Unit 18: A Mouse Is Born
This unit explores the fascinating history of animation and the creation of famous characters. By learning these fifteen words, you will be able to describe creative processes, historical events, and emotions with greater precision.
Target Vocabulary
Advanced Insight: The Roots of Animation
The word animated comes from the Latin word anima, meaning “soul” or “breath.” When artists animate a drawing, they figuratively breathe life into it. Before the digital age, much technology became obsolete quickly, but the art of hand-drawn likenesses remains a classic skill. Understanding how creators retain the essence of a character while adapting to new technologies is key to modern media.
Exercise 1: Match the Definition
Match the vocabulary word to its correct meaning.
1. ________ To persuade or make certain.2. ________ Dark, gloomy, or serious.
3. ________ To hold onto or keep.
4. ________ A solemn promise.
5. ________ Very funny.
6. ________ Poor in quality or small in amount.
7. ________ Toshow or reveal unintentionally.
8. ________ Coming later or following.
Exercise 2: Synonyms and Antonyms
Identify whether the pairs are Synonyms (S) or Antonyms (A).
1. animated / sluggish ________2. decline / refuse ________
3. mischief / behavior ________
4. obsolete / current ________
5. likeness / difference ________
6. sensation / excitement ________
7. negotiate / argue ________
8. vow / pledge ________
Exercise 3: Complete the Sentence
Choose the best word to fill in the blank.
1. The artist sketched a perfect ________ of the famous actor.2. We tried to ________ a better price for the antique car.
3.The ________ meal was not enough to satisfy the hungry travelers.
4. His ________ tone told us that the news was serious.
5. The new movie caused agreat ________ at the box office.
6. Do not ________ my trust by telling my secret.
7. I ________ to study harder for the next exam.
8. The machine became ________ when a faster model was invented.
Exercise 4: True or False
Determine if the statement correctly uses the vocabulary word.
1. An animated discussion is usually boring and quiet. (T/F)2.If you retain something, you give it away. (T/F)
3. A hilarious joke makes people laugh. (T/F)
4. Subsequent events happen before the main event. (T/F)
5. To decline an invitation means to accept it happily. (T/F)
6. A somber sky is often grey and cloudy. (T/F)
7. Mischief often involves playful trouble. (T/F)
8. You need to convince someone if they already agree with you. (T/F)
Exercise 5: WordForms
Fill in the correct form of the word (e.g., noun, verb, adjective).
1. (negotiate) The ________ took several hours to complete.2. (vow) They exchanged marriage ________ at the ceremony.
3. (sensation) The ride was truly ________.
4. (mischief) The puppy looked ________ after chewing the shoe.
5. (likeness) The portrait is a good ________ of her.
6. (convince) His argument was very ________.
7. (animated) The ________ of the film was top quality.
8. (betray) The spy was charged with ________.
Exercise 6: Context Clues
Circle the word that makes the most sense in the context.
1. The (meager / hilarious) dinner left us feeling hungry.2. We made a (vow / sensation) to always befriends.
3. The typewriter is now largely (obsolete / animated).
4. Can I (retain / convince) you to come to the party?
5. The (somber / subsequent) chapters of the book were more exciting.
6. He tried to (betray / negotiate) the steep path carefully.
7. The resemblance or (likeness / decline) was uncanny.
8. She caused a (mischief / sensation) when she won the award.
Unit 18: Further Practice
Exercise 7: Cloze Passage
Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the list: animated, convince, decline, hilarious, meager, negotiate, sensation, somber.
Early in his career, the artist faced many struggles. His funds were (1) __________, often barely enough to buy food. Despite this, he retained a dream to create a new kind of entertainment. He wanted to produce(2) __________ cartoons that had sound. Many people urged him to (3) __________the idea, thinking it would fail. It was a (4) __________ time when he lost therights to his first character. However, he did not let this failure (5) __________ him that he should give up. Instead, he created a mouse that would cause a worldwide (6) __________. The first movie was (7) __________, making audiences laugh out loud. He had to (8) __________ with theater owners to get it shown, but eventually, he succeeded.
Exercise 8: Crossword Clues
Read the clues and identify the correct vocabulary word.
1. To keep possession of: ____________________2. A playful annoyance or trouble: ____________________
3. Following in time or order: ____________________
4. No longer produced or used: ____________________
5. To fail to keep a secret or trust: ____________________
6. A solemn pledge: ____________________
7. To turn down an offer: ____________________
8. A visual resemblance: ____________________
Exercise 9: Analogies
Complete the analogy by choosing the correct word.
1. Gloomy is to somber as funny is to ________ (hilarious/meager).2. Keep is to retain as promise is to________ (vow/betray).
3. New is to modern as old is to ________ (obsolete/animated).
4. Agreement is to negotiate as persuasion is to ________ (convince/decline).
5. Plenty is to abundant as scarce is to ________ (meager/subsequent).
6. Joy is to delight as feelingis to ________ (sensation/likeness).
7. Loyal is to support as disloyal isto ________ (betray/retain).
8. Still is to motionless as moving is to ________ (animated/somber).
Exercise 10: Writing Prompts
Answer the following questions using the target vocabulary in your sentences.
1. Describe a time you watched something hilarious.2. What might cause a machine to become obsolete?
3. How would you convince a friend to see a movie they don’t want to see?
4. Describe a somber event you have heard about.
5. Why is it importantto retain vocabulary words you learn?
6. What kind of mischief might a puppy get into?
7. Write a sentence using the word subsequent.
8. What is a vow you have made to yourself?
Exercise 11: Odd One Out
Circle the word thatdoes not belong in the group.
1. somber, gloomy, hilarious, sad2. convince, persuade, force, influence
3. meager, plentiful, abundant, large
4. negotiate, discuss, fight, agree
5. obsolete, current, modern, new
6. betray, protect, defend, support
7. likeness, difference, image, portrait
8. decline, accept, refuse, reject
Exercise 12:Making Connections
Connect the scenario to the most appropriate vocabulary word.
1. A student promises to finish homework. (________)2. A computer from 1990. (________)
3. A cat knocking overa vase playfully. (________)
4. A photograph of your grandfather. (________)
5. Feeling the wind on your face. (________)
6. Talking toyour parents about your allowance. (________)
7. A cartoon character moving across the screen. (________)
8. Eating only a piece of bread for lunch. (________)
Unit 18: Mastery and Application
Reading Comprehension:The Start of a Legacy
Walt Disney had a dream to create animation thatfelt real. At first, his success was meager. He created a character named Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, but he lost the rights to it. He felt betrayed by his business partners. On a long train ride home, he was in a somber mood. He needed a subsequent idea to save his company. He sketched a small mouse. It bore a likeness to the mice he had kept as pets. He decided to call him Mickey.
Walt vowed to make Mickey a star. He used the new technology of sound to make Mickey animated in a way no one had seen before. Steamboat Willie was a sensation. Audiences found the mouse’s antics hilarious. Mickey was full of mischief, often getting into trouble but always finding a way out. While other silent cartoons became obsolete, Disney’s sound cartoons thrived. He was able to retain control of his creation, and he negotiated deals to put Mickey on merchandise. The public could not decline such a charming character.
Exercise 13: Reading Questions
Answer the following based on the text above.
1. Why was Walt Disney’s mood described as somber on the train ride?2. What subsequent idea did Walt have after losing Oswald?
3. How did the public react to Steamboat Willie? (Use a vocabulary word)
4. Why did silent cartoons become obsolete?
5. What did Walt vow to do?
6. How was Mickey described in terms of behavior?
7. What did Walt retain controlof?
8. Did the public decline Mickey Mouse? Explain.
Exercise 14: Scrambled Words
Unscramble the target vocabulary words.
1. OMERBS ____________________2. TIANADME ____________________
3. EREAGM ____________________
4. EIVCCONN ____________________
5. BOSEELTO ____________________
6. TAONIGETE ____________________
7. SILEKENS ____________________
8. SUBNETQUSE ____________________
Exercise 15: Word Association
Which word goesbest with the given phrase?
1. A dark funeral suit: ____________________ (somber/animated)2. A prank on April Fool’s Day: ____________________ (mischief/vow)
3. An old flip phone: ____________________ (sensation/obsolete)
4. A photo of a suspect: ____________________ (likeness/decline)
5. A very small portion of food: ____________________ (hilarious/meager)
6. A lawyer discussing a contract: ____________________(negotiate/betray)
7. Refusing a second slice of cake: ____________________ (decline/retain)
8. Feeling pins and needles in your arm: ____________________ (sensation/convince)
Exercise 16: Correct or Incorrect?
Mark C for Correct and I for Incorrect usage.
1. ____ The somber clown made everyone laugh loudly.2. ____ He negotiated the obstacle course with skill.
3. ____ The meager feast fedthe entire army for a week.
4. ____ She vowed to never tell the secret.
5. ____ The animated statue stood perfectly still.
6. ____ Subsequent chapters explain the mystery.
7. ____ He betrayed his country by selling secrets.
8. ____ The sensation of heat came from the ice cube.
Exercise 17: Fill in the Blanks (Dialogue)
Complete the conversation between two animators.
A: We need to (1) __________ the director to use this new character.B: I know. It bears a striking (2) __________ to his own dog!
A: True! And it’s full of (3) __________, always playing pranks.
B: The script is (4) __________; I laughed reading it.
A: If we don’t use it, this style might become (5) __________ soon.
B: Let’shope he doesn’t (6) __________ our idea.
A: We must (7) __________ the rights to the character.
B: I (8) __________ to work all night to finish the sketch.
Exercise 18: Vocabulary Expansion
Write a sentence using the requested form of the word.
1. Use animated as an adjective.2. Use mischief in a sentence about a child.
3. Use betray regarding a secret.
4. Use negotiate regarding a purchase.
5. Use meager regarding savings.
6. Use sensation regarding cold water.
7. Use retain regarding memory.
8. Use subsequent regarding days of the week.
