LESSON 33 ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL WORDS

 

ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL WORDS LESSON 33

 

1 volunteer (ˌvɑːlənˈtɪr) person who enters any service of his or her own free will; to offer one’s services a The draft has been abolished* and replaced by a volunteer army. b Terry did not hesitate* to volunteer for the most difficult jobs. c The boys were reluctant* to volunteer their services to help clean up after the dance. 2 prejudice (ˈpredʒədɪs) an opinion formed without taking time and care to judge fairly; to harm or injure a Prejudice against minority* groups will linger* on as long as people ignore* the facts. b Eliminating* prejudice should be among the first concerns of a democracy. c The witness’s weird* behavior prejudiced Nancy’s case. 3 shrill (shril) having a high pitch; high and sharp in sound; piercing a Despite* their small size, crickets make very shrill noises. b The shrill whistle of the policeman was warning enough for the fugitive* to stop in his tracks. c A shrill torrent* of insults poured from the mouth of the shrieking* woman.     Words in Use Read the following passage to see how the new words are used in it. Don’t Look over My Shoulder! The kibitzer is a person who volunteers useless information, especially in card games, causing the players to be prejudiced against him. The name comes from a Yiddish word which originally referred* to a certain bird whose shrill cry scared the animals away upon the approach* of the hunters. Though the kibitzer may think he is being jolly or witty, his advice often hinders more than it helps. We may scowl* at him or lecture him for his abuse of our friendship, but he still continues to mumble his unwelcome remarks. The serious player may even wish he could make the kibitzer mute by sticking a wad of cotton in his mouth. The kibitzer, however, may not realize that he is causing torment* or distress* to his colleagues.* Thus we may have to resign* ourselves to his annoying habit if we wish to retain him as a friend.   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 The culprit* ________ his oath* in court as if his tongue were numb.* 2 The ________ of material stuffed under Mr. Marlowe’s shirt made him look bulky* enough to play the part of Santa. 3 With the evidence* mounting* against him, Dr. Parkman was persuaded* to ________ the best lawyer in the state. 4 In a fine showing of loyalty,* many ________ responded* to the fire. 5 Our party was a ________ blend* of good fellowship, song, and dance. 6 The defense attorney made a desperate plea* to the jury not to allow the hazy* evidence* to ________ them against his client.* 7 Edith’s fierce* loyalty* has ________ the investigation of the crime. 8 Flynn was usually talkative but the accident left him ________ . 9 There were visible* signs that the child had been severely* ________ . 10 The ________ screams of the jet planes lead many people to envy* the quiet country life. 11 Father gave Steve a ________ for neglecting* to wash the car. 12 A ________ line in Shakespeare’s plays may not get a chuckle in our century.*   Creativity Exercise Now make up your own sentences, one for each of the new words you have just been taught. 1 ____________________________________________________________________ 2 ____________________________________________________________________ 3 ____________________________________________________________________ 4 ____________________________________________________________________ 5 ____________________________________________________________________ 6 ____________________________________________________________________ 7 ____________________________________________________________________ 8 ____________________________________________________________________ 9 ____________________________________________________________________ 10 ____________________________________________________________________ 11 ____________________________________________________________________ 12 ____________________________________________________________________   Spotlight On prejudice—Even a newcomer to this word might be able to figure out its meaning from the parts of the word itself; pre means “before” and judge means “decide.” So a person who “decides before” thinking out a problem is prejudiced.

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