Worksheet on denotation and connotation, teaching students to identify positive and negative connotations of synonyms.

Problem Overview:

The task is to identify the positive and negative connotations of pairs of phrases. Each pair consists of synonyms with different connotations. The goal is to mark a `+` next to the phrase with a positive connotation and a `-` next to the phrase with a negative connotation.

Solution Approach:

1. Understand Denotation and Connotation:
- Denotation: The literal, dictionary meaning of a word.
- Connotation: The emotional or associative meaning of a word, which can be positive, negative, or neutral.

2. Analyze Each Pair:
- Compare the two phrases in each pair.
- Determine which phrase carries a positive connotation (favorable or desirable) and which carries a negative connotation (unfavorable or undesirable).

3. Mark the Phrases:
- Use a `+` for the phrase with a positive connotation.
- Use a `-` for the phrase with a negative connotation.

Detailed Analysis of Each Pair:

#### 1.
- a powerful stink
- Negative connotation: "Stink" implies an unpleasant smell.
- a powerful aroma
- Positive connotation: "Aroma" implies a pleasant smell.

Marking:
- a powerful stink [-]
- a powerful aroma [+]

#### 2.
- a dynamic leader
- Positive connotation: "Dynamic" suggests energy, enthusiasm, and effectiveness.
- a pushy leader
- Negative connotation: "Pushy" suggests being forceful or overbearing.

Marking:
- a dynamic leader [+]
- a pushy leader [-]

#### 3.
- squandered his money
- Negative connotation: "Squandered" implies wasting money carelessly.
- spent his money
- Neutral or slightly positive connotation: "Spent" is more neutral and could imply responsible spending.

Marking:
- squandered his money [-]
- spent his money [+]

#### 4.
- a reckless plan
- Negative connotation: "Reckless" implies taking unnecessary risks.
- a daring plan
- Positive connotation: "Daring" implies courage and boldness.

Marking:
- a reckless plan [-]
- a daring plan [+]

#### 5.
- energetic children
- Positive connotation: "Energetic" implies full of energy and vitality.
- wild children
- Negative connotation: "Wild" implies unruly or out of control.

Marking:
- energetic children [+]
- wild children [-]

#### 6.
- answered with arrogance
- Negative connotation: "Arrogance" implies excessive pride or self-importance.
- answered with confidence
- Positive connotation: "Confidence" implies self-assurance and belief in one's abilities.

Marking:
- answered with arrogance [-]
- answered with confidence [+]

#### 7.
- sloppy clothes
- Negative connotation: "Sloppy" implies untidy or careless.
- casual clothes
- Neutral or slightly positive connotation: "Casual" implies relaxed and informal.

Marking:
- sloppy clothes [-]
- casual clothes [+]

#### 8.
- an aggressive attitude
- Negative connotation: "Aggressive" implies hostility or assertiveness in a negative way.
- a hostile attitude
- Negative connotation: "Hostile" implies unfriendliness or animosity.

Marking:
- an aggressive attitude [-]
- a hostile attitude [-]

#### 9.
- an easygoing friend
- Positive connotation: "Easygoing" implies being relaxed and friendly.
- a lazy friend
- Negative connotation: "Lazy" implies lack of effort or motivation.

Marking:
- an easygoing friend [+]
- a lazy friend [-]

#### 10.
- a thoughtful response
- Positive connotation: "Thoughtful" implies careful consideration.
- a calculated response
- Negative connotation: "Calculated" implies deliberate and possibly manipulative.

Marking:
- a thoughtful response [+]
- a calculated response [-]

Final Answer:

\[
\boxed{
\begin{array}{ll}
1. \text{a powerful stink} & [-] \\
\text{a powerful aroma} & [+] \\
2. \text{a dynamic leader} & [+] \\
\text{a pushy leader} & [-] \\
3. \text{squandered his money} & [-] \\
\text{spent his money} & [+] \\
4. \text{a reckless plan} & [-] \\
\text{a daring plan} & [+] \\
5. \text{energetic children} & [+] \\
\text{wild children} & [-] \\
6. \text{answered with arrogance} & [-] \\
\text{answered with confidence} & [+] \\
7. \text{sloppy clothes} & [-] \\
\text{casual clothes} & [+] \\
8. \text{an aggressive attitude} & [-] \\
\text{a hostile attitude} & [-] \\
9. \text{an easygoing friend} & [+] \\
\text{a lazy friend} & [-] \\
10. \text{a thoughtful response} & [+] \\
\text{a calculated response} & [-] \\
\end{array}
}
\]