appropriate: the right thing at the right time, expected by others
When someone says “thank-you,” the appropriate response is “you’re welcome.”
It is not appropriate to shake the Queen’s hand.

beneficial:  good (for someone)
Drinking a liter of water everyday has beneficial results.
It’s beneficial for most people to get eight hours of sleep per night.

considerate:  thinking of the welfare of someone else.
It was considerate of you to give me a ride home last night.
Please be considerate and let the elderly woman sit down on the bus.

feeble:  weak, with no energy 
His grandfather is getting more and more feeble.
She made a feeble attempt to answer him in German.

idle:  not active or moving, still
His brother has been idle ever since he lost his job.
I’ve finished all my work, so now I can be idle for the rest of the day.

infinite:  never ending, limitless
There are an infinite number of stars in the universe.
The Internet give us access to an infinite amount of information.

miniature:  very small compared to a normal one
He has a large collection of miniature cars.
Miniature golf is a sport that is enjoyed by many families.

mysterious:  unknown, confusing
They were speaking a mysterious language that she couldn’t understand.
A mysterious man was standing on the corner watching the house.

neutral:  not favoring one side or the other
Switzerland was a neutral country in World War II.
He tried to remain neutral in the argument between his wife and his mother.

scarce:  not common, rare
Five star restaurants are scarce in this city.
Fresh water is scarce in that part of Africa.

suspicious:  causing people to think bad things
The man had been waiting outside the bank for an hour, which was suspicious.
You should be suspicious of any get-rich-quick schemes.

synthetic:  not made naturally
Nylon is a synthetic material used to make parachutes.
Synthetic diamonds are manufactured for the construction industry.

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

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