Curt Demoralize Dilemma Inclination Irate
(adjective)
2. demoralize
(verb)
3. dilemma
(noun)
4. inclination
(noun)
5. irate
(adjective)
6. retort
(verb)
7. sabotage
(verb)
8. subsequent
(adjective)
9. wary
(adjective)
10. zeal
(noun) / ►The fast-food manager trained workers to give polite, full answers to customers, not curt responses.
►Betsy doesn’t mean to be curt. She seems rudely brief with people because she’s so shy.
a. cautious b. courteous c. abrupt
► Cara’s refusal to date my brother demoralized him to the point 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.
a. to cheat b. to discourage c. to excite
►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.
a. a difficult choice b. a great danger c. a benefit
► My inclination is to major in nursing, but I’m going to speak to a few nurses before I make my final decision.
► Our two-year-old has some irritating tendencies such as her inclination to say “no” to everything.
a. a tendency b. a reason c. a fate
► If Kate got angry only occasionally, I could take her more seriously, but she’s always irate about something or other.
► I get mad when my wife misplaces the TV’s remote control, and she becomes equally irate when I write a check and forget to record it in the checkbook.
a. thrilled b. selfish c. furious
► When I told my parents I’d wash the supper dishes the next morning, my father retorted, “Maybe we should serve you dinner in the morning, too.”
► “What do you want?” the young woman asked Dracula. “Only to drink in your charms,” he retorted.
a. to approve b. to reply c. to ask
► Terrorist groups train their members to sabotage airports and other public places.
► A fired computer operator sabotaged the company’s computer system by planting a “virus” in it.
a. to develop b. to invest in c. to do harm to
► “I was hired as a stock boy,” said the company president. “My subsequent jobs took me steadily up the company ladder.”
► The first time I drove on a highway, I was terrified, but on subsequent trips, I felt more relaxed.
a. first b. following c. previous
► “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.
a. careful b. tired c. welcoming
► Florence 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.
a. resistance b. passion c. skill
curt demoralize dilemma inclination irate
retort sabotage subsequent wary zeal
1. ______2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______
6. ______
7. ______
8. ______
9. ______
10. ______/ 1. to lower the spirits; weaken the confidence or cheerfulness
2. following, in time or order; next; later
3. rudely brief when speaking to someone
4. a situation requiring a difficult choice
5. a tendency to think, act, or behave in a certain way
6. to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way
7. very angry
8. to deliberately destroy or damage
9. cautious: on guard
10. enthusiastic devotion; intense enthusiasm
curt demoralize dilemma inclination irate
retort sabotage subsequent wary 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.
3. I have to watch my budget because I have a(n) ______to overspend.
4. The Broadway director cut off most of the auditioning singers with a(n) ______response: “Thank you. That will be all.”
5. The striking miner planned to ___ one of the mines by blowing up the main entrance.
6. Breaking up with Phil ______ed me so much that I didn’t think my spirits could be lower—until I got fired.
7. The team played miserably in the first game of the season but they managed to win all ______games.
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 partying, their grades would skyrocket.
11. 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!” _____ed the waiter.
curt demoralize dilemma inclination irate
retort sabotage subsequent wary zeal
If my carpets need cleaning or I want a new freezer, I will do some comparison shopping first. I am not likely to buy anything suddenly just because a complete stranger has phoned—usually during the dinner hour—to sell it. For this and other reasons, I have always been (1) ______of telephone salespeople. I don’t like their cheerful, overly amiable voices and their nervy suggestions as to how I might easily pay for whatever it is they are selling. My (2) ______is to get off the phone as soon as possible.
My husband, however, creates a(n) (3)______for me when he takes these calls. He doesn’t want what is being sold either, but he feels sorry for the salespeople. He doesn’t want to (4) ______them with such a(n) (5) ______reply as “No.” When they begin their sale pitch, he is overcome by their (6) ______for their product and therefore listens politely. Then he (7) ______s my efforts to discourage (8) ______calls by suggesting that the salespeople call back later to talk to his wife! I don’t know who gets more (9) ______when that happens—I or the salespeople, disappointed when they realize we never intended to buy a thing. More than once, when I’ve finally said, “No sale” for the last time to an adamant salesperson who had been refusing to take “no” for an answer, he or she has (10) ______(e)d, “Well, thanks for wasting my time.”
Vocabulary #2 Quiz—Freshmen Name ______Per. ______
1. ______to lower the spirits; weaken the confidence or cheerfulness
2. ______enthusiastic devotion; intense enthusiasm
3. ______following, in time or order; next; later
4. ______rudely brief when speaking to someone
5. ______a situation requiring a difficult choice
6. ______a tendency to think, act, or behave in a certain way
7. ______to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way
8. ______very angry
9. ______to deliberately destroy or damage
10. ______cautious: on guard
Vocabulary #2 Quiz Name ______
1. ______enthusiastic devotion; intense enthusiasm
2. ______rudely brief when speaking to someone
3. ______a tendency to think, act, or behave in a certain way
4. ______to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way
5. ______to lower the spirits; weaken the confidence or cheerfulness
6. ______to deliberately destroy or damage
7. ______cautious: on guard
8. ______following, in time or order; next; later
9. ______a situation requiring a difficult choice
10. ______very angry
absolve adamant amiable amoral animosity
antagonist eccentric encounter epitome malign
We hope our friend will be (1) ______d from all charges brought against him today in court. Sadly, we doubt it will happen, for his (2) ______s--the prosecutor and the jury— see him as the (3) ______of baseness and describe him as (4) ______, having no values.
The (5) ______old woman wore mismatched clothing and unusually large costume jewelry.
The bully in our class constantly (6) ______s other students. Needless to say, he is not well liked among his peers. They get filled with such (7) ______that it is almost impossible to comfort them. On the contrary, there are many
(8) ______students in class who make it a comfortable and friendly place to be.
We were excited to (9) ______the famous actress in Hollywood last weekend.
My parents are (10) ______about my curfew: one minute late and I’m grounded.
absolve adamant amiable amoral animosity
antagonist eccentric encounter epitome malign
We were excited to (1) ______the famous actress in Hollywood last weekend.
My parents are (2) ______about my curfew: one minute late and I’m grounded.
The (3) ______old woman wore mismatched clothing and unusually large costume jewelry.
The bully in our class constantly (4) ______s other students. Needless to say, he is not well liked among his peers. They get filled with such (5) ______that it is almost impossible to comfort them. On the contrary, there are many
(6) ______students in class who make it a comfortable and friendly place to be.
We hope our friend will be (7) ______d from all charges brought against him today in court. Sadly, we doubt it will happen, for his (8) ______s--the prosecutor and the jury— see him as the (9) ______of baseness and describe him as (10) ______, having no values.