Improve Your English – 288 [Archives:2006/932/Education]

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March 27 2006

Dr. Ramakanta Sahu
I. What to Say

Situations and Expressions (86)

Good wishes on retirement

Retirement turns a new leaf in the annals of a public servant's life and career. The individual is relieved of his official duties and is given a respite from his busy career spanning decades. Well-wishers of the retiring person give him a warm send-off and wish a long, peaceful and healthy life for him.

_ Hope the years of retirement are happier than any before. Whatever your plans and wishes, you can make them come true throughout the happy golden years that lie ahead of you, for retirement brings a special chance to spend each single day doing what you've longed to do in your own time and your own way.

II. How to Say it Correctly

Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences

1. I refuse you to go on the trip.

2. He made me to do it.

3. Did you remember buying some milk on your way home?

4. If the stain doesn't come out of your shirt when you wash it, try to soak it first in bleach.

5. He advised me giving up smoking.

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

1. What would you like to drink? (Aux inversion)

2. I asked Abdu how he was getting back to Mahweet.

3. Haven't you finished your homework yet?

4. Haven't you got anybody to help you?

5. I have forgotten my watch. What time is it?

or What time do you make it?

III. Increase Your Word Power

(A) How to express it in one word

1. Soon going from the memory.

2. Likely to happen under some circumstances.

3. Turn out from a house by authority of law.

4. Anything that gives reason for believing something.

5. Show that one has a feeling, quality etc.

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

1. Praise highly in speech or writing: eulogize (vt)

2. State of pleasant excitement: euphoria (n)

3. Bringing about easy and painless death: euthanasia (n)

4. Find a way of not doing something: evade (vt)

5. Find out the amount or value of something: evaluate (vt)

(B) Words often confused

Bring out the difference in meaning of the following pairs of words

1. stain, strain 2. stager, stagger

3. steak, stick, streak 4. entrance, entry

5. potable, portable

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

1. cemetery (n) (area of land where the dead are buried): There is a cemetery on the outskirts of the city.

symmetry (n) (beauty resulting from harmony between parts): Michael Angelo's painting 'Monalisa' is a fine specimen of symmetry.

2. ample (adj) (with plenty of space): There is ample room for all of us in the car.

ampoule (n) (small glass container for an injection): The patient was administered one ampoule of injection.

3. flier (n) (one who flees): The police captured the flier.

flyer (n) (airman): The flyer was rewarded for his flying skills.

4. dominate (vt) (have control, authority, or influence): A strong will for success dominated his mind.

domineer (vi) (act, speak in a dominating manner): His wife usually domineers over him.

5. repellent (n) (a chemical substance that repels insects): I usually use a mosquito repellent cream before going to sleep.

repulsive (adj) (causing a feeling of disgust): I hate to look at his repulsive appearance.

(C) Synonyms and Antonyms

(i) Synonyms

Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the one given at the top

1. frugal

a. quiet b. economical

c. shy d. generous

2. rhetorical

a. convincing b. pleading

c. satirical

d. designed for showy, oratorical effect

3. sagacious

a. excessively grasping or covetous

b. truthful c. lustful d. discerning

4. dogmatic

a. angry b. powerful

c. vicious

d. excessively opinionated

5. furtive

a. stealthy b. nervous

c. jerky d. quick

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

Word synonym

1. prodigious enormous

2. quench to extinguish

3. quintessence purest part

4. quash to suppress

5. banal commonplace

(ii) Antonyms

Choose the word that is most opposite in meaning to the one given at the top

1. fortitude

a. forgetfulness b. generosity

c. cowardice d. simplicity

2. transparent

a. covered b. opaque

c. clear d. misty

3. fragmented

a. undividable or whole b. temporary

c. crumbled d. partial

4. nascent

a. budding b. mature

c. elderly d. initial

5. yearn

a. struggle b. stubborn

c. loathe d. none of these

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

Word Antonym

1. impair strengthen

2. vacillation determination

3. infuse extract

4. innocuous harmful

5. vainglorious modest

(D) Spelling

Choose the correctly spelled word

1. a. connoniseur b. connoissure

c. connoissurre d. connoisseur

2. a. compaletness b. completeness

c. complitness d. completeaness

3. a. conceeve b. concieive

c. conceive d. concive

4. a. compliment b. complimentt

c. compleament d. complimint

5. a. companion b. companeon

c. comppanion d. compenion

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

1. chronology 2. chronicle 3. commissioner

4. chauffeur 5. commemorate

(E) Phrases and idioms

Use the following phrases in sentences

1. cut one's losses 2. pay one's way

3. armed to the teeth 4. in one's elements

5. tied to (someone's) apron strings

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

1. under someone's very nose (right in front of some one): Interestingly the motorbike was stolen from the police station itself under the Inspector's very nose.

2. do one's stuff (to show one's abilities): In the exam, do your stuff and come out with flying colors.

3. let one's hair down (to relax and enjoy oneself): After the exam, students let their hair down.

4. have a soft spot for (some one) (to be fond of some one): I have a soft spot for Mahweetis.

5. green about the gills (looking unwell): Our teacher looked bit green about the gills when she entered our class today.

IV. Grammar and Composition

Read the following conversation and put 'may', 'should', 'must' or 'will' into the correct space. In some cases more than one answer may be possible.

Passenger: Excuse me! ….. I leave my suitcase here for a moment?

Clerk: I'm afraid no. You ….. keep your luggage with you at all times.

Passenger: But I can't carry it round all the time. It's far too heavy!

Clerk: You ….. get trolley.

Passenger: And where ….. I find one of these trolleys?

Clerk: You ….. find one just outside the main entrance.

Passenger: I suppose I ….. have to go and look for one myself.

Clerk: Well, if you wait a moment, I ….. see if I can call a porter for you.

Passenger: Thank you very much. I ….. be more grateful. I really ….. buy myself some wheels for my suitcases. That …. be the answer to my problems.

Suggested answers to the previous issue's questions

Suitable requests or commands:

1. Your neighbor in the class has scribbled in your textbook and you don't want him/her to do it again.

“Don't repeat such nuisance. I don't like it.””

2. It is the first day of your holidays and you hope your parents will not wake you up early.

“”Please don't wake me up early. Tomorrow is a holiday.””

3. Your friend is getting ready to go out. If he/she is going to the library you want him/her to take your book back too.

“”Could you please take my book back to the library in case you are going there?””

4. You can't do your homework because your sister is playing the radio in the next room.

“”Stop the radio