Unit 16
Teacher Notes
1. significant–adj– important, meaningful or noticeable
 Voting is significant to me, and I never miss voting in an election.
 In the U.S., some gestures that are significant here are not significant in other
countries.
 A significant amount of snow fell last night, over three inches.
What are some significant differences between you and your parents? What is a
significant memory you have from your childhood?
2. priority – n – the thing you think is most important and that needs attention before
anything else.
 When I have free time in the summer, my priority is working in my yard.
 I have many tasks to do at work and sometimes it is hard to prioritize them.
Sometimes I have to ask my boss what my priority should be.
What are your priorities at home? At work?
Related words/phrases: top/high/low priority
3. qualify – v - to pass an exam or reach the level of knowledge or skill that you need in
order to do something.
 I got a college degree so that I could qualify for jobs that required a degree.
 My sister ran in the Chicago marathon. Her time was fast enough to qualify for the
Boston marathon.
What kinds of jobs are you qualified for? Have you ever taken classes or training in
order to qualify for a certain job?
4. certain – adj – a certain thing, person, idea, etc. is a particular thing, person, etc. that
you are not naming or describing exactly.
 I like certain kinds of cats but not others.
 I wanted a certain plant for my garden, so I looked for it online.
 I like to have my hair cut in a certain way.
Is there something you like to have a certain way?
Related words/phrases: certain type/way/kind
5. duplicate – n– an exact copy of something. (verb pronunciation has a long a)
 I didn’t get the photo book I ordered online, so they sent me a duplicate.
 (adj) I had a duplicate key made for my house.
 (verb) I asked the secretary to duplicate my handouts for class.
Do you have anything that is a duplicate?
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Unit 16 Teacher Notes continued
6. advance – n – before something happens or is expected to happen.
 When I quit my job, I told my boss two weeks in advance.
 (adj) With no advance warning, my car battery died and I got stuck on the road and
had to call for highway service..
What are some things you want to know about in advance?
Related words/phrases: advance warning, in advance, advance notice, advance pay
7. effective – adj – producing the result that was wanted
 When I teach, I try to use effective techniques so that my students will learn what I
want them to learn.
 When I went to the doctor for my injured ankle, the treatment was very effective
and my ankle was better quickly.
What are some effective ways that you save money? What do you think is the most
effective treatment for a cough?
8. enhance – v – to improve something
 I wear eye makeup to enhance my eyes and make them look larger.
 I took a tour at the museum to enhance my understanding of the things in the
exhibit.
What do you do to enhance your vocabulary?
9. valid – adj – can be used legally and is official or acceptable
 When I was stopped by a police officer, he asked to see a valid drivers license.
 My husband had a valid reason for coming home late—he had a flat tire.
 Children should only miss school for a valid reason, like sickness.
Have you ever had a valid excuse for missing an important event?
Other words in the family: validate, validation, invalid (pronunciation has stress on
second syllable)
Related words/phrases: valid document, passport, license, ID
10. substantial – adj – large amount or number, or large and strongly made
 My winter coat is substantial. It is down-filled and very warm in cold weather.
 When I got a new job, I received a substantial increase in salary.
What tasks take up a substantial amount of your time each week?
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Unit 16 Answer Keys
Matching
1. valid
2. advance
3. qualify
4. effective
5. substantial
6. significant
7. duplicate
8. certain
9. priority
10.enhance
Legally acceptable
Before something is going to happen
To have the knowledge or skill that is needed
Producing the result you wanted
A large amount or number
Important or noticeable
An exact copy of something
Particular but not named
The thing that is most important and has to be
done first
To improve something
Fill in the Blank
1.
2.
3.
4.
It takes Georgina a substantial amount of time to do her homework.
Leona’s first priority when she gets home from work is to get dinner started.
Lola took many courses and had to pass exams to qualify to be a dental hygienist.
When Joe is feeling blue, he likes to watch a certain comedy movie to cheer himself
up.
5. Babe broke Casey’s baseball bat, so he had to buy Casey a duplicate one.
6. Betty writes her vocabulary words on notecards because she thinks it is an effective
way to study.
7. Josie wore shoes with 4-inch heels to enhance her height because she wanted to be
taller.
8. Kevin had to show a valid ID to the cashier to prove he was old enough to buy beer.
9. Miriam enters codes into a computer database at her job. The codes are significant
to the people who work at her company, but other people don’t know what the codes
mean.
10. When David had the roof replaced on his house, he had to give advance payment to
the workers.
Fill in the Blanks
1. Lawrence had to have certain medical training in order to qualify for a job as a nurse.
2. Anna got a duplicate of her birth certificate in advance of her move because she was
afraid she would lose one when she moved overseas.
3. John found that dating Mexican women was an effective strategy to enhance his Spanish
skills.
4. As a mother, Tiffany’s top priority was to spend a substantial amount of time with her
daughter.
5. In order to get a valid driver’s license, Henry had to learn the significance of road signs
that have symbols but no words on them.
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Unit 16
Matching
Directions: Listed below is a definition for each word. Write each word next to its
definition.
significant
duplicate
valid
priority
advance
substantial
qualify
effective
certain
enhance
1. ________________
Legally acceptable
2. ________________
Before something is going to happen
3. ________________
To have the knowledge or skill that is needed
4. ________________
Producing the result you wanted
5. ________________
A large amount or number
6. ________________
Important or noticeable
7. ________________
An exact copy of something
8. ________________
Particular but not named
9. ________________
The thing that is most important and has to be
done first
To improve something
10.________________
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Unit 16
Fill in the Blank
Directions: Fill in a word from the list to complete each sentence. Each word can be
used only once.
significant
duplicate
valid
priority
advance
substantial
qualify
effective
certain
enhance
1. It takes Georgina a _______________________ amount of time to do her
homework.
2. Leona’s first ______________________ when she gets home from work is to
get dinner started.
3. Lola took many courses and had to pass exams to _____________________
to be a dental hygienist.
4. When Joe is feeling blue, he likes to watch a _____________________
comedy movie to cheer himself up.
5. Babe broke Casey’s baseball bat, so he had to buy Casey a
_________________________ one.
6. Betty writes her vocabulary words on notecards because she thinks it is an
________________________ way to study.
7. Josie wore shoes with 4-inch heels to ___________________________ her
height because she wanted to be taller.
8. Kevin had to show a ______________________ ID to the cashier to prove
he was old enough to buy beer.
9. Miriam enters codes into a computer database at her job. The codes are
_____________________________ to the people who work at her company,
but other people don’t know what the codes mean.
10.When David had the roof replaced on his house, he had to give
_____________________ payment to the workers.
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Unit 16
Fill in the Blanks
Directions: Fill in two words to complete each sentence.
significance
duplicate
valid
priority
advance
substantial
qualify
effective
certain
enhance
1. Lawrence had to have ______________________ medical training in order
to ______________________ for a job as a nurse.
2. Anna got a ______________________ of her birth certificate in
____________________ of her move because she was afraid she would lose
one when she moved overseas.
3. John found that dating Mexican women was an _____________________
strategy to _____________________ his Spanish skills.
4. As a mother, Tiffany’s top _____________________ was to spend a
____________________________ amount of time with her daughter.
5. In order to get a _____________________ driver’s license, Henry had to
learn the __________________________ of road signs that have symbols
but no words on them.
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Unit 16
Example or Not?
Directions: For each word, decide which sentence is an example of the meaning of
the word. Circle the example.
significant
Bobby didn’t notice that there was a toast
Mike noticed that there were a lot of toast
crumb left on the table because it was so
crumbs on the table after breakfast.
small.
priority
Romeo had three things on his to-do list but
Juliet wrote three things on Romeo’s to-do
the task he wanted to accomplish first was to list but she didn’t care which one he did first.
buy a new flat-screen TV.
qualify
Johnny applied for a job as a fashion model
Keanu applied for a job as a fashion model
because he had many years of experience
although he had never modeled before.
with modeling.
Marisol likes to use a particular knife for
chopping vegetables when she cooks.
Jim bought two pairs of the exact same
purple pants because he loved them so
much.
certain
Lily uses whatever knife is nearby when she
needs to chop vegetables.
duplicate
Jules bought a pair of orange pants and a
pair of striped pants.
advance
Nita’s daughter told her that she needed a
After the prom, Howard found out that his
prom dress two months ahead of time.
daughter didn’t go because she didn’t have a
dress.
effective
George tried studying his vocabulary late at
Bill preferred to study his vocabulary in the
night but he found that he couldn’t
morning before going to work because his
remember it the next day.
house was quiet and he could concentrate.
enhance
Keisha’s sons went to baseball camp in the
Rhonda bought everyone in her family
summer to become better baseball players.
matching baseball caps.
valid
When Lance had the flu, he called his boss
Betsy told her boss she couldn’t come to
and said he was sick and had to stay home.
work because she had to go shopping at the
mall for some cute new shoes.
Nancy lost 268 pounds after she started
eating Subway sandwiches and walking
every day.
substantial
Caroline lost one pound after she started
eating Subway sandwiches and walking
every day.
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Unit 16
Sentence Completions
Directions: Complete each sentence.
1. Something significant that happened to me this week was _______________
_____________________________________________________________
2. One job I am qualified for is ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. My top priority for tomorrow is to __________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. I like to use a certain kind of __________________________ when I _____
_____________________________________________________________
5. A time I needed a duplicate copy of something was when_______________
_____________________________________________________________
6. Something I can do effectively is ___________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
7. Something I like to know in advance is ______________________________
_____________________________________________________________
8. I would like to enhance my ability to ________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
9. A time I had a valid excuse for missing an important event was when
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
10.At my house I have a substantial amount of __________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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Unit 16
Does it Make Sense or Not, and Why?
Directions: Read each statement and decide if it makes sense. If it does not make
sense, change it so that it will make sense. Don’t change the vocabulary word!
1. Hayley threw away the necklace that her mother gave her because it was
significant to her.
2. Chris is an assistant teacher in a kindergarten class, so her first priority is to
make sure the kids have lots of ice cream and pizza to eat every day.
3. Pat had to pass a test to qualify for a taxi driver’s (chauffeur’s) license.
4. Megan likes to go to a certain ski resort in Colorado because it has long ski
runs.
5. When Romeo crashed and ruined his Cadillac car, Juliet bought him a
duplicate car that was much smaller and uglier than the one he had before.
6. Francis told her husband in advance that she wanted to travel around the
world so that they could plan ahead for the expense.
7. Bozo found that yelling at his customers and throwing pies at them was an
effective way to do business because the customers were upset and never
came back.
8. Danielle wanted to enhance her understanding of computers, so she got rid
of her computer and read gardening magazines.
9. Santa needed a valid passport to travel to the North Pole, so he paid a guy
$30 to make him one.
10.Shane wanted a job that would pay a substantial salary like minimum wage.
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Unit 16
Yes, No and Why?
Directions: Answer each question with yes or no, then explain why.
1. Can you always protect yourself effectively if you have advance warning of a
disaster?
2. Is plastic surgery always a valid way to enhance your physical appearance?
3. If you have certain qualifications, will you always get the job?
4. Is a duplicate item always as valid as the original item?
5. Can you enhance something that is already substantial?
6. Are priorities always decided in advance?
7. If you have a certain way you like to do something, can you enhance it?
8. Are qualified employees always effective in their jobs?
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Unit 16
Writing and Discussion Prompts
1. Who is the most significant person in your life right now? Who was the most
significant when you were a child? Why?
2. How do you decide your priorities?
3. Some people think that money is a big priority in America. Do you agree?
Why or why not?
4. Think about a job you would like to have. What would you need to do to
qualify for it?
5. Tell about a food or beverage you like to have prepared in a certain way.
6. Do you try to enhance your appearance in any way? How?
7. What is something you would like to enhance your knowledge about? Why
does it interest you? How would you use your new knowledge?
8. What kinds of qualifications did you need for your current job (or for your
last job if you’re not working now)? How did you get those qualifications?
9. Are there valid reasons for telling lies?
10.Can a person have a valid reason for committing a crime?
11.What is something you have substantial skill in doing?
12.When you quit a job, how much advance notice should an employee give
their company? Why?
13.Do you like working in advance or do you prefer doing things at the last
minute? Give some examples and explain why.
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