Unit 11

Question 1

Bucolic

Answer 1

(adj) characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral
e. g. The south end of Toronto’s beautiful High park is a bucolic expanse of land that is perfect for anyone wanting a quick walk.

Question 2

Burgeon

Answer 2

(v) to flourish

e. g. The city’s suburbs have burgeoned, sprawling out from the center.

Question 3

Burnish

Answer 3

(v) to polish

e. g. To burnish copper, I would probably use a drill with a pad attached to the end.

Question 4

Buttress

Answer 4

(v) to reinforce; support
e. g. Some critics of the American legal system argue that the requirement of providing guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt” is too difficult a criterion to use, and buttress their case by citing the fact that objective studies suggest that only a very small number of criminals are successfully prosecuted.

Question 5

Cacophonous

Answer 5

(adj) unpleasant or harsh-sounding
- Cacophony (n): a jarring, unpleasant noise

e.g. The cacophonous sound of slot machines.

Question 6

Cadge

Answer 6

(v) to beg; sponge
e. g. An enduring image of the Great Depression in America is the out-of-work man cadging money with the line “Hey, mister, can you spare a dime for a cup of coffee?”

Question 7

Callous

Answer 7

(adj) thick-skinned, insensitive

e. g. Jim’s terrible experiences in war have made him callous about the suffering of others.

Question 8

Calumny

Answer 8

(n) false and malicious accusation; slander

e. g. A bitter struggle marked by calumny and litigation.

Question 9

Canard

Answer 9

(n) false, deliberately misleading story

e. g. The old canard that LA is a cultural wasteland.

Question 10

Canon

Answer 10

(n) an established principle; a basis or standard for judgement; a group of literally works
- Canonical (adj): belonging to a group of literally works

e.g. The appointment violated the canons of fair play and equal opportunity