Vocabulary Workshop - Level D - Unit 8

Front 1

(v.) to twist out of shape;
(n.) an abnormality

Back 1

warp

Hint 1

The carpenter explained that humidity caused the kitchen door to ________.

Criminal behavior often shows a striking lack of judgement or a _______ in thinking.

Syn: (v.) bend, distort, misshape;
(n.) irregularity

Ant: (v.) straighten, unbend, rectify

Front 2

(adj.) meager, scant;
scattered

Back 2

sparse

Hint 2

Unlike its neighboring metropolis, the area has quite a ______ population.

Syn: thin, scanty, few and far between

Ant: plentiful, abundant, profuse, teeming

Front 3

(adj.) quarrelsome, fond of fighting

Back 3

pugnacious

Hint 3

The fox terrier is a particularly ______ breed of dog known for its agressive behavior.

Syn: argumentative, combative, belligerent

Ant: peace-loving, friendly, amicable, congenial

Front 4

(adj.) ridiculous, senseless

Back 4

preposterous

Hint 4

The theory that stoenhenge was constructed by alien life forms is utterly __________.

Syn: nonsensical, absurd, incredible

Ant: sensible, reasonable, realistic, plausible

Front 5

(n.) a debt;
something disadventurous

Back 5

liability

Hint 5

A limited attention span is his biggest _______ as a student.

Syn: handicap, difficult, impediment, drawback

Ant: advantage, asset

Front 6

(n.) a kingdom;
a religion or field of study

Back 6

realm

Hint 6

While astronomy falls within the ______ of science, astrology does not.

Syn: domain, duchy, bailiwick, jurisdiction

Front 7

(n.) a pledge;
freedom from doubt, self-confidence

Back 7

assurance

Hint 7

The airport was built with the _______ that all the people displaced by its construction would be fairly compensated.

Syn: promise, sureness, poise, self-possession

Ant: uncertainty, doubt, insecurity

Front 8

(n.) an institution for the care of children, elderly people, etc.;
a place of safety

Back 8

asylum

Hint 8

Some refugees are political fugitives who have fled thier homeland to seek ______ in another country.

Syn: sanatorium, sanctuary, refuge

Front 9

(n.) refuse, waste products

Back 9

dross

Hint 9

The ______ from the manufacturing process turned out to be highly toxic.

Syn: rubbish, trash, detritus, dregs, scum

Front 10

(n.) resistant to disease;
freedom from some charge or obligation

Back 10

immunity

Hint 10

Most babies are vaccinated so that they can develop an __________ to measles.

Syn: exemption, impunity

Ant: vulnerability, susceptibility, exposure

Front 11

(v.) to comfort
(n.) the keyboard of an organ;
a control panel for an electrical or mechanical device

Back 11

console

Hint 11

A neighbor tried to _______ the sobbing child whose cat had wandered away.

The ______ of the large church organ had an assortment of keys, knobs, and pedals.

Syn: (v.) soothe, solace, alleviate

Ant: (v.) distress, aggravate, bother, vex, torment

Front 12

(v.) to establish, set up;
(n.) an organization for the promotion of learning

Back 12

institute

Hint 12

Congress has been reluctant to _______
new gudelines for campaign spending.

After gradauting from high school, I plan to attend an accredited ________ of technology.

Syn: (v.) found, bring about; (n.) academy

Ant: (v.) terminate, discontinue, demolish, raze

Front 13

(v.) to lessen, diminish

Back 13

dwindle

Hint 13

During the coldest weeks of winter, the pile of firewood slowly ______ until there was no logs left.

Syn: decrease, shrink, fade, peter out

Ant: increase, enlarge, swell, proliferate

Front 14

(v.) to make or become larger or wider;
to expand upon

Back 14

dilate

Hint 14

The ophthalmologist said she would ______ the pupil before examining the injured eye.

Syn: enlarge, expand, swell, prolong

Ant: contract, compress, constrict

Front 15

(v.) to make young again;
to make like new

Back 15

rejuvenate

Hint 15

A few minutes of conversations with my best friend helps to ________ my flagging spirits.

Syn: revitalize, renew

Ant: wear out, exhaust, enervate, debilitate

Front 16

(v.) to reward, pay, reimburse

Back 16

remunerate

Hint 16

The couple promised to ________ the artist handsomely for a portrait of their child.

Syn: compensate, satisfy, profit, benefit

Front 17

(adj.) curious, violently intense, unreasonably extreme;
mad;
infected with rabies

Back 17

rabid

Hint 17

Police arrived in force to quell the riot set off by ________ soccer fans.

Syn: fanatical, zealous, raving, infuriated, berserk

Ant: moderate, restrained, blase, indifferent

Front 18

(adj.) genuine, excellent;
made of silver of standard fineness

Back 18

sterling

Hint 18

The reviewer noticed the young actor's _______ performace in "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Syn: first rate, outstanding, worthy, pure

Ant: mediocre, shoddy, second-rate, sham

Front 19

(n.) a risky or daring undertaking;
(v.) to expose to danger;
to dare

Back 19

venture

Hint 19

An overseas voyage was a daunting ______ during the age of exploration.

It takes courage to ________ out into unknown territory.

Syn: (n.) gamble; (v.) try, chance, undertake

Ant: (v.) withdraw, retire, shrink from, shy away

Front 20

(adj.) lacking in seriousness;
disrespectful, saucy

Back 20

flippant

Hint 20

Parents and other adults are often upset by teenager's _______ responses.

Syn: frivolous, impudent, impertinent, insolent

Ant: serious, respectful, deferential, obsequious