Comprehension exercises

Vocabulary

Glossary

impeccancy (n) – complete perfection, the absence of mistakes

hover (v) – to stay nervously in the same place especially because you are waiting for something or are uncertain what to do

piety (n) – respect for God and religion, often shown in the way you behave

avidity (n) – a great desire to get something

temper (v) – to make something difficult or unpleasant more acceptable or pleasant

beat (n) – the area of a town, city etc. that a police officer regularly walks around

inconsequent (adj) – inconsequent behavior , work etc changes too often from good to bad or from situation to situation

poised (adj) – [not before noun] not moving but ready to move or to do something at any moment

complaisance (n) – willingness to do what pleases other people

penitence (n) – the state of being sorry for something you have done

postulate (v) – to suggest that something might have happened or be true

inquisitive (adj) – asking too many questions and trying to find out too many details about something or someone

surmise (v) – to guess that something is true using the information you know already

incognito [contr. incog] (adv) – if a famous person travels incognito, they travel without letting people know who they are

ingenuous (adj) – inexperienced, simple, trusting and honest

genuine (anj) – a genuine feeling, desire is one that you really feel, not one you pretend to feel in order to deceive people; sincere

indulgent (adj) – willing to allow someone, especially a child, to do what they want, even if this is not good for them

fad (n) – something that someone likes or does for a short time, or that is fashionable for a short time

intemperance (n) – lack of enough control over your feelings so that you behave in a way that is unacceptable to other people

conspicuous (adj) – unusually good, bad, skillful etc.

Comprehension exercises

I. Write T (true) or F (false) in the space provided.

1._____ The girl in gray came to the park at dawn to read a strikingly intellectual piece of writing.

2._____ Her dress was modest but unmistakably full of style.

3.______ She was a frequenter of a quiet place in the park.

4.______ The young man reluctantly and somewhat awkwardly returned the book to the owner.

5.______ He seemed to be arrogant and perky when starting a conversation with the girl.

6.______ The girl’s impression of the boy was not much promising.

7.______ She was quick to believe that the boy’s name was Parkenstacker.

8.______ The genuine reason for her staying in the park was to meet a natural man devoid of the contemptible luster of wealth.

9.______ The girl from the very beginning positioned herself as a poor, modest person whose want of money mercilessly threw her into a desperate state of searching for a wealthy man.

10._____ Mr.Parkenstacker’s attitude to money was encouragingly positive.

11._____ Both of the talkers agreed on the fact that champagne is cooled in the bottle, not in the glass.

12._____ The common people are always aware of the inner circles’ special pastime.

13._____ The girl was literally besieged by two aristocratic admirers.

14._____ Both of her suitors were conspicuous of their perfect manners which made the ladies’ choice indescribably difficult.

15._____ Mr. Parkenstacker was not looking for his equal, the object of his search was a kind, clever and generous nature.

16._____ After hearing that the young man was a cashier in a restaurant the girl was nervously looking for an excuse to leave the place instantly.

17. _____The young man willingly let her go and without a single look back headed for his car.

18. _____The girl worked in an inexpensive restaurant but with a claim for luxury.

19. _____ Mr. Parkenstacker’s disappointment lay in the compelling necessity to accept the universal existence of two centers of gravity in human society on which two patterns of a married life are based – marriage for love and marriage for convenience.

20._____ Whatever he was doing, he liked to do a bit of background research first.