Advancing vocabulary skills Chapter 1

She was very involved with sports at college, to the detriment of (= harming) her studies.

East Asians are generally dexterous, in part because they grow up eating with chopsticks.

"Can you trust him with this?" "Yes, he's the soul of discretion (= he will not tell other people)."

He's just being facetious.

Leo was an open, gregarious, kind individual, who loved people.

A mixture of selected funds is an optimum choice for future security and return on investment.

They criticized the ostentatious lifestyle of their leaders.

She managed to get a copy of the report through a friend who wasn’t so scrupulous about sharing information.

A scrupulous politician would not lie about her business interests.

The music at the concert was so loud it felt like a sensory attack.

She took a vicarious pleasure in her friend's achievements.