4000 Essential English Words 5 » Unit 28: The Lottery

Word List
  • aquarium [əˈkwɛəriəm] n.
    An aquarium is a building where fish and underwater animals are kept.
    → We took a trip to the aquarium and saw a scary shark.
  • arbitrary [ˈɑːrbitreri] adj.
    If something is arbitrary, it is not based on any plan or system, so it seems random.
    → The classroom had many arbitrary rules that made me confused.
  • autobiography [ˌɔːtəbaiˈɒgrəfi] n.
    An autobiography is a true story of a person’s life written by that person.
    → I read an autobiography about my favorite entertainer.
  • convention [kənˈvenʃən] n.
    A convention is behavior that is considered to be common or polite.
    → In the US, a popular convention is to shake hands when you meet someone.
  • gracious [ˈgreiʃəs] adj.
    If someone is gracious, then they are kind and helpful to those who need it.
    → The operator was gracious enough to help me find his number.
  • improve [imˈpruːv] v.
    To improve something means to make it better.
    → He studied hard to improve his test scores from the previous year.
  • insulate [ˈinsəleit] v.
    To insulate something means to protect it from heat, cold, or noise.
    → People can conserve energy by insulating their houses.
  • intrigue [inˈtriːg] v.
    To intrigue means to cause an interest in something or someone.
    → Her mysterious past intrigued her new friend.
  • longevity [lɒnˈdʒevəti] n.
    Longevity is the ability to live for a long time.
    → Sea turtles have an amazing longevity.
  • misplace [misˈpleis] v.
    To misplace something means to lose it.
    → I misplaced my wallet, and I didn’t find it until a week later.
  • naughty [ˈnɔːti] adj.
    When children are naughty, they behave badly or do not do what they are told.
    → The boy had to go to his room because he was being naughty.
  • norm [nɔːrm] n.
    A norm is a way of behaving that is considered normal in a particular society.
    → Wearing a heavy coat all summer is not considered a norm in the desert.
  • orangutan [ɔ:ˈræŋuˈtæn] n.
    An orangutan is a large ape with red and brown hair and long arms.
    → Orangutans use their long arms to swing from trees.
  • overload [ˌouvərˈloud] v.
    To overload something means to put more things into it than it is meant to hold.
    → If you overload the truck, it might crash.
  • philanthropy [fiˈlænθrəpi] n.
    Philanthropy is the act of helping others, without wanting anything in return.
    → The wealthy business owner is well known for his acts of philanthropy.
  • probe [proub] v.
    To probe into something means to ask questions to discover facts about it.
    → The bank probed into his financial history to see if he qualified for a loan.
  • recipient [riˈsipiənt] n.
    A recipient of something is the person who receives it.
    → I was the recipient of four phone calls today.
  • reptile [ˈreptail] n.
    A reptile is a cold-blooded animal that lays eggs and has skin covered with scales.
    → Lizards are my favorite type of reptile.
  • thrive [θraiv] v.
    To thrive means to do well and be successful, healthy, or strong.
    → He may be an old man, but he continues to thrive.
  • ultimate [ˈʌltəmit] adj.
    When something is ultimate, it is the final result or aim of a long series of events.
    → By trying hard in school, I will reach my ultimate goal of becoming a doctor.
Exercise 1

Choose the answer that best fits the question.

  1. What would you find at an aquarium?
    • a. A blanket
    • b. A squid
    • c. A cow
    • d. A coyote
  2. What can you do to improve your grades?
    • a. Copy them
    • b. Study more
    • c. Miss class
    • d. Get less sleep
  3. What is the ultimate result of going to college?
    • a. Signing up for classes
    • b. Taking many tests
    • c. Getting a degree
    • d. Dating
  4. What happens if you insulate a house in the winter?
    • a. Cold air stays outside.
    • b. Fires cannot be lit.
    • c. You can never get outside.
    • d. It will float.
  5. Who would most likely publish an autobiography?
    • a. An important person
    • b. A five-year-old
    • c. A shy teenager
    • d. A dead person
Exercise 2

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

  1. recipient
    • a. an attempt
    • b. a giver
    • c. a friend
    • d. a follower
  2. misplace
    • a. to try
    • b. to help
    • c. to find
    • d. to declare
  3. naughty
    • a. wanting more
    • b. over
    • c. lacking
    • d. behaving well
  4. longevity
    • a. short life
    • b. plans
    • c. answers
    • d. tallness
  5. thrive
    • a. to create
    • b. to do bad
    • c. to agree
    • d. to move around
  6. gracious
    • a. mean
    • b. silly
    • c. kind
    • d. smart
  7. norm
    • a. abnormal
    • b. common
    • c. everyday
    • d. average
  8. intrigue
    • a. to excite
    • b. to bore
    • c. to reassure
    • d. to trust
  9. arbitrary
    • a. accidental
    • b. solar
    • c. random
    • d. planned
  10. probe
    • a. to touch
    • b. to open
    • c. to ignore
    • d. to build
Exercise 3

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

  1. ______ Make sure to misplace your money so that you will always have it.
  2. ______ The orangutans at the zoo swung so gracefully from the trees.
  3. ______ The tigers in the aquarium loved to run and play.
  4. ______ The greedy man loved philanthropy. He never offered to help anybody.
  5. ______ The box broke when he overloaded it with books.
  6. ______ The mechanics of computers intrigue me.
  7. ______ The longevity of the rat was fifty centimeters.
  8. ______ Plants will thrive if they are not given any water.
  9. ______ The naughty girl always obeyed her mother.
  10. ______ The ultimate result of the game was a win for the home team.
  11. ______ Some people play the lottery in hopes that they will improve their lives.
  12. ______ Paying for gasoline before pumping it is a norm.
  13. ______ I probed the audience because I didn’t want to hear what they had to say.
  14. ______ Waiting your turn in line is a social convention.
  15. ______ My dog is a great reptile.
  16. ______ I insulated my room with blankets to keep the loud noises out.
  17. ______ She was the recipient of the grand prize.
  18. ______ Someday, I will write my father’s autobiography.
  19. ______ I don’t want to play with you anymore. You make up arbitrary rules as we play.
  20. ______ The store clerk was so gracious. He helped me find everything I was looking for.
Answer Key
Exercise 1
  1. b
  2. b
  3. c
  4. a
  5. a
Exercise 2
  1. b
  2. c
  3. d
  4. a
  5. b
  6. a
  7. a
  8. b
  9. d
  10. c
Exercise 3
  1. I
  2. C
  3. I
  4. I
  5. C
  6. C
  7. I
  8. I
  9. I
  10. C
  11. C
  12. C
  13. I
  14. C
  15. I
  16. C
  17. C
  18. I
  19. C
  20. C
Answer Key
The Lottery

Joe was watching television when he heard a knock at the door. He thought, “Who could that be? It’s probably one of the naughty neighborhood children.” Joe stood up and walked to the door. When he opened it, he saw a beautiful woman.

She said, “Good morning, Joe! I have great news. You’re the recipient of this check for one million dollars! You won the lottery!”

Joe couldn’t believe it. His mind was overloaded with emotions. Joe said, “Thankyou! Thank you!”

After he calmed down, Joe made a photocopy of the check in case he misplaced the original one. He sat and thought about what he wanted to do with the money. He didn’t want to spend it in an arbitrary way. Joe thought, “I know there are others who need this money more than I do. I’ve always loved animals, so I think I’ll buy things for the zoo!”

Joe knew that the zoo was in bad shape. The cages were too small, and they weren’t insulated from the cold. Animals couldn’t thrive in such conditions.

He took out some stationery and wrote a letter to the zoo. He offered to help the zoo buy huge cages for the large mammals and reptiles. He offered to buy healthy food for the orangutans to increase their longevity. He even said that he would buy new glass walls for the aquarium because the old ones were cracked.

Joe’s act of philanthropy intrigued the zookeeper. He probed Joe to learn why he spent his money to improve the zoo. It wasn’t a social convention for a person to be so gracious.

Joe told the zookeeper, “I know it’s not the norm, but my ultimate decision to help I these animals is better than anything I could have done for myself. If I ever write an autobiography, I will write that this was the happiest day of my life.”

Reading Comprehension

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

  1. _____ Joe was the recipient of a check because he won the lottery.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ He wanted to buy new glass walls for the aquarium because the old ones were cracked.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ If Joe wrote an autobiography, he would write about the norms of the overloaded aquarium.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ Joe made a photocopy of the check in case he misplaced the original one.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ When Joe opened the door, he saw one of the naughty neighborhood children.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. What did Joe think the naughty children were doing to him?
    _____________
  2. Why did Joe take out stationery?
    _____________
  3. What did Joe improve to help the orangutans increase their longevity?
    _____________
  4. What was the purpose of the zookeeper wanting to probe Joe with questions?
    _____________
  5. If Joe were to write an autobiography, how would he describe this day?
    _____________
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. T
  2. T
  3. F / If Joe wrote an autobiography, he would write that this was the happiest day of his life.
  4. T
  5. F / When he opened the door, he saw a beautiful woman.
Part B
  1. Joe thought the naughty neighborhood children were playing a trick on him.
  2. He took out some stationery to write a letter to the zoo.
  3. He bought healthy food for them.
  4. He probed Joe to learn why he spent his money on the zoo instead of on himself.
  5. He would describe this day as the happiest day of his life.
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