Fill in the blanks.
1. Ants love to eat …………………………
A currant is a small berry used in buns.
2. ……………………………. fashions are more casual than those of the 1960’s.
Current means present day.
3. He gave the report a ……………………………… glance and tossed it aside.
A cursory glance is a quick glance.
4. He arrived with his ………………………………. promptness.
Customary means habitual or usual.
5. The nation must put a …………………………. on its spending to balance the economy.
As a noun curb means restraint or control.
6. His loss didn’t …………………………….. his zest for living.
As a verb damp can mean reduce, diminish or depress. Dampen means the same.
7. With that …………………………… outlook he does not trust anyone.
Cynical means scornful, derisive or sarcastic.
8. The negotiations reached a …………………………. after two hours.
All of these words mean the same.
9. The boy’s directions ……………………….. us, and we never did find the lake.
To mislead someone is to give them false information unintentionally or unknowingly.
10. She ……………………………. her fiancé by dating others.
To deceive someone is to give them a false impression either knowingly or intentionally.
11. The magazine doesn’t accept any ……………………………. ads.
12. From her conversation, I …………………………. that she had a large family.
Deduce means conclude or comprehend.
Answers
1. Ants love to eat currants.
2. Current fashions are more casual than those of the 1960’s.
3. He gave the report a cursory glance and tossed it aside.
4. He arrived with his customary promptness.
5. The nation must put a curb on its spending to balance the economy.
6. His loss didn’t damp / dampen his zest for living.
7. With that cynical outlook he does not trust anyone.
8. The negotiations reached a deadlock / standoff / impasse after two hours.
9. The boy’s directions mislead us, and we never did find the lake.
10. She deceived her fiancé by dating others.
11. The magazine doesn’t accept any deceitful / deceptive / misleading ads.
12. From her conversation, I deduced that she had a large family.
