Vocabulary Exercise #19: Synonyms of "Thin" (Positive)

Communicative Objective: Describing Thinness (Positive)

Context: Thinness in Contemporary Media

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the adjective “thin.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Discuss the definition and application of each word.

1.   lanky: (adjective) positive synonym of thin, usually used only for males

Example: Many professional basketball players are quite lanky.

2.   slender: (adjective) positive synonym of thin, usually used only for females       

Example: Her waist is very slender.

3.   slight: (adjective) positive synonym of thin, used only for females

Example: She is short, slight woman.      

4.   slim: (adjective) positive, general synonym of thin      

Example: We all want to look slim for summer!

5.   twiggy: (adjective) generally positive, possibly critical, synonym of very thin, used only for females  

   Example: She is so twiggy! She should gain some weight.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

    Beginning in the 20^th century, popular Western ideals of beauty developed to include the very thin for the first time. Promoted by the rise of advertising agencies and the explosive growth of the media in the 1960s, images of _____ models filled catwalks and magazines. The most celebrated of these was undoubtedly the _____ Lesley Lawson, who came to be known by this nickname.

     In the 21^st century, attractive celebrities, like the _____ Ashton Kutcher and the _____ Calista Flockhart further the association of extreme thinness with beauty and style.

      This trend has unfortunately contributed to the rise of anorexia and bulimia in many adolescents, particularly females, obsessed with obtaining a more _____ look.    

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
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Answers: 
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http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1    

Vocabulary Exercise #18: Synonyms of "Thief" (Part 2)

Communicative Objective: Describing Thieves

Context: Categories of Thieves

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the noun “thief.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Discuss the definition and application of each word.

1.   bandit: (noun) a travelling robber  

Example: Bandits plague deserted highways in the developing world.

2.   embezzler: (noun) someone who steals money secretly from his or her company

Example: Embezzlers can go undetected for years as they are often respected members of the community.

3.   hoodlum: (noun) a young, tough male who engages in petty crime  / mafia activities

Example: “Hood” is a more dismissive form of “hoodlum.”

4.   plunderer: (noun) someone who steals great wealth

Example: Many corrupt heads of state are infamous plunderers.

5.   swindler: (noun) someone who robs by tricking people

Example: I am always surprised at how easily swindlers can trick some people over the internet.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     Some thieves eventually become so well-known that they are immortalized in our folklore and enter our daily conversations.

     Robin Hood, the subject of many popular stories and films, was a beloved _____ who famously “stole from the rich and gave to the poor” throughout the forests and highways of medieval England. 

     William Teach, or “Blackbeard,” was a notorious pirate active in the Caribbean and along the east coast of what would become the United States, in the early 18^th century. Although not the most financially successful pirate in history, he was greatly feared by colonies and merchants as a _____.

    Joseph Weil, better known as “the Yellow Kid,” operated as a _____ in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, selling snake oil, among other cons.

     Al Capone, of course, is the most celebrated _____, advancing in his career from gangbanging to running the largest bootlegging and alcohol smuggling operation in the United States in the early 20^th century. Depicted in numerous films and other forms of media, he is an icon of organized crime.

     Finally, Bernie Madoff is the greatest _____ to date, having operated the largest known Ponzi scheme. Over the years, he deceived investors into parting with hundreds of billions of dollars. He was arrested in 2008 and sentenced in 2009 to 150 years in prison and $170 billion in restitution.       

  

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1    

Vocabulary Exercise #17: Synonyms of "Thief" (Part 1)

Communicative Objective: Describing Thieves

Context: Categories of Thieves

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the noun “thief.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Discuss the definition and application of each word.

1.   burglar: (noun) someone who robs a home  

Example: Shhh! I think I hear a burglar!

2.   conman: (noun) someone who robs by tricking people

Example: Nicholas Cage portrayed a conman in the 2003 film Matchstick Men.

3.   looter: (noun) someone who robs during an emergency

Example: Looters were common following Hurricane Katrina.

4.   mugger: (noun) someone who robs someone else in public

Example: Muggers were a major problem in New York in the 1980s.

5.   pickpocket: (noun) someone who robs someone else deftly and secretly

Example: Many pickpockets worldwide are children.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

    A major drawback to urban living is crime, the most common example of which is thieves, who come in all shapes and sizes and plague cities around the world.

      As any police department will advise, _____ most often strike when one is away from home. As this is most likely to occur during the summer and during the day, one should most be on guard at this time.    

     Although the most innocuous of thieves, _____ are responsible for millions of dollars in losses each year. Commuters, especially, must be wary as they commonly work public transportation systems.

     A modern development for _____, whose base of operations is often in Nigeria, is to prey upon the gullible through the internet. More local matchstick men, however, often hustle on busy street corners.  

     The most frightening example, of course, is that of _____. These thugs usually injure their victims, sometimes leaving them dead or half-dead. Pedestrians are advised to avoid alleys, especially at night, as these criminals usually lurk in their shadows.

     Finally, in rare cases, otherwise law-abiding citizens may be tempted to become _____ during natural disasters, outbreaks of rioting and, especially, widespread blackouts.  

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1    

Vocabulary Exercise #16: Synonyms of "To Fly"

Communicative Objective: Describing Flying

Context: Human Flight

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the verb “to fly.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Discuss the definition and application of each word.

1.   to dart: (verb) to fly quickly between two points           

Example: We darted to New York in just an hour.

2.   to flit: (verb) to fly quickly between and around other objects       

Example: I can’t get that mosquito because it is flitting everywhere.   

3.   to glide: (verb) to fly supported by air currents

Example: Flying squirrels actually glide. They do not have wings to flap, after all.

4.   to hover: (verb) to pause in flight and remain suspended in the air       

Example: Helicopters allow us to hover over areas.

5.   to soar: (verb) to fly very high in the sky     

Example: From my apartment in Lima, I can observe condors soaring high above the city. 

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     Humans have longed to fly since at least the dawn of recorded history, inspired in part by the animals with which they have shared their environment, from the tiniest insects that _____ all around us to the _____ hummingbirds. 

     The late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, especially, saw numerous attempts at developing controlled, powered and sustained flight; culminating in the first successful attempt by the Wright brothers on December 17^th, 1903. From these humble beginnings of little more than _____, humans have developed the ability _____ between cities served by airports and _____ on the edge of space and beyond.   

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1    

Vocabulary Exercise #15: Synonyms of "To Run"

Communicative Objective: Describing Running

Context: The Boston Marathon

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the verb “to run.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Discuss the definition and application of each word.

1.   to bolt: (verb) to run very quickly  

Example: We bolted out of the burning house.

2.   to bound: (verb) to run quickly, with long strides     

Example: Cheetahs can easily bound due to their long legs.

3.   to jog: (verb) to run at a slow pace       

Example: Americans are obsessed with jogging.

4.   to sprint: (verb) to run at a medium pace   

Example: Professional runners often sprint so that they do not burn themselves out.

5.   to take off: (verb) to begin to run       

Example: The marketing campaign took off on Monday.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     The Boston Marathon, begun in 1897, is the world’s oldest annually-held marathon. The approximately 42-kilometer long course begins in the town of Hopkinton and finishes in Copley Square, in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. 

     Competitors in the 2012 marathon _____ at the 10:00 A.M. start time, which had been moved up by 2 hours due to unusually high temperatures.

     The strongest runners, usually with a height advantage, soon _____ into the lead. The heat took a toll, however, with weaker runners _____ and some even _____ towards the end of the marathon.

     The 2012 running was won by Wesley Korir of Kenya, who outstripped the other leading runners by _____ to victory in 2 hours, 12 minutes and 40 seconds –a time slowed by the excessive heat. 

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1    

Vocabulary Exercise #14: Synonyms of "To Frown"

Communicative Objective: Describing Frowning

Context: Human Behavior

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the verb “to frown.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Discuss the definition and application of each word.

1.   to droop: (verb) to frown due to disappointment or sadness  

            Example: My tomato plants drooped in the intense July heat.

2.   to glower: (verb) to frown angrily   

            Example: My wife glowers at me when students text me late at night.

3.   to grimace: (verb) to frown, usually in reaction to something unpleasant

            Example: I grimaced the first time I smelled nato.     

4.   to pout: (verb) to slightly frown due to disappointment       

            Example: Pouting normally does not get you what you want. 

5.   to scowl: (verb) to frown very angrily     

            Example: My wife says that I scowl when I am angry.

Part 2, Reading Exercise: Complete the reading passage with the most appropriate vocabulary.

     Like smiling, frowning can express a variety of human emotions. As such, it is an important communicative tool.

     When disappointed, we _____. From our facial expressions and behavior it is obvious to everyone that we are feeling down.

     While arguing, we first _____ then _____ if physical confrontations begin. These changes in our demeanors serve to ward off and attack aggressors. 

     Upon encountering a foul odor or taste, _____ alerts others to avoid an area or food -a critical survival tool protecting us from dangers such as toxic substances.

     Finally, children often _____ in an attempt to persuade their parents to fulfill their desires. The classic American scenario is that of children whining for candy or trinkets at supermarket checkouts.  

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 

http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1    

Vocabulary Exercise #13: Synonyms of "To Smile"

Communicative Objective: Describing Smiling

Context: Human Behavior

Part 1, Speaking: The words listed below are all synonyms of the verb “to smile.” Each varies slightly from the others in meaning and use. Discuss the definition and application of each word.

1.   beam: (verb) to smile very happily  

            Example: She beamed as brightly as the sun at the compliment.

2.   glow: (verb) to innocently smile   

Example: My daughter glows when she is asleep.

3.   grin: (verb) to smile, usually slightly     

            Example: As the saying goes, “Just grin and bear it.”

4.   smirk: (verb) to smile in a condescending manner     

            Example: Wipe that smirk off your face!

5.   sneer: (verb) to smile in an angry manner     

            Example: He sneered at the fallen enemy.

Part 2, Reading:

     The human smiling reflex has evolved over time for different purposes in a variety of contexts. 

     Smiling, of course, usually indicates happiness.  Children positively _____ upon receiving the birthday presents they had long had their hearts set on, for example.

     It may be artificial, used as a polite gesture in business, especially service, contexts. A good example can be found in the wan _____ of flight attendants.

     Smiling is inviting, from the _____ of children which lends itself to developing caring relationships, to sexual signals in adults which initiate mating.

     Finally, smiling bares the teeth and, as such, can be used in a threatening manner. It is common, then, _____ while arguing or _____ while mocking.

© James Doyle, 2013

www.mylanguagesolutions.com

Vocabulary Class: 
Are you interested in learning more vocabulary? Take this great class!
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!intermediate-reading-and-vocabulary/ccve

Answers: 
The answers to this exercise are available at the following link: 
http://www.mylanguagesolutions.com/#!english-exercises-answers/c11f1