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absolute:  100 percent, complete
No teacher has absolute control over her students.
He pushed his body to the absolute limit to win the race.

awesome: excellent, outstanding
That movie was awesome; I think I’ll go see it again.
The view from the top of the mountain was awesome.

desperate:  having an urgent need
She was desperate to find a summer job before school ended.
The fireman gave a desperate attempt to save the life of the child.

firm:  solid, unchanging
He had a firm belief that people would help when asked.
The seller was firm in his asking price.

illegal:  against the law
It’s illegal to smoke in any public building in Canada.
Gambling is illegal in that country.

nutritious:  having good food value, healthy
They always start their day with a nutritious breakfast.
Junk food is not very nutritious.

patriotic:  loyal to your country
The soldier feels a patriotic sense of duty.
They played patriotic music at his funeral.

romantic:  very loving, passionate
They had a romantic dinner by candlelight.
On a summer’s evening you can see many romantic couples walking hand in hand.

sore:  hurting a little
His legs were sore after a long hike in the mountains.
Lemon tea is a good cure for a sore throat.

thrifty:  not wasting money
Both she and her sister are thrifty shoppers.
Since he lost his job, they’ve had to be more thrifty.

tidy:  neat, clean, organized
Everything in her bedroom is tidy, including her closet.
I’m afraid my work space is not very tidy.

widespread:  happening in many places, over a wide area
There is widespread poverty in that part of the world.
Tsunamis can cause widespread destruction.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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allergic: making the body react badly
He had an allergic reaction to his medication.
Many people are allergic to nuts.

awful: very bad, terrible
When he entered the room, he smelled something awful.
That’s an awful restaurant; the food is terrible and the place is dirty.

cruel: hurting (someone) physically or mentally
Saying she was fat was a cruel thing to say to your sister!
Don’t be so cruel to your dog. Bring him inside on this rainy night.

dizzy: feeling like falling down
This medication can make you feel dizzy, so don’t drive.
I have to sit down; I’m feeling a little dizzy.

fierce: wild and dangerous, violently strong
The fights that couple has are sometimes fierce.
A fierce storm battered the coast for three days.

heroic: done without regard for your safety, bold
Saving that drowning child was very heroic of you.
Firemen often do heroic deeds bringing people to safety.

humble: having a feeling of not being important.
In my humble opinion, I think you should go to the police.
In the presence of these famous writers, I feel quite humble.

inevitable: certain to happen
If he continues to drink and drive, an accident is inevitable.
No matter how long we manage to live, death is inevitable.

insane: not mentally normal, crazy
It’s insane to think that you’ll be a millionaire by the end of the year.
The jury found the man insane and therefore not responsible for the crime.

popular: liked by many people
She’s the most popular girl in school.
I mostly listen to popular music.

responsible: having the duty (to do something)
Nobody else is responsible for the way you feel.
He is responsible for buying the boss a birthday present.

temporary: for a short time
She got a temporary job for the summertime.
The aspirin gave him only temporary relief from his pain.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

The file you specified does not exist.

addictive:  so pleasurable you can’t stop
Cigarettes are so addictive because of the nicotine.
Coffee can be addictive to some people.

customary:  traditional, always done in the same way
It’s customary to remove your shoes at the front door.
Shaking hands is a customary greeting.

federal:  of the nation as a whole
The federal government is located in Ottawa.
Bank accounts are insured under a federal program.

harsh:  unpleasant, uncomfortable
Winters in the north are harsh.
Early Canadian settlers had a harsh life.

ignorant:  not knowing, unaware
He was ignorant of the police car following him.
On the subject of biology, I’m totally ignorant.

maximum:  the most, highest
He’s locked up in maximum security.
The maximum amount I can lend you is $800.

minimum:  the least, lowest
The minimum tip you should leave is 10%.
There was a minimum number of people at the meeting.

pure:  with nothing extra
Her favorite drink is pure orange juice.
Our grandmother breathes pure oxygen from a tank.

sincere:  truthful, honest
I’m being sincere when I tell you I’ll miss you.
Please accept our sincere apologies.

thorough:  complete, 100%
The dogs made a thorough mess of the living room.
The police did a thorough search of the apartment.

unique:  unlike anything else, one of a kind
He has a unique way of tying his shoe laces.
There is something unique about everyone.

wholesale:  in large amounts
Wholesale sales rose in the first quarter of the year.
What is the wholesale price if I buy ten of them?

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

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affectionate:  showing love
That little kitten is so affectionate.
The affectionate couple walked hand in hand.

constant:  all the time
The noise from the construction project next door is constant during the day.
I have a constant pain in my lower back.

deliberate:  with a plan, not accidental
His meeting her was deliberate.  He had planned it for days.
She made a deliberate mistake so that he would help her.

economical:  inexpensive, cheap
Driving to work everyday and paying for parking is not economical.
He thought it would be more economical to stay with his parents while at university.

expensive:  costing a lot of money
It’s becoming more and more expensive to buy a house in this city.
That engagement ring he gave you must have been expensive.

frigid:  very cold
The Yukon is a frigid place in winter.
The ocean off the coast of Argentina can get very frigid.

grateful:  thankful, showing gratitude
She was grateful for his help after the fire that destroyed her home.
His son was grateful that he could have his own room in the new house.

identical:  exactly the same
Julia and Gillian are identical twins with identical likes and dislikes.
The knife used in the murder was identical to those in the kitchen drawer.

mature:  like an adult, not childish
Stealing her smart phone was not a mature thing to do.
Jonathan, although he’s only eight, is very mature for his age.

negative:  bad, not good
I hope you have no negative feelings towards me.
The students’ attitude toward their substitute teacher was negative.

present:  happening now
I can’t tell you her present address because she recently moved.
Don’t daydream in class.  You need to be present to learn anything.

sensitive:  emotional, showing emotions easily
Their son’s suicide is a sensitive topic in that family.
I think that sometimes your sister is too sensitive.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study. 

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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aware:  knowing about
Are you aware that your car is unlocked?
He wasn’t aware of the person following him.

crucial:  extremely important
It is crucial that you arrive at the meeting on time.
Peace talks are crucial to the future of that region.

dense:  crowded, tightly together
The West End of Vancouver has a dense population.
The forest was so dense that it was difficult to pass through.

fundamental:  basic, most important
The simple present tense is a fundamental part of the English language.
Oil is a fundamental component of plastic.

hazy:  smoggy, polluted, not clear
It was a hazy summer day in August when he arrived in the city.
My memory of that day is hazy.

initial: first, beginning
His initial choice was to believe her because she had never lied before.
Her initial reaction was to laugh although it was a serious situation.

legible:  able to be read
The doctor’s signature was not very legible.
The teacher’s writing is not legible from the back of the room.

partial:  only part of (something bigger)
He didn’t have this month’s rent, so he made a partial payment.
The police found a partial fingerprint on the window.

repetitive:  repeated, happening again and again
He didn’t like his job because it was boring and repetitive.
There was a repetitive noise coming from the neighbor’s house.

rusty:  not very good, needing a lot of practice
She sat down at the piano, but because she was rusty, she didn’t play very well.
I haven’t spoken Spanish in years, so I’m a little rusty.

sensible:  having good judgement,
He was not being sensible when he went outside in the rain without a coat.
The sensible thing to do is to start over and do it right this time.

talented:  able to do something well and easily
They are both talented musicians.
Everyone thinks she’s a talented writer.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

 

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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approximate:  near but not exact
The approximate time is 3:00.
I don’t know exactly, but the approximate distance is 800 kilometers.

bulky:  very large and hard to carry
That piano is too bulky to move by yourself.
A bulky package arrived just before her birthday.

capable:  able to do something
I don’t believe he’s capable of murder.
She’s a capable mother of three.

eventual:  happening slowly
The eventual result of his smoking habit was lung cancer.
His carelessness with money caused his eventual bankruptcy.

fortunate:  lucky
It was fortunate that you were there to help her.
We all felt fortunate to meet the President.

humid:   with water vapor in the air
It’s not a good idea to exercise in hot, humid weather.
It feels very humid after a storm.

intelligent:  smart, quick to understand
Your dog is pretty intelligent.
She is highly intelligent, but not a genius.

jealous:  wanting what someone else has
He was jealous of his brother’s wealth.
She was jealous of his relationship with his sister.

loyal:  always ready to support (someone), faithful
He is a loyal friend whom I’ve known for years.
Dogs have been man’s loyal companions for thousands of years.

nude:  without any clothes on, naked
She stood in the doorway completely nude.
At some beaches in the world, you can go nude.

particular:  one and only, not general
They have a particular interest in old movies.
There’s a particular way she likes to brush her hair.

raw:  uncooked
The children love to eat raw carrots.
He tries to eat as much raw food as possible.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

 

The file you specified does not exist.

abundant:  a lot, in great quantity
Canada has an abundant supply of fresh water.
At this time of year the river is abundant with salmon.

alike:  similar, with few differences
She thinks that all politicians are alike.
All those cars look alike to me.

bright:  filled with light
The room was big and bright with floor to ceiling windows.
You’ll need your sunglasses because it’s very bright outside.

casual:  informal
On the weekends they like to wear casual clothes.
This is a casual company where everyone uses first names.

definite:  clearly defined, known for sure
It’s definite that Professor Wight is leaving at the end of this term.
I need a definite answer by tomorrow morning.

energetic:  full of energy, lively
For a person in her eighties, she seems very energetic.
I don’t want to go for a walk.  I’m not feeling very energetic.

external:  on the outside
This medicine says it’s for external use only.
This computer has an external hard drive.

feminine: of a female quality, like a woman
Her deep voice is not very feminine.
When she puts on a dress, it makes her feel more feminine.

internal:  on the inside
He was rushed to the hospital with internal bleeding.
In that family there’s a lot of internal fighting.

logical:  the result of good thinking
That seems like a logical solution to our problem.
Her logical mind told her that he was no good for her.

masculine:  of a male quality, like a man
He looks much more masculine with that beard.
There are many masculine qualities other than strength.

vacant:  empty, with nothing inside
That building has been vacant for years.
The community started a vegetable garden in the vacant lot.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

 

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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When you are asked about yourself in a job interview, or you’re describing someone, the best way to do that is to use the following personal qualities:

accurate:              able to do the work with no mistakes
adaptable:           able to change to a new situation
ambitious:           wanting more and better things in life
amusing:              able to make people laugh
athletic:                 being in shape and able to do sports
bold:                        fearless, doing things before others do them
caring:                   caring about other people
confident:             knowing who you are and what you can do
conscientious:    always doing the right thing
considerate:        thinking of other people’s needs and emotions
cooperative:        able to work well with other people
creative:                able to make things no one has made before
curious:                wanting to know something
decisive:                able to make decisions quickly
dependable:         always doing what you say you’ll do
determined:        willing to do what’s necessary to achieve a goal
diligent:                 making a constant effort
disciplined:         able to control yourself
efficient:                able to get a lot done in a short amount of time
energetic:              having a lot of energy and not getting tired
enthusiastic:       very interested and excited
flexible:                  able to change in a new situation
generous:              sharing what’s yours with other people
honest:                    telling the truth and doing the right thing
informed:              knowing a lot of information
loyal:                         faithful to your friends or to an organization
mature:                   acting like an adult and not a child
modest:                   not telling other people what good things you have done
motivated               having good reasons to do well
open-minded:       able to listen to opposite sides of an argument
optimistic:             able to see the good things in life
organized:              knowing where everything is and what needs to be done
passionate:            having strong emotions about something
patient:                    able to do hard or boring jobs and not get angry or bored
personable             well-liked by others, friendly
persuasive:            able to make other people agree with you
practical:                 doing things that you know are going to work
proactive:                doing things to stop a future problem from happening
punctual:                 on time
qualified:                 having the training, education or experience to do a job
resourceful:           able to solve problems creatively by using what is available
responsible:            feeling like it’s your duty to do a job
sensible:                   having good judgment
sensitive:                  able to feel your own and others’ emotions
sincere:                     honest and open in feelings and thoughts
talented:                    having an easy ability to do something
thorough:                  doing everything that is required and then more
trustworthy:           able to be trusted
versatile:                   able to do many different skillful things
well-balanced:         doing equal work and equal play, having a lot of interests
well-groomed:         having a neat and clean appearance

Use these flashcards to help you study.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

The file you specified does not exist.

abnormal:     not usual, not typical, exceptional
This past winter there was an abnormal amount of snowfall.
Some cats have an abnormal six toes on their paws.

adaptable:     able to change when the situation changes
She’s very adaptable and will have no trouble living in Spain for a year.
My grandparents are not adaptable to new technology.

annual:     happening every year, yearly
The school holds an annual fund-raising event to raise money for sports equipment.
He got a good job out of college with an annual salary of $65,000.

anonymous:     nameless, unknown
He received an anonymous phone call telling him to stay away from work tomorrow.
The donors for the new hospital wing want to stay anonymous.

audible:     able to be heard
The eruption of the volcano was audible for thousands of miles.
Her last words to him were not audible because of the train whistle.

decent:     right and good
The decent thing to do is to apologize to her and promise never to do it again.
That was very decent of you to help the girl find her mother.

improbable:     probably not happening, unlikely to occur
It is improbable that the earth will get hit by a large meteor anytime soon.
Mechanical failure is an improbable cause of the crash.

ineffective:     not causing the expected result
On the second day his deodorant became ineffective, and he started to smell bad.
Her efforts to stay above the water were ineffective, and she drowned.

infectious:     spreading from one person to another
Anita’s laughter was so infectious that everyone started to laugh with her.
AIDS is an infectious disease that is spread through sexual contact.

inseparable:     always together, not separating
She met her boyfriend three months ago, and since then they’ve been inseparable.
My iPhone and I have been inseparable since I bought it over a year ago.

minor:     not important, small
In her first movie, she had a minor role as a waitress in a diner.
He was lucky that his injury was minor; it could have been much worse.

premature:     happening too soon, before the right time
Many people die a premature death because of smoking.
My niece was born four weeks premature, but she’s doing well.

recent:     just happening, not long ago
In recent years real estate prices have fallen all over the world.
The police needed a recent photograph of the woman’s daughter.

toxic:     poisonous, very negative
The company had to pay the costs of cleanup after dumping toxic waste in the lake.
There’s a person at my club who is so toxic that I want to leave the room when he enters.

unconcerned:     not worried
He seemed unconcerned that his girlfriend hadn’t arrived yet.
My doctor seemed unconcerned about the dark spots on my skin.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercises.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

The file you specified does not exist.

accurate:     with no mistakes
I don’t think my watch is very accurate; it has a different time than my computer.
Are you sure the number of homeless people is accurate?

antique:     made a long time ago
She wants nothing but antique furniture in her apartment.
That vase may seem antique, but it’s a modern copy.

compact:     a lot in a small space, packed
They had to dig up the compact soil to make a garden area.
He drives his compact car to work every day.

fantastic:     unbelievably imaginative, exceptionally good
That was a fantastic meal we had at your house last Friday night.
He drew up fantastic plans for a settlement on the moon.

fascinating:     very interesting, holding your attention
The professor’s talk about his experiences in Sudan was fascinating.
I saw a fascinating photo of the Crab Nebula in astronomy class today.

foreign:     from another country
He has a love for foreign cars, especially those from Italy.
They’re going on a trip to six foreign countries in South America.

frustrated:     angry when unable to do something
She was frustrated that she couldn’t remember where she parked her car. 
His inability to pass the entrance exam made him frustrated.

imminent:     going to happen very soon
It looks like rain is imminent; I see thunder clouds coming this way.
When the professor walked in, the students knew that a quiz was imminent.

impulsive:     done without thinking
Many people do impulsive buying when shopping at the grocery store.
His proposal of marriage seemed impulsive to her.

The public washroom was not sanitary, so she went back to her hotel.
The nurses knew everything had to be sanitary in the operating room.

secluded:     far away from other things, alone
They live on a secluded island off the coast of British Columbia.
John and his sister Joanne felt secluded in their new school.

tolerant:     accepting of other people
Canadians are generally tolerant of foreigners.
He was tolerant of his neighbor’s parties because they were only once a month.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

 

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot