Character and PersonalityCharacter and PersonalityInte l lectual abi l i ty

AbilityAbility: intelligent, bright, clever, smart, shrewd, able, gifted, talented, brainy (colloquial)

LackingLacking abilityability: stupid, foolish, half-witted, simple, silly, brainless, daft, dumb, dim (last four are colloquial)

CleverClever , in a negative wayin a negative way , using brain to trick or deceiveusing brain to trick or deceive : cunning, crafty, sly

Attitudes towards l i fe

Looking on either the bright or the black side of thingsLooking on either the bright or the black side of things : optimistic, pessimistic

Outward-looking or inward-looking Outward-looking or inward-looking (i.e. to the world around one to the world around one or to ones own inner worldor to ones own inner world ): extroverted, introverted

Calm or not calm with regard to attitude to lifeCalm or not calm with regard to attitude to life : relaxed, tense Practical, not dreamy in approach to lifePractical, not dreamy in approach to life : sensible, down-to-earth Feeling things very intenselyFeeling things very intensely : sensitive

Attitudes towards other people

Enjoying others companyEnjoying others company : sociable, gregarious DisagreeingDisagreeing withwith othersothers: quarrelsome, argumentative TakingTaking pleasure in others painpleasure in others pain : cruel, sadistic RelaxedRelaxed inin attitudeattitude toto selfself andand othersothers: easy-going, even-tempered Not polite to othersNot polite to others : impolite, rude, ill-mannered, discourteous Telling the truth to othersTelling the truth to others : honest, trustworthy, reliable, sincere Unhappy if others have what one does not have oneselfUnhappy if others have what one does not have oneself : jealous,

envious

One persons meat i s another persons poison

Some characteristics can be either positive or negative depending on your point of view. The words in the right-hand column mean roughly the same as the words in the left-hand column except that they have negative rather than positive connotations:

determineddeterminedthrifty/economicthrifty/economicala lself-assuredself-assuredassertiveassertiveoriginaloriginal

obstinate, stubborn, pig-headedobstinate, stubborn, pig-headedmiserly, mean, tight-fistedmiserly, mean, tight-fistedself important, arrogant, full ofself important, arrogant, full of oneself (colloquial)oneself (colloquial)aggressive, bossy (colloquial)aggressive, bossy (colloquial)peculiar, weird, eccentric, oddpeculiar, weird, eccentric, odd

frank/direct/opefrank/direct/opennbroad-mindedbroad-mindedinquiringinquiringgenerousgenerousinnocentinnocentambit iousambit ious

blunt, abrupt, brusque, curtblunt, abrupt, brusque, curtunprincipled, permissiveunprincipled, permissiveinquisitive, nosy (colloquial)inquisitive, nosy (colloquial)extravagantextravagantnaivenaivepushy (colloquial)pushy (colloquial)

GameGame : Are we the kind of people we are because of the t ime of the year we are born? See i f you can complete the adject ives below. Each one has a c lue bes ide it to help you and a dot for each letter that you need to add.

AriesAries

You wont find him in the corner at the party.Thats her doing the can-can on the table.She has no problems.He never frowns.She tells no lies.He has few secrets.Hell tell you if he doesnt like your make-up.Shell tell you if she doesnt like your after-shave.Hes the person to ask for that five pounds you are owed.

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TaurusTaurus

He knows what he wants and he usually gets it.She never gives up without a fight.He knows hes good.She knows shes as good.She likes to be the boss, the one on top.He wants to be even bigger, even better -the bestand expects high standards of performance from others.He works 18 hours a day, jogs and plays squash.She hates to lose, in business and tiddlywinks.

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GeminiGemini She thinks shes good.He thinks hes superior to everyone.As the most experienced and sensible person present, I Of course, I could have beaten him even more easily, but I wanted to give him a chance.She wont share her presents with her sister.He spends half the day in front of the mirror.She thinks the whole world revolves around her.He thinks hes the centre of the universe.She looks down on anyone who hasnt got a heated

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indoor swimming pool at home.

CancerCancer

She seems to enjoy finding fault with others.Hell take off marks if you dont do your is.She can only ever see one side of things.He always likes the fat taken off his bacon.Hes like a donkey.Shes like a mule.He loves money, loves having things.Oh yes, hell help you-if you make it worth his while.She never lets her husband out of her sight.

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LeoLeo

You never know what hes going to do.He never knows what hes going to do.There are two things I dont like about her-her face!Be careful what hes saying about you behind your back.Be careful what shes doing while your back is turned.He behaves like the weather in April.She behaves like the proverbial primadonna.He says what I want to hear, not what he thinks.He never does all the things he says hell do.

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VirgoVirgo

Other peoples points of view always impress him.Shed believe you if you told her pizzas grew on trees.She lacks will-power.He lacks courage.He doesnt do much-he just sits back and watches.Shell do what shes told.Youll never know what hes thinking.It was an honour just to be on the same court as McEnroe. How I beat him 6-0, 6-0, 6-0? It was just luck.

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LibraLibra

He uses his common sense.She never does silly things under pressure.Shes like the Libran symbol of the scales.Shed solve all the problems on a dessert island,and nothing would upset her.Hed be a good judge or referee.Shes got both feet on the ground and is really down-to-earth.His heart rarely rules his head.I think, therefore I am. Thats my approach.

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ScorpioScorpio Keep out of her way when she loses her temper.Hes always the first one to put his fists up,and hes quick to use them-to the full.

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He may even add a boot or two for good measure.She wont let anything stand in her way.He has no principles about hurting other people.He almost seems to enjoy causing trouble.Shes a strong believer in an eye to an eye,and a tooth-or, in her case, teeth-for a tooth.

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SagittariSagittariusus

Those with some Latin blood in their veins.They are fiery and emotional.Shes not afraid to go mountain climbing,or to join a mountain rescue team.He wants to go to wild and unexplored places.Theyre vivacious, like champagne bubbles.She puts her heart and soul into her profession.On the sinking ship, the dog never left its masters side.These friends never desert you in a crisis.

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CapricoCapricornrn

Hed always stop to help a disabled person across the road.Thats her on the beach wiping oil off the sea-birds feathers.She wouldnt hurt a fly.He leaves 10 tips.He wouldnt mind if she dyed her hair pink.She lets him sleep when he gets back from a hard days work.He defends her in any argument.She kisses him on the cheek every minute or so.She always sends a card on her parents anniversary.

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AquariuAquariuss

If she likes you, shell fling her arms around you and say so.He jumps into the bath without testing the water.Lose your way with her in the car? Youd better not!Hes constantly like a child on Christmas Eve.Hes a typical angry young man.Shes Trotsky, Castro and Guevara all rolled into one.Hes got a memory like a sieve.He thought a double brandy would help the baby sleep.If she gets an idea in her head, theres no stopping her.

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PiscesPisces There she is, over there, on her own in the corner.Hes afraid that the whole world is looking at him.She peeps round her front door like a mouse.Hes always the last to introduce himself.Be careful not to upset her. Its easily done.He can see beauty in a pile of rubbish.He can then turn the pile of rubbish into a work of art.I was moved to tears by the beauty of his sculpture.He doesnt know who he is, where he is, what to do or

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why. U.STA.LEU.STA.LE