): adj--able to bend easily, flexible
Many athletes have to be limber to compete in their sports.
She was limber when did she did yoga, but she isn't now.
dramatic (dru-MA-dic): adj-- having a big, often emotional, effect
The actress won an award for her dramatic performance as a ballet dancer.
Stop being dramatic. Your grades will get better if you do your homework.
elaborate (ee-LA-bor-ut): adj--having a lot of detail, complex
We don't need to have elaborate plans for our vacation. Let's just go and hang out.
He created an elaborate story to explain his lie. He mixed up a few details, though, and was found out.
5 blur (BLUR): to make seeing difficult, to cause things to be unclear either physically or symbolically
She suffers from eye strain. It blurs her vision.
He blurred the line between right and wrong.
caution (CAH-shun): to tell or alert someone to be safe
He cautioned me not to buy a used car without having my own mechanic check it first.
challenge (CHA-lenj): to make something difficult in order to increase a person's motivation or competitive nature
The teacher challenged her students with several extra credit questions.
clarify (CLARE-i-fī): to make clear
I want to clarify my meaning. Your work has been excellent, but we have to cut your hours because of our budget problems.
crush (CRUSH): to make flat, destroy, either physically or symbolically
We crushed the ice and then used it to make summer drinks.
His manager was unkind for years. He finally crushed the man by denying him the promotion he deserved.
6
Ancient (Ānshent): adj -- very old, often related to past centuries, though informally used to exaggerate oldness
In ancient times, people had to suffer through many diseases.
Sorry, but your stove is ancient. You really need to buy a new one.
Brilliant (BRILyunt): adj - radiating a lot of light, also used to describe intelligence or perfection in an art
The stars are brilliant tonight. You can see thousands of them.
That's a brilliant idea. I'm sure everyone will agree.
I'm going to a concert tonight. Everyone says that this pianist is a brilliant musician.
Celebrated (SELebrāded): adj - well-known, famous
He's a celebrated mathematician. Everyone in mathematics knows who he is.
Commonplace (COmunplace): adj - very normal, related to normal, everyday things
The professor said that my essay was commonplace. He wants me to try harder.
In southern American states, the use of colorful speech is commonplace.
Critical (KRIdikl): adj - reasonable and unemotional, analytical, often used to describe dislike
Please don't be too critical of my essay. I wrote it last night between 1am and 4am.
She walked around the museum and looked at all the paintings with a critical eye.
7 annoy (uh-NOY), verb: to do little things that make another person unhappy, with or without knowing it
The girl annoyed her little brother by playing music every morning at 6am.]
anticipate (an-TI-si-pate), verb: to expect/predict that something will happen
He anticipated that customs would take half an hour, but it only took 15 minutes.
appeal (uh-PEEL), verb: to ask very politely, almost to beg, 2. to request something a 2nd time after the 1st attempt failed
He appealed to her sense of right and wrong, and encouraged her to do the right thing.
They appealed his case to a higher court.
confirm (cun-FIRM), verb: to show/state that something is certain
I scheduled our meeting for 10am tomorrow. Please confirm your participation by the end of today.
The website confirmed our reservation.
8
Avoid (uhVOID): verb - to not go near something, to stay away
If you go on a diet, you have to avoid fatty foods.
He tried to avoid his English test by going to the nurse's office, but the nurse said he was all right.
Vapor (VĀpr): noun - mist or gas, air with some moisture
When she combined the two liquids, strange vapors rose form the test tube.
It is a good idea to stay away from vapors that smell bad.
Exposed (exPOSD): adj - being in the open or being in the presence of something new
She tried to cover herself in insect repellent, but she left her knee exposed and got some insect bites.
He enjoyed the museum. He was exposed to many new artists.
Inhalation (inhulĀshun): noun - an inhale, a breath inward
When I got my shot, the nurse told me to take a slow inhalation. While I thought about breathing in slowly, she pricked my arm.
Caution (KAHshun): noun - a warning, a sign or speech for preventing harm
I always read caution labels on medicine bottles.
There was a big sign that said "caution" near the school. I think they are doing some new construction work.
9
exceptional (ekSEPshunul): adj--unusual, extraordinary, something that is an exception
His attendance is exceptional. He never missed a day all year.
That's an exceptional sweater. It's beautiful, and I haven't seen another one like it.
coarse (CORS): adj--harsh, bristly, not soft, also with behavior, as in "coarse speech."
Of all the dogs you can choose, why pick this one? The fur is so coarse!
The man was speaking in a coarse way, so I stayed away from him.
shallow (SHAlow): adj. - not deep, also with behavior: not thoughtful
Let's go to the shallow end of the pool. I cannot swim very well.
I thought the movie was shallow. I don't want to see it again.
advantage (adVANtij): noun: something that is good, beneficial
You should be able to get the job. You know people there and that is to your advantage.
When people buy cars, they think of the advantages and disadvantages of each vehicle.
deplete (dePLEET): verb--to decrease greatly
People recycle and conserve so as not to deplete the earth's resources.
10 Ancient (Ānshent): adj -- very old, often related to past centuries, though informally used to exaggerate oldness
In ancient times, people had to suffer through many diseases.
Sorry, but your stove is ancient. You really need to buy a new one.
Brilliant (BRILyunt): adj - radiating a lot of light, also used to describe intelligence or perfection in an art
The stars are brilliant tonight. You can see thousands of them.
That's a brilliant idea. I'm sure everyone will agree.
I'm going to a concert tonight. Everyone says that this pianist is a brilliant musician.
Celebrated (SELebrāded): adj - well-known, famous
He's a celebrated mathematician. Everyone in mathematics knows who he is.
Commonplace (COmunplace): adj - very normal, related to normal, everyday things
The professor said that my essay was commonplace. He wants me to try harder.
In southern American states, the use of colorful speech is commonplace.
Critical (KRIdikl): adj - reasonable and unemotional, analytical, often used to describe dislike
Please don't be too critical of my essay. I wrote it last night between 1am and 4am.
She walked around the museum and looked at all the paintings with a critical eye.
1 Stage at Sea World.
enact (enACT): verb--1. to perform, to act out, 2. to make into a law
After the children saw the movie, they enacted a pretend game with the same plot.
Congress enacted a new law to protect the homeless.
absurd (ubSRD): adj--silly, not reasonable
You threw away all your clothes? That's absurd!
There are many absurd shows on TV. Each show tries to be crazier and crazier.
marvel (MARvel): verb - to observe with awe or wonder
We marveled at the car accident: we counted 10 cars that had crashed in a row.
People marvel at the athletes who compete at the Olympics.
charisma (krIZma): noun - lively or engaging personality
He has a lot of charisma. That's why he's a good car salesman.
She's not the best actor, but she has a lot charisma.
demonstrate (DEMunstrāt): verb -- to show for a purpose, often educational
We had an alarm system put in our house. They demonstrated how to use it, but we set off the alarm by accident.
2
Contemporary (cun-TEM-per-ār-ee) adj: having to do with modern times, about the present times
My father loves to read old books, but I like the contemporary books. I want to know what is popular now.
Conventional (cun-VEN-shun-ul) adj: formal or expected, having to do with customs, normalcy
He had a very conventional approach to parenting. He did not approve of his teenagers dating until they were twenty-one.
Determined (de-TER-mĭnd) adj: wanting to accomplish something
I may not have a lot of work experience, but I am always determined to learn new things and do well.
Disruptive (dis-RUPT-iv) adj: creating difficulty, getting in the way of something
The boy was disruptive during his high school class. He talked loudly while the teacher tried to speak, and eventually, he was sent out of the room.
Haphazzard (hap-HA-zerd) adj: not planned, disorganized
Unfortunately, the city was planned in a haphazzard way. Many people never go downtown, but do all their shopping in the northern district.
3 dy the definitions, then practice below.
alter: to change, usually to change in small or detailed ways
He has not altered his appearance in years. He still has the same beard and mustache.
Please do not alter your plans because of me. You should go on vacation without me.
analyze: to organize information for usefulness, to observe information and figure out how and why things are
When we analyzed the budget, we found that with several small cuts we can save $500 a month.
baffle: to confuse, often used with the phrase "as to why" or used with an object-word following, as in "she baffled him."
I'm baffled as to why the salesman called me 10 times in one day. I certainly won't buy anything from him.
My nephew baffled me with his electronics knowledge. He knew of so many applications and devices.
bear: to put up with, to deal with, usually something difficult
Please bear with me. I'm doing my best to help you.
She had to bear many difficulties last year. Her husband was sick, and then he lost his job.
block: to stop something physically
He blocked the ball with his arm.
The exit was blocked by a large family that stood in the doorway.
6 blur: to make seeing difficult, to cause things to be unclear either physically or symbolically
She suffers from eye strain. It blurs her vision.
He blurred the line between right and wrong.
caution: to tell or alert someone to be safe
He cautioned me not to buy a used car without having my own mechanic check it first.
challenge: to make something difficult in order to increase a person's motivation or competitive nature
The teacher challenged her students with several extra credit questions.
clarify: to make clear
I want to clarify my meaning. Your work has been excellent, but we have to cut your hours because of our budget problems.
crush: to make flat, destroy, either physically or symbolically
We crushed the ice and then used it to make summer drinks.
His manager was unkind for years. He finally crushed the man by denying him the promotion he deserved.
7 cultivate: to help something grow, to put effort into developing something
He is cultivating his garden quite well. The flowers are beautiful.
She cultivates a positive attitude toward her work, even though it can be difficult.
dictate: 1. to speak while another writes down, 2. to have absolute authority
He dictates his emails to his aunt because he is blind.
The tyrant dictates the rules that everyone has to follow.
harvest: to collect food that is ripe and ready to eat, to symbolically collect something that one has put effort into creating
The farmers finally harvested their crop after several threatening weather changes.
mirror: to act in likeness to another person or thing
The plot of her new book exactly mirrors the plot of her previous book.
shed: to remove an outer layer physically or symbolically
Our cat sheds her coat every summer. The fur gets everywhere!
He decided to shed his old ideas and look at the project with new eyes.
tempt: to invite or encourage bad, unhealthy behavior
At the cafe, I was very tempted to buy a sugary cookie, but I chose the small bag of nuts.
4 annoy: to do little things that make another person unhappy, with or without knowing it
The girl annoyed her little brother by playing music every morning at 6am.]
anticipate: to expect/predict that something will happen
He anticipated that customs would take half an hour, but it only took 15 minutes.
appeal: to ask very politely, almost to beg, 2. to request something a 2nd time after the 1st attempt failed
He appealed to her sense of right and wrong, and encouraged her to do the right thing.
They appealed his case to a higher court.
confirm: to show/state that something is certain
I scheduled our meeting for 10am tomorrow. Please confirm your participation by the end of today.
The website confirmed our reservation.
6 Abrupt: stopped suddenly, having a sudden end
The car came to an abrupt stop. That was lucky: it prevented an accident.
His abrupt change in manner made me wonder if he was feeling sick.
Acceptable: O.K., agreeable
Let's make sure the terms are acceptable before we sign the contract.
Acclaimed: having fame, public recognition
The acclaimed actress won the Tony award.
Adverse: related to bad, negative situations
After spraining my ankle, I took medication for the pain, but it had adverse effects, especially nausea.
Annoying: irritating; bad in a small, though continuous way
He had the annoying habit of chewing his food with his mouth wide open.
8 Appealing: pleasing to the senses
This dress is so appealing! Everyone will be watching you enter the room.
He thought the college was not very appealing. He's going to visit other schools.
Appropriate: good for the occasion
It is wise to wear appropriate clothes to a job interview.
Attractive: having good features, either physically or symbolically
The job offer was very attractive. I have never been offered so much vacation time.
The little boy was wonderfully attractive. Everyone was enjoying his bright face.
Autonomous: from one's own doing, related to a single person's effort
Her autonomous work created great results. Everyone was impressed.
Complex: having many sides/facets, either physically or symbolically
People want world peace, but the world is very complex. Every nation has a different government, a different culture and different priorities.
6 determine: to decide based on facts
We cannot determine the winner of the race at this time. We have to review the video first.
elicit: to get from someone
She is good at eliciting information from people.
encourage: to give support
You need to encourage your son. He cannot do well in school without your support.
enhance: to make better
It isn't too hard to enhance a room. You can buy a few new pillows and replace the curtains.
forbid: to tell another person that he/she cannot do something
Her mother forbid her to go to parties until she was eighteen.
5 intrigue: to make a person interested by being mysterious or not easy to understand
His paintings intrigued me. I was not sure what he meant to say creatively, but I liked them.
persuade: 1. to get a person to do something, 2. to show a person what is so
He persuaded me to give him $500, and now I regret it.
The dog's tiredness, ongoing for three days, persuaded him that the dog was sick.
propose: to suggest, often used in formal situations or to make a suggestion in a humorously formal way
He is proposing budget cuts that would cause 20 layoffs.
For New Year's Eve, I propose that we go to a bar. Then another bar. After that, another bar.
replace: to exchange one thing for another
When she received a pay-raise, she replaced her old living room set. The new one is beautiful.
restore: to put into a former condition, to make something that is old look more like new
She works as a painter and wood-worker. She restores old furniture.
6
Contemporary: having to do with modern times, about the present times
My father loves to read old books, but I like the contemporary books. I want to know what is popular now.
Conventional: formal or expected, having to do with customs, normalcy
He had a very conventional approach to parenting. He did not approve of his teenagers dating until they were twenty-one.
Determined: wanting to accomplish something
I may not have a lot of work experience, but I am always determined to learn new things and do well.
Disruptive: creating difficulty, getting in the way of something
The boy was disruptive during his high school class. He talked loudly while the teacher tried to speak, and eventually, he was sent out of the room.
Haphazzard: not planned, disorganized
Unfortunately, the city was planned in a haphazzard way. Many people never go downtown, but do all their shopping in the northern district.
7 Ideal: perfect, exactly as one wants
She was looking for the ideal marriage. That's why she divorced 4 times.
Immense: very big, massive
The Pacific ocean is immense and difficult to cross without a large boat.
Persistent: trying hard, not giving up
His persistent effort was noticed by everyone. He never gave up.
Ongoing: continuous, not stopping
This sickness has been ongoing, and I'm getting tired of it.
Unique: one of a kind, original
We found a unique restaurant. They have food from Africa, Eastern Europe and China.
8
Allow (uhLOW): verb - to let another do something (could be a person, people or animal)
Don't let the cat out! We do not allow our cat to leave the house.
He wanted to go to the movie, but his parents don't allow him to stay out past 10pm.
Enormous (eeNORmus): adj - very big
The first elephant we saw was big, but this one is enormous!
That boat is enormous. It can carry 1,000 people.
Exremely (exTREEmlee): adv - very much so, more than a person normally expects
She was extremely happy when she won the state competition.
Mountain climbing can be extremely hard.
Deep (DEEP): adj - 1) going far down, 2) complex
Those roots are very deep. I don't know if you can dig to the bottom.
When her aunt died, she had many deep thoughts about life and death.
Dense (DENS): adj - 1) very thick, packed close together, 2) slow in thought
When rabbits run from bigger animals, they sometimes run into dense brush. The bigger animals cannot follow.
"Don't be dense," she said. "You asked for a pencil and there is one right in front of you."
5
Ideal (ī-DEEL) adj: perfect, exactly as one wants
She was looking for the ideal marriage. That's why she divorced 4 times.
Immense (i-MENS) adj: very big, massive
The Pacific ocean is immense and difficult to cross without a large boat.
Persistent (per-SIS-tent) adj: trying hard, not giving up
His persistent effort was noticed by everyone. He never gave up.
Ongoing (on-GŌ-ing) adj: continuous, not stopping
This sickness has been ongoing, and I'm getting tired of it.
Unique (yoo-NEEK) adj: one of a kind, original
We found a unique restaurant. They have food from Africa, Eastern Europe and China.
Energetic: having a lot of energy, being active
His energetic attitude helped the team to move forward with the project.
6
They developed blueprints before they built their house.
He is adding many flowers to develop his garden.
8
intrigue (in-TREEG): to make a person interested by being mysterious or not easy to understand
His paintings intrigued me. I was not sure what he meant to say creatively, but I liked them.
persuade (per-SWADE): 1. to get a person to do something, 2. to show a person what is so
He persuaded me to give him $500, and now I regret it.
The dog's tiredness, ongoing for three days, persuaded him that the dog was sick.
propose (pruh-POSE): to suggest, often used in formal situations or to make a suggestion in a humorously formal way
He is proposing budget cuts that would cause 20 layoffs.
For New Year's Eve, I propose that we go to a bar. Then another bar. After that, another bar.
replace (ree-PLASE): to exchange one thing for another, often something new
When she received a pay-raise, she replaced her old living room set. The new one is beautiful.
restore (ree-STORE): to put into a former condition, to make something that is old look more like new
She works as a painter and wood-worker. She restores old furniture.
7 benefit (BEN-e-fit), noun: a good quality, a good extra that comes from something
There are many health benefits from exercise.
buffet (Buf-ay), noun: a meal that has many choices--you choose what you want
I went to the Indian buffet for lunch. I had butter chicken, spinach and rice pudding.
conceal (cun-SEEL), verb: to hide
The small bird concealed herself by flying into a leafy busy.
depend on (de-PEND on), verb: 1. to rely on another's help, 2. to rely on circumstances
Everything depends on the weather. If it is sunny, we will have an outdoor birthday party, but if it is rainy, we will have the party indoors.
notice (NO-dis), verb: to see and know of something, to be aware of
My sister always notices dust because she has allergies.
His ancestors are from China.
Her ancestors are from Russia and Sweden.
Clever (CLEvr): adj--intelligent
Parots are clever birds. They can imitate speech.
He is the most clever person in his class.
Endure (enDOOR): verb--to put up with, to deal with
Many people had to endure poverty during the Great Depression.
It can be difficult to endure an illness.
Face (FAS): noun: the place of the eyes, nose and mouth; verb: to turn one's face toward or to deal with something directly
The two fighters faced each other before the match.
She was in a car accident, and she had to face many challenges to recover her health.
Interpret (inTERpret): verb--to put in one's own words or ideas
He can speak Mandarin Chinese, so he always finds work as an interpreter.
I could not interpret the meaning of the painting, but my friend seemed to like it.
2
Appealing (uhPEEling): adj - pleasing to the senses
That food smells appealing. Let's eat!
He thought the college was not very appealing. He's going to visit other schools.
Appropriate (uhPROpriut): adj - good for the occasion, right for the time and place
It is wise to wear appropriate clothes to a job interview.
Attractive (uhTRAKtiv): adj - having good features, either physically or symbolically
The job offer was very attractive. I have never been offered so much vacation time.
The little baby was very attractive. Everyone was enjoying her bright smile.
Autonomous (ahTAHnumus): adj - independent, from one's own doing, related to one person
Her autonomous work created great results. Everyone was impressed.
Complex (cumPLEX): adj - having many sides or points for consideration, either physically or symbolically
People want world peace, but the world is very complex. Every nation has a different government, a different culture and different advantages.
3
alter (AL-ter) verb: to change, usually to change in small or detailed ways
He has not altered his appearance in years. He still has the same beard and mustache.
Please do not alter your plans because of me. You should go on vacation without me.
analyze (AN-ul-ize) verb: to organize information for usefulness, to observe information and figure out how and why things are
When we analyzed the budget, we found that with several small cuts we can save $500 a month.
baffle (BA-ful) verb: to confuse, often used with the phrase "as to why" or used with an object-word following, as in "she baffled him."
I'm baffled as to why the salesman called me 10 times in one day. I certainly won't buy anything from him.
My nephew baffled me with his electronics knowledge. He knew of so many applications and devices.
bear (BĀR) verb: to put up with, to deal with, usually something difficult
Please bear with me. I'm doing my best to help you.
She had to bear many difficulties last year. Her husband was sick, and then he lost his job.
block (BLOCK) verb: to stop something physically
He blocked the ball with his arm.
The exit was blocked by a large family that stood in the doorway.
4 tightly (TIT-lee): adv--with grip, pulling inward, closely
He tightly grabbed my hand.
She tightly held onto the jungle gym bars.
precarious (pre-CARE-ee-us): adj--dangerous, uncertain
I used to climb trees. I never knew how precarious it was until I almost fell.
"This is a precarious situation," the FBI agent said.
limber (LIM-ber): adj--able to bend easily, flexible
Many athletes have to be limber to compete in their sports.
She was limber when did she did yoga, but she isn't now.
dramatic (dru-MA-dic): adj-- having a big, often emotional, effect
The actress won an award for her dramatic performance as a ballet dancer.
Stop being dramatic. Your grades will get better if you do your homework.
elaborate (ee-LA-bor-ut): adj--having a lot of detail, complex
We don't need to have elaborate plans for our vacation. Let's just go and hang out.
He created an elaborate story to explain his lie. He mixed up a few details, though, and was found out.
5 blur (BLUR): to make seeing difficult, to cause things to be unclear either physically or symbolically
She suffers from eye strain. It blurs her vision.
He blurred the line between right and wrong.
caution (CAH-shun): to tell or alert someone to be safe
He cautioned me not to buy a used car without having my own mechanic check it first.
challenge (CHA-lenj): to make something difficult in order to increase a person's motivation or competitive nature
The teacher challenged her students with several extra credit questions.
clarify (CLARE-i-fī): to make clear
I want to clarify my meaning. Your work has been excellent, but we have to cut your hours because of our budget problems.
crush (CRUSH): to make flat, destroy, either physically or symbolically
We crushed the ice and then used it to make summer drinks.
His manager was unkind for years. He finally crushed the man by denying him the promotion he deserved.
6
Ancient (Ānshent): adj -- very old, often related to past centuries, though informally used to exaggerate oldness
In ancient times, people had to suffer through many diseases.
Sorry, but your stove is ancient. You really need to buy a new one.
Brilliant (BRILyunt): adj - radiating a lot of light, also used to describe intelligence or perfection in an art
The stars are brilliant tonight. You can see thousands of them.
That's a brilliant idea. I'm sure everyone will agree.
I'm going to a concert tonight. Everyone says that this pianist is a brilliant musician.
Celebrated (SELebrāded): adj - well-known, famous
He's a celebrated mathematician. Everyone in mathematics knows who he is.
Commonplace (COmunplace): adj - very normal, related to normal, everyday things
The professor said that my essay was commonplace. He wants me to try harder.
In southern American states, the use of colorful speech is commonplace.
Critical (KRIdikl): adj - reasonable and unemotional, analytical, often used to describe dislike
Please don't be too critical of my essay. I wrote it last night between 1am and 4am.
She walked around the museum and looked at all the paintings with a critical eye.
7 annoy (uh-NOY), verb: to do little things that make another person unhappy, with or without knowing it
The girl annoyed her little brother by playing music every morning at 6am.]
anticipate (an-TI-si-pate), verb: to expect/predict that something will happen
He anticipated that customs would take half an hour, but it only took 15 minutes.
appeal (uh-PEEL), verb: to ask very politely, almost to beg, 2. to request something a 2nd time after the 1st attempt failed
He appealed to her sense of right and wrong, and encouraged her to do the right thing.
They appealed his case to a higher court.
confirm (cun-FIRM), verb: to show/state that something is certain
I scheduled our meeting for 10am tomorrow. Please confirm your participation by the end of today.
The website confirmed our reservation.
8
Avoid (uhVOID): verb - to not go near something, to stay away
If you go on a diet, you have to avoid fatty foods.
He tried to avoid his English test by going to the nurse's office, but the nurse said he was all right.
Vapor (VĀpr): noun - mist or gas, air with some moisture
When she combined the two liquids, strange vapors rose form the test tube.
It is a good idea to stay away from vapors that smell bad.
Exposed (exPOSD): adj - being in the open or being in the presence of something new
She tried to cover herself in insect repellent, but she left her knee exposed and got some insect bites.
He enjoyed the museum. He was exposed to many new artists.
Inhalation (inhulĀshun): noun - an inhale, a breath inward
When I got my shot, the nurse told me to take a slow inhalation. While I thought about breathing in slowly, she pricked my arm.
Caution (KAHshun): noun - a warning, a sign or speech for preventing harm
I always read caution labels on medicine bottles.
There was a big sign that said "caution" near the school. I think they are doing some new construction work.
9
exceptional (ekSEPshunul): adj--unusual, extraordinary, something that is an exception
His attendance is exceptional. He never missed a day all year.
That's an exceptional sweater. It's beautiful, and I haven't seen another one like it.
coarse (CORS): adj--harsh, bristly, not soft, also with behavior, as in "coarse speech."
Of all the dogs you can choose, why pick this one? The fur is so coarse!
The man was speaking in a coarse way, so I stayed away from him.
shallow (SHAlow): adj. - not deep, also with behavior: not thoughtful
Let's go to the shallow end of the pool. I cannot swim very well.
I thought the movie was shallow. I don't want to see it again.
advantage (adVANtij): noun: something that is good, beneficial
You should be able to get the job. You know people there and that is to your advantage.
When people buy cars, they think of the advantages and disadvantages of each vehicle.
deplete (dePLEET): verb--to decrease greatly
People recycle and conserve so as not to deplete the earth's resources.
10 Ancient (Ānshent): adj -- very old, often related to past centuries, though informally used to exaggerate oldness
In ancient times, people had to suffer through many diseases.
Sorry, but your stove is ancient. You really need to buy a new one.
Brilliant (BRILyunt): adj - radiating a lot of light, also used to describe intelligence or perfection in an art
The stars are brilliant tonight. You can see thousands of them.
That's a brilliant idea. I'm sure everyone will agree.
I'm going to a concert tonight. Everyone says that this pianist is a brilliant musician.
Celebrated (SELebrāded): adj - well-known, famous
He's a celebrated mathematician. Everyone in mathematics knows who he is.
Commonplace (COmunplace): adj - very normal, related to normal, everyday things
The professor said that my essay was commonplace. He wants me to try harder.
In southern American states, the use of colorful speech is commonplace.
Critical (KRIdikl): adj - reasonable and unemotional, analytical, often used to describe dislike
Please don't be too critical of my essay. I wrote it last night between 1am and 4am.
She walked around the museum and looked at all the paintings with a critical eye.
1 Stage at Sea World.
enact (enACT): verb--1. to perform, to act out, 2. to make into a law
After the children saw the movie, they enacted a pretend game with the same plot.
Congress enacted a new law to protect the homeless.
absurd (ubSRD): adj--silly, not reasonable
You threw away all your clothes? That's absurd!
There are many absurd shows on TV. Each show tries to be crazier and crazier.
marvel (MARvel): verb - to observe with awe or wonder
We marveled at the car accident: we counted 10 cars that had crashed in a row.
People marvel at the athletes who compete at the Olympics.
charisma (krIZma): noun - lively or engaging personality
He has a lot of charisma. That's why he's a good car salesman.
She's not the best actor, but she has a lot charisma.
demonstrate (DEMunstrāt): verb -- to show for a purpose, often educational
We had an alarm system put in our house. They demonstrated how to use it, but we set off the alarm by accident.
2
Contemporary (cun-TEM-per-ār-ee) adj: having to do with modern times, about the present times
My father loves to read old books, but I like the contemporary books. I want to know what is popular now.
Conventional (cun-VEN-shun-ul) adj: formal or expected, having to do with customs, normalcy
He had a very conventional approach to parenting. He did not approve of his teenagers dating until they were twenty-one.
Determined (de-TER-mĭnd) adj: wanting to accomplish something
I may not have a lot of work experience, but I am always determined to learn new things and do well.
Disruptive (dis-RUPT-iv) adj: creating difficulty, getting in the way of something
The boy was disruptive during his high school class. He talked loudly while the teacher tried to speak, and eventually, he was sent out of the room.
Haphazzard (hap-HA-zerd) adj: not planned, disorganized
Unfortunately, the city was planned in a haphazzard way. Many people never go downtown, but do all their shopping in the northern district.
3 dy the definitions, then practice below.
alter: to change, usually to change in small or detailed ways
He has not altered his appearance in years. He still has the same beard and mustache.
Please do not alter your plans because of me. You should go on vacation without me.
analyze: to organize information for usefulness, to observe information and figure out how and why things are
When we analyzed the budget, we found that with several small cuts we can save $500 a month.
baffle: to confuse, often used with the phrase "as to why" or used with an object-word following, as in "she baffled him."
I'm baffled as to why the salesman called me 10 times in one day. I certainly won't buy anything from him.
My nephew baffled me with his electronics knowledge. He knew of so many applications and devices.
bear: to put up with, to deal with, usually something difficult
Please bear with me. I'm doing my best to help you.
She had to bear many difficulties last year. Her husband was sick, and then he lost his job.
block: to stop something physically
He blocked the ball with his arm.
The exit was blocked by a large family that stood in the doorway.
6 blur: to make seeing difficult, to cause things to be unclear either physically or symbolically
She suffers from eye strain. It blurs her vision.
He blurred the line between right and wrong.
caution: to tell or alert someone to be safe
He cautioned me not to buy a used car without having my own mechanic check it first.
challenge: to make something difficult in order to increase a person's motivation or competitive nature
The teacher challenged her students with several extra credit questions.
clarify: to make clear
I want to clarify my meaning. Your work has been excellent, but we have to cut your hours because of our budget problems.
crush: to make flat, destroy, either physically or symbolically
We crushed the ice and then used it to make summer drinks.
His manager was unkind for years. He finally crushed the man by denying him the promotion he deserved.
7 cultivate: to help something grow, to put effort into developing something
He is cultivating his garden quite well. The flowers are beautiful.
She cultivates a positive attitude toward her work, even though it can be difficult.
dictate: 1. to speak while another writes down, 2. to have absolute authority
He dictates his emails to his aunt because he is blind.
The tyrant dictates the rules that everyone has to follow.
harvest: to collect food that is ripe and ready to eat, to symbolically collect something that one has put effort into creating
The farmers finally harvested their crop after several threatening weather changes.
mirror: to act in likeness to another person or thing
The plot of her new book exactly mirrors the plot of her previous book.
shed: to remove an outer layer physically or symbolically
Our cat sheds her coat every summer. The fur gets everywhere!
He decided to shed his old ideas and look at the project with new eyes.
tempt: to invite or encourage bad, unhealthy behavior
At the cafe, I was very tempted to buy a sugary cookie, but I chose the small bag of nuts.
4 annoy: to do little things that make another person unhappy, with or without knowing it
The girl annoyed her little brother by playing music every morning at 6am.]
anticipate: to expect/predict that something will happen
He anticipated that customs would take half an hour, but it only took 15 minutes.
appeal: to ask very politely, almost to beg, 2. to request something a 2nd time after the 1st attempt failed
He appealed to her sense of right and wrong, and encouraged her to do the right thing.
They appealed his case to a higher court.
confirm: to show/state that something is certain
I scheduled our meeting for 10am tomorrow. Please confirm your participation by the end of today.
The website confirmed our reservation.
6 Abrupt: stopped suddenly, having a sudden end
The car came to an abrupt stop. That was lucky: it prevented an accident.
His abrupt change in manner made me wonder if he was feeling sick.
Acceptable: O.K., agreeable
Let's make sure the terms are acceptable before we sign the contract.
Acclaimed: having fame, public recognition
The acclaimed actress won the Tony award.
Adverse: related to bad, negative situations
After spraining my ankle, I took medication for the pain, but it had adverse effects, especially nausea.
Annoying: irritating; bad in a small, though continuous way
He had the annoying habit of chewing his food with his mouth wide open.
8 Appealing: pleasing to the senses
This dress is so appealing! Everyone will be watching you enter the room.
He thought the college was not very appealing. He's going to visit other schools.
Appropriate: good for the occasion
It is wise to wear appropriate clothes to a job interview.
Attractive: having good features, either physically or symbolically
The job offer was very attractive. I have never been offered so much vacation time.
The little boy was wonderfully attractive. Everyone was enjoying his bright face.
Autonomous: from one's own doing, related to a single person's effort
Her autonomous work created great results. Everyone was impressed.
Complex: having many sides/facets, either physically or symbolically
People want world peace, but the world is very complex. Every nation has a different government, a different culture and different priorities.
6 determine: to decide based on facts
We cannot determine the winner of the race at this time. We have to review the video first.
elicit: to get from someone
She is good at eliciting information from people.
encourage: to give support
You need to encourage your son. He cannot do well in school without your support.
enhance: to make better
It isn't too hard to enhance a room. You can buy a few new pillows and replace the curtains.
forbid: to tell another person that he/she cannot do something
Her mother forbid her to go to parties until she was eighteen.
5 intrigue: to make a person interested by being mysterious or not easy to understand
His paintings intrigued me. I was not sure what he meant to say creatively, but I liked them.
persuade: 1. to get a person to do something, 2. to show a person what is so
He persuaded me to give him $500, and now I regret it.
The dog's tiredness, ongoing for three days, persuaded him that the dog was sick.
propose: to suggest, often used in formal situations or to make a suggestion in a humorously formal way
He is proposing budget cuts that would cause 20 layoffs.
For New Year's Eve, I propose that we go to a bar. Then another bar. After that, another bar.
replace: to exchange one thing for another
When she received a pay-raise, she replaced her old living room set. The new one is beautiful.
restore: to put into a former condition, to make something that is old look more like new
She works as a painter and wood-worker. She restores old furniture.
6
Contemporary: having to do with modern times, about the present times
My father loves to read old books, but I like the contemporary books. I want to know what is popular now.
Conventional: formal or expected, having to do with customs, normalcy
He had a very conventional approach to parenting. He did not approve of his teenagers dating until they were twenty-one.
Determined: wanting to accomplish something
I may not have a lot of work experience, but I am always determined to learn new things and do well.
Disruptive: creating difficulty, getting in the way of something
The boy was disruptive during his high school class. He talked loudly while the teacher tried to speak, and eventually, he was sent out of the room.
Haphazzard: not planned, disorganized
Unfortunately, the city was planned in a haphazzard way. Many people never go downtown, but do all their shopping in the northern district.
7 Ideal: perfect, exactly as one wants
She was looking for the ideal marriage. That's why she divorced 4 times.
Immense: very big, massive
The Pacific ocean is immense and difficult to cross without a large boat.
Persistent: trying hard, not giving up
His persistent effort was noticed by everyone. He never gave up.
Ongoing: continuous, not stopping
This sickness has been ongoing, and I'm getting tired of it.
Unique: one of a kind, original
We found a unique restaurant. They have food from Africa, Eastern Europe and China.
8
Allow (uhLOW): verb - to let another do something (could be a person, people or animal)
Don't let the cat out! We do not allow our cat to leave the house.
He wanted to go to the movie, but his parents don't allow him to stay out past 10pm.
Enormous (eeNORmus): adj - very big
The first elephant we saw was big, but this one is enormous!
That boat is enormous. It can carry 1,000 people.
Exremely (exTREEmlee): adv - very much so, more than a person normally expects
She was extremely happy when she won the state competition.
Mountain climbing can be extremely hard.
Deep (DEEP): adj - 1) going far down, 2) complex
Those roots are very deep. I don't know if you can dig to the bottom.
When her aunt died, she had many deep thoughts about life and death.
Dense (DENS): adj - 1) very thick, packed close together, 2) slow in thought
When rabbits run from bigger animals, they sometimes run into dense brush. The bigger animals cannot follow.
"Don't be dense," she said. "You asked for a pencil and there is one right in front of you."
5
Ideal (ī-DEEL) adj: perfect, exactly as one wants
She was looking for the ideal marriage. That's why she divorced 4 times.
Immense (i-MENS) adj: very big, massive
The Pacific ocean is immense and difficult to cross without a large boat.
Persistent (per-SIS-tent) adj: trying hard, not giving up
His persistent effort was noticed by everyone. He never gave up.
Ongoing (on-GŌ-ing) adj: continuous, not stopping
This sickness has been ongoing, and I'm getting tired of it.
Unique (yoo-NEEK) adj: one of a kind, original
We found a unique restaurant. They have food from Africa, Eastern Europe and China.
Energetic: having a lot of energy, being active
His energetic attitude helped the team to move forward with the project.
6
They developed blueprints before they built their house.
He is adding many flowers to develop his garden.
8
intrigue (in-TREEG): to make a person interested by being mysterious or not easy to understand
His paintings intrigued me. I was not sure what he meant to say creatively, but I liked them.
persuade (per-SWADE): 1. to get a person to do something, 2. to show a person what is so
He persuaded me to give him $500, and now I regret it.
The dog's tiredness, ongoing for three days, persuaded him that the dog was sick.
propose (pruh-POSE): to suggest, often used in formal situations or to make a suggestion in a humorously formal way
He is proposing budget cuts that would cause 20 layoffs.
For New Year's Eve, I propose that we go to a bar. Then another bar. After that, another bar.
replace (ree-PLASE): to exchange one thing for another, often something new
When she received a pay-raise, she replaced her old living room set. The new one is beautiful.
restore (ree-STORE): to put into a former condition, to make something that is old look more like new
She works as a painter and wood-worker. She restores old furniture.
7 benefit (BEN-e-fit), noun: a good quality, a good extra that comes from something
There are many health benefits from exercise.
buffet (Buf-ay), noun: a meal that has many choices--you choose what you want
I went to the Indian buffet for lunch. I had butter chicken, spinach and rice pudding.
conceal (cun-SEEL), verb: to hide
The small bird concealed herself by flying into a leafy busy.
depend on (de-PEND on), verb: 1. to rely on another's help, 2. to rely on circumstances
Everything depends on the weather. If it is sunny, we will have an outdoor birthday party, but if it is rainy, we will have the party indoors.
notice (NO-dis), verb: to see and know of something, to be aware of
My sister always notices dust because she has allergies.