Two words squashed into one

1. 1
   brunch/brʌntʃ/

   noun

   A late-morning meal that mixes breakfast and lunch.
2. 2
   smog/smɑːɡ/

   noun

   Dirty air thick with smoke and fog.
3. 3
   motel/moʊˈtel/

   noun

   A roadside hotel where you park by your room.
4. 4
   chortle/ˈtʃɔːrtəl/

   verb

   Laugh quietly, as if holding it in.
5. 5
   brainstorm/ˈbreɪnˌstɔːrm/

   verb

   Think hard to come up with ideas.
6. 6
   guesstimate/ˈɡestɪmɪt/iAlso said ˈɡestɪmeɪt.

   noun

   A rough guess backed by a bit of math.
7. 7
   workaholic/ˌwɜːrkəˈhɑːlɪk/

   noun

   Someone who can't stop working.
8. 8
   emoticon/əˈmoʊtəˌkɑːn/

   noun

   A face typed out with keyboard characters.
9. 9
   infomercial/ˈɪnfoʊˌmɜːrʃəl/

   noun

   A long TV ad made to look like a show.
10. 10
    sitcom/ˈsɪtˌkɑːm/

    noun

    A funny TV series about everyday life.

The sentences

1. Brunch is my favorite meal of the week.

2. The smog was so thick we couldn't see anything.

3. We stayed at a cheap motel off the highway.

4. She tried not to chortle when he said that.

5. Let's brainstorm a few ideas before the meeting.

6. That's just a guesstimate, so don't hold me to it.

7. My brother is a total workaholic, even on vacation.

8. He still ends every text with a smiley emoticon.

9. I once bought a blender from an infomercial.

10. We used to watch that sitcom every night after dinner.

Pronunciation

• motel/moʊˈtel/

  The stress is on the second syllable: moh-TEL.

• guesstimate/ˈɡestɪmɪt/

  As a noun, the ending sounds like "mit," not "mate."

• workaholic/ˌwɜːrkəˈhɑːlɪk/

  The stress falls on "hol": work-uh-HOL-ic.

• emoticon/əˈmoʊtəˌkɑːn/

  The stress is on "mo," so it starts with a soft "uh": uh-MOH-tuh-con.

• infomercial/ˈɪnfoʊˌmɜːrʃəl/

  The strongest stress is on the first syllable: IN-fo-mer-shul.

Good to know

tipping

At a sit-down brunch you're expected to tip your server, usually between 15 and 20 percent of the bill. It's not included automatically unless you're in a larger group.

splitting the bill

Friends often split the check evenly or ask the server for separate checks. Most restaurants are happy to split a card payment several ways.

seating

Popular brunch spots often don't take reservations on weekends, so you may wait in line or put your name on a list.

motels

Motels are common along highways outside cities and let you park right by your room. They're usually cheaper and more basic than hotels.

Questions

What do you call a meal that's part breakfast, part lunch?

That's brunch, a late-morning meal that mixes breakfast and lunch.

What's the word for dirty, smoky air?

That's smog, dirty air thick with smoke and fog.

How do you pronounce motel?

The stress is on the second syllable: moh-TEL.