Question

ten words in context
in the space provided, write the letter of the meaning closest to that of each boldfaced word. use the
context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.
1 endorse
(ěn-dôrs’)
-verb

• “if you endorse the new shopping mall,” said the speaker, “you’re supporting a

large increase in neighborhood traffic.”

• some athletes earn more money endorsing such products as cereal and

footwear than they do playing their sport.
endorse means
a. to buy. b. to support. c. to see.
2 erode
(ĭ-rōd’)
-verb

• as water eroded the topsoil, the tree roots beneath it became more and more

visible.

• the team’s confidence in its coach was eroded by his increasingly wild

accusations against its opponents.
erode means
a. to wear away. b. to build up. c. to escape.
3 gruesome
(grōo’səm)
-adjective

• the automobile accident was so gruesome that i had to look away from the

horrible sight.

• the young campers sat around the fire and scared each other with gruesome

horror stories.
gruesome means
a. unfair. b. boring. c. frightening.
4 hypocrite
(hip’ə-krit’)
-noun

• dominic is such a hypocrite. he cheats his customers while complaining about

how hard it is to be an honest, struggling salesman.

• i feel that the worst hypocrites are those who preach love and then attack

anyone of a different culture or faith.
hypocrite means
a. an insincere person. b. a religious person. c. a loud person.
5 idealistic
(ī-dē’ə-lĭs’tĭk)
-adjective

• very idealistic people are drawn to professions like teaching or the ministry, in

which they feel they can help make the world a better place.

• my sister is too idealistic ever to marry for wealth or fame—she would marry

only for love.
idealistic means
a. full of ideas. b. emphasizing principles. c. young.
6 illusion
(ĭ-loō’zhən)
-noun

• people lost in the desert sometimes experience the illusion that there is a lake

right in front of them.

• the idea that the sun sets and rises is an illusion. it is really the earth that is

turning away from and then toward the sun.
illusion means
a. a fact. b. a new idea. c. a false impression.

Explanation:

Question 1:

In the first sentence, "endorse" is associated with "supporting a large increase", and in the second, athletes "endorse" products (support them by promoting). So "endorse" means to support.

In the first sentence, water "eroded" topsoil making roots visible (wearing away the topsoil). In the second, the team's confidence was "eroded" (worn away) by accusations. So "erode" means to wear away.

The accident was "gruesome" (horrible sight) and the stories were "gruesome" (scared campers), so it means frightening.

Answer:

B. to support

Question 2: