Week Six

Question 1

Affluent

Answer 1

Adj: having a lot of money or owning a lot of things

Example:
affluent nations/neighbourhoods

Question 2

Feasible

Answer 2

Adj: possible, reasonable, or likely

Example:It’s no longer feasible to fund this research.

Question 3

Discern

Answer 3

V: to see, recognize, or understand something that is not clear

Example:
-I could just discern a figure in the darkness.
-It is difficult to discern any pattern in these figures.

Question 4

Sally

Answer 4

V: suddenly rush forth

Question 5

Consternation

Answer 5

N: a feeling of worry, shock, or confusion; dismay

Example:
-fill someone with consternation: The prospect of so much work filled him with consternation.

-to someone’s consternation:To his consternation, when he got to the airport he found he’d forgotten his passport.

Question 6

Dismay

Answer 6

N: a feeling of unhappiness and disappointment

Example:
be filled with dismay:Aid workers were said to have been filled with dismay by the appalling conditions that the refugees were living in.

Question 7

Swallow

Answer 7

V: to accept something without question or without expressing disagreement

Example:
-Not surprisingly, this excuse was too much for them to swallow.
-He swallowed her story whole.

Question 8

Percocious

Answer 8

Adj: (especially of children) showing mental development or achievement much earlier than usual

Example:
-A precocious child, she went to university at the age of 15.
-She recorded her first album at the precocious age of twelve.

Question 9

Wizard

Answer 9

N: a man who is believed to have magical powers and who uses them to harm or help other people:

Question 10

Inspire

Answer 10

V: to fill someone with confidence and desire to do something

Example:She inspired her students to do the best they could.

Question 11

Perfunctory

Answer 11

Adj: done quickly and without showing that you care or have much interest

Example:She asked a few perfunctory questions about my family and then ended the conversation.

Question 12

Chagrin

Answer 12

N: disappointment or anger, especially when caused by a failure or mistake

Example:My children have never shown an interest in music, much to my chagrin.

Question 13

Snort

Answer 13

V: To snort is also to express strong negative feelings, esp. by making a sound

Example:She snorted her disapproval and walked away.

Question 14

Perverse

Answer 14

Adj: strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy

Example:
-Jack was being perverse and refusing to agree with anything we said.
-She took a perverse pleasure in hearing that her sister was getting divorced.

Question 15

Dealer

Answer 15

N: a person who trades in something

Example:a second-hand car dealer

Question 16

Deride

Answer 16

V: to show that you think someone or something is ridiculous or of no value

Example:His blustery style is derided by many political pros.

Question 17

Rejoicing

Answer 17

N: the act or feeling of showing great happiness about something

Example:There was much rejoicing at/over the good news.

Question 18

Patent

Answer 18

N: the official legal right to make or sell an invention for a particular number of years

Example:In 1880 Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent on an apparatus for signalling and communicating called a Photophone.

Question 19

Disparage

Answer 19

V: to criticize someone or something in a way that shows a lack of respect

Example:He disparages his business competitors, saying they are all a bunch of amateurs compared to him.

Question 20

Laudable

Answer 20

Adj: (of actions and behaviour) deserving praise, even if there is little or no success

Example:
-a laudable goal/ambition
-The recycling programme is laudable, but does it save much money?

Question 21

Objectionable

Answer 21

Adj: used to describe people or things that you dislike or oppose because they are so unpleasant or wrong

Example:
-an objectionable smell
-I found the violence in that film really objectionable.

Question 22

Triumph

Answer 22

N: a complete victory or success achieved esp. after great difficulties, making the result particularly satisfying

Example:The elimination of smallpox was one of medicine’s greatest triumphs

Question 23

Inclined

Answer 23

Adj: likely or wanting to do something

Example:
-inclined to: Tom is inclined to be lazy.
-No one seemed inclined to help.

Question 24

Blunder

Answer 24

N: a serious mistake, usually caused by not taking care or thinking

Example:
-He said that the tax was a major political blunder.
-I made a blunder by getting his name wrong.

Question 25

Fiasco

Answer 25

N: something planned that goes wrong and is a complete failure, usually in an embarrassing way Example:The show was a fiasco - one actor forgot his lines and another fell off the stage.

Question 26

Devouring

Answer 26

Adj: a devouring emotion is extremely strong and usually causes damage Example:She is driven by a devouring ambition/passion.

Question 27

Devour

Answer 27

V: to eat something eagerly and in large amounts so that nothing is left Example:The young cubs hungrily devoured the deer.

Question 28

Masticate

Answer 28

V: to chew (= crush with the teeth) food

Question 29

Bite into something

Answer 29

Phrasal verb: to reduce the number or amount of something Example:Investment in product development has bitten into the company's profits.

Question 30

Sundae

Answer 30

N: ice cream with a topping of sweet sauce, nuts, and cream

Question 31

Eschew

Answer 31

V: to avoid something intentionally, or to give something up Example: -We won't have discussions with this group unless they eschew violence. -He eschewed the trappings of wealth, wearing scruffy clothes and travelling around by bus.

Question 32

Despicable

Answer 32

Adj: very unpleasant or bad, causing strong feelings of dislike Example: -despicable behaviour -He's a despicable human being! -It was despicable of her to lie about her friend.

Question 33

Rivalry

Answer 33

N: a situation in which people, businesses, etc. compete with each other for the same thing Example: -There's such rivalry among/between my three sons. -There's fierce rivalry for the job/to get the job.

Question 34

The limelight

Answer 34

N: public attention and interest Example:She's been in the limelight recently, following the release of her controversial new film.

Question 35

Quell

Answer 35

V: to completely stop or end something Example:The police were called in to quell the riot.

Question 36

Wear(something) out

Answer 36

Phrasal verb: to use something so much that it is damaged and cannot be used any more, or to become damaged in this way Example:Moving parts in engines wear out much more quickly than stationary parts.

Question 37

Stocking

Answer 37

N: one of a pair of tight-fitting coverings for the feet and legs made of thin material and often worn under skirts and dresses Example:nylon/silk stockings.

Question 38

Tear

Answer 38

V: to pull or be pulled apart, or to pull pieces off Example: -You have to be very careful with books this old because the paper tears very easily. -I tore my skirt on the chair as I stood up.

Question 39

Voluble

Answer 39

Adj: speaking a lot, with confidence and enthusiasm Example:She was a voluble, smart, funny interviewee.

Question 40

Confidant

Answer 40

N: a person you trust and share your feelings and secrets with Example:a close confidant

Question 41

Whisper

Answer 41

V: to speak very quietly, using the breath but not the voice, so that only the person close to you can hear you Example: -She leaned over and whispered something in his ear. -What are you two girls whispering about?

Question 42

Obsolescence

Answer 42

N: the process of becoming no longer useful or needed Example:Older versions had passed into obsolescence and a new version was already on the market.

Question 43

Dubious

Answer 43

Adj: doubtful Example: These claims are dubious and not scientifically proven.

Question 44

Dupe

Answer 44

N: someone who has been tricked Example:an innocent dupe

Question 45

Serene

Answer 45

Adj: peaceful and calm; worried by nothing Example: She has a lovely serene face.

Question 46

Disturbance

Answer 46

N: something that interrupts someone or makes someone feel worried Example: -Residents are tired of the disturbance caused by the nightclub. -Phone calls are the biggest disturbance at work.

Question 47

Pound

Answer 47

V: to hit or beat repeatedly with a lot of force, or to crush something by hitting it repeatedly Example: I could feel my heart pounding as I went on stage to collect the prize.

Question 48

Ringleader

Answer 48

N: the leader of a group of people who are doing something harmful or illegal Example: The ringleaders of the plot were arrested and punished.

Question 49

Pigsty

Answer 49

N: a dirty or messy place Example: Your bedroom's a pigsty!

Question 50

Inexcusable

Answer 50

Adj: (of behavior) too bad to be accepted Example: It was inexcusable for them to leave so early.

Question 51

Tick something off

Answer 51

Phrasal verb(us): to name items in a list Example:She ticked off six reasons for saying no.

Question 52

Conduct

Answer 52

N: behavior: Example: -bad/excellent/disgraceful conduct -The club has a strict code (= set of rules) of conduct.

Question 53

Chasten

Answer 53

V: to make someone aware of failure or of having done something wrong Example: He was chastened by the defeat and determined to work harder.