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

2. Unit Two: Chapter 11 • blatant • gloat • blight • immaculate
• contrive • plagiarism
• garble • qualm
• gaunt • retaliate
Page 58 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 blatant – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 blatant
– adjective
• Eva is a blatant bargain-hunter. Not only does she wait for end-of season sales, but she chooses an already-reduced item and then asks if the salesperson will accept a lower price.
• The company’s disregard of the environment is blatant. It makes no effort to stop polluting coastal waters with garbage.
Blatant means
A. unmistakable.
B. scrambled.
C. not noticeable.
Page 58 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 blatant – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 blatant
– adjective
• Eva is a blatant bargain-hunter. Not only does she wait for end-of season sales, but she chooses an already-reduced item and then asks if the salesperson will accept a lower price.
• The company’s disregard of the environment is blatant. It makes no effort to stop polluting coastal waters with garbage.
Blatant means
A. unmistakable.
B. scrambled.
C. not noticeable.
Page 58 in textbook.
If Eva tries to get an even lower price on an already-reduced item, she is an unmistakable bargain-hunter. If the company makes no effort to stop polluting, its disregard of the environment is unmistakable.

5. A tomato plant struck by blight
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 blight
– noun
• Nothing has hurt our country more than the blight of drugs.
• There are two ways of looking at TV: as a valuable source of information or as a blight that dulls the mind.
Blight means
A. something that assists.
B. something that is new.
C. something that harms.
Page 58 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.
A tomato plant struck by blight

6. A tomato plant struck by blight
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 blight
– noun
• Nothing has hurt our country more than the blight of drugs.
• There are two ways of looking at TV: as a valuable source of information or as a blight that dulls the mind.
Blight means
A. something that assists.
B. something that is new.
C. something that harms.
Page 58 in textbook.
In the first item, the word hurt suggests that blight means “something that harms.” Something that dulls the mind would be considered something that harms the mind.
A tomato plant struck by blight

7. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 contrive – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 contrive
– verb
• My eight-year-old son could write a book titled 101 Ways I Have Contrived to Stay Up Past My Bedtime.
• Jill has to contrive a way to get a day off from work for her friend’s wedding. She’s already used up her vacation time.
Contrive means
A. to think up.
B. to mix up.
C. to avoid.
Page 58 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

8. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 contrive – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 contrive
– verb
• My eight-year-old son could write a book titled 101 Ways I Have Contrived to Stay Up Past My Bedtime.
• Jill has to contrive a way to get a day off from work for her friend’s wedding. She’s already used up her vacation time.
Contrive means
A. to think up.
B. to mix up.
C. to avoid.
Page 58 in textbook.
An eight-year-old boy would think up ways to stay up past his bedtime. If Jill has used up her vacation time, she’ll have to think up a way to get another day off from work.

9. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 garble – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 garble
– verb
• The new reporter garbled the newspaper story; the result was an article that made no sense at all.
• The company had garbled the bike’s assembly instructions so badly that we were constantly confused about which step to do next.
Garble means
A. to read.
B. to lose.
C. to jumble.
Page 58 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

10. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 garble – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 garble
– verb
• The new reporter garbled the newspaper story; the result was an article that made no sense at all.
• The company had garbled the bike’s assembly instructions so badly that we were constantly confused about which step to do next.
Garble means
A. to read.
B. to lose.
C. to jumble.
Page 58 in textbook.
If the article made no sense at all, the reporter must have jumbled the story. In the second item, if the instructions were confusing about which step to do next, the company must have jumbled the instructions.

11. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 gaunt – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 gaunt
– adjective
• Abraham Lincoln’s beard made his gaunt face look fuller.
• Sharon’s eating disorder, called anorexia nervosa, has made her so gaunt that she looks like a walking skeleton.
Gaunt means
A. very thin.
B. wide.
C. confused.
Page 58 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.
A gaunt musician

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 gaunt – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 gaunt
– adjective
• Abraham Lincoln’s beard made his gaunt face look fuller.
• Sharon’s eating disorder, called anorexia nervosa, has made her so gaunt that she looks like a walking skeleton.
Gaunt means
A. very thin.
B. wide.
C. confused.
Page 58 in textbook.
Abraham Lincoln is known for being very thin (among other things). If Sharon looks like a skeleton, she must be very thin.
A gaunt musician

13. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 gloat – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 gloat
– verb
• The coach told his team, “There’s only one thing worse than a sore loser, and that’s a mean winner. Don’t gloat.”
• Neil’s sister always tattles on him and then gloats when he’s punished, saying, “I told you so.”
Gloat means
A. to apologize fully.
B. to be overly self-satisfied.
C. to pay back.
Page 58 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

14. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 gloat – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 gloat
– verb
• The coach told his team, “There’s only one thing worse than a sore loser, and that’s a mean winner. Don’t gloat.”
• Neil’s sister always tattles on him and then gloats when he’s punished, saying, “I told you so.”
Gloat means
A. to apologize fully.
B. to be overly self-satisfied.
C. to pay back.
Page 58 in textbook.
If the coach doesn’t want his team to be mean winners, he must be telling them not to be overly self-satisfied. By saying “I told you so,” Neil’s sister is being overly self-satisfied.

15. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 immaculate – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 immaculate
– adjective
• It’s amazing that while Carolyn’s appearance is always immaculate, her apartment often seems very dirty.
• Don’t expect a child to come home from a birthday party with immaculate clothing. Children usually manage to get as much birthday cake on their clothing as in their mouths.
Immaculate means
A. uncomfortable.
B. spotless.
C. soiled.
Page 59 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.
An immaculate kitchen

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 immaculate – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 immaculate
– adjective
• It’s amazing that while Carolyn’s appearance is always immaculate, her apartment often seems very dirty.
• Don’t expect a child to come home from a birthday party with immaculate clothing. Children usually manage to get as much birthday cake on their clothing as in their mouths.
Immaculate means
A. uncomfortable.
B. spotless.
C. soiled.
Page 59 in textbook.
In contrast with Carolyn’s spotless appearance is her dirty apartment. If children get as much cake on their clothing as in their mouths, their clothing will not be spotless.
An immaculate kitchen

17. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 plagiarism – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 plagiarism
– noun
• When the author saw a movie with the same plot as one of her novels, she sued for plagiarism.
• The teacher warned her students that using an author’s exact words as one’s own is plagiarism.
Plagiarism means
A. creativity.
B. the stealing of ideas.
C. planning.
Page 59 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 plagiarism – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 plagiarism
– noun
• When the author saw a movie with the same plot as one of her novels, she sued for plagiarism.
• The teacher warned her students that using an author’s exact words as one’s own is plagiarism.
Plagiarism means
A. creativity.
B. the stealing of ideas.
C. planning.
Page 59 in textbook.
If the movie had the same plot as the author’s novel, she would sue the filmmaker for stealing her ideas. Using an author’s exact words as one’s own is stealing that author’s ideas.

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 qualm – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 qualm
– noun
• Lorenzo is so honest that he has qualms about telling “little white lies.” For instance, it bothers him to say he likes a friend’s new haircut when he really doesn’t.
• After hiding Kwan’s bike as an April Fool’s joke, I began to have qualms. What if she thought it was stolen and called the police?
Qualm means
A. a guilty feeling.
B. a proud memory.
C. a clever plan.
Page 59 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

20. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 qualm – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 qualm
– noun
• Lorenzo is so honest that he has qualms about telling “little white lies.” For instance, it bothers him to say he likes a friend’s new haircut when he really doesn’t.
• After hiding Kwan’s bike as an April Fool’s joke, I began to have qualms. What if she thought it was stolen and called the police?
Qualm means
A. a guilty feeling.
B. a proud memory.
C. a clever plan.
Page 59 in textbook.
If Lorenzo is very honest, he would have guilty feelings about telling “little white lies.” In the second item, if the person begins to worry about Kwan’s reaction to his joke, he must have guilty feelings.

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 retaliate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 retaliate
– verb
• When I broke my sister’s stereo, she retaliated by taking my iPod earphones and refusing to give them back.
• When Ron refused to pay his younger brother for washing his car, he retaliated by washing it again—with its windows open.
Retaliate means
A. to forgive.
B. to take revenge.
C. to confuse.
Page 59 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 retaliate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 retaliate
– verb
• When I broke my sister’s stereo, she retaliated by taking my iPod earphones and refusing to give them back.
• When Ron refused to pay his younger brother for washing his car, he retaliated by washing it again—with its windows open.
Retaliate means
A. to forgive.
B. to take revenge.
C. to confuse.
Page 59 in textbook.
If the sister took the earphones and refused to give them back, she must have been taking revenge. If the younger brother washed the car with the windows open, he was taking revenge for not being paid.

23. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
1. A(n) _________ house may be a sign that someone has nothing better to do than clean.
2. Child abuse is a __________ on the physical and mental health of our youth.
Page 60 in textbook.
Answers: 1. immaculate; 2. blight
The next slide explains the answers.

24. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
1. An __________ house may be a sign that someone has nothing better to do than clean.
immaculate
If someone’s house is perfectly clean, that person may have nothing better to do than clean.
2. Child abuse is a __________ on the physical and mental health of our youth.
blight
Page 60 in textbook.
Child abuse is something that damages the physical and mental health of our youth.

25. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
3. My aunt refuses to drive Mr. Elson to bingo because he _________s so much when he wins, which is often.
4. The F’s and D’s on my brother’s report card are __________ evidence of how little he has studied this term.
Page 60 in textbook.
Answers: 3. gloat; 4. blatant; 5. contrive
The next slide explains the answers.
5. Emilio still hopes to __________ a way to get Rita to go out with him, even though she’s refused him four times.

26. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
3. My aunt refuses to drive Mr. Elson to bingo because he __________ so much when he wins, which is often.
gloats
If she refuses to drive Mr. Elson, he must express spiteful self-satisfaction when he wins.
4. The F’s and D’s on my brother’s report card are __________ evidence of how little he has studied this term.
blatant
Page 60 in textbook.
F’s and D’s would be very obvious evidence of not studying.
5. Emilio still hopes to __________ a way to get Rita to go out with him, even though she’s refused him four times.
contrive
If Rita has refused Emilio four times, he would have to plan cleverly to get her to go out with him.

27. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
6. Every time the Hatfields harmed the McCoys, the McCoys would __________, so the feud went on for years.
7. When my friend Jamee left a message with my little brother, inviting me to go to the mall, my brother _______(e)d it so badly that the message I got was “Jamee wants you to go play ball.”
Page 60 in textbook.
Answers: 6. retaliate; 7. garble
The next slide explains the answers.

28. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
6. Every time the Hatfields harmed the McCoys, the McCoys would __________, so the feud went on for years.
retaliate
If the feud went on for years, the McCoys must have paid back the Hatfields every time the Hatfields harmed one of them.
7. When my friend Jamee left a message with my little brother, inviting me to go to the mall, my brother __________ it so badly that the message I got was “Jamee wants you to go play ball.”
Page 60 in textbook.
garbled
Jamee’s message is badly scrambled by the time it is received.

29. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
8. Rescued after being lost at sea for nine days, the men were terribly __________, but they put on weight rapidly.
9. My parents say it is foolish to give spare change to panhandlers, but I always feel a __________ when I walk by them and give nothing.
Page 60 in textbook.
Answers: 8. gaunt; 9. qualm; 10. plagiarism
The next slide explains the answers.
10. Mark Twain joked that charges of __________ were ridiculous because no one can be completely original. He wrote, “We mortals can’t create—we can only copy.”

30. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. blatant B. blight C. contrive
D. garble
E. gaunt
F. gloat G. immaculate H. plagiarism
I. qualm
J. retaliate
8. Rescued after being lost at sea for nine days, the men were terribly __________, but they put on weight rapidly.
gaunt
Being lost at sea for nine days would make the men thin and bony.
9. My parents say it is foolish to give spare change to panhandlers, but I always feel a __________ when I walk by them and give nothing.
qualm
Page 60 in textbook.
One might have an uneasy feeling about not giving a panhandler change.
10. Mark Twain joked that charges of __________ were ridiculous because no one can be completely original. He wrote, “We mortals can’t create—we can only copy.”
plagiarism
If no one can be completely original, charges of using someone else’s ideas would be ridiculous.