Using exact words: 1. Introduction

Using Exact Words系列文章共四篇，每篇皆有25句用來解析常用單字的替換用法，如It’s a big problem.→It’s a big hurdle.，因為hurdle有跨欄的涵義，可具體展現problem的概念，像hurdle這種more graphic, powerful, persuasive的單字常見於英美各大報紙，也常用於專業商務人士的溝通，Dr. William A. Vance of Yale University將這類單字稱為“winner’s vocabulary”。

阿賓拜讀語研學院出版的“偷看耶魯大師的單字講義” (William A. Vance, 2013)，發現內容很適合台灣高中職程度的學生學習，若熟用則可同時增進字彙與寫作能力，故整理成簡單講義供教學之用，每篇皆有25題例句，文末附上參考解答，老師們看解答後應可大致理解為何替換用字較好，若仍有疑義，備課請參閱該書，有詳細解釋與更多例句和補充用法。

教學方法可將學生分組，將例句當翻譯練習或作業，讓學生英譯中後想出或找出更精準的用字來代替目標字，一來翻譯可督促學生去了解句意(learn from the context)，二來有助於推敲目標字的同義字。如老師們有其他教法願意分享，也請不吝賜教，謝謝!

1. Their marketing budget will be reduced next year.
2. The manager told his goals to the team.
3. We try to finish by December.
4. Parents want to make a better future for their children.
5. She said that August is the slowest month for business.
6. She hurried to find an answer to the question.
7. The first action toward good health is to exercise regularly.
8. Let’s see the situation from another angle.
9. The automobile industry has several challenges.
10. John is the important person on the team.
11. It is hard to discover the source of the noise.
12. What kind of schedule do you have in mind?
13. I want to emphasize our company’s experience in manufacturing.
14. He will report us on the project at the meeting.
15. He will send you an email with his comment.
16. The due date is three p.m.
17. Given this situation, I support David’s suggestion.
18. The school decreased its staff by ten percent.
19. The economic future in Australia is worsening.
20. Our engineer led the development of the software.
21. The research will pay attention to air pollution.
22. You should make your presentation better with some pictures.
23. Cancer survival depends on early treatment.
24. The complaints suggest problems in our customer service.
25. Let me see if I can find that information.

Answers:

1. cut	2. share…with	3. aim	4. build	5. noted
6. raced	7. step	8. view	9. faces	10. key
11. pinpoint	12. timeline	13. highlight	14. update	15. feedback
16. deadline	17. background	18. downsized	19. outlook	20. spearheaded
21. focus on	22. jazz…up	23. hinges on	24. point to	25. track down

Using exact words: 2

1. Their success comes from solid planning.
2. We looked over your plan and have some questions.
3. The staff will solve the technical problems.
4. The town tried hard to find a location for the mall.
5. Workers are preparing for a fight over pensions.
6. Our decision is given power by governmental regulations.
7. Commuters begin to rush into the station around seven a.m.
8. The government started a website for consumer complaints.
9. She quickly understood the importance of the results.
10. How can we connect the gap between our plans and budget?
11. Housing prices will rise in the next three years.
12. The stock market fell on Tuesday.
13. We need to evaluate the benefits of advertising against its costs.
14. Our customers vary from students to retired people.
15. He tried to move the conversation away from politics.
16. Our department has been busy with job applications.
17. They understand the limit of the project.
18. The recession may help new economic policies.
19. It’s difficult to judge their level of interest.
20. The trade surplus has been helping economic growth.
21. We have no certain/definite information at this time.
22. How could we change the magazine’s content to increase sales?
23. The government began a big rescue operation.
24. Thank you for your fast/quick reply to my email.
25. The business condition will improve next year.

Answers:

1. stems from	2. examined	3. iron out	4. wrestled with	5. gearing up
6. driven	7. flood	8. launched	9. grasped	10. bridge
11. soar	12. plunged	13. weigh	14. range	15. steer
16. swamped	17. scope	18. spur	19. gauge	20. fueling
21. concrete	22. tweak	23. mammoth	24. speedy	25. climate

Using exact words: 3

1. Computer technology has improved our ability to treat cancer.
2. The boss said that he was unhappy with our progress.
3. We need to direct more money into advertising.
4. Most citizens approved the government’s efforts to lower taxes.
5. Nokia has got fifteen percent of the market.
6. We need advice on completing the tax form.
7. Public opposition to the sales tax began to appear.
8. The effect of the president’s comments was dramatic.
9. The translation of the manual should be improved.
10. The seminar aims at new employees.
11. I need to think about the information.
12. It is important to improve your leadership skills.
13. He told me the news.
14. At our next meeting, we will deal with school safety.
15. We arrange/organize the meeting so that Peter spoke first.
16. She always wants to search all options before deciding.
17. The committee listened to a lot/variety/range/sum/collection of opinions.
18. Our ways to measure include: number of new customers, website traffic, and monthly profit.
19. I wanted to inform you of changes in emergency procedures.
20. The culture barrier is a major problem.
21. We will make/design a seminar to meet your requirements.
22. She is doing a lot of things right now.
23. The commercial shows our desire to reach women.
24. We have reached a critical stage in the negotiations.
25. We will consider your proposal again next year.

Answers:

1. sharpened	2. signaled	3. channel	4. applauded	5. captured
6.guidance	7. surface	8. impact	9. polished	10. targets
11.digest	12. strengthen	13. relayed	14. address	15. structure
16. explore	17. spectrum	18. metrics	19. alert…to	20. hurdle
21. tailor	22. juggling	23. reflects	24. juncture	25. revisit

Using exact words: 4

1. She chose to respond to the complaint by email.
2. High energy prices threaten to disturb the Japanese economy.
3. The city developed a plan to reduce the risk of accidents.
4. She thinks we’re heading in the right way.
5. My schedule for next week is able to change.
6. The base of effective negotiation is trust.
7. The costs are higher than we expected.
8. The secretary’s behavior is strange/confusing.
9. Could you make clear your point?
10. The meeting makes/causes/produces a lot of good ideas.
11. Our hospital has entered the area of AIDS research.
12. There were a large number of emails.
13. He helped her with the practical details of starting a store in London.
14. My career has taken me on an unusual path.
15. He has the necessary skill to do the job.
16. The business environment in Korea is difficult to understand and deal with.
17. Since our budget is tight, we must save on travel.
18. Let me try to plan/arrange a compromise.
19. I’d like to use your sales experience for this project.
20. Every company wants to increase its profits.
21. The report supported his claims about age discrimination.
22. The lower price was the cause for increased sales.
23. The agenda for our meeting should become definite by Friday.
24. The survey included a wide range of people.
25. The diagram contains our plans for next year.

Answers:

1. elected	2. derail	3. strategy	4. direction	5. flexible
6. foundation	7. envisioned	8. puzzling	9. clarify	10. generates
11. arena	12. astronomical	13. mechanics	14. trajectory	15. expertise
16. navigate	17. economize	18. orchestrate	19. leverage	20. maximize
21. buttress	22. catalyst	23. crystalize	24. encompassed	25. encapsulates

How English words are formed & Why English is difficult to learn

This post originated from a speech handout by Prof. Lin Hsiu-chun (a.k.a. Spring) of NKNU, who lectured about teaching of writing in vocational high schools at TCHCVS in November, 2013. The speech was not only informative but also inspiring. Focusing on vocabulary as well as pronunciation, the excerpt below is fundamental to English learning and interesting enough for students to have some fun. Personally, Ben was privileged to be one of her students in college years. Thanks to her training, I enjoy my teaching career very much and treasure bittersweet memories of writing apology letters during my salad days.

Do you know how English words are formed?

1. Adding affixes: electrocardiograph, pandemonium, chocoholic, netaholic, vitaholic (The longer the word, the easier it is.)

2. Compounding:  baby-sitter, cupcake, hand-me-down, hand-me-up

3. Blending: motel, medicare, modicon, smog, brunch, ginormous

4. Clipping: bike, dorm, lab, vet, gym, exam, ad, deli, limo, photo, auto, bus, flu, fridge

5. Coining: dink, ROM, CAI, radar, UFO, ASAP, BTW, TGIF

6. Eponym: sandwich, masochist, sadist, boycott, china, laconic

7. Onomatopoeia: buzz, rattle, splash, sizzle, tinkle

Reasons why English is difficult to learn

1. The bandage was wound around the wound.

2. The farm was used to produce produce.

3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4. We must polish the Polish furniture.

5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6. The soldier decided to desert the dessert in the desert.

7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8. A bass was pointed on the head of the bass drum.

9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10. I did not object to the object.

11. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13. They were too close to the door to close it.

14. The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18. After a number of injections, my jaw got number.

19. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

21. Archery requires a bow and an arrow. A boat has a bow.

22. Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear.

I take it you already know

Of TOUGH and BOUGH and COUGH and DOUGH.

Others may stumble, but not you

On HICCOUGH, THOROUGH, LOUCH, and THROUGH.

Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,

To learn of less familiar traps.

 

Beware of HEARD, a dreadful word,

That looks like BEARD and sounds like BIRD

And DEAD—it’s said like BED, not BEAD.

For goodness’ sake, don’t call it DEED!

 

Watch out for MEAT and GREAT and THREAT.

They rhyme with SUITE and STRAIGHT and DEBT.

 

A MOTH is not a MOTH in MOTHER,

Nor BOTH in BOTHER, BROTH in BROTHER.

And HERE is not a match for THERE,

Nor DEAR and FEAR for PEAR and BEAR.

 

And then there’s DOSE and ROSE and LOSE.

Just look them up—and GOOSE and CHOOSE,

And CORK and WORK and CARD and WARD,

And DO and GO, then THWART and CART.

 

Come, come, I’ve made a start.

A dreadful language? Man alive,

I’d mastered it when I was five!

Sounds of animals and objects

In English, onomatopoeia is omnipresent. The following are two tables regarding sounds and motions of animals and objects. Learning onomatopoeia is not difficult because it is easier to learn new words when the formation of a word comes directly from a sound associated with what it is named.

For instructors, the world-famous nursing rhyme Old MacDonald Had a Farm serves perfectly as an exercise to practice the onomatopoeia below. More fun is expected if you group students to have a song relay until they run out of names and sounds of animals. For learners, animal-related vocabularies and expressions play a significant role in English. You may notice some expressions like “as busy as a bee” or “dance like an animal.” So, if you are set to have a large vocabulary, learning onomatopoeia is inevitable. Now, let’s start from learning sounds of animals and objects.

Sounds, motions, and adjective of animal

ANIMAL	SOUND	MOTION	ADJECTIVE
ass	bray	jog	stupid
bear	growl	lumber	clumsy
bee	hum	flit	busy
beetle	drone	crawl	horrid
bird	chirp, whistle	fly	swift
bull	bellow	charge	angry
cat	purr, meow	steal	sleek
cockerel	crow	strut	proud
cow	moo, low	wander	stolid
crow	caw	flap	black
dog	bark, growl	run	faithful
donkey	bray	trot	obstinate
duck	quack	waddle	waddling
elephant	trumpet	amble	ponderous
frog	croak	leap	clammy
hen	cackle, cluck	strut	domestic
horse	neigh, whinnie	gallop	noble
lamb	bleat	frisk	gentle
lion	roar	prowl	tawny
monkey	chatter	climb	agile
mouse	squeak	scamper	timid
owl	hoot	flit	tawny
parrot	talk, screech	flit	saucy
pig	grunt, squeal	trot	fat
pigeon	coo	flutter	gentle
rabbit	squeal	leap	timid
snake	hiss	glide	loathsome
sparrow	chirp	flit	little
turkey	gobble	strut	plump

If you want to learn more about animal sounds, here it is!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animal_sounds

Old MacDonald had a farm

Ylvis–The Fox

 In addition to the onomatopoeia of animals, objects in our daily life have their individual sounds in the same way. Please learn more from the following table.

Sounds of objects

OBJECT	SOUND	OBJECT	SOUND
airplane	zoom	kettle	sing
bell	ring, peal, toll	leaf	rustle, whisper
bell (large)	chime	machine	scream
bell (small)	tinkle	paper	crinkle, rustle
brake	grind, screech	pistol	crack
breeze	murmur	raindrop	patter
chain	clank, rattle	silk	rustle
clock	tick, chime	siren	wail
coin	clink, jingle	skirt	swish
cork	pop	smoke (from pipes)	puff
dish	clatter, rattle	steam	hiss
electric fan	whir	telephone	buzz
engine	throb, purr, chug, puff, splutter	thunder	peak, crash, mutter, roar, roll, rumble, clap
explosion	blast	traffic	roar
feet	tramp, shuffle, stamp	train	rumble
fire	crackle	trumpet	blare, trump, toot
glass	tinkle	vehicle (heavy)	rumble
guitar	strum	voice (distant)	murmur
gun	boom	watch	tick
guns (distant)	throb	water	drip, bubble, lap, splash
heart	throb, beat	whip	crack, lash
hinge	creak	wind	sigh, whistle, whisper, shriek, howl, scream
hoof	thunder, clatter	wood	crackle, creak
horn	toot, hoot, honk