Friday, 16 August 2013

464. IELTS - BORROWINGS


IELTS  -  BORROWINGS

Italian Borrowings

Numerous other languages have left their mark on English as well—including Italian, Spanish, and Latin.

Italian Borrowings

1. alfresco                 (al fres"ko)           out-of-doors; in the open air.

2. piazza                    (pe az"*, -ä"z*)    a town square.

3. dilettante              (dil"i tänt')           
a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement; dabbler.

4. fiasco                    (fe as"ko)             a complete and ignominious failure.

5. imbroglio              (im brol"yo)         
a confused state of affairs; a complicated or difficult situation; bitter misunderstanding.

6. impresario            (im'pri sär"e o', -sâr"-)
a person who organizes or manages public entertainments; a manager, director, or the like.

7. incognito              (in'kog ne"to, in kog"ni to')
having one's identity concealed, as under an assumed name, especially to avoid notice.

8. manifesto             (man'* fes"to)
a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives, as one issued by a government, a sovereign, or an organization.

9. replica                   (rep"li k*)              a copy or reproduction of a work of art.

Test 1: Matching Synonyms
Match each of the following numbered words with its closest synonym. Write your answer in the space provided.

1. fiasco                     a. manager _____
2. imbroglio               b. town square _____
3. incognito               c. outdoors _____
4. impresario             d. failure _____
5. manifesto              e. public declaration _____
6. piazza                    f. confusion _____
7. replica                    g. reproduction _____
8. alfresco                  h. in disguise _____
9. dilettante               i. dabbler _____

Definitions

Each of the following phrases contains an italicized word. From the three choices provided, circle the best definition.

1. an alfresco café
a. open-air                 b. expensive             c. famous

2. traveling incognito
a. cheaply                  b. under an alias      c. quickly

3. a major fiasco
a. cigar                       b. fault                        c. failure

4. an important manifesto
a. declaration            b. expansion             c. bond issue

5. a real dilettante
a. expert                     b. socialite                 c. amateur

6. a horrible imbroglio
a. confusion              b. disgrace                 c. conflagration

7. a broad piazza
a. forest                      b. error                        c. town square

8. an expensive replica
a. request                  b. copy                       c. machine

9. a famous impresario
a. singer                     b. actor                       c. manager

Additional Italian Borrowings
        Italian is often said to be the most musical of the Romance languages. Make sure to practice the pronunciations of the following musical and artistic terms borrowed from Italian.

        The two self-tests at the end of the lesson will help you reinforce the words and their meanings.

1. sotto voce            (sot"o vo"che)          
in a low, soft voice, so as not to be overheard.

2. sonata                   (s* nä"t*)
a composition for one or two instruments, typically with three or four contrasting movements.

3. fugue                     (fy»g)
a polyphonic composition based on one, two, or more themes that are enunciated by several voices or parts in turn, and are subject to contrapuntal treatment; in psychiatry, a period in which a patient suffers from loss of memory, often begins a new life, and upon recovery, remembers nothing from the amnesiac period. Borrowed through French from Italian "fuga," literally a fleeing, flight.

4. intermezzo           (in't*r met"so, -med"zo)
a short dramatic, musical, or other entertainment of light character introduced between the acts of a drama or opera.

5. cantata                  (k*n tä"t*)
a choral composition, either sacred and resembling a short oratorio, or secular, as a drama set to music but not to be acted.

6. maestro                (mi"stro)
an eminent composer, teacher, or conductor of music.

7. chiaroscuro         (ke är'* sky»r"o)
the distribution of light and shade in a picture.

8. villanella               (vil'* nel"*)
a rustic Italian part-song without accompaniment. The French word "villanelle," meaning a short poem of fixed form, was adapted from Italian.

Defining Words
Define each of the following words.

1. villanella ___________________________________________________________
2. chiaroscuro ___________________________________________________________
3. sonata ___________________________________________________________
4. sotto voce ___________________________________________________________
5. maestro ___________________________________________________________
6. cantata ___________________________________________________________
7. intermezzo ___________________________________________________________
8. fugue ___________________________________________________________

True/False
In the space provided, write T if the definition of the numbered word is true or F if it is false.

T or F
1. maestro                 famous musician _____
2. chiaroscuro           shadows _____
3. intermezzo            musical interlude _____
4. cantata                   song _____
5. sonata                    ballad _____
6. villanella                part-song _____
7. fugue                     musical instrument _____
8. sotto voce              strident voice _____

Spanish Borrowings
Our neighbors to the south have also enriched our language with a number of words that reflect the merging of Spanish culture with our own. You may find that you are already familiar with some of the following words but were unaware of their Hispanic ancestry.

1. desperado           (des'p* rä"do, -ra"-)
a bold, reckless criminal or outlaw.

2. fiesta                      (fe es"t*)
in Spain and Latin America, a festival celebrating a religious holiday;
any festive celebration.

3. siesta                     (se es"t*)
a midday or afternoon rest or nap, especially as taken in Spain and Latin
America.

4. bonanza               (b* nan"z*, bo-)
a rich mass of ore, as found in mining; a spectacular windfall.

5. pronto                   (pron"to)         promptly; quickly.

6. patio                      (pat"e o', pä"te o')
a paved outdoor area adjoining a house; courtyard.

7. bolero                    (b* lâr"o, bo-)
a lively Spanish dance in triple meter;
a waist-length jacket worn open in front.

8. bravado                (br* vä"do)     swaggering display of courage.

True/False
In the space provided, write T if the definition of the numbered word is true or F if it is false.

T or F
1. siesta                     nap _____
2. patio                       courtyard _____
3. bolero                     jacket _____
4. fiesta                      celebration _____
5. bravado                 applause _____
6. pronto                    dappled pony _____
7. desperado             desperate lover _____
8. bonanza                sprawling ranch _____

Matching Synonyms
Select the best definition for each numbered word. Write your answer in the space provided.

1. pronto                    [    ]      a. great, sudden wealth or luck _____
2. bravado                 [    ]      b. afternoon nap _____
3. bonanza                [    ]      c. courtyard _____
4. bolero                     [    ]      d. bold outlaw _____
5. desperado             [    ]      e. festive celebration _____
6. siesta                     [    ]      f. promptly _____
7. patio                       [    ]      g. waist-length jacket _____
8. fiesta                      [    ]      h. swaggering show of bravery _____

Additional Spanish Borrowings
Here are some additional Spanish words to spice up your speech and writing. Study the definitions and complete the two self-tests at the end of the lesson to help you reinforce what you have learned.

1. tango                     (tang"go)        a ballroom dance of Spanish-American origin.

2. arroyo                   (* roi"o)
a small steep-sided watercourse or gulch with a nearly flat floor, usually dry
except in heavy rains.

3. sierra                     (se er"*)
a chain of hills or mountains, the peaks of which suggest the teeth of a saw.

4. mesa                      (ma"s*)
a land formation having a flat top and steep rock walls, common in arid and
semi-arid parts of the United States and Mexico.

5. chili con carne    (chil"e kon kär"ne)
a spicy Mexican-American dish of meat, beans, onion, chopped pepper, tomatoes, and seasonings.

6. guerrilla                (g* ril"*)
a member of a small, independent band of soldiers that harass the enemy
by surprise raids, sabotage, etc.

7. mustang               (mus"tang)   
a small, hardy horse of the American plains.

8. caudillo                 (kou ðe"lyô, -ðe"yô)
a head of state, especially a military dictator.

Definitions
For each definition, select the correct vocabulary word. Write your answer in the space provided.

_____ 1. a member of a band of independent soldiers who harass the enemy through surprise attacks
a. quadroon              b. arroyo                c. mustang                  d. guerrilla

_____ 2. a Mexican-American dish of meat, beans, tomatoes, onion, chopped pepper, and seasonings
a. sierra                      b. taco                    c. chili con carne       d. peccadillo

_____ 3. a small, steep-sided watercourse or gulch with a nearly flat floor
a. arroz con pollo     b. tango                 c. arroyo                      d. mesa

_____ 4. a small, hardy horse
a. arroyo                     b. mustang           c. mesa                        d. caudillo

_____ 5. a military dictator
a. caudillo                  b. mesa                 c. sierra                        d. arroyo

_____ 6. a ballroom dance of Spanish-American origin
a. tango                      b. waltz                  c. quadroon                d. arroyo

_____ 7. a land formation having a flat top and steep rock walls
a. Sierra Madre         b. tango                 c. arroyo                      d. mesa

_____ 8. a chain of hills or mountains
a. quadroon              b. mesa                 c. sierra                        d. arroyo

Matching Synonyms
Match each of the numbered words with its closest synonym. Write your answer in the space provided.

1. mesa                      [    ]      a. soldier _____
2. mustang                [    ]      b. saw-toothed mountains _____
3. caudillo                  [    ]      c. ballroom dance _____
4. arroyo                     [    ]      d. flat-topped land formation _____
5. guerrilla                 [    ]      e. chief of state _____
6. tango                      [    ]      f. spicy dish of meat and beans _____
7. chili con carne     [    ]      g. dry gulch _____
8. sierra                      [    ]      h. horse _____


Latin Borrowings

All are words that can add power to your speech and writing. Study the definitions and complete the two self-tests.

1. decorum          (di kôr"*m)          dignified behavior, manners, or appearance.

2. gratis                 (grat"is, gra"tis) without charge or payment; free.

3. in toto               (in to"to)              in all; in the whole.

4. odium               (o"de *m)            intense hatred or dislike, especially toward something or someone regarded as contemptible, despicable, or repugnant.

5. per se                (pûr sa", se")      by, of, for, or in itself.

6. pro tempore    (pro" tem"p* re', -ra') temporarily; for the time being.

7. status quo       (sta"t*s kwo", stat"*s)
the existing state or condition; things as they are.

8. terra firma        (ter"* fûr"m*)      firm or solid earth; dry land.



Defining Words

Define each of the following words.

1. pro tempore ___________________________________________________________
2. odium ___________________________________________________________
3. in toto ___________________________________________________________
4. per se ___________________________________________________________
5. terra firma ___________________________________________________________
6. decorum ___________________________________________________________
7. gratis ___________________________________________________________
8. status quo ___________________________________________________________

True/False
In the space provided, write T if the definition of the numbered word is true or F if it is false.

T or F
1. status quo          existing state _____
2. pro tempore       for the time being _____
3. odium                 bad odor _____
4. terra firma           solid ground _____
5. per se                  amount _____
6. in toto                  with the dog _____
7. gratis                   free _____
8. decorum             embellishment _____

Imported Words
Along with sushi, crêpes, and pizza—and their names—English has borrowed numerous words from foreign cultures. Here is a selection of "imported" words for you to add to your vocabulary.

French Borrowings
We've borrowed so many words from French that someone once half-seriously claimed that English is little more than French badly pronounced.

Some of these words have kept their original spelling, while others have become so Anglicized you may not recognize them as originally French.

1. envoy                    (en"voi, än"-)            
a diplomatic agent; an accredited messenger or representative.

2. résumé                  (rez"» ma', rez'» ma")
a summing up; a brief account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, as of an applicant for a job.

3. coup d'état           (k»'da tä")
a sudden and decisive action in politics, especially one effecting a change of government, illegally or by force.

4. cause célèbre     (kôz"s* leb", -leb"r*)
any controversy that attracts great public attention.

5. avant-garde         (* vänt'gärd", * vant'-, av'äN-, ä"väN-)
the advance group in any field, especially in the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works are unorthodox and experimental.

6. laissez-faire         (les'a fâr")
the theory that government should intervene as little as possible in economic affairs.

7. rendezvous         (rän"d* v»', -da-)
an agreement between two or more people to meet at a certain time and place.

8. cul-de-sac            (kul"d* sak")
a street, lane, etc., closed at one end; blind alley.

9. esprit de corps   (e spre" d* kôr")
a sense of union and of common interests and responsibilities, as developed among a group of persons associated together.

10. idée fixe              (e'da feks")                a fixed idea; obsession.

11. joie de vivre       (zhwä'd* vev", ve"vr*) a delight in being alive.

12. milieu                  (mil y»", mel-)           an environment; medium.

13. potpourri            (po'p» re")
a mixture of dried petals of roses or other flowers with spices, kept in a jar for their fragrance.

14. rapport                (ra pôr", r*-)                a harmonious or sympathetic relationship or connection.

15. bon vivant          (bon"ve vänt", bôN"ve väN")
a person who lives luxuriously and enjoys good food and drink.

Matching Synonyms
Match each of the following numbered words with its closest synonym. Write your answer in the space provided.

1. rendezvous                 [    ]            a. togetherness _____
2. rapport                         [    ]            b. experimental artists _____
3. cul-de-sac                   [    ]            c. hands-off policy _____
4. bon vivant                   [    ]            d. love of life _____
5. idée fixe                       [    ]            e. meeting _____
6. joie de vivre                [    ]            f. environment _____
7. potpourri                      [    ]            g. diplomatic agent _____
8. milieu                           [    ]            h. harmony _____
9. avant-garde                [    ]            i. controversy _____
10. coup d'état                [    ]            j. government overthrow _____
11. résumé                      [    ]            k. dead end _____
12. esprit de corps          [    ]            l. list of qualifications _____
13. envoy                         [    ]            m. connoisseur _____
14. cause célèbre          [    ]            n. fragrant dried flowers _____
15. laissez-faire              [    ]            o. obsession _____

True/False
In the space provided, write T if the definition of the numbered word is true or F if it is false.
T or F

1. laissez-faire          a policy of leaving alone _____
2. esprit de corps      harmony and union _____
3. milieu                     setting _____
4. rendezvous           meeting _____
5. idée fixe                 obsession _____
6. potpourri                cooking utensils _____
7. envoy                     letter _____
8. rapport                   announcement _____
9. joie de vivre          good vintage _____
10. coup d'état          headache _____
11. cause célèbre    controversy _____
12. cul-de-sac           dead end _____
13. bon vivant           good sport _____
14. résumé                curriculum vitae _____
15. avant-garde        front-runners _____

Additional French Borrowings
Here are fifteen more words borrowed from French. Their mastery can put vigor into your vocabulary, especially in writing.

1. tour de force        (t»r'd* fôrs")
an exceptional achievement using the full skill, ingenuity, and resources of a person, country, or group.

2. connoisseur        (kon'* sûr", -s»r")
a person who is especially competent to pass critical judgments in art or in matters of taste.

3. raconteur             (rak'on tûr", -t»r")
a person who is skilled in relating anecdotes.

4. poseur                  (po zûr")
a person who attempts to impress others by assuming or affecting a manner, degree of elegance, etc.

5. saboteur               (sab'* tûr")
a person who deliberately destroys property, obstructs services, or undermines a cause.

6. décolletage          (da'kol täzh")
the neckline of a dress cut low in the front or back and often across the shoulders.

7. mêlée                     (ma"la, ma la")
a confused, general hand-to-hand fight.

8. tout à fait              (t»' tä fa")                   entirely.

9. chauffeur              (sho"f*r, sho fûr")
a person employed to drive another person's automobile.

10. fiancé                  (fe'än sa", fe än"sa)
a man engaged to be married.

11. protégé               (pro"t* zha', pro't* zha")
a person under the patronage or care of someone influential who can further his or her career.

12. gourmet              (g»r ma", g»r"ma)
a connoisseur in the delicacies of the table.

13. tout de suite      (t»t swet")
at once; immediately.

14. chic                      (shek)
attractive and fashionable in style; stylish.

15. tout le monde    (t»'l* mônd")              everyone; everybody.

Defining Words
Define each of the following words.

1. tout à fait ___________________________________________________________
2. gourmet ___________________________________________________________
3. chauffeur ___________________________________________________________
4. tout le monde ___________________________________________________________
5. décolletage ___________________________________________________________
6. tout de suite ___________________________________________________________
7. tour de force ___________________________________________________________
8. chic ___________________________________________________________
9. protégé ___________________________________________________________
10. connoisseur ___________________________________________________________
11. raconteur ___________________________________________________________
12. mêlée ___________________________________________________________
13. saboteur ___________________________________________________________
14. poseur ___________________________________________________________
15. fiancé ___________________________________________________________

Synonyms
Each of the following phrases contains an italicized word. Select the best synonym for each word from the choices provided. Write your answer in the space provided.

1. a daring décolletage
a. low-cut dress              b. dance                     c. acrobatics            d. behavior

2. a chic hat
a. French                         b. imported                c. expensive            d. stylish

3. the nervous fiancé
a. engaged woman       b. engaged man       c. executive             d. husband

4. tout le monde attended
a. connoisseurs             b. specialists             c. everyone              d. no one

5. the entertaining raconteur
a. comedian                    b. storyteller               c. singer                   d. poet

6. an amazing tour de force
a. show of force              b. war victory             c. humiliation          d. achievement

7. pass the butter tout de suite
a. immediately                b. thank you              c. please                   d. later

8. a transparent poseur
a. model                           b. prank                      c. fraud                     d. gag

9. a captured saboteur
a. spy                                b. demolisher            c. turncoat                d. revolutionary

10. my protégé
a. mentor                         b. tutor                        c. child                      d. dependent

11. a new chauffeur
a. kitchen helper            b. mentor                   c. chef                       d. driver

12. a violent mêlée
a. free-for-all                   b. storm                      c. criminal                d. sea

13. a noted connoisseur
a. expert                           b. politician                c. hostess                 d. professor

14. completed the job tout à fait
a. quickly                         b. sloppily                  c. entirely                 d. yesterday

15. a famous gourmet
a. driver                            b. waitress                 c. heavy eater          d. food expert




No comments:

Post a Comment

647. PRESENTATION SKILLS MBA I - II

PRESENTATION  SKILLS MBA   I - II There are many types of presentations.                    1.       written,        story, manual...