4000 Essential English Words 6 » Unit 18: The Nurse’s Lesson

Word List
  • beforehand [biˈfɔːrhænd] adv.
    If something is done beforehand, then it is done in advance.
    He packed his luggage beforehand, so he was able to leave right away.
  • centigrade [ˈsentəgreid] n.
    If a temperature is centigrade, it is scaled, so water freezes at 0° and boils at 100°.
    During the spring time, the temperature gets as warm as 26 degrees centigrade.
  • chatter [ˈtʃætər] v.
    To chatter means to talk quickly about unimportant things.
    The children chattered in the back of the classroom.
  • concerto [kənˈtʃərtou] n.
    A concerto is music for a solo instrument and played with an orchestra.
    The piano concerto has a section in which only the piano plays.
  • condense [kənˈdens] v.
    To condense a gas means to make it a liquid.
    The cool air made tiny drops of water condense on the tops of the grass.
  • cove [kouv] n.
    A cove is a part of land where it curves inward around the sea.
    They hid the boat in a small cove on the south side of the island.
  • deteriorate [diˈtiəriəreit] v.
    To deteriorate means to become steadily worse.
    The nation’s economy continued to deteriorate despite the politicians’ efforts.
  • exterior [iksˈtiəriər] n.
    An exterior is the outside surface of something.
    The exterior of the nut was hard and woody, but the inside was soft and delicious.
  • freeway [ˈfriːwei] n.
    A freeway is a road with no stops where cars travel at high speeds.
    Once you get on the freeway, it only takes an hour to drive to my parent’s farm.
  • hearty [ˈhɑːrti] adj.
    If someone or something is hearty, then they are loud and happy.
    The grandmother ended her story with a hearty laugh that pleased her grandchild.
  • hospitable [hɒsˈpitəbəl] adj.
    If someone is hospitable, they are friendly to strangers.
    At dinner, Dad was very hospitable to my friends.
  • manor [ˈmænə:r] n.
    A manor is a large house with many rooms.
    The manor had over forty rooms in addition to beautiful gardens.
  • monastery [ˈmɒnəsteri] n.
    A monastery is a building in which monks live.
    The monks at this monastery are famous for their bread and music.
  • nursery [ˈnəːrsəri] n.
    A nursery is a room where babies and children sleep, play, or are cared for.
    The children kissed their parents goodnight and went upstairs to the nursery.
  • outstretched [ˈautstretʃt] adj.
    If something is outstretched, then it is extended to its full length.
    The cat stood on its back legs with its front legs outstretched.
  • parcel [ˈpɑːrsəl] n.
    A parcel is a package of things to be carried or mailed somewhere.
    The parcel looked like it had been stepped on by someone.
  • profile [ˈproufail] n.
    A profile is an outline of a face, usually as seen from the side.
    The drawing of Olivia’s profile came out very well.
  • vivacious [viˈveiʃəs] adj.
    If someone is vivacious, they are talkative and cheerful.
    Everyone at the party was very vivacious and having a good time.
  • winding [ˈwaindiŋ] adj.
    If something is winding, then it follows a twisting course.
    The winding river turned and looped around the bases of the hills.
  • zip [zip] v.
    To zip something means to close it with a zipper.
    She zipped her backpack closed after putting her books inside it.
Exercise 1

Choose the answer that best fits the question.

  1. Who is someone that would most likely be hospitable?
    • a. An enemy
    • b. A host
    • c. A singer
    • d. A gangster
  2. At what temperature centigrade does water freeze?
    • a. 0 degrees
    • b. 32 degrees
    • c. 100 degrees
    • d. 132 degrees
  3. If the mist from fog condensed, what would happen to the ground?
    • a. It would be wet.
    • b. It would be dry.
    • c. It would be sandy.
    • d. It would be snowy.
  4. If you are going on a trip, which is something you should do beforehand?
    • a. Exercise
    • b. Take a walk
    • c. Throw a party
    • d. Pack clothes
  5. Who of the following would most likely perform a concerto?
    • a. A musician
    • b. A pilot
    • c. A swimmer
    • d. A superhero
Exercise 2

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

  1. monastery
    • a. stairs
    • b. currency
    • c. abbey
    • d. frown
  2. winding
    • a. spiral
    • b. stormy
    • c. broken
    • d. tiny
  3. cove
    • a. tomb
    • b. oven
    • c. term
    • d. bay
  4. freeway
    • a. road
    • b. path
    • c. slow
    • d. farther
  5. manor
    • a. polite
    • b. hut
    • c. large home
    • d. field
  6. parcel
    • a. landscape
    • b. package
    • c. battery
    • d. moisture
  7. nursery
    • a. auditorium
    • b. nurse’s lounge
    • c. hospital
    • d. infant’s center
  8. vivacious
    • a. angry
    • b. quiet
    • c. cheerful
    • d. tired
  9. exterior
    • a. priest
    • b. region
    • c. bridge
    • d. outside
  10. zip
    • a. close
    • b. toss
    • c. join
    • d. walk
Exercise 3

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

  1. They didn’t want to get covered with sand, so they relaxed on an extended blanket.
    ____________
  2. The boys were talking quickly about what they were going to do that weekend.
    ____________
  3. It’s easy to go past the exit when you’re driving on the road where cars drive fast.
    ____________
  4. This building used to be a house where monks lived, but now it’s used as a museum.
    ____________
  5. The twisting path that went through the mountains was beautiful to hike in the spring.
    ____________
  6. The photograph showed one side of the man’s face.
    ____________
  7. Their chances of escaping the room became worse as the water level continued to rise.
    ____________
  8. The outside surface of the car looked bad, but the inside still looked new.
    ____________
  9. Lisa is a very loud and happy person.
    ____________
  10. I’ll remember her forever. I had never before met such a cheerful, talkative person.
    ____________
Answer Key
Exercise 1
  1. b
  2. a
  3. a
  4. d
  5. a
Exercise 2
  1. c
  2. a
  3. d
  4. a
  5. c
  6. b
  7. d
  8. c
  9. d
  10. a
Exercise 3
  1. outstretched
  2. chattering
  3. freeway
  4. monastery
  5. winding
  6. profile
  7. deteriorated
  8. exterior
  9. hearty
  10. vivacious
Answer Key
The Nurse’s Lesson

One of the children in the nursery was sick. The child’s mother, who was usually quite vivacious and chattered constantly, was quiet and worried. She knew that if she did not act quickly, the child’s condition would deteriorate.

She summoned the children’s nurse and said to her, “The monks make a medicine that can cure my child’s sickness. Please, hurry tonight to the monastery and get it.”

The nurse immediately hurried from the manor to get the medicine. The monastery was far away by Rabbit Cove, and there was no freeway leading to it. The only way there was to walk along a dark and winding trail.

The temperature was close to zero degrees centigrade, and it was raining. Luckily, the nurse had grabbed her raincoat beforehand. She zipped it up and pulled the hood over her head.

“ I’ll never make it there,” she thought. “ Perhaps I should return and go in the morning.” But she remembered the sick child and decided to continue.

Finally, she arrived at the monastery. It was very late. She feared the monks would not be hospitable. But she approached the door and knocked anyway. The rain had condensed on the exterior of the windows by the door. All she could see was the profile of a large man coming to answer the door. Again, she was filled with fear.

But the monk smiled at her when he opened the door. He took her outstretched hand and welcomed her with a hearty voice. The place was warm, and she heard a concerto playing in another room. She relaxed.

“ How can I help you?” the monk asked, and the nurse explained the situation.

He instantly knew what to do. He grabbed a parcel of medicine and took her back to the manor in a carriage. The medicine worked. The nurse was happy she had persevered through the bad weather and found the monastery. Now the boy would be able to live a long natural 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 nurse was usually a vivacious woman who constantly chattered.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ The nursery was far from the freeway that was near Rabbit Cove.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ When it started to deteriorate, the nurse zipped up the jacket she had brought beforehand.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ The temperature was close to zero degrees centigrade.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ When the nurse heard a concerto playing in another room, she became hospitable.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. Where did the dark and winding trail lead?
    _____________
  2. Who took the nurse’s outstretched hand and welcomed her with a hearty voice?
    _____________
  3. How did the nurse feel when she saw the profile of a man coming to answer the door?
    _____________
  4. What had condensed on the exterior of the monastery’s windows?
    _____________
  5. What was in the parcel that the nurse took back to the manor?
    _____________
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. F / The child's mother was usually a vivacious woman who constantly chattered.
  2. F / The monastery was far from the freeway that was near Rabbit Cove.
  3. F / When it started to rain, the nurse zipped up her jacket.
  4. T
  5. F / When the nurse heard a concerto playing in another room, she relaxed.
Part B
  1. The dark and winding trail went to the monastery.
  2. The monk took the nurse's outstretched hand and welcomed her with a hearty voice.
  3. When she saw the profile of a man coming to answer the door, the nurse was filled with fear.
  4. Rain had condensed on the exterior of the monastery's windows.
  5. Medicine was in the parcel that the nurse took back to the manor.
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).

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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 4: 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 5: 600 words (Unit 1 - Unit 30).

Read more