appear:  to come into sight, to seem
A motorcycle appeared in his rearview mirror.
She appears to be a little nervous.

claim:  to say as a fact
He claims to be your father’s son from another marriage.
She claims to be telling the truth, but I don’t believe her.

conflict:  to be in disagreement or opposition
His story conflicts with her story, so who’s telling the truth?
Her part-time job does not conflict with her university studies.

debate:  to argue in favor of one thing or of another thing
They debated what kind of government was the best.
The students debated various solutions to the problem of homelessness.

devise:  to create, invent
We devised a plan to trap the mice.
He devised a simple system to purify water.

excel:  to do better than most others
My son excels in math and science.
She got a raise because she excels at work.

flash:  to show quickly
The police officer flashed his badge before entering the room.
She flashed him a big smile as she left the room.

hinder:  to stop (someone) from doing (something)
He went to the library because the noise at home was hindering his studying.
That big tree across the street hinders our view of the ocean.

improvise:  to do without any preparation
She wasn’t prepared, so she had to improvise a speech at her sister’s graduation.
The actor forgot his lines but improvised well enough to continue.

legalize:  to make legal
Canada legalized marijuana for use as a medicine.
There are no plans to legalize gambling in this state.

mourn:  to feel sad (usually when someone dies)
The children mourned the loss of their of their father in the war.
For months afterwards, he mourned the death of his dog.

provoke:  to make (something) happen (often anger)
The crowd provoked the police into taking strong action.
If you talk about politics, it will provoke my brother into an argument.

recruit:  to get (someone) to join (a group)
We need to recruit one more person to join our study group.
He’s trying to recruit me into his gang.

signify:  to represent, mean
The blinking lights in the theater signified that intermission was over.
Those dark clouds signify the coming of a storm.

strive:  to try hard, make a great effort
The airline strives to make sure every customer has a good experience.
He is always striving to better himself.

Study this page and when you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

Verbs:

bet one’s bottom dollar:  make a bet one can’t lose
You can bet your bottom dollar that she’ll be late.

break even:  neither win nor lose money
If we sell that gold coin now, we can break even.

bring home the bacon:  earn money to support the family
She’s the one who brings home the bacon in that family.

cash in:  to change into cash by exchanging or selling something
He decided to cash in and sold his company for five million dollars.

chip in:  contribute with others to buy something
All the employees chipped in on a retirement gift for George.

clean up:  win or make a lot of money
He took his tow truck out on the road during that last snow storm and just cleaned up.

foot the bill:  pay
Who’s going to foot the bill if the truck breaks down?

get caught short:  be in a situation where one doesn’t have enough money
If we don’t want to get caught short, we should start saving now.

grease one’s palm:  give someone money for special treatment
If we want to get into the club, we have to grease the doorman’s palm.

have sticky fingers:  steal money
I told you not to hire him because he had sticky fingers.

hit the jackpot:  win a great deal of money
The first time they bought a lottery ticket, they hit the jackpot.

keep the books (in a company):  record the money earned and spent (by the company)
His daughter keeps the books for the company.

lay out more money:  spend more money
The contractor said we have to lay out more money to fix the cracks in the basement.

live high off the hog:  own the best that money can buy
She sold her company last year, and now they’re living high off the hog.

live on a shoestring:  living on a tight budget with no extra money to spend
Since she left her parent’s house, she’s been living on a shoestring.

lose one’s shirt:  lose all one’s money
He invested all his money in a real estate scheme and lost his shirt.

make a bundle:  make a lot of money
If we sell this idea to an investor, I’m sure we can make a bundle.

make a fast buck:  make money quickly
Everybody wants to make a fast buck, but it’s extremely hard to do.

make a killing:  make a very good investment that pays well
He bought Microsoft stock in 1984 and made a killing.

make ends meet:  have just enough money for expenses
He had to get a second job to make ends meet.

make money hand over fist:  earn large amounts of money
They created an app that finds the cheapest gas, and now they’re making money hand over fist.

pay an arm and a leg (for something):  spend more than one can afford
I hear she paid an arm and a leg for her new teeth.

pay through the nose:  pay too much
If you pay the minimum on your credit card each month, you’ll pay through the nose.

pick up the tab:  pay the bill for everyone
He invited everyone to come celebrate with him, and he picked up the tab for everything.

rake in the cash:  make a lot of money
As soon as they opened the doors of their restaurant, they started to rake in the cash.

scrape together:  manage to get
The young couple were able to scrape together a down payment on a condo.

set one back:  cost
How much did that new car set you back?

shell out:  spend
You have to shell out some money and replace the glasses you broke.

splurge:  spend too much money
After he got a raise at work, he started to splurge.

strike it rich:  make a lot of money quickly
Lots of people hope to strike it rich by creating the next popular app.

take a beating:  lose a lot of money
He took a beating in the stock market last year.

tighten one’s belt:  stop spending money except for necessities
Since your parents stopped supporting you, you need to tighten your belt.

won’t break the bank:  is something one can afford to buy
I can buy that laptop.  It won’t break the bank.

Nouns:

a cheapskate:  a person who doesn’t like to spend money at all
That man never leaves a tip when he eats here.  He’s a cheapskate.

a deadbeat:  a person who doesn’t pay what they owe
His father is a deadbeat that he hasn’t seen in years.

a handout:  free gift from family or friends
Every Christmas my sister comes home looking for a handout.

a penny pincher:  a person who is very careful with their spending
Her mother has always been a penny pincher.

a windfall:  a lot of money
They received a windfall when her father died.

chicken feed:  very little money
He returns cans and bottles for chicken feed.

cold hard cash:  real money in bills and coins
I won’t accept a cheque.  I want cold hard cash.

money to burn:  money one doesn’t need
You guys can go to Las Vegas if you want, but I don’t have any money to burn.

nest egg:  savings of money for the future
They decided never to spend their nest egg.

one’s two cents worth:  one’s opinion
After everyone had said their two cents worth, the president made her decision.

Adjectives / prepositional phrases:

at all cost:  without thinking of the price
They need to fix that roof at all cost.

back on one’s feet:  in good financial health
I want to help him get back on his feet.

down and out:  feeling sad because of having no money
He’s been down and out since he lost his job.

flat broke:  without any money at all
To tell you the truth, I’m flat broke.

from hand to mouth:  having just enough money for the basic things
The family down the street is living from hand to mouth.

hard up for cash:  needing money
My brother lost his job last month, and he’s hard up for cash.

in the hole:  owing money
I’m in the hole for about ten thousand dollars.

in the red:  losing more money than making
The company has been in the red for the last ten months.

loaded:  rich
The man she met is tall, handsome and loaded.

on the house:  free
To celebrate our one-year anniversary, for the next ten minutes drinks are on the house.;

strapped for cash:  without any money
Can you lend me a hundred dollars?  I’m a little strapped for cash at the moment.

Sentences:

I feel like a million dollars:  I feel happy
I think I’ve finally met the right person, and I feel like a million dollars.

money is no object:  it doesn’t matter how expensive it is, one can buy it
I want the very best.  Money is no object.

money was burning a hole in one’s pocket:  one wanted to spend money quickly
The money from my grandparents was burning a hole in my pocket, so I spent it.

Study this page and when you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

Here is a list of the most common flowers that you will find at a florist.

Amaryllis:

Its botanical name is hippeastrum.  It’s a bulbous plant native to South America from Argentina to Mexico and the Caribbean.  These flowers can bloom indoors in the winter months.

botanical:  scientific    bulbous:  from a bulb
native to:  originally growing in    bloom:  produce a flower

Aster:

They are also known as Michaelmas daisies.  They are native to North American and Eurasia.  They are popular as garden plants.  The name comes from the Greek word “star” because of the shape of the flower.

 

 

Bird of paradise:

It’s botanical name is strelitzia.  They are native to southern Africa.  They bloom all year long.

 

 

 

Bromeliad:

These flowers are native to the tropical Americas.  They can store water in their leaves.

tropical:  warm and wet

 

 

Buttercup:

Its botanical name is Ranunculus.  They bloom in the spring and can continue all summer long.

 

 

 

Carnation:

Its botanical name is dianthus caryophyllus.  This flower is native to the Mediterranean region.  It has a nice fragrance.

region:  area
fragrance:  smell

 

Chrysanthemum:

They are also called mums.  These flowers are native to Asia and northeastern Europe.  They are traditionally yellow but can also be white, purple and red.

traditionally:  mostly in its history

 

Cornflower:

Its botanical name is centaurea cyanus.  It is native to Europe.  It blooms all summer long.

 

 

Crocus:

These flowers grow all over the world and are among the first flowers in the spring.  They are mostly dark purple, light purple, yellow or white.

 

 

Daffodil:

Its botanical name is narcissus.  It is one of the earliest spring flowers.  The flowers are a trumpet shape and come in white, yellow, orange or pink.

trumpet:  narrow on one side and opening wide on the other

 

Dahlia:

This flower is native to Mexico.  It comes in most colors but not blue.

 

 

Daisy:

Its botanical name is asteraceae.  There are over 32,000 species of this flower, including the aster and sunflower.

species:  different kinds

 

Foxglove:

Its botanical name is digitalis.  This flower is native to southwestern Europe, western and central Asia and northwestern Africa.  It comes in purple, pink, white and yellow.

it comes in:  its colors are

 

Gladiolus:

This flower is native to Asia, Mediterranean Europe, South Africa and tropical Africa.  They come in red, orange, pink, light purple, cream and white.

 

 

 

Hibiscus:

These flowers are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the world.  They come in white, pink, red, orange, peach, yellow and purple.

temperate:  not too hot, not too cold
subtropical:  next to tropical areas

 

Hyacinth:

Its botanical name is hyacinthus.  This is a bulbous plant native to the eastern Mediterranean region.  It is very fragrant and comes in red, blue, white, orange, pink, violet and yellow.

 

 

Impatiens:

It’s also called touch-me-not.  This flower is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere and the tropics.

throughout:  everywhere in
tropics:  tropical regions

 

Iris:

Its name comes from the Greek word for rainbow because of the many colors of this flower. It’s found in temperate Northern Hemisphere areas.  They are mostly purple and blue but can also be yellow, pink, orange and white.

Northern Hemisphere:  the top half of the earth

Lavender:

Its botanical name is lavandula.  It is native to Europe, the Mediterranean region, southwest Asia and India.

 

 

Lily:

Its botanical name is lilium.  It is a bulbous plant native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere.  Lilies are among the most popular flowers in the U.S.  Lilies are lovely smelling and come in many unique colors.

lovely smelling:  with a nice smell    unique:  not common

Lotus:

Its botanical name is nelumbo nucifera.  This water plant is native to tropical Asia and Queensland, Australia.  A single lotus can live for over 1000 years.

 

 

 

Marigold:

Its botanical name is tagetes.  It is native to North and South America.  They come in golden, orange, yellow and white colors.

 

 

Morning glory:

Its botanical name is convolvulaceae.  The flower opens up in the early morning and closes at night.  The flowers grow along a vine.

vine:  very long stem

 

 

Orchid:

Its botanical name is orchidaceae.  There are about 28,000 species of this flower.

 

 

 

Pansy:

Its botanical name is viola.  It is native to Europe and western Asia.

 

 

 

Petunia:

Petunias are native to South America.  Its showy trumpet-shaped flowers make it popular for summer flower beds and window boxes.  They come in blue, purple, pink, red and white.

 

 

Peony:

Its botanical name is paeonia.  It is native to Asia, Europe and western North America.  These flowers bloom in late spring and early summer.  They are often fragrant and come in a range of colors from purple red to white or yellow.

 

Poppy:

Its botanical name is papaveraceae.  They grow in temperate regions and bloom from spring into early summer.

 

 

 

Primrose:

Its botanical name is primulaceae.  These flowers bloom in early spring and last all summer.  They come in white, cream, yellow, orange, red, pink purple and blue.

 

Rose:

This flower is native to Asia, Europe, North America and northwestern Africa.  There are over a hundred species of this flower.  The colors range from white through yellows and reds.

 

 

Snapdragon:

Its botanical name is antirrhinum.  They are also called dragon flowers.  These flowers are native to rocky areas of Europe, the United States and North Africa.

 

 

Snowdrop:

Its botanical name is galanthus.  It is a bulbous plant that blooms in late winter.  This flower is native to Europe and the Middle East.

 

 

 

Sunflower:

Its botanical name is helianthus.  This flower is native to North America.  The young plant turns to face the sun, but after the flower blooms, it stops and faces east.

 

 

 

Sweet William:

Its botanical name is dianthus barbatus.  It is native to southern Europe and parts of Asia.  They come in white, pink, red and purple colors or combinations of these.

combinations:  more than one color together

 

Tulip:

This flower is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa.  This bulbous plant blooms in early spring.  It comes in many colors except pure blue.

 

 

Violet:

Its botanical name is violaceae.  These flowers are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere.  They come in various shades of blue, yellow, white and cream.  The flowers last through the spring and summer.

various:  lots of different
shades:  different colors

Zinnia:

This flower is native to the southwestern United States to South America.  They bloom in the summertime.  They come in white, yellowish green, yellow, orange, red and purple.

Happy love expressions:

Soul mate:  a person who is a perfect match for someone
• I think I’ve finally found my soul mate.

To be crazy about (someone):  to be so in love with someone that you can’t stop thinking of them
• John is crazy about Alicia.

To be head over heals for (someone):   (same definition as above)
ALSO: To be head over heals in love with (someone)
• John is head over heals for Alicia.
• John is head over heals in love with Alicia.

To get serious:  to take a relationship to a more committed level of love
• Sue told me she‘s getting serious about Paul.

To have a crush on (someone):  to be secretly in love with someone (usually teenagers)
ALSO:  To have got a crush on (someone)
• She has a crush on her piano teacher.
• She‘s got a crush on her piano teacher.

To hit it off:  to meet someone and really like each other immediately
• I introduced my roommate to my sister, and they hit it off right away.

To make up with (someone):  to forgive (someone) after a breakup
• Joe made up with Judy over the weekend, so they’re back together again.
ALSO:  To make up:  To forgive each other after a breakup.
• Joe and Judy made up over the weekend, so they’re back together again.
ALSO:  To take someone back:  to let someone be your lover again.
• Joe apologized, so Judy took him back.

To pop the question:  to ask someone to marry you
• My brother popped the question last night to his girlfriend, and she said yes.

Unhappy love expressions:

To dump (someone):  to tell someone that you no longer want a relationship with them
• After three months she dumped him.

To break up (with someone):  To end a relationship (with a lover)
• David and Annette broke up last week, so they’re not coming to the party.

To break someone’s heart:  to cause someone who loves you to feel sad
• She broke his heart when she left him for another man.
ALSO:  To have a broken heart:  to feel sad about a lover leaving you
• After she left him, he had a broken heart.
ALSO:  To suffer from a broken heart
• We’d better leave him alone tonight.  He‘s suffering from a broken heart.
ALSO:  (Someone’s) heart was broken
• When he saw her with another man, his heart was broken.

To brush someone off:  to give an excuse not to see someone
• Every time I ask her for a date, she brushes me off.

To cheat (on someone):  to have a second lover
• He cheated on her, and that’s why they broke up.
ALSO:  To have an affair (with someone):
• She had an affair with her boss.
ALSO: A cheater:  a person who has another lover
• She knows he is a cheater, but she took him back anyway.

To split up:  To stop seeing each other
• Joanne and her new boyfriend split up because he couldn’t dance.

To stand someone up:   to not show up for a date with someone
• I’m home early because she stood me up.
ALSO:  To be stood up:  someone not showing up for a date with you
• I’m home early because I was stood up.

To turn someone down:  to refuse to go on a date with someone
• He tried to make a date with her, but she turned him down.

Neutral love expressions:

A blind date:  a date with someone you’ve never seen before
• I’d better go home and get ready for my blind date tonight.

A double date:  a date with your lover and another couple
• Let’s go on a double date with Bruce and Barb this Saturday night.

To fix someone up:  to get someone else a date with someone
• My cousin’s coming to visit, and I thought I’d fix her up with my best friend.

To ask someone out:  to invite someone on a date
• You know that cute girl in math class?  I think I’m going to ask her out.

To chat someone up:  to speak to someone so they start to like you
• I know you’re shy, but just go over there and chat her up and see what happens.

Study the above expressions, and when you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

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access:  to be able to reach or connect to

I’m having trouble accessing my bank account.
Students can easily access their marks online.

bargain:  to make an agreement so both sides are satisfied
The union bargained a new three-year contract.
They bargained for half an hour before agreeing on a price for the car.

clarify:  to make clear and understandable
The candidate was asked to clarify his position on immigration.
The company posted regulations to clarify how men should treat women in the workplace.

correspond: to communicate regularly
They corresponded for years with emails before meeting face to face.
She corresponds regularly with other scientists around the world.

devote:  to give lots of time and attention (to something or someone)
He devoted his time every summer to taking care of his aging parents.
She has devoted her life to her children.

fidget:  to move around nervously or impatiently
She fidgets with her hair when she’s lying.
He fidgeted with his keys as he waited for his interview.

impress:  to cause admiration or approval
He impressed her with his ability to play the piano.
Her family was impressed with her fiance’s future plans.

linger:  to stay longer than usual
They lingered after the party so they could help clean up.
The students all lingered after the basketball game was over.

observe:  to watch for a while
The park is a good place to observe birds.
The student-teachers wanted to observe a class in action.

propose:  to suggest (something) to be considered
The committee proposed that future meetings should be recorded.
She proposed that the family go on vacation together.

refrain:  to not do (something)
Please refrain from smoking in the car when children are present.
He couldn’t refrain from laughing when he saw the look on her face.

shriek:  to make a loud, high sound
Many were shrieking in pain after the bus crash.
She shrieked when she saw the snake on the floor.

squander:  to use wastefully and have no more
It only took him two weeks to squander the money his parents gave him.
He squandered his time watching cartoons on TV.

undergo:  to go through an unpleasant experience
For a year he had to undergo radiation treatment for his bone cancer.
The baby underwent three surgeries in the first year of his life.

withdraw:  to move back or take back
Every Friday she withdraws $200 dollars from her bank account.
The police were ordered to withdraw from the building.

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

Audio Player

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

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

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abandon:  to leave and never go back
The family abandoned the farm and moved to the city.
When it started to sink, everyone abandoned the ship.

back:  to support with help or money
Most of the students backed Gina for class president.
His father backed him in his new business.

celebrate:  to have fun because of a good result or special event
We’re celebrating his birthday this Friday after work.
After he got the job, he and his wife went out to celebrate.

cope:  to be okay in a new situation
He couldn’t cope with the changes in his job, so he quit.
How did you cope with the death of your father?

deteriorate:  to get worse in quality, decay
Her grandmother’s health started to deteriorate after she fell in the shower.
Plastic does not deteriorate as fast as wood.

enable:  to make it possible to do something
Cell phones enable people to keep in touch more easily.
Her knowledge of German enabled her to understand the conversation.

found:  to establish something new
Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) was founded in 1971.
The group finally succeeded in founding a non-profit organization to feed the poor.

insist:  to be firm about a demand
If you insist, I will refund your money.
He insisted that his wife have dinner on the table at 6:00 every day.

mumble:  to say something unclearly in a low voice
After she left, he mumbled something that I couldn’t understand.
Stop mumbling and tell me what you want.

penalize:  to punish, give a penalty to
The team was penalized for delaying the game.
Students who miss the deadline will be penalized.

puncture:  to make a hole in
The sharp rocks punctured his tire.
Try not to puncture any of the balloons.

rot:  to spoil, decay
The apples have started to rot.
Sugar will rot your teeth if you don’t brush.

socialize:  to be with people in a friendly way
On Facebook you can socialize with people you hardly know.
She doesn’t socialize with people she works with.

swap:  to give something in exchange for something else
At school the children like to swap sandwiches.
He swapped his old cell phone for a pair of running shoes.

whistle:  to make a high sound using your lips and tongue
If you need me, whistle and I’ll come immediately.
He whistles while he works around the house.

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

Audio Player

Use these flashcards to help you study.

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

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attach: to connect
She attached a picture of herself to the email she sent to her parents.
So her son wouldn’t lose his gloves, she attached them to his sleeves.

bite: to cut with teeth
The dog bit the boy on the leg.
It’s not a good idea to bite your fingernails.

check: to look at carefully
When I get gas for my car, I also check the oil.
Check your email address to make sure it’s correct.

control: to make someone / something do what you want
He has trouble controlling his anger.
The teacher has to control thirty students.

fear: to be afraid of
She is a leader who fears nothing.
He ran away because he fears snakes.

hunt: to look for so you can get or kill
I’ve been hunting for a nice painting to put over the fireplace.
He and his son like to hunt for rabbits.

mean: to intend, to plan, to say
She didn’t understand what he meant.
We didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.

relax: to rest and not be active
He likes to relax in front of the TV on Friday nights.
After setting up the campsite, everyone relaxed around the fire.

shout: to yell, to be loud with your voice
It’s not necessary to shout; I can hear you.
She shouted at him across the parking lot, but he couldn’t hear her.

stir: to move (a liquid) around in a circular motion
Would you please stir the soup while it’s heating.
He slowly stirred his coffee with a spoon.

tickle: to touch with the fingers to make someone laugh
He tickled the bottom of her feet.
The children like to tickle each other.

trust: to believe that someone will do the right thing
They trust their children to take care of the family dog.
I don’t trust you because you have lied to me before.

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

Audio Player

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

 

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

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

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become: to change or grow to be
When he heard his name called, he became nervous.
You will become a better student if you learn how to study.

bump: to hit with a little force
Coming out of the parking space, he bumped the car behind him.
She bumped her head on the table and had to go to the hospital.

charge: to ask for payment, put on a credit card
He only charged me $10 to fix my tire.
Since I don’t have the cash, I’ll have to charge it.

decorate: to make fancy with beautiful additions
We need to decorate this room for the party tonight.
The school decorated the walls with art that the students made.

deliver: to bring to someone
The post office will deliver that package for you.
Does the restaurant deliver pizza or do we have to go there?

harm: to hurt, injure
She harmed her plants by not watering them for two weeks.
Too much sun can harm your skin.

join: to become part of
We would love you to join us for coffee after class.
At age eighteen, he joined the navy.

obey: to do what someone else tells you to do
Children should always obey their parents.
If you don’t obey the rules, you will be asked to leave.

scrub: to clean by rubbing hard
She scrubbed the floor on her hands and knees for hours.
The child scrubbed the dirt off his hands.

snore: to make a loud breathing noise while sleeping
Her husband sleeps in another bedroom because he snores all night.
Many students fell asleep and some snored during class.

tease:   to playfully make someone feel bad.
The boy was teased at school for not being athletic.
The boy is always teasing his little sister.

wonder: to think about possibilities
I wonder what she’s doing right now?
She’ll always wonder if he was the right one.

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

Audio Player

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

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

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

The file you specified does not exist.

attack: to begin fighting
I was walking through a park when a dog attacked me.
The army will attack the enemy in the early morning.

blink: to close and open both eyes quickly
The bright lights made him blink several times.
If you have something in your eye, look down and blink rapidly.

coach: to show (someone) how to do something
My teacher coached me on how to do a good interview.
In her spare time she coaches a girls volleyball team.

crash: to break or be destroyed with a loud noise
The car crashed through the wall into the living room.
The plane crashed into the side of a mountain.

earn: to get in return for working or investing
He earns enough money to support a big family.
She doesn’t earn much interest on her savings account.

fail: to not get what you want, not succeed
They failed to fix the problem, so they had to call an expert.
Her daughter failed math again this term.

laugh: to make a sound of pleasure or joy
She laughs at all my jokes.
People were laughing and having a wonderful time at the party.

repeat: to say or do again
The teacher said the new word and all the children repeated it.
Could you please repeat that; I didn’t hear you the first time.

rush: to go fast
The kids rushed to the cafeteria when the lunch bell rang.
I have to rush this morning. I’m a little late.

scratch: to rub hard with your fingernails
My cats like it when I scratch their cheeks.
He scratched his head trying to think of a solution to his problem.

tap: to hit lightly
She tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.
I hear a bird tapping on the window.

worry: to think a bad thing will happen
Don’t worry; we’ll find your keys.
Her parents worried that she was all alone.

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

Audio Player

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

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

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

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agree: have the same opinion
I’m afraid I don’t agree with you.
She finally got him to agree to a small wedding.

belong: be owned
That cell phone belongs to my friend.
Who does this sweater belong to?

cheer: to yell in appreciation
The whole school cheered at the good news.
Everyone cheered when the football team ran on the field.

clap: to hit one’s hands together in appreciation
At the end of his speech, the audience clapped politely.
The children clapped their hands in time to the music.

discover: to find out something new
She discovered that he was seeing another woman.
They hope to discover a cure for this disease.

face: to look at directly
He had to face his fear and talk to his boss.
You need to face the truth that she doesn’t love you anymore.

happen: to occur, take place
What happened to your hand?
Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

pause: to stop for a short time
She paused at the curb before crossing the street.
Pause that video for a moment. I’ve got something to tell you.

search: to look for, try to find
They searched the woods for the missing child.
She searched Google for information about her new boyfriend.

steal: to wrongfully take
Many office workers steal little things from their company, like paperclips.
Someone is always stealing my candy from my desk drawer.

surprise: to experience (something) unexpected
He surprised her with a beautiful engagement ring.
It might surprise you to learn that your uncle is very rich.

taste: to get the flavor of something by putting it in your mouth
That soup smells really good. Can I taste it?
He knew he was hurt when he tasted blood in his mouth.

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

Audio Player

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

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

© 2013 Ambien Malecot