Chapter Fourteen
1. Alleviate - Verb
To alleviate his loneliness, the widower moved closer to his
daughter and her family.
• After a long game in the August heat, the young baseball players
alleviated their thirst with ice-cold lemonade.
Alleviate means : a) to consider b) to hide c) to ease
•
2. Benefactor – Noun
The Second Street Bank is a long-time benefactor of the arts.
This year it will sponsor a series of free jazz concerts in the
parks.
•
The wealthy benefactor who paid for the chil’s operation prefers
to remain anonymous.
Benefactor means:
a) a financial supporter b) a social critic
c) a cooperative person
•
3. Covert – Adjective
Miriam and David’s relationship is so covert that they never eat
out. Even their best friends don’t know they are seeing each
other.
•
If you enjoy covert activities, become a secret agent.
Covert means: a) obvious b) concealed c) easy to bear
•
4. Cynic- Noun
Her parents’ nasty divorce has made Libby a cynic about
marriage.
•
Mr. Bryant was a cynic about people until he fell down on a street
corner and several strangers rushed to his aid.
Cynic means: a) someone who believes the worst
b) someone who gives help
c) someone with a bad reputation
•
5. Demise - Noun
During my years in grade school and high school, the untimely
demise of several of my classmates made me very aware of my
mortality.
•
In 1567, a beard caused a man’s demise. Hans Steininger’s beard
was so long that he stepped on it while climbing a staircase, lost
his balance, fell down the steps, and died.
Demise means: a) popularity b) a secret c) dying
•
6. Infamous- Adjective
King Henry VIII of England was infamous throughout Europe for
executing two of his six wives.
•
Visitors to the dungeons of ancient castles always want to see the
instruments of torture, including the infamous Iron Maiden – a
body-shaped box with spikes inside.
Infamous means:
a) known favorably
b) thought to be annoying
c) giving hope
•
7. Intrinsic - Adjective
Trust is intrinsic to any good friendship.
Because Lian has an intrinsic desire to learn, she doesn’t need
the reward of good grades to motivate her studies.
Intrinsic means: a) popularity b) a secret c) dying
•
•
8. Revulsion - Noun
Whenever I read about child abuse in the newspaper, I am filled
with such revulsion that I often cannot finish the article.
•
When Sharon met the man who had cheated her father, she was
overcome with revulsion.
Revulsion means:
a) interest
b) hatred
c) understanding
•
9. Speculate - Verb
It’s interesting to speculate how history might have been
different if Abraham Lincoln had lived a few years longer.
•
The therapist asked Cassy to speculate about what might happen
if she told Ralph her true feelings.
Speculate means: a) to remember b) to announce c) to guess
•
10. Virile - Adjective
Men who are unsure about their masculinity sometimes try to
“prove” they are virile by being overly aggressive.
•
When a male heron stamps his feet and sticks his neck out, and
then drops his head and says “plop-buzz.” the female finds him
very virile. In fact, that behavior is how the male attracts a
mate.
Virile means: a) having attractive male qualities
b) lacking in confidence
c) unselfish
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Secret; hidden
A person who believes the worst of people’s behavior
and motives; someone who believes people are
motivated only by selfishness
Belonging to a person or thing by its very nature (and
thus not dependent on circumstances)
Having a very bad reputation; widely known for being
vicious, criminal, or deserving of contempt
A person or organization that gives help, especially
financial aid
Manly; masculine
Death
To come up with ideas or theories about a subject;
theorize
To relieve; make easier to endure
Great disgust or distaste
alleviate
infamous
benefactor
intrinsic
covert
revulsion
cynic
speculate
demise
virile
1.
Problems are _____ to life; they’re unavoidable.
2.
My hunger isn’t fully satisfied, but the apple _____(e)d it
somewhat.
3.
Teenage guys usually welcome a deepening voice and a
thickening beard as signs that they are becoming more
_____.
4.
The selfless work of the nuns in the slums of India is
enough to touch the hearts of most hardened ______s.
5.
Though she was tried and found not guilty, Lizzie Borden
is still _____ for killing her parents with a hatchet.
alleviate
infamous
benefactor
intrinsic
covert
revulsion
cynic
speculate
demise
virile
6.
The children loved the ______ activities involved in preparing their
mother’s surprise party.
7.
The mass murderer’s neighbors were overcome with ______ when they
learned what their “friend” had been doing in his basement.
8.
“As no group has claimed responsibility, we can only _____ on the
motives for the bombing,” said the newscaster.
9.
Roger Novak had been a well-known _____ of AIDS research, so it was no
surprise that he left a lot of money for the research in his will.
10.
It’s a good idea for married couples to discuss their funeral plans in case
of each other’s _____. For example, do they wish to be buried or
cremated?
alleviate
infamous
benefactor
intrinsic
covert
revulsion
cynic
speculate
demise
virile
1-2. Nursing is a good career for Dee because it’s a(n) _____ part of her
personality to try to _____ people’s pain. In addition, since she is
physically and mentally strong, she will be able to handle the rigors of
nursing, such as intense stress and long hours.
3-4. Although everything about the Nazis filled the Dutch spy with _____, his
_____ assignment was to make friends with top Nazi scientists. He had
few qualms about faking such friendships – he would have felt more guilty
if he hadn’t done everything in his power to fight the Nazis.
5-6. The _____s in town said that Joyce Lester’s sorrow over her husband’s
_____ was much less than her joy in getting the money from his insurance
policy.
7-8. Young men who are bullies usually think of themselves as _____, but a
_____ of the weak is far more manly than someone who takes advantage
of weakness.
9-10. With all the stories told about Jesse James, the Dalton Gang, and other
_____ figures of the Wild West, we can only _____ as to how much is fact
and how much is fiction.