Active Vocabulary General and Academic Words - Amy E. Olsen 2013

Chapter 3. Entertainment
Part 1 General Words

Enjoying a Night Out

ENTERTAINMENT

Movie Sends Viewers to New Places

Planet Desire, rated PG-13, now playing at The

Strand, Horizon, and Multiplex 11

Don't miss Planet Desire, a new action thriller, showing in 3D. A shy, amiable young man is drawn into a video game thanks to a computer glitch. His sister discovers the malfunction and sets out to save him despite her aversion to technology. Breaking protocol, she arranges a late -night clandestine meeting in the woods with a computer genius who works for a secret government agency. The genius agrees to help by allowing her to play a virtual reality game he has created. He gives her his assurance that the game is safe and that it will connect her to her brother. Her only hope is to step into the unknown, but can she trust this man? The plot might sound wild, but it all feels real. You are right in the action during the exciting 3D scenes of the siblings' adventures, which include rafting, mountain climbing, and scuba diving. The superb acting and sound track also contribute to making this a must-see movie.

New Burger Place Serves Up Fun

Take a break from your frenzied studies and head over to Pearl's for food arid fun. Pearl's is a great new burger place that is quickly becoming popular with students. The menu features the omnipresent hamburger, but Pearl's offers a few unusual toppings. Some of the choices that may intrigue you include blue cheese and gorgonzola (cheddar and jack cheese are also available), pineapple slices, jicama, and ice cream (yes, you can have a dessert hamburger—it even comes with a cherry on top). The menu also features delicious fries, onion rings, Buffalo wings and a variety of salads and sandwiches. Desserts include scrumptious pies and cakes. Pearl's has ten flavors of shakes. I give a standing ovation to the banana shake: it's the best shake I've ever tasted! Owner Pearl Barnes is a resourceful woman. She has managed to fit twenty tables and ten counter seats into the small space, but the way she arranged everything the place doesn't feel crowded, even on a busy Saturday night. Come enjoy good food and fun people at Pearl's.

Located at 1543 Central Street, open for lunch and dinner; low prices.

Predicting

For each set, write the definition on the line next to the word to which it belongs. If you are unsure, return to the reading on page 22, and underline any context clues you find. After you've made your predictions, check your answers against the Word List on page 27. Place a checkmark in the box next to each word whose definition you missed. These are the words you'll want to study closely.

Set One

simulated

a technical error

a strong dislike

private

a code of correct behavior

□ 1. glitch (line 7) ...

□ 2. aversion (line 8) ...

□ 3. protocol (line 9) ...

□ 4. clandestine (line 10) ...

□ 5. virtual (line 13) ...

Set Two

wild

present everywhere at once

approval

inventive

to fascinate

□ 6. frenzied (line 25) …

□ 7. omnipresent (line 29) …

□ 8. intrigue (line 31) …

□ 9. ovation (line 39) …

□ 10. resourceful (line 41) …

Self-Tests

1 Match each term with its synonym in Set One and its antonym in Set Two.

Synonyms

Set One

1. glitch   a. private

2. intrigue  b. malfunction

3. omnipresent c. etiquette

4. clandestine d. plot

5. protocol  e. everywhere

Antonyms

Set Two

6. aversion  f. unimaginative

7. virtual  g. disapproval

8. resourceful h. actual

9. frenzied  i. liking

10. ovation  j. calm

2 Complete the sentences using the vocabulary words. Use each word once.

Vocabulary list

virtual

intrigue

clandestine 

glitch

frenzied

ovation

omnipresent 

aversion

resourceful

protocol

1. The crowd appreciated the outstanding perfor­mance of the symphony, so they gave it a standing ... .

2. The drive was ... as the couple tried to get to the airport on time after leaving late.

3. The spy held a(n) ... meeting at mid­night in an alley behind a warehouse.

4. There must be a(n) ... in the com­puter; it never starts up correctly the first time.

5. Fran has a(n) ... to talking to people because she is extremely shy.

6. Hamburger chains have become ... . At least one can be found in nearly every town in America.

7. As a diplomat, Anthony learned the ... for greeting a visiting king and queen.

8. Next semester I am taking a class from a(n) ... college; it exists only online without any real buildings.

9. There was a lot of ... at work last month as people tried to figure out who was going to become the new president of the company.

10. Milton is ... . I have seen him fix a car with chewing gum and a paper clip when we were stranded on the side of the road.

3 Fill in each blank with the letter of the most logical analogy. See Completing Analogies on page 6 for instructions and practice.

Set One

1. romance: clandestine::  a. an excellent student: an "A"

2. frenzied : peaceful ::   b. sofa: couch

3. a technical problem : glitch :: c. departing friend : sadden

4. great musician : ovation ::  d. sleepy : awake

5. plot of a novel : intrigue ::  e. a garden : overgrown

Set Two

6. diplomat : protocol ::   f. fondness : cookies

7. omnipresent : limited :   g. beautiful: lovely

8. computer games : virtual ::  h. soldier : orders

9. aversion : snakes ::   i. jokes : funny

10. resourceful : capable ::  j. bitter : sweet

Collocations

Despite a glitch in the system at the beginning of the program that caused the stage to go black for ten minutes, the symphony still received a standing ovation at the end of the show. Every note had thrilled the crowd. (Chapter 3)

We may quite soon find virtual reality game; in every home. We can play a game arid really feel as if we are driving a racecar or diving underwater. (Chapter ?)

Interesting Etymologies

Glitch (Chapter 3) possibly comes from the Yiddish glitsh, meaning “a slip or slide,” or from the German glitshen, meaning “to slip.” The word was originally part of the technical language of American electronic engineers in the early 1960s. The word was popularized by the U. S. space program and went on to have a wider meaning than just dealing with electronic hardware.

Ovation (Chapter 3) comes from the Latin ovatio, meaning “rejoicing,” which comes from ovare “to rejoice or exult.” In Roman times, an ovation was a ceremonial entrance of a commander into Rome whose military victories, while important and worth celebrating, were not of the degree that warranted a triumph.

Interactive Version: Envision yourself as a restaurant reviewer, and write a short review using either photograph as your inspiration. You can write about a real restaurant you enjoy going to or create an imaginary one. Use at least five of the vocabulary words in your review.

Conversation starters

An excellent way to review the vocabulary words and help to make them your own is to use them when you are speaking. Gather three to five friends or classmates, and use one or more of the con­versation starters below. Before you begin talking, have each person write down six of the vocabu­lary words he or she will use during the conversation. Share your lists with each other to check that you did not all pick the same six words. Try to cover all of the words you want to study, whether you are reviewing one, two, or more chapters.

1. Where is your study spot? How many hours a week do you devote to studying? Are your study skills the best they can be?

2. What troubles have you had with friends? What good times have you had with friends?

3. What movie or restaurant would you recommend to a friend? What makes it worth experiencing?

4. Tell about a memorable experience you have had this term whether on campus, with friends, or while relaxing.

Word List

Words to Watch

Which words would you like to practice with a bit more? Pick 3-5 words to study, and list them below. Write the word and its definition, and compose your own sentence using the word correctly. This extra practice could be the final touch to learning a word.