skyrocket

 skyrocket

= to increase or rise very quickly and suddenly, often used to describe prices, numbers, or levels 

Mark's profits skyrocketed after launching his new app.

The price of Mark's favorite sports car has skyrocketed recently.

Susan's social media followers skyrocketed after posting sports videos.

Susan's energy levels skyrocket after eating her favorite meal.

Susan's confidence skyrocketed after winning the university race.

Some synonyms and antonyms for skyrocket:

Synonyms:

soar

surge

rocket

escalate

Antonyms:

plummet

decline

drop

fall

What does "skyrocket" mean?

A) To decrease quickly

B) To rise very fast

C) To stay the same

D) To move slowly

Reading comprehension

Mark was over the moon because Mark's profits skyrocketed after launching his new app. The app was a hit, and he owed it all to Susan’s creative idea. To celebrate, Mark threw a big party and invited Susan.

At the party, Mark said, “Susan, your idea made my app famous! I want you to be the full-time product manager as soon as possible.” Susan smiled but said, “Only if I get a lifetime supply of coffee!”

Chloe, Mark’s girlfriend, laughed and whispered, “Mark, don’t forget to include snacks too, or Susan might turn into a coffee zombie!”

Suddenly, the lights flickered, and the DJ played Susan’s favorite song. Everyone danced, and even the office plants seemed to join in. Mark thought, "This party just skyrocketed from boring to awesome!"

Susan winked and said, “Looks like your app isn’t the only thing skyrocketing tonight!”

Everyone laughed, and Mark knew this was just the beginning of their fun partnership.

Question 1:

What happened to Mark's profits after launching his new app?

A) They decreased slowly

B) They skyrocketed

C) They stayed the same

D) They disappeared

Question 2:

What does "skyrocket" mean in the story?

A) To rise quickly

B) To fall suddenly

C) To stay low

D) To stop moving

peckish

 

peckish

= (informal) to describe a feeling of slight hunger or a desire for a snack.

Mark, I’m feeling a little peckish. Do you have any snacks?

Mark，我有點餓了。你有什麼零食嗎？

I know it's a short session, but I'm starting to feel a bit peckish. Can someone pass around the snacks?

我知道這是一段很短的時間，但我好像有點餓了。有人可以把零食分一分嗎？

I thought I was full, but now I'm feeling a little peckish. Maybe I’ll grab a sandwich.

我以為我已經飽了，但現在我又有點餓。也許我去拿一個三明治。

Susan, I thought we had a big lunch, but I’m feeling a bit peckish. Do you have any snacks in your bag?

Susan，我以為我們吃了很大的午餐，但我現在有點餓了。你包包裡有零食嗎？

Some synonyms and antonyms for "peckish":

Synonyms

Hungry 

Snacking

Munchy 

Antonyms

Full

Satisfied 

Stuffed 

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

What does the term "peckish" mean?

A) Extremely hungry

B) Slightly hungry

C) Satisfied or full

D) Indifferent to food

vulnerability

 vulnerability

= the state of being open to harm, damage, or attack

The sports car’s vulnerability to theft worries Mark.

Mark's vulnerability to injury is a concern during long runs.

In sports, Susan hides her vulnerability to stay strong.

Susan learns to manage vulnerability during tough exams.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "vulnerability":

Synonyms:

weakness

susceptibility

exposure

fragility

Antonyms:

strength

protection

security

invulnerability

Question: 

What does "vulnerability" mean?

A) Being strong and safe

B) Open to harm or risk

C) Feeling very confident

D) Always successful

Reading comprehension

The Garage Guard

Mark was a very rich businessman who loved expensive vehicles. But lately, the local economy was terrible, and thieves were everywhere. The sports car’s vulnerability to theft worries Mark greatly every single night.

To solve this, Mark asked Susan, a smart university student, to build a ultimate security system.

The next day, Susan arrived with her special secret weapon: a giant, dramatic attack goose named Sir Honks-a-Lot.

"Is this a joke?" Mark asked, staring at the aggressive bird. "My girlfriend, Chloe, wanted a high-tech laser alarm!"

"Lasers are expensive," Susan replied calmly. "A furious goose is cheap and terrifying."

That midnight, a sneaky thief crept into the dark garage. Before he could even touch a car door, Sir Honks-a-Lot let out a blood-curdling screech and chased the thief down the driveway while biting his pants.

Mark watched from his window, sipping tea. His luxury sports cars were finally safe, thanks to a college student and a crazy goose.

 

Comprehension Questions

1. Why did Susan bring a goose to Mark's garage?

A) Mark wanted to give his girlfriend Chloe a cute farm pet.

B) She wanted to sell the bird to help the bad economy.

C) It was an affordable and scary way to protect Mark's cars from thieves.

D) Sir Honks-a-Lot was trained to drive Mark's sports cars away.

2. In the story, "the sports car’s vulnerability to theft" means that Mark's cars were:

A) Easily open to being stolen or harmed by thieves.

B) Too fast for normal people to drive safely.

C) Completely protected by expensive high-tech laser alarms.

D) Broken down and unable to run smoothly.

showcase

 showcase

= to present, display, or highlight something in a way that emphasizes its best features

Mark showcases rare books from his favorite authors.

Mark showcases smart solutions in the IT project reports. 

Susan showcases her cooking ideas when she shares new recipes. 

Susan showcases her talents in beginner sports activities.

Some synonyms and antonyms for “showcase”:

Synonyms:

present

display

highlight

feature

Antonyms:

hide

conceal

downplay

ignore

 

Question: What does “showcase” most closely mean?

A) Hide

B) Present clearly

C) Ignore

D) Interrupt

Reading comprehension

Mark invited Susan to come home for a BBQ party. Before the party, Mark showcased rare books from his favorite authors. Susan’s eyes widened like they’d just spotted free dessert. She whispered, “Those books are amazing! Can I borrow one?”

Mark smiled politely. “No.”

Susan frowned, then quickly sat down and opened her notebook—like she was planning a serious business deal. “I have a university strategy,” she said. “I’ll borrow the book… using the BBQ.”

Mark blinked. Chloe walked in, holding a spatula. “What kind of plan is that?” Chloe asked.

Susan pointed at the bookshelf and announced, “Tonight’s theme is Literature Meets Fire! If the book looks at the flame, it can’t resist… it will ‘lend’ itself.”

Chloe and Mark stared.

Then Susan started a pretend “book interview” beside the BBQ grill. Mark, too curious to stop it, leaned closer—right next to the shelf. Susan calmly slipped one book into a paper bag labeled “Spare Napkins.”

At the party, everyone cheered. The only thing roasted was Mark’s pride.

 

 Question 1: What did Mark do before the BBQ party?

A) He borrowed books to Susan

B) He showcased rare books

C) He hid the books in the fridge

D) He sold books online

Question 2: How did Susan try to get the book home?

A) She asked and got it

B) She cooked it in the BBQ grill

C) She used a “BBQ plan” and took it in a bag

D) She broke the shelf for it

slew

 slew

= a large number

= an excessive amount

Mark has a slew of meetings every Monday morning. 

On Sundays, Mark runs early with a slew of runners for community practice.

Susan has a slew of assignments to finish before exams start.

Susan loves sports, so she watches a slew of games during the season.

Some synonyms and antonyms for "slew":

Synonyms:

a number of

a bunch of

many

numerous

Antonyms:

few

a small number

scarce

limited

Question: Choose the best meaning of “slew” in: “There’s a slew of tasks today.”

A) a small number of tasks

B) a few tasks only

C) a large number of tasks

D) one single task

Reading comprehension

Mark was a successful businessman, but his calendar had a talent for screaming. Every Monday morning, his phone buzzed like it was starting a fire drill—because Mark had a slew of meetings. Again.

Chloe, his girlfriend, peeked at his schedule. “Babe, you’re not managing a company—you’re running a traveling circus.”

Mark sighed. “I need to reduce the workload without hurting progress. I can’t cancel everything. I still want results… and maybe lunch.”

Susan, a university student and part-time genius, arrived with a notebook and a spoon. “Don’t worry. We’ll organize the meetings. Not destroy them.”

She created “Meeting Jenga”: each meeting was a block. If Mark removed one block, the tower still had to stay standing. Mark looked terrified.

Chloe clapped. “So… reduce meetings, keep progress.”

Susan smiled. “Exactly. We’ll combine updates, shorten check-ins, and use one ‘super-email’ instead of five mini-planet meetings.”

By Monday afternoon, Mark was calm, Chloe was laughing, and Susan had earned a cookie.

And yes—Mark still had meetings… just fewer of the “slew” kind.

Question 1: In the story, what does “slew” mean?

A) a small number

B) a large number

C) one single meeting

D) no meetings

Question 2: Why did Mark want to reduce the workload?

A) to cancel all meetings

B) to avoid progress

C) to reduce meetings without hurting progress

D) to stop working forever

sanguine

 sanguine 

= to be optimistic or hopeful, especially in a confident and cheerful way

Mark remains sanguine about the future of his IT company despite market challenges.

Even after losing the race, Mark stayed sanguine and planned his training.

Japan’s economy minister offers a sanguine view on inflation, reassuring markets.

Susan stayed sanguine after missing out on the first event, knowing more chances would come.

Susan stays sanguine about balancing studies and her love for sports.

Some synonyms and antonyms for sanguine:

Synonyms:

optimistic

hopeful

confident

positive

Antonyms:

pessimistic

doubtful

gloomy

negative

Question: What does "sanguine" mean?

A) Pessimistic

B) Optimistic

C) Indifferent

D) Angry

Reading comprehension

Mark was excited to open his new startup company. His unique ideas were copied by rivals, which made him very mad and frustrated. Chloe, his girlfriend, tried to cheer him up, but Mark still felt worried about the future.

One day, Susan, a cheerful university student, visited Mark’s office. After discussing his problems with Susan, Mark began to remain sanguine about the future of his IT company despite market challenges. Susan’s calm and positive attitude helped him regain hope.

Inspired, Mark started dreaming up new ideas again. He joked, “Maybe I should invent a clone detector!” Susan laughed and said, “Or a coffee-proof computer!”

With Susan’s encouragement and Chloe’s tasty donuts, Mark learned that staying sanguine was the best way to outsmart the copycats.

Question 1:

What does "sanguine" mean in the story?

A) Angry

B) Hopeful

C) Confused

D) Sad

Question 2:

What helped Mark begin to feel confident again?

A) Talking with Susan

B) Giving up on ideas

C) Chloe’s coffee

D) Losing interest