4000 Essential English Words 3 » Unit 29: An Interesting Life

Word List
  • bomb [bɒm] n.
    A bomb is an object that explodes and destroys large areas.
    → The bomb will destroy anything that is near.
  • certificate [sərtɪfəkɪt] n.
    A certificate is a document that says that something is true or happened.
    → I was given a certificate after completing the computer course.
  • circumstance [ˈsəːrkəmstӕns] n.
    A circumstance is an event that makes a situation what it is.
    → There were many circumstances behind their success like hard work.
  • coffin [ˈkɔ:fɪn] n.
    A coffin is a box used to bury dead people.
    → When a person passes away, they are usually buried inside of a coffin.
  • cope [koup] v.
    To cope with a difficult or stressful situation means to deal with it.
    → He copes with work stress by exercising three or four times a week.
  • criticism [ˈkritisizəm] n.
    Criticism is the act of saying that you don’t like or approve of something.
    → She had a lot of criticism about their new plan.
  • devastate [ˈdevəsteɪt] v.
    To devastate something means to completely destroy it.
    → The entire wall was devastated.
  • frown [fraun] v.
    To frown is to make an unhappy look with your face.
    → Melissa frowned when she found out that the party had been cancelled.
  • gaze [geɪz] v.
    To gaze at something means to look at it for a long time.
    → We used a telescope to gaze at the stars for over an hour.
  • glance [glæns] v.
    To glance at something means to look at it quickly.
    → She glanced behind her to see if he was looking at her.
  • grief [griːf] n.
    Grief is the feeling of deep sadness, usually when a person dies.
    → The grief caused by losing her parents was very difficult for her.
  • groom [gruːm] n.
    A groom is a man who is going to be married.
    → The groom looked happy as he walked with his new wife.
  • license [ˈlaɪsəns] n.
    A license is an official document that gives one permission to do something.
    → In the United States you need a driver’s license to drive legally.
  • microscope [ˈmaɪkrəskoup] n.
    A microscope is a device that makes small objects look bigger.
    → Germs cannot be seen without a microscope.
  • nuclear [ˈnjuːklɪə:r] adj.
    When something is nuclear, it relates to the division or joining of atoms.
    → Nuclear power plants provide inexpensive energy to cities.
  • portray [pɔːrtreɪ] v.
    To portray something means to describe it or show it in a picture.
    → Her picture portrayed the house she grew up in when she was little.
  • rotate [rouˈteɪt] v.
    To rotate something means to turn it around in a circle.
    → An airplane’s propellers rotate quickly to help it fly.
  • souvenir [su:vəniə:r] n.
    A souvenir is something you buy to remind you of a place or event.
    → I bought a Russian doll as a souvenir from my trip to Moscow.
  • submarine [sʌbməˈriːn] n.
    A submarine is a boat that can go underwater for long periods of time.
    → The submarine dove under the sea so the enemy couldn’t see it.
  • trace [treɪs] v.
    To trace something means to follow over it with the eyes or a finger.
    → He traced over the graph with his finger.
Exercise 1

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

  1. to show in a picture
    • a. portray
    • b. trace
    • c. gaze
    • d. rotate
  2. something that causes an event
    • a. souvenir
    • b. certificate
    • c. circumstance
    • d. criticism
  3. a feeling of sadness
    • a. frown
    • b. grief
    • c. bomb
    • d. glance
  4. a box for burying dead people
    • a. groom
    • b. license
    • c. coffin
    • d. cope
  5. a device for making small things look bigger
    • a. submarine
    • b. microscope
    • c. devastate
    • d. nuclear

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

  1. certificate
    • a. a document for permission
    • b. something bought to remind of a place
    • c. between two sizes
    • d. a document that claims a fact
  2. cope
    • a. to deal with a difficult situation
    • b. to look at something quickly
    • c. to completely destroy something
    • d. to turn around in a circle
  3. trace
    • a. to look at for a long time
    • b. to follow over with the eyes
    • c. to show in a picture
    • d. to express dislike or sadness
  4. groom
    • a. a boat that can go under water
    • b. a box used to bury dead people
    • c. a man about to be married
    • d. something that causes an event
  5. bomb
    • a. to go between two places
    • b. the act of finding fault with someone
    • c. an object that explodes
    • d. a feeling of sadness because of death
Exercise 2

Choose the word that is the better fit for each blank.

  1. traced / bomb
    • The engineer ____________ a line with his finger to where he thought the police officers would find the ____________.
  2. nuclear / circumstances
    • The politician said that there were many ____________ that lead to the US using a ____________ weapon on Japan.
  3. glance / certificate
    • I was so busy that I could only ____________ at my daughter’s ____________ of achievement. I will take a better look at it when I get home.
  4. coffin / grief
    • The entire family was filled with ____________ as their father’s ____________ was slowly lowered into the ground.
  5. cope / devastated
    • I was completely ____________ when I heard the news of her accident. I hope that her husband can ____________ with the situation.
  6. rotated / souvenir
    • Maria ____________ her ____________ so that all of her classmates could get a good view of it.
  7. frowned / criticism
    • After receiving a great deal of ____________ about her idea, Katie ____________ but was determined not to quit.
  8. gazed / microscope
    • Tony ____________ at the pictures of the new forms of bacteria that were discovered. Curious, he viewed samples of them through a powerful ____________.
  9. submarine / license
    • Eric did not have a ____________ to operate the sophisticated ____________.
  10. groom / portrayed
    • Lisa ____________ her new ____________ as the perfect husband. But we all knew that he had many faults.
Answer Key
Exercise 1
Part A
  1. a
  2. c
  3. b
  4. c
  5. b
Part B
  1. d
  2. a
  3. b
  4. c
  5. c
Exercise 2
  1. traced, bomb
  2. circumstances, nuclear
  3. glance, certificate
  4. grief, coffin
  5. devastated, cope
  6. rotated, souvenir
  7. criticism, frowned
  8. gazed, microscope
  9. license, submarine
  10. portrayed, groom
Answer Key
An Interesting Life

A man looked through some boxes with his grandson. They were filled with old photographs and objects that portrayed important events from the grandfather’s life. He wished to share the circumstances behind each event with his grandson.

The grandson, however, thought his grandfather’s stories were boring. The grandfather coped with this. He ignored his grandson’s criticism.

He took a photo from the box. “ That’s the submarine I was on during the war,” he explained. The grandson gazed at it.

The grandfather glanced at the next picture and frowned. It showed a row of coffins. His grandson noticed the grief in his grandfather’s face.

“ What is it?” the boy inquired.

“ This was after a nuclear bomb was dropped,” the grandfather answered. “ It devastated a city.”

Next the grandfather pulled a toy microscope from the box and rotated it in his hand.

“ Where did you get that?” the grandson asked.

“ This is a souvenir I bought at the science museum,” the grandfather said.

Now the boy was really interested. He started to understand that his grandfather was telling him a larger story. It was the story of his grandfather’s life.

He got another photo. It showed a young bride and groom. They were very happy. A certificate was attached to the photo. The boy couldn’t read it, but he traced his finger over paper.

“ What’s this from, Granddad?” he asked.

“ That’s my marriage license from the day I married your grandmother,” the grandfather said.

“ Wow!” said the boy. “ Granddad, now I know all about your life!”

Reading Comprehension

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

  1. _____ The photographs portrayed important events from the grandson’s life.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ The grandfather explained that the picture of the coffins was taken after a nuclear bomb devastated a city.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ The first photo the grandson gazed at was of a submarine.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ The toy microscope was a souvenir from a science museum.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ The certificate was from the day the grandson was born.
    • _____________________________________________________
  6. _____ The groom and bride in the last photo were happy.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. Which of the following was NOT in the box?
    • a. Photographs
    • b. Souvenirs
    • c. Letters
    • d. A marriage license
  2. What did the grandfather say he did during the war?
    • a. Worked on a submarine
    • b. Made nuclear bombs
    • c. Worked in a souvenir shop
    • d. Took photographs
  3. How did the grandson feel at first about the circumstances behind each photograph?
    • a. He frowned.
    • b. He was full of grief.
    • c. He was bored.
    • d. He was interested.
  4. All of the following are true about the toy microscope EXCEPT ______.
    • a. it was a souvenir
    • b. the grandfather rotated it in his hand
    • c. the grandson only glanced at it
    • d. the grandfather bought it at a museum
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. F / The photographs portrayed important events from the grandfather’s life.
  2. T
  3. T
  4. T
  5. F / The certificate was from the day the grandfather got married.
  6. T
Part B
  1. c
  2. a
  3. c
  4. c
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