Word List. Unit 21
To abolish something means to put an end to it, such as a system or law.
President Lincoln abolished slavery in the US.- To amend something means to change it to improve or make it accurate.
The countries were in agreement that the treaty needed to be amended. - To aspire means to have a strong desire to achieve or do something.
George aspired to be a doctor from a young age. - To censor information means to remove it if it is rude or rebellious.
To protect innocent people, the location of the bomb was censored. - A charter is a document that describes the rights of an organization or group.
The company charter explained that all employees had to pay a tax. - A constitution is a document of principles for a government.
The country’s constitution said a prime minister could only serve three terms. - When a place is cosmopolitan, it is full of people from many different places.
There are dozens of different types of restaurants in a cosmopolitan city. - To disseminate information or knowledge means to distribute it.
The organization disseminates information about the dangers of smoking. - To flatter people means to praise them in an effort to please them.
He was just flattering me when he said that my new dress looked gorgeous. - When someone is infamous, they are well known for something bad.
That news channel is infamous for presenting biased information. - If one is lame, they cannot walk properly due to an injury to the leg or foot.
The terrible accident left many people dead and several others lame. - To limp means to walk with difficulty because someone’s leg or foot is hurt.
After the injury, the player limped off of the field. - An outburst is a sudden, strong expression of an emotion.
There was an outburst of cheers when the comedian took the stage. - When a behavior is pathological, it is extreme, unacceptable, and uncontrollable.
The pathological liar could not even tell the truth about unimportant matters. - When something is phenomenal, it is unusually great.
The child’s ability to play the piano is nothing short of phenomenal. - A poll is a survey in which people give their opinions about important things.
The poll showed that many people support the plan to stop gang violence. - Remorse is a strong feeling of sadness and regret.
When I realized what I did, I felt remorse for my actions. - Secrecy is the behavior of keeping things secret.
The secrecy of the big organization made the government nervous. - To tackle something means to deal with it in a determined and efficient way.
Such social problems need to be tackled right away. - A trance is a a state where people seem asleep and have no control of themselves.
The woman’s powerful eyes often put men in a trance.
The Mayor of Sherman
The cosmopolitan city of Sherman needed to elect a new mayor. Two men aspired to become mayor: Mr. Jones and Mr. Webb. Mr. Jones was a tall, handsome man. He was a phenomenal speaker, and the citizens loved him. However, Mr. Jones didn’t know much about running a city. He was a pathological liar who merely flattered people with his words. Mr. Webb was very different. He was a small, unattractive man. He was lame and limped when he walked.
But he was an expert on politics and knew what was best for the people. The citizens of Sherman didn’t care about what the politicians had to say. No one listened to Mr. Webb, even though he had great ideas. They cheered when Mr. Jones spoke, although he didn’t talk about important things. His pretty words put people in a trance. All the polls predicted that Mr. Jones would win the election. When the votes were totaled, Mr. Jones won easily. But when he took office, he didn’t know what to do! He tried to hide his ignorance by working in secrecy. He added a law to the city’s constitution that prevented citizens from seeing the mayor. He even censored newspapers that tried to disseminate information about his inability to help the people.
Soon, however, Mr. Jones became infamous for his poor leadership. There was an outburst of anger among the citizens. They were full of remorse for their misguided decision to elect an ignorant mayor. They voted to remove Mr. Jones and let Mr. Webb take over. Immediately, Mr. Webb proved that he was a great mayor. He abolished Mr. Jones’s law, and he was willing to talk openly with everyone. He tackled important issues and amended unfair laws in the city’s charter. The citizens learned that a pleasant appearance and nice words do not make a good leader. The most important qualities are intelligence and a desire to help others.