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

2. Unit One: Chapter 4 • berate • maudlin • estrange • regress
• euphoric • relinquish
• impetuous • ubiquitous
• infallible • zenith
Page 20 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 berate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 berate
– verb
• Nick’s mother often berates him. And when she isn’t yelling at him, she ignores him.
• Vanessa can accept reasonable criticism, but she was upset when her boss berated her loudly in front of everyone else in the office.
Berate means
A. to disappoint.
B. to neglect.
C. to scold angrily.
Page 20 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 berate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 berate
– verb
• Nick’s mother often berates him. And when she isn’t yelling at him, she ignores him.
• Vanessa can accept reasonable criticism, but she was upset when her boss berated her loudly in front of everyone else in the office.
Berate means
A. to disappoint.
B. to neglect.
C. to scold angrily.
Page 20 in textbook.
The words yelling at him suggest that berate means “to scold angrily.” In contrast with reasonable criticism, Vanessa’s boss scolded her angrily.

5. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 estrange – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 estrange
– verb
• My cousin’s recent moodiness has estranged some of his old friends.
• After his divorce, Gavin didn’t want to estrange his children, so he called and visited them often.
Estrange means
A. to frighten.
B. to drive away.
C. to dislike.
Page 20 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

6. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 estrange – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 estrange
– verb
• My cousin’s recent moodiness has estranged some of his old friends.
• After his divorce, Gavin didn’t want to estrange his children, so he called and visited them often.
Estrange means
A. to frighten.
B. to drive away.
C. to dislike.
Page 20 in textbook.
The cousin’s moodiness would drive away his friends. Gavin would frequently call and visit his children in order not to drive them away.

7. Euphoric members of a winning
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 euphoric
– adjective
• I was euphoric when I received my grades. To my amazement and joy, they were all A’s and B’s.
• Nikki is euphoric today, and it’s easy to see why she’s in such high spirits. She’s just gotten the lead role in our school’s production of Beauty and the Beast.
Euphoric means
A. very happy.
B. boastful.
C. sentimental.
Page 20 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.
Euphoric members of a winning
handball team
Photo: Steindy

8. Euphoric members of a winning
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 euphoric
– adjective
• I was euphoric when I received my grades. To my amazement and joy, they were all A’s and B’s.
• Nikki is euphoric today, and it’s easy to see why she’s in such high spirits. She’s just gotten the lead role in our school’s production of Beauty and the Beast.
Euphoric means
A. very happy.
B. boastful.
C. sentimental.
Page 20 in textbook.
The word joy suggests that euphoric means “very happy.” In the second item, the words in such high spirits tell you that euphoric means “very happy.”
Euphoric members of a winning
handball team
Photo: Steindy

9. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 impetuous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 impetuous
– adjective
• Whenever I make an impetuous purchase, I end up being dissatisfied: the shoes aren’t comfortable, the shirt is the wrong color, the jacket costs too much. From now on, I intend to think more carefully before I buy.
• Children tend to be impetuous and often don’t think about the consequences of their actions. For instance, they’ll throw snowballs at passing cars without worrying about possibly causing an accident.
Impetuous means
A. impulsive.
B. considerate.
C. imaginative.
Page 20 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

10. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 impetuous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 impetuous
– adjective
• Whenever I make an impetuous purchase, I end up being dissatisfied: the shoes aren’t comfortable, the shirt is the wrong color, the jacket costs too much. From now on, I intend to think more carefully before I buy.
• Children tend to be impetuous and often don’t think about the consequences of their actions. For instance, they’ll throw snowballs at passing cars without worrying about possibly causing an accident.
Impetuous means
A. impulsive.
B. considerate.
C. imaginative.
Page 20 in textbook.
The words think more carefully tell you that impetuous means the opposite—“impulsive.” In the second item, the words don’t think about the consequences tell you that impetuous means “impulsive.”

11. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 infallible – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 infallible
– adjective
• Computers aren’t infallible. If you put the wrong data into a computer, you’ll get wrong answers.
• A sign over my sister’s desk reads, “I’m infallible. I never make misteaks.”
Infallible means
A. perfect.
B. imperfect.
C. everywhere.
Page 20 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 infallible – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 infallible
– adjective
• Computers aren’t infallible. If you put the wrong data into a computer, you’ll get wrong answers.
• A sign over my sister’s desk reads, “I’m infallible. I never make misteaks.”
Infallible means
A. perfect.
B. imperfect.
C. everywhere.
Page 20 in textbook.
Since computers can give wrong answers, they are not perfect. In the second item, the fact that the word mistakes is spelled incorrectly on the sister’s sign shows that she is not perfect.

13. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 maudlin – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 maudlin
– adjective
• The verses in greeting cards are often far too sentimental. I prefer humor to such maudlin messages.
• The authors of maudlin soap operas must feel that they haven’t done their job unless viewers are crying by the end of each show.
Maudlin means
A. short.
B. comical.
C. overly emotional.
Page 20 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

14. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 maudlin – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 maudlin
– adjective
• The verses in greeting cards are often far too sentimental. I prefer humor to such maudlin messages.
• The authors of maudlin soap operas must feel that they haven’t done their job unless viewers are crying by the end of each show.
Maudlin means
A. short.
B. comical.
C. overly emotional.
Page 20 in textbook.
The words far too sentimental suggest that maudlin means “overly emotional.” In the second item, if the viewers are supposed to be crying by the end of each show, the soap operas must be overly emotional.

15. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 regress – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 regress
– verb
• When his baby sister was born, seven-year-old Jeremy regressed for a while and began sucking his thumb again.
• Adolescents under stress sometimes regress to childish ways: dependency, temper tantrums, and silliness.
Regress means
A. to go backward.
B. to reach a high point.
C. to act hastily.
Page 21 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 regress – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 regress
– verb
• When his baby sister was born, seven-year-old Jeremy regressed for a while and began sucking his thumb again.
• Adolescents under stress sometimes regress to childish ways: dependency, temper tantrums, and silliness.
Regress means
A. to go backward.
B. to reach a high point.
C. to act hastily.
Page 21 in textbook.
If seven-year-old Jeremy began sucking his thumb again, he had gone backwards and become less mature. Adolescents would have to go backward to start acting childishly again.

17. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 relinquish – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 relinquish
– verb
• No beer is allowed in the “family area” of the stadium, so fans must relinquish their six-packs at the gate before they take their seats.
• Donna had to relinquish her share in the beach house because she couldn’t afford it anymore.
Relinquish means
A. to buy.
B. to give up.
C. to enjoy.
Page 21 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.
“I’ll relinquish your chair
if you’ll get me my dinner!”

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 relinquish – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 relinquish
– verb
• No beer is allowed in the “family area” of the stadium, so fans must relinquish their six-packs at the gate before they take their seats.
• Donna had to relinquish her share in the beach house because she couldn’t afford it anymore.
Relinquish means
A. to buy.
B. to give up.
C. to enjoy.
Page 21 in textbook.
Since no beer is allowed, fans have to give up their six-packs at the gate. Since Donna couldn’t afford her share, she had to give it up.
“I’ll relinquish your chair
if you’ll get me my dinner!”

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 ubiquitous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 ubiquitous
– adjective
• Mites are ubiquitous. They live on top of Mt. Everest, in the depths of the ocean, at the South Pole, and even around the roots of your hairs.
• We postponed our plan to drive home on Sunday because a dense fog was ubiquitous. It covered the entire town.
Ubiquitous means
A. scarce.
B. newly discovered.
C. found everywhere.
Page 21 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

20. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 ubiquitous – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 ubiquitous
– adjective
• Mites are ubiquitous. They live on top of Mt. Everest, in the depths of the ocean, at the South Pole, and even around the roots of your hairs.
• We postponed our plan to drive home on Sunday because a dense fog was ubiquitous. It covered the entire town.
Ubiquitous means
A. scarce.
B. newly discovered.
C. found everywhere.
Page 21 in textbook.
Because mites live in all of the places listed, they are found everywhere. If the dense fog covered the entire town, it was found everywhere.

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 zenith – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 zenith
– noun
• Florence reached the zenith of her career when she became president of Ace Products.
• At age 50, my uncle is afraid that he has already passed the zenith of his life; but at age 52, my father thinks the best is yet to come.
Zenith means
A. an end.
B. an earlier condition.
C. the highest point.
Page 21 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 zenith – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 zenith
– noun
• Florence reached the zenith of her career when she became president of Ace Products.
• At age 50, my uncle is afraid that he has already passed the zenith of his life; but at age 52, my father thinks the best is yet to come.
Zenith means
A. an end.
B. an earlier condition.
C. the highest point.
Page 21 in textbook.
Becoming the president of the company would be the highest point of Florence’s career. In contrast with the father thinking the best is yet to come, the uncle is afraid he’s passed the highest point of his life.

23. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
1. People in bombed-out, war-torn cities sometimes ________ to more primitive ways of life.
2. To many people, Mozart’s works represent the __________ of eighteenth-century music.
Page 22 in textbook.
Answers: 1. regress; 2. zenith
The next slide explains the answers.

24. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
1. People in bombed-out, war-torn cities sometimes ________ to more primitive ways of life.
regress
Living in a bombed-out, war-torn city could force people to return to a more primitive way of life.
2. To many people, Mozart’s works represent the __________ of eighteenth-century music.
zenith
Page 22 in textbook.
Some people consider Mozart’s works the peak of eighteenth-century music.

25. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
3. Mei Lin was __________ when the college that was her first choice accepted her.
4. When Dad lost his job, he had to _________ his identification card, his employee parking permit, and the key to his desk.
Page 22 in textbook.
Answers: 3. euphoric; 4. relinquish; 5. estrange
The next slide explains the answers.
5. Kay used to be friendly, but since her promotion, she has become so cold that she has _______(e)d former coworkers.

26. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
3. Mei Lin was __________ when the college that was her first choice accepted her.
euphoric
Mei Lin would be overjoyed at being accepted by her first-choice college.
4. When Dad lost his job, he had to _________ his identification card, his employee parking permit, and the key to his desk.
relinquish
Page 22 in textbook.
Since Dad was no longer working for the company, he had to surrender those items.
5. Kay used to be friendly, but since her promotion, she has become so cold that she has __________ former coworkers.
estranged
By becoming very cold, Kay would alienate her former coworkers.

27. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
6. “I don’t expect you to be ________,” the boss said, “but I don’t want you to make the same mistakes over and over.”
7. “I know I was late,” Liz said, “but you could have pointed it out quietly. You didn’t have to __________ me.”
Page 22 in textbook.
Answers: 6. infallible; 7. berate
The next slide explains the answers.

28. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
6. “I don’t expect you to be ________,” the boss said, “but I don’t want you to make the same mistakes over and over.”
infallible
If the boss expects a person to make some mistakes, she does not expect the employee to be perfect.
7. “I know I was late,” Liz said, “but you could have pointed it out quietly. You didn’t have to __________ me.”
berate
Page 22 in textbook.
Instead of pointing out Liz’s lateness quietly, the person criticized her harshly.

29. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
8. In our neighborhood, litter is __________—the sidewalks are ankle-deep in trash. We need a cleanup campaign.
9. Uncle Antonio becomes __________ when he talks about his dear old mother in Italy. Tears also come to the eyes of all who listen.
Page 22 in textbook.
Answers: 8. ubiquitous; 9. maudlin; 10. impetuous
The next slide explains the answers.
10. Joyce isn’t usually __________, but last week she had a sudden urge to try out her nephew’s skateboard. Everyone in the office has already signed the cast on her broken wrist.

30. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. berate B. estrange C. euphoric
D. impetuous
E. infallible
F. maudlin G. regress H. relinquish
I. ubiquitous
J. zenith
8. In our neighborhood, litter is __________—the sidewalks are ankle-deep in trash. We need a cleanup campaign.
ubiquitous
If the sidewalks are ankle-deep in trash, litter must be everywhere.
9. Uncle Antonio becomes __________ when he talks about his dear old mother in Italy. Tears also come to the eyes of all who listen.
maudlin
Page 22 in textbook.
If Antonio makes everyone cry, he must be tearfully sentimental.
10. Joyce isn’t usually __________, but last week she had a sudden urge to try out her nephew’s skateboard. Everyone in the office has already signed the cast on her broken wrist.
impetuous
If Joyce acted on a sudden urge, she must have been impulsive.