Interactive Vocabulary - Amy E. Olsen 2017

Chapter 1. Vocabulary Growth
Part I. Education

The Joy of Words

No one can predict what words a person will need to know throughout a life time, but it is certain that a well-developed vocabulary will lead to increased success in both school and the work world. Through diligent effort, anyone can improve his or her vocabulary. All it takes is time and careful study. As some estimates put close to a million words in the English language (including about 500,000 scientific words that aren't used by most people), learning new words is a continuous process. If you have a positive attitude and focus on the benefits of a sizeable vocabulary, you will discover that you can derive great pleasure in learning new words.

Key concepts in vocabulary growth:

1. Read. Words are best learned through reading. Become an inquisitive reader; those who are excited about learning are more likely to increase their vocabularies. If you are reluctant about reading for enjoyment, search for material related to your hobby or to a time period or place you are interested in learning more about. Resolve to read something just for the pleasure of it at least thirty minutes each day.

2. Appreciate words. When you come across a word you don't know, reflect on the various strate­gies available to learn and use the word. For example, you can use context clues, word parts, and pronunciation guides. When you immerse yourself in the study of words, you will pay attention to the new words you encounter and find joy in learning these words.

3. Make connections. Be interactive with the words you want to learn by creating flash cards, drawing pictures of the words, and using the words in your writing and speech. Delve into a topic you are interested in, and write or talk about it using the words you are studying. For example, if you like cars, research the latest models and then share the information through e-mails to friends. You can also write an essay for a class or journal entries that contain the words you are learning. Use your new vocabulary in your daily life when you talk to friends or family about problems at your job or the latest developments in your love life.

4. Work with others. Collaborative activities can be fun and reinforce your learning. There are many ways to work with others, but a few ideas are to meet with a friend and quiz each other using your flash cards or word maps, have a conversation with a classmate where you use the words you are studying, or play vocabulary-based games such as Scrabble, Bananagrams, or Boggle as a fun way to build your vocabulary. Also consider creating or joining a study group to keep you motivated.

Learning vocabulary is like reading a mystery novel. When reading a mystery, you look for clues, you interact with the plot, you try different solutions, and eventually you discover who did it. The analogy works when you do the same with your vocabulary studies: read carefully looking for context clues, interact with the words, try different meanings, and eventually find the right one. You will discover that, as your vocabulary grows, reading will be more fun, and it will be easier to find the right words to use in your writing and speech.

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 10, and underline any context clues you find. After you've made your predictions, check your answers against the Word List on page 15. 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

to make up one's mind

hesitant

attentive

to obtain

eager for knowledge

□ 1. diligent (line 5) …

□ 2. derive (line 13) …

□ 3. inquisitive (line 15) …

□ 4. reluctant (line 16) …

□ 5. resolve (line 18) …

Set Two

a comparison

to absorb

to investigate

to think seriously about

working with other people

□ 6. reflect (line 19) …

□ 7. immerse (line 21) …

□ 8. delve (line 24) …

□ 9. collaborative (line 30) …

□ 10. analogy (line 37) …

Self-Tests

1 Circle the word that correctly completes each sentence.

1. When I finish reading a book, I like to take time to (immerse, reflect) on what I learned from it.

2. I didn't like (diligent, collaborative) projects until I met my boyfriend while working on a history class assignment with him.

3. I decided to (delve, derive) into my family history after I found a letter written by my great grandfather in my grandmother's attic.

4. I (reflect, resolve) to study for two hours each evening.

5. I am (diligent, reluctant) to let Angie borrow my car because she has had four accidents so far this year.

6. I was so (diligent, collaborative) about doing my homework on Friday that I was able to go to the party on Saturday.

7. My sister made the (analogy, resolve) that her vacation was like spending a week in a life raft. After hearing about the difficulties she faced, I think she was right.

8. I like that my nephew is (diligent, inquisitive). I love answering his questions about history and science.

9. I (derive, delve) a lot of pleasure from volunteering at the hospital two days a week.

10. I was so (immersed, resolved) in the novel that I didn't even hear the doorbell ring.

2 Answer each question by writing the vocabulary word on the line next to the example it best fits. Use each word once.

Vocabulary list

analogy collaborative  diligent  reflect  resolve

inquisitive derive   reluctant  delve  immerse

1. Keri proofreads her papers six times. What kind of student is she?

2. Every day Miguel asks questions about what his brother learned in his zoology class. What can be said about Miguel's interest in the class?

3. The couple discussed the disagreement they had the night before and then hugged each other. What were they able to do about their differences?

4. Tony figured out where his sister had gone from clues she left around the house. What was Tony able to do?

5. June says, "Life is one big tea party." What kind of comparison has she made?

6. Gerry isn't thrilled about his wife's idea to paint their living room purple. What is he?

7. Milt took two weeks to consider the changes to his life if he accepted the job offer in Hawaii. What did he take the time to do during those two weeks?

8. When a brother and sister help each other pick up their toys, what are they being?

9. After reading a story that took place in Australia, Maylin went to the library to learn more about the country. What did she do?

10. Dan travels to Mexico and lives with a family for a year to learn Spanish. What approach is he using to learn the language?

3 Pick the best word from the list below to complete the sentence. Use each word once.

Vocabulary list

reluctant delve  inquisitive collaborative resolve

diligent analogy reflects  derives  immerse

1. My father believes that my interest in cars ... from our trip to a speedway when I was six.

2. Sometimes I bothered my mother by being too ..., but there was so much I wanted to know about when I was young.

3. Matt covered his bedroom walls with maps, which ... his interest in travel.

4. The student made an interesting ... between writing a paper and riding a bike.

5. Katy wants to become an executive in the company, so she is ... at her job.

6. Making a movie is a ... project because it involves writers, actors, technicians, and the director to put it together.

7. If you ... yourself in your studies, you usually do better in a class.

8. When Yoon travels to Egypt this summer, he plans to ... into the mysteries of the pyramids.

9. Children can be ... to try new foods, but they are often surprised about how delicious an item is once they try a bite.

10. I have the ... to complete my calculus class though it is the hardest subject I have ever taken.

4 For each set, complete the analogies. See Completing Analogies on page 6 for instructions and practice. Use each word once.

Set One

Vocabulary list

collaborative

resolve

immerse

analogy

diligent  

Set One

Vocabulary list

1. combine : join :: hard-working : ...

2. a paddle : to steer a canoe :: ... : to run a marathon

3. shampoo : to clean hair : ... : to show comparison

4. wise : foolish :: individual: ...

5. place meatloaf in oven : to cook : ...stems in water : to preserve cut flowers

Set Two

Vocabulary list

derive  reluctant  delves  reflect  inquisitive

6. loud : noisy :: ... : curious

7. enter a running race : compete :: use reasoning : ... at an answer

8. dictionary : to look up a word : : mirror : to ...

9. kind : cruel:: willing : ...

10. bike rider : pedals :: detective : ...

Answers to the analogies practice in the Getting Started section on page 7:

1. b 2. a 3. d 4. c 5. sleep 6. huge 7. warmth 8. Beverage

Interactive Version: Refer to the photo to prompt your thinking about ways people use words. Then write a paragraph on why it is important to expand your vo­cabulary and methods you plan to use to do so. Use at least five of the vocabulary words in your paragraph.

Context Clue Mini-Lesson 1

This lesson features synonyms—words that have a similar meaning to the unknown word. In the paragraph below, circle the synonyms you find for the underlined words, and write them on the lines that follow the paragraph.

When Bob first brought Clarisa flowers, she spumed his advances. But Bob was not one to be easily rejected. He next brought Clarisa a box of candy. She threw the box in the trash, and told Bob that her disgust would never change. Her revulsion, however, was short-lived when she retrieved the candy and tried the delicious dark chocolates. The next week, Bob decided to entreat his case one last time. He begged Clarisa for a date, and she consented. On their first date, Clarisa, resplendent in a lilac dress, entered the restaurant. Bob felt that beholding such a dazzling sight had been worth his efforts.

The Synonym

1. Spumed ...

2. Revulsion ...

3. Entreat ...

4. Resplendent ...

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.