LESSON 26 ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL WORDS

 

ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL WORDS LESSON 26

 

1 possible (päsəb(ə)l) able to be, be done, or happen; able to be true; able to be done or chosen properly a Call me tomorrow evening if possible. b It is now possible for man to walk on the moon. c Considering* Melissa’s weakness in writing, it is not possible for her to help you with your composition. 2 compel (kəmˈpel) force; get by force a It is not possible* to compel a person to love his fellow man. b Heavy floods compelled us to stop. c Mr. Gorlin is a teacher who does not have to compel me to behave. 3 awkward (ô’ kwərd) clumsy; not well-suited to use; not easily managed; embarrassing a Sally is very awkward in speaking to the class but quite relaxed with her own group of friends. b The handle of this bulky* suitcase has an awkward shape. c Slow down because this is an awkward corner to turn.     Words in Use Read the following passage to see how the new words are used in it. Some Tall Tales Do you think it is possible to defeat an opponent so fierce* that a glance* at her turns one to stone? This was the fate of anyone who looked upon the Medusa, a dreaded* monster whose hair was made of hissing serpents. The brave Perseus undertook to fight the Medusa, but he was compelled to do battle in a most awkward manner. To help Perseus in his venture, the goddess Minerva had lent him her bright shield, and the god Mercury had given him winged shoes. Cautiously he approached the awesome monster. Using the image of the Medusa in his shield as a guide, he succeeded in cutting off her head and fixing it to the center of Minerva’s shield. Perseus then flew to the realm of King Atlas whose chief pride was his garden filled with golden fruit. Thirsty and near collapse,* he pleaded with the king for water to quench his thirst and for a place to rest. But Atlas feared that he would be betrayed into losing his golden apples. He uttered just one word, “Begone!” Perseus, finding that he could not pacify Atlas, responded by beckoning him to look upon Medusa’s head. Atlas was changed immediately into stone. His head and hair became forests, his body increased in bulk and became cliffs, and the gods ruled that the heaven with all its stars should rest upon his shoulders. Can there be a worse calamity* than that which befell Atlas?   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 History has shown us that tyranny* cannot ________ the human desire for freedom. 2 The sailors used the North Star to ________ them to their destination. 3 Our eyes ________ to sudden light by blinking. 4 The coach ________ to the pitcher to watch for a bunt. 5 Little Benjy was foolish enough to ________ out on the thin ice. 6 If we are ________ to vote without hearing all sides of the issue, we could make a serious mistake. 7 Power in the hands of the ignorant is an ________ responsibility. 8 Benedict Arnold ________ his country. 9 The only ________ excuse for Barry’s failure is his lack* of effort. 10 It was not possible* to ________the excited woman after she was fined for jaywalking. 11 The last words ________ by the dying soldier were, “We must hold the fort.” 12 Ralph found himself in an ________ situation when his blind date turned out to be a foot taller than he.   True of False Based on the way the new word is used, write T (true) or F (false) next to the sentence. 1 An awkward person is very graceful. 2 An awesome sight is one that causes great wonder and respect. 3 If someone tells you it’s possible to do something, that means the thing cannot be done. 4 To beckon is to signal by a motion of the hand or head to call someone over to you. 5 A person who shows you the way is a guide. 6 To utter is to remain silent. 7 To quiet an angry mob is to pacify the crowd. 8 If you are compelled to do something, you are forced to do it. 9 A person who undertakes a venture is afraid to take risks of any kind. 10 If I respond to your suggestion, I react to it. 11 To quench something is to renew it. 12 To betray someone is to be unfaithful or misleading.   Spotlight On respond—The next time you receive an invitation to a party, the host or hostess may want to be sure you are coming so that adequate preparations can be made. In that case, he or she will write R.S.V.P. on the invitation to tell you in simple French (répondez s’il vous plaît) to please respond.

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