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

2. Unit One: Chapter 2 • curt • retort • demoralize • sabotage
• dilemma • subsequent
• inclination • wary
• irate • zeal
Page 12 in textbook.

3. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 curt – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 curt
– adjective
• The fast-food manager trained workers to give polite, full answers to customers, not curt responses.
• Betsy doesn’t mean to be curt. When she’s with other people, she often says just a few quick words to them because she’s so shy.
Curt means
A. cautious
B. courteous.
C. rudely brief.
Page 12 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

4. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 1 curt – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 curt
– adjective
• The fast-food manager trained workers to give polite, full answers to customers, not curt responses.
• Betsy doesn’t mean to be curt. When she’s with other people, she often says just a few quick words to them because she’s so shy.
Curt means
A. cautious
B. courteous.
C. rudely brief.
Page 12 in textbook.
The workers’ polite, full answers are contrasted with rudely brief responses. If Betsy says just a few quick words, she could sound as if she were being rudely brief.

5. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 demoralized – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 demoralized
– verb
• Cara’s refusal to date my brother demoralized him so completely that for months, he lacked the confidence to ask another woman out.
• When Bonita gained a pound during her diet, it so demoralized her that she ate a banana split.
Demoralized means
A. to cheat.
B. to discourage.
C. to excite.
Page 12 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.
“Of course I’m demoralized! I used to be
a handsome prince living in a palace!
Now I’m a frog living in a swamp!”

6. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 2 demoralized – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 demoralized
– verb
• Cara’s refusal to date my brother demoralized him so completely that for months, he lacked the confidence to ask another woman out.
• When Bonita gained a pound during her diet, it so demoralized her that she ate a banana split.
Demoralized means
A. to cheat.
B. to discourage.
C. to excite.
Page 12 in textbook.
If he lacked the confidence to ask anyone out for months, the brother must have been discouraged by the Cara’s refusal. If Bonita ate a banana split while she was trying to diet, she must have been discouraged by the weight gain.
“Of course I’m demoralized! I used to be
a handsome prince living in a palace!
Now I’m a frog living in a swamp!”

7. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 dilemma – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 dilemma
– noun
• The store manager faced a dilemma: either having an elderly, needy man arrested or ignoring store rules about shoplifters.
• In old romantic movies, the heroine’s dilemma often involves choosing between a rich boyfriend and the poor man she really loves.
Dilemma means
A. a hard choice.
B. a great danger.
C. a benefit.
Page 12 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

8. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 3 dilemma – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 dilemma
– noun
• The store manager faced a dilemma: either having an elderly, needy man arrested or ignoring store rules about shoplifters.
• In old romantic movies, the heroine’s dilemma often involves choosing between a rich boyfriend and the poor man she really loves.
Dilemma means
A. a hard choice.
B. a great danger.
C. a benefit.
Page 12 in textbook.
Having to decide whether to have the elderly, needy man arrested or ignore the store rules would be a hard choice. Having to choose between a rich boyfriend and a poor man the heroine really loves would be a hard choice.

9. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 inclination – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 inclination
– noun
• My inclination is to major in nursing, but I’m going to speak to a few nurses before I make my final decision.
• That two-year-old has some irritating habits, such as her inclination to say “no” to everything.
Inclination means
A. a preference.
B. a reason.
C. a fate.
Page 12 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

10. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 4 inclination – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 inclination
– noun
• My inclination is to major in nursing, but I’m going to speak to a few nurses before I make my final decision.
• That two-year-old has some irritating habits, such as her inclination to say “no” to everything.
Inclination means
A. a preference.
B. a reason.
C. a fate.
Page 12 in textbook.
If the final decision has not been made yet, then majoring in nursing is only the student’s preference. It would be an irritating habit if the two-year-old has a preference to say “no” to everything.

11. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 irate – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 irate
– adjective
• If Kate got angry only occasionally, I could take her more seriously, but she’s always irate about something or other.
• Ray gets mad when his wife misplaces the TV’s remote control, and she becomes equally irate when he writes a check and forgets to record it in the checkbook.
Irate means
A. thrilled.
B. selfish.
C. furious.
Page 12 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

12. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 5 irate – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 irate
– adjective
• If Kate got angry only occasionally, I could take her more seriously, but she’s always irate about something or other.
• Ray gets mad when his wife misplaces the TV’s remote control, and she becomes equally irate when he writes a check and forgets to record it in the checkbook.
Irate means
A. thrilled.
B. selfish.
C. furious.
Page 12 in textbook.
In the first item, the word angry suggests that irate means “furious.” In the second item, Ray’s getting mad is compared to his wife’s becoming furious.

13. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 retort – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 retort
– verb
• When I told my parents I’d put the dishes in the dishwasher the next morning, my father retorted, “Maybe we should serve you dinner in the mornings, too.”
• “What do you want?” the young woman asked Dracula. “Only to drink in your charms,” he retorted.
Retort means
A. to approve.
B. to reply.
C. to ask.
Page 12 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

14. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 6 retort – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 retort
– verb
• When I told my parents I’d put the dishes in the dishwasher the next morning, my father retorted, “Maybe we should serve you dinner in the mornings, too.”
• “What do you want?” the young woman asked Dracula. “Only to drink in your charms,” he retorted.
Retort means
A. to approve.
B. to reply.
C. to ask.
Page 12 in textbook.
In the first item, the father replies to the child’s statement about putting the dishes in the dishwasher in the morning. In the second item, Dracula replies to the woman’s question.

15. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 sabotage – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 sabotage
– verb
• Terrorist groups train their members to sabotage airports and other public places.
• A fired programmer sabotaged the company’s network by infecting it with a computer virus.
Sabotage means
A. to develop.
B. to invest in.
C. to do harm to.
Page 13 in textbook.
Answer: C
The next slide explains the answer.

16. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 7 sabotage – verb
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 sabotage
– verb
• Terrorist groups train their members to sabotage airports and other public places.
• A fired programmer sabotaged the company’s network by infecting it with a computer virus.
Sabotage means
A. to develop.
B. to invest in.
C. to do harm to.
Page 13 in textbook.
Terrorists try to do harm to public places. If the fired programmer infected the company’s network with a virus, the programmer did harm to it.

17. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 subsequent – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 subsequent
– adjective
• “I was hired as a stock boy,” said the company president. “My subsequent jobs took me steadily up the company ladder.”
• The first few times Janet drove on a highway, she was terrified, but on subsequent trips, she felt more relaxed.
Subsequent means
A. first.
B. following.
C. previous.
Page 13 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

18. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 8 subsequent – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 subsequent
– adjective
• “I was hired as a stock boy,” said the company president. “My subsequent jobs took me steadily up the company ladder.”
• The first few times Janet drove on a highway, she was terrified, but on subsequent trips, she felt more relaxed.
Subsequent means
A. first.
B. following.
C. previous.
Page 13 in textbook.
The man’s progression from stock boy to company president would suggest that his jobs following that of stock boy took him up the ladder. The trips following the first few on a highway would help Janet feel more relaxed as she got used to the experience.

19. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 wary – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 wary
– adjective
• “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” means that we should be wary about promises of getting something for nothing.
• I’m a little wary of people who, when they first meet me, treat me as if I’m their best friend.
Wary means
A. careful.
B. tired.
C. welcoming.
Page 13 in textbook.
Answer: A
The next slide explains the answer.

20. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 9 wary – adjective
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 wary
– adjective
• “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” means that we should be wary about promises of getting something for nothing.
• I’m a little wary of people who, when they first meet me, treat me as if I’m their best friend.
Wary means
A. careful.
B. tired.
C. welcoming.
Page 13 in textbook.
We should be careful about promises of getting something for nothing. One would be careful about people who act like one’s best friend on the first meeting.

21. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 zeal – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 zeal
– noun
• Velma attacked her food with such zeal that I thought she hadn’t eaten for a week!
• My neighbor has so much zeal about keeping our neighborhood clean that he sweeps our sidewalk if we don’t do it ourselves.
Zeal means
A. resistance.
B. passion.
C. skill.
Page 13 in textbook.
Answer: B
The next slide explains the answer.

22. TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT 10 zeal – noun
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 zeal
– noun
• Velma attacked her food with such zeal that I thought she hadn’t eaten for a week!
• My neighbor has so much zeal about keeping our neighborhood clean that he sweeps our sidewalk if we don’t do it ourselves.
Zeal means
A. resistance.
B. passion.
C. skill.
Page 13 in textbook.
If Velma attacked her food as if she hadn’t eaten for a week, she must be eating with a passion. Someone who sweeps other people’s sidewalks must have a passion for keeping the neighborhood clean.

23. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
1. Rob’s __________ was whether to go to work feeling sick or to stay home and lose a day’s pay.
2. Be __________ when something sounds too good to be true—it probably is.
Page 14 in textbook.
Answers: 1. dilemma; 2. wary
The next slide explains the answers.

24. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
1. Rob’s __________ was whether to go to work feeling sick or to stay home and lose a day’s pay.
dilemma
Going to work sick or losing a day’s pay is a difficult choice.
2. Be __________ when something sounds too good to be true—it probably is.
wary
Page 14 in textbook.
Because something that sounds too good to be true probably is too good to be true, you should be cautious of it.

25. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
3. I have to watch my budget because I have a(n) __________ to overspend.
4. The director cut off most of the auditioning singers with a(n) __________ response: “Thank you. That will be all.”
Page 14 in textbook.
Answers: 3. inclination; 4. curt; 5. sabotage
The next slide explains the answers.
5. The striking miners planned to __________ one of the mines by blowing up the main entrance.

26. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
3. I have to watch my budget because I have an __________ to overspend.
inclination
A tendency to overspend would be a reason to watch one’s budget.
4. The director cut off most of the auditioning singers with a __________ response: “Thank you. That will be all.”
curt
Page 14 in textbook.
“Thank you. That will be all.” is an abrupt response to the person auditioning. The words cut off are a clue.
5. The striking miners planned to __________ one of the mines by blowing up the main entrance.
sabotage
Planning to blow up the main entrance would deliberately damage the mine.

27. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
6. Because Devan expected to get an A on his research paper, receiving a grade of C truly _______(e)d him.
7. The team played miserably in the first game of the season, but they managed to win all __________ games.
Page 14 in textbook.
Answers: 6. demoralize; 7. subsequent
The next slide explains the answers.

28. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
6. Because Devan expected to get an A on his research paper, receiving a grade of C truly __________ him.
demoralized
If Devan was expecting an A, receiving a C would lower his spirits.
7. The team played miserably in the first game of the season, but they managed to win all __________ games.
subsequent
Page 14 in textbook.
The team managed to win all the following games. The word first is a clue.

29. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
8. My father always became __________ when any of his children came home after curfew. One time he began yelling at me even before my date had left.
9. If adolescents could apply to their studies just a bit of the __________ they feel for music and video games, their grades would improve dramatically.
Page 14 in textbook.
Answers: 8. irate; 9. zeal; 10. retort
The next slide explains the answers.
10. When the wisecracking waiter said, “That hat looks ridiculous, lady,” the woman stated, “I didn’t come here to be insulted.” “That’s what you think!” _______(e)d the waiter.

30. SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each item with the correct word from the box.
A. curt B. demoralize C. dilemma
D. inclination
E. irate
F. retort G. sabotage H. subsequent
I. wary
J. zeal
8. My father always became __________ when any of his children came home after curfew. One time he began yelling at me even before my date had left.
irate
If the father was yelling, he must have been very angry.
9. If adolescents could apply to their studies just a bit of the __________ they feel for music and video games, their grades would improve dramatically.
zeal
Page 14 in textbook.
If they applied more passion to their studies, their grades would improve.
10. When the wisecracking waiter said, “That hat looks ridiculous, lady,” the woman stated, “I didn’t come here to be insulted.” “That’s what you think!” __________ the waiter.
retorted
The waiter replies in a witty way to the woman’s statement. The word wisecracking is a clue.