Exercises for Semantics
1. Identify the thematic role(s) of each of the underlined expressions in the following
sentences. Note any dual roles.
a. He supplied the reporters with information.
b. Earle has been earning money through his poetry.
c. We were playing a game of monopoly for relaxation.
d. Angela was reading stories to the children this morning.
e. The climber finally reached the summit of the mountain.
f.
The captain of the swim team swam 20 laps.
g. I checked a book out of the library yesterday.
h. We had to carry the couch up three flights of stairs to Jerry's apartment.
i.
The accountant made a mistake in the calculations.
j.
Jane envies my success.
k. I saw Margaret's friend at the party.
l.
He lent his friend some money.
m. He visited California before his marriage.
n. He is lifting weights for his health.
o. The hurricane destroyed the house.
p. His cleverness never ceases to amaze me.
q. The coach had the player fumble the ball.
r. A virus got into the computer.
s. The trees lost their leaves.
t.
A blood clot killed the patient.
u. They filled the pool with water.
v. Father wrote a check for me.
w. This shoe hurts my foot.
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2.
For the following words, list as many synonyms as you can think of and discuss the
connotations that these synonyms have.
(a) frugal
(b) thin (of a person)
3.
Fill in the columns below with the appropriate synonym. In each case, the word in
column A is of English origin and the word in column B is of French or Latin origin.
Can you make a general statement about the connotations of the words in columns A
and B?
A
B
feed
____________
____________
conceal
____________
people
begin
____________
____________
mistake
____________
____________
labor
____________
vision
middle
____________
____________
4.
aid/assist
altitude
Determine whether the following are cases of homonymy or polysemy.
(a) fine
'superior in quality'
'a sum of money paid as a penalty'
(b) bank
'an incline of land adjoining a river'
'a financial institution'
(c) monitor
'a pupil who assists a teacher'
'a device that receives video signals from a computer'
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(d) tattoo
'a permanent design on the skin'
'a military exercise'
(e) school
'an institution for instruction'
'a large group of fish'
(f) leech
'a bloodsucking worm'
'a physician'
'a hanger-on, a sycophant'
(g) horn
'a structure projecting from the head of an animal'
'a musical instrument'
(h) ear
'the organ for hearing'
'the seed-bearing spike of a cereal plant'
(i) spell
'to name or write the order of the letters in a word'
'a magical formula'
'a period of time'
(j) butt
'to hit with the head'
'a target (for jokes)'
'the larger or thicker end of an object'
(k) pilot
'one who operates an aircraft or ship'
'a television program produced as a prototype of a series'
5.
Identify the superordinate term in each set.
(a) house, shed, building, garage, cottage, hut
(b) plate, saucer, cup, soup bowl, dish, serving bowl
(c) stream, river, rivulet, creek, brook, tributary
(d) glance, peep, stare, leer, look (at), view, watch
(e) hurricane, tornado, gale, storm, typhoon
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6.
Identify the relationship of oppositeness expressed in the following sentences.
(a) The window pane is open, but it should be shut.
(b) This class is better than last year's class.
(c) This painting is similar to that one.
(d) He pushed the lever forwards instead of backwards.
(e) This plant was sick, but now it's healthy.
(f) My poor relatives envy my rich relatives.
(g) He ordered a sweet and sour dish.
(h) It is better to give than to receive.
7.
Name the structural relation expressed by each of the following pairs of words.
(a) casual/informal
(n) intelligent/smart
(b) parent/offspring
(o) employ/use
(c) university/college
(p) mathematics/history
(d) right/wrong
(q) glass/tumbler
(e) right/left
(r) doctor/patient
(f) odd/even
(s) own/belong to
(g) odd/unusual
(t) ancestor/descendant
(h) bring/take
(u) predator/prey
(i) rude/polite
(v) benefactor/donor
(j) wind/breeze
(w) enter/leave
(k) moist/damp
(x) rise/fall
(l) present/absent
(y) dress/undress
(m) fair/foul (ball)
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8.
Among the terms in the following, name the basic level term(s) and the lower-level
terms in each case.
car, hearse, fire engine, jeep, station wagon, van, truck, pick-up truck, tow truck, delivery
van, humvee, semi-trailer truck, diesel bus, flatbed truck, bus, taxi(cab), cement mixer,
tanker truck, sports utility vehicle (SUV), hybrid, dump truck, garbage truck, sports car,
convertible, sedan, coupe, roadster, minivan, school bus, trolley bus, panel truck, camper
van, recreational vehicle (RV)
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