Word Power 4

Word Power

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Vocabulary Building Exercise 4
Today, more than 750 million people use the English language. An average educated person knows about 20,000 words and uses about 2,000 words in a week. Despite its widespread use, there are only about 350 million people who use it as their mother tongue. It is the official language of the Olympics. More than half of the world's technical and scientific periodicals as well three quarters of the world's mail, and its telexes and cables are in English. About 80% of the information stored in the world's computers (such as this text) are also in English. English is also transmitted to more than 100 million people everyday by 5 of the largest broadcasting companies (CBS, NBC, ABC, BBC, CBC). It seems like English will remain the most widely used language for some time.
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/JohnnyLing.shtml

Ponder over the questions and clues given below and then compare your solution with the answers which are hidden in the white background and will be visible when you click the button at the bottom.

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A) Spelling Check
Here are five words that have been spelled incorrectly. Find their correct spelling without the aid of dictionary or spell checker?

Wrong	Right
arguement	argument
cemetary	cemetery
hypocracy, hypocrasy	hypocrisy
sacreligious	sacrilegious
vica versa	vice versa

B) Homonyms
Homonyms are words that are pronounced the same but have different spellings and meaning. Can you tell the difference in the following words.

mantel, mantle
mantel: a shelf above a fireplace (some dictionaries list mantle as a variant spelling)
mantle: a cloak

naval, navel
naval: relating to a navy
navel: a bellybutton

pedal, peddle
pedal: a foot-operated lever
peddle: to sell

C) Find the word for which the meaning or synonyms are given.

1. Brabble (brab??l) verb, intransitive
1. To quarrel noisily, especially over a small matter; wrangle.
A petty dispute; a squabble.

2. forensic (f?-ren?sik, -zik) adjective
2. Relating to, used in, or appropriate for courts of law or for public discussion or argumentation.
Of, relating to, or used in debate or argument; rhetorical.

3. Forensic Medicine (f?-ren?sik med?i-sin) noun
3. The branch of medicine that interprets or establishes the facts in civil or criminal law cases. Also called medical jurisprudence.

4. Senility (si-nil?i-te) noun
4. The state of being old and impaired memory and physical condition.
The mental and physical deterioration characteristic of old age.

5. Weird
5. Synonyms: eerie, uncanny, unearthly. These adjectives refer to what is of a mysteriously strange, usually frightening nature. This word may suggest the operation of supernatural influences, but it may also be applied to what is merely odd or unusual:

6. Panacea (pan´?-s??) noun
6. A remedy for all diseases, evils, or difficulties; a cure-all.

7. Parsimonious (pär´s?-m?ne-?s) adjective
7. Excessively sparing or frugal.
Synonyms: stingy, close, close-fisted, niggardly, penny-pinching, miserly, penurious, tight, tightfisted. These adjectives mean reluctant or marked by reluctance to spend money or part with possessions.

8. Dastardly (das?t?rd-le) adjective
8. Cowardly and malicious; base.

9. Synergy (sin??r-je) noun
plural syn·er·gies

9. The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.
Cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect.

10. Sanctimonious (sangk´t?-m?ne-?s) adjective
10. Feigning piety or righteousness.
Synonyms: religious, devout, pious, These adjectives mean having or showing a belief in and veneration for God or a divine power, especially as it is reflected in the practice of religion.

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