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Sounds |
Grammar and Idioms | For Young People |
Ascertain (a-sir-TAIN): verb -- to figure out, to deduce from some information | |
| We
need to ascertain the origin
of the disease before we can create a cure. She is trying to ascertain the political damage that was caused by the scandal. |
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Enigma (e-NIG-muh): noun - a mystery, adj: enigmatic |
|
| Many
people have ideas about how the world began. The truth remains an enigma. I could tell from her enigmatic expression that she would not give me a direct answer. |
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Contiguous (cun-TIG-yoo-us): adj - touching on at least one border, being in contact with something, 2. next to or near in sequence or time. |
|
| Townhouses
are two or more residences that are contiguous. There were several meteor showers in that area. They were contiguous events. |
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Vindicate (VIN-di-kate): verb - to prove that a person was falsely charged, to prove that something is true, though it was previously thought to be false |
|
| I
felt vindicated. She admitted
that I had been right all along.
A good lawyer can vindicate a falsely accused person during a trial. |
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Obsequious (ob-SEE-quee-us): adj - servile, deferential, adv. obsequiously |
|
| Her
behavior was so obsequious, I
knew she just wanted the manager to like her. Dogs are well known for being obsequious; that's how they encourage human beings to take care of them. |
Practice: Complete the
sentences with the correct word (answers are at the bottom of the page):
1.
The architect had to redesign the building's blueprint. It was
necessary to remove one hallway and make two of the walls
_______________________.
A. ascertainable
B. an enigma
C. contiguous
D. obsequious
E. vindicated
2.
The woman suffered from some serious respiratory problems. Her doctor
tried many tests, but the main reason for her problems remained
____________________.
A. ascertainable
B. an enigma
C. contiguous
D. obsequious
E. vindicated
Now study more words and practice
them. After that, there are more practice problems using all 10 words
on this page.
Abase (uh-BASE): verb, abased, abasing used with object-- to put
down, to make drop to a lower rank literally or in esteem
She
felt miserable after hearing the judge's abasing remarks.
He was abased by his third
loss of the championship.
Raze (RAZE): verb - to tear down, to
thoroughly destroy
The
city razed the old building.
Then they began new construction.
When the mayor was elected, he razed
the city square and built an entirely new one.
Ebullience (EE-byoo-lens): noun -
excitement, overflowing energy
When
she saw her sister after three years of separation, strangers noticed
her ebullience.
The
actor was ebullient after his
first stage performance.
Multifarious (mul-ti-FARE-ee-us):
adj - having many qualities or aspects
The university has multifarious programs in the arts
and humanities.
The teachers planned multifarious
activities for the summer camp.
Palliative (PĀ-lee-uh-tiv): adj -
easing the violence of something, as in the pain of disease, though not
healing the problem
I
was in a lot of pain when I went to the ER. The doctor gave me some palliative medicine.
His palliative words calmed me down, and I was
able to think clearly.
More Practice. Complete the sentence with
the missing word or words.
3.
Many houses were ______________ during the violent hurricane.
A.
abased
B. razed
C. ebullient
D. multifarious
E. palliative
4.
As soon as we saw that she was _______________, we knew my sister had
won first place in the summer camp competition.
A.
abased
B. razed
C. ebullient
D. multifarious
E. palliative
5.
Scientists are trying to __________________ the origin of this
_______________ disease. As of yet, they know little about it.
A.
vindicate ... multifarious
B. raze ... ebullient
C. acertain ... palliative
D. vindicate ... contiguous
E. ascertain ... enigmatic
6.
In
his soft tone of voice and bowed shoulders he was very
___________________, but he was attempting to __________________ his
wrongly accused brother.
A.
ebullient ... abase
B. abased ... ascertain
C. razed ... vindicate
D. obsequious ... vindicate
E. enigmatic ... raze
7.
Because the trees were __________________, the fire _____________ that
entire part of the forest.
A.
contiguous ... razed
B. ebullient ... abased
C. palliative ... vindicated
D. multifarious ... abased
E. obsequious ... ascertained
8.
Because he was no longer strong, he felt _____________ by the disease
that made him tired and gave him pain. After several months of taking
_____________ medicines and resting, he began to get better.
A.
razed ... multifarious
B. obsequious ... palliative
C. abased ... palliative
D. enigmatic ... contiguous
E. vindicated ... enigmatic
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