Chapter by Vanessa Mae Almeria

Vocabulary & Comprehension

KEYWORDS analyze assist

construct debt

distribute intend

master reflect

rival witness

Exercise 1: WORDS IN CONTEXT Use the sentences to guess what each word means. Choose the meaning that is closest to that of the key word in bold. aAnalyze /ˈænəlaɪz/ -verb ●If we want to build better cars, we need to analyze the information we get from drivers. ●When Greg makes a serious decision, he usually analyzes it, thinking carefully and logically rather than using his emotions. Analyze means… a. to think about something carefully b. to look at c. to react to Assist /əˈsɪst/ -verb ●If you need help finding a book in a library, a librarian can assist you. ●Have you ever assisted an elderly person across the street? Assist means… a. to help

b. to walk

c. to read

Construct /kənˈstrʌkt/ -verb It took four and a half years to construct the Golden Gate Bridge. The Pyramids of Egypt were constructed thousand of years ago. Construct means a. to find

b. to imagine

c. to build something large

Debt /det/ - noun AJ buys lots of expensive clothes with his credit cards, but he never pays his credit card bills. As a result, he owes the bank a lot of money; he’s in debt. A company that has a lot of debt may have problems borrowing more money from the bank. Debt means a. money you gave someone c. money you saved

b. money you owe someone

Distribute /dɪˈstrɪbjuːt/ - verb Our organization distributes food and clothing to people in need. After the terrible storm hit the coast of Florida, water and food were distributed to the people who lost their houses. Distribute means… a. to give out

b. to talk about

c. to sell

Intend /ɪnˈtend/ - verb Michael intends to become a doctor, so he is taking a lot of science classes. If you intend to buy sports car, how much money do you need to save? Intend means… a. to have no interest in

b. to plan

c. to forget

Master /ˈmɑːstə(r)/ - noun Jose is a master at cooking; he works in one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Ellen is a master of language; she speaks Chinese, German, Russian, Spanish, and English. Master means…. a. someone who isn’t very good at something b. someone who has average skills at something c. someone who is very skillful at something Reflect /rɪˈflekt/ - verb The lake is like a mirror! Look at the way it reflects the mountains. The little girl thought it was very funny to see her own face reflected in the mirror. Reflect means….a. to play

b. to look at

c. to show an image

Rival /ˈraɪv(ə)l/ - noun

In the Olympics, figure skaters became rivals fighting for the gold medal. The last time you wanted to win a game, who was your rival? Did this person stop you from winning? Rival means… a. a friend

b. a person you compete with

c. an athlete

Witness /ˈwɪtnəs/ - noun Mrs. Kim was a witness to the bank robbery, so she told the police what the robber looked like. A witness at the scene of the accident called for help. Witness means… a. someone who saw something c. a police officer

b. an unimportant person

Exercise 2: WORDS AND DEFINITIONS Match each key word with its definition. 1. __________________ to build something large 2. __________________ to have something in your mind as a plan or purpose 3. __________________someone who saw something, especially an accident or a crime. 4. __________________to help someone do something 5. __________________money that you owe to someone 6. __________________someone who is very skillful at something 7. __________________a person,group,or organization that you compete 8. __________________to give something to each person in a large group 9. __________________to think about something carefully in order to understand it. 10. __________________to show an image as in a mirror.

Exercise 3 : COMPREHENSION CHECK: Choose the best answer. 1. Which of the following items cannot reflect? a. a b. a c. a d. a

mirror tree window shiny piece of metal

2. If you’re playing soccer, your rival a. wants you to lose b. does not want to stop you c. wants to help you win d. is your friend 3. Peter could go into debt if he a. is very careful with money b. wears inexpensive clothing c. buys a summer house in Hawaii with his credit card d. eats a simple dinner every night 4. Which of the following things did the French construct? a. the first space shuttle b. a mountain c. the Taj Mahal d. the Eiffel Tower 5. In her marine biology class, when Gina analyzes information about whales, she a. chats with her friends about what was on TV last night b. looks carefully at the information and seriously thinking about it c. draws funny pictures of fish in her notebook d. sends a text message with her cell phone 6. If you want to become a master at tennis, what should you do? a. Take lessons from an excellent coach and practice every day b. Use an old tennis racket that doesn’t work well. c. Eat fast food d. Wear uncomfortable sneakers 7. What would Bo say if he intended to learn French? a. “ I need to buy a book about learning Japanese.” b. “Tonight I’m going to listen to Czech music.” c. “I want to study French verbs this afternoon.” d. “I’m too lazy to learn another language.” 2012 © Come On! English All Rights Reserved

8. Who assists a pilot in flying a plane? a. the passengers b. the flight attendants c. his wife d. the co-pilot 9. What might a witness to a violent street fight do? a. read about the fight in the newspaper b. start the fight c. go to the hospital d. call for help 10. Which of the following items would a teacher never distribute during a test? a. the answers to the test b. the test papers c. pencils d. pens

Exercise 4: SAME WORD, DIFFERENT MEANING Most words have more than one meaning. Study the additional meanings of the following key words. Then read each sentence and decide which meaning is used. a. master n. b. master n. c. construct v. d. construct v. e. witness n. f. witness n.

Someone who is very skilled at something A document from which other copies are made To build something large To form something by joining words or ideas together Someone who sees something, especially an accident or crime Someone who watches another person sign an official document and then signs it also

_____1. After I had made my copies, I returned the master to the receptionist. _____2.When my grandmother signed her will, she asked me to be a witness. _____3.The Great Wall of China was constructed thousand of years ago. _____4.Fiona is a master at sailing. _____5.Good writers use clear paragraphs to construct their essays. _____6.The police took notes as the witnesses described the thief.

Exercise 5: WORDS IN SENTENCES Complete each sentence with one of the words from the box. analysis assistance

construct debt

distributed intends

master reflected

rivals witness

1. When Allison borrowed a lot of money to pay for her trip in India, she went into __________. 2. The police officers told the family, “if you _______ anything unusual in your neighborhood, please call us.” 3. If you _____ algebra, you could become a math teacher. 4. Graduate students often give professors ______ by grading papers or teaching some classes. 5. Coco Cola’s success _________ Pepsi’s. 6. In the Boston Marathon, water is ________ to runners throughout the race. 7. Which group will _____ the most interesting business plan? 8. Jackie ____ to become a movie star, so he is moving to Hollywood. 9. The scientists’ ________ of a McDonald’s hamburger shows how much fat, salt, and sugar has it. 10. The mirror _______ Karen’s smile.

Exercise 6: WORDS IN A READING Read this article about personal finance. Complete it with words and expressions from the boxes.

distributes

fall into debt

intend

master

rivaling

PERSONAL FINANCE FOR TEENAGERS When parents and teenagers talk about money, it’s frequently about how much Mom and Dad are willing to give them. Many parents ________ to teach their children the skills necessary to _______ personal finance, but they rarely explain how to write checks, handle credit cards, or save for the future. As a result, many young people spend more money than they should and ___________. In fact, personal finance is rarely talked about at home, _____ only sex and drugs as the least discussed subject between teens and their parents, according to the In Charge Institute of America, a national nonprofit organization that ________ information about personal finance education.

analyze

assist

construct

reflect

witness

Parents can _______ their children by talking about personal finance before their children go to university. The first step in learning to manage money is communication between people who exchange thoughts and _______ a financial plan. That’s why they call it personal finance. Examples from real life can help young people prepare for their financial future. A teenager who wants a car needs to ________ how much care and money a car requires. In addition to the cost of the vehicle, there’s insurance, maintenance and fuel- the total of which may shock young drivers. As parents, it’s important to set a good example. If kids ________ Mom and Dad running up credit card debt, it’s likely that they will _______ their parents’ 2012 © Come On! English All Rights Reserved

behavior and also overuse credit cards as adults. Remember, however, that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never too late for even grown-ups to learn how to manage their finances- and teach their kids how they did it.

Exercise 7: DISCUSSION 1. What kind of person do you intend to be in ten years? How long has this been your intention? 2. Do you think that it is better to be good at many things or a master at one thing? Explain.