For example: Eggbert was averse to eating Frisbees. (Note that to
usually follows averse.)
You use adverse when you want to say that something else is opposed to a
person or thing. For example: Eggbert received adverse criticism for not eating
Frisbees; Eggbert had to eat the Frisbee under adverse conditions.
In the first example Eggbert is averse to eating, whereas in the second and third
examples the criticism and the conditions are adverse to Eggbert.
It is helpful to make up a story using as many of the vocabulary words
as possible from the list you have just learned. We have written some
sample stories, but you should write your own, too. Here is our first
one.An Adventurous Aardvark
The audacious aardvark was rooting around in the grass for some lunch with
which to assuage his hunger when his adroit friend Bob the baboon waddled up
with alacrity. “Hey, man,” Bob said, beginning an altercation. “Why do you
abase yourself in that atypical way? I advocate the use of a knife and fork.”
“You are a moron,” the aardvark replied politely. “It would be more
aesthetically pleasing were I to eat that way, but the use of utensils would be too
affected for a simple aardvark. In addition, I am averse to such an idea because it
might alleviate my acne, which looks good on me.”
“That has to be the apex of stupidity,” Bob said, aghast. “And while we’re on
the subject of your appearance, I must ask why you are so apathetic about your
hygiene. At least you could ameliorate your looks and odor by taking a bath.”
“Never allude to my alleged antipathy to cleanliness again,” the aardvark said
with austerity. “May I remind you that you still pick lice out of strangers’ hair.”
Sensing that the conversation had gone awry, Bob’s audacity abated and he
too began to amass a pile of grubs from the grass.
I personally prefer sporks because, you know, functionality. But to each her own.
—Samantha