From each set of words in brackets choose the one word or phrase which most effectively conveys the heat of the scene being pictured:
Beneath the glaring (bright / hot / glaring / frowning) sun the land was brown. Wisp (Leaves / Wisps / Blades / Pieces) of grass, dried (shrunk / dried / shortened / shrivelled) by the hot (fierce / hot / direct / shining) rays, clung to the crumbling, scorched soil. Even to move was an effort. The slightest motion was enough to cause a sweat, but even perspiration was seared (burned / taken / forced / seared) away almost instantly (straight away / directly / instantly) by the intense (great / merciless / strong / intense) heat.
Exercise 2
Some words have been left out in the following sentences. From each group in brackets, choose the word or phrase that most effectively suggests the idea of noise.
1 Thunder boomed (rang, banged, boomed) off the mountains. The howling (yelping, howling, weeping) of the wind as it flew (blasted, flew, zoomed) through the narrow valleys was almost drowned out by the drumming (beating, drumming, tapping) of huge raindrops on the rocky ground.
2 The clatter (clunk, click, clatter, tinkle) of broken glass woke him. He listened intently and heard the slight creak (creak, grating, screech) of a hinge as a door slowly opened. There was the faintest tapping (tapping, scrape, crunch) of a shoe on the wooden floor of the hall.
She was startled at first by the harsh cry (cry, squawk, yelp) of a sea gull. The distant murmur (murmur, rumble, clatter) of the sea and the sigh (moan, howl, sigh) of the gentle breeze through the palms lulled her.
Exercise 3
From each set of words in brackets choose the one word or phrase which most effectively conveys the scene being pictured:
Bright lights radiated (radiated/glowed/twinkled/flashed) merrily (merrily / mirthfully / laughingly / amusingly) through the evening darkness. The steady glow (brightness / glow / flickering) of the larger lights was reinforced by the sparkle of an array of grinning (happy / grinning / cheerful) smaller ones chasing (going after / chasing / running behind) each other in a lively, never-ending race. The hum (roar / bellow / hum / whir) of conversation, the clink (clink / crack / clank / clunk) of glasses, and the aroma (stench / odour / whiff / aroma) of steaming food all drifted (rode / drifted / blew / clattered) enticingly across the still night air.
Exercise 4
Here is a short descriptive passage. From each group in brackets, choose the word or phrase that most effectively fills each gap. Bear in mind the impression the writer is trying to give.
The face, in the brief instant when the lightning flashed (flashed, shone, glowed), was like some badly-done (badly-done, ugly, hideous) carving. The forehead was topped with a tangle (tangle, mass, clump) of hair which gleamed (glared, glittered, gleamed) in the light. The lower part of the face was veiled (covered, masked, veiled) by a/an wild(wild, untidy, messy) bush (clump, bush, cluster) of wiry beard. The eyes, deep-set under thick brows, sparkled (twinkled, glittered, sparkled) evilly as they caught the light. Mark’s heart trashed (pounded, beat, thrashed) in fear at the sight. Lightning flickered (fluttered, lit up, flickered) again.
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