1. English 1 Second Quarter Vocabulary Words & Definitions

2. Week 10
Archetype: a character type, symbol, setting, or plot pattern that is copied throughout stories in different cultures and time periods.
Epic: a narrative poem which tells of the life and accomplishments of a hero
Epic hero: the protagonist of an epic. Typically goes on a journey and accomplishes many brave deeds.
Ally: a character who unites with the protagonist to help them achieve their goals
Point of view: who is telling the story; who the narrator is
First-person point of view: the narrator is a character in the story who uses “I”
Third-person point of view: the narrator is NOT a character in the story, but an outside voice that uses ”he” and “she”
Foreshadowing: when the author provides hints about what is going to happen later in the story

3. Week 11
omniscient point of view: when the narrator knows and can see everything that occurs in a story, including character’s thoughts and feelings
limited point of view: when the narrator does not know everything that is occurring in the story; the reader only knows what the character narrating the story knows
direct characterization: when the author describes the character (TELLS)
indirect characterization: when the reader learns about a character through their words, actions, thoughts, or interaction with others (SHOWS)
omit: (v) to remove something or leave something out. (noun form is “omission”)
idiom: a saying that is understood by the speakers of a language, but which cannot be understood from knowing the literal meanings of all its words. (chip on your shoulder; out of the blue)
relevant: (adj) meaningful or important to what is currently being discussed
flashback: when the author interrupts the story to tell about things that happened in the past

4. Week 12 threshold: a boundary or border between two different places
mentor: a wiser, older character who gives the epic hero advice and training to prepare for the future
explicit: (adj) describes information that is clearly stated in a text. (You have terrible B.O.)
implicit: (adj) describes information that is not clearly stated in a text, but can be guessed from hints or clues. (I clipped some extra coupons for deodorant; want one?)
elaborate: (v) to add details to fully explain an idea
coherent: (adj) describes writing where all the ideas are logically connected and make sense together
dialogue: when 2 or more characters are speaking to each others
allusion: a reference to a literary work in the middle of another literary work

5. Week 13 former: the first thing in a list
latter: the last thing in a list My favorite foods are ice cream and broccoli. The former is high in sugar, while, the latter is high in B vitamins.
in medias res: when a story begins in the middle of the action, then flashes back to the beginning.
allegory: a story that has a symbolic meaning, in addition to its literal plot
simile: a comparison between two unlike things, using “like” or “as”
Homeric simile: a long simile that goes into extremely specific detail and usually runs over several lines. Often contains thoughts that do not relate directly to the plot.
setting: the time and place where a story occurs
imagery: when the writer uses details from the 5 senses to create an image in the reader’s mind

6. Week 14
trait: (n) a distinguishing characteristic or quality of a person. May relate to their physical appearance or their personality.
pungent: (adj) having a strong, sharp smell or taste
versatile: (adj) able to be used in many different ways; adaptable
indifferent: (adj) not caring; apathetic
incredulous: (adj) disbelieving, skeptical
contempt: (n) a strong feeling of disapproval and disgust toward something that is worthless or terrible
appalled: (adj) horrified, dismayed
formidable: (adj) forceful, powerful, and strong, especially in a way that would cause fear

7. Week 15
essay: a written nonfiction paper that explains something and/or presents the writer’s opinion on a subject
introduction: the first paragraph of an essay, which gets the reader’s attention and identifies the topic of the essay. Also called introductory paragraph.
thesis statement: a sentence that tells the main idea of the essay. This is the last sentence of an introduction.
topic sentence: the first sentence of a body paragraph, which states its main idea
body paragraph: one of the middle paragraphs of an essay, which includes concrete details and commentary to elaborate on the thesis statement
concrete detail: (CD) a specific example. In English class, it’s usually a quote or paraphrase from a book, cited with P-DOC.
commentary: (CM) a sentence explaining why the concrete detail is important.
conclusion: the last paragraph of an essay, which restates your main idea and wraps up your argument.

8. Week 16
draft: the current version of an essay or story you are writing.
revise: to edit and change something in order to improve it
standard English: the correct form of English which is spoken/written by educated Americans and does not differ across regions. Often called “formal English,” “proper English,” or “good grammar.”
dialect: the version of a language used by a particular group of people, which has some rules and/or vocabulary that differ from standard English. Ex: Southern English, African-American English/”Ebonics,” slang
agreement: in grammar, when two words in a sentence go together correctly, such as a subject and a verb
adversity: (n) an unfavorable fortune or fate; a disaster; a setback
forlorn: (adj) sad, dreary, hopeless
classical literature: literature from ancient Greece and Rome