1. Vocabulary 8A

2. Animosity (n.) strong dislike; bitter hostility
S: enmity, rancor, antipathy
A: affection, fondness, rapport, amity
The deep animosity between The University and Michigan and Michigan State fans goes back generations.

3. Apathy (n.) a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest
S: indifference, disinterest, detachment
A: enthusiasm, fervor, ardor, concern
I was horrified when the sales force greeted my great idea for an ad campaign with total apathy.

4. Apprehensive (adj.) fearful or anxious, especially about the future
S: worried, nervous, fretful, jittery
A: unworried, assured, confident, certain
As the hurricane approached, apprehensive residents all along the coast prepared for the worst.

5. Commend
(v.) to praise, express approval; to present as worthy of attention; to commit to the care of.
S: applaud, entrust
A: abhor, loathe
Ms. Kirby commended the class for scoring so high on their House on Mango Street test.

6. Compatible
(adj.) able to get along or work well together; capable of use with some other model or system
S: harmonious, in agreement, like-minded
A: mismatched, incongruous, antagonistic
Eyewitness accounts of an accident rarely are totally compatible.

7. Condolence (n.) an expression of sympathy
S: commiseration, solace, sympathy
A few well-chosen words of condolence can be a great comfort to someone who has lost a loved one.

8. Consecrate
(v.) to make sacred, hallow; to set apart for a special purpose
S: devote, dedicate, sanctify
A: desecrate, defile, profane, dishonor
Traditionally, most religious denominations hold special ceremonies to consecrate a new house of worship.

9. Decrepit (adj.) old and feeble; worn out, ruined
S: infirm, broken-down, rickety, dilapidated
A: vigorous, robust, sturdy
“I may be aging,” the famous movie star replied, “But I am hardly decrepit!”

10. Deride (v.) to ridicule, laugh at with contempt
S: mock, scorn, disparage, jeer at
A: praise, extol, acclaim, applaud
Most people find jokes that deride somebody’s national origin or social background extremely offensive.

11. Ingenuous (adj.) innocent, simple; frank, sincere
S: naïve, artless, guileless, candid
A: artful, crafty, worldly, sophisticated
In his novels, Dickens has harsh words for those who take cruel advantage of ingenuous young people.