- 1100 Words You Need to Know – Week 5, Day 1
- English Vocabulary Class
- Date of Class: May 15th, 2016, from 9:00 to 10:00 pm (Iran)
- Use the audio player below to listen to the podcast of this vocabulary class which is based on the text below.
New Words:
rampant – inane – ethics – concur – clandestine
Cheating
During my first weeks at the new school I observed that cheating was rampant. I had always considered it rather inane to cheat on a test because of my code of ethics, and because so much was at stake. Apparently the other students didn’t concur. In fact, even the presence of a proctor did not intimidate* them. Far from being a clandestine activity, the cheating was open and obvious.
Sample Sentences
Use the new words in the following sentences.
- When the plague was __________ on the island, Dr. Arrowsmith’s wife died.
- The spies thought their meeting was a __________ one, but a throng* of F.B.I. agents gathered outside the building.
- A special management committee was asked to investigate business __________.
- Orville Wright was criticized for his __________ desire to fly.
- If I can get my parents to __________, I’ll join the Peace Corps.
Definitions
Match the new words with their meanings.
- rampant ____ a. secret, undercover
- inane ____ b. code of principles
- ethics ____ c. foolish
- concur ____ d. agree
- clandestine ____ e. going unchecked, widespread
Today’s Idiom
stock in trade: the goods, tools, and other requisites of a profession
A quick wit and a warm smile were the salesman’s stock in trade.
Leave your questions or comments below.
1. Who is a proctor?
someone who watches examiners alertly.
‘Someone’ should be capitalized.
Proctor is a person who takes charge of any responsibility like examination.
That’s right. Thank you.
Proctor or invigilator is the person whose job is to invigilate attendees taking an exam. Besides it can be used in verb form.
Excellent. Thank you.
2. Is plague a contagious disease? How does the context prove it?
yes, because it says it is a rampant disease.
‘Yes’ should be capitalized.
3. What was the major difference between the new student at school and the rest of the students?
they became shocked when they observe cheating is rampant, new students do not have dare to cheat.
‘They’ should be capitalized.
You are narrating something in the past, so the tense of the sentence must be simple past tense.
4. What else could you add to the main characteristics of a successful salesman, apart from a quick wit and a warm smile?
intellectual ability in speech
‘Intellectual’ should be capitalized.
Witticism is almost the same as an intellectual ability in speech, so I suppose your reply is redundant.
patience and perseverance and manner or courtesy
‘Patience’ should be capitalized.
Patience, perseverance, good manners or courtesy
Apart from their cognitive skills, they should have the ability to estimate how much money the customer has in order to propose the right product to the right customer.
✅ Exactly.