Another helpful way to learn the words is to evaluate them as positive or negative. Think about degrees of feeling and put the words in categories.

Transcription

1 REFERENCE LIST OF TONE ADJECTIVES (p.30) One way to review words on this list is to fold the list so that the word is on one side and the definition is on the other. Then you can test yourself by looking at either side. Another helpful way to learn the words is to evaluate them as positive or negative. Think about degrees of feeling and put the words in categories. Finally, at the end of this list there is also a crossword puzzle for extra practice. The puzzle is hard, so you need to study the words first, and a first letter is provided to help you. abstruse absurd ambivalent amused angry apathetic approving arrogant artificial authoritative bitter casual caustic cautious cheerful comic hard to understand, esoteric ridiculous or completely unreasonable having two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel entertained feeling fierce annoyance because of something unfair or hurtful that has happened feeling lack of interest, or not caring to have a good opinion of someone or something unpleasantly proud and behaving as if you are better or more important than other people made by people, often as a copy of something natural having the power of special knowledge, or (of a person) showing the confidence of having special knowledge showing or causing deep anger and pain not formal; relaxed in style or manner strongly critical acting slowly in order to avoid risks; careful happy and positive in feeling or attitude making you want to laugh; amusing College Reading 4 1

2 compassionate complex concerned conciliatory condescending critical cruel cynical defiant depressed detached disappointed disapproving disbelieving disillusioned distressed dry earnest a strong feeling of sympathy and sadness for other people's suffering or bad luck and a desire to help having many parts related to each other in ways that may be difficult to understand feelings of anxiety; worry intended to show someone who is angry or upset with you that you care about their feelings or understand their opinions showing that you consider yourself better or more intelligent expressing disagreement with or disapproval of extremely unkind and intentionally causing pain not trusting or respecting the goodness of other people and their actions, but believing that people are interested only in themselves refusing to obey or to do (something) in the usual or expected way feeling unhappy and without hope separated or removed from something else unhappy or discouraged because your hopes or expectations about something or someone were not satisfied thinking that something is wrong, or having a bad opinion about someone thinking that something is not true or correct feeling disappointed at realizing an unpleasant truth about something or someone they had thought was good feeling great mental or physical suffering, such as extreme anxiety, sadness, or pain, or the state of being in danger or urgent need not interesting or exciting; amusing in a way that is not obvious and can be missed sincere and serious College Reading 4 2

3 encouraging enthusiastic evasive excited farcical flippant formal gentle ghoulish grim hard impassioned incredulous indifferent indignant informal insecure intense intimate intolerant ironic irreverent joyous helping (someone) to feel confident and able to do something, or strongly advising (someone) to do something very interested in and involved with a particular subject or activity avoiding something unpleasant or unwanted having strong feelings, esp. of happiness and enthusiasm exaggerated for humorous effect marked by disrespect in a careless or lightly humorous way proper and structured considerate or kind scary serious, dark and cheerless resistant filled with intense feeling not believing, skeptical showing no interest showing strong anger aroused by something unfair or mean casual or conversational doubtful, uncertain or hesitant with deep feeling very personal unwilling to accept differences using words to express something different and often opposite from literal meaning disrespectful showing a feeling of great happiness College Reading 4 3

4 kind loving lyrical malicious mocking nostalgic objective obsequious optimistic outraged outspoken pathetic persuasive pessimistic playful positive prayerful prophetic remorseful repressed reticent reverent righteous friendly, generous, or warm-hearted demonstrating strong affection poetic expression of deep personal feelings and thoughts motivated by a desire to harm others making fun of, often by imitating expressing desire for the past, homesickness not influenced by emotion or personal feelings overly willing to serve or obey taking a hopeful view deeply offended, angry and resentful frank and bold in speech showing scorn or low regard convincing, causing to believe or agree stressing the negative or expecting the worst full of fun and high spirits showing certainty or affirmation speaking with God predicting the future filled with regret or guilt held back, forced down tending not to speak out, quiet showing deep respect with strong morals, virtuous College Reading 4 4

5 sarcastic satirical sentimental serious sincere skeptical solemn somber straightforward subjective supportive suspenseful sympathetic taciturn tense terse tolerant tragic uneasy urgent vindictive whimsical wistful sharp words that ridicule and hurt, making fun in a strongly negative way exposing a weakness through humor strongly influenced by emotion earnest, deeply interested or involved genuine and true questioning, doubtful deeply serious, ceremonial dark, gloomy, melancholic direct, honest, frank and open personal opinion based on reflective thought rather than scientific study. providing strength or assistance undecided, uncertain, anticipating friendly and compassionate toward someone in need noncommunicative and very reserved nervous and stressed very brief and direct, sometimes rude open to the beliefs, practices, or habits of others very sad, especially involving grief or death or destruction unsure, anxious immediately important seeking revenge, a desire to hurt unpredictable and impulsive full of longing and desire College Reading 4 5

6 College Reading 4 6

7 Across 3. showing strong anger at unfairness i 5. very interested in and involved e 6. serious, dark and cheerless g 8. disappointed by a sad truth d 10. resistant h 11. helping (someone)to feel confident e 12. refusing to obey or act as expected d 13. not believing, skeptical i 14. filled with intense feeling i 16. proper and structured f 17. exaggerated for humorous effect f 18. avoiding something unpleasant e 19. casual or conversational i 20. showing no interest i 24. considerate or kind g 25. not exciting; amusing in an unobvious way d Down 1. thinking something is not true d 2. marked by disrespect with light humor f 4. feeling great suffering d 7. separated or removed from d 9. scary g 12. thinking something is wrong d 15. unhappy or discouraged, let down d 21. sincere and serious e 22. having strong feelings of enthusiasm e 23. feeling unhappy and without hope d College Reading 4 7