Unit Two: Chapter 7

• calamity • persevere

• comprehensive • ponder

• conventional • rehabilitate

• flagrant • turmoil

• fluctuate • venture

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

1 calamity

Calamity means A. an activity. B. a tragedy. C. a risk.

• The survivors of the earthquake slowly rebuilt their homes and lives after the calamity.

– noun

The calamity of a California wildfire

Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Calamity means A. an activity. B. a tragedy. C. a risk.

• The survivors of the earthquake slowly rebuilt their homes and lives after the calamity.

An earthquake that destroys people’s homes is a tragedy. A neighbor’s house burning down is also a tragedy.

1 calamity – noun

The calamity of a California wildfire

Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

2 comprehensive

Comprehensive means A. complete. B. familiar. C. continuous.

• The company’s comprehensive insurance plan covers most health services, including hospitals, doctors, and dentists.

– adjective

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Comprehensive means A. complete. B. familiar. C. continuous.

• The company’s comprehensive insurance plan covers most health services, including hospitals, doctors, and dentists.

If the article failed to mention many points of interest, it was not complete. If the insurance plan covers most health services, it is complete.

2 comprehensive – adjective

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

3 conventional

Conventional means A. out-of-the-way. B. useful. C. usual.

• Two conventional Valentine’s Day gifts are roses and chocolates.

– adjective

A conventional sign of friendship

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Conventional means A. out-of-the-way. B. useful. C. usual.

• Two conventional Valentine’s Day gifts are roses and chocolates.

Roses and chocolates are usual Valentine’s Day gifts. Getting down on one knee and ask, “Will you marry me?” is the usual way for a man to propose to a woman.

3 conventional – adjective

A conventional sign of friendship

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT

• In flagrant disregard of his parents’ stated wishes, Art wore a T-shirt and jeans to their dinner party.

4 flagrant

Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Flagrant means A. obvious. B. acceptable. C. minor.

– adjective

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT

• In flagrant disregard of his parents’ stated wishes, Art wore a T-shirt and jeans to their dinner party.

Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Flagrant means A. obvious. B. acceptable. C. minor.

It is an obvious violation of the law for a congressman to use campaign funds for his private business. Wearing a T-shirt and jeans to the dinner party would be an obvious disregard of Art’s parents’ wishes.

4 flagrant – adjective

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Fluctuate means A. to continue. B. to vary. C. to follow.

5 fluctuate • My weight used to fluctuate between 150 and 190 pounds. Now

it’s steady, at 170 pounds.

The red line fluctuates.

– verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Fluctuate means A. to continue. B. to vary. C. to follow.

• My weight used to fluctuate between 150 and 190 pounds. Now it’s steady, at 170 pounds.

In contrast with the now steady weight of 170 pounds, the person’s weight used to vary between 150 and 190 pounds. Desert temperatures would vary from daytime to nighttime.

5 fluctuate – verb

The red line fluctuates.

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Persevere means A. to surrender. B. to hold back. C. to keep going.

• It was not easy to attend English classes while working at two jobs, but Nina persevered until she could speak English well.

6 persevere – verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Persevere means A. to surrender. B. to hold back. C. to keep going.

• It was not easy to attend English classes while working at two jobs, but Nina persevered until she could speak English well.

If they have to get to camp before the storm hits, they will have to keep going. If Nina ended up speaking English well, she must have kept going to English classes despite the working two jobs.

6 persevere – verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Ponder means A. to wait for. B. to ignore. C. to think about.

• Too often we don’t take time to ponder the possible consequences of our actions.

7 ponder – verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Ponder means A. to wait for. B. to ignore. C. to think about.

• Too often we don’t take time to ponder the possible consequences of our actions.

We don’t think about the consequences of our actions. In the second sentence, the words thought . . . about tell you the meaning of ponder.

7 ponder – verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Rehabilitate means A. to pay back. B. to return to normal life. C. to depend upon.

• Most prisons make little effort to rehabilitate inmates so that they can lead productive, wholesome lives after their release.

8 rehabilitate – verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Rehabilitate means A. to pay back. B. to return to normal life. C. to depend upon.

• Most prisons make little effort to rehabilitate inmates so that they can lead productive, wholesome lives after their release.

If prisons helped return inmates to normal life, those prisoners would be able to lead productive, wholesome lives after their release. If the program helped the grandfather learn to walk, write, and speak, it returned him to normal life.

8 rehabilitate – verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Turmoil means A. discussion. B. disorder. C. harmony.

• Without a teacher, the sixth-grade class was in turmoil, until the principal entered the room and the students quickly came to order.

9 turmoil – noun

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Turmoil means A. discussion. B. disorder. C. harmony.

• Without a teacher, the sixth-grade class was in turmoil, until the principal entered the room and the students quickly came to order.

In the first item, the words came to order tell you that the class must have been in disorder. In the second item, crying babies, active children, and feeding 120 people suggest disorder.

9 turmoil – noun

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Venture means A. to dare. B. to remember. C. to imagine.

10 venture • “At tomorrow’s staff meeting,” my older sister said, “I will

venture to say what I really think—and cross my fingers that I don’t get fired.”

– verb

TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

Drastic means A. to dare. B. to remember. C. to imagine.

• “At tomorrow’s staff meeting,” my older sister said, “I will venture to say what I really think—and cross my fingers that I don’t get fired.”

Nick will dare to go on any ride except the Twister. The word risk is a clue. If the sister may get fired for speaking her mind, she would have to dare to say what she really thinks.

10 venture – verb