4000 Essential English Words 5 » Unit 12: Brothers

Word List
  • anthropology [ˌænθrəˈpɒlədʒi] n.
    Anthropology is the study of people, society, and culture.
    In anthropology class, I learned about simple tools that ancient cultures used.
  • applaud [əˈplɔːd] v.
    To applaud means to clap in order to show approval.
    Everyone cheered and applauded Manny’s efforts.
  • appoint [əˈpɔint] v.
    To appoint someone to a job means to give the job to them.
    Two students were appointed to help the scientists with their research.
  • compatible [kəmˈpætəbəl] adj.
    When things are compatible, they work well or exist together successfully.
    Jan and Fred are too different. They will never be compatible.
  • competence [ˈkɒmpətəns] n.
    Competence is the ability to do something well or effectively.
    The job was easy because the group had enough competence to do it well.
  • confer [kənˈfəːr] v.
    To confer with someone means to discuss something with them to make a decision.
    I will have to confer with my wife before I can purchase a new car.
  • consecutive [kənˈsekjətiv] adj.
    When things are consecutive, they happen one after another without interruption.
    The king ruled for ten consecutive years.
  • crude [kruːd] adj.
    When something is crude, it is not exact or detailed, but it can still be useful.
    She drew crude hearts on the ground to show how much she loved him.
  • cube [kjuːb] n.
    A cube is a solid object with six square surfaces that are all the same size.
    Please get me some ice cubes to put in my soda.
  • feedback [ˈfiːdbæk] n.
    Feedback is comments to a person about how they are doing something.
    I asked my boss for feedback on my work.
  • ignorance [ˈignərəns] n.
    Ignorance of something is lack of knowledge about it.
    When he failed the test, his ignorance of math was obvious.
  • masculine [ˈmæskjəlin] adj.
    When something is masculine, it is a quality or thing related to men.
    American football is usually considered a masculine sport.
  • monument [ˈmɒnjəmənt] n.
    A monument is a structure that is built to remind people of a person or event.
    A large monument was built to honor the brave soldiers.
  • muscular [ˈmʌskjələ:r] adj.
    When someone is muscular, they are very fit and strong.
    He exercised regularly so that his body could become muscular.
  • posture [ˈpɒstʃər] n.
    A person’s posture is the position in which they stand or sit.
    Your back will feel better if you improve your posture.
  • situate [ˈsitjueit] v.
    To situate something means to place or build it in a certain place.
    The road was situated between the forest and the lake.
  • supervise [ˈsuːpərvaiz] v.
    To supervise something means to make sure that it is done correctly.
    Allen supervised the construction workers to ensure everyone’s safety.
  • symmetry [ˈsimətri] n.
    Symmetry is the state of having two halves that are exactly the same.
    The artist made sure to use perfect symmetry when painting the butterfly.
  • tattoo [tæˈtuː] n.
    A tattoo is a design that is drawn permanently on the skin with needles.
    The surfer had tattoos on both his arms.
  • undergraduate [ˈʌndərˈgrædjuit] n.
    An undergraduate is a student at a college who is studying fora bachelor’s degree.
    She was excited to finish high school and enroll as an undergraduate in the fall.
Exercise 1

Choose the answer that best fits the question.

  1. Which would need to be supervised?
    • a. A car
    • b. An experienced pilot
    • c. A new student
    • d. A boat
  2. What is most likely something that is situated?
    • a. A building
    • b. An apology
    • c. A disease
    • d. A thought
  3. What is something you can be appointed to?
    • a. A television
    • b. A job
    • c. An illness
    • d. A holiday
  4. If someone confers with another person, ______ .
    • a. they fight
    • b. they eat
    • c. they discuss something
    • d. they sleep
  5. What is something that might be a cube?
    • a. A box
    • b. A shirt
    • c. An airplane
    • d. A disc
Exercise 2

Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined part.

  1. I feel the best when the hours I sleep are one after another without interruption.
    ____________
  2. Even though he was young, the boy’s facial features were qualities related to men.
    ____________
  3. My girlfriend and I are happy because we are successful at existing together.
    ____________
  4. The strong and fit fireman carried the children out of the burning building.
    ____________
  5. The college student handbook lists the classes I need to take to get my degree.
    ____________
  6. My mother was shocked when she found out I had a permanent drawing on my skin.
    ____________
  7. The first thing Al noticed about the new employee was his bad standing position.
    ____________
  8. This snowflake has perfect halves that are the exact same but mirror images.
    ____________
  9. He was embarrassed by his lack of knowledge.
    ____________
  10. The not exact or detailed measurements turned out to be good enough.
    ____________
Exercise 3

Write C if the italicized word is used correctly. Write I if the word is used incorrectly.

  1. ______ The undergraduate program at our school includes several possible degrees.
  2. ______ She conferred with her coworkers before presenting their work to the boss.
  3. ______ The rain made a cube on the grass.
  4. ______ The tattoo appeared very dark on her light-colored skin.
  5. ______ Our teacher was quick to give us feedback on our homework.
  6. ______ The wall was situated in the north part of the yard.
  7. ______ The baby supervised her mother in the store.
  8. ______ The symmetry of the flower arrangement made it look very attractive.
  9. ______ The angry father applauded his son when he got in trouble at school.
  10. ______ The manager needed an assistant. She appointed Bill to the new position.
  11. ______ The masculine girl looked very pretty in her new dress.
  12. ______ In the final revision, he made sure his work was crude.
  13. ______ The captain ordered the sailor to have better posture.
  14. ______ The muscular movie star always got the role of the superhero in the movie.
  15. ______ On our trip, we visited the monument built for George Washington.
  16. ______ His ignorance led him to the final round of the tournament.
  17. ______ My favorite subject in college was anthropology.
  18. ______ She leaves the lights on at night because of her competence for the dark.
  19. ______ When the couple got divorced, it was clear that they were compatible.
  20. ______ Our basketball team won the championship for three consecutive years.
Answer Key
Exercise 1
  1. c
  2. a
  3. b
  4. c
  5. a
Exercise 2
  1. consecutive
  2. masculine
  3. compatible
  4. muscular
  5. undergraduate
  6. tattoo
  7. posture
  8. symmetry
  9. ignorance
  10. crude
Exercise 3
  1. C
  2. C
  3. I
  4. C
  5. C
  6. C
  7. I
  8. C
  9. I
  10. C
  11. I
  12. I
  13. C
  14. C
  15. C
  16. I
  17. C
  18. I
  19. I
  20. C
Answer Key
Brothers

John and Mark were brothers, but they were quite different people. Mark looked very masculine. He had a mustache and was very muscular. He was a sculptor. He made things out of stone. Mark was a good artist, but he was not very intelligent.

John looked nothing like his brother. He was small and weak, but he was very smart. John was an undergraduate in college, and he studied anthropology and history. He knew a lot about ancient cultures. The brothers loved each other very much, but they thought they had nothing in common.

One day, the mayor appointed Mark to build a monument: a statue of Egyptian Pharaoh, Tut. Mark agreed to do the job, but he had a problem. He had no idea who Pharaoh Tut was! However, he thought he had the competence to build a good statue anyway. He made some crude measurements and sculpted a statue of a very old man with a tattoo on his chest. Mark was proud of his work, but when John saw the statue, he laughed aloud.

“What’s so funny?” Mark asked.

John replied, “Your ignorance makes me laugh. Don’t you know that Tut was only a teenager when he was pharaoh? Let me help you. I’ll supervise your work. I’ll give you feedback, and we’ll make this a great monument.”

Mark got another cube of stone. John told him what Tut looked like. “Make him tall with good posture,” John said. “And make sure there is symmetry in his body.”

Mark conferred with John about every detail. For ten consecutive hours, the brothers worked. At last, the finished statue was situated in front of the museum. Everyone applauded the brothers’ good work.

“We worked together very well. I guess we are compatible after all,” Mark said.

John replied, “I agree! When we combine our talents, we are capable of greatness.”

Reading Comprehension

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

  1. _____ Mark’s masculine features included a mustache and a muscular body.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ John laughed at Pharaoh Tut’s ignorance.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ John appointed himself to supervise Mark’s work and give him feedback about posture and symmetry.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ Mark made crude measurements and situated a tattoo on his original monument’s chest.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ John was an undergraduate who studied sculpture and anthropology.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. Why did everyone applaud the brothers after ten consecutive hours?
    _____________
  2. What did Mark think he had the competence to do?
    _____________
  3. What did John explain to Mark after Mark got another cube of stone?
    _____________
  4. What did Mark confer with John about?
    _____________
  5. What did John say when he found out that he was compatible with his brother?
    _____________
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. T
  2. F / John laughed at Mark’s ignorance.
  3. T
  4. T
  5. F / John was an undergraduate who studied history and anthropology.
Part B
  1. They were applauded for their hard work.
  2. He thought he could build a good statue.
  3. John told him what Tut looked like.
  4. Mark conferred with John about every detail.
  5. When we put our talents together, we are capable of greatness.
Favorite Books

The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 1: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

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The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 2: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

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The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 3: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

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The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 4: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

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The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 6: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

Read more