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Page 202
2nd Day
New Words
usurp |
paltry |
condone |
trivial |
bizarre |
The Language Machine
Those who see the spread of automated machines as a nefarious* force out to usurp the proper functions of mankind have corroboration* for their belief in the language machine. The paltry handful of expert translators with a profound* knowledge of many foreign languages leaves a wide gap in our sources of vital information. With important technological and scientific work being done abroad, it is difficult to condone the situation. A machine may be set to treat a foreign language as a coded message that it can analyze and put into English. Perhaps it will not do an impeccable* job, but it will permit the translation of even the most trivial foreign reports and writings. As bizarre as it might seem, machines are taking over as translators in ever increasing numbers.
Don't look back at the "new words." Did you spot bizarre as a reintroduced word?
Sample Sentences
(note the similarity of trivial and paltry)
1.Most of us scoff* at and belittle* __________ behavior.
2.The exacerbate* a __________ difference of opinion into a prodigious* conflict.
3.It is during a period of ferment* that a dictator can __________ power.
4.Do you expect me to __________ that reprehensible* act with such celerity?*
5.The most __________ defects may have a deleterious* effect upon the efficacy* of that new process. Definitions
Match the new words with their definitions.
6. usurp |
____ a. petty, worthless |
7. paltry |
____ b. excuse, pardon |
8. condone |
____ c. seize, annex, grab |
9. trivial |
____ d. of little importance, insignificant |
10. bizarre |
____ e. fantastic, odd |
Today's Idiom
to feather one's nestto enrich oneself on the sly or at every opportunity
He played up to his senile* aunt in the hope of feathering his nest when she made out her will. Answers are on Page 315
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Page 203
3rd Day
New Words
menial |
venerable |
extraneous |
ambiguous |
succinct |
A Predicting Machine
While a machine may usurp* many menial taskstyping of letters, making out paychecksit can also work in less mundane* ways. One such example was the use of a computer to predict the results of a football game. All the information about the two teams: speed of the backs, weight of the linemen, past performances of the teams, even the years served by the venerable coaches was fed into the machine. Extraneous material was avoided. The astute* computer printed the figure "one" for each team. While this may seem ambiguous to the average person, it represented in the succinct language of the computer the actual score of one touchdown for each side: 7-7.
Sample Sentences
Complete the sentences with the new words.
1.The prodigy* revered* the __________ master.
2.To those who could understand every nuance* of the cryptic* message, there was nothing __________ about it.
3.He could say the most vitriolic* things in a __________ way.
4.Although she did not find it congenial,* we cajoled* our daughter into doing some of the __________ tasks around the house.
5.The astute* voter is not susceptible* to the many __________ shibboleths* that saturate* a politician's speech. Definitions
Match the new words with their definitions.
6. menial |
____ a. vague, undefined, not specific |
7. venerable |
____ b. humble, degrading |
8. extraneous |
____ c. respected, worshiped |
9. ambiguous |
____ d. foreign, not belonging |
10. succinct |
____ e. brief, concise |
Today's Idiom
the writing on the wallan incident or event that shows what will happen in the future
In retrospect* he should have seen the writing on the wall when his girlfriend gave him only a cursory* greeting on his birthday.
Answers are on Page 315
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