Danger Signals

A potential* female alcoholic should be cognizant* of certain danger signals:

a. Using alcohol in an attempt to palliate her problems.

b. Deluding herself about the extent other drinking habits.

c. Drinking at regular time periods, both day and night.

d. Reliance upon alcohol as a prelude to a major social

obligation.

e. Making unrealistic promises about terminating* her drinking.

f. Using alcohol as a medication for real or chimerical illnesses.

If in evaluating* her drinking, a woman acknowledged that several of the danger signals applied to her, she should see a physician.

Sample Sentences: Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. Monte refused to _________ the extrinsic* pressures that were causing him

to do poorly in his sophomore year.

2. We must not allow fulsome* praise to _________ us about our actual abilities.

3. The drugs could only_____________ the symptoms, not provide the cure.

4. As a ————— to his performance, the bullfighter vowed to do penance* for

his sins.

5. The scheme sounded __________, but we were indoctrinated * to believe that it could work.

Definitions: Match the new words with their meanings.

6. palliate ______________ a. visionary, imaginary, fantastic

7. delude _____________ b. alleviate, relieve without curing

8. prelude ______________ c. introduction

9. chimerical ___________ d. to fool

10. acknowledge _________ e. admit

Today's Idiom the Draconian Code —a very severe set of rules (Draco, an Athenian lawmaker of the 7th cent. B.C., prescribed the death penalty for almost every violation)

The head counselor ran our camp according to his own Draconian Code.

23rd Week / 1st Day

New Words: heterogeneous gamut perspicacious analogous maladjusted

From A to Z

Ellis Sloane, a teacher of science at a large metropolitan high school, first paid little attention to the fact that his two biology classes were so disparate* in their performance. In most schools the classes are alphabetically heterogeneous, with youngsters’ names running the gamut from Adams to Zilch. But Biology 121 had only A's and B's, whereas Biology 128 had T's, V's, W's, Y's, andZ's. Mr. Sloane, a perspicacious teacher, began to perceive* differences between the two groups: while their reading scores and I.Q.'s were roughly analogous, it was apparent that Biology 128 was replete* with maladjusted students, while Biology 121 had the normal ones.

Sample Sentences: Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. The Bureau of Child Guidance has been the salvation* for some_____________

children.

2. Our algebra class is a ______________one in which bright students are juxtaposed * with slower ones.

3. Senator Thorpe was ___________ enough to realize that the scurrilous* charge would have little effect upon the voters.

4. Although the lawyer acknowledged * that the two cases were hardly——————,

he still felt that he had a good precedent on his side.

5. The actress ran the ___________ of emotions in a poignant* performance which thrilled the audience.

Definitions: Match the new words with their meanings.

6. heteroge­neous ——— a. range

7. gamut ____________ b. acutely perceptive, shrewd

8. perspica­cious ——— c. poorly adjusted, disturbed

9. analogous __________ d. comparable, similar

10. maladjusted _________ e. dissimilar

Today's Idiom

the distaff side— women (distaff was a staff used in spinning)

The men had brandy on the porch, while the distaff side gathered to gossip in the kitchen.

23rd Week / 2nd Day

New Words: phenomenon mortality decade susceptible neurotic

What's In a Name?

As Mr. Sloane pursued his investigation of the phenomenon, he discovered that a Dr. Trevor Weston of the British Med­ical Association had corroborated * his findings. Dr. Weston had studied British mortality rates over a decade, finding that people whose names began with letters ranging from "S" to "Z" had a life expectancy that averaged twelve years fewer than the rest of the population. Furthermore, those at the bottom of the alphabet tended to contract more ulcers, were more susceptible to heart attacks, and were more likely to be neurotic than those at the top of the alphabet.

Sample Sentences: Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. Irritability is one of the salient* features of a __________ personality.

2. After a ——————— of connubial * acrimony,* the couple decided to consult

with a marriage counselor.

3. If a miner were to ponder* over the high _________ rate in his occupation, he might want to quit.

4. Ethan Frome soon learned that his querulous* wife was ______ to a variety of ailments.

5. There was no paucity* of witnesses to describe the ______ of the flying saucer.

Definitions: Match the new words with their meanings.

6. phenomenon _________ a. death

7. mortality ___________ b. suffering from a nervous disorder

8. decade _____________ c. ten years

9. susceptible ___________ d. unusual occurrence

10. neurotic ____________e. easily affected, unusually liable

Today's Idiom on the qui vive —on the alert

My mother is always on the qui vive for bargains.

23rd Week / 3rd Day

New Words: pedagogue enunciate inordinate irascible introspective

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30