Learningexpress Vocabulary Spelling Success 4e

ASAP (a¯·s·a¯·p)

(adv.)

an abbreviation for As Soon As Possible

Please don’t waste any time; I need you to complete

Computerized Axial Tomography scan—a threedimensional image of a body structure made from a series of cross-sectional images and put together by a computer

John had to check into the hospital after his car accident for a routine to make sure he did not have a concussion.

CD-ROM (se¯ ·de¯· ram)

(noun)

Compact Disk-Read Only Memory—a compact disk that contains data a computer can read

That SAT study guide comes with a you can put in your computer to practice test questions.

we would never trade in our children for their wealth.

DOS ( das)

(noun)

the Disk Operating System used on personal computers (PCs)

When you are having a technical problem with your personal computer, it is often a good idea to return to , the opening screen, to see what may be wrong.

ESL (e¯ ·es·el)

(noun)

English as a Second Language

It is critical that we have programs in our schools so that the immigrant youth population may improve their English and not be at a disadvantage in the classroom.

FAQ (ef·a¯ ·kyu)

(noun)

an abbreviation for Frequently Asked Questions Before you raise your hand, please note that in the

back of the Driver’s Ed manual you will find the section and perhaps your question will be included there.

ISP (¯·es·pe¯)

(noun)

Internet Service Provider—a company that provides internet access to consumers

It may be difficult to select an when there are so many—Compuserve, AOL, Earthlink— from which to choose.

(noun)

light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation—a device that generates electromagnetic radiation

It is now possible to remove your tattoos with surgery where no needles are

involved: only light and radiation.

LAN (l·a¯ ·n)

(noun)

Local Area Network—a network of directly connected machines that are close together and provide high-speed communication over, for example, fiber optics or coaxial cable (like for phone service or cable TV)

I’ve been satisfied with my as I never have any trouble making local calls, and the customer service is excellent.

HTML (a¯ ch·te¯ ·em· el)

(noun)

Hyper Text Markup Language—a system of tagging documents to define a document’s structure and appearance on a Web page

Each Web page on our website must be coded in before it gets posted on the

Internet.

modem ( mo¯ ·dəm)

(noun)

modulator/demodulator—a device used to convert digital signals into analog signals—and vice versa—for transmissions over phone lines

This old on my computer is so slow; it connects to the Internet at only 14,400k. The newer models connect at up to 56,000k.

moped ( mo¯ ·ped)

(noun)

motor pedal—a small, light, motor-powered bike that can also be pedaled

While I have never ridden a , I imagine it is just like riding a bike, only motorized!

radar ( ra¯ ·dar)

(noun)

radio detecting and ranging—a device that sends out radio waves and processes them for display; usually used for locating objects or surface features of an object (such as a planet)

What’s amazing is how I was able to pick up your signal on my even though you were out of sight.

RAM ( ram)

(noun)

Random Access Memory (on a computer)—a type of computer memory that can be accessed randomly

With so many programs installed on your home computer, it’s no wonder you no longer have enough available for new files.

REM ( rem)

(noun)

Rapid Eye Movement (in sleep)—a rapid movement of the eyes associated with REM sleep and dreaming

I guessed you were dreaming in your deep sleep when I saw your eyes twitching under their lids in .

scuba ( sku·bə)

(noun)

self-contained underwater breathing apparatus— equipment used for breathing underwater

Jim packed up all his gear, including his flippers, goggles, and tank, before he left for his trip to the Caribbean.

snafu (sna· fu)

(noun)

situation normal, all fouled up

As it turns out, we ran into a major and we need your help!

URL (u¯ ·ar·el)

(noun)

Uniform Resource Locator—the address of documents and resources on the Internet

Our auto company’s is not too original, but it is sure easy to remember: www.cars.com.

yuppie ( yə·pe¯ )

(noun)

young urban professional—a young, collegeeducated adult who works and lives in or near a large city

Since when have you become such a , with your upscale clothes and cars, and at such a young age!

Words in Context

The following exercise will help you figure out the meaning of some words from Vocabulary List 12 by reading context clues. After you have read and understood the paragraph, explain the context clues that helped you with the meaning of the vocabulary word. Check the answer section at the end of this chapter for an explanation of the clues.

I finally took it upon myself to become more knowledgeable when it comes to using my home computer. My resolution set in when I was trying to attach a simple text file to an e-mail document and ran into a frustrating snafu. Everything froze and I thought my PC had crashed. Quickly turning to the FAQ section in my user’s manual, I realized that the problem was really with my modem. That’s why my e- mail wasn’t going through. I called my ISP to verify my diagnosis of the problem. The customer service agent on the phone said

he had to check on it, but that he would call me back ASAP. Though he said that it would only take a second, I found myself waiting for hours. Born of my own impatience, my goal to become more independently computer-savvy was born!

Sentence Completion

Insert the correct word from Vocabulary List 12 into the following sentences.

8.Before calling customer service, see if you can find the answer to your question in the

’s section.

9. The first time I went diving, I was amazed at all the underwater life I saw.

10. If you look up a nonprofit organization on the Internet, the most likely ends in “org.”

True/False

In the space provided, write a T if the sentence is true, and an F if the sentence is false. If the sentence is false, cross out the misused word and write the correct word from Vocabulary List 12 above it.

41.The operating system used in IBM compatible computers is called DOS.

42.The computerized axial tomography scan one might receive to check for internal injury is a

CD-ROM.

49.My computer is overloaded with so many programs that I probably have to upgrade my

HTML.

50.Having the correct URL enabled me to get to the website with ease.

Practice Activities

It is relatively easy (though no piece of cake) to remember what an acronym stands for because the letters that make it up serve as clues. For example, when completing the matching section, you may have quickly associated the acronym ISP with its definition—Internet

dren are sometimes referred to as dinks.

44.Before I left for my diving adventure in Indonesia, I purchased some state of the art radar gear.

45.If you want something done quickly, you may ask for it ASAP.

46.At the new planetarium, I saw an amazing laser light show amplified on the ceiling!

P probably jumped out at you. The next step in committing these acronyms to your vocabulary repertoire is really understanding what they mean. Try to go beyond simply relying on remembering what each letter stands for.

A suggestion is to check out a website or a trade magazine relating to the subject of the acronym. And just because you may never scuba dive doesn’t mean your vocabulary and literacy won’t benefit from visiting a scuba website to learn how all the gear is a selfcontained underwater breathing apparatus. Flipping through Wired magazine or the Science section of the

States, she is considered a FAQ student.

48. The LAN section of a user’s manual may be of tremendous use if you have questions and are struggling to put something together—a bicycle, for example.

context, read explications and applications of some of the acronyms relating to science and technology.

Answers

Words in Context

When this computer novice’s computer freezes, it may be understood as a snafu: A normal situation of trying to attach a file becomes fouled up! For guidance, he turns to the FAQ section of the user’s manual thinking that perhaps others have had similar problems and asked similar questions. The fact that his e-mail was not going through indicates that perhaps the modem was the source of the problem, as a modem allows for the necessary connection to the Internet. The logical company to contact at that point would be one’s ISP: the Internet Service Provider. The customer service representative explains that he will get back to the customer momentarily: as soon as he is able, or, ASAP. As the customer impatiently waits, he resolves to learn to rectify such snafus on his own.

Sentence Completion

1.moped. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

2.snafu. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

3.ASAP. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

4.radar. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

5.ESL. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

6.CAT scan. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

7.yuppie. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

8.FAQs. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

9.scuba. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

10.URL. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

11.CD-ROM. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

12.HTML. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

13.laser. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

14.dinks. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

15.REM. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

16.ISP. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

17.DOS. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

18.LAN. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

19.modem. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

20.RAM. If you got this question wrong, refer back to the word’s definition.

Matching

21.e

22.h

23.s

24.g

25.f

26.d

27.l

28.o

29.j

30.n

31.a

32.p

33.b

34.c

35.t

36.q

37.r

38.i

39.s

40.m