What does pandemic mean?
Word: Pandemic
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Pandemic means a disease that spreads over many countries or the whole world at the same time.
Synonyms: outbreak
How do you spell pandemic?
Syllables: pan - dem - ic
Tricky part: The middle is dem with an e, not dam: pandamic is the commonest slip.
Watch out for: pandamic, pandemik
Memory tip: Pan means all, as in panorama, a view of everything around you. A pandemic reaches people all over the world.
Pandemic in a sentence
Example 1: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many shops in our town stayed shut for weeks.
Example 2: Scientists study past pandemics to prepare better for the next one.
Example 3: The flu pandemic of 1918 spread to almost every part of the world.
Fun Fact
The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. pandemic 2. epidemic 3. vaccine a. a disease spreading quickly among many people in one area b. a disease spreading across many countries at once c. a substance that trains the body to fight a disease
a) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
c) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. A pandemic crosses many countries, an epidemic stays in one area, and a vaccine protects you from catching the disease.
Spellacadabra
Choose the misspelt word:
a) ceramic
b) pandemmic
c) academic
d) dynamic
Show answer
b) pandemmic. Academic, ceramic and dynamic are spelt right; pandemmic doubles an m that should be single.
Word Tally
How many words are misspelt in the given sentence?
During the pandemic, our school held classes online, and the teachers sent us worksheats by email every morning.
a) 2
b) 1
c) 3
d) 0
Show answer
b) 1. Pandemic is right; only worksheats is wrong, because a sheet is spelt with ee.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
12345678 adncipme
a) 74861523
b) 61327854
c) 61328754
d) 61382754
Show answer
c) 61328754. P is the sixth letter of the jumble and a the first, so the code opens 61; then compare the rest letter by letter.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. During a pandemic, which of these is most likely to happen?
a) flights between countries are stopped
b) one school shuts early for sports day
c) a village runs short of rice for a week
d) a town holds its yearly flower show
Show answer
a) flights between countries are stopped
2. Which of these habits helps slow the spread of a pandemic?
a) washing hands often with soap
b) skipping breakfast before school
c) sharing water bottles with friends
d) staying up late to watch films
Show answer
a) washing hands often with soap
