IMPROVING
VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© 2010 Townsend Press
Unit One: Chapter 5
• allusion
• banal
• altruistic
• euphemism
• appease
• mercenary
• arbitrary
• syndrome
• assail
• taint
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 allusion
– noun
• After I suggested that Monty have fruit for dessert instead of
chocolate cake, he responded, “Is that an allusion to my weight?”
• Ramon didn’t have the courage to come right out and ask Lia to
marry him. Instead, he made only an allusion to marriage by
asking, “Wouldn’t it be easier if we had to fill out just one tax
return?”
Allusion means
A. a contrast to.
B. a hint about.
C. an answer for.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 allusion
– noun
• After I suggested that Monty have fruit for dessert instead of
chocolate cake, he responded, “Is that an allusion to my weight?”
• Ramon didn’t have the courage to come right out and ask Lia to
marry him. Instead, he made only an allusion to marriage by
asking, “Wouldn’t it be easier if we had to fill out just one tax
return?”
Allusion means
A. a contrast to.
B. a hint about.
C. an answer for.
The suggestion that Monty have fruit for dessert makes Monty think
the person dropping a hint about his weight. Ramon’s question about
filling out one tax return is a hint about getting married.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 altruistic
– adjective
• When an enemy approaches, ground squirrels show altruistic
behavior. They risk their own lives to give alarm calls to nearby
relatives.
• “I’m not often altruistic,” Brett admitted. “I usually put my own
welfare first.”
Altruistic means
A. unselfish.
B. cheerful.
C. greedy.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 altruistic
– adjective
• When an enemy approaches, ground squirrels show altruistic
behavior. They risk their own lives to give alarm calls to nearby
relatives.
• “I’m not often altruistic,” Brett admitted. “I usually put my own
welfare first.”
Altruistic means
A. unselfish.
B. cheerful.
C. greedy.
If the squirrels risk their own lives to protect relatives, they are being
unselfish. If Brett puts her own welfare first, she is being selfish, not
unselfish.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 appease
– verb
• My sister was so outraged when I accidentally dropped and broke
her cell phone that nothing I could say or do would appease her.
• Roger was furious when he saw me out with another guy, but I
quickly appeased him by explaining that the “date” was my
cousin.
Appease means
A. to annoy.
B. to heal.
C. to calm.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 appease
– verb
• My sister was so outraged when I accidentally dropped and broke
her cell phone that nothing I could say or do would appease her.
• Roger was furious when he saw me out with another guy, but I
quickly appeased him by explaining that the “date” was my
cousin.
Appease means
A. to annoy.
B. to heal.
C. to calm.
If the sister was extremely outraged, no words or actions would be
able to calm her. In the second item, the news that her “date” is her
cousin would calm Roger’s fury.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 arbitrary
– adjective
• Professor Miller’s students were angry that he graded essays in an
arbitrary way, rather than using clear-cut standards.
• Parents should not enforce rules according to their moods. Such
arbitrary discipline only confuses children.
Arbitrary means
A. steady.
B. slow.
C. impulsive.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 arbitrary
– adjective
• Professor Miller’s students were angry that he graded essays in an
arbitrary way, rather than using clear-cut standards.
• Parents should not enforce rules according to their moods. Such
arbitrary discipline only confuses children.
Arbitrary means
A. steady.
B. slow.
C. impulsive.
If Professor Miller doesn’t use clear-cut standards to grade the
essays, he must grade them in an impulsive way. If parents enforce
rules according to their moods, the discipline is impulsive rather
than consistent.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 assail
– verb
• The storm assailed us with hail and heavy rain.
• The two candidates continuously assailed each other with
accusations of dishonesty.
Assail means
A. to attack.
B. to confuse.
C. to support.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 assail
– verb
• The storm assailed us with hail and heavy rain.
• The two candidates continuously assailed each other with
accusations of dishonesty.
Assail means
A. to attack.
B. to confuse.
C. to support.
The hail and heavy rain of the storm attacked them. If the candidates
are making accusations of dishonesty against one another, they are
attacking each other.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 banal
– adjective
• The film, with its overused expressions and unimaginative plot,
was the most banal I had ever seen.
• “Nice to see you” may be a banal comment, but what it lacks in
originality it makes up for in friendliness.
Banal means
A. greedy.
B. unoriginal.
C. clever.
“If my paper seems banal, that’s
because my dad wrote it, and he
hasn’t had an original idea in years!”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 banal
– adjective
• The film, with its overused expressions and unimaginative plot,
was the most banal I had ever seen.
• “Nice to see you” may be a banal comment, but what it lacks in
originality it makes up for in friendliness.
Banal means
A. greedy.
B. unoriginal.
C. clever.
“If my paper seems banal, that’s
because my dad wrote it, and he
hasn’t had an original idea in years!”
If the film had overused expressions and
an unimaginative plot, it must have been
unoriginal. If the comment lacks
originality, it is unoriginal.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 euphemism
– noun
• Common euphemisms include “final resting place” (for grave),
“Intoxicated” (for drunk), and “Powder room” (for toilet).
• The Central Intelligence Agency is on record as having referred
to assassination with the euphemism “change of health.”
Euphemism means
A. a harsh term.
B. a term that doesn’t offend.
C. a foreign term.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 euphemism
– noun
• Common euphemisms include “final resting place” (for grave),
“Intoxicated” (for drunk), and “Powder room” (for toilet).
• The Central Intelligence Agency is on record as having referred
to assassination with the euphemism “change of health.”
Euphemism means
A. a harsh term.
B. a term that doesn’t offend.
C. a foreign term.
The first item gives three examples of terms that don’t offend. In the
second item, “change of health” is a term that doesn’t offend, while
the term assassination would be offensive to some.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 mercenary
– adjective
• Ed is totally mercenary. His philosophy is, “Pay me enough, and
I’ll do anything.”
• The con man pretended to love the wealthy widow, but he
actually married her for mercenary reasons.
Mercenary means
A. jealous.
B. angry.
C. greedy.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 mercenary
– adjective
• Ed is totally mercenary. His philosophy is, “Pay me enough, and
I’ll do anything.”
• The con man pretended to love the wealthy widow, but he
actually married her for mercenary reasons.
Mercenary means
A. jealous.
B. angry.
C. greedy.
If Ed’s philosophy is that he’ll do anything if he gets enough money,
he must be greedy. If the con man only pretended to love the wealthy
widow, he must have married her for greedy reasons rather than for
love.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 syndrome
– noun
• Headaches are usually harmless, but as part of a syndrome
including fever and a stiff neck, they may be a sign of a serious
illness.
• Jet lag is a syndrome resulting from flying long distances; it
often includes exhaustion, headache, and loss of appetite.
Syndrome means
A. a group of symptoms.
B. a cause.
C. something required.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 syndrome
– noun
• Headaches are usually harmless, but as part of a syndrome
including fever and a stiff neck, they may be a sign of a serious
illness.
• Jet lag is a syndrome resulting from flying long distances; it
often includes exhaustion, headache, and loss of appetite.
Syndrome means
A. a group of symptoms.
B. a cause.
C. something required.
Taken together, headache, fever, and stiff neck is a group of
symptoms. In the second item, exhaustion, headache, and loss
of appetite is another a group of symptoms.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 taint
– verb
• The involvement of organized crime has tainted many sports,
including boxing and horse racing.
• The government scandal tainted the reputations of everyone
involved.
Taint means
A. to benefit.
B. to damage.
C. to start.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 taint
– verb
• The involvement of organized crime has tainted many sports,
including boxing and horse racing.
• The government scandal tainted the reputations of everyone
involved.
Taint means
A. to benefit.
B. to damage.
C. to start.
The involvement of organized crime has damaged boxing and horse
racing. A scandal would damage the reputations of those involved.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
1. There have been people _____________ enough to sell
their own children for the right price.
2. “Someone hasn’t shown me his report card.” my mother
said, making a(n) ________ to my brother.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
mercenary enough to sell
1. There have been people _____________
their own children for the right price.
People who would sell their own children must be greedy.
2. “Someone hasn’t shown me his report card.” my mother
allusion to my brother.
said, making an _________
By using the word someone, the mother is making an indirect reference
to her son.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
3. It takes a(n) _______ person to adopt a disabled child.
4. The mugger _______ed his victims with a baseball bat.
5. The local undertaker insists on using a(n) ________ for the
chapel of his funeral parlor. He calls it the “slumber room.”
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
altruistic person to adopt a disabled child.
3. It takes an ________
Caring for a disabled child takes a lot of time and energy, so a person
who adopts such a child would have to be unselfish.
assailed his victims with a baseball bat.
4. The mugger _________
A mugger physically attacks people.
euphemism for the
5. The local undertaker insists on using a __________
chapel of his funeral parlor. He calls it the “slumber room.”
By calling the chapel the “slumber room,” the undertaker is trying to use
a less offensive term.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
6. The report that the halfback was addicted to drugs
_______(e)d the team’s image.
7. The only thing that would __________ the dead boy’s
parents was imprisonment of the drunk driver who had
killed him.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
6. The report that the halfback was addicted to drugs
tainted
___________
the team’s image.
Having a team member who is addicted to drugs would damage the
team’s image.
appease the dead boy’s
7. The only thing that would __________
parents was imprisonment of the drunk driver who had
killed him.
The parents would be calmed only if their son’s killer was sent to prison.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
8. Abraham Lincoln is thought to have had Marfan’s
__________, a group of symptoms which includes
unusually long bones and abnormal blood circulation.
9. The judge’s harsh sentence was _______. Rather than being
based on past similar cases or on the seriousness of the
crime, it was based on the judge’s opinion of the defendant.
10. “You’re special” probably appears on thousands of greeting
cards, but when someone says it to you and means it, it
never seems _________.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. allusion
B. altruistic
C. appease
F. banal
G. euphemism H. mercenary
D. arbitrary
E. assail
I. syndrome
J. taint
8. Abraham Lincoln is thought to have had Marfan’s
syndrome a group of symptoms which includes
__________,
unusually long bones and abnormal blood circulation.
The words a group of symptoms tell you the meaning of syndrome.
9. The judge’s harsh sentence was _______.
arbitrary Rather than being
based on past similar cases or on the seriousness of the
crime, it was based on the judge’s opinion of the defendant.
A sentence based on the judge’s opinion is determined by personal judgment.
10. “You’re special” probably appears on thousands of greeting
cards, but when someone says it to you and means it, it
banal
never seems _________.
If it appears on thousands of greeting cards, it could seem overused.