1. ADVANCING VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© Townsend Press

2. Unit One: Chapter 5 • charlatan • hoist • corroborate • illicit
• disseminate • irrevocable
• diverge • precipitate
• dormant • proliferation
Page 24 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 charlatan – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 charlatan
– noun
• My grandmother once bought a “magnetic box” from a charlatan who assured her that it would cure her arthritis. Of course, the box was worthless.
• In the days of the Wild West, charlatans sold “snake oil” as a remedy for everything from baldness to insanity.
Charlatan means
A. an investor.
B. an expert.
C. a con artist.
Page 24 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 charlatan – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 charlatan
– noun
• My grandmother once bought a “magnetic box” from a charlatan who assured her that it would cure her arthritis. Of course, the box was worthless.
• In the days of the Wild West, charlatans sold “snake oil” as a remedy for everything from baldness to insanity.
Charlatan means
A. an investor.
B. an expert.
C. a con artist.
Page 24 in textbook.
If the “magnetic box” was worthless, the man who sold was a con artist. A person who sells “snake oil” that cures everything would be a con artist.

5. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 corroborate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 corroborate
– verb
• You claim you were at a soccer game when the crime was committed. Can anyone corroborate your story?
• Sid says he saw a flying saucer in the park, but no one else in the area has come forward to corroborate his account.
Corroborate means
A. to question.
B. to support.
C. to understand.
Page 24 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

6. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 corroborate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 corroborate
– verb
• You claim you were at a soccer game when the crime was committed. Can anyone corroborate your story?
• Sid says he saw a flying saucer in the park, but no one else in the area has come forward to corroborate his account.
Corroborate means
A. to question.
B. to support.
C. to understand.
Page 24 in textbook.
The questioner wants to know if anyone can support the person’s story about being at a soccer game. In the second item, no one else has come forward to support Sid’s report of seeing a flying saucer.

7. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 disseminate –verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 disseminate
–verb
• Campaign workers went all over the city to disseminate pamphlets and flyers about their candidate.
• What would be the best way to disseminate information about the next school board meeting? It’s important for all parents to attend.
Disseminate means
A. to spread.
B. to conceal.
C. to improve.
Page 24 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

8. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 disseminate –verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 disseminate
–verb
• Campaign workers went all over the city to disseminate pamphlets and flyers about their candidate.
• What would be the best way to disseminate information about the next school board meeting? It’s important for all parents to attend.
Disseminate means
A. to spread.
B. to conceal.
C. to improve.
Page 24 in textbook.
Campaign workers would go all over the city to spread pamphlets and flyers about the candidate. Since it is important for all parents to attend the next school board meeting, people would want to spread information about it.

9. Two dirt roads diverging
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 diverge
– verb
• The brothers’ paths diverged greatly. One became a famous lawyer, and the other ended up in jail for armed robbery.
• In a well-known poem, Robert Frost uses a branching path as a symbol of life’s decisions: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by.”
Diverge means
A. to separate.
B. to unite.
C. to disappear.
Page 24 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.
Two dirt roads diverging
Photo: Jonathan Billinger

10. Two dirt roads diverging
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 diverge
– verb
• The brothers’ paths diverged greatly. One became a famous lawyer, and the other ended up in jail for armed robbery.
• In a well-known poem, Robert Frost uses a branching path as a symbol of life’s decisions: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by.”
Diverge means
A. to separate.
B. to unite.
C. to disappear.
Page 24 in textbook.
If one brother became a lawyer and the other went to jail, their paths separated greatly. In the second item, the word branching tells you that diverge means “to separate.”
Two dirt roads diverging
Photo: Jonathan Billinger

11. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 dormant – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 dormant
– adjective
• Many insects lay eggs that remain dormant all winter and do not hatch until spring, in the warmer weather.
• A visit to Puerto Rico reawakened Anita’s dormant interest in Spanish, the language of her childhood.
Dormant means
A. not active.
B. irreversible.
C. growing.
Page 24 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 dormant – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 dormant
– adjective
• Many insects lay eggs that remain dormant all winter and do not hatch until spring, in the warmer weather.
• A visit to Puerto Rico reawakened Anita’s dormant interest in Spanish, the language of her childhood.
Dormant means
A. not active.
B. irreversible.
C. growing.
Page 24 in textbook.
Since the eggs do not hatch until the spring, they are not active all winter. In the second item, the word reawakened suggests that Anita’s interest in Spanish had not been active for several years.

13. A helicopter hoisting a boat
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 hoist
– verb
• Let’s go over to the construction site and watch the crane hoist the beams into place for the new skyscraper.
• So far, attempts to hoist the wreckage of the jetliner from the ocean floor have been unsuccessful.
Hoist means
A. to follow.
B. to display.
C. to raise.
Page 24 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.
A helicopter hoisting a boat
from the water
Photo: U.S. Navy

14. A helicopter hoisting a boat
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 hoist
– verb
• Let’s go over to the construction site and watch the crane hoist the beams into place for the new skyscraper.
• So far, attempts to hoist the wreckage of the jetliner from the ocean floor have been unsuccessful.
Hoist means
A. to follow.
B. to display.
C. to raise.
Page 24 in textbook.
A crane raises the skyscraper’s beams into place. Attempts would be made to raise the wreckage from the ocean floor.
A helicopter hoisting a boat
from the water
Photo: U.S. Navy

15. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 illicit – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 illicit
– adjective
• Years of illicit activities resulted in Gene’s being sentenced to serve a life term in prison.
• Ted’s business is illicit: he drives an unlicensed passenger van along a route that’s supposed to be used only by city buses.
Illicit means
A. fake.
B. unlawful.
C. unprofitable.
Page 25 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 illicit – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 illicit
– adjective
• Years of illicit activities resulted in Gene’s being sentenced to serve a life term in prison.
• Ted’s business is illicit: he drives an unlicensed passenger van along a route that’s supposed to be used only by city buses.
Illicit means
A. fake.
B. unlawful.
C. unprofitable.
Page 25 in textbook.
Since Gene was sentenced to life in prison, he must have been involved in unlawful activities. In the second item, the description of Ted’s activities makes it clear that his business is unlawful.

17. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 irrevocable – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 irrevocable
– adjective
• Layla would like to break off her engagement to Ahmed, but she feels that her promise to marry him is irrevocable.
• Giving a child up for adoption has become a subject of debate. Should the mother be allowed to change her mind, or should her decision be irrevocable?
Irrevocable means
A. not reversible.
B. mistaken.
C. not certain.
Page 25 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 irrevocable – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 irrevocable
– adjective
• Layla would like to break off her engagement to Ahmed, but she feels that her promise to marry him is irrevocable.
• Giving a child up for adoption has become a subject of debate. Should the mother be allowed to change her mind, or should her decision be irrevocable?
Irrevocable means
A. not reversible.
B. mistaken.
C. not certain.
Page 25 in textbook.
In spite of what Layla would like to do, she feels her promise is not reversible. If the mother is not allowed to change her mind, her decision is not reversible.

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 precipitate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 precipitate
– verb
• Mark’s search for a larger house was precipitated by his marriage to a woman with four children.
• The discovery that Elliot had been setting fires precipitated his parents’ decision to send him to a child psychologist.
Precipitate means
A. to bring on.
B. to prevent.
C. to permit.
Page 25 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

20. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 precipitate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 precipitate
– verb
• Mark’s search for a larger house was precipitated by his marriage to a woman with four children.
• The discovery that Elliot had been setting fires precipitated his parents’ decision to send him to a child psychologist.
Precipitate means
A. to bring on.
B. to prevent.
C. to permit.
Page 25 in textbook.
Marrying a woman with four children would bring on Mark’s search for a bigger house. In the second item, such a discovery would bring on his parents’ decision.

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 proliferation – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 proliferation
– noun
• Hana’s doctors hope that chemotherapy will halt the proliferation of cancer cells in her body.
• The proliferation of dandelions in my yard is too much for me to handle. They’re growing faster than I can destroy them.
Proliferation means
A. damage.
B. a shortage.
C. a rapid increase.
Page 25 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 proliferation – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 proliferation
– noun
• Hana’s doctors hope that chemotherapy will halt the proliferation of cancer cells in her body.
• The proliferation of dandelions in my yard is too much for me to handle. They’re growing faster than I can destroy them.
Proliferation means
A. damage.
B. a shortage.
C. a rapid increase.
Page 25 in textbook.
A characteristic of cancer cells is their rapid increase. In the second item, since the dandelions are growing faster than the speaker can destroy them, their rapid increase is too much to handle.

23. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
1. Children’s lives often __________ from the paths their parents planned for them.
2. The “natural healer” was a __________. He knew nothing about healing—natural or otherwise.
Page 26 in textbook.
Answers: 1. diverge; 2. charlatan
The next slide explains the answers.

24. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
1. Children’s lives often __________ from the paths their parents planned for them.
diverge
Children’s lives often branch off in different directions from the paths their parents had planned for them.
2. The “natural healer” was a __________. He knew nothing about healing—natural or otherwise.
charlatan
Page 26 in textbook.
Since the “natural healer” knew nothing about healing, he was a fake.

25. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
3. I thought your vow to quit smoking was __________, but you’ve broken it already.
4. When I visited the art museum, my ________ creative instinct awakened. Now I’ve signed up for a course in sculpture.
Page 26 in textbook.
Answers: 3. irrevocable; 4. dormant; 5. precipitate
The next slide explains the answers.
5. Rafael’s growth of four inches over the summer _______(e)d a shopping trip for new clothes.

26. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
3. I thought your vow to quit smoking was __________, but you’ve broken it already.
irrevocable
A vow or solemn promise is considered irreversible.
4. When I visited the art museum, my ________ creative instinct awakened. Now I’ve signed up for a course in sculpture.
dormant
Page 26 in textbook.
The word awakened suggests that the speaker’s creative instinct has been inactive.
5. Rafael’s growth of four inches over the summer ___________ a shopping trip for new clothes.
precipitated
A growth of four inches in one summer would cause a shopping trip.

27. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
6. In our city, the police department has special units to investigate _________ activities such as gambling and drug use.
7. The stone slabs are too heavy for us to move, so we’re bringing in a forklift to _________ them onto the walkway.
Page 26 in textbook.
Answers: 6. illicit; 7. hoist
The next slide explains the answers.

28. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
6. In our city, the police department has special units to investigate _________ activities such as gambling and drug use.
illicit
Gambling and drug use are illegal activities in most cities.
7. The stone slabs are too heavy for us to move, so we’re bringing in a forklift to _________ them onto the walkway.
hoist
Page 26 in textbook.
A forklift would lift the heavy stone slabs.

29. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
8. The environmental group _______(e)d leaflets about the oil spill, describing the damage and urging people to boycott the oil company.
9. I’m afraid I can’t __________ Todd’s claim that he’s never had problems with schoolwork. The fact is that he’s failed several courses.
Page 26 in textbook.
Answers: 8. disseminate; 9. corroborate; 10. proliferation
The next slide explains the answers.
10. Sadly, the __________ of homeless dogs and cats has become so great that about seventeen million of them are killed in U.S. animal shelters each year.

30. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. charlatan B. corroborate C. disseminate
D. diverge
E. dormant
F. hoist G. illicit H. irrevocable
I. precipitate
J. proliferation
8. The environmental group ___________ leaflets about the oil spill, describing the damage and urging people to boycott the oil company.
disseminated
An environmental group would distribute such leaflets.
9. I’m afraid I can’t __________ Todd’s claim that he’s never had problems with schoolwork. The fact is that he’s failed several courses.
corroborate
Page 26 in textbook.
If Todd has failed courses, one could not confirm Todd’s claim.
10. Sadly, the __________ of homeless dogs and cats has become so great that about seventeen million of them are killed in U.S. animal shelters each year.
proliferation
A rapid increase in homeless dogs and cats would account for the need to destroy so many animals.