LESSON 24 ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL WORDS

 

ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL WORDS LESSON 24

 

1 fierce (firs) savage; wild a Barry was so fiercely angry that he thrust* his hand through the glass. b One must take appropriate* precautions* when approaching* fierce dogs. c He took one look at his fierce opponent* and ran. 2 detest (di test') dislike very much; hate a The world detests people who aren’t valiant.* b Wally was certain that his girlfriend’s parents would detest him because he had been a delinquent.* c I detest Chinese food but I won’t deprive* you of the chance to eat it. 3 sneer (snir) show scorn or contempt by looks or words; a scornful look or remark a The journalists* were cautious* about sneering at the secretary of defense. b “Wipe that sneer off your face!” the dean told the delinquent.* c When offered a dime as a tip, the taxi driver sneered at his rider.     Words in Use Read the following passage to see how the new words are used in it. Punishment for Drug Abuse  A recent* attempt by New Jersey’s attorney general to lessen the penalties* for use of marijuana has caused fierce arguments around the country. Those who detest the drug users sneer and scowl at the light treatment of offenders. They reject* the attorney general’s recommendation as lacking a morsel* of sense, claiming it would only encourage more drug abuse. They consider the drug addict much like vermin that must be stamped out. Such citizens continually wail for stiffer penalties. Those in favor of a milder approach* to the drug problem point to the poor results achieved by prison terms. They feel addicts* should be given medical help. Also, in enforcing harsh* drug laws, police tend to be viewed as a symbol of unwelcome authority. The problem demands a solution. We cannot remain neutral or unconcerned, nor can we afford to muddle through with ineffective measures, for this is not a trifling matter.     Picture It Which of the words studied in this lesson is suggested by the picture?   Fill in the Blanks Place one of the new words in each of the blanks below. 1 I have it on the highest ________ that the lead in the play has been chosen. 2 I am going to ________ my brother to become a lawyer. 3 Uncle Sam is the well-known ________ of the United States. 4 We pay $5 a month to keep our house free from ________ . 5 When a country is ________ , it does not want to get involved in foreign conflict.* 6 What type of art work do you ________ to be beautiful? 7 The ________ lion clawed at the visitors to the zoo. 8 To hear the ________ of a person in sorrow is to hear a dismal* sound. 9 Only a ________ of Ivan’s fortune was left to his human beneficiaries;* most of the money was given to his cats. 10 I ________ people who are jealous* of my success. 11 The unpleasant salesgirl always had a ________ on her face. 12 My father warned me not to ________ at our poor relatives.   Synonyms Circle the word that most nearly expresses the meaning of the word printed in orange type.   Spotlight On symbol—Our civilization is quite dependent upon symbols. Without them, the world would be drab and dull indeed. The very words we use are merely symbols for the things and ideas they represent. Symbols are used in language, writing, logic, mathematics, science, religion, trade, and sports. Find a symbol for each of the fields mentioned.

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