IMPROVING VOCABULARY SKILLS Fourth Edition Sherrie L. Nist © 2010 Townsend Press.

IMPROVING VOCABULARY SKILLS

Fourth Edition

Sherrie L. Nist

© 2010 Townsend Press

Unit Four: Chapter 24

• aster-, astro- • mis-

• contra- • omni-

• -er, -or • pop

• -gamy • rect

• geo- • the, theo-

Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.

1 aster-, astro-

The word part aster- or astro- means

A. someone who does something.

B. star.

C. marriage.

TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT

• The aster is a lovely flower named for its starlike shape: its petals point outward from a yellow disk.

• Astrologers claim to interpret the influence of the stars and planets on our lives.

Astronaut Ed White on a spacewalk

Photo courtesy of NASA


1 aster-, astro-

The word part aster- or astro- means

A. someone who does something.

B. star.

C. marriage.


• The aster is a lovely flower named for its starlike shape: its petals point outward from a yellow disk.

• Astrologers claim to interpret the influence of the stars and planets on our lives.

In the first item, the word starlike is a clue that aster means “star.” In the second item, the word stars suggests that astro- means “star.”

Astronaut Ed White on a spacewalk

Photo courtesy of NASA


2 contra-

The word part contra- means

A. all.

B. straight.

C. against.


• Contrary to his campaign promise, the governor is going to raise gasoline taxes.

• The warning label on the bottle of arthritis medicine contained this contraindication: “We recommend against taking this product if you are already using aspirin or similar painkillers.”


2 contra-

The word part contra- means

A. all.

B. straight.

C. against.


• Contrary to his campaign promise, the governor is going to raise gasoline taxes.

• The warning label on the bottle of arthritis medicine contained this contraindication: “We recommend against taking this product if you are already using aspirin or similar painkillers.”

If the governor had promised not to raise taxes and then decides to do so, he is going against his promise. The second item gives an example of an indication against taking the product.


3 -er, -or

The word part -er or -or means

A. god.

B. wrong.

C. someone who does something.


• When the young singer at an NBA game forgot the words to the National Anthem, the coach came over and sang along with her.

• American visitors to Canadian cities are often amazed by how clean the streets are.


3 -er, -or

The word part -er or -or means

A. god.

B. wrong.

C. someone who does something.


• When the young singer at an NBA game forgot the words to the National Anthem, the coach came over and sang along with her.

• American visitors to Canadian cities are often amazed by how clean the streets are.

If the coach came over and sang along with her, the young girl must have been the person who was singing. In the second item, visitors are people who visit Canadian cities.


• Jackson brought charges of bigamy against his wife after he learned that she was still legally married to her first husband.

• King Mongut of Siam, whose story was told in the musical The King and I, practiced polygamy. He was reported to have had 9,000 wives.

4 -gamy

The word part -gamy means

A. marriage.

B. opposite.

C. god.



• Jackson brought charges of bigamy against his wife after he learned that she was still legally married to her first husband.

• King Mongut of Siam, whose story was told in the musical The King and I, practiced polygamy. He was reported to have had 9,000 wives.

4 -gamy

The word part -gamy means

A. marriage.

B. opposite.

C. god.


In the first item, the word married is a clue that -gamy in bigamy means “marriage.” In the second item, if the king had 9,000 wives, he was married to many women (polygamy).


The word part geo- means

A. earth.

B. people.

C. outer space.

5 geo-


• Pierce County, North Dakota, has the distinction of being the geographic center of North America.

• Geophysics is the science of the matter and forces of the Earth, including oceans, volcanoes, and earthquakes.


The word part geo- means

A. earth.

B. people.

C. outer space.

5 geo-


• Pierce County, North Dakota, has the distinction of being the geographic center of North America.

• Geophysics is the science of the matter and forces of the Earth, including oceans, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

In terms of the physical surface of the Earth, Pierce County is the geographic center of North America. If geophysics is the science of matter and forces of the Earth, then geo- must mean “earth.”

The word part mis- means

A. for.

B. straight.

C. badly.

• I think there is something wrong with a child who never misbehaves.

• The telephone caller misrepresented herself. She said she was doing a survey, but she really wanted to sell me life insurance.

6 mis-



A mismatched pair of socks

The word part mis- means

A. for.

B. straight.

C. badly.

• I think there is something wrong with a child who never misbehaves.

• The telephone caller misrepresented herself. She said she was doing a survey, but she really wanted to sell me life insurance.

6 mis-



A child who misbehaves is a child who behaves badly. In the second item, if caller the said she was doing a survey but really was selling insurance, she represented herself badly.

A mismatched pair of socks


The word part omni- means

A. right.

B. all.

C. wrong.

• Until they lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl, the 2007–2008 New England Patriots seemed omnipotent. They defeated all their opponents, completing the first 18-0 season in NFL history.

• Some dinosaurs ate only plants, and others ate only meat. Still others were omnivorous—they ate all kinds of food.

7 omni-



The word part omni- means

A. right.

B. all.

C. wrong.

• Until they lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl, the 2007–2008 New England Patriots seemed omnipotent. They defeated all their opponents, completing the first 18-0 season in NFL history.

• Some dinosaurs ate only plants, and others ate only meat. Still others were omnivorous—they ate all kinds of food.

7 omni-


If the Giants had won 18 out of 18 games, they must have seemed to be an all-powerful team. In the second item, the words ate all kinds of food tell you the meaning of omnivorous.


The word part pop means

A. people.

B. everywhere.

C. opposite.

• In 1770, the United States was not very populous. Only about two million people lived here then.

• In order to populate the West, the government gave free land to people who would build on it.

8 pop



The word part pop means

A. people.

B. everywhere.

C. opposite.

• In 1770, the United States was not very populous. Only about two million people lived here then.

• In order to populate the West, the government gave free land to people who would build on it.

8 pop


In both items, the word people tells you the meaning of pop.


The word part rect means

A. opposite.

B. straight.

C. wrong.

• Every time I play Monopoly, I seem to pick the card that reads, “Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.”

• “Suck in those stomachs!” yelled the coach. “Pull back those shoulders, and stand erect!”

9 rect



The word part rect means

A. opposite.

B. straight.

C. wrong.

• Every time I play Monopoly, I seem to pick the card that reads, “Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.”

• “Suck in those stomachs!” yelled the coach. “Pull back those shoulders, and stand erect!”

9 rect


If you cannot pass Go and you cannot collect $200, you must be going straight to jail. If people do what the coach says (suck in those stomachs, pull back those shoulders), they will end up standing straight instead of slouching.


The word part the or theo- means

A. god.

B. everywhere.

C. for.

10 the, theo-• Monotheism is the belief that there is only one God.

• Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious truth.



The word part the or theo- means

A. god.

B. everywhere.

C. for.

10 the, theo-• Monotheism is the belief that there is only one God.

• Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious truth.


In both items, the word God tells you the meaning of the or theo-.

SENTENCE CHECK 1

2. The study of the chemical makeup of the Earth’s crust is called ( . . . chemistry) ___.

1. Wade, a professional (act . . . ) ___, seems to be playing a part even when he’s offstage.

A. aster-, astro- B. contra- C. -er, -or D. -gamy

F. mis- G. omni- H. pop I. rect

Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.

E.geo-

J. the, theo-

SENTENCE CHECK 1

2. The study of the chemical makeup of the Earth’s crust is called _____________.

1. Wade, a professional ___________, seems to be playing a part even when he’s offstage.




E.geo-

J. the, theo-

actor

geochemistry

If Wade appears onstage, he is someone who acts—an actor.

Geochemistry is the study of the chemical makeup of the Earth’s crust.

4. A small starlike figure called an ( . . . isk) ___ (*) is often used in books and magazines to indicate a footnote.

SENTENCE CHECK 1

5. On a movie set, the (di . . . or) __ is the person who keeps everyone and everything running on course.

3. Poverty is (. . . present) __ in large cities in India, where people beg on every street.




E.geo-

J. the, theo-

4. A small starlike figure called an ___________ (*) is often used in books and magazines to indicate a footnote.

SENTENCE CHECK 1

5. On a movie set, the ___________ is the person who keeps everyone and everything running on course.

3. Poverty is ____________ in large cities in India, where people beg on every street.




E.geo-

J. the, theo-

If people beg on every street, poverty must be present everywhere.

If the person who keeps everyone and everything running on course, the director keeps everything straight.

The word starlike tells you that you need a word part that means “star.”

director

omnipresent

asterisk

SENTENCE CHECK 1

6. John Wesley was the eighteenth-century British ( . . . logian) ___ who founded

Methodism.

7. If I don’t hang my house key on a special hook in the kitchen as soon as I get home, I’ll ( . . . place) ___ it.




E.geo-

J. the, theo-

SENTENCE CHECK 1

6. John Wesley was the eighteenth-century British _____________ who founded Methodism.

7. If I don’t hang my house key on a special hook in the kitchen as soon as I get home, I’ll _____________ it.




E.geo-

J. the, theo-

If Wesley founded the Methodist religion, it is logical that he was a person who studied the relationship of god to the world (a theologian).

If the person doesn’t hang the key on a special hook, he or she will put it in the wrong place and not be able to find it.

theologian

misplace

9. (Mono . . . ) __ doesn’t stop people from having more than one husband or wife. It only requires them to have one at a time.

8. Young children go through a stage in which they ( . . . dict) __ everything a parent says. If the parent says yes, the child will usually say no.

SENTENCE CHECK 1




E.geo-

J. the, theo-

10.The few places on Earth that have not yet been (. . . ulated) __ by humans probably would not appeal to many. Who wants to live on the snowcapped peak of a mountain?

9. ____________ doesn’t stop people from having more than one husband or wife. It only requires them to have one at a time.

10.The few places on Earth that have not yet been ___________ by humans probably would not appeal to many. Who wants to live on the snowcapped peak of a mountain?

8. Young children go through a stage in which they __________ everything a parent says. If the parent says yes, the child will usually say no.

SENTENCE CHECK 1




E.geo-

J. the, theo-

If the parent says yes and the child says no, the child says the opposite.

The words husband and wife indicate a word part that means “marriage.”

The sense of the sentence calls for a word part that means “people.”

contradict

Monogamy

populated

IMPROVING VOCABULARY SKILLS Fourth Edition Sherrie L. Nist © 2010 Townsend Press.

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Transcript of IMPROVING VOCABULARY SKILLS Fourth Edition Sherrie L. Nist © 2010 Townsend Press.