VCR Presentation 5
Caroline Hausler
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word from Lesson 5.
The annual Cheese Rolling event is held at Cooper's Hill in England, and people race down the steep ___________ as they attempt to catch the cheese round tumbling down the hill.
The Word
declivity
(dih-kliv-i-tee)
n.
A downward slope; the slope of a hill.
- a downward inclination
- a descending slope
Origin and Roots
- clivus <L. "slope"
- de <L. "away from"
- originated around 1605-1615
- from Latin declivitas
Synonyms
- declination
- descent
- downhill
Antonyms
- inclination
- uphill
- acclivity
Other Forms
- declivitous, adj.
Choose the letter of the sentence in which the word in bold-faced type is used incorrectly.
a. While walking back at night, Charlie stumbled down a declivity and broke his ankle because he was unaware of the the random hills around campus.
b. The declivities of Tuckerman Ravine are extremely steep, and anyone who skis there must be experienced and prepared for the harsh geographical conditions.
c. Tom, only being a few years old, struggled to go up the sand dune because he was not used to the declivity and was scared to go to the top.
d. Miranda wishes to live on the declivity of the mountain, as oppose to living in the valley where the land is level and boring in her opinion.
The Answer Is...
C. This is the incorrect usage because declivity is a downward slope. This sentence refers to the upward slope of the sand dune. A correct word would be acclivity.