SUBTLE (adj.)
A gradual change that is difficult to detect immediately
In the movie Clueless, Josh and Cher initially appear to dislike each other. In fact, Josh calls her a "superficial space cadet" and criticizes her for lacking direction. However, as the movie unfolds, there is a SUBTLE change in their relationship as they slowly become closer and closer. In the movie Billy Madison, a similar SUBTLE change occurs between Veronica Vaughn and Billy Madison. In the beginning, Ms. Vaughn detests Billy for his immature behavior. However, as Billy gradually matures, he begins to win Veronica's respect.
Quick Quiz:
The warning signs of the disease are so subtle that they —---------.
A. cause so much trouble
B. are often ignored
C. are detected very easily
Answer: B
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A gradual change that is difficult to detect immediately
In the movie Clueless, Josh and Cher initially appear to dislike each other. In fact, Josh calls her a "superficial space cadet" and criticizes her for lacking direction. However, as the movie unfolds, there is a SUBTLE change in their relationship as they slowly become closer and closer. In the movie Billy Madison, a similar SUBTLE change occurs between Veronica Vaughn and Billy Madison. In the beginning, Ms. Vaughn detests Billy for his immature behavior. However, as Billy gradually matures, he begins to win Veronica's respect.
Quick Quiz:
The warning signs of the disease are so subtle that they —---------.
A. cause so much trouble
B. are often ignored
C. are detected very easily
Answer: B
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CRYPTIC (adj.)
Having a hidden or ambiguous meaning; mysterious
As Harry Potter and the Chambe1• of Secrets opens, Dobby delivers this CRYPTIC message to Harry: "Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts." But why must Harry stay away from Hogwarts? We don't know, because the message is CRYPTIC. Later in the same book, this CRYPTIC message appears on one of the walls at Hogwarts: "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." Once again, since the message is CRYPTIC, we are not sure what it means.
Quick Quiz:
Darby is a cheerfully relaxed young man who compiled cryptic crosswords for a monthly magazine in his spare time; crosswords that —-----------.
A. simple and at the same time time-consuming
B. are not easy to solve
C. are intended to distort reality
Answer: B
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Having a hidden or ambiguous meaning; mysterious
As Harry Potter and the Chambe1• of Secrets opens, Dobby delivers this CRYPTIC message to Harry: "Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts." But why must Harry stay away from Hogwarts? We don't know, because the message is CRYPTIC. Later in the same book, this CRYPTIC message appears on one of the walls at Hogwarts: "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." Once again, since the message is CRYPTIC, we are not sure what it means.
Quick Quiz:
Darby is a cheerfully relaxed young man who compiled cryptic crosswords for a monthly magazine in his spare time; crosswords that —-----------.
A. simple and at the same time time-consuming
B. are not easy to solve
C. are intended to distort reality
Answer: B
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Word 28: ARBITRARY (AHR-bi-TRAIR-ee or -TRER-ee)
Unreasoned, based on personal feelings or preferences rather than on reason, logic, or law: “An arbitrary price for a product is not necessarily a fair price”; “His arbitrary decisions have cost the company a lot of money.”
Arbitrary comes from the same Latin source as the words arbiter (AHR-bi-tur) and arbitrator (AHR-bi-TRAY-tur). Arbiter and arbitrator both mean a judge or umpire who makes a final decision or resolves a dispute. Arbitrary means making discretionary judgments or decisions that may or may not be fair or reasonable. Arbitrary has two other useful meanings. It may mean determined or arrived at in a random or illogical manner. For example, the arrangement of furniture in a room may be arbitrary, without an evident theme or pattern; arbitrary decisions are arrived at in a hasty, haphazard way. Arbitrary may also mean exercising unrestrained or absolute power: an arbitrary government has no regard for individual liberty.
Unreasoned, based on personal feelings or preferences rather than on reason, logic, or law: “An arbitrary price for a product is not necessarily a fair price”; “His arbitrary decisions have cost the company a lot of money.”
Arbitrary comes from the same Latin source as the words arbiter (AHR-bi-tur) and arbitrator (AHR-bi-TRAY-tur). Arbiter and arbitrator both mean a judge or umpire who makes a final decision or resolves a dispute. Arbitrary means making discretionary judgments or decisions that may or may not be fair or reasonable. Arbitrary has two other useful meanings. It may mean determined or arrived at in a random or illogical manner. For example, the arrangement of furniture in a room may be arbitrary, without an evident theme or pattern; arbitrary decisions are arrived at in a hasty, haphazard way. Arbitrary may also mean exercising unrestrained or absolute power: an arbitrary government has no regard for individual liberty.
POMPOUS (adj.)
Filled with excessive self-importance; pretentious
In the Harry Potter saga Draco Malfoy is a POMPOUS bully who arrogantly proclaims that pure-blood wizards are far superior to Muggles (nonwizards) and especially Mudbloods (Muggle-born witches and wizards). The POMPOUS Malfoy loves to use verbal taunts to denigrate Hany, Ron, and Hermione. J.K. Rawling uses Draco as a literary FOIL (contrast) to her modest hero, Harry Potter.
Quick Quiz:
I didn’t like the way the pompous waiter served us. She served us in the manner of a person —----------.
A. who wanted to offer everything available
B. doing some poor soul a great favor
C. trying to make sure we would come to like her
Answer: B
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Filled with excessive self-importance; pretentious
In the Harry Potter saga Draco Malfoy is a POMPOUS bully who arrogantly proclaims that pure-blood wizards are far superior to Muggles (nonwizards) and especially Mudbloods (Muggle-born witches and wizards). The POMPOUS Malfoy loves to use verbal taunts to denigrate Hany, Ron, and Hermione. J.K. Rawling uses Draco as a literary FOIL (contrast) to her modest hero, Harry Potter.
Quick Quiz:
I didn’t like the way the pompous waiter served us. She served us in the manner of a person —----------.
A. who wanted to offer everything available
B. doing some poor soul a great favor
C. trying to make sure we would come to like her
Answer: B
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Forwarded from ibtil_ IELTS
Describe an article that you read from a magazine or from the internet about healthy life.
You should say:
When you read it
Where you read it
What it is about
And if you agree with the opinions in this article.
You should say:
When you read it
Where you read it
What it is about
And if you agree with the opinions in this article.
Forwarded from ibtil_ IELTS
Sample Answer:
Last Saturday, when I was staying at home browsing the webs, I accidentally saw an article about fad diets. The title was quite appealing since I was on diet and trying to find more effective ways to lose weight, so I clicked the link and started to read the article. The main idea of the article is reveal the negative parts of the fad diets. It mentions that fad diets can indeed lead to weight loss if you follow them exactly as they are designed, but that doesn't mean every food that fits a diet is healthy. The rules of the fad diets are difficult to follow for a long term, so most people give up. The weight they worked so hard to lose comes back, and they find a new diet, lose the weight once more, and end up on a weight loss roller coaster. This kind of yo-yo dieting can be bad for our health, so the article suggests us to give up fad diets and change to a healthy diet. The article also tells us how to pick the healthy food. It says that the closer the food is to its natural state, the better it is for us. So food like fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and fish should be included in our diets, while fried food and sugary snacks should be avoided. After reading the article, I changed my opinion to fad diets. In order to lose weight, I had tried various fad diets before and couldn't stick to follow the rules. This article had pointed out the bad effects of fad diets and I totally agree with the view that a healthy diet is much better than a fad diet. After all, health is more important than beauty.
Last Saturday, when I was staying at home browsing the webs, I accidentally saw an article about fad diets. The title was quite appealing since I was on diet and trying to find more effective ways to lose weight, so I clicked the link and started to read the article. The main idea of the article is reveal the negative parts of the fad diets. It mentions that fad diets can indeed lead to weight loss if you follow them exactly as they are designed, but that doesn't mean every food that fits a diet is healthy. The rules of the fad diets are difficult to follow for a long term, so most people give up. The weight they worked so hard to lose comes back, and they find a new diet, lose the weight once more, and end up on a weight loss roller coaster. This kind of yo-yo dieting can be bad for our health, so the article suggests us to give up fad diets and change to a healthy diet. The article also tells us how to pick the healthy food. It says that the closer the food is to its natural state, the better it is for us. So food like fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and fish should be included in our diets, while fried food and sugary snacks should be avoided. After reading the article, I changed my opinion to fad diets. In order to lose weight, I had tried various fad diets before and couldn't stick to follow the rules. This article had pointed out the bad effects of fad diets and I totally agree with the view that a healthy diet is much better than a fad diet. After all, health is more important than beauty.
DISPARAGE (v.)
To speak of in a slighting or disrespectful way; belittle
Did you see the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen? If so, what was your opinion of the movie? Does it deserve to be praised or DISPARAGED? You might be surprised to learn that Megan Fox, the actress who played Mikaela Banes, DISPARAGED Transformers director Michael Bay for focusing more on special effects than acting. Fox also blasted Bay calling him a dictator "who wants to be like Hitler on his sets." Annoyed by Fox's DISPARAGING remarks, Bay shot back saying that Fox is young, "and has a lot of growing to do." Bay finally ended the war of words when he cut Fox from "Transformers 3" saying her role was not integral (essential) to the story.
Quick Quiz:
Mary actually disparaged the musician when she said he —---------.
A. had to focus less on his work
B. didn’t know how to play his instrument
C. had already taken many classes in music
Answer: B
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To speak of in a slighting or disrespectful way; belittle
Did you see the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen? If so, what was your opinion of the movie? Does it deserve to be praised or DISPARAGED? You might be surprised to learn that Megan Fox, the actress who played Mikaela Banes, DISPARAGED Transformers director Michael Bay for focusing more on special effects than acting. Fox also blasted Bay calling him a dictator "who wants to be like Hitler on his sets." Annoyed by Fox's DISPARAGING remarks, Bay shot back saying that Fox is young, "and has a lot of growing to do." Bay finally ended the war of words when he cut Fox from "Transformers 3" saying her role was not integral (essential) to the story.
Quick Quiz:
Mary actually disparaged the musician when she said he —---------.
A. had to focus less on his work
B. didn’t know how to play his instrument
C. had already taken many classes in music
Answer: B
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Word of the Day: MONOTONOUS (muh-NAHT-uh-nus) Lacking variety, tediously uniform, unvarying and dull. Monotonous means literally having one continuous sound or tone. It combines the word tone with the prefix mono-, one, single. The prefix mono- appears in many English words, including monogamy (muh-NAHG-uh-mee), marriage to one person; monocle (MAHN-uh-kul), a single eyeglass; and monogram (MAHN-uh-gram), two or more letters woven into one.
That which is monotonous is boring because it lacks variety. A monotonous speaker says the same thing again and again in the same tone of voice. Monotonous music is dull and repetitive. A monotonous job is one where the routine never changes. The corresponding noun is monotony (muh-NAHT’n-ee), a tedious lack of variety.
That which is monotonous is boring because it lacks variety. A monotonous speaker says the same thing again and again in the same tone of voice. Monotonous music is dull and repetitive. A monotonous job is one where the routine never changes. The corresponding noun is monotony (muh-NAHT’n-ee), a tedious lack of variety.
DISMISSIVE (adj.)
refusing to consider someone or something seriously
What do the artist Jackson Pollock, the author J.K. Rowling, and the Teggae singer and rapper Sean Kingston have in common? All three had to overcome DISMISSIVE critics. Bewildered critics ridiculed Pollock, calling him "Jack the Dripper." Indifferent editors at numerous publishing houses rejected J.K. Rowling's story about a boy wizard named Harry Potter. And Sean Kingston almost quit the music industry after his idols Timbaland and Pharrel dismissed his early recordings.
Quick Quiz:
She was very dismissive when I tried to tell her about my problems at work, so I —------.
A. describe everything in detail
B. turned to a more sympathetic friend
C. admire her tolerance to handle personal problems
Answer: B
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refusing to consider someone or something seriously
What do the artist Jackson Pollock, the author J.K. Rowling, and the Teggae singer and rapper Sean Kingston have in common? All three had to overcome DISMISSIVE critics. Bewildered critics ridiculed Pollock, calling him "Jack the Dripper." Indifferent editors at numerous publishing houses rejected J.K. Rowling's story about a boy wizard named Harry Potter. And Sean Kingston almost quit the music industry after his idols Timbaland and Pharrel dismissed his early recordings.
Quick Quiz:
She was very dismissive when I tried to tell her about my problems at work, so I —------.
A. describe everything in detail
B. turned to a more sympathetic friend
C. admire her tolerance to handle personal problems
Answer: B
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ANGUISH (n./v.)
Agonizing physical or mental pain; torment
The movie Batman Begins opens with a young boy's ANGUISH. Eight-year-old Bruce Wayne falls into a cave, where he encounters a swarm of bats. Bruce develops a fear of bats and later urges his parents to leave an opera featuring bat-like creatures. Outside the theater, Bruce's parents are both killed in a robbery. Filled with ANGUISH, Bruce blames himself for his parents' murder and dedicates himself to seeking revenge by fighting the criminals who control Gotham City. As the Caped Crusader, Batman, Bruce wages a successful fight against crime but must face new and even more ANGUISHING questions: Does his crusade have an end? Can he ever have an ordinary life?
Quick Quiz:
She sat for a while, remembering the anguish of the earthquake victims, which made her want —---------.
A. to sob
B. them all killed
C. another milder earthquake
Answer: A
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Agonizing physical or mental pain; torment
The movie Batman Begins opens with a young boy's ANGUISH. Eight-year-old Bruce Wayne falls into a cave, where he encounters a swarm of bats. Bruce develops a fear of bats and later urges his parents to leave an opera featuring bat-like creatures. Outside the theater, Bruce's parents are both killed in a robbery. Filled with ANGUISH, Bruce blames himself for his parents' murder and dedicates himself to seeking revenge by fighting the criminals who control Gotham City. As the Caped Crusader, Batman, Bruce wages a successful fight against crime but must face new and even more ANGUISHING questions: Does his crusade have an end? Can he ever have an ordinary life?
Quick Quiz:
She sat for a while, remembering the anguish of the earthquake victims, which made her want —---------.
A. to sob
B. them all killed
C. another milder earthquake
Answer: A
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Word of the Day: LEGACY (LEG-uh-see)
Something handed down from the past, an inheritance. Legacy may be used in two ways. It may mean a gift of money or property provided by a will, an inheritance, bequest: “Her wealthy uncle left her a generous legacy.” It may also mean anything inherited or passed down through time: “The cultural legacy of ancient Greece and Rome has shaped Western civilization.”
Something handed down from the past, an inheritance. Legacy may be used in two ways. It may mean a gift of money or property provided by a will, an inheritance, bequest: “Her wealthy uncle left her a generous legacy.” It may also mean anything inherited or passed down through time: “The cultural legacy of ancient Greece and Rome has shaped Western civilization.”
Word of the Day: MANIFOLD (MAN-i-fohld)
Numerous and varied, consisting of many kinds, containing many elements, features, or characteristics: a large company with manifold operations and divisions; a challenging executive position with manifold responsibilities. Manifold may sound like a fancy substitute for many, but it's not. While many simply means much, a lot, manifold emphasizes variety, diversity. If your job has manifold duties then the things you do are both numerous and
varied. Equally difficult synonyms of manifold are multifarious (MUHL-ti-FAIR -ee-us) and multitudinous (MUHL-ti-T(Y)OO-di-nus). Both manifold and multifarious mean having great variety or diversity: The human race is multifarious, and human nature is even more complex and manifold.Multitudinous means containing a multitude, consisting of a great number of persons or things: “After his promotion to management, Bob was sometimes overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork and multitudinous administrative chores.”
Numerous and varied, consisting of many kinds, containing many elements, features, or characteristics: a large company with manifold operations and divisions; a challenging executive position with manifold responsibilities. Manifold may sound like a fancy substitute for many, but it's not. While many simply means much, a lot, manifold emphasizes variety, diversity. If your job has manifold duties then the things you do are both numerous and
varied. Equally difficult synonyms of manifold are multifarious (MUHL-ti-FAIR -ee-us) and multitudinous (MUHL-ti-T(Y)OO-di-nus). Both manifold and multifarious mean having great variety or diversity: The human race is multifarious, and human nature is even more complex and manifold.Multitudinous means containing a multitude, consisting of a great number of persons or things: “After his promotion to management, Bob was sometimes overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork and multitudinous administrative chores.”
INTEMPERATE (adj.)
Lacking restraint; excessive
TEMPERATE (adj.)
Exercising moderation and restraint
INTEMPERATE habits such as smoking, drinking, and overeating are inimical to good health. In contrast, a TEMPERATE person leads a lifestyle characterized by moderation and self-restraint. Bluto (Animal House), Frank "The Tank" (Old School), and Ben Stone (Knocked Up) were all fun-loving, INTEMPERATE party animals.
Quick Quiz
Someone who is intemperate in eating —-------------.
A. follows a strict dietary regimen
B. is a very picky eater
C. eats excessively
Answer: C
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Lacking restraint; excessive
TEMPERATE (adj.)
Exercising moderation and restraint
INTEMPERATE habits such as smoking, drinking, and overeating are inimical to good health. In contrast, a TEMPERATE person leads a lifestyle characterized by moderation and self-restraint. Bluto (Animal House), Frank "The Tank" (Old School), and Ben Stone (Knocked Up) were all fun-loving, INTEMPERATE party animals.
Quick Quiz
Someone who is intemperate in eating —-------------.
A. follows a strict dietary regimen
B. is a very picky eater
C. eats excessively
Answer: C
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VIABLE (adj.) , FEASIBLE (adj.)
Both mean capable of being accomplished; possible
Soaring oil costs and worries about global warming have prompted a search for VIABLE alternatives to gasoline. Many believe that biofuels, such as corn ethanol, are the most FEASIBLE alternative to America's dependence upon imported oil. Indeed, investments in biofuels soared from $5 billion in 1995 to $38 billion in 2005 and are expected to top $no billion in 2010. But critics argue that corn ethanol is neither VIABLE nor cost-effective. By diverting grain from dinner plates to fuel tanks, biofuels are raising world food prices. The grain it takes to fill an SUV tank with ethanol could feed a person for a year.
Quick Quiz:
Nuclear energy is the only viable alternative to coal or gas; we can —----------.
A) use for a short time at least
B) count on it to serve us effectively
C) use it to produce fossil fuels
Answer: B
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Both mean capable of being accomplished; possible
Soaring oil costs and worries about global warming have prompted a search for VIABLE alternatives to gasoline. Many believe that biofuels, such as corn ethanol, are the most FEASIBLE alternative to America's dependence upon imported oil. Indeed, investments in biofuels soared from $5 billion in 1995 to $38 billion in 2005 and are expected to top $no billion in 2010. But critics argue that corn ethanol is neither VIABLE nor cost-effective. By diverting grain from dinner plates to fuel tanks, biofuels are raising world food prices. The grain it takes to fill an SUV tank with ethanol could feed a person for a year.
Quick Quiz:
Nuclear energy is the only viable alternative to coal or gas; we can —----------.
A) use for a short time at least
B) count on it to serve us effectively
C) use it to produce fossil fuels
Answer: B
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