Wordzone – August 2014

Lengthily yours
The English language has a collection of unusually long words which you can use either for your own enjoyment or to annoy your friends.

 

 

Choose the option that is closest in meaning to the main word and complete the sentence.

1. Pulchritudinous (puhl-kri-tood-n-uhs)
The organisers of the beauty pageant were flummoxed to see the serpentine line of _____ aspirants.
(a) physiologically deformed (b) physically beautiful (c) psychologically unstable

2. Prestidigitation (pres-ti-dij-i-tey-shuhn)
The Great Houdini was renowned for his sensational feats of _____ .
(a) sleight of hand (b) abstinence (c) infidelity

3. Plenipotentiary (plen-uh-puh-ten-shee-er-ee)
The confident and intelligent _____ signed the treaty on behalf of the neighbouring country.
(a) diplomat (b) programmer (c) director

4. Tintinnabulation (tin-ti-nab-yuh-ley-shuhn)
Walking towards the church, the tourists experienced a spiritual awakening as they heard the _____.
(a) sound of animals (b) sound of bells (c) sound of birds

5. Gedanken experiment (guh-dahng-kuhn ik-sper-uh-muh-nt)
Erwin Schrodinger, one of the key figures in quantum physics was famous for his _____, ‘Schrodinger’s Cat’
(a) experiment in thought (b) experiment in behaviour (c) experiment in selfreliance

Answers:
1. B, 2. A, 3. A, 4. B, 5. A

Word Pyramid
The clues will help you find the answers to complete the word pyramid. Each answer must contain the previous answer. You may arrange the words with a new letter.
Hint: Start from the top

1. Symbol on a compass for East
2. Emergency Room or a popular TV show
3. Intense anger
4. Dreadful, terrible, frightful
5. Exhausted, Fatigued
6. To walk with long steps
7. Dry wood or papers used to light a fire
8. Living in a place on a long-term basis
9. Barrack Obama for Americans
10. Organic compounds in folic acid
11. Finding something good by chance

Answers:
ER, IRE, DIRE, TIRED, STRIDE, TINDERS, RESIDENT, PRESIDENT, PTERIDINES, SERENDIPITY

 

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