Chapter: Roots
đ Vocabulary
English For Today Classes Nine and Ten
â Most Important Exam Words
rootidentityrootlessbondheritagedesirerespectfrustrationobligationhazardnativesojournerqualifieddisciplineoccupationtorchbearercelebratedaspireliterarytalentreceptivegeniusreputationconvertadoptimitateappreciateesteemdevoteregrethardship
đ Word Formation Rules
âē root + less = rootless: the suffix -less means without.
âē root + ed = rooted: the suffix -ed forms an adjective meaning firmly established.
âē identity + -less = identityless: the suffix -less means without identity.
âē attract + ion = attraction: the suffix -ion forms a noun from a verb.
âē frustrate + ion = frustration: the suffix -ion forms an abstract noun.
âē fascinate + ion = fascination: the suffix -ion forms a noun showing a state or process.
âē qualify + -ied = qualified: y changes to i before the suffix -ed.
âē literature + -ary = literary: the suffix -ary forms an adjective related to a subject.
âē recept + ive = receptive: the suffix -ive forms an adjective.
âē appreciate + ion = appreciation: the suffix -ion forms a noun.
âē devote + -ed = devoted: the suffix -ed forms the past tense and past participle.
âē non + entity = non-entity: the prefix non- means not or without.
1. Roots and Identity (8 words)
root[/ruËt/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻļāĻŋāĻā§; āĻā§āĻ¸ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻŽāĻā§āĻŽāĻŋ
Alt: āĻāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻŋ āĻŦāĻž āĻŽā§āĻ˛ āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ
Example: Our family and birthplace are our roots.
Syn: originAnt: rootlessness
đĄ Exam tip: Root can mean both a tree part and a person's origin.
identity[/aÉĒËdentÉti/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻĒāĻ°āĻŋāĻā§
Alt: āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ¤āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ°ā§āĻ¯ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¨āĻŋāĻāĻ¸ā§āĻŦ āĻ¸āĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻž
Example: Our roots develop our identity.
Syn: individualityAnt: anonymity
đĄ Exam tip: Identity means who a person is; use it with possessive words such as personal or national.
rootless[/ËruËtlÉs/]adjectivemedium
Meaning: āĻļāĻŋāĻā§āĻšā§āĻ¨; āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻŋāĻā§ āĻŦāĻž āĻā§āĻ¸ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§āĻ¨
Alt: āĻāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻŋāĻšā§āĻ¨
Example: A rootless person may feel empty and lost.
Syn: unattachedAnt: rooted
đĄ Exam tip: Rootless is formed by root + less and means without roots.
bond[/bÉnd/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻŦāĻ¨ā§āĻ§āĻ¨ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻ
Alt: āĻĻā§ā§ āĻ¸āĻāĻ¯ā§āĻ
Example: There is a strong bond between the child and her parents.
Syn: connectionAnt: separation
đĄ Exam tip: Bond is commonly followed by between: a bond between two people.
belong[/bÉĒËlÉÅ/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻ
āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻ°ā§āĻā§āĻā§āĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻž; āĻāĻĒāĻ¨ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻšāĻā§āĻž
Alt: āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻ āĻŽāĻžāĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¨ āĻšāĻā§āĻž
Example: She feels that she belongs to her village community.
Syn: fitAnt: differ
đĄ Exam tip: Use belong to, not belong with, when showing membership or ownership.
surroundings[/sÉËraĘndÉĒÅz/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻĒāĻ°āĻŋāĻŦā§āĻļ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻĒāĻžāĻļ
Alt: āĻĒāĻžāĻ°āĻŋāĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻļā§āĻŦāĻŋāĻ āĻ
āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: A clean environment improves our surroundings.
Syn: environmentAnt: isolation
đĄ Exam tip: Surroundings is generally used in the plural form.
non-entity[/ËnÉn ËentÉti/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ¤ā§āĻŦāĻšā§āĻ¨ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒāĻ°āĻŋāĻā§āĻšā§āĻ¨ āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ
Alt: āĻ
āĻ¸ā§āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻŦāĻšā§āĻ¨ āĻ¸āĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻž
Example: Without a sense of identity, a person may feel like a non-entity.
Syn: nobodyAnt: somebody
đĄ Exam tip: The prefix non- gives the meaning not or without.
heritage[/ËherÉĒtÉĒdĘ/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻāĻ¤āĻŋāĻšā§āĻ¯ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻ°āĻžāĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ°
Alt: āĻĒā§āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻĒā§āĻ°ā§āĻˇāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻĻ
Example: Language is an important part of our cultural heritage.
Syn: legacyAnt: modernity
đĄ Exam tip: Cultural heritage is a frequent phrase in reading and composition questions.
2. Feelings and Social Relationships (8 words)
desire[/dÉĒËzaÉĒÉ/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻāĻā§āĻāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻāĻžāĻā§āĻā§āĻˇāĻž
Alt: āĻ¤ā§āĻŦā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸āĻ¨āĻž
Example: People have a strong desire to return home during Eid.
Syn: wishAnt: aversion
đĄ Exam tip: Desire can be a noun or a verb; desire to + verb is common.
attraction[/ÉËtrÃĻkĘÉn/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻāĻāĻ°ā§āĻˇāĻŖ
Alt: āĻāĻā§āĻ°āĻš āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻžāĻ¨
Example: He feels a strong attraction to his native village.
Syn: appealAnt: repulsion
đĄ Exam tip: Attraction is the noun form of attract.
respect[/rÉĒËspekt/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻļā§āĻ°āĻĻā§āĻ§āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨
Alt: āĻā§āĻ¨ā§ āĻŦāĻŋāĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻŋāĻŦā§āĻāĻ¨āĻžā§ āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻž
Example: We should show respect for our roots.
Syn: honourAnt: disrespect
đĄ Exam tip: Respect for someone or something is the correct prepositional phrase.
proud[/praĘd/]adjectiveeasy
Meaning: āĻāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤
Alt: āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻĻāĻžāĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ¨ā§āĻ¨
Example: Anupom is proud of his village roots.
Syn: honouredAnt: ashamed
đĄ Exam tip: Use proud of, not proud for.
frustration[/frĘËstreÉĒĘÉn/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻšāĻ¤āĻžāĻļāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻ°ā§āĻĨāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŦā§āĻĻāĻ¨āĻž
Alt: āĻŦāĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻā§āĻ°āĻ¸ā§āĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻžāĻ° āĻŦāĻŋāĻ°āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ
Example: His failure to gain recognition caused great frustration.
Syn: disappointmentAnt: satisfaction
đĄ Exam tip: Frustration is the noun; frustrated describes a person.
fascination[/ËfÃĻsÉĒËneÉĒĘÉn/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻŽā§āĻā§āĻ§āĻ¤āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻŦāĻ˛ āĻāĻāĻ°ā§āĻˇāĻŖ
Alt: āĻ
āĻ¤ā§āĻ¯āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ āĻāĻā§āĻ°āĻš
Example: Madhusudan later regretted his fascination with the West.
Syn: enchantmentAnt: indifference
đĄ Exam tip: Fascination with is a common collocation.
obligation[/ËÉblÉĒËgeÉĒĘÉn/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻĻāĻžā§āĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻŦ āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻžāĻ§ā§āĻ¯āĻŦāĻžāĻ§āĻāĻ¤āĻž
Alt: āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ āĻāĻ°ā§āĻ¤āĻŦā§āĻ¯
Example: Educated people have an obligation to serve their communities.
Syn: dutyAnt: freedom
đĄ Exam tip: Obligation to do something means a duty to do it.
frank[/frÃĻÅk/]adjectivemedium
Meaning: āĻ¸ā§āĻ¸ā§āĻĒāĻˇā§āĻ āĻ āĻ
āĻāĻĒāĻ
Alt: āĻā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻŽā§āĻ˛āĻž
Example: To be frank, I do not enjoy visiting the village.
Syn: honestAnt: evasive
đĄ Exam tip: To be frank is an idiom meaning honestly speaking.
3. Travel, Home and Hazards (8 words)
rush[/rĘĘ/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ¤ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻž; āĻā§āĻā§ āĻāĻ˛āĻž
Alt: āĻ¤āĻžā§āĻžāĻšā§ā§āĻž āĻāĻ°āĻž
Example: People rush home during the Eid vacation.
Syn: hurryAnt: delay
đĄ Exam tip: Rush may be used as both a verb and a noun.
vacation[/vÉËkeÉĒĘÉn/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻā§āĻāĻŋ
Alt: āĻ
āĻŦāĻāĻžāĻļāĻāĻžāĻ˛
Example: Many families travel during the Eid vacation.
Syn: holidayAnt: work
đĄ Exam tip: Vacation is the usual American form; holiday is also accepted in British English.
hazard[/ËhÃĻzÉd/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻŦāĻŋāĻĒāĻĻ āĻŦāĻž āĻā§āĻāĻāĻŋ
Alt: āĻŦāĻŋāĻĒāĻā§āĻāĻ¨āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻŋāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻŋāĻ¤āĻŋ
Example: Transport accidents are serious hazards for travellers.
Syn: dangerAnt: safety
đĄ Exam tip: Hazardous is the adjective form of hazard.
accident[/ËÃĻksÉĒdÉnt/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž
Alt: āĻ
āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻā§āĻ¤ āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻž
Example: The accident took away many lives.
Syn: mishapAnt: intention
đĄ Exam tip: By accident means unintentionally.
aboard[/ÉËbÉËd/]adverbmedium
Meaning: āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨āĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻ¨ā§ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻžāĻšāĻžāĻā§
Alt: āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻ
āĻā§āĻ¯āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻ°ā§
Example: The passengers hurried to board the train.
Syn: onboardAnt: ashore
đĄ Exam tip: Aboard is used with buses, trains, ships and aircraft.
native[/ËneÉĒtÉĒv/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻ
āĻ§āĻŋāĻŦāĻžāĻ¸ā§; āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻŽāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāĻ¨ā§ā§ āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ
Alt: āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻŽāĻāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāĻ¨ā§ā§
Example: Madhusudan was a native of Bengal.
Syn: indigenousAnt: foreigner
đĄ Exam tip: Native can be a noun or adjective; native of is used for birthplace.
sojourner[/ËsÉdĘÉnÉ/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻ¸āĻžāĻŽā§āĻŋāĻāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻ
āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāĻ¨āĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ
Alt: āĻ
āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžā§ā§ āĻā§āĻ°āĻŽāĻŖāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§
Example: He realised that he was only a sojourner in Europe.
Syn: visitorAnt: resident
đĄ Exam tip: Sojourner refers to someone staying temporarily in a place.
return[/rÉĒËtÉËn/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻĢāĻŋāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻ¸āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻĢāĻŋāĻ°ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻž
Alt: āĻĢā§āĻ°āĻ¤ āĻĻā§āĻā§āĻž
Example: Madhusudan decided to return to Bengal.
Syn: come backAnt: depart
đĄ Exam tip: Return to a place is correct; avoid using back after return in formal writing.
4. Education, Work and Service (8 words)
qualified[/ËkwÉlÉĒfaÉĒd/]adjectiveeasy
Meaning: āĻ¯ā§āĻā§āĻ¯āĻ¤āĻžāĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ¨ā§āĻ¨
Alt: āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻļāĻŋāĻā§āĻˇāĻŖ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻā§āĻˇāĻžā§ āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ°ā§āĻŖ
Example: Mainul Islam is a qualified farmer.
Syn: competentAnt: unqualified
đĄ Exam tip: Qualified for a job and qualified to do something are common patterns.
brilliant[/ËbrÉĒliÉnt/]adjectiveeasy
Meaning: āĻŽā§āĻ§āĻžāĻŦā§ āĻŦāĻž āĻ
āĻ¤ā§āĻ¯āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ āĻāĻā§āĻā§āĻŦāĻ˛
Alt: āĻāĻŽā§āĻāĻžāĻ°
Example: He was a brilliant student.
Syn: outstandingAnt: dull
đĄ Exam tip: Brilliant may describe both intelligence and excellence.
graduate[/ËÉĄrÃĻdĘuÉt/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻ¸ā§āĻ¨āĻžāĻ¤āĻ
Alt: āĻ¸ā§āĻ¨āĻžāĻ¤āĻ āĻĄāĻŋāĻā§āĻ°āĻŋ āĻ
āĻ°ā§āĻāĻ¨āĻāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ
Example: His younger brother is a university graduate.
Syn: degree-holderAnt: undergraduate
đĄ Exam tip: Graduate is a noun and also a verb meaning to complete a degree.
discipline[/ËdÉĒsÉplÉĒn/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻļāĻŋāĻā§āĻˇāĻžāĻ° āĻļāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻŋāĻˇā§
Alt: āĻļā§āĻā§āĻāĻ˛āĻž
Example: Agriculture was Mr Islam's academic discipline.
Syn: subjectAnt: disorder
đĄ Exam tip: In academic contexts, discipline means a particular field of study.
occupation[/ËÉkjÉËpeÉĒĘÉn/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻĒā§āĻļāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻā§āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻž
Alt: āĻāĻžāĻ āĻŦāĻž āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻ¸ā§āĻ¤āĻ¤āĻž
Example: Farming became his occupation after graduation.
Syn: professionAnt: unemployment
đĄ Exam tip: Occupation is a formal synonym for job or profession.
bureaucrat[/ËbjĘÉrÉkrÃĻt/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻāĻŽāĻ˛āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŋ āĻāĻ°ā§āĻŽāĻāĻ°ā§āĻ¤āĻž
Alt: āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻļāĻžāĻ¸āĻ¨āĻŋāĻ āĻāĻ°ā§āĻŽāĻāĻ°ā§āĻ¤āĻž
Example: His brothers could have become bureaucrats.
Syn: administratorAnt: worker
đĄ Exam tip: The adjective form is bureaucratic.
obligation[/ËÉblÉĒËgeÉĒĘÉn/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻāĻ°ā§āĻ¤āĻŦā§āĻ¯ āĻŦāĻž āĻĻāĻžā§āĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻŦ
Alt: āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ āĻĻāĻžā§
Example: They felt an obligation to the soil that raised them.
Syn: responsibilityAnt: irresponsibility
đĄ Exam tip: Use obligation toward or obligation to depending on the context.
torchbearer[/ËtÉËtĘËbeÉrÉ/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻĒāĻĨāĻĒā§āĻ°āĻĻāĻ°ā§āĻļāĻ āĻŦāĻž āĻ
āĻā§āĻ°āĻĻā§āĻ¤
Alt: āĻā§āĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻĻāĻ°ā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻ
Example: The brothers became torchbearers for rural development.
Syn: pioneerAnt: follower
đĄ Exam tip: Torchbearer is often used metaphorically for a leader of a movement.
5. Literature and Achievement (8 words)
celebrated[/ËselÉbreÉĒtÉĒd/]adjectiveeasy
Meaning: āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¤ āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¤
Alt: āĻ¸āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻāĻ¨āĻ¸ā§āĻŦā§āĻā§āĻ¤
Example: Michael Madhusudan Dutt was a celebrated Bengali poet.
Syn: famousAnt: unknown
đĄ Exam tip: Celebrated is a formal synonym for famous.
aspire[/ÉËspaÉĒÉ/]verbmedium
Meaning: āĻāĻāĻžāĻā§āĻā§āĻˇāĻž āĻāĻ°āĻž
Alt: āĻāĻā§āĻ āĻ˛āĻā§āĻˇā§āĻ¯ āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻž
Example: He aspired to become an Englishman in form and manner.
Syn: desireAnt: despair
đĄ Exam tip: Aspire is followed by to: aspire to achieve success.
literary[/ËlÉĒtÉrÉri/]adjectivemedium
Meaning: āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ¯āĻŋāĻ
Alt: āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ¯ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ¤
Example: He showed remarkable literary talent.
Syn: poeticAnt: nonliterary
đĄ Exam tip: Literary is the adjective form of literature.
talent[/ËtÃĻlÉnt/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻ¤āĻŋāĻāĻž
Alt: āĻŦāĻŋāĻļā§āĻˇ āĻĻāĻā§āĻˇāĻ¤āĻž
Example: His teachers recognised his literary talent.
Syn: giftAnt: inability
đĄ Exam tip: Talent for something means natural ability in that area.
intellect[/ËÉĒntÉlekt/]nounhard
Meaning: āĻŦā§āĻĻā§āĻ§āĻŋāĻŦā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻŋ āĻŦāĻž āĻŽā§āĻ§āĻž
Alt: āĻŦā§āĻĻā§āĻ§āĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ
Example: He tried to imitate the English in intellect.
Syn: intelligenceAnt: ignorance
đĄ Exam tip: Intellectual is the related adjective.
receptive[/rÉĒËseptÉĒv/]adjectivehard
Meaning: āĻā§āĻ°āĻšāĻŖā§ āĻāĻā§āĻ°āĻšā§ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ°
Alt: āĻ¨āĻ¤ā§āĻ¨ āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖāĻž āĻā§āĻ°āĻšāĻŖāĻā§āĻˇāĻŽ
Example: He thought the West would be receptive to his genius.
Syn: open-mindedAnt: unreceptive
đĄ Exam tip: Receptive to is the correct phrase.
genius[/ËdĘiËniÉs/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻ¤āĻŋāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻ
āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻŽā§āĻ§āĻž
Alt: āĻ
āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻ¤āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻ¨ āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ
Example: His creative genius was not properly appreciated in Europe.
Syn: brillianceAnt: mediocrity
đĄ Exam tip: Genius is usually uncountable when it means exceptional ability.
reputation[/ËrepjÉËteÉĒĘÉn/]nouneasy
Meaning: āĻ¸ā§āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĻŦāĻž āĻā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¤āĻŋ
Alt: āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻˇā§āĻ° āĻ¸āĻžāĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻ§āĻžāĻ°āĻŖāĻž
Example: The sonnet earned him a huge reputation in Bangla literature.
Syn: renownAnt: disgrace
đĄ Exam tip: Earn or gain a reputation are common collocations.
6. Change, Failure and Return (8 words)
convert[/kÉnËvÉËt/]verbmedium
Meaning: āĻ§āĻ°ā§āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻ°āĻŋāĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻ°āĻž
Alt: āĻ°ā§āĻĒāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻž
Example: He converted to Christianity as a young man.
Syn: transformAnt: retain
đĄ Exam tip: Convert to a religion is a common examination phrase.
adopt[/ÉËdÉpt/]verbmedium
Meaning: āĻā§āĻ°āĻšāĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻž
Alt: āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¨ā§āĻā§āĻž
Example: He adopted the first name Michael.
Syn: acceptAnt: reject
đĄ Exam tip: Do not confuse adopt with adapt; adopt means take up, while adapt means adjust.
imitate[/ËÉĒmÉĒteÉĒt/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻ
āĻ¨ā§āĻāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻž
Alt: āĻ¨āĻāĻ˛ āĻāĻ°āĻž
Example: He tried to imitate English manners and taste.
Syn: copyAnt: originate
đĄ Exam tip: Imitation is the noun form of imitate.
appreciate[/ÉËpriËĘieÉĒt/]verbmedium
Meaning: āĻŽā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¯āĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻŦāĻž āĻ¸ā§āĻŦā§āĻā§āĻ¤āĻŋ āĻĻā§āĻā§āĻž
Alt: āĻā§āĻ¤āĻā§āĻāĻ¤āĻž āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻāĻ°āĻž
Example: His society failed to appreciate his talent.
Syn: valueAnt: undervalue
đĄ Exam tip: Appreciate may mean understand fully or value highly.
esteem[/ÉĒËstiËm/]verbhard
Meaning: āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻĻā§āĻā§āĻž
Alt: āĻāĻā§āĻ āĻŽā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¯āĻžā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻž
Example: He was not esteemed as a native English writer.
Syn: respectAnt: despise
đĄ Exam tip: Esteem can be used as both a verb and a noun.
devote[/dÉĒËvÉĘt/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻā§āĻ¸āĻ°ā§āĻ āĻāĻ°āĻž
Alt: āĻā§āĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒā§āĻ°ā§āĻŖ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§āĻ¯ā§āĻ āĻĻā§āĻā§āĻž
Example: He devoted himself to Bangla literature.
Syn: dedicateAnt: neglect
đĄ Exam tip: Use devote oneself to something or devote time to something.
regret[/rÉĒËÉĄret/]verbeasy
Meaning: āĻ
āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻĒā§āĻ¤ āĻšāĻā§āĻž
Alt: āĻĻā§āĻāĻ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻāĻ°āĻž
Example: Madhusudan regretted his fascination with England.
Syn: repentAnt: rejoice
đĄ Exam tip: Regret doing something refers to feeling sorry about a past action.
hardship[/ËhÉËdĘÉĒp/]nounmedium
Meaning: āĻāĻˇā§āĻ āĻŦāĻž āĻĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻā§āĻ
Alt: āĻĻā§āĻ°āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: His European days were full of hardship.
Syn: sufferingAnt: comfort
đĄ Exam tip: Hardship is generally used as an uncountable noun.
đĄ Exam Tips
âĸ Learn each word with its part of speech and Bengali meaning.
âĸ Memorise common collocations such as strong bond, deep roots, cultural heritage, qualified farmer and devote oneself to.
âĸ Distinguish root, rooted and rootless in sentence-completion questions.
âĸ Use aspire to, receptive to, proud of, respect for and return to correctly.
âĸ For synonym questions, remember celebrated means famous, hardship means suffering and occupation means profession.
âĸ For antonym questions, remember rootless versus rooted, native versus foreigner and appreciation versus neglect.
âĸ In paragraph writing, use identity, heritage, obligation and torchbearer to discuss cultural roots.
âĸ Check whether a word is countable or uncountable: reputation and hardship are often used as uncountable nouns in general statements.