Quietness, Distance, and Interest / Stretch

Quietness, Distance, and Interest

Separate social behavior from assumptions about motives and distinguish indifference from active dislike.

READING 2 OF 23 focus words

Separate no preference from a wish to avoid

Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.

The chess club's apathy about its new ranking table was explicit: members said the standings interested them so little that they never checked them. Several members were indifferent between morning and afternoon sessions, accepting either time without a preference. One player's aversion to ranked matches made her decline competitive events while eagerly joining informal practice. The organizer recorded these distinct responses and asked about activities the members actually wanted, rather than treating every absence from a tournament as evidence of the same attitude.

Apathy toward the ranking table did not mean that the members lacked enthusiasm for chess itself, as their lively practice sessions showed. Being indifferent about the hour also differed from disliking either available session. The player's aversion concerned matches with recorded rankings, so adding more prizes did not address the feature she wished to avoid. The club kept informal practice and asked before planning another ranked event, connecting each choice to an expressed interest, lack of preference, or strong dislike instead of guessing from attendance alone.

Before you move on

Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?

Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.

Return to top