contend

 contend

= to compete, struggle, or argue

Mark contended with elite runners in the city marathon.

Mark contended for the championship title after months of training.

Susan contended with a tough opponent during the final match.

Susan contended in a swimming competition for the first time.

Susan contended with a busy schedule during exam week.

Some synonyms and antonyms for “contend”:

Synonyms:

compete

struggle

vie

contest 

 

Antonyms:

agree

yield

surrender

concede  

What does “contend” mean?

A) Compete or struggle

B) Make a snack

C) Read a book

D) Take a nap

The Unlikely Marathon Champion

Mark loved running for meditation, but this Sunday was different. Instead of a quiet jog, Mark contended with elite runners in the city marathon. He huffed, puffed, and somehow crossed the finish line first. After much struggling, Mark won the race and proudly brought the golden trophy to his IT office to show off his championship.

His girlfriend Chloe, who was visiting, and his sporty niece Susan—dressed head-to-toe in a black James Bond outfit—were completely shocked. Susan whispered, "Uncle Mark, is this real or a glitch?"

Suddenly, the office phone rang. A panicked police officer shouted, "Mark, right? All of you! Get out of your office now. We just discovered a huge historical bomb near your office! Be quick and gentle, otherwise, all of you will become ashes and fly away!"

Panic struck. Everyone went mad, but nobody made a sound because they feared shouting too loud would trigger the bomb!

Mark whispered heroically, "You all leave first one by one, and I will leave last."

Crawling like stealthy secret agents, Chloe, Susan, and the staff crept slowly out of the building under the watchful eye of the police outside.

Finally, it was time for Mark to escape. Sweating nervously, he grabbed his precious championship trophy and headed for the door. Just as he passed the hallway, he saw the ancient bomb sparking fiercely!

The police outside yelled through a megaphone, "Quick!"

Terrified, Mark did the only thing he could think of: he hurled his beloved trophy right onto the bomb to smother the sparks!

Boom! A puff of smoke cleared. Miraculously, everyone was safe, and the bomb was neutralized. Everyone praised Mark for saving the day. The office was saved, but Mark’s shiny trophy was completely broken, dented, and charred black. Chloe sighed, "Well, at least your running career brought home a very different kind of heat!"

1. What does the word "contended" mean in the sentence "Mark contended with elite runners in the city marathon"?

A. Argued about the rules of the race

B. Competed against skilled runners

C. Counted the number of runners

D. Helped organize the marathon

2. Why didn't anyone shout when they heard about the bomb in the office?

A. They were saving their breath for the marathon.

B. They were afraid that shouting too loud would make the bomb explode.

C. Susan told everyone to practice their James Bond stealth skills.

D. They were too busy arguing with the police on the phone.

abduction

 

abduction

= kidnapping (taking someone away by force or deception)

綁架;

The news reported an abduction that took place in broad daylight, shocking the entire community.

報導指出，發生在大白天的綁架事件震驚了整個社區。

He tried to commit suicide after being charged with abduction.

他被指控犯下綁架罪後，竟試圖自殺。

She felt relieved when her brother was found safe after his abduction earlier in the week.

週初她哥哥被綁走後，直到這週後續消息證實他已平安找到，她才放下心來。

The organization raised awareness about the dangers of abduction, providing safety tips to parents and children.

這個組織宣導綁架的危險性，並提供給家長與孩子安全提示。

Some synonyms and antonyms for the word "abduction":

Synonyms:

Kidnapping 

Hijacking 

Antonyms:

Release

Liberation

Freedom 

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

What is the most accurate definition of "abduction"?

A) A legal agreement between two parties

B) The act of taking someone away illegally or by force

C) A type of physical exercise

D) A friendly conversation

intensify

intensify

= to make something stronger, more extreme, or more intense

Mark's interest in fishing intensified after catching his first big fish.

Mark's passion for his sports car intensified after he customized it.

Susan's love for sports intensified after joining the university team.

Her excitement for meeting new friends intensified at the campus event.

The delicious food at the new restaurant intensified her foodie passion.

Synonyms and antonyms for "intensify"

Synonyms:

heighten

amplify

escalate

strengthen 

 

Antonyms:

diminish

weaken

lessen

reduce  

Question:

What does "intensify" mean?  

A) Make weaker

B) Make stronger

C) Make slower

D) Make smaller  

The Pineapple Pizza Fisherman

Mark was a successful businessman who always wore suits, even on weekends. Mark's interest in fishing intensified after catching his first big fish. One Saturday, he went fishing again. This time, he really wanted to catch a very big fish. He pondered a lot about how to get this thing done. He had no idea, but anyway, he used his original technique first. He wore a bright yellow chicken costume and sang loudly, believing big fish loved concerts. Sadly, he only caught three tiny fish that wiggled away immediately.

Meanwhile, Mark saw Susan, a clever university student, swimming quickly toward his boat! Mark shouted, "What are you doing, Susan?"

Susan replied, "A fisherman wants to eat a pineapple pizza, and I have to deliver it to him!"

Then Susan climbed onto Mark’s boat and asked him to go to the fisherman’s boat, which was about 400 meters away. Mark raised an eyebrow but agreed. Finally, Susan delivered the pizza to the fisherman, who tipped her with a shiny fishing lure.

Mark shouted, "Come back, Susan! I have a question! How do I catch a big fish, Susan?"

Susan came back to Mark's boat and had some creative ideas for him. "Put pineapple on your hook! Fish can't resist tropical flavor!"

Finally, they caught lots of big fish and enjoyed a big dinner! Mark proudly said to Susan, "A lifetime reward of big fish to you, Susan!"

Question 1: In the story, "Mark's interest in fishing intensified after catching his first big fish." What does "intensified" mean?

A) His interest became weaker.

B) His interest became stronger and more extreme.

C) His interest suddenly stopped.

D) His interest was shared with Susan.

Question 2: Which sentence uses "intensify" correctly?

A) Mark intensified his fishing efforts by wearing a chicken costume and singing loudly.

B) Susan intensified the pizza by making it taste less delicious.

C) The small fish intensified by swimming away quietly.

D) Mark intensified his boat by painting it a lighter color. 

soggy

 soggy

= something that is very wet or soaked with moisture, often to the point of being soft or unpleasant.

His favorite sports car got stuck in the soggy mud after the rain. 

His favorite fishing hat was soggy after being left in the rain.

Her university backpack was soggy after walking through the rain.

Susan’s sports shoes became soggy after the soccer match.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "soggy":

Synonyms:

wet

damp

moist

soaked

Antonyms:

dry

crisp

parched

arid

Question: What does "soggy" mean?

A) Very dry

B) Slightly warm

C) Very wet

D) Very cold

The Fishing Disaster

Mark was a successful businessman who loved fishing more than anything else. One rainy Saturday, his girlfriend Chloe told him, "Stay home! The weather is terrible!" But Mark didn't listen. He put on his lucky fishing hat, kissed Chloe goodbye, and jumped into his shiny red sports car.

"Nothing can stop me from catching the biggest fish!" Mark shouted as he drove to the pond. Suddenly, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Mark was very delighted. "Perfect! The fish are waiting for me!"

But then disaster struck. The small road to the pond was covered in thick, brown mud. His favorite sports car got stuck in the soggy mud after the rain. The wheels spun wildly, but the car didn't move an inch.

Mark was very frustrated. He really wanted to go fishing instead of calling a car garage shop for help. Then he had a brilliant idea. "Susan! She can help me!" he thought.

Susan was a university student and Mark's neighbor. She was practicing her long distance running when her phone rang. "Mark, you want me to push your car out of mud?" she laughed. "This is the weirdest workout ever!"

Susan ran to the pond and pushed with all her strength. Finally, the car moved! Mark was really excited. "Susan, you saved my fishing day!" he cried. As a reward, he gave her a lifetime supply of running shoes.

Susan looked at her muddy shoes and smiled. "At least my feet will be ready for the next rescue mission!"

Question 1: What does the word "soggy" mean in the story?

A) Very dry and hard

B) Very wet and soft

C) Very hot and burning

D) Very cold and frozen

Question 2: Which sentence uses "soggy" correctly?

A) The desert sand was soggy after the hot sun.

B) The rock was soggy on the mountain.

C) The ice cube was soggy in the freezer.

D) My bread became soggy when it fell into my soup.

characterize

 characterize

= to describe the main qualities or characteristics of something, often in a way that helps you understand what it’s like

Mark characterizes his leadership style as calm and decisive. 

Mark characterizes his IT work as creative and problem-solving.

Susan characterizes college life as exciting and full of new chances. 

Susan characterizes sports as something that makes her feel confident.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "characterize":

Synonyms:

describe

define

depict

portray

Antonyms:

ignore

overlook

obscure

misrepresent

Question: Which sentence best uses “characterize” to mean “describe the main qualities”?

A) The report characterizes her as late for work.

B) The report ignores her schedule.

C) The report hides her qualities.

D) The report misrepresents her completely.

The Calm, the Crazy, and the Comeback

Mark characterizes his leadership style as calm and decisive, whether steering his tech startup or dodging falling popcorn at a stadium.

Today, Mark proudly announced to his girlfriend Chloe and her hyperactive niece Susan, "I’ll bet $1000 that the Mud-Puddle Rovers will win this football race!"

"Kids read this column, Mark. Keep it legal," Chloe sighed, adjusting her sunglasses.

Roaring in his shiny red sports car, Mark parked next to a tractor. Inside, Susan poked a broken plastic seat and groaned, "All the seats are busted. You're broke, Mark."

By halftime, the Rovers trailed 0-2. Beads of sweat dotted Mark’s brow. "Susan Bond, losing is not an option. Ideas?"

Susan grinned, pulling out a tactical clipboard. "Plan A: Cut the stadium power. Plan B: Weather-drones with giant magnets. Plan C: I sub in and score blindfolded. Plan D: Unleash 50 robot rabbits with laser-nibbles!"

Mark gasped, "Pure tactical genius!"

"Relax," Chloe said calmly, sipping juice. "Their star striker enters now."

True to Chloe’s word, the star striker waddled in, scored three chaotic goals, and snatched a 3–2 victory. Mark cashed his winnings, and they celebrated over luxury burgers.

Questions

1. Which sentence best describes Mark’s leadership style based on the story?

A) Panicky and disorganized when things go wrong in business and sports.

B) Calm and decisive, applying the same steady mindset to real life and work.

C) Silent and invisible, letting everyone else make decisions.

D) Aggressive and illegal, relying on robot rabbit attacks.

2. Which of the following sentences uses the word characterize correctly according to the provided definition?

A) The chef decided to characterize the beef stew into the oven for two hours.

B) Critics characterize the sci-fi novel as a wild mix of bad science and great humor.

C) I need to characterize my shoes before it starts raining outside.

D) She tried to characterize the bus stop by running very fast past it.