1. curt
(adjective)
2. demoralize
(verb)
►The fast-food manager trained workers to give polite,
full answers to customers, not curt responses.
►Betsy doesn’t mean to be curt. She seems rudely brief
with people because she’s so shy.
a. cautious
b. courteous
c. abrupt
► Cara’s refusal to date my brother demoralized him to
the point that for months he lacked the confidence to ask
another woman out.
►When Bonita gained a pound during her diet, it so
demoralized her that she ate a banana split.
a. to cheat
b. to discourage
c. to excite
3. dilemma
(noun)
►The store manager faced a dilemma: either having an
elderly, needy man arrested or ignoring store rules about
shoplifters.
► In old romantic movies, the heroine’s dilemma often
involves choosing between a rich boyfriend and the poor
man she really loves.
a. a difficult choice b. a great danger c. a benefit
4.
inclination
(noun)
► My inclination is to major in nursing, but I’m going to
speak to a few nurses before I make my final decision.
► Our two-year-old has some irritating tendencies such
as her inclination to say “no” to everything.
a. a tendency
b. a reason
c. a fate
5.
irate
(adjective)
► If Kate got angry only occasionally, I could take her
more seriously, but she’s always irate about something or
other.
► I get mad when my wife misplaces the TV’s remote
control, and she becomes equally irate when I write a
check and forget to record it in the checkbook.
a. thrilled
b. selfish
c. furious
6. retort
(verb)
► When I told my parents I’d wash the supper dishes the
next morning, my father retorted, “Maybe we should
serve you dinner in the morning, too.”
► “What do you want?” the young woman asked Dracula.
“Only to drink in your charms,” he retorted.
a. to approve
b. to reply
c. to ask
7.
sabotage
(verb)
► Terrorist groups train their members to sabotage
airports and other public places.
► A fired computer operator sabotaged the company’s
computer system by planting a “virus” in it.
a. to develop
b. to invest in
c. to do harm to
8. subsequent
(adjective)
► “I was hired as a stock boy,” said the company
president. “My subsequent jobs took me steadily up the
company ladder.”
► The first time I drove on a highway, I was terrified, but
on subsequent trips, I felt more relaxed.
a. first
b. following
c. previous
9. wary
(adjective)
► “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” means that we
should be wary about promises of getting something for
nothing.
► I’m a little wary of people who, when they first meet
me, treat me as if I’m their best friend.
a. careful
b. tired
c. welcoming
10. zeal
(noun)
► Florence attacked her food with such zeal that I
thought she hadn’t eaten for a week!
► My neighbor has so much zeal about keeping our
neighborhood clean that he sweeps our sidewalk if we
don’t do it ourselves.
a. resistance
b. passion
c. skill
curt
retort
demoralize
sabotage
1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________
4. _______________
5. _______________
6. _______________
7. _______________
8. _______________
9. _______________
10. _______________
dilemma
subsequent
inclination
wary
irate
zeal
1. to lower the spirits; weaken the confidence or
cheerfulness
2. following, in time or order; next; later
3. rudely brief when speaking to someone
4. a situation requiring a difficult choice
5. a tendency to think, act, or behave in a certain way
6. to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way
7. very angry
8. to deliberately destroy or damage
9. cautious: on guard
10. enthusiastic devotion; intense enthusiasm
curt
retort
demoralize
sabotage
dilemma
subsequent
inclination
wary
irate
zeal
1. Rob’s ___________ was whether to go to work feeling sick or to stay home and lose a
day’s pay.
2. Be ___________ when something sounds too good to be true—it probably is.
3. I have to watch my budget because I have a(n) _____________ to overspend.
4. The Broadway director cut off most of the auditioning singers with a(n) _________
response: “Thank you. That will be all.”
5. The striking miner planned to ___ one of the mines by blowing up the main entrance.
6. Breaking up with Phil _________ed me so much that I didn’t think my spirits could be
lower—until I got fired.
7. The team played miserably in the first game of the season but they managed to win all
_________ games.
8. My father always became ________ when any of his children came home after
curfew. One time he began yelling at me even before my date had left.
9. If adolescents could apply to their studies just a bit of the ______ they feel for music
and partying, their grades would skyrocket.
11. When the wisecracking waiter said, “That hat looks ridiculous, lady,” the
woman stated, “I didn’t come here to be insulted.” “That’s what you think!”
_____ed the waiter.
curt
retort
demoralize
sabotage
dilemma
subsequent
inclination
wary
irate
zeal
If my carpets need cleaning or I want a new freezer, I will do some comparison
shopping first. I am not likely to buy anything suddenly just because a complete stranger
has phoned—usually during the dinner hour—to sell it. For this and other reasons, I have
always been (1) __________ of telephone salespeople. I don’t like their cheerful, overly
amiable voices and their nervy suggestions as to how I might easily pay for whatever it is
they are selling. My (2) __________ is to get off the phone as soon as possible.
My husband, however, creates a(n) (3)__________ for me when he takes these
calls. He doesn’t want what is being sold either, but he feels sorry for the salespeople.
He doesn’t want to (4) ______ them with such a(n) (5) ________ reply as “No.” When
they begin their sale pitch, he is overcome by their (6) _______ for their product and
therefore listens politely. Then he (7) ______s my efforts to discourage (8) _______
calls by suggesting that the salespeople call back later to talk to his wife! I don’t know
who gets more (9) ____________ when that happens—I or the salespeople, disappointed
when they realize we never intended to buy a thing. More than once, when I’ve finally
said, “No sale” for the last time to an adamant salesperson who had been refusing to take
“no” for an answer, he or she has (10) ______(e)d, “Well, thanks for wasting my time.”
Vocabulary #2 Quiz—Freshmen
Per. ______
Name _____________________________
1. ______________________ to lower the spirits; weaken the confidence or cheerfulness
2. _____________________ enthusiastic devotion; intense enthusiasm
3. ______________________ following, in time or order; next; later
4. ______________________ rudely brief when speaking to someone
5. ______________________ a situation requiring a difficult choice
6. ______________________ a tendency to think, act, or behave in a certain way
7. ______________________ to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way
8. ______________________ very angry
9. ______________________ to deliberately destroy or damage
10. ______________________ cautious: on guard
Vocabulary #2 Quiz
Name _________________________
1. _____________________ enthusiastic devotion; intense enthusiasm
2. ______________________ rudely brief when speaking to someone
3. ______________________ a tendency to think, act, or behave in a certain way
4. ______________________ to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way
5. ______________________ to lower the spirits; weaken the confidence or cheerfulness
6. ______________________ to deliberately destroy or damage
7. ______________________ cautious: on guard
8. ______________________ following, in time or order; next; later
9. ______________________ a situation requiring a difficult choice
10. ______________________ very angry
absolve
adamant
amiable
amoral
animosity
antagonist
eccentric
encounter
epitome
malign
We hope our friend will be (1) ______________d from all charges brought against him today in
court. Sadly, we doubt it will happen, for his (2) _______________s--the prosecutor and the
jury— see him as the (3) ___________________ of baseness and describe him as (4)
_________________, having no values.
The (5) _________________ old woman wore mismatched clothing and unusually large costume
jewelry.
The bully in our class constantly (6) _______________s other students. Needless to say, he is not
well liked among his peers. They get filled with such (7) _____________ that it is almost
impossible to comfort them. On the contrary, there are many
(8) _____________ students in class who make it a comfortable and friendly place to be.
We were excited to (9) ______________ the famous actress in Hollywood last weekend.
My parents are (10) ___________________ about my curfew: one minute late and I’m grounded.
absolve
adamant
amiable
amoral
animosity
antagonist
eccentric
encounter
epitome
malign
We were excited to (1) ______________ the famous actress in Hollywood last weekend.
My parents are (2) ___________________ about my curfew: one minute late and I’m grounded.
The (3) _________________ old woman wore mismatched clothing and unusually large costume
jewelry.
The bully in our class constantly (4) _______________s other students. Needless to say, he is not
well liked among his peers. They get filled with such (5) _____________ that it is almost
impossible to comfort them. On the contrary, there are many
(6) _____________ students in class who make it a comfortable and friendly place to be.
We hope our friend will be (7) ______________d from all charges brought against him today in
court. Sadly, we doubt it will happen, for his (8) _______________s--the prosecutor and the
jury— see him as the (9) ___________________ of baseness and describe him as (10)
_________________, having no values.