AWP2 ch 15

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ADVANCED

WORD POWER

Second Edition

B

ETH

J

OHNSON

J

ANET

M. G

OLDSTEIN

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Unit Three: Chapter 15

•

callous

•

paragon

•

desecrate

•

provincial

•

evanescent

•

steadfast

•

heed

•

supercilious

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TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT

Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

–

adjective

• Only the most callous person is not touched by pictures of starving

children in refugee camps.

• Doctors and nurses in emergency rooms may seem callous, but if they

let themselves become upset by the suffering they see, they could not do their jobs.

Callous

means

A.

unfamiliar.

B.

unfeeling.

C.

unqualified.

(4)

–

adjective

• Only the most callous person is not touched by pictures of starving

children in refugee camps.

• Doctors and nurses in emergency rooms may seem callous, but if they

let themselves become upset by the suffering they see, they could not do their jobs.

Callous

means

A.

unfamiliar.

B.

unfeeling.

C.

unqualified.

1

callous

(5)

2

desecrate

–

verb

• Food vendors, postcard stands, and the like are not allowed at the war

memorial. Such commercial ventures would desecrate this shrine to the war dead.

• New Englanders feel that clam chowder is desecrated by the addition of

tomatoes. There’s not a speck of tomato in pure New England chowder.

Desecrate

means

A.

to adorn.

B.

to dishonor.

C.

to finish.

Ph

oto

: A

rm

en

ia-W

ale

s

Vandals

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2

desecrate

–

verb

• Food vendors, postcard stands, and the like are not allowed at the war

memorial. Such commercial ventures would desecrate this shrine to the war dead.

• New Englanders feel that clam chowder is desecrated by the addition of

tomatoes. There’s not a speck of tomato in pure New England chowder.

Desecrate

means

A.

to adorn.

B.

to dishonor.

C.

to finish.

Ph oto : A rm en ia-W ale s

Using the memorial site to make money would dishonor those who died. New Englanders who view their original recipe as sacred think tomatoes dishonor ”their” chowder. Vandals

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3

evanescent

–

adjective

• My grandmother seemed to have an evanescent scent of vanilla about

her. When I hugged her, I would sometimes catch a sweet whiff of it.

• It is a wonderful, rare thing to get a glimpse of the northern lights,

which appear as evanescent flickers of color on the horizon.

Evanescent

means

A.

briefly present.

B.

long-lasting.

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3

evanescent

–

adjective

• My grandmother seemed to have an evanescent scent of vanilla about

her. When I hugged her, I would sometimes catch a sweet whiff of it.

• It is a wonderful, rare thing to get a glimpse of the northern lights,

which appear as evanescent flickers of color on the horizon.

Evanescent

means

A.

briefly present.

B.

long-lasting.

C.

imaginary.

(9)

4

heed

–

verb

• Parents often wish that children were more willing to heed their advice. • The senator was voted out of office after just one term because he

refused to heed the voters’ wishes.

Heed

means

A.

to listen to.

B.

to misunderstand.

C.

to ignore.

Ph

oto

: A

rlo

K

. A

bra

ha

m

so

n, U

.S

. N

av

(10)

4

heed

–

verb

• Parents often wish that children were more willing to heed their advice. • The senator was voted out of office after just one term because he

refused to heed the voters’ wishes.

Heed

means

A.

to listen to.

B.

to misunderstand.

C.

to ignore.

Ph oto : A rlo K . A bra ha m so n, U .S . N av

y Training a dog to heed commands

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5

indigent

–

adjective

• The nun Mother Teresa was famous for her work among the indigent

people of India, the people she called “the poorest of the poor.”

• A soup kitchen and free clothing outlet has opened on West Avenue to

help the city’s indigent population.

Indigent

means

A.

important.

B.

well-behaved.

C.

needy.

Ph

oto

: M

atth

ew

W

oit

un

sk

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5

indigent

–

adjective

• The nun Mother Teresa was famous for her work among the indigent

people of India, the people she called “the poorest of the poor.”

• A soup kitchen and free clothing outlet has opened on West Avenue to

help the city’s indigent population.

Indigent

means

A.

important.

B.

well-behaved.

C.

needy.

The phrase “poorest of the poor” suggests that Mother Teresa tried to help needy people. Soup kitchens and clothing outlets offer free food and clothes to needy people.

Ph

oto

: M

atth

ew

W

oit

un

sk

(13)

6

paragon

–

noun

• The Acme Company presented itself as a paragon of business ethics.

Therefore, the public was surprised at reports that Acme was dumping toxic wastes into streams and that its executives had fled the country with the stockholders’ money.

• The New England town meeting is frequently described as a paragon of

democracy. All citizens can participate and make their voices heard.

Paragon

means

A.

an ancestor.

B.

an imitation.

(14)

6

paragon

–

noun

• The Acme Company presented itself as a paragon of business ethics.

Therefore, the public was surprised at reports that Acme was dumping toxic wastes into streams and that its executives had fled the country with the stockholders’ money.

• The New England town meeting is frequently described as a paragon of

democracy. All citizens can participate and make their voices heard.

Paragon

means

A.

an ancestor.

B.

an imitation.

C.

an ideal example.

(15)

7

provincial

–

adjective

• Just because Ivan lives in the country, do not think he is provincial. On

the contrary, he is a well-educated man who reads a great deal and keeps up with what’s going on in the world.

• The local paper is too provincial for me. Its stories are written from a

very limited point of view that doesn’t consider other ways of looking at questions.

Provincial

means

A.

narrow-minded.

B.

broad-minded.

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7

provincial

–

adjective

• Just because Ivan lives in the country, do not think he is provincial. On

the contrary, he is a well-educated man who reads a great deal and keeps up with what’s going on in the world.

• The local paper is too provincial for me. Its stories are written from a

very limited point of view that doesn’t consider other ways of looking at questions.

Provincial

means

A.

narrow-minded.

B.

broad-minded.

C.

calm.

The assumption that Ivan is narrow-minded because he lives in the country is contrasted with the reality that he is well-educated and

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8

steadfast

–

adjective

• For the last 11 years, my grandmother has been a steadfast volunteer for

the Meals on Wheels program. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, no matter what the weather, she delivers meals to neighbors who cannot leave their homes.

• On their golden anniversary, Dad made a touching toast to Mom, saying

that she had been his “steadfast companion for half a century.”

Steadfast

means

A.

forgetful.

B.

faithful.

(18)

8

steadfast

–

adjective

• For the last 11 years, my grandmother has been a steadfast volunteer for

the Meals on Wheels program. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, no matter what the weather, she delivers meals to neighbors who cannot leave their homes.

• On their golden anniversary, Dad made a touching toast to Mom, saying

that she had been his “steadfast companion for half a century.”

Steadfast

means

A.

forgetful.

B.

faithful.

C.

grateful.

Since the grandmother consistently delivers meals, regardless of weather conditions, she is a faithful volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Since the father is celebrating his fiftieth wedding anniversary with a touching toast to his wife, he probably considers her a faithful

(19)

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT

9

supercilious

–

adjective

• After a conference with her son’s teacher, Jane was fuming because of the

teacher’s supercilious attitude. “She treated me like dirt under her feet,” Jane said bitterly.

• The supercilious hotel clerk lost his job when he asked a plainly-dressed

foreign-looking woman in the lobby to leave. She was the hotel owner’s mother.

Supercilious

means

A.

snobbish.

B.

sensitive.

C.

supportive.

Ph

oto

: O

sca

r G

ust

av

e R

ejla

nd

er,

18

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9

supercilious

–

adjective

• After a conference with her son’s teacher, Jane was fuming because of the

teacher’s supercilious attitude. “She treated me like dirt under her feet,” Jane said bitterly.

• The supercilious hotel clerk lost his job when he asked a plainly-dressed

foreign-looking woman in the lobby to leave. She was the hotel owner’s mother.

Supercilious

means

A.

snobbish.

B.

sensitive.

C.

supportive.

A supercilious expression

The teacher must have a snobbish

attitude to treat other people like dirt. Only a snobbish clerk would make someone leave simply because her clothing wasn’t very fancy.

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TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT

10

usurp

–

verb

• In the novel, the evil prince arranged to have the elderly king kidnapped. He

then usurped the throne, declaring himself king and threatening to hang as a traitor anyone who objected.

• If you get a puppy, it is important to reassure your old dog that the

newcomer won’t usurp his place in your affections. Give the old dog plenty of extra love to show him he still comes first—the puppy won’t mind.

Usurp

means

A.

to share.

B.

to take over.

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10

usurp

–

verb

• In the novel, the evil prince arranged to have the elderly king kidnapped. He

then usurped the throne, declaring himself king and threatening to hang as a traitor anyone who objected.

• If you get a puppy, it is important to reassure your old dog that the

newcomer won’t usurp his place in your affections. Give the old dog plenty of extra love to show him he still comes first—the puppy won’t mind.

Usurp

means

A.

to share.

B.

to take over.

C.

to support.

(23)

SENTENCE CHECK 1

2.

My mother and her sister Belle have not been on speaking terms for years. “I wouldn’t let Belle come in our door,” Mother says. “Her presence would _________ our home!”

1.

Tyrell is the most _________ player on his soccer team. He’s totally committed, and he never misses a game or a practice session.

Complete each item with the correct word from the box.

A. callous B. desecrate C. evanescent D. heed E. indigent

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SENTENCE CHECK 1

2.

My mother and her sister Belle have not been on speaking terms for years. “I wouldn’t let Belle come in our door,” Mother says. “Her presence would _________ our home!”

1.

Tyrell is the most _________ player on his soccer team. He’s totally committed, and he never misses a game or a practice session.

F. paragon G. provincial H. steadfast I. supercilious J. usurp

The words totally committed suggest that he is firmly and consistently loyal.

The mother is so angry at her sister that she thinks her presence would

violate the sacredness of the home she values highly.

steadfast

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SENTENCE CHECK 1

4.

In the small town where I grew up, there was a simple-minded,

________ man everyone knew as Tom. The local restaurants gave him meals, and members of several churches provided him with clothes.

5.

When I woke up, I could remember few details of my dream. Like many dreams, it was _________, quickly slipping away from my memory.

3.

The farm geese moved restlessly as the wild geese flew overhead. They were unsure whether they should stay around their little pond or _________ the call of their wild cousins and fly south.

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SENTENCE CHECK 1

4.

In the small town where I grew up, there was a simple-minded,

________ man everyone knew as Tom. The local restaurants gave him meals, and members of several churches provided him with clothes.

5.

When I woke up, I could remember few details of my dream. Like many dreams, it was _________, quickly slipping away from my memory.

3.

The farm geese moved restlessly as the wild geese flew overhead. They were unsure whether they should stay around their little pond or _________ the call of their wild cousins and fly south.

The geese would either stay or pay attention to the wild geese and fly south.

Restaurants and churches often give food and clothing to very poor people. The words quickly slipping away suggest that the dream, like a vapor,

was only briefly present and then disappeared.

heed

indigent

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SENTENCE CHECK 1

7.

With most people having easy access to the Internet and 24-hour news channels, it is growing more difficult to be truly _________. It’s almost impossible to completely ignore the world outside your own little community.

6.

Some parents fear that letting their children watch violent TV shows will make the children _________, uncaring about the suffering of others.

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SENTENCE CHECK 1

7.

With most people having easy access to the Internet and 24-hour news channels, it is growing more difficult to be truly _________. It’s almost impossible to completely ignore the world outside your own little community.

6.

Some parents fear that letting their children watch violent TV shows will make the children _________, uncaring about the suffering of others.

The word uncaring suggests that callous means “hardened in feelings.”

People who completely ignore the outside world would be limited in outlook

to what they experience in their own little communities.

callous

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SENTENCE CHECK 1

9.

The elegant boutique in town must go out of its way to find __________ clerks. The last time I walked in, the woman there glanced at my shabby raincoat and said haughtily, “I doubt that we have anything in your price range.”

10.

Reading about our town’s Woman of the Year made me so depressed that I wanted to go back to bed. This ________ not only runs her own

successful business, has a happy marriage, and raises apparently peerless° children, but she also makes all her own clothes from cotton she spins

herself.

8.

Not realizing that Dad is the only one who ever sits in the brown

recliner, my date innocently sat there. “Who is this person who has the temerity° to _________ my throne?” Dad roared at the poor boy.

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SENTENCE CHECK 1

9.

The elegant boutique in town must go out of its way to find __________ clerks. The last time I walked in, the woman there glanced at my shabby raincoat and said haughtily, “I doubt that we have anything in your price range.”

10.

Reading about our town’s Woman of the Year made me so depressed that I wanted to go back to bed. This ________ not only runs her own

successful business, has a happy marriage, and raises apparently peerless° children, but she also makes all her own clothes from cotton she spins

herself.

8.

Not realizing that Dad is the only one who ever sits in the brown

recliner, my date innocently sat there. “Who is this person who has the temerity° to _________ my throne?” Dad roared at the poor boy.

The father felt the boy had no right to “seize” and sit in his seat of “power.”

The word haughtily suggests the clerk scornfully looked down on others.

A “Woman of the Year” would be a model of female excellence or perfection.

usurp

supercilious