appropriate: the right thing at the right time, expected by others
When someone says “thank-you,” the appropriate response is “you’re welcome.”
It is not appropriate to shake the Queen’s hand.

beneficial:  good (for someone)
Drinking a liter of water everyday has beneficial results.
It’s beneficial for most people to get eight hours of sleep per night.

considerate:  thinking of the welfare of someone else.
It was considerate of you to give me a ride home last night.
Please be considerate and let the elderly woman sit down on the bus.

feeble:  weak, with no energy 
His grandfather is getting more and more feeble.
She made a feeble attempt to answer him in German.

idle:  not active or moving, still
His brother has been idle ever since he lost his job.
I’ve finished all my work, so now I can be idle for the rest of the day.

infinite:  never ending, limitless
There are an infinite number of stars in the universe.
The Internet give us access to an infinite amount of information.

miniature:  very small compared to a normal one
He has a large collection of miniature cars.
Miniature golf is a sport that is enjoyed by many families.

mysterious:  unknown, confusing
They were speaking a mysterious language that she couldn’t understand.
A mysterious man was standing on the corner watching the house.

neutral:  not favoring one side or the other
Switzerland was a neutral country in World War II.
He tried to remain neutral in the argument between his wife and his mother.

scarce:  not common, rare
Five star restaurants are scarce in this city.
Fresh water is scarce in that part of Africa.

suspicious:  causing people to think bad things
The man had been waiting outside the bank for an hour, which was suspicious.
You should be suspicious of any get-rich-quick schemes.

synthetic:  not made naturally
Nylon is a synthetic material used to make parachutes.
Synthetic diamonds are manufactured for the construction industry.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

aware:  knowing about
Are you aware that your car is unlocked?
He wasn’t aware of the person following him.

crucial:  extremely important
It is crucial that you arrive at the meeting on time.
Peace talks are crucial to the future of that region.

dense:  crowded, tightly together
The West End of Vancouver has a dense population.
The forest was so dense that it was difficult to pass through.

fundamental:  basic, most important
The simple present tense is a fundamental part of the English language.
Oil is a fundamental component of plastic.

hazy:  smoggy, polluted, not clear
It was a hazy summer day in August when he arrived in the city.
My memory of that day is hazy.

initial: first, beginning
His initial choice was to believe her because she had never lied before.
Her initial reaction was to laugh although it was a serious situation.

legible:  able to be read
The doctor’s signature was not very legible.
The teacher’s writing is not legible from the back of the room.

partial:  only part of (something bigger)
He didn’t have this month’s rent, so he made a partial payment.
The police found a partial fingerprint on the window.

repetitive:  repeated, happening again and again
He didn’t like his job because it was boring and repetitive.
There was a repetitive noise coming from the neighbor’s house.

rusty:  not very good, needing a lot of practice
She sat down at the piano, but because she was rusty, she didn’t play very well.
I haven’t spoken Spanish in years, so I’m a little rusty.

sensible:  having good judgement,
He was not being sensible when he went outside in the rain without a coat.
The sensible thing to do is to start over and do it right this time.

talented:  able to do something well and easily
They are both talented musicians.
Everyone thinks she’s a talented writer.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

approximate:  near but not exact
The approximate time is 3:00.
I don’t know exactly, but the approximate distance is 800 kilometers.

bulky:  very large and hard to carry
That piano is too bulky to move by yourself.
A bulky package arrived just before her birthday.

capable:  able to do something
I don’t believe he’s capable of murder.
She’s a capable mother of three.

eventual:  happening slowly
The eventual result of his smoking habit was lung cancer.
His carelessness with money caused his eventual bankruptcy.

fortunate:  lucky
It was fortunate that you were there to help her.
We all felt fortunate to meet the President.

humid:   with water vapor in the air
It’s not a good idea to exercise in hot, humid weather.
It feels very humid after a storm.

intelligent:  smart, quick to understand
Your dog is pretty intelligent.
She is highly intelligent, but not a genius.

jealous:  wanting what someone else has
He was jealous of his brother’s wealth.
She was jealous of his relationship with his sister.

loyal:  always ready to support (someone), faithful
He is a loyal friend whom I’ve known for years.
Dogs have been man’s loyal companions for thousands of years.

nude:  without any clothes on, naked
She stood in the doorway completely nude.
At some beaches in the world, you can go nude.

particular:  one and only, not general
They have a particular interest in old movies.
There’s a particular way she likes to brush her hair.

raw:  uncooked
The children love to eat raw carrots.
He tries to eat as much raw food as possible.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.