B2 Applied Science Part 6: Applied Science
Lesson 96 of 10 in this unit.
๐ Reading Passage
Uncle Hassan lets me run his spice stall every Saturday. I arrive at six, unfold the striped awning, and stack pyramids of paprika, cumin, and dried mint.Regulars ask for family blends, and I weigh them on the brass scale. Tourists photograph the colours and taste dates for free. At noon Hassan brings lentil soup, and we eat behind the sacks of rice. By sunset the cash box is heavy and my arms smell of cinnamon. Hassan counts the money, pays me fairly, and says trade is half maths, half kindness. The stall teaches more than trade. I have learned to guess what a customer wants from the way they look at the trays, and to say no politely when someone asks for a discount on fifty grams. I keep a small notebook of prices and note what sold out first. In winter the morning is cold, so Hassan brings a gas heater and we warm our hands between customers. He tells stories about his father, who sold the same spices from a cart near the bridge. When the market closes, we fold the awning, sweep the square, and load the boxes into a borrowed van. My arms ache, but the smell of cumin stays on my jacket all week, and I like it.
๐ Vocabulary
20 words from this lesson
- tricky
- Hard to deal with, complicated.
- โThey discussed tricky during the lesson.โ
- triumph
- A conclusive success following an effort, conflict, or confrontation of obstacles; victory; conquest.
- โThey discussed triumph during the lesson.โ
- uber
- ; high-level; high-ranking.
- โThey discussed uber during the lesson.โ
- underwear
- Clothes worn next to the skin, underneath outer clothing.
- โThey discussed underwear during the lesson.โ
- unto
- Up to the time or degree that; until.
- โThey discussed unto during the lesson.โ
- viable
- Able to live on its own (as for a newborn).
- โThey discussed viable during the lesson.โ
- waist
- The part of the body between the pelvis and the stomach.
- โThey discussed waist during the lesson.โ
- welcomed
- Having received a warm welcome.
- โThey discussed welcomed during the lesson.โ
- wit
- The senses.
- โThe boy passed the examination with success.โ
- wreck
- Something or someone that has been ruined.
- โThey discussed wreck during the lesson.โ
- absurd
- Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly.
- โThey discussed absurd during the lesson.โ
- ambitious
- Having or showing ambition; wanting a lot of power, honor, respect, superiority, or other distinction.
- โThey discussed ambitious during the lesson.โ
- amid
- In the middle of; in the center of; surrounded by.
- โThey discussed amid during the lesson.โ
- annoyed
- Troubled, irritated by something unwanted or unliked (an annoyance); vexed.
- โThey discussed annoyed during the lesson.โ
- appealing
- Having appeal; attractive.
- โThey discussed appealing during the lesson.โ
- ballet
- A classical form of dance.
- โThey discussed ballet during the lesson.โ
- bargain
- An agreement between parties concerning the sale of property; or a contract by which one party binds themself to transfer the right to some property for a consideration, and the other party binds themself to receive the property and pay the consideration.
- โThis carpet was a real bargain.โ
- binary
- Being in one of two mutually exclusive states.
- โThey discussed binary during the lesson.โ
- blend
- A mixture of two or more things.
- โThey discussed blend during the lesson.โ
- brake
- A device used to slow or stop the motion of a wheel, or of a vehicle, usually by friction (although other resistive forces, such as electromagnetic fields or aerodynamic drag, can also be used); also, the controls or apparatus used to engage such a mechanism such as the pedal in a car.
- โThey discussed brake during the lesson.โ
๐ Grammar Notes
This lesson practices clear paragraph structure: one main idea per paragraph, stated first, supported with two concrete details, and closed with a linking sentence. Prefer active verbs and precise nouns. Connect ideas with however for contrast, furthermore for addition, and therefore for consequence. Keep sentences under twenty-five words so each claim stays traceable to its evidence. Practice by labeling each sentence in the reading: underline the main verb, circle the time marker, and check that every they and it points to a named noun. Rewrite any three sentences in your own words while keeping tense and meaning intact. Theme: policy. Reading: The Weekend Market Stall.
Practice Exercises
Work through each exercise to complete this lesson.
What is indispensable to our lives, along ___h food and clothes, is housing.
What does 'tricky' mean?
What does 'triumph' mean?
What does 'uber' mean?
What does 'underwear' mean?
What does 'unto' mean?
What does 'viable' mean?
What does 'waist' mean?
Write a sentence using 'tricky'.
Summarize the passage in two sentences.
More in this unit
- 91. B2 Applied Science Part 1: Applied Science
- 92. B2 Applied Science Part 2: Applied Science
- 93. B2 Applied Science Part 3: Applied Science
- 94. B2 Applied Science Part 4: Applied Science
- 95. B2 Applied Science Part 5: Applied Science
- 96. B2 Applied Science Part 6: Applied Science
- 97. B2 Applied Science Part 7: Applied Science
- 98. B2 Applied Science Part 8: Applied Science
- 99. B2 Applied Science Part 9: Applied Science
- 100. B2 Applied Science Part 10: Applied Science
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