render

 render 

= to provide or give a service to someone

Susan rendered soccer coaching to younger students. 

Susan rendered language translation for international students.

Mark rendered IT support to his clients efficiently. 

Mark rendered expert advice during the business meeting.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "render":

Synonyms: 

provide

deliver

offer

supply

Antonyms:

withhold

refuse

deny

retain

Question: What does "render" mean?

A) To give a service

B) To take something away

C) To ignore a request

D) To keep something private

The Million-Dollar Football

Susan rendered soccer coaching to younger students. One sunny afternoon, she stood on the university field, watching ten energetic kids kick the ball in every direction except the right one. A boy tried to score and accidentally hit the cafeteria window. The other children cheered as if he had won the World Cup. Susan felt very frustrated and checked her watch for the third time.

Suddenly, a shiny red sports car roared onto campus. It was Mark, a successful businessman with perfect hair and an expensive gray suit. He had an important professor client waiting inside the main building and had to negotiate a million-dollar deal for his new coffee delivery app.

Susan waved her hands wildly to say hello. Mark smiled, slowed down, and waved back proudly. At that exact moment, a young student with terrible aim kicked the football with surprising power. The ball flew through the air like an angry bird and punched Mark right in the face.

He had a red round ball mark on his face and felt dizzy. Two students helped carry him to the university clinic immediately. The professor, worried about his potential partner, rushed to the clinic with concern. Susan, feeling terribly guilty, grabbed the contract from Mark's shaking hands.

"Don't worry, I passed business law with an A!" she said confidently. With Mark's blurry signature and her enthusiastic explanation, Susan helped him sign the deal on a clipboard next to his ice pack. Mark groaned, "Next time, I'll take the bus and wear a helmet." Susan laughed and promised to buy him coffee after his face returned to normal.

Questions

Q1. In the sentence "Susan rendered soccer coaching to younger students," the word rendered means _______.

A) refused to continue

B) provided or gave a service

C) received money for

D) cancelled the class

Q2. What happened to Mark right after he noticed Susan waving at him?

A) He successfully signed the deal with the professor.

B) A football hit him in the face and he felt dizzy.

C) He parked his car and joined the football game.

D) He drove away from the university quickly.

ragtag

ragtag

= untidy or disorganized

邋遢/破爛;

What's going on? You look a bit ragtag.

怎麼了？你看起來有點邋遢。

After the camping trip, Susan came back looking a bit ragtag, with dirt on her clothes and messy hair.

露營回來後，Susan看起來有些邋遢，衣服上沾滿了泥土，頭髮也亂糟糟的。

Mark's clothes were ragtag after a day of playing outside.

Mark一整天在外面玩後，衣服變得很破爛。

Susan's hair was ragtag after running on a windy day at the sports ground.

Susan在運動場上風大的日子跑步後，頭髮亂糟糟的。

Some synonyms and antonyms for "ragtag":

Synonyms: 

Untidy

Messy 

Shabby

Antonyms:

Neat

Tidy

Organized 

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

Which of the following best describes the term "ragtag"?

A) Well-organized and meticulously planned.

B) Composed of disorganized, disparate, or mismatched elements, often in a haphazard manner.

C) Luxurious and extravagant in appearance.

D) Harmonious and coordinated in style.

 

anticipate

 anticipate

= to expect or look forward to something happening, often with some preparation or prediction

Mark anticipates a big client visit this Friday.

Mark anticipates launching a new app next month.

Susan anticipates trying new food at the campus café.

Susan anticipates winning the upcoming sports event.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "anticipate":

Synonyms:

expect

predict

foresee

await

Antonyms:

doubt

ignore

disregard

surprise

Question:

What does "anticipate" mean?

A) To ignore events

B) To expect something

C) To forget plans

D) To delay action

The Great Peak Disaster

Mark anticipated a big client visit this week. The deal was worth millions, and he had to go to the Peak in Hong Kong to sign the contract. To make sure everything went smoothly, he invited his friend Susan, a university student, to come along.

On the day of the meeting, Susan arrived at Mark’s home. Mark’s girlfriend, Chloe, smiled and said, "Good luck, you all!" Mark hopped into his shiny red sports car with Susan and started driving up the mountain.

"No worries, Mark. We will get there on time!" Susan reassured him.

Suddenly, a loud thunderstorm struck! Heavy rain flooded the entire road. Mark’s sports car got stuck in a giant puddle. Mark panicked, but Susan proudly pulled out two yellow plastic rubber ducks from her bag.

"Calm down! We swim!" Susan cheered. They got out of the car and paddled through the water with the plastic ducks.

Once they reached the foot of the trail, Susan pulled out heavy hiking boots and ropes. "I prepared everything!" she grinned. They spent a painful hour climbing up the muddy hill in the pouring rain.

Finally, drenched and covered in mud, they arrived at the luxury restaurant to meet the client. Mark proudly pulled the multi-million-dollar contract out of his backpack. Unfortunately, the paper had turned into a wet, soggy lump of mush.

The client looked at the dripping paper, laughed, and smiled, "Well, sign next time. Call my assistant to book an appointment next month!"

Comprehension Questions

1. Why did Mark and Susan have to swim with plastic ducks and hike up the mountain?

A) Mark wanted to exercise before meeting his big client.

B) Their sports car broke down in a flood during a sudden thunderstorm.

C) Chloe told them that hiking to the Peak would bring them good luck.

D) The client requested to meet them at the top of a muddy river.

2. Based on the story, which sentence correctly uses the word "anticipate"?

A) Mark anticipated the client visit by preparing for the important meeting.

B) Susan anticipated her plastic ducks because they were very heavy.

C) The thunderstorm anticipated the contract and turned it into wet mush.

D) Chloe anticipated to drive the red sports car up the Peak alone.

clarify

 clarify

= to make something clear or easier to understand by explaining it in more detail or in simpler term

Mark reviewed the financial report to clarify the company's recent profit increase. 

Mark studied the technical manual to clarify the operation of the new running app.

Susan read the university handbook to clarify the rules for club memberships.

Susan looked at a map to clarify the location of the new student center.

Synonyms and Antonyms for "clarify"

Synonyms:

explain

elucidate

illuminate

expound  

Antonyms:

confuse

obscure

blur

complicate  

Question:What does "clarify" most likely mean?  

A) Confuse

B) Make clear

C) Hide details

D) Delay action  

The Accidental Food Spy

Mark, a successful businessman, reviewed the financial report to clarify the company's recent profit increase. All the investors in the conference room clapped and hoped Mark could also do well next year. After a very long meeting, Mark miraculously managed to leave the office right on time.

Then, Mark and Chloe, his lovely girlfriend, drove back home.

"It's still very early, let's have a run before dinner," Mark suggested. Chloe agreed, and they went jogging together.

After a while, they passed by a cozy house that smelled like heaven. Mark whispered, "Oh my god, it's so delicious! It must be prawn with fried eggs!" Chloe agreed and wished they could just walk inside to eat. But crashing a stranger's house for dinner was out of the question, right?

The next day, Mark called Susan, a curious university student. "Susan Bond, I have a very important mission for you!"

Mark explained last night's mystery and begged Susan to figure out the recipe. Susan replied with absolute confidence, "Easy peasy! I'll go investigate tonight!"

Dressed in a black shirt and trousers, Susan grabbed a decoy pizza box. She also wore her high-tech AI glasses, designed to capture everything she saw whenever she blinked.

She walked up to the house and pressed the doorbell.

"Pizza delivery!" Susan shouted.

An adorable elderly couple opened the door, blinking in confusion. "Oh, we didn't order any pizza!"

Susan pretended to check her clipboard. "Wait, isn't this the right address?" Seizing her chance, she slipped past them. "Let me just check if this is the wrong house..."

Suddenly, Susan gasped, "Oh my god, that smell! It is amazing!"

The kind old couple chuckled, "It's nothing special, but you can try a bite if you want, little girl!"

Susan dashed into the kitchen, blinking rapidly to record every single ingredient with her AI glasses. After taking a big bite, she moaned in satisfaction. She boldly asked if they could teach her the secret recipe.

The sweet couple not only agreed but also invited Mark and Chloe over for a grand feast! From that day on, the gang became lifelong friends with the elderly chefs, proving that corporate espionage is best served with prawns and fried eggs.

Questions

What made Mark and Susan suspect the house was worth investigating?

A) They saw a large neon sign advertising a restaurant outside.

B) They smelled delicious food, which Mark guessed was prawn with fried eggs.

C) The elderly couple sent them an official invitation to dinner.

D) Susan delivered a real pizza to the house earlier that day.

 

Based on the story and the definition provided (to make something clear or easier to understand), why did Mark review the financial report?

A) To make the company's recent profit increase easier to understand.

B) To hide the company's financial losses from the investors.

C) To teach the elderly couple how to cook prawns and fried eggs.

D) To test out Susan's new AI glasses during a meeting.

character

 character

= a person’s moral nature

Mark shows strong character in every deal he makes.  

Mark’s character guides him to treat clients with respect.

Susan’s character helps her handle school stress with positivity.

Susan’s character is seen in her love for sports and teamwork.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "character":

Synonyms:

morality

virtue

integrity

disposition

Antonyms:

immorality

corruption

dishonesty

cruelty

 

Question: In “Mark shows strong character,” what does “character” mean?

A) His favorite sport

B) His moral nature

C) His car model

D) His job title

The Mooncake, the Turf, and the Mechanical Rabbit

Mark shows strong character in every deal he makes. Naturally, he brought that same unshakeable grit to relaxing. Fresh off a massive corporate buyout, Mark drove his shiny red sports car up the mountain for a Mid-Autumn picnic with his university student niece, Susan, and his girlfriend, Chloe.

Tagging along was Daisy, Mark’s prototype robot rabbit, due for launch in a few months. Daisy looked like a plush toy, except it stared at Mark with clinical, unblinking crimson optics.

At the BBQ area, Mark parked himself at a picnic table, unwrapped a salted-egg-yolk mooncake, and entered a state of deep, meditative chewing. Meanwhile, Susan and Chloe headed to a nearby patch of dry grass to light candles and lanterns.

Fwoosh!

Susan dropped a burning candle. The turf caught fire.

Susan and Chloe panicked, scanning for water. None in sight. Restroom? A mile away.

Daisy’s internal fan whirred. Scanning emergency. Bounding across the grass at Olympic speed, Daisy unzipped its belly compartment, yanked out a fire-retardant picnic blanket, and smothered the flames in three seconds flat.

Susan gasped, "Daisy, you saved us!"

Daisy adjusted its floppy metal ears, synthesized a calm British accent, and chimed, "No worries, everyone. I am fully prepared for festive hazards."

Back at the table, Mark finished his last crumb. He hadn't noticed the smoke, the panic, or the charred turf. Blissfully zen, Mark patted Daisy’s metallic head and thought, Best prototype ever. It protects nature, puts out fires, and lets me focus on the mooncakes!

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Questions

1. What does the sentence "Mark shows strong character in every deal he makes" mean in this story?

A) Mark has a loud and funny personality during negotiations.

B) Mark demonstrates integrity, firm principles, and moral strength in business.

C) Mark acts like a cartoon character when selling cars.

D) Mark has a weak physical build when signing contracts.

2. Based on the story, why didn't Mark react to the grass fire?

A) He was wearing noise-canceling headphones.

B) He was angry at Susan and Chloe.

C) He trusted Daisy completely and was absorbed in eating his mooncake.

D) He couldn't see the fire from inside his red sports car.

characteristic

characteristic

= a feature or quality that is typical of a person, thing, or group

Mark’s characteristic is being calm and focused during busy workdays. 

Mark’s characteristic is staying disciplined as a professional runner.

Susan’s characteristic is being curious and always interested in learning at university.

Susan’s characteristic is loving sports and staying energetic with friends.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "characteristic":

Synonyms:

trait

feature

attribute

quality

Antonyms:

exception

anomaly

oddity

inconsistency

Question: Which sentence uses “characteristic” correctly?

A) Mark likes fishing is a characteristic.

B) The characteristic of Mark is likes fishing.

C) Mark’s characteristic is liking fishing on weekends for meditation.

D) Fishing is a characteristic because it raining.

The Great Mooncake Escape

Mark’s characteristic is being calm and focused during busy workdays. Normally, spreadsheets didn't scare him, and board meetings melted away under his icy stare. However, with the Mid-Autumn Festival looming and a pantry mocking him with lotus-seed mooncakes, Mark had zero mood for corporate synergy.

He dialed his smart-home line.

"Hi, Mark speaking," a metallic voice buzzed back.

"Come to my office to replace me!" Mark shouted into the speaker.

"It's my pleasure!" the robot Mark chirped.

Donning Mark’s spare shiny suit, the android stepped out the door and marched straight to downtown on foot. Walking ten miles in designer loafers drained 87% of its battery, leaving joints clicking like a cheap stapler.

Just as the low-battery red eye blinked on the robot's chest, it kicked open the office door. Mark panicked, strapped on a bright orange emergency parachute, and scrambled backward toward the window ledge.

"Let's run 20 miles today before eating too much mooncakes!" Mark declared proudly to empty air.

With a dramatic leap, Mark pulled the cord—which immediately snagged on the air conditioner unit, slowly lowering him upside down past the third-floor window like a sad human lantern.

Inside, the robot plugged its power cable into the nearest desk socket, flashed a green LED, and started drafting Q3 reports with terrifying speed.

Hanging upside down outside, catching a cool autumn breeze, Mark sighed happily. The day was just perfect.

Questions 

Why did Mark have to leave his office through the window with a parachute?

A) He forgot his keys and locked himself out of the boardroom.

B) The robot Mark arrived to replace him, and Mark wanted to escape for his own festival training.

C) His shiny suit was too heavy to walk out the front door.

D) He wanted to test his parachute before eating mooncakes.

Based on the definition provided ("a feature or quality that is typical of a person, thing, or group"), which sentence uses characteristic correctly?

A) Mark bought a new characteristic suit for work.

B) Being calm and focused during crunch time is a well-known characteristic of Mark.

C) The robot characteristically plugged into the wall.

D) Mark ate a characteristic mooncake with salted egg yolk.