1. Dirk the Protector Vocabulary Preview

2. cohort Professor Ruiz and his cohort, my mother, convinced me to study history at the university.

3. conventional My sister wants a conventional church wedding with a white dress and a bouquet.

4. decoy The jewelry box is a decoy; the jewels are actually hidden beneath the floor.

5. forerunner The forerunners of today’s television programs are the myths and stories handed down from generation to generation.

6. hustle It took a few weeks, but the class managed to hustle enough box tops to win a prize.

7. impasse The arm wrestlers were at an impasse; their hands were locked but couldn’t move.

8. predatory Watch out for predatory salespeople who want to talk you into buying junk.

9. puny “The dog ate my homework” is a puny excuse.