WORKING WITH WORDS
Instructions:
(1) Give the part of speech of each of these word forms. Notice that some of the words are used in
different forms than they appeared on the original list. (2) Fill in the blank with the appropriate word.
(3) After filling in all blanks, write the appropriate type of phrase on the blanks following the passage.
(4) Finally, match the words with their synonyms.
WORD BANK
(PART 1)
STOICAL __________
IMPEDED __________
STIGMA __________
BOWDLERIZE ________
HERCULEAN __________
QUIXOTIC __________
CYNICALLY _________
PANDEMONIUM ________
PANDERING ___________
EXPEDITED ___________
(PART 2: Each word must be used only once.)
The greatest of all English dictionaries is the multivolume Oxford English Dictionary, OED for short. This
work defines and dates the first written use of a word and then traces, through a wealth of quotations,
how the word has been used over the years. The OED thus presents a historical portrait of our English
words. The man chiefly responsible for the (1) _____________________________ task of producing this
enormous dictionary was the British scholar James A. H. Murray (1837-1915). Some people probably
thought such a visionary task was impractical and (2) __________________________________; others
(3) ___________________________________ thought that no one would undertake such an immense
project unless promised a fortune or international acclaim. Murray, however, was not interested in
(4)________________________________ to the masses for a quick reward, but painstakingly labored to
produce a work of the highest scholarship despite being (5)_________________________ by
inadequate funding. He would not suffer the dictionary to bear the (6)_____________________ of
failing to meet the most exacting standards. The production of this work was in part
(7)_________________________ by Murray’s large family, the children helping with the tedious filing.
The (8)_______________________________ present in many large families was absent from Murray’s
orderly household. Basically self-disciplined, persevering, and (9)_________________________, Murray
rarely complained about his herculean labor. He would have become enraged, however, at any attempt
to alter or (10)_______________________________ what he thought essential to the dictionary.
(PART 3: Each phrase must be used only once.)
ADJECTIVE PHRASE, ADVERB PHRASE, GERUND PHRASE, INFINITIVE PHRASE, PARTICIPIAL PHRASE
1. through a wealth of quotations ____________________________________________________
2. of our English words _____________________________________________________________
3. producing this enormous dictionary _________________________________________________
4. to produce a work ______________________________________________________________
5. helping with the tedious filing _____________________________________________________
(PART 4)
_____1. CYNICAL
a. taint, stain
_____2. BOWDLERIZE
b. chaos, disorder
_____3. EXPEDITE
c. visionary, fanciful
_____4. STIGMA
d. cater, indulge
_____5. PANDER
e. delete, censor
_____6. STOICAL
f. colossal, massive
_____7. QUIXOTIC
g. imperturbable, self-controlled
_____8. HERCULEAN
h. skeptical, distrustful
_____9. IMPEDE
i. quicken, accelerate
_____10. PANDEMONIUM
j. block, hinder
(PART 5: BONUS WORDS FOR QUIZ—You can receive up to 105% on the quiz.)
VOC—voice, call
1. VOCIFEROUS (ADJ.)—loudly insistent; synonym-noisy
2. EVOCATIVE (ADJ.)—producing a reaction or response, especially an emotional one; synonymsuggestive
3. AVOCATION (N.)—an activity taken up, outside of one’s profession; synonym-hobby
4. IRREVOCABLE (ADJ.)—unable to be called back or undone; synonym-unchangeable
5. EQUIVOCATE (V.)—to use words ambiguously or unclearly, usually in order to mislead; synonymdodge