Words English took from Greek

1. 1
   chaos/ˈkeɪɑːs/

   noun

   Complete confusion, with nothing under control.
2. 2
   democracy/dɪˈmɑːkrəsi/

   noun

   A system where citizens vote for the people who govern them.
3. 3
   psychology/saɪˈkɑːlədʒi/

   noun

   The study of the mind and why people act as they do.
4. 4
   rhythm/ˈrɪðəm/

   noun

   The pattern of strong and weak beats in spoken words.
5. 5
   alphabet/ˈælfəˌbet/

   noun

   The full set of letters used to write a language.
6. 6
   marathon/ˈmerəˌθɑːn/

   noun

   A running race of just over 26 miles.
7. 7
   nostalgia/nɔːˈstældʒə/

   noun

   A warm, aching wish for a time that has passed.
8. 8
   echo/ˈekoʊ/

   verb

   To repeat what someone else has just said.
9. 9
   panic/ˈpænɪk/

   verb

   To get so scared all at once that you can't think straight.
10. 10
    photograph/ˈfoʊtəˌɡræf/

    verb

    To take a picture of someone or something with a camera.

The sentences

1. The station was complete chaos once the rain started.

2. Democracy only works when people actually show up to vote.

3. I studied psychology for a year before switching.

4. You can hear the rhythm when she reads out loud.

5. My niece is still learning the alphabet at school.

6. He's training for a marathon in the spring.

7. That song fills me with nostalgia every single time.

8. Try not to echo everything she says back.

9. Don't panic if the train is running late.

10. Would you photograph us here before the rain returns?

Pronunciation

• chaos/ˈkeɪɑːs/

  Two syllables, KAY-oss.

• democracy/dɪˈmɑːkrəsi/

  Stress on the second syllable: di-MOCK-ruh-see.

• psychology/saɪˈkɑːlədʒi/

  The p is silent, so it opens with a 'sy' sound, and the stress lands on the second syllable.

• rhythm/ˈrɪðəm/

  Two syllables, RITH-uhm, with the soft th of "the" and no h sound after the r.

• marathon/ˈmerəˌθɑːn/

  The first syllable is 'mer', like the start of 'merry'.

• nostalgia/nɔːˈstældʒə/

  Three syllables: no-STAL-juh, with the stress in the middle.

• photograph/ˈfoʊtəˌɡræf/

  Stress sits on the first syllable, and the middle 'o' is only a quick uh.

Questions

What do you say if you don't want to overreact?

Don't panic if the train is running late.

What does nostalgia mean?

Nostalgia is a warm, aching wish for a time that has passed, like the feeling that song gives you every single time.

What's a word for total confusion?

Chaos, complete confusion with nothing under control, like the station once the rain started.