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 words meaning.
1 alter (ôltər) -verb
● many inventions have changed the course of history. television altered the world, for example, by making it smaller.
● ferns dramatic weight loss and new hairstyle so altered her appearance that we barely recognized her.
_ alter means
a. to surprise. b. to change. c. to emphasize.
2 ample (ämpəl) -adjective
● surprisingly, my compact car has ample space inside. even mario, who is six feet tall, never feels cramped in it.
● my parents believe that the most important requirement of any celebration is ample food, so that no one will be hungry.
_ ample means
a. little. b. healthy. c. plenty of.
3 blunt (blünt) -adjective
● \ill be blunt,\ phyllis said, as plainspoken as ever. \this movie is boring.\
● my best friend is so blunt that he never softens the truth. he always states his opinion in a painfully straightforward way.
_ blunt means
a. very smart. b. honest to the point of rudeness. c. wordy.
4 chronic (krönik) -adjective
● my little brother is a chronic complainer—all we hear from him is whining, day in and day out.
● leon has been chain-smoking for so long that he has developed a chronic cough, heard daily by everyone in the office.
_ chronic means
a. constant. b. rare. c. harmless.
5 chronological (krönə-löji-kəl) -adjective
● i could have followed the movie better if it had presented events in chronological order, instead of jumping back and forth in time.
● in your resumé, list your jobs in reverse chronological order—begin with the most recent job and go backward.
_ chronological means
a. brief. b. mixed-up. c. arranged as the events happened.
6 optimist (öptə-mist) -noun
● my sister is a true optimist. when her friends get out their umbrellas, she puts on suntan lotion.
● alonso is such an optimist that when he lost his job, he said only, \i bet ill find a better one now.\
_ optimist means
a. a friendly person. b. a hopeful person. c. a troublemaker.

Explanation:

1. In the first sentence, "altered the world" and in the second sentence "altered her appearance" both imply a change. So "alter" means "to change".
2. The first sentence says a compact car has "ample space" (enough space for a tall person not to feel cramped) and the second sentence mentions "ample food" (so that no one is hungry). So "ample" means "plenty of".
3. The first sentence has "as plainspoken as ever" and the second sentence has "states his opinion in a painfully straightforward way". So "blunt" means "honest to the point of rudeness".
4. The first sentence has "day in and day out" (constant complaining) and the second sentence has "chain - smoking for so long" leading to a "chronic cough" (a cough that persists). So "chronic" means "constant".
5. The first sentence mentions "presented events in chronological order" (instead of jumping back and forth in time, so in the order of when events happened) and the second sentence has "reverse chronological order" (begin with the most recent). So "chronological" means "arranged as the events happened".
6. The first example has a person who is positive (puts on suntan lotion when others get umbrellas) and the second example has a person who is hopeful after losing a job. So "optimist" means "a hopeful person".

Answer:

1. B. to change.
2. C. plenty of.
3. B. honest to the point of rudeness.
4. A. constant.
5. C. arranged as the events happened.
6. B. a hopeful person.