4000 Essential English Words 5 » Unit 10: Life on the Farm

Word List
  • accountant [əˈkauntənt] n.
    An accountant is a person whose job is to keep financial accounts.
    The accountant helped me keep track of my money.
  • capitalist [ˈkæpitəlist] n.
    A capitalist is a business person who invests in trade and industry for profit.
    The capitalist invested in a factory that made wheat into cereal.
  • contempt [kənˈtempt] n.
    Contempt is the feeling of having no respect for something.
    The judge had contempt for the wicked criminal.
  • dedicate [ˈdedikeit] v.
    To dedicate oneself to something means to put a lot of time and effort into it.
    The nun dedicated herself to helping people in need.
  • ditch [ditʃ] n.
    A ditch is a narrow hole cut into the ground by a road or a field.
    When the car slid off of the road, it fell into the ditch.
  • enterprise [ˈentərpraiz] n.
    An enterprise is a company or business.
    My father owns an advertising enterprise.
  • exquisite [iksˈkwizit] adj.
    When something is exquisite, it is very beautiful or pleasant.
    The artist made exquisite watercolor paintings.
  • finance [fiˈnæns] v.
    To finance someone or something means to provide money for them.
    The government financed the scientist’s experiments with new weapons.
  • indifferent [inˈdəfrənt] adj.
    When someone is indifferent toward something, they have a lack of interest in it.
    Lisa is indifferent toward school. She doesn’t care what her final grades are.
  • irrigate [ˈirəgeit] v.
    To irrigate means to supply water to land so that crops can grow.
    In dry climates, it is important to irrigate fields of crops.
  • maximize [ˈmæksəmaiz] v.
    To maximize something is to make it as great in amount, size, or importance.
    You should exercise regularly to maximize a healthy lifestyle.
  • monetary [ˈmanəteri] adj.
    When something is monetary, it relates to money.
    A strong monetary policy is important for a country to be successful.
  • precaution [priˈkɔːʃən] n.
    A precaution is an action that is meant to stop something bad from happening.
    Asa precaution, you should put on a heavy coat before going out in cold weather.
  • preliminary [priˈliməneri] adj.
    Preliminary describes something that happens before a more important event.
    The runners must do well in the preliminary races to qualify for the final race.
  • saturate [ˈsӕtʃəreit] v.
    To saturate something means to completely soak it with a liquid.
    The sponge was saturated with soapy water and dripped all over the floor.
  • simplicity [simˈplisəti] n.
    The simplicity of something is the fact that it is easy to do or understand.
    We were able to find the house thanks to the simplicity of the directions.
  • sow [sou] v.
    To sow seeds means to plant them in the ground.
    He always sows his garden seeds in the springtime.
  • soy [sɔi] n.
    Soy is a food made from soybeans, such as flour or butter.
    Soy can be made into tofu, sauce, and also milk.
  • spade [speid] n.
    A spade is a tool used for digging.
    The gardener used her spade to make a hole for the seed.
  • upcoming [ˈʌpkʌmiŋ] adj.
    When something is upcoming, that means it will happen in the near future.
    The kids were worried about their upcoming exam.
Exercise 1

Choose the answer that best fits the question.

  1. What is a type of enterprise?
    • a. A church
    • b. A sign company
    • c. A textbook
    • d. A date
  2. What kind of person would most people have contempt for?
    • a. A killer
    • b. A student
    • c. A farmer
    • d. A veterinarian
  3. Which of these things would you most likely want to maximize?
    • a. Your foolishness
    • b. Your debt
    • c. Your income
    • d. Your weight
  4. Where would you most likely find a ditch?
    • a. By a road
    • b. In a person’s backyard
    • c. In a tree
    • d. In a classroom
  5. What might a person sow?
    • a. Apple seeds
    • b. Dresses
    • c. Animals
    • d. Cake
Exercise 2

Choose the one that is similar in meaning to the given word.

  1. maximize
    • a. victory
    • b. creation
    • c. thought
    • d. to make great
  2. sow
    • a. to plant
    • b. to fail
    • c. to climb
    • d. to understand
  3. upcoming
    • a. slow
    • b. soon
    • c. uncommon
    • d. ready
  4. exquisite
    • a. sure
    • b. beautiful
    • c. complete
    • d. believable
  5. enterprise
    • a. a car
    • b. a business
    • c. an animal
    • d. a group
  6. ditch
    • a. a ride
    • b. a river
    • c. a channel
    • d. a home
  7. contempt
    • a. praise
    • b. taste
    • c. rating
    • d. no respect
  8. spade
    • a. a fan
    • b. a tool
    • c. a trait
    • d. a fact
  9. irrigate
    • a. to water
    • b. to write
    • c. to find
    • d. to destroy
  10. simplicity
    • a. pride
    • b. faith
    • c. fondness
    • d. easiness
Exercise 3

Write C if the italicized word is used correctly. Write I if the word is used incorrectly.

  1. ______ I think the soy beans would taste better if we cooked them first.
  2. ______ Jim said he would finance their new store fora share of their profits.
  3. ______ We all knew the precaution of our actions would be terrible.
  4. ______ The preliminary whistle blew, meaning the game was over.
  5. ______ It can be difficult to keep track of monetary matters.
  6. ______ The indifferent fan cheered loudly for his favorite team.
  7. ______ The capitalist believed that his efforts would lead to great profits in the future.
  8. ______ The company accountant found an error in the bank statement.
  9. ______ I need to dedicate my house before the winter season.
  10. ______ The rain saturated the ground so much that it was as dry as a stone.
Exercise 4

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

  1. My favorite cake is made using flour from beans.
    ____________
  2. The driver kept both hands on the wheel as a way to prevent something bad.
    ____________
  3. People who keep financial accounts have many important duties in a business.
    ____________
  4. I wish 1 knew the money-related value of my gold collection.
    ____________
  5. The preparation duties before the concert included testing the microphones.
    ____________
  6. The spilled juice completely soaked the small rug on the kitchen floor.
    ____________
  7. Many wealthy companies provided money for the private school.
    ____________
  8. That business person owns companies in many countries around the world.
    ____________
  9. She is lacking interest about what movie we choose to watch.
    ____________
  10. I want to decide to put the time and effort of myself to saving kittens.
    ____________
Answer Key
Exercise 1
  1. b
  2. a
  3. c
  4. a
  5. a
Exercise 2
  1. d
  2. a
  3. b
  4. b
  5. b
  6. c
  7. d
  8. b
  9. a
  10. d
Exercise 3
  1. C
  2. C
  3. I
  4. I
  5. C
  6. I
  7. C
  8. C
  9. I
  10. I
Exercise 4
  1. soy
  2. precaution
  3. Accountants
  4. monetary
  5. preliminary
  6. saturated
  7. financed
  8. capitalist
  9. indifferent
  10. dedicate
Answer Key
Life on the Farm

Bill was an excellent capitalist. He financed a large aviation enterprise that made a lot of money. He knew how to maximize monetary gains in every business deal he made. Bill had one big problem, though. He was unhappy all the time. Bill knew that he had to do something about it, or he would be depressed for the rest of his life.

One day, Bill was in his office when he heard a knock at the door. “Come in!” Bill said loudly.

His accountant, Jane, walked in. Jane said, “Sir, I haven’t seen you smile in a year. What are you so sad about? Your company is doing very well.”

Bill told her, “I’m indifferent about my company’s success. I have contempt toward my job. I just want to do something I enjoy. I’ve always loved growing plants as a hobby. I’m going to quit my job and become a farmer!”

“You’re crazy!” Jane said.

“I don’t think so,” Bill replied. “I want the simplicity of a life on a farm. I’m tired of all this stress. Farming will make me happy.”

The very next day, Bill carried out the preliminary task of buying land and tools. Then he got to work. He sowed many types of seeds. He planted soy, cabbage, carrots, and onions.

“The upcoming summer is going to be very dry,” thought Bill. “I need to irrigate my crops as a precaution, in case it doesn’t rain enough.” He took his spade and dug a ditch down the middle of his farm. “Water from the stream will flow down the ditch and saturate the soil around every plant,” Bill thought.

Bill dedicated himself to farming. After a year, his farm looked exquisite. Most importantly, Bill was happy. He finally had the life he always wanted.

Reading Comprehension

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

  1. _____ Bill could maximize monetary gains in the aviation enterprise that he financed.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ Bill was indifferent about the farm’s success.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ Bill irrigated his crops as a precaution for the upcoming rain in summer.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ Bill dug a ditch with a spade.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ Bill sowed seeds and saturated the soy and cabbage plants.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. What did the accountant say when Bill said he would stop being a capitalist and become a farmer?
    _____________
  2. What did Bill have contempt toward?
    _____________
  3. What was the result of Bill dedicating himself to his exquisite farm?
    _____________
  4. What preliminary task did Bill perform?
    _____________
  5. What simplicity was important for Bill to get rid of his stress?
    _____________
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. T
  2. F / Bill was indifferent about the company’s success.
  3. F / Bill irrigated his crops as a precaution for the upcoming dry summer.
  4. T
  5. F / Bill sowed seeds and planted soy and cabbage.
Part B
  1. “You’re crazy!”
  2. Bill had contempt toward his job.
  3. Bill was happy.
  4. Buying land and tools.
  5. The simplicity of a life on a farm.
Favorite Books

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).

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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).

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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 3: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

Read more

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).

Read more

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).

Read more