VOCABULARY LESSON 21
Decay AND DESTRUCTION
WORD LIST
annihilatecontaminatecorrode curtaildeplete
deteriorateextinctnegate rancidsquander
The words in this lesson will help you better understand and describe all sorts of situations that involve the processes of decay and destruction that are part of life.
1.annihilate- to destroy completely
- The tsunami completely annihilated the town.
2.contaminate – to make unclean or impure
- The pesticides used by the exterminator contaminated the lake.
3.corrode – to dissolve a metal gradually
- The acid corroded the metal resulting in rust.
4.curtail – to cut short
- The hurricane curtailed our vacation.
5.deplete – to use up or to empty
- The shopping spree completely depleted my piggy bank.
6.deteriorate – to make or become worse
- The building deteriorated over time because of lack of maintenance.
7.extinct – no longer existing
- Many years ago dinosaurs became extinct.
8.negate – to make reverse or invalid
- An Eagles’ holding penalty negated a touchdown.
9.rancid – smelling or tasting rotten
- I realized the milk was rancid as soon as I opened it.
10.squander – to waste
- I squandered my money on toys for my children.
COMPLETE THE SENTENCE
Write the letter for the word that best completes each sentence.
___1. Sharon was afraid the chicken was _____because it was left on the kitchen counter.
a. corrodedb. deteriorated c. contaminatedd. curtailed
___2. The African gorilla is in danger of becoming_____.
a. depleteb. contaminatedc. corrodedd. extinct
___3. When I opened up the meat, I could tell immediately that it was _____.
a. rancidb. squanderedc. negated d. corroded
___4. The blackout _____the musical performance.
a. depletedb. curtailedc. depletedd. contaminated
___5. You should not _____so much of your time on video games.
a. curtailb. squander c. negated. annihilate
___6. OceanCity’s warm sea air _____the spikes on my bike.
a. corrodedb. squanderedc. depletedd. extincts
___7. All of my strength was _____after running the marathon.
a. curtailedb. negatec. annihilatedd. depleted
___8. The unlimited buffet on the cruise completely _____all the progress I had made on my diet.
- corrodedb. curtailedc. negatedd. squandered
___9. The weather _____swiftly as the rain began.
a. depletedb. corrodedc. curtailedd. deteriorated
___10. Our soccer team _____the competition at the tournament.
a. annihilatedb. deterioratedc. corrodedd. negated
WRITING RESPONSE
People face many challenges when it comes to fighting deforestation. Based on the selection, write an essay explaining why forests are important.
In one good paragraph (7-9 sentences), write about the effects of deforestation. Find clues (italics) to important vocabulary words.
Remember to write in cursive and to include 3 vocabulary words, underlined.
Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Our environment is under threat from deforestation, the loss of trees and forest plants. Deforestation comes in many forms, including fires, cutting for agriculture, ranching and development, logging for timber and worsening conditions due to climate change.
Deforestation is a particular concern in tropical rainforests because these forests are home to many of the world’s plants and animals, thus leading to the complete destruction of many species. For example, in the Amazon, around 17% of the forest has been used up in the last 50 years. Many animals, such as the Amur tiger, is in danger of no longer existing. Only 450 Amur tigers remain in the wild, scientists estimate.
Each year, millions of acres of forests around the world are destroyed by fire. These fires not only alter the structure and compositions of forests, but they can also alter water cycles, often making impure the water supplies.
Once a forest is lost, it is usually gone forever, along with many of the plants and animals that once lived there. We cannot reverse this loss. Many organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund, have worked to cut short these trends, though. It is time to stop wasting our country’s rich environment and valuable resources through deforestation. We all can all do our part to preserve our valuable plants and animals for future generations.
FIND THE EXAMPLE
Choose the answer that best describes the action or situation.
___1. Something that would help to negate the benefit of exercise
a. smokingb. a swim in the oceanc. eating an apple
___2. Someone who annihilates small creatures as an occupation
a. a veterinarianb. exterminatorc. zookeeper
___3. Something you could do to prevent the deterioration of your body
a. read a bookb. eat cookies c. exercise
___4. Something that is often squandered
a. video gamesb. moneyc. ice cream
___5. Something that causes animals to become extinct
a. deforestationb. conservation c. a tsunami
___6. Something to do with contaminated food
a. cook itb. donate itc. throw it out
___7. A place where meat would NOT go rancid
a. the freezerb. in a lakec. on a diving board
___8. Something that might be curtailed by bad weather
- a trip to DorneyParkb. going to the moviesc. going to school
WRITE THE DERIVATIVE
Complete the sentence by writing the correct form of the word shown in parentheses.
______1. When he bounced a check, he realized his bank account had been_____. (deplete)
______2. The _____of the metal was caused by its exposure to the salt air. (corrode)
______3. The _____ of a species usually occurs over time. (annihilate)
______4. Her broken toe temporarily _____her career as a dancer. (curtail)
______5. Do you think that playing too many video games _____your time? (squander)