4000 Essential English Words 6 » Unit 22: The Editor’s Choice

Word List
  • coward [ˈkauərd] n.
    A coward is a person who lacks courage to do risky or dangerous things.
    → A firefighter cannot be a coward. They have to be able to act quickly.
  • delete [diˈliːt] v.
    To delete something means to remove or erase written material.
    → Several lines had been deleted from her speech.
  • firsthand [ˌfəːrstˈhænd] adj.
    If something is firsthand, then it is from an original source.
    → If you want firsthand knowledge, ask someone who saw it.
  • earnest [ˈəːrnist] adj.
    If someone is earnest, then they are honest.
    → The child was very earnest when she told her mother how she broke the dish.
  • ethnic [ˈeθnik] adj.
    If something is ethnic, then it is related to a group with a similar culture.
    → Many sections of the city are home to different ethnic communities.
  • exclude [iksˈkluːd] v.
    To exclude someone means to not accept them into a group.
    → Carol was excluded from the contest because her friend was a judge.
  • fluent [ˈfluːənt] adj.
    If someone is fluent in a language, then they are able to speak it very well.
    → She was so fluent in German that you’d have thought she was from Germany.
  • imperial [imˈpiəriəl] adj.
    If something is imperial, then it is of, or related to an empire.
    → These old imperial coins were once used in the Roman Empire.
  • inclusive [inˈkluːsiv] adj.
    If something is inclusive, then it is open to all groups and people in society.
    → A more inclusive event would have allowed children to attend.
  • legislature [ˈledʒisleitʃə:r] n.
    A legislature is the section of a government that makes laws.
    → The senator had served ten years in the national legislature.
  • linguistic [liŋˈgwistik] adj.
    If something is linguistic, then it is concerned with language.
    → A linguistic way of studying culture focuses on words within that culture.
  • monolingual [ˌmɒnəˈliŋgwəl] adj.
    If someone is monolingual, then they speak only one language.
    → In today’s global economy, being monolingual limits your opportunities.
  • nationality [ˌnæʃəˈnæləti] n.
    Nationality is an identity based on the nation from which you come.
    → His nationality is German, but he speaks French, Spanish, and Korean.
  • patriot [ˈpeitriət] n.
    A patriot is someone who loves, supports, and defends their country.
    → Every year young patriots join their countries’ militaries.
  • prosecute [ˈprɒsəkjuːt] v.
    To prosecute someone means to take legal action against them.
    → They were prosecuted for fishing in the river without a permit.
  • racial [ˈreiʃəl] adj.
    If something is racial, then it is related to a race or races.
    → The differences between racial groups are physical characteristics and culture.
  • solemn [ˈsɒləm] adj.
    If something is solemn, then it is serious and honest.
    → The professor preferred a solemn relationship between him and his students.
  • solidarity [ˌsɒləˈdærəti] n.
    Solidarity is a union formed from common responsibilities or interests.
    → All the citizens came together in a show of solidarity to create change.
  • tact [tækt] n.
    Tact is the ability to avoid offending people when dealing with problems.
    → Since both sides would not agree, it required someone with tact to make peace.
  • undermine [ˌʌndərˈmain] v.
    To undermine someone means to betray or weaken their efforts or authority.
    → The documents helped to undermine the workers’ trust in their bosses’ honesty.
Exercise 1

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

  1. No matter how much she begged, the older girls still did not accept Suzy.
    ____________
  2. Language based approaches are the best way to learn about a culture.
    ____________
  3. Constant changes were weakening the project’s chances of being finished on time.
    ____________
  4. The boy made a serious and honest promise to his parents that he would never again cheat.
    ____________
  5. The movie director gave the actors and actresses a personal and original view of the newly completed movie.
    ____________
  6. Everyone knew that Luke studied Chinese. But no one knew he was able to speak it very well.
    ____________
  7. The teacher was waiting for one of the students to be honest about what had happened on the playground.
    ____________
  8. The Internet has made talking to people everywhere very natural. As a result, having a sense of common support for your ideas is easy.
    ____________
  9. Though he looked Greek, his identity based on the country he came from was Mexican.
    ____________
  10. Today, no one lives in the old royal palace. Instead, it’s part of the university.
    ____________
Exercise 2

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

  1. ______ Peter is so earnest. He made more money than anyone I know.
  2. ______ If you like ethnic foods, then you like foods from other cultures.
  3. ______ Though it’s the same language, there are linguistic differences between the two areas.
  4. ______ The patriot is an amazing bird. It can repeat anything you tell it.
  5. ______ If you want someone to care for your cattle, you should call a coward.
  6. ______ The boy said that the test was unfair, and his classmates showed solidarity and agreed.
  7. ______ The king said the princes had undermined his authority when they issued new orders.
  8. ______ We deleted all the words that were spelled wrong.
  9. ______ “ I’m sorry you can’t eat here. This restaurant is inclusive.”
  10. ______ The road going to the farmhouse is monolingual, so watch cars coming your way.
  11. ______ He had seen the battle firsthand in old movies.
  12. ______ If someone goes to court, then they are judged by the legislature.
  13. ______ This city’s history is important. It was once the imperial capital.
  14. ______ His friends had left him alone in the library, but he didn’t mind being solemn.
  15. ______ The criminals were prosecuted for the crimes they had committed.
  16. ______ That college excludes anyone who has low test scores.
  17. ______ Many people wonder about her nationality. However, he knows where she’s from.
  18. ______ The mothers covered their children’s heads because the rain was so fluent.
  19. ______ I liked all the cars, but I bought the racial car because it was the fastest.
  20. ______ His method had a lot of tact. Soon, everyone agreed with his point of view.
Answer Key
Exercise 1
  1. excluded
  2. Linguistic
  3. undermining
  4. solemn
  5. firsthand
  6. fluent
  7. earnest
  8. solidarity
  9. nationality
  10. imperial
Exercise 2
  1. I
  2. C
  3. C
  4. I
  5. I
  6. C
  7. C
  8. C
  9. I
  10. I
  11. I
  12. I
  13. C
  14. I
  15. C
  16. C
  17. C
  18. I
  19. I
  20. C
Answer Key
The Editor’s Choice

A newspaper editor sat at his desk and stared at the flashing cursor on his computer’s screen. He didn’t know if he should delete the article he had just written or go ahead and publish it. He was scared and filled with doubt.

The empire had passed a new law stating that citizens could only use the imperial language. The editor disagreed with the law and decided to write an article about why it was wrong. He felt that the new law excluded people of different nationalities and racial and ethnic backgrounds. He had firsthand knowledge of what it feels like not to be fluent in the imperial language because he was from a remote part of the empire.

He felt that the empire shouldn’t be monolingual and should be more inclusive. Yet he was afraid that he would get in trouble for having this belief. Many would say that he was not a patriot—that he didn’t love the empire. But he didn’t wish to undermine the authority of the empire. He wanted to argue that the empire could be stronger if it accepted people of various cultures and beliefs.

At last, he decided to stop being a coward and to be earnest about how he felt. He wrote the article. It wasn’t rude or angry, but rather, very solemn and intelligent. The next day it was published in all the papers.

Everyone was impressed by his tact and showed solidarity with his ideas. He expected to be arrested any day, but the police never came. Surprisingly, instead of being prosecuted, he became a hero. The legislature changed the law, and people from many linguistic backgrounds praised him.

"Never be afraid to be vocal," the editor later wrote. "If you think something is wrong, then stand up for what you believe."

Reading Comprehension

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

  1. _____ The editor felt the imperial law excluded people of different nationalities and racial and ethnic backgrounds.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ The legislature prosecuted the editor for undermining the authority of the empire.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ The editor was not fluent in the empire’s language.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ Everyone was impressed by the editor’s tact and showed solidarity with his ideas.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ The article wasn’t solemn and intelligent, but rather rude and angry.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. Where was the editor sitting when the cursor was ready to delete his article?
    _____________
  2. After the editor decided not to be a coward but be earnest, what did he do?
    _____________
  3. If the empire accepted other languages, what did the editor think would happen?
    _____________
  4. Why was the editor afraid to say that the empire should be more inclusive?
    _____________
  5. What did the editor write about being vocal?
    _____________
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. T
  2. F / The legislature changed the law.
  3. T
  4. T
  5. F / The article wasn't rude or angry, but rather, solemn and intelligent.
Part B
  1. The editor was sitting at his desk when the cursor was ready to delete his article.
  2. After the editor decided not to be a coward but be earnest, he wrote the article.
  3. The empire would be stronger.
  4. He was afraid that he would get in trouble for having this belief.
  5. The editor wrote, “Don't be afraid to be vocal.”
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