Exercise: During the past decade, our division has made (continuous, continual) improvements to the automobile's exhaust system.

Discussion: If the team were to make "continuous" improvements on the exhaust system over the past decade, then they would be making those improvements day and night without interruption for sleep or food. Such a scenario is highly unlikely. For that reason, the correct word choice is "continual." For more information, see page 269.

Exercise: Using geothermal energy does not pollute the environment (as/like) the burning of fossil fuels does.

Exercise: The new material is ( composed/comprised) of plastic and iodine.

Discussion: See page 269.

Exercise:From the den, the male wolf ventured much ( farther/further) than the female.

Discussion: See page 270.

Exercise: John is (adverse/ averse) to that type of solution.

Discussion: The word "averse" means "unwilling"; "adverse" means "unfavorable."

Exercise: The truss had spans of 210 feet and was ( more than/over) 20 feet deep.

Discussion: Use "greater than" or "more than" when referring to quantity. Otherwise, confusion could result because "over" is often used to indicate position.

Exercise: The values of the transfer coefficients were lowered ( because of/due to) outgassing.

Discussion: Strictly speaking, "due" is not a preposition and therefore cannot introduce a prepositional phrase. However, "due" can certainly act as an adjective followed by the preposition "to," as in the following sentence: "The temperature increase is due to global warming." If you are unsure of whether "due" is acting as an adjective followed by the preposition "to," then use "because of."

Exercise: The (enormity/ enormousness) of the solar receiver's tower surprised the visiting officials.

Discussion: The word "enormousness" refers to a great size; the word "enormity" means "horror."

Exercise: Compared (to/ with) molten salt, liquid sodium is a much more dangerous heat transfer fluid.

Discussion: You compare things of the same class "with" each other and things of different classes "to" each other. For instance, you compare three automobiles with each on the criteria of performance, cost, and safety, but Freud compared the ego and the id to a horse and his rider.

Exercise: The turbulence values of that report were different ( from/than) the results of ours.

Discussion: Use "different from"--the word "than" requires a comparative such as "higher" or "less."

Exercise: The new antidote made the patients feel ( nauseated/nauseous).

Discussion: The word "nauseated" means feeling sick to one's stomach, while the word "nauseous" means causing one to feel sick to one's stomach. For that reason, you would write that "the patients were nauseated," and that "the acrid odors were nauseous."

Exercise: Thank you for the job offer. I am (anxious, eager) to begin work next month.

Discussion: The word "anxious" means to expect with anxiety, while the word "eager" means to expect with enthusiam. While the new hire in the example might feel anxiety about the new job, he or she most likely intends to convey the feeling of enthusiasm to the employer. Therefore, "eager" is the appropriate choice in this situation.

Exercise: The fourth design option was (rather unique/ unique/very unique).

Discussion: See page 272.

Exercise: Chicken is ( healthful/healthy) to eat.

Discussion: The word "healthy" means in a state of good health. This meaning does not apply here--chances are that the chicken is dead. The appropriate word is "healthful," which means promoting good health.