Vocabulary Lesson Six – Book One
1. nepotism: n. favoritism shown to family or friends by those in power,
especially in business or hiring practices.
“I was qualified for the job, but Uncle Mike refused to hire me because he did not want to be
accused of nepotism.”
2. begrudge: v. to resent another’s success; to envy
syn: resent
ant: forgive
3. mandarin: n. an influential person; a member of an elite group
“Mandarins and bureaucrats discussed the state of the economy during the summit.”
4. glutinous: adj. gluey; sticky
“The bread dough was in a glutinous mass that stuck to anything it touched.”
5. enmity: n. deep-seated hostility; often mutual
syn: hatred; antagonism
ant: friendship
6. declaim: v. to speak in a dramatic, impassioned, or blustering manner
syn: trumpet
ant: whisper
7. imbue: v. to inspire or influence; to saturate
syn: instill; pervade
8. gaff: n. a pole with a large hook on one end
“The fisherman used a gaff to drag the heavy swordfish onto the boat.”
9. quaff: v. to drink in large quantities; to gulp
syn: guzzle; swig
ant: sip
10. bibliophile: n. a lover of books
“The bibliophile was thrilled to get a job at the library.”
Exercise I: Words in Context
From the list below, supply the words needed to complete the paragraph. Some words will not be
used.
nepotism
declaim
imbue
begrudged
enmity
1. The ______ between Mike and Brad showed through the manner in which they argued over the most
trivial company decisions. Weeks before, Brad had been promoted to regional manager in an obvious
act of ______, since his uncle is a member of the board of directors. Mike ____ Brad for the
promotion because it had taken fifteen years for Mike to become a regional manager, and Brad had
walked into the job with practically no experience at all. Now, during any argument with Brad, Mike
was sure to _____ about how “fifteen years of seniority and experience make my decisions practically
infallible.”
(Exercise I continued on other side)
1
nepotism
mandarin
bibliophile
imbue
2. Corporate leaders, high-ranking government officials, and influential ______ gathered in the halls of
Xavier’s mansion at least once a month. Dinner was held in the ballroom, and then Xavier, a noted
_______, usually invited his guests to his colossal private library. Bookshelves towered over the
guests, and the presence of hundreds of rare, ancient tomes ______ them with a sense of humility as
they stood among the centuries of human thought that had built the world in which they now lived.
glutinous
quaff
declaim
gaff
3. When the whaling ship encountered a tiny skiff bobbing on the high seas, the captain ordered a
sailor to snag it with a [n] _____. To the sailor’s surprise, a sun-beaten man lay on the bottom of the
boat. He awoke to the voices of his rescuers, and he immediately ______ the water they offered him.
Apparently, the man had kept himself alive by eating the _______ remnants of wet rations that he
salvaged before a violent storm sunk his ship.
Exercise II: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentence in a way that shows that you understand the meaning of the italicized
vocabulary word.
1.During a break from toiling in the oppressive heat, the workers quaffed …
2.Dad spent all day fixing the car and then declaimed that …
3.The man working in the reptile exhibit used a gaff …
4.Some parents accused the coach of nepotism because …
5.Working on a farm imbued Mary with …
6.The activists wanted Dorian’s support because he is a mandarin who can …
7.You knew that Frank was a bibliophile because …
8. The scientist said that the glutinous substance had similar characteristics to …
9.There was enmity between the brother and sister ever since …
10.Gloria secretly begrudged her friend …
Exercise III: Inference
Complete the sentences by inferring information about the italicized words from its context.
1. Nepotism is common in family businesses, where many of the employees are hired because they…
2.Kelly attributed her artistic success to the fact that her mentor had imbued her with …
3.If people avoid you because you always declaim your own skills, then you should probably learn to
…
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