of
his surroundings.

The busy student may be excused if ----; in the merely ---- or ----
it is intolerable.

The power to ---- one idea from all its associations and view it
alone is the ---- mark of a philosophical mind.

Numerous interruptions in the midst of ---- occupations had made him
almost ----.

[C] NOTE. See these words under DISCERN as referred to at the end of the
paragraph on ABSTRACT in Part I. The pupil should be instructed, in all
cases, to look up and read over the synonyms referred to by the words in
small capitals at the end of the paragraph in Part I.

* * * * *

ABSURD (page 11).

QUESTIONS.

1. What is the difference between _absurd_ and _paradoxical_? 2. What
are the distinctions between _irrational_, _foolish_, and _silly_? 3.
What is the especial implication in _unreasonable_? 4. How do
_monstrous_ and _preposterous_ compare with _absurd_? 5. What is the
especial element common to the _ludicrous_, the _ridiculous_, and the
_nonsensical_? 6. What are some chief antonyms of _absurd_?

EXAMPLES.

A statement may be disproved by deducing logically from it a
conclusion that is ----.

Carlyle delighted in ---- utterances.

The ---- hatred of the Jews in the Middle Ages led the populace to
believe the most ---- slanders concerning them.

I attempted to dissuade him from the ---- plan, but found him
altogether ----; many of his arguments were so ---- as to be
positively ----.

* * * * *

ABUSE (page 12).

QUESTIONS.

1. To what does _abuse_ apply? 2. How does _abuse_ differ from _damage_
(as in the case of rented property, _e. g._)? 3. How does _abuse_ differ
from _harm_? 4. What words of this group are used in a bad sense? 5. Is
_reproach_ good or bad? 6. How do _persecute_ and _oppress_ differ? 7.
Do _misemploy_, _misuse_, and _pervert_ apply to persons or things? To
which does _abuse_ apply?

EXAMPLES.

The tenant shall not ---- the property beyond reasonable wear.

---- intellectual gifts make the dangerous villain.

In his rage he began to ---- and ---- all who had formerly been his
friends.

To be ---- for doing right can never really ---- a true man.

In no way has man ---- his fellow man more cruelly than by ---- him
for his religious belief.

* * * * *

ACCESSORY, _n._ (p