English For Today Classes Nine and Ten - Pastimes - Vocabulary | Free Course

Chapter: Pastimes

📚 Vocabulary

English For Today Classes Nine and Ten

⭐ Most Important Exam Words

pastimeregularlysufficientinspirepassionposturedisciplinemeditationanxietyflexibilitychronicsupplementOlympianstandoutcaptivatelegacyunprecedentedaccomplishedretiredeclineexperienceconsequencewellbeingenvironmenturgesurveyfindingpercentagecontrastpriorityrationoteworthypreferencegenerationurbanizationdependenceaggressiontrenddissociateunderprivileged

📃 Word Formation Rules

► Verb + -ing forms gerunds or activity nouns: read → reading, play → playing, garden → gardening.

► Verb + -er forms a person who performs an action: sprint → sprinter, photograph → photographer, teach → teacher.

► Adjective + -ly forms adverbs: regular → regularly, significant → significantly, unfortunate → unfortunately.

► Noun + -al forms adjectives: environment → environmental, tradition → traditional, profession → professional.

► Adjective + -ity forms abstract nouns: flexible → flexibility, possible → possibility, active → activity.

► Verb + -tion or -ation forms nouns: meditate → meditation, urbanize → urbanization, organize → organisation.

► Prefix un- creates opposites: equal → unequal, privileged → underprivileged, unprecedented means never previously experienced.

► Prefix dis- often expresses separation or opposition: associate → dissociate, agree → disagree, appear → disappear.

► Noun + -ful forms adjectives meaning full of: care → careful, success → successful, beauty → beautiful.

► Noun + -less forms adjectives meaning without: care → careless, use → useless, hope → hopeless.

1. Pastimes and Leisure Activities (8 words)

pastime[/ˈpɑːstaɪm/]nouneasy

Meaning: অবসর বিনোদন বা অবসর সময়ের কাজ

Alt: শখ

Example: Reading books is one of my favourite pastimes.

Syn: hobby, recreationAnt: work, duty

💡 Exam tip: Use pastime for an enjoyable activity done during free time.

regularly[/ˈreɡjələli/]adveasy

Meaning: নিয়মিতভাবে

Alt: বারবার বা নির্দিষ্ট বিরতিতে

Example: Anusha goes to the gym regularly.

Syn: routinely, habituallyAnt: irregularly, rarely

💡 Exam tip: Regularly often answers the question ‘How often?’

sufficient[/səˈfɪʃənt/]adjmedium

Meaning: পর্যাপ্ত

Alt: প্রয়োজন মেটানোর মতো যথেষ্ট

Example: There is not sufficient space for a garden.

Syn: enough, adequateAnt: insufficient, inadequate

💡 Exam tip: Sufficient is followed by ‘for’ or an infinitive: sufficient for use; sufficient to meet needs.

photography[/fəˈtɒɡrəfi/]nounmedium

Meaning: আলোকচিত্র গ্রহণের শিল্প

Alt: ছবি তোলার কাজ

Example: Shyam hopes to make photography his favourite pastime.

Syn: picture-taking, camera work

💡 Exam tip: Photograph is a noun, photograph as a verb, and photographic is an adjective.

amateur[/ˈæmətə/]nounmedium

Meaning: শখের কাজ করেন এমন ব্যক্তি

Alt: অপেশাদার ব্যক্তি

Example: He wants to become an amateur photographer.

Syn: non-professional, beginnerAnt: professional, expert

💡 Exam tip: Amateur may be used as both a noun and an adjective.

inspire[/ɪnˈspaɪə/]verbeasy

Meaning: অনুপ্রাণিত করা

Alt: উৎসাহ বা প্রেরণা জাগানো

Example: His father inspires him to take part in sports.

Syn: encourage, motivateAnt: discourage, demotivate

💡 Exam tip: The common structure is inspire someone to do something.

passion[/ˈpæʃən/]nounmedium

Meaning: প্রবল আগ্রহ বা ভালোবাসা

Alt: উদ্দীপনা

Example: Playing football is a passion for Shyam.

Syn: enthusiasm, zealAnt: apathy, indifference

💡 Exam tip: Passion for something means a very strong interest in it.

hanging out[/ˌhæŋɪŋ ˈaʊt/]verbmedium

Meaning: বন্ধুদের সঙ্গে অবসর কাটানো

Alt: অনানুষ্ঠানিকভাবে সময় কাটানো

Example: Hanging out with friends was once a popular pastime.

Syn: socializing, spending timeAnt: isolating, withdrawing

💡 Exam tip: Hanging out is an informal phrasal verb; avoid it in highly formal writing unless suitable.

2. Yoga, Exercise and Health (8 words)

posture[/ˈpɒstʃə/]nounmedium

Meaning: দেহের ভঙ্গি

Alt: বসা বা দাঁড়ানোর ধরন

Example: Yoga improves body posture and balance.

Syn: stance, positionAnt: misalignment

💡 Exam tip: Posture is commonly used with body, correct, poor, and sitting.

discipline[/ˈdɪsəplɪn/]nounmedium

Meaning: শৃঙ্খলা

Alt: নিয়ম মেনে চলার অভ্যাস

Example: Yoga combines physical and mental disciplines.

Syn: order, self-controlAnt: disorder, indiscipline

💡 Exam tip: Discipline can be a noun or a verb; disciplined is its adjective form.

meditation[/ˌmedɪˈteɪʃən/]nounmedium

Meaning: ধ্যান

Alt: মনকে স্থির করার অনুশীলন

Example: Traditional yoga gives importance to meditation.

Syn: contemplation, reflectionAnt: distraction, agitation

💡 Exam tip: Meditation is formed from meditate; it is often associated with peace and concentration.

anxiety[/æŋˈzaɪəti/]nounmedium

Meaning: উদ্বেগ

Alt: দুশ্চিন্তা বা অস্থিরতা

Example: Yoga can help people manage anxiety.

Syn: worry, uneasinessAnt: calmness, peace

💡 Exam tip: Anxiety is a noun; anxious is the adjective form.

flexibility[/ˌfleksəˈbɪləti/]nounmedium

Meaning: নমনীয়তা

Alt: সহজে বাঁকতে বা মানিয়ে নিতে পারার ক্ষমতা

Example: Regular exercise increases flexibility.

Syn: suppleness, adaptabilityAnt: rigidity, inflexibility

💡 Exam tip: Flexibility is often listed as a physical benefit of yoga and exercise.

chronic[/ˈkrɒnɪk/]adjhard

Meaning: দীর্ঘস্থায়ী

Alt: দীর্ঘকাল ধরে চলমান

Example: Yoga may help manage chronic health conditions.

Syn: persistent, long-termAnt: acute, temporary

💡 Exam tip: Chronic is frequently used before illness, pain, or disease.

insomnia[/ɪnˈsɒmniə/]nounhard

Meaning: অনিদ্রা

Alt: ঘুমের অক্ষমতা

Example: Some people practise yoga to reduce insomnia.

Syn: sleeplessness, wakefulnessAnt: sleep, drowsiness

💡 Exam tip: Remember the spelling: insomnia, not insomia.

supplement[/ˈsʌplɪment/]nounmedium

Meaning: পরিপূরক

Alt: অতিরিক্ত সহায়ক উপাদান

Example: Yoga can be an enjoyable supplement to regular fitness training.

Syn: addition, complementAnt: substitute, replacement

💡 Exam tip: As a verb, supplement means to add something extra to improve it.

3. Olympics and Athletic Achievement (8 words)

Olympian[/əˈlɪmpiən/]nounmedium

Meaning: অলিম্পিক ক্রীড়াবিদ

Alt: অলিম্পিক গেমসে অংশগ্রহণকারী

Example: Phelps and Bolt are two successful Olympians.

Syn: athlete, competitorAnt: spectator, non-athlete

💡 Exam tip: Olympian begins with a capital letter when referring to the Olympic tradition or a specific person.

standout[/ˈstændaʊt/]adjmedium

Meaning: অসাধারণ ও সবার থেকে আলাদা

Alt: বিশেষভাবে লক্ষণীয়

Example: His standout performance amazed the audience.

Syn: remarkable, outstandingAnt: ordinary, unremarkable

💡 Exam tip: Standout can be an adjective or a noun; outstanding is a useful synonym.

sprinting[/ˈsprɪntɪŋ/]nouneasy

Meaning: দ্রুত দৌড়ের প্রতিযোগিতা

Alt: স্বল্প দূরত্বে দ্রুত দৌড়ানো

Example: Sprinting is one of the popular Olympic events.

Syn: racing, runningAnt: walking, jogging

💡 Exam tip: Sprint is both a noun and a verb; sprinter means a sprint athlete.

captivate[/ˈkæptɪveɪt/]verbmedium

Meaning: মুগ্ধ করা

Alt: আকর্ষণ করে মনোযোগ ধরে রাখা

Example: The two athletes captivated audiences around the world.

Syn: fascinate, charmAnt: bore, repel

💡 Exam tip: Captivate is a strong verb for describing impressive performances.

legacy[/ˈleɡəsi/]nounhard

Meaning: কীর্তি বা উত্তরাধিকার

Alt: ভবিষ্যৎ প্রজন্মের জন্য রেখে যাওয়া গৌরব

Example: The Olympics strengthened Bolt’s athletic legacy.

Syn: heritage, reputationAnt: obscurity, forgetfulness

💡 Exam tip: Legacy often refers to achievements remembered after a person’s career.

unprecedented[/ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd/]adjhard

Meaning: নজিরবিহীন

Alt: আগে কখনও ঘটেনি এমন

Example: Bolt achieved an unprecedented double victory.

Syn: unique, unparalleledAnt: common, ordinary

💡 Exam tip: Use unprecedented to describe a record or event without a previous example.

accomplished[/əˈkʌmplɪʃt/]adjmedium

Meaning: সফল ও দক্ষ

Alt: অনেক অর্জনসম্পন্ন

Example: He is an accomplished Olympic sprinter.

Syn: successful, skilledAnt: unsuccessful, inexperienced

💡 Exam tip: Accomplish is the verb; accomplishment is the noun.

retire[/rɪˈtaɪə/]verbeasy

Meaning: অবসর নেওয়া

Alt: কাজ বা প্রতিযোগিতা থেকে সরে দাঁড়ানো

Example: Phelps said that he would retire from racing.

Syn: withdraw, resignAnt: continue, begin

💡 Exam tip: Retire from a profession or activity; retired is the past participle and adjective.

4. Nature and Traditional Pastimes (8 words)

decline[/dɪˈklaɪn/]nouneasy

Meaning: হ্রাস বা পতন

Alt: কমে যাওয়ার প্রক্রিয়া

Example: Traditional outdoor pastimes are in decline.

Syn: decrease, reductionAnt: increase, growth

💡 Exam tip: Decline can be a noun or verb: a decline in interest; interest declines.

charitable[/ˈtʃærətəbəl/]adjmedium

Meaning: দাতব্য

Alt: মানবকল্যাণমূলক

Example: The RSPB is a charitable organisation.

Syn: humanitarian, philanthropicAnt: selfish, mean

💡 Exam tip: Charity is the noun; charitable is the adjective.

experience[/ɪkˈspɪəriəns/]nouneasy

Meaning: অভিজ্ঞতা

Alt: কোনো ঘটনা থেকে অর্জিত জ্ঞান বা অনুভূতি

Example: Children need outdoor experiences in nature.

Syn: event, encounterAnt: inexperience, ignorance

💡 Exam tip: Experience can also be a verb meaning ‘to undergo’.

consequence[/ˈkɒnsɪkwens/]nounmedium

Meaning: পরিণতি

Alt: কোনো কাজের ফল

Example: The decline has negative consequences for society.

Syn: result, effectAnt: cause, origin

💡 Exam tip: The phrase ‘as a consequence’ means ‘as a result’.

wellbeing[/ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ/]nounmedium

Meaning: সুস্থতা ও কল্যাণ

Alt: শারীরিক ও মানসিক ভালো থাকা

Example: Contact with nature improves children’s wellbeing.

Syn: welfare, healthAnt: illness, distress

💡 Exam tip: Wellbeing may also be written as well-being.

deficit[/ˈdefɪsɪt/]nounhard

Meaning: ঘাটতি

Alt: প্রয়োজনের তুলনায় কমতি

Example: Nature deficit disorder results from limited contact with nature.

Syn: shortage, lackAnt: surplus, abundance

💡 Exam tip: Deficit is commonly followed by ‘of’: a deficit of outdoor activities.

environment[/ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt/]nouneasy

Meaning: পরিবেশ

Alt: জীবজগতের চারপাশের প্রাকৃতিক অবস্থা

Example: Children should learn in the natural environment.

Syn: surroundings, habitat

💡 Exam tip: Environmental is the adjective; environmentally is the adverb.

urge[/ɜːdʒ/]verbmedium

Meaning: জোরালোভাবে অনুরোধ বা উৎসাহ দেওয়া

Alt: তাগিদ দেওয়া

Example: The organisation urged the government to protect nature.

Syn: encourage, pressAnt: discourage, dissuade

💡 Exam tip: Use urge someone to do something.

5. Surveys, Charts and Comparisons (8 words)

survey[/ˈsɜːveɪ/]nouneasy

Meaning: জরিপ

Alt: তথ্য সংগ্রহের প্রক্রিয়া

Example: The students conducted a survey on pastime habits.

Syn: questionnaire, study

💡 Exam tip: Survey can be a noun or a verb: conduct a survey; survey the students.

finding[/ˈfaɪndɪŋ/]nounmedium

Meaning: জরিপের ফলাফল

Alt: অনুসন্ধানে আবিষ্কৃত তথ্য

Example: The survey findings were presented in a chart.

Syn: result, discoveryAnt: assumption, guess

💡 Exam tip: Findings is usually plural when referring to research results.

percentage[/pəˈsentɪdʒ/]nounmedium

Meaning: শতকরা হার

Alt: একশোর মধ্যে কোনো অংশ

Example: A high percentage of students enjoy sports.

Syn: proportion, rate

💡 Exam tip: Use ‘the percentage of students is’; use ‘the percentage of students are’ only when the subject is students, not percentage.

contrast[/ˈkɒntrɑːst/]nounmedium

Meaning: বৈপরীত্য

Alt: দুটি বিষয়ের পার্থক্য

Example: The chart shows a contrast between the two age groups.

Syn: difference, oppositionAnt: similarity, agreement

💡 Exam tip: In contrast to and in contrast with are both acceptable.

priority[/praɪˈɒrəti/]nounmedium

Meaning: অগ্রাধিকার

Alt: সবচেয়ে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বিষয়

Example: Reading is a high priority for many students.

Syn: preference, importanceAnt: neglect, unimportance

💡 Exam tip: The phrase ‘give priority to’ is useful in examination writing.

ratio[/ˈreɪʃiəʊ/]nounhard

Meaning: অনুপাত

Alt: দুটি পরিমাণের তুলনামূলক সম্পর্ক

Example: The ratio of computer-game players declined among older students.

Syn: proportion, relationship

💡 Exam tip: Ratio is commonly followed by ‘of’ and ‘to’: the ratio of boys to girls.

noteworthy[/ˈnəʊtwɜːði/]adjhard

Meaning: উল্লেখযোগ্য

Alt: বিশেষভাবে লক্ষ করার মতো

Example: It is noteworthy that television was the first choice of younger students.

Syn: significant, remarkableAnt: insignificant, trivial

💡 Exam tip: Use noteworthy to introduce an important observation from a chart or passage.

preference[/ˈprefərəns/]nounmedium

Meaning: পছন্দ

Alt: একটি বিষয়কে অন্যটির চেয়ে বেশি পছন্দ করা

Example: Games and sports were the first preference of older students.

Syn: choice, likingAnt: dislike, rejection

💡 Exam tip: Preference is followed by ‘for’: preference for outdoor games.

6. Changing Pastimes and Technology (8 words)

generation[/ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/]nouneasy

Meaning: প্রজন্ম

Alt: প্রায় একই সময়ে জন্মগ্রহণকারী মানুষের দল

Example: Pastimes vary from generation to generation.

Syn: age group, cohort

💡 Exam tip: The phrase ‘from generation to generation’ means successively among different generations.

urbanization[/ˌɜːbənaɪˈzeɪʃən/]nounhard

Meaning: নগরায়ণ

Alt: শহর ও শহুরে জনসংখ্যার বিস্তার

Example: Urbanization has reduced the number of open fields.

Syn: urban development, city growthAnt: ruralization

💡 Exam tip: Urbanize is the verb, urbanized is the adjective, and urbanization is the noun.

dependence[/dɪˈpendəns/]nounmedium

Meaning: নির্ভরতা

Alt: অন্য কিছুর ওপর ভরসা বা নির্ভর করে থাকা

Example: People’s dependence on technology is increasing.

Syn: reliance, trustAnt: independence, self-reliance

💡 Exam tip: Dependence is followed by ‘on’: dependence on computers.

aggression[/əˈɡreʃən/]nounhard

Meaning: আগ্রাসন

Alt: জোরালোভাবে প্রভাব বিস্তারের প্রবণতা

Example: The aggression of satellite television has changed lifestyles.

Syn: attack, hostilityAnt: peace, friendliness

💡 Exam tip: Aggressive is the adjective form; do not confuse it with progress.

urban[/ˈɜːbən/]adjeasy

Meaning: শহুরে

Alt: শহর-সম্পর্কিত

Example: Urban children have fewer open fields for playing.

Syn: city-based, metropolitanAnt: rural, countryside

💡 Exam tip: Urban and rural are common antonyms in passages about lifestyle.

trend[/trend/]nounmedium

Meaning: প্রবণতা

Alt: পরিবর্তনের সাধারণ দিক

Example: The graph shows a rising trend in television viewing.

Syn: tendency, directionAnt: stability, stagnation

💡 Exam tip: Use rising trend, falling trend, or changing trend when describing graphs.

dissociate[/dɪˈsəʊʃieɪt/]verbhard

Meaning: বিচ্ছিন্ন করা বা হওয়া

Alt: কোনো বিষয় থেকে দূরে সরে যাওয়া

Example: Young people have dissociated themselves from field games.

Syn: separate, detachAnt: associate, connect

💡 Exam tip: Dissociate oneself from something means to stop identifying with or participating in it.

underprivileged[/ˌʌndəˈprɪvəlɪdʒd/]adjhard

Meaning: সুবিধাবঞ্চিত

Alt: সামাজিক বা অর্থনৈতিক সুযোগ থেকে বঞ্চিত

Example: Television has reached even the underprivileged section of society.

Syn: disadvantaged, deprivedAnt: privileged, advantaged

💡 Exam tip: Use underprivileged people or underprivileged sections of society in social-context writing.

💡 Exam Tips

• For comprehension answers, write complete sentences and use information directly from the passage.

• When describing a chart, mention the highest and lowest figures, comparisons, increases, decreases, and reasons.

• Use ‘in contrast to’ to show differences and ‘similarly’ or ‘both’ to show similarities.

• Use ‘from generation to generation’ when discussing changes in habits over time.

• For graph descriptions, use rose, increased, climbed, reached, declined, fell, dropped, and remained stable.

• Remember the distinction between pastime and pastime activity; pastime means an enjoyable activity during free time.

• Use the correct collocations: conduct a survey, collect data, present findings, manage stress, improve fitness, break a record, and make history.

• In comparison questions, identify the subjects, the basis of comparison, and the comparative words such as fewer, more, higher, lower, or greater.

• Use ‘although’ or ‘though’ to show contrast, and do not use ‘but’ in the same clause.

• For vocabulary questions, infer meaning from context first and then check the dictionary meaning.

English For Today Classes Nine and Ten - Pastimes - Vocabulary

Chapter: Pastimes

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