There is no doubt that the idea of living in such a benign climate was appealing. The islanders seemed to keep their vitality and live longer than Europeans.

It is difficult to imagine a surfeit of talent in one individual, yet Leonard Bernstein simply does not have the time to make complete use of his talent as conductor, performer, writer, and lecturer.

There is a large demand all over the United States for plants indigenous to the desert. Many people in Arizona have made a good business of growing and selling cacti and other local plants.

After the Romans left, a millennium and a half passed before people again lived in such comfort. Churchill wrote, “From the year 400 until the year 1900 no one had central heating and very few had hot baths.”

Many years before, Caesar's men had tried and failed to invade Britain. No doubt this contributed to the xenophobia of the Romans. They were cautious about

strangers who entered their country.

Such are the vicissitudes of history. Nothing remains the same. Three hundred years of peace ended in darkness and confusion.

The purpose of the psychiatrist is to mitigate the suffering of the patient.

We knew he couldn’t hold out much longer, because he had been doomed from the beginning. One night he met his ineluctable fate.

A toxic combination of fog and industrial smoke, called smog, has vitiated the air in and around many big cities.

No matter where you go, the Internet is following you. Almost every portable device is being made with an Internet connection. Most new TVs and many other appliances come with Internet connections as well. The Internet is truly ubiquitous.

If something is ubiquitous, __________.

Speaking rudely to the judges was rash behavior. You really hurt your chances of winning!

In the above context, what does “rash” mean?

Some people are always bashing the president just like others bashed the one before him. Wouldn't you think that everyone could find something to praise him for, at least once in a while?

What does “bashing” mean in the above selection?

Wherever he goes, the esteemed Dr. Sanchez is applauded for his life saving research.

What does “esteemed” mean?

I believe that if you lower taxes so that people can keep more of the money they earn, it will be an incentive for them to work harder.

What is the meaning of “incentive”? __________.

BONUS QUESTION: In the words of Thomas De Quincey, “It is notorious that the memory strengthens as you lay burdens upon it.” If, like most people, you have trouble recalling the names of those you have just met, try this: The next time you are introduced, plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, “I’ll listen carefully; I’ll repeat each person’s name to be sure I’ve got it, and I will remember.” You’ll discover how effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your life.

The quotation from De Quincey indicates that the memory...

BONUS QUESTION: In the words of Thomas De Quincey, “It is notorious that the memory strengthens as you lay burdens upon it.” If, like most people, you have trouble recalling the names of those you have just met, try this: The next time you are introduced, plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, “I’ll listen carefully; I’ll repeat each person’s name to be sure I have it, and I will remember.” You’ll discover how effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your life.

The passage suggests that people remember names best

when they...