READING 2 OF 23 focus words
Context study 2
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
The essay questioned the dichotomy between reason and emotion. Her diffidence concealed considerable expertise. The diffident apprentice spoke so softly that the foreman leaned closer.
A rigid dichotomy left no room for mixed cases. He overcame his diffidence long enough to ask the crucial question. She was diffident in company but decisive at her workbench.
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.