The Contender – Chapters 1-10
Name ________________________________________________ Period________
Word List – Study the definitions of the words below; then do the exercises for the lesson.
addict n. 1. someone who is very interested in something and spends a
lot of time doing it
2. someone who is unable to stop taking drugs
champion n. one that is clearly superior or has the attributes of a winner.
congregation n. 1. an assembly of people for common worship
2. the act of getting together
contender n. one who strives in opposition or against difficulties
delicatessen n. a shop that sells high quality cheeses, salads, cooked meats etc
ease v. 1. if something unpleasant eases, or if you ease it, it gradually
improves or becomes less
2. to make a process, happen more easily [= smooth]
3. to move yourself or something slowly and carefully into
another place or position:
fighter n. 1. someone who fights, especially as a sport
2. someone who keeps trying to achieve something in difficult
situations
grimy adj. 1. dirt
2. to make dirty
hate v. 1. to dislike intensely, to hate the enemy
2. to be unwilling
listlessness n. showing no interest
nationalist n. a person devoted to their nation
adj. someone fighting for national independence
numb adj. 1. a part of your body that is numb is unable to feel anything,
for example because you are very cold
2. unable to think, feel, or react in a normal way
peal n. 1. a sudden loud sound of laughter
2. a loud sound of thunder
3. the loud ringing sound made by a bell
rasping adj. harsh, as in your voice rasping due to a sore throat
rights n. 1. a moral claim
2. socially approved
shadow boxing v. a term in boxing where a fighter boxes with an imaginary
opponent, especially while in training.
sacrifice v. to willingly stop having something you want or doing
something you like in order to get something more important
serenity n. very calm or peaceful
suave adj. smoothness and sophisticated in manner or suave
swagger v. to walk proudly, swinging your shoulders in a way that shows
you are very confident - used to show disapproval
PART A: Sentences DUE TUESDAY, SEPT. 27TH
Use the 15 vocabulary words in a sentence. You may use more than one word in a sentence as long as it makes sense. Underline the vocabulary word. In order to receive full credit, you must use capitals where appropriate and ending punctuation. BONUS: Use all of the words for 5 bonus pts.
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The Contender – Chapters 1-10
Name _____________________________________________ Period________
Part B – Finding Meaning DUE WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28TH
Circle the two phrases that make the most sense. Then write the sentence on a separate sheet of paper, underlining this week’s vocabulary word.
1. (a) Mr. Donatelli was addicted (c) brown boxing gloves.
(b) Alfred saw no value in (d) shadow boxing to train for a fight.
2. (a) A rasping voice (c) may be caused by a sore throat.
(b) A trek (d) may be caused by people dying.
3. (a) of a peal. (c) of a fighter.
(b) He has the courage (d) He has the addiction
4. (a) for the nationalist. (c) for first place.
(b) She was the authority (d) She was the contender
5. (a) The heavy weight champion (c) is at the delicatessen.
(b) The contender fought (d) fought at Madison Sq. Garden.
6. (a) The fighter spoke (c) The suave salesman spoke
(b) smoothly to the buyer. (d) to swagger away from him.
7. (a) The Serenity Garden (c) was a peaceful, calm place.
(b) Madison Square Garden (d) was numb.
8. (a) to get a good education. (c) get grimy hands.
(b) You have students’ rights (d) When you suffer from listlessness
9. (a) interested in politics. (c) A contender is someone who
(b) fights for their country’s freedom. (d) A nationalist is someone who
10. (a) The congregation (c) was a plague.
(b) The champsionship (d) sang the hymn loudly.
11. (a) The listlessness of the baby (c) worried his mother.
(b) The congregation (d) felt like a champion.
12. (a) I am numb (c) people who abuse children.
(b) I hate (d) my favorite music.
13. (a) around the stage. (c) The rapper swaggered
(b) The delicatessen owner (d) with tomato sauce.
14. (a) The soldiers sacrifice time at home (c) when they go to war.
(b) An addict used drugs (d) when they had rasping voices.
15. (a) swagger with the nationalist. (c) The doctor was able to
(b) ease my pain with a shot. (d) The contender fight
16. (a) The children had grimy (c) little hands after planting flowers.
(b) The champion went to (d) serenity, peaceful and calm.
17. (a) numb with a shot. (c) The dentist made my mouth
(b) ease the ball into the goal. (d) Alfred went to the delicatessen
18. (a) peal at the wedding. (c) have serenity at night.
(b) The church bell will (d) The dogs barked
19. (a) The contender and champion (c) was a nationalist of Iran.
(b) stop using drugs. (d) The addict couldn’t
20. (a) Ben’s Kosher is a famous (c) delicatessen in NYC.
(b) showed listlessness in the ring. (d) The church congregation is
The Contender – Chapters 1-10
Name ___________________________________________ Period________
DUE THURSDAY, SEPT. 29TH
Part C – Just the Right Word
Underline the italicized word then write this week’s vocabulary word above it.
1. The person who is devoted to their country fought the dictator to make the country free.
2. He knows how to walk proudly and tries to seem like he is cool.
3. He saw several children with dirty hands at the barbecue restaurant.
4. Mr. Donatelli calls Alfred a person who strives in opposition for the boxing title.
5. He had a moral claim to make an honest living.
6. The best place to get a hotdog is Ben’s Kosher store with meat and cheese.
7. The person who fights as a sport won many boxing bouts.
8. At church, the assembly of people who worshipped together enjoyed the sermon.
9. Most people intensely dislike being treated with disrespect.
10. The students were suffering from showing no interest when the lecture was boring .
11. They were disappointed that the fighter wasn’t the one that was clearly superior.
12. He worked out for so long, he felt unable to think, feel or react in a normal way.
13. The person who was unable to stop taking drugs needed money for his addiction.
14. Alfred saw no value in training with an imaginary opponent.
15. The sophisticated man tried to convince the ladies that he was irresistible.
16. The old lady used her walker to help her move slowly and carefully down the hallway.
17. During the storm, the loud sound of thunder scared the dog.
18. Sitting on my deck on a beautiful day gives me a feeling of being peaceful and calm.
19. The cheerleader’s voice was harsh after the Elmira Express football game.
20. You may willingly stop having something you want when someone else needs something more than you do.
The Contender – Chapters 1-10
Name ___________________________________________________ Period________
Part D – Cloze DUE FRIDAY, SEPT. 30TH
Choose the vocabulary word that best fits the sentence. Write the word on the line. Read it aloud to make sure it makes sense.
Alfred was a (1)________________________ (contender or nationalist) to win the heavy weight championship. His best friend, James, was an (2)____________________ (grimy or addict) and couldn’t stop using drugs. Alfred would (3)______________________ (hate or ease) it if James died from the drugs. Alfred went to a gym to train to be a (4)__________________ (fighter or suave) and became a better boxer by (5)_______________________ (listlessness or shadow boxing). After working out for a long time, Alfred felt pretty (6)_____________________ (peal or grimy). His knuckles were (7)___________________ (numb or serenity) from pounding the heavy bag. His trainer, Mr. Donatelli, had a (8) ___________________ (rasping or hate) voice from yelling at Alfred. Mr. Donatelli wanted Alfred to become a (9)______________________ (addict or champion).
On Sunday, Alfred went to church with Aunt Pearl and joined the (10) _________________ (contender or congregation). He would (11)_________________________ (listlessness or swagger) down the center aisle of the church and (12) ________________________ (ease or peal) into the pew. Aunt Pearl said that even though he thought he was (13)_______________________ (suave or champion), he should be respectful in church. Then the church bells would (14) _________________ (peal or numb) and they would sing. It was so hot in church that Alfred began suffering from (15) ____________________ (listlessness or rasping). It gave her a feeling of calm and (16) ________________________ (serenity or hate) to be in church. After church, the family would go to the
(17) _________________________ (nationalist or delicatessen) to eat lunch. Aunt Pearl had to (18) ____________________________________ (sacrifice or serenity) in order to provide food and shelter for her family. She believed that they were lucky to have (19)______________________________ (swagger or rights) that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to get for them. She was so devoted to our nation that it gave her pride to be a
(20) _________________________________ (nationalist or contender).