Lesson 34: DUC / DUCT

Practice 1: Multiple Choice

Choose the word that best completes each sentence.

1. The orchestra __________ raised the baton to begin the symphony.

a) producer
b) conductor
c) educator
d) viaduct

2. The factory can __________ 500 units per day.

a) reduce
b) deduce
c) produce
d) seduce

3. Let me __________ you to my colleague from the marketing department.

a) reduce
b) deduce
c) induce
d) introduce

4. Scientists were able to __________ the cause of the disease from the data.

a) produce
b) deduce
c) induce
d) reduce

5. The ancient Roman __________ carried fresh water to the city.

a) duct
b) viaduct
c) aqueduct
d) conductor

6. Please __________ the travel expenses from my reimbursement total.

a) produce
b) reduce
c) deduct
d) abduct

7. The goal is to __________ energy consumption by 20 percent.

a) produce
b) reduce
c) induce
d) introduce

8. The suspect was accused of attempting to __________ the witness from her home.

a) seduce
b) abduct
c) conduct
d) deduct

9. She was formally __________ into the National Honor Society.

a) abducted
b) seduced
c) conducted
d) inducted

10. A public school's mission is to __________ all children.

a) reduce
b) deduce
c) educate
d) seduce

11. The advertisement tried to __________ customers to switch brands.

a) educate
b) induce
c) reduce
d) deduct

12. The heating system pushes warm air through __________ in the ceiling.

a) viaducts
b) conductors
c) ducts
d) aqueducts

Practice 2: Fill in the Blank

Use each word from the word bank exactly once.

Word Bank: conduct, produce, reduce, introduce, deduce, induce, educate, abduct, duct, conductor, induct, deduct

1. The train __________ punched our tickets as we boarded.

2. Heating and cooling air travels through the building's __________ system.

3. Please don't try to __________ me into doing something I'll regret.

4. How you __________ yourself at work reflects on the whole team.

5. The company hopes to __________ a new product line next quarter.

6. It's difficult to __________ meaning from such vague evidence.

7. They plan to __________ the famous athlete into the Hall of Fame.

8. The kidnappers planned to __________ the ambassador's child.

9. A good teacher knows how to __________ students of all abilities.

10. The new policy should __________ the number of customer complaints.

11. You can __________ the donation from your taxable income.

12. Allow me to __________ today's guest speaker.

Practice 3: Reading Passage

When Dr. Maria Santos was inducted into the Engineers' Hall of Fame, she reflected on the structures that had defined her career. She had designed viaducts that spanned impossible chasms and aqueducts that brought fresh water to drought-stricken regions.

"To educate young engineers," she said in her acceptance speech, "is to produce the future. We don't just conduct lessons—we introduce students to new ways of thinking."

She spoke about the importance of leading by example. "A conductor stands before an orchestra and trusts every player to follow. Engineering is the same. You deduce solutions from data, but you also induce collaboration through trust."

Critics once tried to reduce her achievements to luck. But the evidence was hard to dispute. Project after project, she helped reduce water shortages and conducted teams through impossible deadlines.

"Some people try to abduct credit for others' work," she admitted. "But I never let that seduce me into bitterness. Instead, I deducted it from my worries and moved on."

Her final words were simple: "Lead well. That's all any of us can do—lead well."

Questions

1. Maria was "inducted" into the Hall of Fame. This means:

a) She was formally led into the organization
b) She was abducted
c) She reduced her role
d) She conducted an orchestra

2. Maria helped design "aqueducts." These are:

a) Road bridges
b) Heating systems
c) Channels that lead water
d) Orchestras

3. To "educate" is to:

a) Lead students out of ignorance through teaching
b) Lead someone astray
c) Subtract from a total
d) Force someone to leave

4. Critics tried to "reduce" her achievements. This means:

a) They increased her fame
b) They made her achievements seem smaller
c) They inducted her into a group
d) They conducted her orchestra

5. Maria refused to let criticism "seduce" her into bitterness. This means:

a) She was abducted by critics
b) She didn't let it lead her astray
c) She reduced her work
d) She conducted a response