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

2. Unit Three: Chapter 13 • curtail • indispensable
• devastate • intermittent
• digress • rigor
• incentive • squander
• incorporate • succumb
Page 76 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 curtail – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 curtail
– verb
• Upon hearing reports of a huge snowstorm, the principal curtailed the school day so students could go home early.
• I need to curtail my volunteer activities so that I can spend more time earning money to pay back a loan.
Curtail means
A. to combine.
B. to shorten.
C. to extend.
Page 76 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 curtail – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 curtail
– verb
• Upon hearing reports of a huge snowstorm, the principal curtailed the school day so students could go home early.
• I need to curtail my volunteer activities so that I can spend more time earning money to pay back a loan.
Curtail means
A. to combine.
B. to shorten.
C. to extend.
Page 76 in textbook.
If the students went home early, the school day must have been shortened. In order to spend more time earning money, one would have to shorten one’s volunteer activities.

5. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 devastate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 devastate
– verb
• Learning that their son had been arrested for armed robbery devastated the Huttons. They couldn’t believe he’d do such a terrible thing.
• Vera is so fond of Andy. She’ll be devastated to hear he has cancer.
Devastate means
A. to thrill.
B. to annoy.
C. to upset greatly.
Page 76 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

6. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 devastate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 devastate
– verb
• Learning that their son had been arrested for armed robbery devastated the Huttons. They couldn’t believe he’d do such a terrible thing.
• Vera is so fond of Andy. She’ll be devastated to hear he has cancer.
Devastate means
A. to thrill.
B. to annoy.
C. to upset greatly.
Page 76 in textbook.
It would be greatly upsetting to learn one’s son had been arrested for armed robbery. If Vera is fond of Andy, she will be upset greatly to learn he has cancer.

7. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 digress – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 digress
– verb
• Professor Rubin never digresses during a lecture. Even his jokes relate to the day’s topic.
• I tried to teach my three-year-old niece our phone number, but we digressed to a discussion of whether Winnie the Pooh has a telephone.
Digress means
A. to listen carefully.
B. to go off the subject.
C. to get up.
Page 76 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

8. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 digress – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 digress
– verb
• Professor Rubin never digresses during a lecture. Even his jokes relate to the day’s topic.
• I tried to teach my three-year-old niece our phone number, but we digressed to a discussion of whether Winnie the Pooh has a telephone.
Digress means
A. to listen carefully.
B. to go off the subject.
C. to get up.
Page 76 in textbook.
If even Professor Rubin’s jokes relate to the the day’s topic, he must never go off the subject during his lectures. A discussion of whether Pooh has a telephone is off the subject of learning the phone number.

9. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 incentive – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 incentive
– noun
• The insurance company offers an incentive—free vacation—to encourage its representatives to make more sales.
• The thought of myself in a bathing suit next summer provides me with an adequate incentive to exercise.
Incentive means
A. encouragement.
B. liberty.
C. change.
Page 76 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.
“I’m going to give you an incentive to get
up and go back to work—it’s my bill.”

10. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 incentive – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 incentive
– noun
• The insurance company offers an incentive—free vacation—to encourage its representatives to make more sales.
• The thought of myself in a bathing suit next summer provides me with an adequate incentive to exercise.
Incentive means
A. encouragement.
B. liberty.
C. change.
Page 76 in textbook.
In the first item, the word encourage tells you that an incentive is an encouragement. Thinking about how one will look in a bathing suit would provide encouragement to exercise.
“I’m going to give you an incentive to get
up and go back to work—it’s my bill.”

11. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 incorporate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 incorporate
– verb
• Jerry incorporated all of his favorite desserts into one: a chocolate-covered banana-cream pecan pie.
• Since the number of young children has gone down in my neighborhood, the two elementary schools have been incorporated into one.
Incorporate means
A. to give up.
B. to join together.
C. to raise.
Page 76 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 incorporate – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 incorporate
– verb
• Jerry incorporated all of his favorite desserts into one: a chocolate-covered banana-cream pecan pie.
• Since the number of young children has gone down in my neighborhood, the two elementary schools have been incorporated into one.
Incorporate means
A. to give up.
B. to join together.
C. to raise.
Page 76 in textbook.
In the first item, the words into one are a clue that incorporate means “to join together.” In the second item, if the two schools are now one, they must have joined together.

13. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 indispensable – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 indispensable
– adjective
• Because there’s no bus or train service nearby, a car is indispensable in my neighborhood.
• When you’re broke, you find that many things you thought were indispensable aren’t actually necessary after all.
Indispensable means
A. free.
B. needed.
C. expensive.
Page 76 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

14. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 indispensable – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 indispensable
– adjective
• Because there’s no bus or train service nearby, a car is indispensable in my neighborhood.
• When you’re broke, you find that many things you thought were indispensable aren’t actually necessary after all.
Indispensable means
A. free.
B. needed.
C. expensive.
Page 76 in textbook.
If there is no bus or train service, a car would be needed. In the second sentence, the word necessary is a clue that indispensable means “needed.”

15. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 intermittent – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 intermittent
– adjective
• You have to work steadily with your dog to train him well. Intermittent practice won’t work.
• Dora realized that her weight loss on a diet would be intermittent, so she didn’t give up when the losses stopped. She knew they would start again.
Intermittent means
A. irregular.
B. too much.
C. steady.
Page 77 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 intermittent – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 intermittent
– adjective
• You have to work steadily with your dog to train him well. Intermittent practice won’t work.
• Dora realized that her weight loss on a diet would be intermittent, so she didn’t give up when the losses stopped. She knew they would start again.
Intermittent means
A. irregular.
B. too much.
C. steady.
Page 77 in textbook.
In the first item, the word steadily is a clue because it means the opposite of irregular. In the second item, if the weight losses stopped but would start again, they were irregular.

17. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 rigor – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 rigor
– noun
• New Marines must go through the rigors of boot camp, such as completing an obstacle course and running several miles a day.
• The rigor of working at two part-time jobs while going to school proved too much for Jamal. Exhausted, he quit both jobs.
Rigor means
A. a gamble.
B. an expense.
C. a hardship.
Page 77 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 rigor – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 rigor
– noun
• New Marines must go through the rigors of boot camp, such as completing an obstacle course and running several miles a day.
• The rigor of working at two part-time jobs while going to school proved too much for Jamal. Exhausted, he quit both jobs.
Rigor means
A. a gamble.
B. an expense.
C. a hardship.
Page 77 in textbook.
Completing an obstacle course and running several miles a day are hardships. Working two jobs while going to school was a hardship that exhausted Jamal.

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 squander – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 squander
– verb
• It’s sad to see such a wonderful artist squander her talent designing labels for baked-bean cans.
• The company lunchroom now closes promptly at one o’clock so that workers can’t squander time on long lunch breaks.
Squander means
A. to share.
B. to misuse.
C. to upset.
Page 77 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

20. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 squander – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 squander
– verb
• It’s sad to see such a wonderful artist squander her talent designing labels for baked-bean cans.
• The company lunchroom now closes promptly at one o’clock so that workers can’t squander time on long lunch breaks.
Squander means
A. to share.
B. to misuse.
C. to upset.
Page 77 in textbook.
A wonderful artist who designs labels for baked-bean cans would be misusing her talent. The company would consider long lunch breaks a misuse of workers’ time.

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 succumb – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 succumb
– verb
• Leah succumbed to her daughter’s begging and bought her a pet lizard for her birthday.
• Once the suspect was arrested, he quickly succumbed and confessed to stealing the car stereo.
Succumb means
A. to yield.
B. to delay.
C. to anger.
Page 77 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 succumb – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 succumb
– verb
• Leah succumbed to her daughter’s begging and bought her a pet lizard for her birthday.
• Once the suspect was arrested, he quickly succumbed and confessed to stealing the car stereo.
Succumb means
A. to yield.
B. to delay.
C. to anger.
Page 77 in textbook.
If Leah bought the lizard, she yielded to her daughter’s begging. If the suspect confessed, he yielded or stopped resisting.

23. SENTENCE CHECK 1 1. ____________ rain kept interrupting the ballgame.
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
1. ____________ rain kept interrupting the ballgame.
2. The sight of her bandaged husband in an oxygen tent _________(e)d Claire.
Page 78 in textbook.
Answers: 1. intermittent; 2. devastate
The next slide explains the answers.

24. SENTENCE CHECK 1 1. ____________ rain kept interrupting the ballgame.
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
1. ____________ rain kept interrupting the ballgame.
Intermittent
Off-and-on rain would keep interrupting the game.
2. The sight of her bandaged husband in an oxygen tent ____________ Claire.
devastated
Page 78 in textbook.
Such a sight would deeply upset a wife.

25. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
3. Someone has managed to ___________ a tomato and a potato into one plant.
4. A home computer, a telephone, and a fax machine are ___________ tools for many self-employed people.
Page 78 in textbook.
Answers: 3. incorporate; 4. indispensable; 5. incentive
The next slide explains the answers.
5. Airlines offer “frequent flier miles” toward free trips as a(n) ___________ to get people to fly often.

26. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
3. Someone has managed to ___________ a tomato and a potato into one plant.
incorporate
The words into one are a clue to use a word that means “combine.”
4. A home computer, a telephone, and a fax machine are ___________ tools for many self-employed people.
indispensable
Page 78 in textbook.
Such tools would be necessary for many self-employed people.
5. Airlines offer “frequent flier miles” toward free trips as an ___________ to get people to fly often.
incentive
The promise of free trips would be a motivation to fly often.

27. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
6. Many teenagers don’t foresee the _________s of parenthood, such as staying up all night with a sick child.
7. By examining her last two months of spending, Coretta discovered that she had _________(e)d money on too many expensive meals.
Page 78 in textbook.
Answers: 6. rigor; 7. squander
The next slide explains the answers.

28. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
6. Many teenagers don’t foresee the __________ of parenthood, such as staying up all night with a sick child.
rigors
Staying up all night with a sick child is an example of a hardship.
7. By examining her last two months of spending, Coretta discovered that she had ____________ money on too many expensive meals.
squandered
Page 78 in textbook.
If she had too many expensive meals, she spent the money foolishly.

29. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
8. The man on the street corner offered to sell me a watch, but he quickly ________(e)d his sales pitch when he saw a police officer approaching.
9. Because our history teacher loved to talk, we often could get him to _________ from the lesson by asking him a question about sports or politics.
Page 78 in textbook.
Answers: 8. curtail; 9. digress; 10. succumb
The next slide explains the answers.
10. Carl tried hard to ignore the double-fudge chocolate cake on the menu, but he finally ________(e)d and ordered a slice.

30. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curtail B. devastate C. digress
D. incentive
E. incorporate
F. indispensable G. intermittent H. rigor
I. squander
J. succumb
8. The man on the street corner offered to sell me a watch, but he quickly ___________ his sales pitch when he saw a police officer approaching.
curtailed
The sight of a policeman would make the man cut short his sales pitch.
9. Because our history teacher loved to talk, we often could get him to _________ from the lesson by asking him a question about sports or politics.
digress
Page 78 in textbook.
Questions about sports would make the teacher stray from his topic.
10. Carl tried hard to ignore the double-fudge chocolate cake on the menu, but he finally ____________ and ordered a slice.
succumbed
If Carl ordered a slice, he gave in.