hallucination

 hallucination

= any false or mistaken perception or belief

Mark had a hallucination that his sports car was faster than anyone else's on the road.

Mark’s hallucination that he missed his flight caused him unnecessary panic. 

Susan experienced a hallucination of hearing her name when no one called it.

Susan thought she saw her crush at the cafeteria, but it was a hallucination.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "hallucination":

Synonyms:

illusion

delusion 

Antonyms:

reality

truth

fact

certainty

 

Question:A false perception is called a:

A) wish

B) hallucination

C) memory

D) idea

The Fastest Man on the Road

Mark had a hallucination that his sports car was faster than anyone else's on the road. One day, the successful businessman went to a fancy car showroom and saw a shiny red supercar. It was so beautiful that he signed the deal immediately without even asking his girlfriend Chloe for advice. After waiting more than two weeks, the agent finally drove the car to his home for delivery.

Mark jumped into the driver's seat, revved the engine loudly, and shouted, "I am the fastest man on the road!" Suddenly, Susan, a poor university student, fell from the sky with a parachute. She was delivering pizza to Mark's neighbour and heard everything. She sighed, "No way, Mark! You're wrong. I can beat you easily!"

Mark laughed so hard that Chloe had to wipe tears from his eyes. But they planned a race for the next week. Mark would drive his new supercar, and Susan would use her rusty old bicycle. The first one to reach the Peak would win.

"Get set, go!" Mark shouted. He zoomed off like a rocket, but five minutes later, he was stuck in a terrible traffic jam. Meanwhile, Susan pedalled happily through small streets without any disturbance. She used her bicycle to reach the Peak and fought hard to win.

Susan waited for more than twenty minutes. When Mark finally arrived, she said proudly, "I really knew I would win. So, a lifetime of repairing bicycle tyres, alright?"

Mark looked at his empty fuel tank and replied, "Sure!" 

Question 1: In the story, Mark had a hallucination that his sports car was faster than anyone else's. What does "hallucination" mean?

A. A false or mistaken belief

B. A special type of supercar

C. A traffic jam on the road

D. A new pizza delivery service

Question 2: Who won the race to the Peak?

A. Mark in his supercar

B. Susan on her bicycle

C. They arrived at the same time

D. Mark gave up early

dedicated

 dedicated

= being devoted to a task or purpose with strong commitment and loyalty

Mark remains dedicated to training as a professional runner.

Mark is a dedicated businessman who works late every night. 

Susan remains dedicated to her fitness and wellness goals.

Susan is dedicated to balancing school and social life.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "dedicated":

Synonyms:

committed

devoted

loyal

faithful

Antonyms:

indifferent

uncommitted

disloyal

negligent

 

Question: What does "dedicated" mean?

A) Lazy and careless

B) Devoted and committed

C) Indifferent and neutral

D) Confused and distracted

The Slowest Millionaire

Mark was a very successful businessman. He made lots of money every year. One day, he tried to chase a taxi and almost passed out. "Money cannot buy breath!" he cried. So Mark decided to keep fit and go running every day.

At first, Mark's progress was not good enough. He ran like a confused penguin. His expensive shoes were too shiny to be fast. Even his neighbor's cat beat him in a race. Mark felt sad.

Then, he asked Susan for help. Susan was a university student who ate salad for breakfast. She gave him lots of ideas to stay healthy and run fast. "Drink water, sleep early, and stop checking your stock prices while running!" she said.

Mark's girlfriend Chloe laughed when she saw him in tiny running shorts. "You look like a lost tomato!" she said.

But Mark did not give up. Mark remains dedicated to training as a professional runner. Now he runs every morning. He is still slow, but at least the cat is afraid of him now. And Chloe? She now joins him, wearing even tinier shorts.

Questions

1. What does "dedicated" mean?

A) Lazy and sleepy

B) Being devoted to a task with strong commitment and loyalty

C) Rich and famous

D) Fast and healthy

2. Why is Mark described as "dedicated" in the story?

A) He makes lots of money every year.

B) He stops running because Chloe laughs at him.

C) He continues training every day even when running is difficult.

D) He buys the most expensive running shoes.

embroil

 embroil 

= to involve someone deeply in a conflict, argument, or difficult situation, often in a way that is confusing or complicated

Mark was embroiled in a legal dispute over his tech startup. 

Mark got embroiled in a debate about the best running shoes.

Susan was embroiled in a misunderstanding with new friends.

Susan found herself embroiled in a debate over the best food spots.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "embroil":

Synonyms:

entangle

involve

ensnare

conflict

Antonyms:

exclude

free

release

untangle

Question: What does "embroil" mean?

A) To free from trouble

B) To involve deeply in conflict

C) To ignore completely

D) To finish something quickly

Solar System for Sale 

Mark was a successful businessman who always dreamed big. One day, he started his own tech startup and began selling solar systems to his clients. Business was booming until suddenly, a huge company sued him. They claimed Mark was using their patented chips in every solar panel he sold.

Mark was embroiled in a legal dispute over his tech startup. He sat in his office, pulling his hair out. "Should I pay them for every solar system I sell? Or should I reinvent the whole thing?" he groaned.

That's when Susan, his neighbor's daughter and a clever university student, knocked on his door. She was holding a bag of potato chips.

"Mark, why don't you just use potatoes instead of chips?" she asked with a straight face.

Mark stared at her. "Potatoes?"

"Yeah! Potato-powered solar panels. No one has patented that yet," Susan grinned.

Mark laughed so hard he almost fell off his chair. Within a week, he launched "SpudPower" — the world's first potato-based solar system. The lawsuit was dropped, and his clients loved the eco-friendly idea. Mark even put a tiny potato logo on every panel.

Sometimes the best solution is just thinking outside the chip bag.

Question 1: 

What does "embroiled" mean in the story?

A) To cook something in boiling water

B) To be deeply involved in a complicated conflict or difficult situation

C) To start a new business successfully

D) To sell products at a very low price

Question 2: Which sentence uses "embroiled" correctly?

A) Mark was embroiled in a delicious bowl of soup for lunch.

B) The cat was embroiled in a sunny nap on the sofa.

C) After the argument, both neighbors became embroiled in a messy feud that lasted for months.

D) Susan was embroiled in her favorite book and finished reading it quickly.

pint

 

pint

= a unit of measurement for volume ((UK: 568 cc) / US: 473 cc) )

Mark ordered three pints of beer at the pub last night.

Mark 昨晚在酒吧點了三杯啤酒。

He bought a pint of milk from the grocery store.

他在雜貨店買了一品脫牛奶。

After a long run, I enjoyed a refreshing pint of water.

跑了很久之後，我喝到一杯清涼的水，覺得很舒服。

During the picnic, we shared a pint of lemon juice.

野餐的時候，我們一起分享了一杯檸檬汁。

Some synonyms and antonyms for "pint":

Synonyms:

Cup

Mug

Glass 

Antonyms:

Gallon 

Liter (in metric measurements) 

#English #Vocabulary #EnglishLearning #Grammar #英単語 #英語学習 #TOEIC #IELTS

What does the term "pint" refer to?

A) A type of food

B) A unit of measurement for liquid, equal to 16 fluid ounces

C) A type of bird

D) A cooking technique

takeover

 takeover

= the act of gaining control or possession of something, typically a company or organization, often by acquiring a majority of its shares or assets

Mark discussed the takeover during his coffee break.

The takeover boosted Mark’s IT business profits.

Mark led a hostile takeover that changed the company’s leadership overnight.

The takeover of the student council interested Susan.

Susan was thrilled by the takeover announcement because it promised more activities and better food options.

Synonyms and Antonyms for "takeover":

Synonyms:

acquisition

capture

seizure

buyout

Antonyms:

release

surrender

relinquishment

loss

Question: What does "takeover" most commonly mean?

A) Giving up control

B) Gaining control

C) Losing possession

D) Sharing ownership

Reading comprehension

The Smooth Takeover

Mark discussed the takeover during his coffee break. He sat in the café, staring at his laptop, wondering how to buy the small bakery across the street. "Should I offer them cash? Or free donuts for life?" he muttered.

Suddenly, Susan, a university student wearing a giant banana costume for a campus party, plopped down at his table. "I heard you need a takeover plan!" she shouted, spilling her smoothie.

Mark sighed. "Yes, but this isn't a hostile takeover. I just want their croissant recipe."

Susan grinned. "Easy! Stage a flash mob! I'll bring my drama club. We'll dance until they surrender the keys!"

Just then, Chloe, Mark's girlfriend, walked in. She looked at Susan in the banana suit, then at Mark's serious business face. "Let me guess," Chloe said. "You're 'taking over' a bakery again?"

"It's a strategic acquisition!" Mark protested.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Last month, you 'acquired' my mother's lasagna recipe by eating three plates and begging."

Mark smiled. "And it worked perfectly."

In the end, Mark simply walked over and asked the baker nicely. The baker said yes—if Mark promised to never wear a banana suit near the shop. Susan was disappointed, but she did get a free muffin.

Question 1: What does "takeover" mean in this story?

A. Mark wants to destroy the bakery.

B. Mark wants to gain control of the bakery by buying it.

C. Mark wants to work as a baker for free.

D. Mark wants to steal croissants without paying.

Question 2: Why did the baker finally agree to Mark's takeover?

A. Because Susan's flash mob scared him.

B. Because Mark offered one million dollars.

C. Because Mark asked nicely and promised no banana suits near the shop.

D. Because Chloe forced the baker to sell.

fallout

 fallout

= the negative consequences or results that follow an event or decision

The fallout from his bad investment cost Mark millions.

Mark’s decision to ignore warnings led to fallout in his business.

The fallout from a disagreement pushed Susan away from friends.

Susan faced fallout after failing to submit her assignment on time.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "fallout":

Synonyms:

consequence

repercussion

aftermath

result

Antonyms:

benefit

advantage

gain

success

Question:

What does "fallout" usually mean?

A) Positive result

B) Negative consequence

C) Surprise gift

D) Friendly meeting

Reading comprehension

Mark was excited to become a stock market genius. Recently, he read a lot of annual reports of listed companies to make a smart choice for his investment. But, oops! The fallout from his bad investment cost Mark millions. Poor Mark didn’t realize he was accidentally buying shares in "Fluffy Cat Toys" instead of the tech giant he wanted. Luckily, a security company made an error and didn’t let Mark buy the stakes—saving him from a bigger disaster.

One day, Susan, a bright university student, walked by and noticed Mark's stressed face. She said, "Why not learn how to make a good deal in the market?" Mark agreed, and they teamed up. Susan taught Mark the tricks, and after a few months, they won a lot in investments. Mark threw a big party to celebrate, and even Chloe, his girlfriend, couldn’t stop laughing at the "Fluffy Cat Toys" story!

Questions:

What does the phrase "fallout" mean in the story?

A) A happy ending

B) The negative consequences

C) A surprise gift

D) A lucky break

Why didn’t Mark lose more money?

A) He sold all his stocks quickly

B) The security company made an error

C) Susan warned him before buying

D) Chloe convinced him to stop