2.  v. to formally withdraw from an alliance or association States seceded from the Union because they wanted to keep slavery for a variety of reasons, including economics.

3.  n. a reduction to a lower rank or position Paul’s demotion at work from manager to supervisor was an embarrassment he never got over.

4.  v. to delay, keep or hold back Laura was late for work because she was detained in traffic by the train.

5.  v. to break up or scatter The radiation from Japan is not considered a threat to the United States, because it is dissipated in the atmosphere before it arrives here.

6.  n. a person’s strength or specialty In golf, putting is not my forte, but I can hit my drives and fairway shots well.

7.  n. a substance that causes or hastens a chemical reaction; any agent that causes change Most historians agree that military disasters during World War I were the catalyst that sparked the Russian Revolution of 1917.

8.  v. to make up for In some early societies, people who had committed certain crimes could atone for them by paying sums of money to their victims.

9.  adj. not sharply outlined We followed a narrow, indistinct path through the woods to the river.

10.  adj. easy to understand, clear; rational, sane The author’s writing style is as lucid as the sparkling waters of a mountain lake on a spring morning.

11.  adj. occurring or published after death In a touching scene on the steps of the Capitol, the President awarded posthumous Medals of Honor to soldiers who had recently fallen in defense of the country.

12. ERRATIC  adj. not regular or consistent The teacher was upset by his erratic behavior; one day he is an angel and the next he is her worst nightmare.