English Workbook
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Coaching Classes by most Govt. exams clearedcenter faculties in AMRITSAR ENGLISH WORKBOOK BANK PO • SSC • CDS • PUNJAB GOVT. JOBS SCF-35, KABIR PARK, HELPLINE: 9056703131 Opp. G.N.D.U., AMRITSAR CONTENTS Vocabulary Sr. No. Topic Page No. 1. A piece of mind 01 2. Know your roots 03 3. One word substitutions 08 4. Special words 27 5. Idioms and Phrases 29 6. Confusing words 39 7. Phrasal verbs 46 Understanding of language Sr. No. Topic Page No. 8. Reading comprehensions 51 9. Para jumbles 93 10. Cloze test 106 A piece of mind Hello dear reader, Want to increase your vocab? Yes, means that a herculean task is waiting for you. But don’t worry, although vocab building requires patience, perseverance and curiosity but it’s very interesting too. And you will enjoy your journey of vocab building, if you adhere to my words ahead. We can divide the process of vocab building in three simple and important steps. Each step is explained beautifully. Step 1: Source of words Source means from where you will get the words which are important and sufficient for competitive exams. Here I strongly forbid you to learn words from any book where these are straightforwardly presented to by the author. You must try to pick up word from the place where they are being used naturally for example movies, novels, news, newspapers etc. The best source to pick words for competitive exams is The Hindu. You can find every word asked in competitive exams in the editorials of The Hindu. So let’s finalize The Hindu as Your major source of words. Step 2: Knowing the word Two vital questions which arise here are, i) from where you will find the meaning of the word and ii) up to what extent you must know the word. According to me three best sources to know the meaning of difficult words are vocabulary.com (a website), google and Merriam Webster dictionary. You must read the meaning of the word from all the three sources to strengthen its impact on your memory and better understanding. This answers the first question. Second question is quite important. Don’t just know the meaning of the word you are looking for, but see its all forms like noun, verb, adjective etc. For example, if you are looking for the meaning of the word BEAUTIFUL also know about beauty, beautify, beautician etc., means involve yourself with the word. You can never learn vocab without your active involvement. Also check whether the word id made up of different roots. If yes also check other words made up with those roots. Also check synonyms of the word. By doing all this you are knowing 10-15 words instead of just one word. It might seem a slow process, but it is 10-15 times faster and more efficient than conventional way of just mugging up meanings of words. And you must write down all the words which are coming in your way during this process. Means you will write down the difficult word, its all forms, all roots (if any), all words with similar roots, synonyms at the same place. And at last make a sentence using the words. The sentence should be such, that, if a person who do not know the meaning of the word, approximately guess its meaning after reading the sentence. If the word you searched for represent a trait of human beings, then relate it to a person you know, who has that trait. If it represents a situation for example, word DILEMMA means when you cannot choose between two decisions, so relate that word to a period in your life when you have been in that situation. I think you got the idea which I want to convey. The keyword for step 2 is your INVOLVEMENT, in any way and every way possible. And maintain a notebook for these words. Write them properly, sometimes you might feel that it is wastage of time. But at that time remember my word “it’s worth it.” Step 3: Retaining permanently Memory for long term depends on how you treat the word in short term (just after learning them). If you have learnt some new words, use them as often as you can. You do not have to say them loudly just recall them, when you see a situation in which you can use that word. If you stay conscious whole day, about strengthening your vocab, then you will be able to increase it drastically. For example, even if you are going to someplace and in the way you encountered a situation which relates with a word which you have learnt recently, then recall that word. 1 One more point, when you read newspaper or any book then you face many words which you can recognize, means you have encountered them earlier many times, you do not know their exact meaning but can guess approximately, generally we ignore checking the exact meaning of these words. But if you want to increase your vocab then never-ever ignore these words. These words are easy steps to take your vocab to next level. Involve yourself with these words as told in step 2. And believe me, these are the words which are asked in exams. Last but not the least suggestion is that revise your words daily or at least once in every two days. If you can’t do this, you can’t learn vocab. REVISION is the key to a strong vocab. No revision-no vocab. So simple. So, I think you understood all the steps of vocab building. And if you want to be benefited by this article then right now read this article once again and note down the important points in a crisp and structured way. Thanks for your valuable time. Bhuteshpal Suhag Director (e1 coaching center) 2 Know your roots Root Meaning Root Meaning 1. Ego Self, I 7. Anthropos mankind 2. Alter Other 8. Gyne woman 3. Verto Turn 9. Gamos marriage 4. Ambi both 10. Andros male 5. Dexter right hand 11. Phile love 6. Misein hate EXERCISE 1 Try to guess the meaning of the words yourself, by hiding the meanings with your hand. Words with Roots Explanation 1. Egoist The man who seeks only or primarily his own moral perfection 2. Egocentric A person who consider itself as a center of universe 3. Egomaniac One’s madness towards his needs, desires and interest etc. 4. Altruist One who lives and works for the welfare of others 5. Alternate Things which occur in turn repeatedly 6. Alternative a choice 7. Alteration Change 8. Altercation Verbally dispute, quarrel or war of words 9. Alter ego Person with mirror image of other. E.g. my best friend Dolly is same as I. 10. Introvert A person who has an aptitude for creative work and is uncomfortable engaging in activities that require cooperation with other people. 11. Extrovert Person having friendly manner & enjoys talking to and being with other people 12. Ambivert Mixture of both introvert and extrovert 13. Dexterous Skillful at handling things 14. Ambidexterous Equally skillful with each hand 15. Misanthrope One who hates mankind 16. Misogynist One who hates women 17. Monogamy The custom of having only one marriage (at a time) 18. Bigamy The custom of having two marriages at the same time 19. Polygamy The custom of having more than two spouses at the same time 20. Polyandry The custom of having more than two husbands at the same time 21. Philanthropist One who loves mankind Root Meaning Root Meaning 1. logy Science or study 8. demos people 2. Obstetrix child or midwife 9. derma skin 3. Paidos child 10. ophthalmos eye 4. iateria medical healing 11. oculus eye 5. –ician expert 12. opsis, optikos vision, sight 6. agogos leading or leader 13. metron measurement 7. pedis foot EXERCISE 2 Try to guess the meaning of the words yourself, by hiding the meanings with your hand. Words with Roots Explanation 1. Gynaecology Study of Women 2. Obstetrics The branch of medicine and surgery concerned with childbirth and midwifery 3 3. Paediatrics The branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children and adolescents 4. Pedagogy The method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept or leading of children 5. Pedestal The base or support on which a statute, obelisk or column is mounted 6. Pedal A person walking rather than travelling in a vehicle 7. Demogague Leader of people 8. Dermatologist A person who is specialist of skin 9. Hypodermic Relating to the region immediately under the skin 10. Epidermis The outermost layer of skin 11. Taxidermy The skin of animals 12. Dermatitis Skin inflammation, irritation or infection 13. Ophthalmologist Specialist in eyes and vision care and also perform surgery 14. Optometrist One who measure vision, test for glaucoma and prescribe and fit glasses Root Meaning 1. orthos straight, correct 7. –itis inflammation 2. odontos tooth 8. psyche spirit, soul, mind 3. kardia heart 9. iatreia medical healing 4. neuron nerve 10. pathos suffering or disease 5. algos pain 11. soma body 6. –osis abnormal or diseased 12. geras old age condition EXERCISE 3 Try to guess the meaning of the words yourself, by hiding the meanings with your hand. Words with Roots Explanation 1. Orthopaedics Treatment of skeletal deformities 2. Orthodontics Straightening of teeth 3. Cardiologist Specialist of heart 4. Cardiogram Record of heart beat in electrical form 5. Cardiograph Instrument for recording heartbeats 6. Neurology Study of nerve 7.