Questions from an English Vocabulary Book

For our lesson, I have some questions from an English book "1100 words you need to know," so please help me.

I passed the Pre-1st level of the STEP test 2 years ago.  You may have never heard of the test, so let me I would like to explain it to you briefly.  The STEP test is organized held by Japanese government to measure the Japanese people's English level.  If I will have the chance, Next time, I want to try the 1st level of the STEP 1st level by which and I need to enrich my vocabulary.    A month ago, I checked in looked into the Internet some strategies in passing how to pass the 1st level.  Some of those the people who did passed the 1st level said they studied a this book, and luckily I got the chance to purchase in it an online shop named Amazon.  I found it a bit challenging, that's why I chose and bought it in Amazon Online shop.  I found it a little difficult, but let me say that I did can understand about 60 or 70% of it.  I see to it that Every day I can study about two pages every day and to learn more than 5 English terms words from the this book.  The daily stories sound interesting.   

I have been trying to comprehend very hard, but there are some things which are really challenging places I don't understand. 

(A Sensei's corrected sentences)

I passed the Pre-1st level of the STEP test 2 years ago. You may have never heard of the test, so let me explain it to you briefly. The STEP test is organized by Japanese government to measure the people's English level. If I will have the chance, I want to try the 1st level of the STEP test by which I need to enrich my vocabulary. A month ago, I checked in the Internet some strategies in passing the 1st level. Some of those who did the 1st level said that they studied a book, and luckily I got the chance to purchase it in an online shop named Amazon. I found it a bit challenging, but let me say that I did understand about 60 or 70% of it. I see to it that I can study about two pages every day to learn more than 5 English terms from the book. The daily stories sound interesting.‏

‎               

I have been trying to comprehend, but there are some things which are really very challenging.

My question No. 1)
The two words "belligerent" and "pugnacious" are new words for me, and it's confusing.  

belligerent .... seeking war, hostile
(one example)
His belligerent manner caused him to lose one friend after another.

pugnacious .... combative
(one example)
Since everyone can out punch my cousin, he cannot afford to be pugnacious.

The word, "belligerent" maybe a synonym for "pugnacious."  YES.

Another word I know is "short-tempered."   Do you think the person who is short-tempered is the same as "belligerent" or "pugnacious" ?  No, they have different meanings.

My question No. 2)
This is how I understand this situation:  My understanding:  An The 80-year-old manager has been using was aging, so he used his crutches (in another words, his walking stick) in a daily basis.   In this situation from the sentence,  Mullins attacked the manager by grabbing grabbed (or stealed) the crutches by force, and he attacked the manager with the stick, and the manager which caused the latter might to fell down to on the floor and got some injuries injured?  Is my understanding correct?  If not, please describe it with easy English, please?

(A sensei's corrected sentences)
This is how I understand this situation:  An 80-year-old manager has been using his crutches in a daily basis / every day.   In this situation,  Mullins attacked the manager by grabbing the crutches which caused the latter to fell on the floor and got some injuries?  Is my understanding correct?  If not, please describe it with easy English, please?


My question No. 3)
My question is that Mullins is drinking whiskey in the first sentence, but in the last sentence, they say SCOTCH, why?  Can I use beer, wine, or another alcohol here instead of Scotch?
This book was published in Britain, so Mullins might be a British man from Scotland in England?  He might be a Scotch where it is famous for its wiskey, distilled in Scotland.

(A sensei's corrected sentences)
My question is that Mullins is drinking whiskey in the first sentence, but in the last sentence, they say SCOTCH, why?  Can I use beer, wine, or another alcohol here instead of Scotch?
This book was published in Britain, so Mullins might be a British.

Lesson feedback on October 23, 2013
latter - being the second of two persons or things mentioned
former - being the first of two persons or things mentioned

They were marked yellow color, could you please describe them with easier English?

Newly learned words (vocabulary) were typed in italic below.

Lesson 1) Mullins A K.O. Victim
When the bell sounded, K.O. Mullins responded with alacrity (or briskness, lively action).  He sprang from his stool and charged across the ring, showing disdain (or contempt) for the champion's strength.  Although this belligerent (or warlike) attitude impressed the referee, it failed to intimidate (or to overawe) the champ.  That intrepid (or brave) battler laid the hapless (or unfortunate) Mullins low with an adroit feint and an uppercut. 

Lesson 2) Mullins Throws Down the Gauntlet (or to challenge someone)
The pugnacious (or quarrelsome) K.O. Mullins demanded a rematch.  He took a full-page newspaper advertisement to promulgate (or to make known officially) his challenge.   When the champ's manager saw the brash (or impudent) announcement, he accosted (to approach and speak to) Mullins, who was surrounded by a throng (or crowd) of newsmen.  The manager openly scoffed (or to sneer) at Mullins and belittled (or to make seem less important) his fighting ability.  Mullins then lost his temper and fearlessly punched the manager, knocking him off of his crutches. 

Lesson 3) Mullins Forced to Eat Humble Pie (or to admit your error and apologize)
The irate (or angry, incensed) 80-year-old manager pressed charges against K.O. Mullins, suing him for assault.  As tangible (or having actual form) evidence of the attack, he pointed to a deep laceration (or jagged wound) over his eyebrow that had required ten stitches.  When the case was brought before the court, the judge castigated (or to correct by punishing) Mullins for the sordid  (or dirty, base) incident.  In addition to a costly financial settlement, Mullins was required to make a public apology to the octogenarian (or person in his or her eighties).

Lesson 4) The decline of Mullins
Mullins sought solace (or easing of grief) in whiskey.  Once a highly respected aspirant (or candidate for high position) for the lightweight crown, he now found himself associating with the dregs (or most worthless part) of Skid Row (or disreputable part of town, inhabited by derelicts and people).  He would work himself into an alcoholic frenzy (or wild fit) in which he would trumpet scurrilous (or coarse) attacks on the champ, the old manager, and the judge.  One avid (or eager) fight fan attributed Mullins' absence from the ring to sickness, saying that he was "recovering from a bad case of SCOTCH."


----   We talked below on our lesson on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013  -----------

You asked me some questions before our lesson yesterday.  Let me try to explain them to you here.

You asked me why I did walking under walked in the rain yesterday.  Well, I was diagnosed of having as hyperlipemia/hyperlipidemia (you may have known this as I checked your profile before, it said that you have majored in nursing in a the university.  It means "excessive amounts of fat and fatty substances in the blood."   Yes, I used to be heavier, 64 kgs at the maximum and obesity obese level was one (1) last May.  My height is 156 centimeters and  I was advised by my doctor to reduce weight by avoiding fatty food, and do some exercises like walking by my doctor. so that I can attain my ideal weight which is 53 kgs.  He said I don't have to do some strenuous sports like challenge volleyball or basketball because those sports require much energy.  He suggested me that I walk 5,000 to 10,000 steps a day.  I always use put a pedometer to track my number of steps.  in my trouser's pocket, and count it how much I walk in daily basis.  Yesterday, I had only 5,600 steps which means I walked about 2.7 kilometers.  But I walked 10,000 steps each for these three days.  I am an enthusiast for watching wild birds.  And winter is the best season for watching birds.  So I am getting exciting these days.  I found some Kogamo, a kind of ducks a pond in my neiborhood some days ago, and I am looking forward to checking them these days.  I was not happy because I couldn't find any of them yesterday.

(A sensei's corrected sentences)
You asked me why I did walking under the rain yesterday.  Well, I was diagnosed of having hyperlipemia/hyperlipidemia (you may have known this as I checked your profile before, it said that you have majored in nursing in a university.  It means "excessive amount of fat and fatty substances in the blood."  I used to be 64 kgs and my obesity level was one (1) last May.  My height is 156 centimeters and I was advised by my doctor to reduce weight by avoiding fatty food, and do some exercises like walking so that I can attain my ideal weight which is 53 kgs.  He said I don't have to do some strenuous sports like volleyball or basketball because those require much energy.  He suggested me that I walk about 5,000 to 10,000 steps a day.  I always use a pedometer to track my number of steps.  Yesterday, I had only 5,600 steps which means I walked about 2.7 kilometers.
Lesson feedback on October 24, 2013
hiperlipemia [hay-per-li-PEEM-ya]
hyplerlipidemia
pidometer [pi-DO-mi-ter]
strenuous [STREN-yoo-wos]
strenuous - tiring or exhausting


My question No. 4)
P.25
Treated with disdain by his stepfather, Artie grew closer to his natural father.

Please explain the phrase "grew closer."

Answer)  Treated badly by his stepfather, Artie started to have a good relationship with his natural father.
 --------------------------------------

Here is another story from the same English textbook.

My question No. 5)
The sentence below probably meant a proctor noticed they were doing cheating, but he or she ignored the fact.

P. 27
CHEATING
During my first weeks at the new school I observed that cheating was rampant (or going unchecked, widespread).  I had always considered it rather inane (or foolish) to cheat on a test because of my code of ethics (code of principles), and because so much was at stake.  Apparently the other students didn't concur (or agree).  In fact, even the presence of a proctor (or professor to attend on examinations) did not intimidate (or to overawe) them.  Far from being a clandestine (or secret or undercover) activity, the cheating was open and obvious.