Gregarious (adj.)
(of people) friendly and preferring to be with other people; (of animal) living in large groups

Woolly monkeys are active during the day. GREGARIOUS, they live in small groups and are often found in the company of capuchins, howlers, and other monkeys. They are rather slow-moving and generally travel on all fours, although they often swing by their hands, feet, and tail or by their tail alone. On the ground they are able to stand erect, using the tail for support.

Quick Quiz
Dolphins were happy, gregarious surface dwellers and being so they —---------.
A. shun other dolphins
B. tend to be solitary
C. move through water together





Answer: C
@ibtil

ENIGMATIC and INSCRUTABLE (adj.)
Mysterious; puzzling; unfathomable; baffling

What do da Vinci’s portrait the Mona Lisa, Fitzgerald’s description of Jay Gatsby, and J.K Rawling’s portrayal of Snape have in common? All three figures are ENIGMATIC. The Mona Lisa’s ENIGMATIC smile has puzzled art lovers for centuries. When The Great Gatsby opens, Jay Gatsby is an ENIGMATIC figure whose great wealth and extravagant parties spark endless gossip. And Snape’s personality and loyalties remain INSCRUTABLE until the final chapters of Ha1’ry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Quick Quiz
His face wore an enigmatic smile, but he did not speak. I’m sure everybody present —----.
A. wondered if the smile was really a sign of satisfaction
B. was happy that they knew the was pleased
C. decided to smile too




Answer: A
@ibtil

INDULGENT (adj.)
willing to allow someone, especially a child, to do or have whatever they want, even if this is not good for them; overly tolerant

In the movie Mean Girls, Regina George’s mother prides herself on being INDULGENT. She proudly tells Regina and Cady, “I just want you to know, if you ever need anything, don’t be shy, OK? There are NO rules in the house. I’m not like a ‘regular’ mom. I’m a ‘cool’ mom.” Mrs. George should have said, ‘‘I’m a super-INDULGENT mom who lets Regina do anything she wishes.”

Quick Quiz
Don't indulgent parents realize that —----------?
A. their children have many needs
B. they're spoiling their children
C. they deny their children the basic necessities of life





Answer: B
@ibtil

A reading passage with new words:
Make Sure to look up the new words:
Hazards
Trend
To name a few
Conscious
Alternative
Object(v.)
at the expense of
ingest
pesticide
residues
coated with
peeling
Bugs
Combat
Disrupt
premature puberty
genetically modified
tampered with
comprise
contamination
vicious cycle
fertilize
exacerbate
emissions
toxic
intensify
arise
conventional
irrigation
preponderance
algal
depletes
@aalaeeTOEFLiBT
The Hazards of Industrial Agriculture
The growing international trend in organic farming is driven by consumer demand, which is currently rising at the rate of 20 percent per year. Countries with the highest growth rate include Argentina, the US, and China to name a few. People all over the world are becoming increasingly conscious of the adverse effects of industrial agriculture and view organically grown food as a healthier alternative. While the majority tend to be sympathetic to small-scale farmers and especially appreciate the benefits of locally grown food, they take exception to factory farms controlled by multinational corporations. In particular, they object to the corporate focus on maximizing profits at the expense of health and environmental concerns.
Health risks include pesticide residues, antibiotics, and hormones as well as the unknown impact of biological engineering. First, recent studies indicate that many produce items are heavily coated with pesticides even after washing and peeling.
What's more, these pesticides have been linked with cancer. Second, the antibiotics we ingest from both plant and animal sources lead to the development of super bugs, which are increasingly difficult to combat. Third, plant and animal growth hormones are known to disrupt the endocrine system* and have the potential to bring on premature puberty in children. Fourth, the unregulated use of genetically modified organisms makes these items virtually invisible in today's grocery stores. People have no way of knowing whether a product has had its genetic code tampered with by artificial means. Furthermore, they have no idea how this genetic manipulation could impact their health.
The environmental hazards of industrial agriculture comprise air pollution, global warming, water contamination, oceanic dead zones, animal cruelty, decreased biodiversity,** and unsustainable farmlands. Moreover, there is the vicious cycle of producers having to use more pesticides and fertilizers, which exacerbates this core problem. Synthetic fertilizers are the largest global source of nitrous oxide emissions, which are 300 times more toxic than carbon dioxide gases. If these are allowed to continue unchecked, they will not only affect air-pollution levels but also dangerously intensify our current global warming crisis.
According to authorities, water pollution is one of the most serious problems arising from conventional farming methods. Animal waste, artificial fertilizers, and pesticides leach into the soil. Then they run off through natural irrigation to contaminate groundwater, which accounts for a large portion of our water supply. Studies consistently show that nitrates from waste and fertilizers, and chemicals from pesticides, are creating permanent damage to groundwater around the world. Furthermore, the preponderance of nitrogen in fertilizers, which helps crops grow, ends up harming oceans. It generates algal overgrowth that depletes so much oxygen in the water that no plant or animal can survive. This is how the dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and the Black Sea were created. @aalaeeTOEFLiBT

TENACIOUS (adj.)
Characterized by holding fast; showing great determination in holding on to something that
is valued

What do Jason Bourne (The Bourne UZtimatum), Noah Calhoun (The Notebook), and Jamal Malik (Slumdog Millionaire) have in common? All three TENACIOUSLY pursued something they desperately wanted. Jason Bourne refused to accept the loss of his identity. He showed great TENACITY in his single-minded attempt to learn who he was. Noah Calhoun loved and lost Allie. He then demonstrated great TENACITY in his attempt to win her back. And finally, Jamal refused to accept being separated from Latika. He demonstrated great TENACITY in his attempts to find her.

Quick Quiz
She is very tenacious and will —---------.
A. work hard and long to achieve objectives.
B. cause trouble to those trying to help him
C. change his mind after experience a little of hardship





Answer: A
@ibtil

The Sandwich King
Key Words:
Affluence: wealth
Disdain: scorn: contempt
Candid: frank
Intrepid: courageous
Alien: unfamiliar: foreigner
Gauche: ill-mannered
Aficionado: fan, supporter
Novice: beginner:
Astute: shrewd: smart
Hypocrisy: Insincerity
Stoic: tolerant
Capriciousness: changeability @aalaeeTOEFLiBT
Adroit: skillful
Frivolous: flippant: childish
Cordiality: Friendliness: warmness
Fraternal: friendly
Dogmatic: inflexible
Altruistic: unselfish
Venerable: respected
Jimmy John’s high school years were spent largely in the discipline office, but through hard work and a sense of fun he became a business success.
Almost no one would have predicted a life of affluence for this guy. He graduated next to last in his high school class. He didn’t have an easy time socially, either. Awkward and overweight, he felt he was the object of disdain from his classmates, who were often from more affluent families.
To add to his problems, he often embarrassed himself by saying things that were too candid. He got in so much trouble for smoking, fighting, and skipping class that the school staff considered kicking him out. Yet today, more than twenty years later, Jimmy John Liautaud runs a chain of over 900 sandwich shops that proudly bears his name: Jimmy John’s.
How did he do it? The answer is lots of hard work, and some help from friends and family. His father was an intrepid business owner and inventor who was willing to risk going broke to test a good idea. His mother too had made it through difficult times. Originally from Lithuania, she had escaped from Communism, lived in camps, and finally immigrated to an alien land, the United States. The family expected children to be hardworking and self-supporting.
Jimmy John also received some important help in high school. Dean of Discipline Jim Lyons recognized that inside the gauche teenager there was a gentle giant. The dean asked Jimmy John what things interested him. There were two answers: a good-looking female classmate and food. Lyons told his student to concentrate on the food!
So Jimmy John decided to open up a sandwich shop, partially funded by a loan from his father. For research, he ate in all the sandwich places he could find within a five-state area. The sandwich aficionado soon became an expert judge. His family evaluated his proposed creations, voting down his favorite—liver sausage and mayonnaise.
The novice businessman had just completed high school when he opened a shop in a garage near Eastern Illinois University. Since he sold only two sandwiches the first day, he was astute enough to try a marketing plan: distributing free sandwiches. Giving away food proved to be a hit. People started streaming into the shop to buy lunch.
Soon Jimmy John hired two helpers—and assigned them all the difficult jobs. Sensing his hypocrisy, both employees quit. Jimmy John learned a valuable lesson: the boss must work hard. He is now affluent, but he stoically continues to put in long hours.
Starting in one store, Jimmy John developed a chain. He now has shops in large cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast.
There are many reasons for the success of the chain. The food and service are dependable and fast. There is no room for capriciousness in
Jimmy John’s stores. His motto is “Make a Deal, Keep a Deal.” All ingredients are fresh. In fact, the adroitly made sandwiches are often delivered within seconds. The menu also accommodates different needs. People who are concerned about their weight may order the “unwich,” ingredients wrapped in lettuce without the bread. The management of the shops is very systematic. Employees get a detailed “to do” list, which includes such tasks as turning out the lights at closing time.

But, like Jimmy John, the shops have their frivolous side. Signs posted on the wall give advice about life. One reads, “If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.” Guides to behavior are also posted. The DOs include “Say please and thank you,” “Disable dorky ring tones on your cell phone,” and “Remember to smile.” The DON’Ts contain:
“Don’t play with your food” and “Don’t take stuff too seriously.”
Jimmy John also believes in cordiality. Staff members tell customers to, “Come back soon.” All employees, including office executives, wear T-shirts saying “Your
mother wants you to eat at Jimmy John’s.”
This gives a fraternal feeling to all parts of the business.
Jimmy John also believes in listening to his employees. His early struggles taught him that a dogmatic boss is a bad boss. So he requires all managers to hold weekly sessions that discuss employee complaints and suggestions. Good pay helps to keep employees loyal, but so does
Jimmy John’s concern for them. He named a sandwich for a manager who was killed in an accident. Look for the “Billy Club” on the menu.
Success has enabled Jimmy John to be altruistic. In 2008, he donated a million dollars to his former school for a new building. He insisted that the building must bear the name of the venerable dean of discipline who helped him: Jim Lyons. Today the Liautaud-Lyons upper grade center stands on the campus of Elgin Academy, the high school where Jimmy John struggled. It was built by the sandwich king, John Liautaud, who combined hard work with fun to build a food empire.
@aalaeeTOEFLiBT
Source: The World of Words
Vocabulary for College Success by Margaret Ann Richek

Reading Passage with New Words
Make sure to look up the new words:
Sneakers: A Multibillion-Dollar Industry
Accord: harmony: agreement
Corroborate: verify: confirm
Entrepreneur: someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make money, often in a way that involves financial risks

Conservative: conformist: traditional
Renegade: traitor
Epitome: embodiment
Radical: extremist: fanatic
Thrive: flourish: prosper
Supplant: replace
Liberal: open-minded
Defer: delay @aalaeeTOEFLiBT
Catastrophic: disastrous
Ominous: ill-omened: gloomy
Intervene: interfere: intrude

Once used only for sports, sneakers are now everywhere. Urban teenagers, sports figures, and rap stars have changed the lowly athletic shoe to a world cultural symbol and luxury item.
Back in 1964, Motown rocker Tommy Tucker’s hit song “Put on Your High-heeled Sneakers” for “going out tonight” seemed ridiculous. But today high-heeled sneakers are a well-accepted dress-up shoe. In fact, nearly everybody wears some form of sneakers, whether they are at the gym or at a party. Within the business community, there is general accord that sneaker sales are a powerful market force. People buy about $10 billion dollars worth every year, although sales reports can be difficult to corroborate.
Sneakers were invented in 1899, when Humphrey O’Sullivan got a
patent for a rubber heel that could be hardened through a new heating
process. These new heels were more durable than leather ones. The first rubber-soled shoes were produced by Keds, a company that is still in business.
They were called “sneakers” because the heels were so quiet that
wearerscould “sneak up” on other people.
After World War I, the German Dassler brothers started making the
sneakers in their backyard. When Jesse Owens, the African-American
runner, stunned the world by winning the 1936 Olympics, he was wearing Dasslers. The two Dassler brothers separated, and each became a successful entrepreneur. Rudolf started the Puma Company. Adolf became head of Adidas.
For years, sneakers were used only as sports shoes, but slowly, things
began to change. The 1950s were a conservative time with rigid fashions in clothes and shoes.
So people were thrilled when renegade James Dean appeared in the movie Rebel without a Cause wearing sneakers on the street. Suddenly, the shoe was in fashion, and by the 1970s,
People were commonly using sneakers as everyday shoes. Clever promotion turned sneakers into a multimillion-dollar business. In 1980 Philip H. Knight founded a company named Nike, after the Greek goddess of victory, and imported a shoe from Japan. He paid an Oregon artist $35 for the now-famous “swoosh” design. Then he hired Michael Jordan, the epitome of a great basketball player, to promote the shoe, and coined the phrase “Just do it.” Overnight, Air Jordan™ shoes became a sensation.
Local neighborhood traditions also helped to popularize sneakers.
Basketball was, and continues to be, an important sport in urban neighborhoods.
And the new music of rap and hip-hop emerged from these very
same neighborhoods.
Words and music were clever, radical, and at times violent. Neighborhood kids often imitated great basketball players by buying the shoes they wore. No longer just a shoe, sneakers became an
important status symbol. As rap and hip-hop thrived, their music and
fashion spread to the rest of America. What the artists wore was hot!
When a famous Paris fashion house started designing “Ghetto Fabulous” clothes, they became best-sellers. Soon everyone was listening to rap and hip-hop—and wearing sneakers.
Popular musicians celebrated sneakers in such songs as Nelly’s “Air
Force Ones.” Run DMC’s “My Adidas” thanked the company that introduced new sneakers named after their favorite Cadillacs: the Eldorado, Brougham, and Fleetwood. Gradually, sneakers supplanted leather shoes as the most popular footwear in the United States.

Today, companies produce sneakers in every imaginable color, shape, and finish. Rappers have become designers. Figures like Kanye
West and 50 Cent sell their ideas to such companies as Louis Vuitton and Reebok. Prices have skyrocketed as designers have issued “limited editions.” The diamond-encrusted Solitare Kicks, for example, go for $50,000. Used sneakers that have been worn by famous athletes have become collector’s items. One pair that belonged to basketball great Wilt Chamberlain sold for $55,000.
Teenaged “sneakerheads” collect pairs by the hundreds, spending countless hours in specialty stores. They beg their parents for ever more liberal allowances so they can buy the most desirable pairs. (8)
Some defer wearing their new shoes, storing them in closets until they become rare and valuable.
But is all of this a good thing? Some of the effects of sneaker
popularity have been. When “fly” sneakers became desirable,
teens started stealing them from each other.
There have even been incidents of people who were killed for their shoes. School administrators have intervened by requiring dress codes limiting what studentscan wear. But in a truly ominous sign, the hit song “My Adidas” was sung by pallbearers, wearing matching white Adidas sneakers, for the funeral of Run DMC’s murdered Jam Master Jay.
It has also been reported that several big sneaker companies employ
workers in poor nations at low wages and under harsh working conditions. The Christian Aid society has worked to reach accords
between producers and factories to ensure that workers are treated fairly.
Despite these problems, new sneakers continue to set fashion trends—and record-breaking prices. A style largely popularized by urban teenagers has become a multibillion-dollar business. Thanks to them, conservative middle-aged people throughout the United States wear sneakers to business lunches, to the opera, and to formal dinners. Some of us even “put on our high-heeled sneakers” when “we’re going out tonight.”
Source: The World of Words: Vocabulary for College Success
EIGHTH EDITION
Margaret Ann Richek
Northeastern Illinois University

Topic: People think that old buildings should be knocked down and give way to the new buildings. Do you agree or disagree? How important are old buildings to us?

Along with the rapid pace of urbanization, city authorities are now faced with a heated debate: whether an old building should be deconstructed or maintained. As far as I am concerned, it depends upon whether aged buildings can provide various kinds of values, such as cultural values, economic values as well as social values, by weighing the cost of maintaining the targeted buildings against the benefits they will bring.
There is no denying the fact that a long history, coupled with architectural values, has made these buildings very popular. Some old buildings are not only the cultural resources, but are also regarded as a symbol and emblem of a city or country. Demolition of such buildings will lead to damage of cultural heritage, while to protect these old architectural works is in fact to preserve cultural values. Moreover, if protected well, many archeological sites, especially those that have played important historical roles, are very likely to accelerate the development of tourism, which will become a source of income to the city. That is to say, old buildings of this kind may play a much more important role in the city than any new buildings do.
Other old buildings, however, may possess no specific value, becoming entirely dilapidated. Low in quality and poor in condition, some old buildings are actually dangerous both for the residents who live in them and for pedestrians who happen to walk by them and renewing them will cost a great deal of money. Therefore, replacing these aged buildings with new ones will meet the needs of city planning.
From the points listed above, it seems obvious that old buildings must not be demolished, extended or altered without a careful evaluation of their values and conditions. Only by carefully weighing up all their values can we reach a right decision concerning their fate. @ibtil

Some speaking expressions:
1. we chatted =talked
2. to get together with =meet
3. to catch up with =talk to someone you haven't seen for a while
4. what my friends had been up to -had been doing
5. to wind down =relax after something tiring