sputter

 sputter

= to make a series of soft, explosive popping or spitting sounds

A loose ignition cable caused Mark’s V8 engine to sputter as he accelerated away from the stoplight.

Mark sat near the lake while his small portable stove started to sputter under the damp wood.

Susan smiled brightly as the popcorn machine began to sputter during the university social night.

The blender began to sputter while Susan tried making a smoothie for her new friends.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "sputter":

Synonyms:

Pop

Spit

Crackle

Muffle

Antonyms:

Flow

Purr

Run

Hum

Question: Which sentence uses "sputter" to describe an irregular noise or machine malfunction?

A) The engine sputtered.

B) He sputtered an excuse.

C) She sputtered in anger.

D) They sputtered wildly.

Reading comprehension

Mark was a successful businessman who loved showing off his expensive sports car to his girlfriend, Chloe. Today, he wanted to impress her with a fast drive onto the highway.

A loose ignition cable caused Mark’s V8 engine to sputter as he accelerated away from the stoplight. Pop! Cough! Spit! The shiny red car slowly rolled to the side of the road and stopped completely.

Chloe gasped. "Is it supposed to make that funny popping noise?"

Mark panicked because he knew nothing about fixing cars. Luckily, Susan, a friendly university student, pulled over on her small scooter.

"Need help?" Susan asked cheerfully. She popped open Mark’s hood, found the loose cable, and snapped it right back into place in five seconds.

The engine roared back to life instantly. Chloe cheered for Susan, while Mark stood there with a red face, feeling less like a cool businessman and more like a silly driver.

Question 1: Why did Mark’s sports car stop on the side of the road?

A) He ran out of gas.

B) A cable was loose.

C) Chloe turned it off.

D) Susan broke the engine.

Question 2: In the story, what does the word sputter describe?

A) A smooth engine sound.

B) Chloe’s loud laughter.

C) Irregular popping noises.

D) Susan’s fast scooter.

invincibility

 invincibility 

= the state or condition of being unable to be harmed, defeated, or damaged

Mark feels invincibility when he finishes a marathon ahead of everyone else.  

His success in business gives Mark a sense of invincibility in the industry.

Susan’s adorable smile makes her feel invincible in social settings.

Susan feels invincible when she successfully completes a tough workout.

Synonyms and Antonyms for "invincibility":

Synonyms:  

immunity  

unstoppable  

undefeated  

invulnerable

Antonyms:  

vulnerability  

weakness  

defeat  

fragility

Question:

What best describes "invincibility"?

A) Ability to be harmed easily

B) Being impossible to defeat

C) Feeling tired often

D) Losing confidence quickly  

Reading Comprehension:

Mark felt invincibility when he finished a marathon ahead of everyone else. He was so proud that he boasted to Susan, a university student, "I am unstoppable! Nothing can beat me now." Susan giggled and said, "Oh really? I challenge you to a race." Mark laughed and accepted. Chloe, Mark's girlfriend, watched nervously, thinking Mark was overconfident. 

The next morning, they met at the park for the race. Mark was confident, but Susan surprised everyone. She ran with all her might and zoomed past Mark like a rocket. Mark tripped over a small rock and fell flat on his face. Chloe couldn't stop laughing. Mark got up, embarrassed, and said, "Okay, maybe I’m not invincible after all." Susan cheered, "See? Even invincible people can fall sometimes!"

MC Questions:

What does "Mark feels invincibility when he finishes a marathon ahead of everyone else" mean?

A) He feels tired and weak.

B) He believes he cannot be defeated.

C) He wants to quit running.

D) He feels afraid of losing.

Why did Mark trip during the race?

A) He was too confident and overestimated himself.

B) He was distracted by Chloe.

C) He decided to walk instead of run.

D) He was tired from running too fast.

burgle

 burgle

= to break into a house or building illegally and steal something

The Yuen Long warehouse was burgled twice in a week; copper wiring was stolen each time.

Mark was shocked when he learned someone tried to burgle his sports car last night.

Mark's friend told him someone tried to burgle his apartment while he was at work.

Susan was scared when she heard someone tried to burgle her dorm room.

Susan's favorite café was burgled last month, and she was upset about it.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "burgle":

Synonyms:

break in

trespass

raid

invade

Antonyms:

protect

guard

secure

defend

Question:What is the meaning of "burgle"?

A) Break into a house and steal

B) Help someone in need

C) Clean a house quickly

D) Repair a broken door

 

 

The Great Sports Car Burglar Alarm

Mark was shocked when he learned someone tried to burgle his sports car last night. The thief was no ordinary crook – he left a note saying, "Nice car! Can I borrow it for a race?"

Susan, a clever university student, decided to help. She installed a silly but smart alarm that played loud chicken sounds whenever someone touched the car. Chloe, Mark’s girlfriend, added a fake rubber snake on the steering wheel.

That night, the thief returned. When he touched the car, the chicken alarm clucked loudly, and he jumped back screaming when he saw the snake. He ran away yelling, "I’m not stealing a haunted car!"

Mark laughed and thanked Susan and Chloe for their funny yet effective plan. Now, he parks his car with a chicken and snake guard!

Questions:

What did Mark discover about his sports car?

a) It was stolen.

b) Someone tried to burgle it.

c) It was sold.

d) It was broken by accident.

What does "burgle" mean in the story?

a) To clean a car.

b) To race a car.

c) To break into and steal something.

d) To borrow something legally.

out on a limb

 

out on a limb

= in a risky or vulnerable position, often by expressing an opinion or making a decision that is not widely supported

He's really out on a limb with his views on the new policy; not many people agree with him.

他對新政策的看法真是太特立獨行了；認同他的人並不多。

When Aunt Cindy brought up some political news at dinner, she definitely went out on a limb. It made for a tense evening.

當 Cindy 姨媽在晚餐時提起一些政治新聞時，她顯然是走出自己的舒適圈、很大膽地開了口。這讓整個晚上變得很緊張。

During the debate, Susan went out on a limb with her unconventional ideas about education reform, shocking both sides.

在辯論期間，Susan 對教育改革提出了不按牌理出牌的想法，讓雙方都大感震驚。

When Mark suggested that the team should adopt a pet project, he went out on a limb since most colleagues preferred to focus on their main tasks.

當 Mark 建議團隊應該採用一個對他自己個人感興趣的計劃時，他算是冒了很大的風險，因為大多數同事都更希望專注在他們的主要任務上。

Some synonyms and antonyms for "out on a limb":

Synonyms

Risky

In a vulnerable position 

On shaky ground 

Antonyms

Safe

Secure

On solid ground 

Conservative

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

What does the phrase "out on a limb" imply in a figurative sense?

A) Being in a safe and secure position.

B) Taking a risk or putting oneself in a vulnerable situation.

C) Being in a state of happiness and contentment.

D) Achieving a comfortable and stable situation.

step up

 step up

= to take action, increase effort, or assume responsibility, especially in a challenging situation

During the marathon, Mark stepped up his pace to win.

Mark stepped up to lead the new business venture.

Susan stepped up to organize a sports event at university. 

Susan stepped up her game in basketball practice.

To meet more people, Susan stepped up and joined clubs.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "step up":

Synonyms:

advance

increase

take charge

rise

Antonyms:

decline

withdraw

retreat

reduce

Question:

What does "step up" most likely mean?

A) Give up

B) Take responsibility

C) Move backward

D) Stop working

Reading comprehension

Mark, a successful businessman, decided to join a marathon to impress his girlfriend, Chloe. But Mark wasn’t a serious runner—he loved sports cars more than running shoes. Susan, a sporty university student, also signed up for the race.

At the start, Mark struggled to keep up. Seeing this, Susan shouted, “Mark, step up!” She then ran beside him, giving him funny tips like, “Imagine you’re chasing your sports car!”

During the marathon, Mark stepped up his pace to win. But just when he thought victory was near, his shoelace came undone, and he tripped over a squirrel named Speedy. Susan laughed and helped him get back on track. Thanks to Susan, Mark crossed the finish line first, with Chloe cheering wildly. Mark promised to buy Susan coffee every weekend as a thank-you!

 

01. What does "step up" mean in the story?

A) Slow down

B) Take action and increase effort

C) Sit down

D) Give up

02. How did Susan help Mark during the marathon?

A) By running faster and encouraging him

B) By tying his shoelace before the race

C) By driving him in a car

D) By distracting the squirrel

step down

 step down

= to resign or leave a position of power or responsibility, often voluntarily

HKU president Xiang Zhang will step down in 2028 after serving for ten years.

Mark decided to step down as CEO after 15 years in the IT industry.

After winning the championship, Mark chose to step down from professional running.

When she found it hard to balance, Susan stepped down from the university sports team. 

After a stressful semester, Susan stepped down from her club leadership role.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "step down":

Synonyms:

resign

quit

leave

retire

Antonyms:

stay

continue

lead

remain

What does "step down" mean?

A) Leave a position

B) Gain more power

C) Start a new role

D) Stay in charge