Unit 28: The Lord and the Farmers

4000 Essential English Words 6 » Unit 28: The Lord and the Farmers

Word List

adjoining [əˈdʒɔiniŋ] adj.

If something is adjoining, it is next to or joined with a building, or room.

→ I couldn’t sleep because the people in the adjoining room were loud.
allege [əˈledʒ] v.

To allege something is to say that it is true without offering proof.

→ The little girl had alleged that her older brother hid her favorite doll.
arch [ɑːrtʃ] n.

An arch is a curved opening formed under a structure such as a bridge or doorway.

→ The arch of the bridge was not high enough for the tall boat to pass underneath.
assemble [əˈsembəl] v.

To assemble means to get together in one place.

→ The parents assembled to discuss ways to improve their children’s education.
casualty [ˈkæʒjuəlti] n.

A casualty is a person killed or injured in a war or an accident.

→ The only casualty in the car accident was a woman who broke her arm.
erect [iˈrekt] v.

To erect something means to build it.

→ The king erected two towers on the north and south sides of his castle.
foul [faul] adj.

If something is foul, then it is not pleasant or enjoyable.

→ He wouldn’t let his dog drink from the water because it had a foul smell.
hectare [ˈhektɛər] n.

A hectare is a unit of measure equal to 10,000 square meters.

→ His family farm covered many hectares.
heighten [ˈhaitn] v.

To heighten an emotion means to increase the intensity of it.

→ The pleasant music heightened their enjoyment of the wonderful dinner.
hospitality [ˌhɒspiˈtæləti] n.

Hospitality is friendly behavior and entertainment given to guests or strangers.

→ The travelers were amazed at the hospitality given them by the hotel’s staff.
mansion [ˈmænʃən] n.

A mansion is a large and expensive home.

→ The mansion had thirty bedrooms, two kitchens, and a pool.
outnumber [autˈnʌmbər] v.

To outnumber a group means to have a greater number than it.

→ The girls outnumbered the boys at the school by four to one.
overjoyed [ˌouvərˈdʒɔid] adj.

If someone is overjoyed, then they are extremely happy.

→ He was overjoyed by the news of his promotion.
pasture [ˈpæstʃər] n.

A pasture is an area of land covered with grass for animals to use as food.

→ The sheep were taken to a pasture where there was more grass.
petition [piˈtiʃən] n.

A petition is a written request asking an authority to do something.

→ The citizens all signed a petition asking the mayor to repair the sidewalks.
renovate [ˈrenəveit] v.

To renovate a building means to repair it or build new structures on it.

→ The old fire station was renovated into an apartment building.
revise [riˈvaiz] v.

To revise something means to change or update it to make it better.

→ When the editor discovered certain facts were wrong, he revised the book.
slab [slæb] n.

A slab is a large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, metal, or wood.

→ I looked at various slabs of stone to decorate my house.
terrace [ˈterəs] n.

A terrace is an open area that is connected to a house or an apartment.

→ In the afternoons, she liked to sit on the terrace and check her email.
turf [təːrf] n.

Turf is a section of grass and the dirt in which it grows.

→ After the game, the turf looked ragged.

Exercise 1

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

hectare
- a. violence
- b. 10,000m²
- c. temple
- d. caven
terrace
- a. festival
- b. temper
- c. video
- d. patio
casualty
- a. victim
- b. effect
- c. decision
- d. perfume
allege
- a. reverse
- b. accuse
- c. assist
- d. digest
renovate
- a. refer
- b. apply
- c. repair
- d. compute
outnumber
- a. count
- b. share
- c. exceed
- d. borrow
adjoining
- a. talking
- b. reflective
- c. adjacent
- d. absolute
revise
- a. cover
- b. detest
- c. plea
- d. change
arch
- a. color
- b. feeling
- c. gift
- d. curve
petition
- a. request
- b. license
- c. animal
- d. station

Exercise 2

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

pasture
- a. marsh
- b. scream
- c. future
- d. stance
foul
- a. meaningful
- b. dangerous
- c. pleasant
- d. muscular
slab
- a. office
- b. freedom
- c. spit
- d. pebble
assemble
- a. believe
- b. scatter
- c. repeat
- d. obey
overjoyed
- a. stinky
- b. hidden
- c. expensive
- d. miserable
turf
- a. ocean
- b. name
- c. effort
- d. sport
erect
- a. approve
- b. destroy
- c. donate
- d. contain
heighten
- a. balance
- b. pretend
- c. elect
- d. reduce
mansion
- a. pencil
- b. shack
- c. female
- d. blouse
hospitality
- a. medicine
- b. style
- c. unfriendliness
- d. silence

Exercise 3

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

______ Once the weather was renovated, the day was warm and sunny.N ow, we were all able to go on a picnic in the park.
______ The scientists worked all day in then slab. They were inventing a new plastic that would not melt under the extreme heat of the sun.
______ The amount of cows outnumbered the pigs. There were more pigs than cows.
______ Why don’t you connect those two large blue arches, so that you can form a giant square?
______ The worse casualty from the earthquake was a woman who broke a leg.
______ The two enemies erected a wall between their properties. They had hoped that it would reduce any future arguments.
______ Whenever Doug was in a foul mood, everyone enjoyed being around him.
______ The glass was filled with a hectare of water.
______ This is the kitchen, and the adjoining room is the dining room.
______ The visit lacked in hospitality. There was nothing to eat and nowhere to sit.
______ You can stay in the house tonight, but your dog has to sleep outside in the mansion.
______ William alleged all the way home. As a result, he was out of breath and sweaty by the time he got there.
______ The grandmother was overjoyed to see her grandchildren. She couldn’t stop smiling when she saw their lovely faces.
______ This room here is the pasture. It’s where we keep all our old furniture.
______ The manager read his employees’ petition. They wanted a longer lunch break.

Answer Key

Exercise 1

b
d
a
b
c
c
c
d
d
a

Exercise 2

a
c
d
b
d
a
b
d
b
c

Exercise 3

I
I
I
I
C
C
I
I
C
C
I
I
C
I
C

Answer Key

The Lord and the Farmers

A wealthy lord was renovating his mansion. He had added another story to his home with large windows that overlooked the farmers’ pastures on the eastern border of his land. Around the mansion, he then erected a great wall. He built an arch for the gate out of huge slabs of stone. The lord was overjoyed with the addition to his home.

However, one day while he was sitting on the terrace, some farmers knocked at his door. He invited them in. Despite his hospitality, the farmers appeared to be in a foul mood.

“Why are you so upset?” the lord asked.

One farmer replied, “That is actually the reason for our visit.” He then handed the lord a petition. It alleged that the shadow cast by the mansion was harming their pastures. “Your mansion now casts a shadow over several hectares of our land,” the farmer explained. “The turf in the shadow has died, and our cattle now have less grass to eat.”

“ It is too late for me to revise my plans,” the lord answered. “You will just have to live with the change.”

His reply only heightened the farmers’ anger. They left, but they assembled that night outside the mansion’s gate. They planned to destroy the mansion. The lord’s servants tried to defend the house, but the farmers outnumbered them.

The servants fled, and the farmers rushed into the mansion and set it on fire. Everyone got out of the house, and there were no casualties. However, the fire soon spread from the house to the adjoining pastures that belonged to the farmers.

Both sides’ properties were destroyed. The lord and the farmers were sorry for their actions. The lord promised to pay for the burned pastures, and the farmers promised to rebuild the mansion. They had learned that when you fight, both sides lose.

Reading Comprehension

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

_____ The farmers that assembled outnumbered the lord’s servants.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ Despite the lord’s hospitality, the farmers appeared to be overjoyed.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ The lord built an arch for the gate out of slabs of stone.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ When the lord said it was too late to revise his plans, it heightened the farmers’ foul mood.
- _____________________________________________________
_____ The pastures were owned by the lord.
- _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

What did the farmers’ petition allege?
_____________
While renovating, what did the lord erect around his mansion?
_____________
What happened to the pastures adjoining the burning mansion?
_____________
Why were there no casualties in the fire at the mansion?
_____________
While he was sitting on the terrace, who knocked on the mansion door?
_____________

Answer Key

Reading Comprehension

Part A

T
F / Despite the lord’s hospitality, the farmers appeared to be in a foul mood.
T
T
F / The pastures were owned by the farmers.

Part B

It alleged that the shadow cast by the mansion was harming their pastures.
He erected a great wall.
The pastures adjoining the burning mansion also burned.
There no casualties in the fire at the mansion because everyone got out of the house.
While he was sitting on the terrace, some farmers knocked at his door.

Favorite Books

4000 Essential English Words 1

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).

4000 Essential English Words 2

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).

4000 Essential English Words 3

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).

4000 Essential English Words 4

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).

4000 Essential English Words 5

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).

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