A Vocabulary Grab Bag

Lecture 26

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themes of the other lectures but are too wonderful to be left out of the
course. Because we learn vocabulary words gradually, like a dimmer
switch growing brighter, we will also review a few target words from earlier
lectures. Remember that each time you review a word, your knowledge of it
will grow brighter, until eventually, you will make that word your own. For
this reason, take a few minutes from time to time to go back and review your
vocabulary notebook, refreshing yourself on just a few words to expand your
overall command of the language.

Hobson’s choice (noun phrase)

A choice between what is available and nothing; the absence of a real

alternative.

z Cable television providers sometimes provide their customers with

a modern-day Hobson’s choice: Either purchase an entire sports

or movie package or get no sports or movie channels at all. Such

“take-it-or-leave-it” options represent a classic Hobson’s choice.

z This useful phrase comes to us from Cambridge, England, in the

late 1500s and early 1600s. At that time, Thomas Hobson was

licensed to take parcels, letters, and passengers back and forth

between Cambridge and London.

ż To do this, Hobson kept a stable of approximately 40 horses.

When these horses weren’t being used to carry the mail, he

rented them out to Cambridge University students. But the

students always chose just a few of their favorite horses, which

meant that those horses became overworked.

ż In response, Hobson devised a rotation system. To ensure that

each horse got the same amount of work and rest, Hobson gave