The Goal: Clarity

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The Goal Clarity
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When good words go bad.
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Student Work

• A virgin forest is a place where the hand of man
  has never set foot.
• The dog ran across the lawn, emitting whelps all
  the way.

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Advertising Bloopers

• Why go elsewhere to be cheated, when you can come
  here?
• Open seven days a week and weekends.
• Wanted. Man to take care of cow that does not
  smoke or drink.
• Semi-Annual after-Christmas Sale
• Now is your chance to have your ears pierced and
  get an extra pair to take home, too!
• Shoplifters will be persecuted.

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Stop the Presses!

• Mr. Benjamin Porter visited the school yesterday
  and lectured on Destructive Pests. A large
  number were present.
• An accident occurred at Hillcrest Drive and Santa
  Barbara Avenue as the dead man was crossing the
  intersection.
• South Florida illegal aliens cut in half by new
  law.
• His death leaves a void in the community which
  will be hard to replace.

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Common Problems

• Not using the correct word
• Using too many words
• Misplaced or vague qualifiers
• Too many prepositions

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QUIZ
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Answers

• Podium, C. Platform speakers stand upon.
  Frequently confused with lectern or rostrum.
• Restive, C. Fidgety, resisting control
• Epitome, A. Embodiment. A summary or
  abridgement. Not an ideal.
• Prone, A. Lying face down
• Friable, A. Easily crumbled

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• Reticent, B. Silent.
• Decimate, B. Destroy by a fraction. Literally
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• Tortuous, D. Winding, as in a crooked or winding
  road. Also, by extension, deceitful. Confused
  with torturous. To inflict or cause pain.
• Flout, A. To disregard or hold in contempt.
  Flout the law or Flout convention. Often
  confused with flaunt to show off or display.

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• Ingenuous, C. Guileless. Dont confuse with
  ingenious.
• Disinterested, D. Unbiased
• Gauntlet, D. Glove. We run the gamut or
  gantlet. But we throw down the gauntlet to issue
  a challenge.
• Penultimate, A. Next-to-last. Not more
  ultimate. The penultimate batter, regardless of
  ability.
• Fortuitous, B. By chance or accident. Fortunate
  now an alternate meaning because misused so
  often.

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