Question

ten words in context: in the space provided, write the letter of the meaning closest to that of each boldfaced word. use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.

1 curt (kurt) -adjective

• the fast-food manager trained workers to give polite, full answers to customers, not curt responses.
• betsy doesn’t mean to be curt. when she’s with other people, she often says just a few quick words to them because she’s so shy.

a. cautious.
b. courteous.
c. rudely brief.

2 demoralize (di-mor’-ə-līz’) -verb

• (partially visible context)
• when bonita gained a pound during her diet, it so demoralized her that she... (partially visible)

a. to cheat.
b. to discourage.
c. to excite.

3 dilemma (di-lem’-ə) -noun

• (partially visible context)
• the store manager faced a dilemma: either having a needy elderly man... (partially visible)
• in old romantic movies, the heroine’s dilemma often involves choosing between a rich boyfriend and the poor man she really loves.

a. a hard choice.
b. a great danger.
c. a benefit.

4 inclination (in’-klə-mā’-shən) -noun

• my inclination is to major in nursing, but i’m going to speak to a few... (partially visible)
• because lee fears the dentist, his inclination is to wait until he is... (partially visible)

a. a preference.
b. a reason.
c. a fate.

5 irate (ī’-rāt’) -adjective

• (partially visible context)
• if kate got angry only occasionally, i could take her more seriously, but she’s always irate about something or other.
• ray gets mad when his wife misplaces the tv’s remote control, and he’s equally irate when he leaves muddy footprints on the freshly mopped... (partially visible)

a. thrilled.
b. selfish.
c. furious.

6 retort (ri-tôrt’) -verb

• (partially visible context)
• when i told my parents i’d put the dishes in the dishwasher, my father retorted, “maybe we should serve you dinner in the dishwasher!”
• “what do you want?” the young woman asked dracula. “only your blood,” he retorted.

a. to approve.
b. to reply.
c. (partially visible)

7 sabotage (sab’-ə-tôzh’) -verb

• (partially visible context)
• terrorist groups train their members to sabotage airports and other public places.
• a fired programmer sabotaged the company’s network by infecting it with a computer virus.

a. to develop.
b. to invest in.
c. to do harm to.

8 subsequent (sub’-sə-kwənt’) -adjective

• (partially visible context)
• “i was hired as a stock boy,” said the company president. “my subsequent jobs took me steadily up the company ladder.”
• the first few times janet drove on a highway, she was terrified, but on subsequent trips, she felt more relaxed.

a. first.
b. following.
c. previous.

9 wary (wâr’-ē) -adjective

• (partially visible context)
• “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.

10 zeal (zēl) -noun

• (partially visible context)
• velma 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.

matching words with definitions
following are definitions of the ten words. clearly write or print each word next to its definition. the sentences above and on the previous page will help you decide on the meaning of each word.

1. a tendency, or preference, to think, act, or behave in a certain way; a leaning
2. rudely brief when speaking to someone; abrupt
3. cautious; on guard
4. to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or witty way
5. to lower the spirits of; weaken the confidence or cheerfulness of
6. a situation requiring a difficult choice
7. to do harm to; damage
8. following, in time or order; next; later
9. enthusiastic devotion; intense enthusiasm
10. very angry

caution: do not go on to the next page until you are sure the above answers are correct. then you can use the definitions to help you in the following practice. your goal is essentially to know the words well enough so that you don’t need to check the definitions at all.

Explanation:

Question 1: curt

To determine the meaning of "curt", we analyze the options:

• Option A (cautious) doesn't fit as the context about the fast - food manager and Betsy's behavior doesn't imply caution.
• Option B (courteous) is the opposite of what the sentences suggest (the fast - food manager's trained polite responses contrast with Betsy's non - polite way, and she is shy, not using polite words).
• Option C (rudely brief) matches. The fast - food manager is trained to give polite, full answers, while Betsy often gives short answers (rudely brief) because she is shy.

For "demoralize", we examine the options:

• Option A (to cheat) has no relation to the context of Carla's diet and confidence loss.
• Option B (to discourage) fits. Carla lost confidence (was demoralized) during her diet, which means she was discouraged.
• Option C (to excite) is the opposite of what happened to Carla (she was not excited but lost confidence).

When looking at "dilemma":

• Option A (a hard choice) is correct. The store manager's situation of choosing between a needy elderly man and ignoring shoplifters is a difficult choice, which is a dilemma.
• Option B (a great danger) is incorrect as the situation is about a choice, not danger.
• Option C (a benefit) is also incorrect as the situation is a difficult choice, not a benefit.

Answer:

C. rudely brief

Question 2: demoralize