Word List

• adj. If something is abrupt, it is sudden or unexpected.
  When the dancer fell down on her back, the ballet came to an abrupt stop.
• n. Agony is severe pain or suffering.
  The boy yelled in agony when the puppy bit him.
• n. An assassin is someone who murders an important person.
  An assassin killed Martin Luther King on April 4, 1968.
• n. A beard is hair that grows on a man's chin and cheeks.
  The farmer had a long beard, as white as snow.
• n. A beast is a large and dangerous animal.
  Tanzania is home to many famous beasts, such as lions, leopards, and hyenas.
• n. A chapel is a building where people go to pray and worship God.
  We were married in a small wedding chapel in Las Vegas.
• n. A commentator is a person who gives opinions or describes something, often on TV or the radio.
  According to many commentators, this winter has been one of the coldest in the last century.
• v. To con someone is to trick that person into doing something or giving up money.
  It was unfair of the fortune teller to con me out of 500 dollars.
• n. A consensus is a general agreement among a group of people.
  The consensus among the children was that ghosts exist.
• n. A conspiracy is a secret plan that two or more people make together to do something harmful or illegal.
  The businessman thought there was a conspiracy among his coworkers to get him fired.
• n. A coup is an uprising in which people try to overthrow the government.
  At the end of the 18th century, Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup to overthrow a group that had control of France.
• adj. To be cynical is to be unwilling to believe that people have good intentions.
  The man became cynical after being lied to many times.
• n. A dome is a curved roof of a building.
  I looked up at the dome to admire its beauty.
• v. To exclaim something is to say it loudly, suddenly, and excitedly.
  The singer interrupted the applause to exclaim his thanks after his performance.
• n. A forum is an open public place in which meetings are held.
  The scientist shared her research at a special forum in the city.
• n. Glamour is a quality relating to riches, wealth, and beauty.
  The young woman showed off her glamour during the photo shoot.
• v. To harass someone is to bother or attack them repeatedly.
  The young girl would often harass her baby brother.
• v. If you illuminate something, you shine light on or brighten it.
  In order to illuminate the stage, the crew turned on the spotlight.
• v. To inflame something is to provoke or intensify it.
  The tax increase will inflame the public's frustration with the government.
• n. A melody is a series of musical notes that form the main part of a song.
  I had the melody of the song stuck in my head all day.

Exercise

A ‣ Write the word that best fits each sentence.

B ‣ Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined word(s).

C ‣ Circle the two words in each group that are most closely related.

D ‣ Write the word from the word bank that best fits each sentence.

Reading Comprehension

Part A: Mark each statement T for true or F for false. Rewrite the false statements to make them true.

Part B: Answer the questions.