NAME ___________________________________________
DATE _______________________ Write the correct word in the space next to each definition.
1. to expose as false
6. to torment constantly
2. to punish severely
7. bitter in tone
3. to slander
8. insulting; belittling
4. abusive language
9. a subtle hint at something
negative
5. to attack as false or
questionable
10. to speak of disrespectfully
Write the letter for the word that best completes each sentence.
1. We were shocked by the stream of
a. debunking
b. acrimonious
she let loose on the referee.
c. harassment
d. invective
2. Their dispute was so _ _ _ that they stopped talking to one another.
a. acrimonious
b. chastising
c. harassing
d. debunking
3. By questioning the authenticity of the painting, Roberto
of the gallery owner.
a. impugned
b. invective
c. harassed
d. chastised
the reputation
4. The architect _ _ _ his competitors' designs, calling them «cluttered and
meaningless:'
a. harassed
c. disparaged
d. debunked
b. chastised
5. Many gossip columnists spread scandal by ____ , hinting at celebrities'
misconduct.
a. chastisement
b. invective
c. innuendo
d. harassment
6. Mrs. Garner _ _ _ her son for tracking mud all over the new carpet.
a. disparaged
b. chastised
c. vilified
d. impugned
7. The biographer wanted to
the myth surrounding the actor's illness.
a. debunk
b. chastise
c. vilify d. harass
8. Isabel reported her coworker's _ _ _ comments about others to the manager.
a. invective
b. chastising
c. derogatory
d. vilified
9. The young puppies ____ the old dog by nipping at him and climbing on him.
a. debunked
b. disparaged
c. impugned
d. harassed
_ _ _ 10. The corrupt CEO
employees who agreed to testify against him,
claiming they were lying to cover up their own illegal conduct.
a. innuendo
b. invective
c. debunked
d. vilified
Challenge: When the scandalous
about the politician proved to be true, he was
completely
by the press and forced to resign his position.
a. acrimony...disparaged
b. innuendo ...vilified
c. invective...chastised
Lesson
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Pafd to Pry (1) Of all the members of the media, the most vilified
are the celebrity photographers, known as paparazzi.
Wherever the rich and famous go, the paparazzi seem
close behind, snapping candid photos to sell to the
tabloid press.
Like detectives on a stakeout, camera-ready paparazzi
watch the home~ of stars and follow the stars when they
run simple errands. (2) It's no surprise that many
celebrities have nothing but invective to offer when asked
about these photographers.
This relationship between the media and the rich
and famous did not always exist. Until the 1950s, the
only celebrity photographs that the public saw were
those selected by movie studio publicists. Entertainment
editors were content to print posed images that painted a
rosy image of the stars. (3) No one seemed interested in
casting these. stars in a derogatory light.
Eventually, some editors became bored with these
staged photos and began to .demand candid shots of
celebrities. One night, an Italian photographer in Rome
got lucky. He managed to photograph a former king
knocking over a table in a restaurant. After those
unflattering photos were printed, the unspoken rules of
etiquette regarding photographing celebrities fell by the
wayside. (4) The media discovered that it could sell
more papers and magazines with disparaging stories and
photos of stars than it ever did with flattering material.
In 1960, the Italian director Federico Fellini produced a
film featuring a ruthless photographer named Paparazzo,
thus giving the new breed of celebrity photo hounds
their now common nickname.
'the paparazzi began to behave like hunters. Stars
could no longer go about their private lives without fear
that a photographer would pop out from behind a bush
at any moment.
(5) Some tabloids have used these candid photos to
impugn stars' reputations. (6) Along with innuendo and
outright lies, innocent pictures have been used to create
nasty rumors. For example, if an actor is caught with
messy hair, a tabloid might claim she is having a nervous
breakdown. If a rock star is photographed with a scowl,
the tabloid might invent a story suggesting that he is
having marital problems.
(7) Paparazzi continue to harass celebrities, and
there is an increase in the use of dangerous tactics to
obtain candid photos. Sometimes, the paparazzi chase
superstars on highways at dangerous speeds. In 1997,
when Princess Diana of Wales died in a fatal car accident
in Paris, France, many blamed her death on the seven
paparazzi that were pursuing her car when it crashed.
Some stars have gone to court to sue the paparazzi
and their publishers. (8) There, the stars have debunked
the outrageous stories invented by the press. (9) Other
celebrities have simply chosen to chastise the paparazzi
publicly and implore them to print only the truth. Still
others have tried to outwit the stalking photographers
by using look-alikes as a decoy tactic, or by sending out
false press information to lure the paparazzi to the
wrong events.
In response, the paparazzi argue that they are
just trying to do their jobs. They also point out that
celebrities may complain, but that, ultimately, the stars
need exposure. As one Hollywood saying goes, "There's
no such thing as bad publicity:'
(10) The debate, however, remains highly
acrimonious. Some of the accusations have also been
aimed at the public. Publishers argue that if fans were
not so hungry for
~~
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candid photos
~ of oa;:;~....
of celebrities,
the paparazzi
would not
take them.
Each sentence below refers to a numbered sentence in the passage. Write the letter of
the choice that gives the sentence a meaning that is dosest to the original sentence.
1. The most _ _ _ members of the media are the paparazzi.
a. beloved
b. famous
c. critical
d. insulted
2. Many celebrities have nothing but _ _ _ to offer about these photographers.
a. helpful comments
b. praise
) c. ill will
d. insulting words
3. No one seemed interested in casting these stars in a
light.
a. negative
b. questionable
c. praiseworthy·
_Criticism
d. glowing
NAME _______________________________________
DATE _________________________
4. The media could sell more papers and magazines with
stories and photos of stars. a. tell-all
b. disrespectful
c. subtle d. flattering
5. Some tabloids have used these candid photos to ____ stars' reputations.
a. expose
b. attack c. disprove
d. tonnent
6. Along with _ _ _ and outright lies, innocent pictures have been used to create nasty rumors. a. subtle hints
b. false attacks
c. insults
d. doctored photos
7. Paparazzi continue to _ _ _ celebrities.
a. torment
b. photograph
c. insult d. expose
8. There, the stars have ____ the outrageous stories invented by the press.
a. strongly criticized
b. helped to establish
c. largely ignored
d. proved as false
9. Other celebrities have simply chosen to _ _ _ the paparazzi publicly.
a. appeal to
b. reward
c. criticize
d. spread rumors about
_ _ _ 10. The debate, however, remains highly ____
a. respectful
b. subtle
c. bitter d. apologetic
Indicate whether the statements below are TRUE or FALSE according to the passage.
1. Today, most celebrities enjoy the attention of the paparazzi.
2. Tabloids often distort the truth, using photos to support their stories.
3. The public bears no responsibility for the actions of the paparazzi.
Complete each sentence so that it shows the meaning of the italicized word.
1. Your derogatory remarks _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
2. She impugned her neighbor by ________________________________
Complete the sentence by writing the correct form of the word shown in
parentheses. You may not need to change the form that is given.
1. The unprofessional clerk was fired for speaking
front of coworkers in the lunchroom. (disparage)
2. The man was taken to court on charges of
about her manager in
. (harass)
Lesson 1.0
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3. The cranky siblings argued _ _ _ all day. (acrimonious)
4. Fran's teacher's - - _ did no good; Fran still turned in her assignments
late. (chastise)
5. Feeling sorry about his
toward his sister the previous day, Lewis
made a special effort to compliment her today. (invective)
6. The article was full of insinuations and _ _ _ that cast doubt on the
singer's reputation. (innuendo)
7. Crime suspects are sometimes
guilty. (vilify)
8. Mary Queen of Scots
(impugn)
by the press before they are proven
Elizabeth I's right to the English throne.
9. Cassie .made a big show of arriving at work early and leaving later than
everyone else, thereby .
the rumor that she was a slacker. (debunk)
_ _ _ _ _--,--_ _ _ _-'-__ .10. The sensitive actor was devastated when the critic used
words like
"terrible" and "dreadful" to describe her performance. (derogatory)
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Choose the answer that best describes the action or situation•
.1. An example of innuendo: Don't you think that she _ __
a. dances well?
b. has nice clothes?
c. looks ill?
d. did a great job?
2. A derogatory comment
a. You look great!
d. My birthday is today.
b. How dumb!
c. Is that true?
3. A way that a child might harass his or her big sister
a. share ice cream
b. keep a messy room c. clean her room
d. mimic her words
4. A way that a parent might chastise a rebellious son
a. give him a gift
b. ground him
c. clean his room
d. lend him money
5. The person most likely to be vilified by a community
a. corrupt mayor
b. school teacher
c. registered nurse
d. hyperactive toddler
6. An acrimonious statement
a. Let's compromise.
b. Isn't that clever?
d. You arrogant fool!
c. Never mind.
7. A way to describe a person who uses a lot of invective
a. neutral
b. generous
c. abusive
d. intelligent
8. Something you might try to debunk
a. nasty rumor
b. bad novel .
d. annoying habit
c. bad game
9. A person whose job sometimes requires. impugning others
a. flight attendant
b. singer
c. lawyer
_ _ _ .10. How you might feel if your efforts were disparaged
a. optimistic
b. accomplished
c. discouraged
G
Criticism
d. athlete
d. critical
Criticism can be hard to accept, especially when deijvered harshly,
but it can also help us improve. The words in this lesson will help you
distinguish various types of criticism.
1. acrimonious (ak'ra-mo"ne-as) adjective from Latin acrimonia, "sharpness" Bitter or sharp in language or tone • The students' disagreement over the theme of the dance became so acrimonious that the faculty adviser called an end to the meeting. acrimony noun During the final round of competition, the acrimony between the rival debate teams intensified dramatically.
acrimonious 2. chastise (chas'tiz', chas-tiz') verb To punish or criticize severely • The parents chastised their child for running across the street without looking both ways first. chastisement noun Marie fIled a complaint against her manager in response to his public chastisement. 3. debunk (de-biingk') verb To expose or make fun of a false claim or an exaggeration • The professor immediately debunked her colleague's new theory, pointing out the many false assumptions underlying his thesis. 4. derogatory (dl-rog'a-tor'e) .adjective from Latin de-, "away"
+ rogare, "to ask" Insulting; belittling • Not realizing that Dwayne was standing behind her, Ella made a derogatory comment about his taste in clothes. 5. disparage (dl-spar'Ij) verb from Latin dis-, "opposite of" + Old French parage, "high birth" To speak of in a disrespectful or slighting way; to belittle • The novice golfer felt discouraged after the instructor disparaged his first efforts to hit the ball.
.
disparaging adjective The student made disparaging remarks about the professor's requirement of rigid discipline in his classes. Lesson
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6. harass (ha-ras') verb To irritate or torment repeatedly • The bullies who harassed the smaller children on the playground by
ruining their games were finally caught and punished.
harassment noun The landlord was charged with harassment
for appearing at his tenants' places of employment to collect rent
payments.
7. impugn (Im-pyoon') verb from Latin in-, "against" + pugnare, "to fight" To attack or challenge as false or questionable • In an effort to win the race, the congressional candidate impugned
his opponent's voting record, calling it favorable to special interests.
8. innuendo (In'yoo-en'do) noun from Latin innuendo, "by hinting"
An indirect or subtle expression of something, usually negative; a hint
• Through masterful innuendo, she managed to make everyone think
that Mr. Mattheiu was the culprit, without ever accusing him directly.
9. invective ('jn-vek'tlv) noun from Latin in, "against" + vehere, "to carry" Abusive or strongly critical language • For weeks after their big fight, every exchange between the two sisters
was filled with invective.
10. vilify (vll'a-fl') verb from Latin vilificare, "to hold cheap" To make vicious insulting comments about; to siander . • While some hailed the rebels as saviors, others vilified them as
violent and brutal.
vilification noun The athlete was upset by the journalist's vilification
of his behavior, claiming she hadn't explained the whole story.
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Hunting words
The word harass may come from the Old French word harer, meaning
"to set dogs on:' In the sport of hunting, hounds were sent ahead by owners
to locate the prey, often a fox, using their keen sense of smell. The hounds
then chased the prey, leading the hunters to it.
Other English words and expressions also come from hunting. A red
herring, a type of fish, was used in the hunt to distract hounds from a scent.
The term is now used to refer to something that draws attention away from
a central issue. The word venison, which means "deer meat," originally
referred to the flesh of any game animal used for food. The word is taken
from Latin venare, "to hunt:'
The expression eat humble pie, which means "to be humbled or
proven wrong, usually after boasting;' also originated in this sport. After
an animal was killed in the hunt, nobles and aristocrats dined on the meat.
The umbles, organs such as the heart, liver, and entrails of the animal, were
often baked into a pie for the servants and huntsmen to eat. Those who ate
"umble pie" were considered inferior.
CD
Criticism