To reverse the proper order, do things backwards

My assistant was so eager to get the job done that he often put the cart before the horse.

N EW W ORDS

Murky

mer kē

Component

kəm pō´ nənt

Hoax

hōks

Labyrinth

lab´ ə rinth

Evaluate

i val´ yü āt

W EEK 17 D AY 3

THE PLOT THICKENS

A submarine took the body out to sea. Then, “Major Martin,” the man who never was, was slid

into the murky Atlantic waters off the coast of Huelva, Spain. Attached to this courier ’s coat

was a briefcase that contained the components of the hoax. Shortly thereafter, the Spanish

Embassy notified the British that the body had been recovered. But Commander Montagu

learned that the important documents had already been scrutinized* and later resealed so that

the British would not be suspicious. The secret information was transmitted to the German

High Command, through a labyrinth of underground networks, to be evaluated. Now the true

test of the months of assiduous* planning would come—the question remained, would the

Germans swallow the bait?

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. The practical joker had the temerity* to perpetrate* a ________________ upon the

Dean of Boys.

2. A good motion picture producer should be skilled in all the manifold*

________________ of film-making.

3. After wandering through the ________________, the young hero came face to face

with the dragon who was indigenous* to the caves.

4. When I asked the English teacher to ________________ my plan for the term paper,

her incisive* comments were very helpful.

5. The ________________ quality of the artist’s latest painting is the antithesis* of her

former style.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. murky a. dark, obscure

7. component b. element

8. hoax c. deception

9. labyrinth d. arrangement of winding passages

10. evaluate e. appraise, find the value of

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

to turn the tables —to turn a situation to one’s own advantage

The wrestler thought that he could pin me to the mat, but I quickly turned the tables on

him.

N EW W ORDS

Exult

eg zult´

Attest

ə test´

Gullible

gul´ ə bəl

Deploy

di ploi´

Enigma

i nig´ mə

W EEK 17 D AY 4

A PUZZLE FOR HIS MAJESTY

The conspirators had reason to exult, for all evidence attested to the fact that the German

High Command was gullible about “Major Martin.” Their defense troops were moved away

from the true invasion sites and deployed to areas that were inconsequential. Subsequently,

when the actual attack took place, Allied casualties were minimized. After the war,

Commander Montagu received a medal from the king of England. At the presentation

ceremony, the king politely inquired where the young officer had earned his citation. “At the

Admiralty,” Montagu replied, presenting the king with a genuine enigma.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. Explaining that the bookkeeper was merely a ________________ dupe,* the judge

freed him from complicity* in the crime.

2. As the audience watched the master ________________ his chess pieces, they

applauded his virtuosity.*

3. An expert was summoned to ________________ to the authenticity of the Rembrandts

found in the Nazi cache* of stolen masterpieces.

4. When Osama Bin Laden was killed, our public had reason to ________________.

5. I could not solve the ________________ of why an altruistic* person should exhibit

such cupidity.*

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. exult a. to certify

7. attest b. easily cheated or fooled

8. gullible c. to position forces according to a plan

9. deploy d. riddle

10. enigma e. rejoice greatly

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

a chip off the old block —a son who is like his father (from the same block of wood)

When we saw the alcoholic’s son enter the liquor store, we assumed that he was a chip off

the old block.

W EEK 17 D AY 5

REVIEW

Major Martin, if he had lived, would have used the word “bonnet” to refer to the hood of his

auto, and he might have referred to a truck as a “lorry.” As you can see, there are differences

between American and British English. But Major Martin, undoubtedly, would have known all

the words below—do you?

Match the twenty words with their meanings. *Reminder: Record answers on a sheet of paper.

(Note the similarity between numbers 13 and 20.)

REVIEW WORDS DEFINITIONS

1. assiduous a. spread out in battle formation

2. attest b. a trick

3. component c. busy, attentive

4. concoct d. confirm as accurate, vouch for

5. consummate e. devise

6. deploy f. a riddle, puzzle

7. enigma g. element, part

8. evaluate h. able to meet any situation

9. exult i. perfect, complete

10. fallacious j. filled

11. fraught k. misleading, false

12. gullible l. rejoice greatly

13. hoax m. faultless

14. impeccable n. easily fooled

15. labyrinth o. winding passages

16. manifold p. find the value of, review

17. murky q. many

18. perpetrate r. deception

19. resourceful s. commit

20. subterfuge t. dark, obscure

IDIOMS

21. draw in one’s horns u. restrain oneself

22. put the cart before the horse v. turn a situation to one’s own advantage

23. turn the tables w. do things backwards

24. chip off the old block x. son who is like his father

Make a record of those words you missed.

*For reference only

WORDS FOR

FURTHER STUDY MEANINGS

1. _________________________ _________________________

2. _________________________ _________________________

3. _________________________ _________________________

WORDSEARCH 17

Using the clues listed below, record separately using one of the new words you learned this

week for each blank in the following story.

Clues

2nd Day

2nd Day

1st Day

3rd Day

1st Day