Disappointment and dedication

When Prince Schubert asked for additional restrictive measures, the people began to balk.

Speaking on radio, the young reformer explained the reasons for higher taxes and food

rationing; he was blunt when he stated the need for personal sacrifices. Nevertheless, the

resistance to reform was great, and nostalgia for the “good old days” of King Andre began to

grow. The people admitted that graft and corruption had been rife under Andre, but at least

“everybody got his slice of the pie.” Although Prince Schubert was tempted to quit, he

determined that he would help the people in spite of themselves.

Sample Sentences Don’t pass the buck*! Use the new words in the following sentences

yourself.

1. The rebel’s innate* hatred of ________________ decrees led him to crave* freedom all

the more.

2. A string of caustic* epithets* was directed at the recruit by his ________________

sergeant.

3. Although the former farm girl pretended to be urbane*, a feeling of

________________ always came over her when she heard country music.

4. Criticism of the author was ________________ among the coterie* of intellectuals who

used to praise him.

5. Jimmy was a lawbreaker, but he would ________________ at the idea of carrying a

lethal* weapon.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. restrictive a. widespread

7. balk (v.) b. plain spoken

8. blunt c. to refuse to move

9. nostalgia d. yearning for the past

10. rife e. harsh, confining

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

behind the eight ball —in trouble

Susan found herself behind the eight ball in chemistry when she failed to do the term

project.

W EEK 19 D AY 5

REVIEW

Ruritania is a mythical kingdom, impossible to find on a map and difficult to find in a

dictionary. The words that you are about to review, however, are all legitimate, acceptable

dictionary words.

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

REVIEW WORDS DEFINITIONS

1. amnesty a. revolution, overthrow

2. balk b. unrest, discord

3. blunt c. take apart, disassemble

4. coup d. lavish

5. dismantle e. to free from guilt

6. exonerate f. agree to finance

7. expatriate g. false, lying

8. fiat h. an exile

9. legion i. abnormal desire for power

10. mendacious j. plain spoken

11. megalomania k. harsh, confining

12. nostalgia l. to refuse to move

13. parsimonious m. wasteful

14. pecuniary n. an official order, a decree

15. profligate o. widespread

16. restrictive p. large number

17. rife q. financial

18. strife r. a general pardon

19. sumptuous s. miserly

20. underwrite t. yearning for the past

IDIOMS

21. to play possum u. someone profits from another ’s misfortune

22. an ill wind v. be fully acquainted with procedures

23. know the ropes w. in trouble

24. behind the eight ball x. try to fool someone

Make a record of those words you missed.

*For reference only

WORDS FOR

FURTHER STUDY MEANINGS

1. _________________________ _________________________

2. _________________________ _________________________

3. _________________________ _________________________

WORDSEARCH 19

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

1st Day

3rd Day

4th Day

4th Day

4th Day

Ogopogo

Accounts of supersized creatures such as the Loch Ness Monster and the Abominable

Snowman are. Despite the lack of hard evidence, some people continue to believe

that the depths of our lakes and isolated mountain caves remain the dwelling places of fantasy

figures.

Now, a new star for the credulous has surfaced. Japanese television was asked to a

search for Ogopogo, a long-necked reptilian creature said to inhabit Lake Okanagan in the

mountains of south-central British Columbia. Ogopogo stories are in that area as

people produce photos of rippling water and shadows resembling an enormous serpent with

flippers, gliding slowly in large circles.

Those who at what they regard as nonsense and pagan superstition are quite

in belittling Ogopogo fans. Nevertheless, the legends, which have a life of their

own, happily, have brought thousands of tourists and business to the Okanagan Valley.

Recognition of the creature now exists in British Columbia’s environmental law which

provides protection for Ogopogo. The official description reads, “An animal in Okanagan

Lake, other than a sturgeon, that is more than three meters in length, and the mates or

offspring of that animal.”

Been wondering about the creature’s name? Ogopogo comes from an English music hall

song: “His mother was an earwig; his father was a whale; a little bit of head and hardly any

tail—and Ogopogo was his name.”

N EW W ORDS

Reviled

ri vīld´

Derogatory

di rog´ ə tôr ē

Indict

in dīt´

Nebulous

neb´ yə ləs

Pesky

pes´ kē

W EEK 20 D AY 1

LA CUCARACHA—THE COCKROACH

The poor cockroach has been called the “most reviled creature on the face of the earth.”

Nobody loves him—except, perhaps, another cockroach. Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are

replete* with derogatory references to these ubiquitous* bugs. Public health officials are

quick to indict the insects as carriers of viruses that cause yellow fever and polio. Although

past evidence has been somewhat nebulous, recent studies also show that an allergy to roaches

may contribute significantly to asthma. Little wonder, therefore, that the pesky cockroach is

under attack.

 

Бедного таракана называют “самым отвратительным созданием на земле".” Никто его не любит-кроме, пожалуй, еще одного таракана. Художественная литература, научная литература, и поэзия, изобилует * с уничижительными ссылками на эти вездесущие * ошибки. Должностные лица здравоохранения быстрая обвинить насекомые как переносчики вирусов, вызывающих желтой лихорадки и полиомиелита. Хотя прошлые данные были несколько туманными, недавние исследования также показывают, что аллергия на тараканов может внести значительный вклад в астму. Поэтому неудивительно, что надоедливый таракан под ударом

 

Бедного таракана назвали “наиболее оскорбляемым существом на лице земли”.

Никто не любит его — кроме, возможно, другой таракан. Беллетристика, нехудожественная литература и поэзия

переполненный* с уничижительными ссылками на них повсеместные* ошибки. Чиновники здравоохранения

быстрый, чтобы предъявить обвинение насекомым как перевозчикам вирусов, которые вызывают желтую лихорадку и полиомиелит. Хотя

прошлыми доказательствами были несколько туманные, недавние исследования, также показывают что аллергия на плотву

может значительно способствовать астме. Мало удивления, поэтому, что противный таракан.

 

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

1. Because the contract offer was a ________________ one, the union leaders balked* at

it.

2. Ezra Pound, the expatriate* poet, was ________________ for his pro-Fascist remarks.

3. When the grand jury refused to ________________ him, the mobster was exonerated.*

4. Every time his accountant called with ________________ pecuniary* problems, Ben

was very blunt* with him.

5. The columnist was ordered to recant* her ________________ statements.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

6. reviled a. annoying

7. derogatory b. belittling*, disparaging*

8. indict c. unclear, vague

9. nebulous d. scolded

10. pesky e. accuse

Keys

1. nebulous 2. reviled 3. indict 4. pesky 5. derogatory 6. d 7. b 8. e 9. c 10. a

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

left holding the bag —to be left to suffer the blame

The profligate* businessman left his distraught* partner holding the bag.

N EW W ORDS

Redolent

red´ l ənt

Repose

ri pōz´

Omnivorous

om niv´ ər əs

Disparate

dis´ pər it

Abstemious

ab ste´ mē əs

W EEK 20 D AY 2