Saturday, July 20, 2013

Vocabulary Exercise #20: Synonyms of "Thin" (Negative)

Communicative Objective: Describing Thinness (Negative)

Context: World Hunger














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.   emaciated: (adjective) negative, formal synonym of  “extremely thin”
Example: Facebook posts of emaciated children are very difficult to swallow.

2.   gaunt: (adjective) negative, formal synonym of “very thin”
Example: Cancer has left her looking gaunt.

3.   scrawny: (adjective) negative, informal synonym of thin      
Example: He is scrawny, but he is tough!

4.   shriveled: (adjective) negative synonym of “thin,” usually related to dehydration      
Example: My cucumber plants are shriveled because they were in the scorching sun all day!

5.   underweight: (adjective) negative, formal, medical synonym of “thin”
Example: Her pediatrician said that she is underweight for her age.

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

      Hunger remains a major problem confronting the world, for both developing and developed countries.

      Famine is the most saddening example of this in the developing world. Although sometimes related to displaced agricultural populations due to war, it is most often caused by adverse growing conditions. Too little rain or irrigation, for example, results in _____ crops and, in turn, _____ livestock. Human starvation and death follows, as documented by the tragic and shocking images of _____ children which have spread across the world.

     The developed world normally experiences hunger differently, and less severely, as a consequence of poverty. As unemployment has grown and incomes have fallen, especially since the economic crises beginning in 2007, pediatricians have observed more _____ children in their offices and the general public has noted that there are more _____ kids in their neighborhoods.

© James Doyle, 2013

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: 


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