by R. S. Karunaratne

Words with different meanings

Anyway

'Anyway' can be used with the meaning ' in spite of other circumstances mentioned.' It is also used as a discourse marker. The latter is frequent in spoken English.

Some children do what they want because their parents do not care anyway.

A: Are you going to take away this parcel?

B: No, I have to come again anyway.

As a discourse marker anyway is usually used at the beginning of a sentence.

I'm not so keen on studying history.

Anyway I have to do it to pass the examination.

We've adjourned the meeting. Anyway we are going to resume after some time.

I'm not sure what time the meeting will be over. Anyway I'll be back for dinner.

Anyway is different from in any way which means 'by any method.'

A: I'm in trouble again.

B: Can I help you in any way?

Around/round

Around is both a preposition and an adverb. Round has the same meaning and is commonly used in Spoken English. The meaning of around/round is 'surrounding,' or 'covering all sides of something.'

Round/around as a preposition.

The helicopter had to circle around the village before landing on a paddy field.

Khan and Sandya were running around a tree and singing a song.

The whole organisation collapsed because it had been built around one man.

Is there a post office round here?

Geoff always found a way round the problem.

Round/around as an adverb

Some employees sit around all day doing nothing.

I saw some books and stationery lying around in the classroom.

He is one of the best technicians around at the moment.

Around is commonly used for numerical approximations.

There were around 10,000 people at the meeting.

She receives around Rs. 20,000 a month.

Can I meet you around seven?

We moved to Colombo round about 1980.

Fixed expression.

We were driving round and round in circles and getting nowhere.

In British English we use both round/around for movement or position in a circle. However, around is more common in American English.

The driver walked round/around the car admiring its beauty.

Do you like to travel round/around the world?

I can come to school any time because I live just round/around the corner.

Round/around can be used when we distribute things to everybody in a group.

Could you pass the cups of ice-cream around/round, please?

We use around with the meaning 'in different parts of' or 'somewhere in.'

The children were running around in the park.

A: Where's Kate?

B: She must be somewhere around.

Can you find somebody who could do odd jobs around the house?

Words are powerful tools in the hands of a speaker or writer. The following quiz will help you to enrich your vocabulary. Simply tick off the answer you think is correct. Check your answers with the key and remember the new words and how to use them.

1. The judge mulcted the defendant with a heavy fine for his part in the bank swindle.

(a) punished

(b) praised

(c) warned

2. Shallow ideas should be plumbed and discarded.

(a) encouraged

(b) promoted

(c) fathomed

3. The lone fisherman quailed before the mighty waves roaring towards his boat.

(a) fought with courage

(b) drew back in fear

(c) gave up all his efforts

4. The delay in the announcement of the winner roiled the entire party.

(a) stirred up

(b) pacified

(c) encouraged

5. The ruck of humanity followed the rabble - rouser, intent only on plunder.

(a) educated people

(b) ordinary people

(c) youngsters

6. Mary maintained her svelte figure with a sensible diet and regular exercise.

(a) slender

(b) fat

(c) tall

7. When Jayani's abscess was treated, she felt immediate relief.

(a) stomach

(b) cancer

(c) swollen, inflamed area

8. The unclaimed cadaver lay in the morgue for identification.

(a) patient

(b) dead body

(c) infant

9. His long arms and body posture gave him a simian appearance.

(a) like a monkey or an ape

(b) balanced

(c) healthy

10. The doctor prescribed a long vacation as a therapeutic treatment.

(a) basic

(b) psychological

(c) curative

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[Key]

1. (a), 2. (c), 3. (b), 4. (a), 5. (b), 6. (a), 7. (c), 8. (b), 9. (a), 10. (c)

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Starters :

Rearrange the jumbled letters

The letters in each of the following words are jumbled. Rearrange them to make meaningful words. Check your answers with the key.

01 notiaiverbba

02. drusba

03. esuba

04. etarelecca

05. tnedicca

06. etarucca

07. ehca

08. taborca

09. noitca

10. lautca

11. evitcejda

12. eroda

13. fluda

14. egatnavda

15. erutnevda

16. enalporea

17. noitceffa

18. noonretfa

19. daeha

20. ria

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[Key]

01. abbreviation: a short form of a word

02. absurd: silly

03. abuse: cruel treatment of someone

04. accelerate: speed up

05. accident: something nasty that happens

by chance.

06. accurate: exactly right

07. ache: a dull, lasting pain

08. acrobat: someone who does difficult

and exciting tricks

09. action: a movement of part of your body

10. actual: real

11. adjective: a word that describes someone or something

12. adore: love

13. adult: a grown-up person or animal

14. advantage: something that helps you to do

better than other people

15. adventure: something exciting

16. aeroplane: a flying vehicle with wings

17. affection: a feeling of caring for someone

18. afternoon: time between 12 o’clock (noon) and about 6 pm

19. ahead: in front of

20. air: the mixture of gases that we breathe

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Recall the words

Here’s a new word game. Read the meaning in column ‘A’ and pick the relevant word in column ‘B’. To help you find the word we are giving the first letter. Check your answers with the key.

[Column A]

1. Ruthless: U.............

2. Out of place: I...........

3. Study of the family tree: G..........

4. Science of heredity: G...........

5. In correct order of time: C..........

6. Representation of the whole: E..............

7. Strong dislike: A............

8. Liking companionship: G...............

9. Instrument to measure atmospheric pressure: B...............

10.To separate from the herd: S..........

11.Ugly, illegible handwriting: C..........

12.Equitable: F...........

13.Referring or pertaining to night: N.........

14.Noisy, loud: V.......

15.Very energetic: E..........

[Column B]

A chronological

B cacography

C fair

D exuberant

E nocturnal

F vociferous

G unconscionable

H barometer

I epitome

J segregate

K genealogy

L Gregarious

M genetics

N antipathy

O incongruous

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[Key]

1 G, 2 O, 3 K, 4 M, 5 A, 6 I, 7 N, 8 L, 9 H, 10 J, 11 B, 12 C, 13 E, 14 F, 15 D.

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