American Literature Spring 2013 Vocabulary American Literature Spring 2013

The rundown. . . -Warm ups will vary in this class, but most days, you will have five vocabulary words and definitions to copy down. -Every two weeks you will have a quiz over the last two units. -You will also have one-two unit tests over the vocabulary for this semester.

Unit 1 Vocabulary (Monday 1/7/13 Please write down the words and definitions. 1. austere (adj): without adornment or luxury, simple, plain 2. beneficent (adj): performing acts of kindness or charity 3. cadaverous (adj): pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse 4. concoct (v.): to devise, invent, fabricate 5. crass (adj.): coarse, unfeeling

Unit 1 (continued). . . 6. Debase (v.): to lower in character/ quality/value 7. Desecrate (v.): to contaminate, pollute 8. Disconcert (v.): to confuse, to unsettle 9. Grandiose (adj.): impressive or stately 10. Inconsequential (adj.): trivial, petty

SAT Question of the day: 1/8/13 Uncontrolled harvesting of forests for timber could effect(A) the weather because land covered by(B) large trees absorbs and releases (C) twice as much moisture as that which is (D) covered by smaller plans. No error. (E)

11. Infraction: (n.) a violation, transgression 12. Mitigate: (v.) to lessen, relieve 13. Pillage: (v.) the act of looting 14. Prate:(v.) to chatter, prattle, babble 15. Punctilious: (adj.) precise, scrupulous, fussy

16. Redoubtable:(adj.) inspiring fear or awe 17. Reprove:(v.) to find fault with, scold 18. Restitution: (n.)the act of restoring to the rightful owner or to a former state 19.Stalwart: (adj.) brave 20. Vulnerable: (adj).capable of being wounded

beneficent cadaverous crass grandiose inconsequential 1. Randy’s supervisors thought that his contributions to the company had been either nonexistent or _____, so they withheld promotion from him. 2. That night the comedian was so _____ and offensive that half his audience left before he finished his act. 3. The source of conflict in many fairy tales, myths, and legends is the struggle of the _____ protagonist against the forces of a wicked or selfish antagonist. 4. The ravaging effects of the long drought could plainly be seen in the _____ appearance of animals that scavenged in the area.

infraction pillage restitution stalwart vulnerable Poet Emily Dickinson wrote “ The sweets of _____ can be known/To no one but the Thief.” A successful formula for action/adventure films blends dazzling stunt work with a series of seemingly unavoidable traps from which the _____ heroes always manage to escape. The judge ordered the defendant to make financial _____ to the clients he had bilked in the fraudulent real-estate scheme. With modern traffic regulations, even a minor _____ can become a costly mistake due to fines and insurance penalties.