Vocabulary in Context Exercise 2

Read each of the passages using context clues to determine the meaning of the italicized word. Note the part(s) of the paragraph you used to help in your selection.

The love of money has ruined friendships, caused divorces, and even led to death. This intense ¹avariciousness can be blamed for one nation invading another, the ravaging of our natural resources, and the discovery of America. In the twenty-first century, it may cause further ²alienation in a way never witnessed before--it is about to tear the American family apart. A great deal of money will be transferred from parents, upon their deaths, to their children, normally a natural transfer of ³assets. The amount is estimated to be about 12 trillion dollars, an extraordinary amount. Persons who grew up in the Depression Era have saved and ⁴scrimped, denying themselves often needed goods, and many have ⁵amassed large fortunes. This generation will be passing its wealth on to its children, the baby boomers, right after the turn of the century.

What does this transfer of trillions of dollars mean for the wealth of our population? Some ⁶predictions state that about one-third of this money will go to only one percent of the population, but for those one percent who are lucky enough to inherit one or two million dollars, there may be some serious fighting among ⁷siblings. Already, attorneys are seeing families doing battle over estates, china, silver, furniture, and cars. Television talk show hosts are featuring families discussing their fortunes and publicly airing their ⁸disputes. The money seems much more important than family ⁹harmony or loyalty. To get ready for the predicted upcoming family battles, some are suggesting that the country will need even more attorneys, specializing in estate ¹⁰litigation and planning