Vocabulary Unit 10

amnesty An act of forgiveness A general pardon for an offense against a government

amorphous shapeless A shape without clarity or definition; formless, indistinct

What are some items/substances that are amorphous ?

animosity Active hatred

Give 2 examples of 2 sets of people/groups who have animosity toward each other.

concur To express agreement To approve

Would you concur (and why or why not)if schools decided to… 1. shorten the school day? 2. institute uniforms? 3. abolish standardized testing?

condone To pardon or overlook

Under what circumstances should killing someone else be condoned?

discerning Mentally quick and observant Having insight

Why are teachers having to become more discerning as technology is more available to students?

discordant Inharmonious conflicting

Describe a situation in which the sounds are discordant. What is a synonym for discordant?

equivocal Doubtful ambiguous

If I say that your paper is due, unequivocally, on Thursday, am I likely to change my mind? Why or why not?

erroneous Mistaken, wrong

When could your erroneous decision result in someone’s death?

frivolity Lack of seriousness

Why are the things listed below, which we spend so much energy on, actually frivolous? * clothing, hair, makeup * the decorations in our homes * choosing which restaurant to eat at for dinner

homogenous Alike Same Relating to an entire group or class

Homogenous or not? 1. single gender classrooms 2. vegetable soup 3. chicken broth 4. a ball pit at an indoor playground

indulgent Humorous Yielding Lenient luxurious

1. If I indulge my daughter’s desire to wear make-up, what am I doing? 2. Should you spend the evening before an exam indulging yourself?

infallible Free from error Absolutely dependable

Is there anything in your life that is infallible, absolutely dependable? What is it?

infer To deduce To conclude To ‘figure it out’ based on clues

Make an inference: * Most of my first period students were tardy this morning. * The highway department put a stop sign at an intersection that has never had one.

loathe To have extreme disgust To hate

What could cause you to loathe someone for whom you once had ambivalent feelings?

miserly Stingy mean “Bah, humbug!”

What might a miserly person do if offered a discount on a trip to Italy?

opulence Wealth affluence Venetian Opulence Barbie

Is opulence moral when so many people lack basic necessities? Why/not?

Perverse *think of the word pervert To turn stubbornly away from what is good or proper Inclined to go against what is expected

Let’s say a family is very traditional and concerned with appearances. What might they consider to be perverse behavior?

philanthropist One who has a love for mankind Shows good will to all men through his actions towards others

*He was named the most politically effective celebrity *Since 1999, Bono has become increasingly involved in campaigning for third-world debt relief and raising awareness of the plight of Africa, including the AIDS pandemic. *He was a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, 2005, and 2006 for his philanthropy.

remuneration Act of payment for service or loss To pay back

Should families of slaves be remunerated?