English_MrPenguin

Question 1

advertisement

e.g. Yesterday, he’d placed an advertisement in the local newspaper.

Answer 1

[n] a notice, picture or film telling people about a product, job or service

Question 2

a shower of poison-tipped darts

Question 3

dreary

e.g. The only noise was the low, dreary hum of the fan on the ceiling of Mr Penguin’s igloo.

Answer 3

[adj] that makes you feel sad; not bright or interesting, dull

a dreary winter’s day
a dreary film
a long and dreary journey on the train

Question 4

jazzy

e.g. the selection of rather jazzy bow ties

Answer 4

[adj] brightly coloured and likely to attract attention

That’s a jazzy tie you’re wearing.

Question 5

cost a fortune

e.g. The special hat and the selection of rather jazzy bow ties had cost a fortune.

Answer 5

[v] cost a lot of money

Question 6

astronomical

e.g. The rent for this igloo was astronomical!

Answer 6

[adj] (of an amount, a price, etc.) very large

the astronomical price of land for building
The figures are astronomical.

Question 7

grumbly

e.g. If he didn’t get an Adventuring job soon, there would be no more fish fingers and a lot more grumbly noises coming from his tummy.

Answer 7

[adj] making a low rumbling sound

Question 8

battered old

e.g. It would mean packing up all his belongings into his battered old suitcase and hopping on the first boat back to the Frozen South.

Answer 8

[adj] old, used a lot, and not in very good condition

a battered old car

Question 9

stomach-churning

e.g. Mr Penguin shuddered at the memories of stomach-churning waves and icy winds.

Answer 9

[n] an uncomfortable, agitated sensation caused by a variety of stomach and intestinal issues.

Question 10

tumble off

e.g. Mr Penguin was so surprised by the noise that he gasped, tumbled off his chair and landed in his wastepaper basket with a clatter.

Answer 10

[v] to fall suddenly and in a dramatic way

Question 11

clatter

e.g. Mr Penguin was so surprised by the noise that he gasped, tumbled off his chair and landed in his wastepaper basket with a clatter.

Answer 11

[n] A clatter is a clacking or rattling sound

the clatter of horse hooves on pavement
the clatter of toys being thrown down a wooden staircase by an angry child.

Question 12

wiggle

e.g. A few experimental wiggles as he grabbed the telephone receiver told him that his bottom was thoroughly wedged.

Answer 12

[n] a small movement from side to side or up and down

Question 13

thoroughly

e.g. A few experimental wiggles as he grabbed the telephone receiver told him that his bottom was thoroughly wedged.

Answer 13

[adv] very much; completely

Question 14

wedge

e.g. A few experimental wiggles as he grabbed the telephone receiver told him that his bottom was thoroughly wedged.

Answer 14

[v] to put or force something tightly into a narrow space, so that it cannot move easily

Question 15

wrestle

e.g. “Hello,” he said in the most sensible voice he could manage whilst trying to wrestle his bum out of the bin with a flipper.

Answer 15

[v] to struggle physically to move or manage something

wrestle with something He wrestled with the controls as the plane plunged.
wrestle something + adv./prep. She wrestled the keys out of the ignition.

Question 16

crumble

e.g. Walls are crumbling, doors are falling off their hinges, …

Answer 16

[v] to break or break something into very small pieces

Question 17

handsomely

e.g. Once the treasure is found, I’ll be able to pay you handsomely!

Answer 17

[adv] in a way that is large or generous in amount or quantity

to be paid/rewarded/compensated handsomely

Question 18

quiver

e.g. His flippers were all of a quiver.

Answer 18

[n] a slight trembling movement or sound, especially one caused by a sudden strong emotion.

He felt a quiver of excitement run through him.
Jane couldn’t help the quiver in her voice.

Question 19

tremendous

e.g. “Tremendous!” cried Miss Bones, sounding much happier.

Answer 19

[adj] extremely good

It was a tremendous experience.

[adj] huge

A tremendous amount of work has gone into the project.

Question 20

blur

e.g. The next five minutes were a blur.

Answer 20

[n] something that you cannot remember clearly

The events of that day were just a blur.

Question 21

waddle

e.g. Mr Penguin waddled about as fast as he could.

Answer 21

[v] to walk with short steps, moving your body from side to side, like a duck

Question 22

crowbar

e.g. Eventually, he grabbed his long-handled shoe horn to crowbar his bottom free.

Answer 22

[v] use a crowbar to open (something).

He crowbarred the box open.

[n] an iron bar with a flattened end, used as a lever.

Question 23

shoe horn

e.g. Eventually, he grabbed his long-handled shoe horn to crowbar his bottom free.

Question 24

filing cabinet

e.g. He flip-flapped over to the filing cabinet.

Question 25

take matters into one’s own hands

e.g. He knocked three times on the third drawer down. No answer. He tried again, then took matters into his own flippers.

Answer 25

[v] do something yourself, because you are tired of waiting for somebody else to do it

This project isn’t being managed properly, so I’m just going to have to take matters into my own hands and start supervising the work directly.

Question 26

plume

e.g. He hauled the heavy drawer open, releasing a plume of heavily-scented incense smoke into the air.

Answer 26

[n] a cloud of something that rises and curves upwards in the air

• a plume of smoke
• A radioactive plume could reach the city within hours.
• A great plume of dust and ash rose from the volcano.
• The waves pounded the rocks, throwing up white plumes of spray.

Question 27

haul

e.g. He hauled the heavy drawer open, releasing a plume of heavily-scented incense smoke into the air.

Answer 27

[v] to pull something/somebody with a lot of effort

• The car was hauled out of the river.
• fishermen hauling in their nets

Question 28

incense

e.g. He hauled the heavy drawer open, releasing a plume of heavily-scented incense smoke into the air.

Answer 28

[n] a substance that produces a pleasant smell when you burn it, used particularly in religious ceremonies

Incense burned in a corner of the room.

Question 29

bowler hat

e.g. As the smoke cleared, a large spider in a bowler hat became visible.

Answer 29

A a tall hat

Question 30

jerk

e.g. All of a sudden the spider jerked to attention.

Answer 30

[v] to move or to make something move with a sudden short sharp movement

Question 31

hurl

e.g. He hurled him through the air as easily as flipping a pancake.

Answer 31

[v] to move or to make something move with a sudden short sharp movement