Language Activator – Complicated

Complicated/complex/elaborate/involved/tortuous/convoluted

complicated

consisting of a lot of different parts or details and therefore difficult to understand

.the complicated problem of bringing peace to the Middle East

Complex

a complex process or system is difficult to understand because it has a lot of parts that are all connected in different ways

The seminar focuses on the complex relationship between government, the military, and the media

Complexity

.I don’t think you fully understood the complexity of his argument

intricate having a lot of small parts or details – use this especially about something that is cleverly designed or made

.Lasers are used to cut intricate designs in wood

elaborate

having a lot of parts or details and very carefully planned, but often more complicated than is necessary

.Mike had worked out an elaborate system for categorizing his collection of CDs

involved

very long and complicated – use this about a system, description, or explanation that you think should be made simpler

.Adopting a child can be a long involved process

tortuous

much too long and complicated, and therefore confusing and annoying

.At last, an end to the tortuous negotiations was in sight

convoluted

too complicated and difficult to understand – use this especially about someone’s language or arguments, or about a system

James’s books are full of long paragraphs and convoluted sentences, which many people do not find appealing

:Practice

: Fill in the blanks with appropriate words

N1. He always uses a lot of ……………..arguments to support his theories, but no one’s ever impressed .N2. The book begins with a long, ……………introduction .N3. The system for choosing candidates is very……………., and I won’t go into it here N4. Sociologists have been coming up with increasingly ……………theories to explain unsafe sexual practices .N5. The farmers use an ………………system of drainage canals .N6. the ……………workings of a watch ……………..N7. The chemical processes involved in the experiment are extremely ……………..N8. I didn’t realize programming the VCR would be so .N9. The brain is like a very powerful, very ……………… computer

:Answers

N1. Convoluted N2. Tortuous N3. Involved N4. Elaborate N5. Intricate N6. Intricate N7. Complex N8. complicated N9. complicated