Vocabulary Building Exercises

• The text provides vocabulary, definitions, and matching exercises

Vocabulary Chart Key Terms

• Renounce: To formally give up a right or claim. Example: renouncing citizenship to move abroad
• Jaded: Tired or bored, often after too much of something. Example: Becoming jaded by rude customers after working in customer service
• Stalk: To secretly follow or move quietly toward something. Example: A lion stalks its prey
• Concession: A compromise or allowance in a negotiation. Example: A company made a concession to increase workers' salaries
• Stamping Ground: A place where someone frequently spends time. Example: A café was someone's old stamping ground from college
• Diminutive Stature: Small or short physical size. Example: An excellent basketball player despite diminutive stature
• Kin: Family or relatives. Example: Visiting kin in another country
• Bombarded: Overwhelmed with too much of something. Example: A journalist was bombarded with questions
• Frisson: A sudden feeling of excitement or thrill. Example: Feeling a frisson of excitement before stepping on stage
• Gambit: A phrase or expression used to structure a conversation. Example: Starting with a gambit to break the ice in the meeting

Vocabulary Fill-in-the-Blanks

• The old bookstore was his favorite stamping ground when he was in college
• The celebrity was bombarded with messages from fans after the interview
• She felt a frisson of fear as she entered the haunted house
• He decided to renounce his claim to the property and donate it to charity
• Despite her diminutive stature, she was the fastest runner in her team
• Many people become jaded after years of working in a stressful job
• The hunter carefully stalked his target, waiting for the right moment to strike
• He made a concession by agreeing to fewer vacation days in exchange for a higher salary
• She traveled back home to be with her kin during the holidays
• He started the presentation with a well-prepared gambit to engage his audience

Ways to Avoid Repetition

• Missing words out: This involves omitting words or phrases when they are easily understood from the context
• Reduced infinitives: Using "to" instead of the whole infinitive when the meaning is clear
• Synonyms: Using synonyms in context to avoid repeating the same words or phrases

Synonyms

• The text provides a list of synonyms for various words:
• Good fortune: Luck
• Construct: Build
• Argue: Fight
• Hard: Difficult
• Tasty: Delicious
• Noisy: Loud
• Silent: Quiet
• Calm: Relax
• Insane: Crazy
• Angry: Furious/livid/mad/upset
• Humorous: Funny/comical
• Trick: Lie/scam
• Dishonest: Liar
• Filthy: Dirty/messy

Antonyms

• Nice and hot bath is a bad idea in winter
• The concert tickets: cheap, but the hotel was very expensive
• Sometimes you have to be be cruel but also kind
• The house had an ugly exterior, but a pretty interior
• The documentary was uninteresting. The acture was boring
• I used to be hard-working, but I've been rather lazy
• His phone screen was broken, so he needed to repair it
• The company will destroy the bridge before constructing a new one
• The professor is often intelligent but sometimes dumb
• Walking down the hill was hard, but climbing up was easy

British vs American English

• The text presents vocabulary with British equivalents for common American words
• USA/Freeway - BRITISH/Highway/motorway
• USA/Pants - BRITISH/Trousers
• USA/Garbage - BRITISH/Trash/rubbish
• USA/Faucet - BRITISH/Tap
• USA/Cookie - BRITISH/Biscuit
• USA/Sidewalk - BRITISH/Pavement
• USA/Package - BRITISH/Parcel
• USA/Purse - BRITISH/Handbag
• USA/Sweater - BRITISH/Jumper/Jersey
• USA/Mail - BRITISH/Post
• USA/Zip code - BRITISH/Post code/Postal code
• USA/Game - BRITISH/Match
• USA/Parking lot - BRITISH/Car park
• USA/Apartment - BRITISH/Flat
• USA/Soccer - BRITISH/Football
• USA/Yard - BRITISH/Garden
• USA/Drugstore - BRITISH/Pharmacy
• USA/Windshield - BRITISH/Windscreen
• USA/Closet - BRITISH/Cupboard
• USA/Elevator - BRITISH/Lift
• USA/Potato chips - BRITISH/Crisps
• USA/Fall - BRITISH/Autumn
• USA/Vacation - BRITISH/Holiday
• USA/Bathrobe - BRITISH/Gown
• USA/Check - BRITISH/Bill
• USA/Flashlight - BRITISH/Torch
• USA/Gas - BRITISH/Petrol
• USA/Bathroom - BRITISH/Toilet

Phrases

• Five after Four/five to - Five to Four
• Stand in Line - Queue
• On the Weekend - At the Weekend
• Monday thru Friday - Monday to Friday

Nationality Words

• Scotland: Scottish, a Scot, the Scottish/the Scots, English/Gaelic
• Switzerland: Swiss, a Swiss man/woman, the Swiss, German/Italian/French
• The Netherlands: Dutch, a Dutchman/Dutchwoman, the Dutch, Dutch
• Belgium: Belgian, a Belgian, the Belgians, Dutch/French/German
• Sweden: Swedish, a Swede, the Swedish, Swedish
• Denmark: Danish, a Dane, the Danish, Danish
• Iceland: Icelandic, an Icelander, the Icelanders, Icelandic
• Spain: Spanish, a Spaniard, the Spanish, Spanish
• Turkey: Turkish, a Turk, the Turkish/Turks, Turkish
• New Zealand: New Zealander, a New Zealander, the New Zealanders, English/Maori
• Afghanistan: Afghan, an Afghan, the Afghans, Pashto/Dari
• Argentina: Argentine/Argentinian, an Argentine/Argentinian, the Argentines/Argentinians, Spanish
• Peru: Peruvian, a Peruvian, the Peruvians, Spanish/Quechua/Aymara
• Finland: Finnish, a Finn, the Finnish, Finnish
• Poland: Polish, a Pole, the Polish, Polish