Brain Teasers
Re-ack-shun
Forrie Agincourt and Sarah Bellum alit from the train at Union Station. As they followed the crowd toward the stores, Forrie carefully dodged anyone wearing a small hat. Sarah Bellum watched him for a minute, finally figuring out that he was practicing "cap-shun" from their on-board word game. She giggled and leaned forward to speak to him over the bustle of the crowd.
"We came in on location #9; I hope we get one higher on the way home."
"Huh? Why?" Forrie asked.
"I've been under too much ten-shun lately." Forrie made a horrid face and mimed sticking a finger down his throat.
"You can get away with that once, but not twice, young man!"
"I'm sorry, Aunt ...", and he noticed the smirk on her face.
"For every ac-shun, there is an equal and opposite re-ack-shun. I'd have to avoid the second time, right?"
Forrie's face twisted in on itself, but he kept his fingers away from his mouth.
"I was going to wait for the trip home, but I think I'd better retaliate now."
"You have more shun words?"
"Yup."
How many of Forrie's avoidances can you puzzle out?
1. Avoidance of train rails
2. Avoidance of the 4x100-meter race
3. Avoidance of sodium
4. Avoidance of police "sting" operations
5. Avoidance of California's largest city
6. Avoidance of top marks in school
7. Avoidance of the Three Stooges' leader
"We came in on location #9; I hope we get one higher on the way home."
"Huh? Why?" Forrie asked.
"I've been under too much ten-shun lately." Forrie made a horrid face and mimed sticking a finger down his throat.
"You can get away with that once, but not twice, young man!"
"I'm sorry, Aunt ...", and he noticed the smirk on her face.
"For every ac-shun, there is an equal and opposite re-ack-shun. I'd have to avoid the second time, right?"
Forrie's face twisted in on itself, but he kept his fingers away from his mouth.
"I was going to wait for the trip home, but I think I'd better retaliate now."
"You have more shun words?"
"Yup."
How many of Forrie's avoidances can you puzzle out?
1. Avoidance of train rails
2. Avoidance of the 4x100-meter race
3. Avoidance of sodium
4. Avoidance of police "sting" operations
5. Avoidance of California's largest city
6. Avoidance of top marks in school
7. Avoidance of the Three Stooges' leader
Answer
1. traction (track-shun)2. relation (relay-shun)
3. nation (Na-shun)
4. contraption (con-trap-shun)
5. elation (LA-shun, for Los Angeles)
6. gradation (grade-A-shun)
7. motion (Moe-shun)
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