Unit 12: The Ice Cream Cone Explosion

4000 Essential English Words 3 » Unit 12: The Ice Cream Cone Explosion

Word List

anticipate [ӕnˈtisəpeit] v.

To anticipate something is to think that it will happen.

→ Carrie anticipated the arrival of her baby.
barrel [ˈbærəl] n.

A barrel is a round thing that you can keep liquids in.

→ There was an empty barrel outside the house.
beam [biːm] n.

A beam is a heavy bar.

→ Modern skyscrapers are made with several beams.
casual [ˈkæʒjuəl] adj.

If something is casual, it is relaxed or simple.

→ You can wear casual clothes to the party like jeans.
caution [ˈkɔːʃən] n.

Caution is care and attention in order to avoid danger.

→ Please use the power saw with caution. It is very dangerous.
contrary [ˈkɒntrərɪ] adj.

If something is contrary to something else, it is the opposite.

→ It isn’t warm outside at all. On the contrary, it is quite cold.
deliberate [dɪˈlɪbərɪt] adj.

If you are deliberate, you do something on purpose.

→ Bernie made a deliberate attempt to injure Andy.
dissolve [dɪˈzɒlv] v.

To dissolve something is to mix it into a liquid and disappear.

→ I dissolved the pill in a glass o f water.
explode [ɪksˈploud] v.

When something explodes, it blows up.

→ My new radio exploded when I plugged it in.
fasten [ˈfæsn] v.

To fasten something is to close it or put it in the correct place.

→ Elizabeth fastened her seat belt.
germ [dʒəːrm] n.

A germ is something that makes you sick.

→ Germs are on everything that you touch.
kit [kit] n.

A kit is a set of all the things needed to do something.

→ Is there a first aid kit in your office?
puff [pʌf] n.

A puff is a little bit of smoke or steam.

→ A puff of smoke came from the burnt match.
rag [ræg] n.

A rag is a small towel.

→ Please use a rag to clean the dust o ff the table.
scatter [ˈskætə:r] v.

To scatter something is to make it go in many places.

→ I accidentally scattered all of my pills.
scent [sent] n.

A scent is a smell.

→ Julie enjoyed the scent of the flowers.
steel [sti:l] n.

Steel is a shiny gray metal.

→ The new apartment building was made with steel.
swift [swift] adj.

If something is swift, it is fast.

→ The swift horse easily jumped over the hurdle.
toss [tɔ:s] v.

If you toss something, you throw it softly.

→ He tossed a coin into the air.
triumph [ˈtraɪəmf] n.

Triumph is what you feel when you win or finish something.

→ He raised the award in triumph at the end of his speech.

Exercise 1

Part A: Choose the right definition for the given word.

anticipate
- a. to win
- b. to wait for
- c. to blow up
- d. to go everywhere
kit
- a. something that makes you sick
- b. set of things needed to do something
- c. a round container
- d. to disappear in liquid
steel
- a. a large bar
- b. a small towel
- c. shiny metal
- d. a smell
contrary
- a. careful
- b. not fancy
- c. fast
- d. opposite
toss
- a. to throw
- b. small amount
- c. to be careful
- d. to lock down
triumph
- a. to win
- b. a round container
- c. to lock something in place
- d. careful
scatter
- a. something that makes you sick
- b. metal
- c. to expect something
- d. to go in many places
casual
- a. a large bar
- b. the opposite
- c. relaxed or simple
- d. smoke
rag
- a. careful
- b. a small towel
- c. on purpose
- d. to disappear in water
beam
- a. to throw
- b. small amount
- c. to smell
- d. a heavy metal bar

Part B: Choose the right word for the given definition.

a round container
- a. scent
- b. kit
- c. beam
- d. barrel
on purpose
- a. deliberate
- b. casual
- c. swift
- d. contrary
something that makes you sick
- a. puff
- b. rag
- c. germs
- d. triumph
to lock something in place
- a. anticipate
- b. fasten
- c. scatter
- d. explode
to mix in a liquid and disappear
- a. caution
- b. toss
- c. dissolve
- d. steel

Exercise 2

Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined part.

When the house burned, a large heaw bar fell from the ceiling.
_____________
Joshua smiled in great emotion and feeling after he got a good grade on his science test.
_____________
She walked on the ice with care so she wouldn’t fall.
_____________
It was scary when the car blew up, but luckily no one was hurt.
_____________
I used a small towel from the sink to clean up the milk I spilled.
_____________
The basketball player was fast and stole the ball.
_____________
You can wear relaxed and simple clothes to the school.
_____________
I really like the smell of this candle.
_____________
My cat made her food go in many places.
_____________
When we lit the fire, a little smoke came out of the chimney.
_____________

Answer Key

Exercise 1

Part A

b
b
c
d
a
a
d
c
b
d

Part B

d
a
c
b
c

Exercise 2

beam
triumph
caution
exploded
rag
swift
casual
scent
scatter
puff

Answer Key

The Ice Cream Cone Explosion

One day, John walked to his uncle’s ice cream shop. When he reached the sidewalk, he caught the scent of ice cream cones and anticipated eating some ice cream.

Sam opened the door. Uncle John had a new, steel machine. “ What is that?”

“ It’s a cone maker. I built it from a kit. You take flour from the barrel and put it in this pan,” Uncle John said. “ Then add water and sugar here and stir it so the sugar dissolves. Next, you fasten down the beam.” Uncle John wanted to look casual, but he was excited. He made a few swift motions and turned it on. There was a puff of smoke, and then cones came out the other end.

“ Is it hard to use? Sam asked.

“ On the contrary. It’s easy to use. Want to try?”

Sam washed his hands with caution. He made a deliberate attempt to keep germs out of the dough. Soon, Sam had his first cone. He smiled in triumph!

Uncle John tried to turn the machine off, but it just kept making cones. Sam and Uncle John put them on the counter, then on chairs. Before long, cones scattered all over the floor.

They tried everything to stop it, but it wouldn’t stop! “ What are we going to do?” he said.

“ Kick it!” yelled Sam. Uncle John lifted his foot and gave the machine a kick. It made a funny noise and exploded. They were both covered with dough*. Uncle John laughed when he knew Sam was OK. He tossed Sam a rag to clean his face and smiled. “ I guess we have enough cones now!”

Reading Comprehension

Part A: Mark each statement T for true or F for false. Rewrite the false statements to make them true.

_____ Uncle John tried to look casual.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ Uncle John kicked the machine.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ You have to fasten the dough on the machine.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ Sam washed the germs off the machine with caution.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ Uncle John had enough cones for the day.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ Sam walked to the ice cream shop.
- _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

Why did Uncle John toss a rag to Sam?
- a. To clean the floor
- b. To dissolve the sugar
- c. To clean his face
- d. To clean the steel
What did Sam anticipate?
- a. Going to the shop
- b. Getting an ice cream cone
- c. Working with his uncle
- d. The machine exploding
What did the machine do?
- a. Break the barrel
- b. Give a bad scent
- c. Scatter dough
- d. Give a puff of smoke
What did Uncle John say about the machine?
- a. It’s easy to use.
- b. It was swift.
- c. It was deliberate.
- d. It was contrary.

Answer Key

Reading Comprehension

Part A

T
T
F / You have to fasten the beam.
F / Sam washed the germs off his hands.
T
T

Part B

c
b
d
a

Favorite Books

4000 Essential English Words 1

The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 1: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

4000 Essential English Words 2

The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 2: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

4000 Essential English Words 4

The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 4: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

4000 Essential English Words 5

The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 5: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

4000 Essential English Words 6

The activities in "4000 Essential English Words" are specially designed to make use of important learning conditions. Firstly, the words are introduced using sentence definitions and an example sentence. 4000 Essential English Words 6: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

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