AWL #2 - Homework

Name:

Use the sentences to guess what each key word means. Highlight the meaning that is closest to that
of the key word in bold.

1. accompany - verb
• The artist's neighbor will accompany her to the gallery.
• Who would you like to accompany you on your next vacation?
Accompany means
a. to be separate from
b. to compete with
c. to go with or happen together
2. contradict - verb
• The police questioned two men about a bank robbery. The second man's story contradicted the
first man's story. The police knew that one of them was lying.
• This report contradicts the other report about life on Mars, so one of the reports must be wrong.
Contradict means
a. to agree with what someone or something said
b. to support a story with details
c. for one story to be so different from another that both cannot be true
3. crucial - adjective
• The marketing team spent the entire weekend working because they had to prepare for a crucial
meeting with the Tokyo office.
•Walter believed that choosing the right university was a crucial decision, so he researched his
choices carefully.
Crucial means
a. very important
b. somewhat important
c. not important
4. dynamic - adjective
• Because Professor Adams is a dynamic speaker, there is always a waiting list of students who
want to take his class.
• If you want to have an entertaining dinner party, invite dynamic guests.
Dynamic means
 a. tired and boring
b. unpleasant
c. lively
5. generate - verb
• Your body generates heat when you exercise.
• The new advertising director has to be someone who can generate creative ideas.
Generate means
a. to slow or stop something
b. to talk about
c. to produce or make something
6. initial - adjective
• At their initial meeting, Margaret was impressed by Helen's skill, so she invited her to come for a
second interview.
• During the initial days of class, the teacher encouraged students to get to know one another.
Initial means
a. First
b. Middle
c. last
7. interpret - verb
• Maria will interpret what we say for her parents, who speak only Spanish.
• Eli interpreted his son's silence as anger.
Interpret means
a. to translate or explain the meaning of something
b. to change the the meaning of something
c. to tell
8. perceive - verb
• When Daniel perceived the tension in the room, he quickly explained that he had not meant to
offend anyone with his joke.
• Do you perceive a glass as half empty or half full?
Perceive means
a. to discuss
b. to understand
c. to show
9. precise - adjective
• The precise amount of money that Xavier spent in Barcelona is 4,926 Euros.
• New technology allows surgeons to be more precise in their work.
Precise means
a. approximate
b. exact
c. incorrect
10. sustain - verb
• Jim is working seventy hours per week, but I doubt he can sustain that for long.
• Though it wasn't very exciting, my mother's cooking sustained my growth when I was a child.
Sustain means
a. to make something continue
b. to fail or stop something from happening
c. to change quickly

Words and Definitions - Read each definition and write the word it defines on the line.

1. _________crucial______________ = extremely important

2. ____accompany________ = to go with or happen together

3. _____interpret _______ = to translate or explain the meaning of something

4. ___precise_____________ = exact or correct in every detail

5. _________generate___________ = to produce or make something

6. ____perceive____________ = to understand, sense, or notice

7. ___dynamic__________ = interesting, lively, and full of energy

8. ______initial_______ = first; happening at the beginning

9. _______sustain__ = to make something continue to exist or happen over a period of time

10. _____contradict_______ = for one statement, story, etc. to be so different from another that

both cannot be true

Comprehension Check - Highlight the best answer.

1. If an athlete sustains his pace when running, he _____

a. stays at the same speed.
 b. speeds up.
c. slows down.
2. Which statement contradicts Vince's story that he stayed home last night because he was sick?
a. “I didn't see Vince last night."
b. "I talked to Vince last night on the phone. He sounded terrible."
c. "Vince and I had a great time dancing in a nightclub last night.”
3. What is NOT possible to interpret?
a. one language into another
b. the lyrics of a song
c. a snowstorm
4. What is a precise answer?
а. 4.2
b. I have no clue.
c. maybe 10
5. What generates energy?
a. the wheels of a car
b. a boring speaker
c. the sun
6. What does a typical person do during the initial days of his or her life? He or she _____
a. says good-bye to his or her family and friends.
b. sleeps a lot in his or her mother's arms.
c. works long hours at the office.
7. What CANNOT be crucial?
a. gossip
b. a meeting
c. a decision
8. Which statement describes a dynamic person?
a. Ling is always tired.
b. Lucy has a charming and interesting personality.
c. Carl bores everyone he meets.
9. Which word is NOT a synonym of perceive?
a. notice
b. sense
c. miss
10. If Hank asks Miriam to accompany him on a walk, he wants her to _____
a. walk with him.
b. carry his umbrella and bag.
c. follow him.