R2W WEEKLY QUIZ: May 3

Test your mastery of this week's words

Salutations, word lovers! How much of the English language did you unlock this week? Answer the following questions and review the answers on your own or with a friend, teacher, or tutor.

WORD MATCH
Match each number of each word to the matching phrase. One word has no matching phrase.

1. aposematic | 2. issue | 3. expiate | 4. superlative | 5. avocation | 6. painstaking

_______ A pleasurable pursuit or pastime

_______ Serving to warn off or repel predators

_______ To emanate or flow from

_______ So careful it hurts

_______ Amend or atone for

QUOTE MATCH
Complete each quote using the words from the word bank.

1. ductile | 2. painstaking | 3. expiatory | 4. avocation | 5. superlative

"Giving parties is a trivial _______, but it pays the dues for my union card in humanity." —Elsa Maxwell

"Always prefer to be like gold, so _______ as willing to be pulled to the limits, so malleable as the more you get beaten the more you get decorative." ―Sandeep Sahajpal

"I am doing my very best to make every effort because I am longing so much to make beautiful things. But beautiful things mean _______ work, disappointment, and perseverance." ―Vincent Van Gogh

"I would that our farmers when they cut down a forest felt some of that awe which the old Romans did when they came to thin a consecrated grove... The Roman made an _______ offering, and prayed: Whatever god or goddess thou art to whom this grove is sacred, be propitious to me, my family, and children, etc. —Henry David Thoreau

"We sent whalesong into interstellar space because the creatures that sing these songs are _______ beings that fill us with awe, terror, and affection... They’re so compelling that we imagine aliens might find them interesting — or perhaps understand their otherworldly, ethereal song." ―Nick Pyenson

ROOT QUIZ
For each of the following words, fill in the meaning of each prefix, suffix, and base. For bonus points, define the word and list other words with the same roots.

DUCT- (_______) + -ILE (quality)

SUPER- (above) + LAT- (_______) + -IVE (quality)

A- (_______) + VOC- (_______) + -ATION (act of)

APO- (away) + SEM- (_______) + -ATIC (characterized by)

EX- (completely) + PI- (_______) + -ATE (to make or do)

Scroll down for answers. But first, now that May Day has passed, learn what mayday means and where it comes from: