| Question | Answers |
| A blind alley or dead-end street can be referred to as a(n): | cul-de-sac |
| Which of the following is another word for peevish? | bilious |
| A proposition that follows from one already proven is known as a(n): | corollary |
| The limits or boundaries of a situation might be called its: | parameters |
| Which of the following words could not be used to replace affinity (line 1)? | aversion |
| Cognates (sentence 4) are words that: | are closely related |
| In sentence 4, gamut means: | range |
| Someone would use mnemonics (sentence 5) to: | assist with remembering things |
| Which of the following could be used to replace divination (sentence 5)? | prophecy |
| In sentence 5, lucubration means: | laborious study |
Spiral Principle
Learning English by self-study or by video course assumes gradual improvement of language skills and learning of topics. You should not learn all the tenses at once or study the vocabulary intensively, memorizing new words, but not remembering the grammar. Learn English gradually, learning the simplest grammatical categories, common vocabulary words, and basic pronunciation rules. Once you have mastered the basics – you can go back in a spiral: learn more complex tenses, knowledge of which will be based on the previously passed material, forms of words, exceptions to the pronunciation rules, etc.
The principle of immersion
Perhaps one of the most difficult principles to implement in the process of independent language learning. Because immersion involves the creation of a certain language environment. Or searching for it. But whatever it is, without this principle you will greatly reduce your chance of mastering English even at an intermediate level on your own. A language environment can be created by watching movies or TV shows in English, listening to audio materials. Learning English with movies is not the worst way to learn English, as proper live spoken modern English sounds from the screens.
For language practice and development of the ability to perceive English speech by ear – it is perfect. But you should learn English with the help of songs carefully, because not always the authors and performers adhere to all grammatical norms of English. In addition, you can also learn English with the help of short videos from the BBC.
You can find a language environment: Talking clubs exist at every self-respecting language school. Talk to native speakers can be even without being a student of the school – in this case, going to the conversation club will cost a little more. It is also possible to find native speakers online or on the streets.
The only way to overcome the language barrier – live communication. There is no possibility to immerse yourself in a language environment in an English-speaking country, look for islands of English-speaking environment in your hometown.
The suggestion was so__ that I couldn’t help laughing out loud as soon as I heard it.
risible
The intensive merchandising and tremendous sale of patent medicines show that mankind has never really ceased its search for an all-purpose __.
elixir
Foreign visitors sometimes dismiss our national political conventions as mere __ because of all the surface pageantry.
folderol
All kittens display a natural __ for mischief, but I have never known one so bent on monkey business as our Mickie.
affinity
The role calls for an actor who can express a(n) __ of emotions, from speechless rage to utter bliss.
gamut
After having strongly supported the teaching of foreign languages, they made a complete __ and advocated that this part of the curriculum be dropped or limited to a small minority.
volte-face
In reading a passage in French, I can often guess the meanings of the words I have never seen before because they are recognizable __ of familiar English words.
cognates
The __ tenor of remarks that they offered to us as “constructive criticism” betrayed just how sorely they envied our success.
bilious
In estimating the relative military strength of the two powers, we must concentrate on the __ by which ability to carry on modern warfare may be judged.
parameters
The lecturer said that the soaring crime statistics are __ of a society in which traditional values and standards are breaking down.
symptomatic
The short sentence will serve as a(n) __ to help you remember the names of the first eight Presidents: “Will A Jolly Man Make A Jolly Visitor?”
mnemonic
I know that they deserve to be condemned but I can’t bring myself to heap __ on them when they are in such a state of disgrace.
obloquy
In a truly democratic society, there are no sharp differences in status and privilege between self-styled aristocrats and the __.
hoi polloi
The situation calls for courage, in the sense of a sustained, resolute, and patient effort- not occasional feats of __.
derring-do
The relief we felt when we realized they were safe was so profound and overwhelming as to be utterly __.
ineffable
Is our blind faith in computerized analysis any different in its essentials from the belief of so-called primitive peoples in __?
divination
Having been maneuvered into a(n) __, the retreating troops could do nothing but turn and fight a battle for survival against superior forces.
cul-de-sac
No sooner did the press conference end than the network correspondent turned to a group of political __ for an instant analysis.
pundits
Your ponderous __ seemed to me intended much more to emphasize your own importance than to shed any real light on the subject.
lucubration
It is true that capital punishment has not been proved to be a deterrent to murder , but it would be invalid to draw from this the __ that it has been proved not to be a deterrent.
corollary
The devastating stock market crash of 1929 surprised not only laymen, but Wall Street __________ as well.
pundits
It may seem to be a paradox, but I believe it is true that only a basically serious person can fully appreciate the ________ factors in life.
risible
You have had many difficulties in life, but you are helping no one by behaving in such a _____ manner.
bilious
No student of anthropology can fail to recognize the ______ elements in the cultures of societies which seem to be vastly different from one another.
cognate
The advice that they offered us with such pretentious solemnity turned out to be nothing more than platitudes and ______.
folderol
We found it more difficult to master the ______ than it would have been to memorize the material to which it was keyed.
mnemonic
Only a supreme actor could express so eloquently the ______ quality of the “thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears”
ineffable
Is your repeated use of the expression ________ supposed to convey the idea that you are not one of the people?
hoi polloi
I knew that if I ran for public office, I would be exposed to severe criticism, but I never expected such a flood of ______.
obloquy
Henry had an excellent chance to make and honorable career for himself, but he seemed to have a fatal _______ for easy money and shady deals.
affinity
Those remarkably accurate predictions were based not on _________ but on insight into human nature and the objective elements in the situation.
divination
In the INFERNO, Dante introduces personages from history and mythology to portray the full ______ of human folly and wickedness.
gamut
Many sociologists believe that the high divorce rate in the United States is ________ of basic strains and flaws in our social structure.
symptomatic
Your irresponsible behavior has finally caught up with you; you are in a ________ from which it will be all but impossible to extricate yourself.
cul-de-sac
It is little short of incredible that all their copious ________ have brought forth that tiny mouse of an idea.
lucubrations
I have listened to them state that the present situation is hopeless, but I am unwilling to accept the _______ that the only course open to us is surrender.
corollary
We expect to see politicians modify their points of view from time to time, but a sudden, unexpected ________ by a candidate is more than we can tolerate.
volte-face
In an age of genocide, atomic weapons, and threats of ecological disaster, do you really expect a sensible person to be fascinated by such romantic tales of ________?
derring-do
The pithy comments of that brilliant and delightful woman were a(n) _________ that we found extraordinarily exhilarating.
elixir
The first thing we must do is establish the _______ of the problem, so that we can begin to think in terms of a practical solution.
parameters
The study of _____ helped me perform well in the vocabulary portion of the standardized tests because many English words are related to Greek and Latin words.
cognates
It was a test of endurance, to be polite, to pour through the scholar’s _______ on the origin of the maypole.
lucubrations
Somehow the athlete prevailed over the ______ resulting from the highly publicized— and emotionally charged— trial of her family member.
obloquy
During the epidemic, a great majority of the wards were designated for the ______ patients who might transmit the disease to the general population.
symptomatic
The _______ effect of the oil spill was a decline in fish population.
corollary
the AUGURY of the oracle
divination
among the RELATED procedures
cognate
suffered a torrent of IGNOMINY
obloquy
the INDESCRIBABLE beauty of the canyons
ineffable
wondered what all the HOOPLA was about
folderol
not the CURE-ALL the mountebank promised
elixir
led the despondent explorers to a DEAD END
cul de sac
spent the late hours in DEEP THOUGHT
lucubrations
the SCOPE of the case before the judge
gamut
a MEMORY AID for recalling the rainbow’s colors
mnemonic
the powder was a POISON to the rats
elixir
was not the time for TIMIDITY
derring-do
poor study habits are a certain WAY TO FORGET
mnemonic
the THOROUGHFARE leads to a bridge across the river
cul de sac
the words door and dour are UNRELATED WORDS
cognate
The suggestion was so ________ that I couldn’t help laughing out loud as soon as I heard it.
risible
The intensive merchandising and tremendous sale of patent medicines show that mankind has never really ceased its search for an all-purpose ______.
elixir
Foreign visitors sometimes dismiss our national political conventions as mere _____ because of all the surface pageantry.
folderol
All kittens display a natural ____________ for mischief, but I have never known one so bent on monkey business as our Mickie.
affinity
The role calls for an actor who can express a(n) _______ of emotions, from speechlessness rage to utter bliss.
gamut
After having strongly supported the teaching of foreign languages, they made a complete _______ and advocated that this part of the curriculum be dropped or limited to a small minority.
volte-face
In reading a passage in French, I can often guess the meanings of words I have never seen before because they are recognizable ______ of familiar English words.
cognates
The _______ tenor of the remarks that they offered to us as “constructive criticism” betrayed just how sorely they envied our success.
bilious
In estimating the relative military strength of the two powers, we must concentrate on the ____________ by which ability to carry on modern warfare may be judged.
parameters
The lecturer said that the soaring crime statistics are ________ of a society in which traditional values and standards are breaking down.
symptomatic
This short sentence will serve as a(n) _________ to help you remember the names of the first eight Presidents: Will A Man Make A Jolly Visitor?
mnemonic
I know that they deserve to be condemned, but I can’t bring myself to heap _____ on them when they are in such a state of disgrace.
obloquy
In a truly democratic society, there are no sharp differences in status and privilege between self-styled aristocrats and the ________.
hoi polloi
The situation calls for courage, in the sense of a sustained, resolute, and patient effort- not occasional feats of ________.
derring-do
The relief we felt when we realized they were safe was so profound and overwhelming as to be utterly _________.
ineffable
Is our blind faith in computerized analysis any different in its essentials from the belief of so-called primitive peoples in __________?
divination
Having been maneuvered into a(n) ___________, the retreating troops could do nothing but turn and fight a battle for survival against superior forces.
cul-de-sac
No sooner did the press conference end than the network correspondent turned to a group of political _______ for an instant analysis.
pundits
Your ponderous _________ seemed to me intended much more to emphasize your own importance than to shed any real light on the subject.
lucubrations
It is true that capital punishment has not been proved to be a deterrent to murder, but it would be invalid to draw from this the __________ that it has been proved NOT to be a deterrent.
corollary
LUCUBRATIONS are
B. meditations
Someone who faces OBLOQUY faces
C. criticism
Something INEFFABLE is also
A. Unutterable
RISIBLE ideas are NOT
D. solemn
When something is SYPTOMATIC, it is a
D. sign