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| POS: Noun |
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Level: 5 |
| Pronunciation: ee´-jiss |
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Category: Mythical & Historical Allusions |
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| The word aegis first came from the Greek word aigis, meaning "goat skin." In ancient Greece, warriors carried shields made of tanned and hardened goatskins. Zeus, king of the gods, owned a shield named Aegis, which symbolized his great power, and which he loaned to Athena, his favorite daughter. |
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| Why did Athena probably want to carry her father's well-known shield? |
| color |
charisma |
style |
| protection |
comfort |
Answer: protection |
| It certainly does not seem like a good idea to challenge someone carrying the shield of the king of the gods. |
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| If you were walking next to several security officers and saw the badges on their uniforms, what would you think the badges represented? |
| selfishness |
power |
pomposity |
| vanity |
paranoia |
Answer: power |
| This power comes from the country, group, or business that the badges represent and for which the security officers work. |
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| Working under the aegis of the United Nations, the volunteers were able to bring food and clothing to the homeless refugees. |
| indifference |
authority |
desire |
| hatred |
disregard |
Answer: authority |
| Other countries usually recognize the support and prestige of the United Nations and respect its good intentions, even though they may not agree with its policies. |
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| aegis : protection :: ________ : freedom |
| determination |
glory |
liberation |
| honor |
dignity |
Answer: liberation |
| Aegis is a form of protection, just as liberation is a form of freedom. |
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| The aegis of the law is intended to guarantee the protection against crime and the ________ distribution of justice for everyone. |
| equal |
recent |
disgusting |
| rare |
gregarious |
Answer: equal |
| The philosophy that governs an ideal democracy is that, under the law, all people are treated equally. |
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| Now you know that aegis means "protection; patronage; sponsorship." |
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| Based on your knowledge of aegis, do you have enough clues to uncover the meaning of the following related word? patronage |
| country |
support |
defense |
| passion |
liability |
Answer: support |
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| The Greek word aigis means "goat skin." How did this derivation lead to the current meaning of aegis? |
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