vocabulary exercises

1. Vocabulary List 1:
Challenge - noun; something requiring effort
Challenger - noun
Challenge - verb
Challenging – adjective
 Itcan be a challenge to drivein Minnesota in the winter.
 It’s a challenge to explain a problem in another language.
 What are somechallenges people face when they move to another
country?
Antonym – easy task
Dependent –adj; relying on
Depend - verb
Dependable - adj
Dependably –adv
 Babies are dependent on their mothers for everything.
 You need a car you can depend on in Minnesota in the winter.
 It’s good not to be dependent on drugs or alcohol.
Antonym: Independent
Preference –noun; choice
Prefer – verb
 I prefer spring to winter.
 For vacations, I prefer to go to new places that I haven’t seen yet.
 What do you prefer to do in your free time?
 Antonym – dislike, having no preference

2. Peculiar – adj; unusual, weird
Peculiarity – noun
 Putting mustard on pancakes is peculiar.
 Living all alone, without friends and not talking to people is peculiar.
 What did you think was peculiar whenyou first came to this country?
Antonym – usual, normal
Fertile –adj; able to produce
Fertilization – noun
Fertilize – verb
 When all your plants grow well and producea lot of vegetables, your soil is
fertile.
 A fertile brain is one that comes up with many ideas.
 In the spring, many people fertilize their lawns to make them very green.
Antonym – infertile, not able to produce
Definitions
1. ______________________ Producing or able to producemuch fruit, large
crops or many children.
2. ______________________ Relying on others for aid or support
3. ______________________ Odd; strange
4. ______________________ A test of one’s abilities; anything that involves a
special effort
5. ______________________ A choice; first choice; something preferred
Fill inthe Blank
1. If land is always planted with the same crop, it becomes less
_____________. Changing crops fromyear to year keeps the soil rich.
2. Although Lee’s ______________________ is for a daytime job, he will work
at night if it is necessary.

3. 3. I can’t imagine what that ________________ odor is from It’s likea mixture
of burning tires and freshly cut grass.
4. Baby-sitting a lot of 2-year-olds isn’teasy; it’s a ____________________.
5. Sometimes Estella felt like giving up, but she knew she couldn’tbecause she
had three young children and an elderly mother who were
____________________ on her.
Complete the Sentences
1. A boy who is too dependent on his friends…
a. pays little attention to them.
b. is too bossy with them.
c. won’tdo any activities without them.
2. We knew for sureour dog was fertile when she…
a. bit the mail carrier.
b. did very well in training class.
c. had puppies.
3. Most people would think it was peculiar if a teacher
a. gave tests to students.
b. dropped a pen on the floor.
c. came into class drunk.
4. Paula’s preference is for Pepsi, so she…
a. only drinks Coca-Cola
b. asks for it at restaurants
c. never chooses it
5. The weightlifter liked the challenge of…
a. trying to beat her own lifting record.
b. opening a bottle of ketchup.
c. going to work on time.
Why/what/when/where/whoor how
1. Why do people like to take challenges in their lives?
2. Give an example of when you have been too dependent on someone else.
3. What kind of land is very fertile?

4. 4. What is something peculiar that Americans do?
5. What do you prefer to do on your vacation?
Antonymor Synonym
1. dependent do by yourself Ant Syn
2. fertile barren Ant Syn
3. peculiar strange Ant Syn
4. preference liking Ant Syn
5. challenge easy Ant Syn