Vocabulary exercise - Phobias

A: You are extremely afraid of heights, aren't you? Would you ever try bungee jumping?

B: Are you crazy?! I get nervous even thinking about it. I just want to avoid heights...

A: Well, if you are that afraid of heights, you should try confronting your fear by looking at photographs and videos of bungee jumping and then trying it with a friend.

B: That sounds like a type of ________ therapy. I've heard it really helps people overcome their fears.

But who needs bungee jumping to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

Eating healthy, __________ food and exercising regularly can reduce stress and boost our energy.

A: Ellen is on her way home from McDonald's. We should pull a prank on her.

B: I know what we should do! Let's hide ourselves behind the door and _______ her!

Speaking of good hiding places...

A hole in a bath, sink, etc. through which water flows away or through which insect and spiders may crawl and sneak up on us is called a...

But why are we afraid of some of these creatures that appear in our homes?

Well, some insects, spiders and snakes produce a poisonous liquid when they bite, which is called...

This creature, however, is harmless.

It is an insect with wings that is similar to a butterfly, that usually flies at night, and is attracted to light. This is a...

This second creature, however, cannot fly. It is a flat, brown or black insect that we sometimes find in our homes. Unfortunately, a common method of getting rid of this creature is crushing it with our slippers. This is a...

Finally, I am looking for two more general terms.

The first refers to a destructive insect or other small animal that is harmful to humans and that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc. This is a...

The second term is used when we talk about small insects and other small animals that give us a feeling of fear and dislike. Since we are so creeped out by these, we call them creepy - ________