Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 43 - Day 3

Word List
  • largess [lär´ jis]
    gift, gratuity*, liberality
    → “A largess universal like the sun, His liberal eye doth give to every one.” William Shakespeare, Henry IV
  • criterion [krī tir´ ē ən]
    model, standard, test
    → “This new product is useful, but the major criterion is its safety.” Car and Travel, 10/99
  • repent [ri pent´]
    regret, desire to make amends
    → “At his court martial, the officer admitted to the charges and repented.” “General Demoted,” Washington Post, 9/2/99
  • mollify [mol´ ə fī]
    pacify, appease
    → “The mayor attempted to mollify his critics by pointing to the increased safety in the city.” New York Daily News, 8/15/99
  • mercenary [mėr´ sə ner´ ē]
    motivated* by desire for gain, greedy
    → “We all like money . . . but Dickens surpassed most in a mercenary approach to his writings.” G. K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens

Why is there any question about the propriety* of hiring the physically handicapped? No one who understands their needs can condone* this attitude. The offering of employment should not be considered a largess. There should be no need to vindicate* the hiring of a handicapped person. The only criterion should be what he is capable of doing. If this is the approach, the handicapped worker will not feel he is an encumbrance* to his boss. The employer, on the other hand, will find it conducive* to good work and will not repent his having tried something new just to mollify his conscience. Even for the most mercenary employer, there should be no reticence* in eliciting* the best that is possible from the handicapped worker.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in these sentences.

  1. He felt it would be ignominious* for him to accept any __________ from the charlatan* whose Machiavellian* schemes had made him affluent.*
  2. Behind the façade* of ostensible* benevolence* there was a __________ streak.
  3. The platitude, “I know what I like,” is often used to rationalize* our lack of a __________ for things about which we are dubious.*
  4. When Mother is in a pique* about some infraction* of a rule, it takes all of our dexterity* to __________ her.
  5. After every election we __________, in a belated* criticism, the apathy* and complacency* of so many people who failed to vote.

Definitions Match the new words with their definitions.

  1. a. gift, gratuity*, liberality
  2. b. model, standard, test
  3. c. motivated* by desire for gain, greedy
  4. d. pacify, appease
  5. e. regret, desire to make amends
  1. largess __________
  2. criterion __________
  3. repent __________
  4. mollify __________
  5. mercenary (adj.) __________

Answer Key
a bolt from the blue—a great surprise
The windfall* from his distant cousin came like a bolt from the blue.

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