Blog — Page 12

When a Ruse Comes in Handy…

June 29, 2015 by Cool Word Club

Do you like surprise birthday parties?

Some people love the idea of being surprised by a group of friends who want to extend their birthday wishes.

Other people, however, are more reserved and don’t like to be the center of attention.

If you are ever in the position of hosting this type of party, you will need to come up with a ruse (see definition and hear pronunciation below). This will allow you to get the celebrant to the party location without revealing that a surprise is planned.

You may invite the celebrant out to dinner, for example, but not mention that his/her friends will be there, waiting to shout, “Surprise!”

Cool word question of the day: What type of ruse would you use if you were hosting a surprise party?

Ruse: A trick or action intended to deceive.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of ruse.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/ruse.mp3

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: ruse

Cool Word Challenge: Bevy and Octogenarian

June 26, 2015 by Cool Word Club

Cool Word Challenge: Just for fun, come up with one sentence that uses both of the cool vocabulary words that you learned this week.

Here are the words again:

Bevy: A large group or collection.

Octogenarian: A person who is age 80 to 89.

Submit your sentence below. The most creative ones that we receive will be published on our site!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bevy, cool word challenge, octogenarian

What an Awesome Octogenarian!

June 25, 2015 by Cool Word Club

When do you consider a person to be “old”?

Over the years, as life expectancies have increased, Americans have redefined the concept of aging.

With sophisticated medical care, people are now living longer—and healthier—lives than ever before.

It’s no longer unusual for a person to remain active well into his/her 70s and beyond.

In fact, adults who are age 80 and older are now among the fastest-growing populations in the US.

One octogenarian (see definition and hear pronunciation below) who keeps busy in his career is film star and director Clint Eastwood.

This 85-year-old is a prime example of a life well lived!

Cool word question of the day: What would you like your life to be like when you become an octogenarian?

Octogenarian: A person who is age 80 to 89.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of octogenarian.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/octogenarian.mp3

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: octogenarian

Vocab Practice: Coterie

June 24, 2015 by Cool Word Club

This word appeared on the Cool Word Club website on June 18, 2015.

Let’s do a practice round!

Coterie means:

A) A school for advanced learners
B) A country populated with a diverse citizenry
C) A company with significant financial resources
D) A small group of people with shared interests

VIEW ANSWER HERE

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: coterie, vocabulary practice

Vocab Practice: Bellwether

June 23, 2015 by Cool Word Club

This word appeared on the Cool Word Club website on June 15, 2015.

Let’s do a practice round!

Bellwether means:

A) A type of auditory signal
B) A well-protected fortress
C) An indicator of a future trend
D) An open-ended question

VIEW ANSWER HERE

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bellwether, vocabulary practice

A Bevy of Baseball Fans…

June 22, 2015 by Cool Word Club

If you love baseball, then spring may be your favorite time of year. That’s when opening day for the baseball season usually occurs.

In the US, professional teams in the Major League typically begin playing in April and complete the season about six months later.

At the season’s end, the top teams then compete for the championship title by playing in the World Series.

Major League Baseball is extremely popular. Recently, more than 74 million spectators attended games in a single season.

That’s quite a bevy (see definition and hear pronunciation below) of devoted fans!

Cool word question of the day: Can you think of any public gatherings that attract a bevy of attendees?

Bevy: A large group or collection.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of bevy.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bevy

Cool Word Challenge: Bellwether and Coterie

June 19, 2015 by Cool Word Club

Cool Word Challenge: Just for fun, come up with one sentence that uses both of the cool vocabulary words that you learned this week.

Here are the words again:

Bellwether: An indicator of a future trend; a leader at the forefront of a trend.

Coterie: A small group of people with shared interests.

Submit your sentence below. The most creative ones that we receive will be published on our site!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bellwether, cool word challenge, coterie

Who’s in Your Coterie?

June 18, 2015 by Cool Word Club

If someone told you to choose two new friends, where would you start?

Chances are, you would look for people who have interests that are similar to your own.

Whether your top priority is doing well in school, excelling in sports or simply being a good person, the friends you choose are likely to possess some of the same values.

Friendships are even more important than some people realize. In fact, scientific research now shows that people who have close friends are more likely to live longer.

So, no matter what you do, be sure that you have your own coterie (see definition and hear pronunciation here) of like-minded individuals.

Cool word question of the day: How would you choose the people you would like to have in your own coterie?

Coterie: A small group of people with shared interests.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of coterie.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/coterie.mp3

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: coterie