READING 2 OF 23 focus words
Context study 2
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
Her self-deprecating joke made the audience feel at ease. The course introduced semantics through ordinary misunderstandings. The botanist compared new growth with senescent leaves.
He described his awkward entrance in a self-deprecating tone. Their dispute concerned semantics as much as facts. The poet imagined the senescent empire as an old tree.
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.