College Vocabulary · Grade 11 · Week 19
20 words for the week · pairs with Composition lesson 5.3.
Reading: the Composition lesson 5.3, "Three Revised Poems," and this week's literature book, Poe, selected tales and poems, the section for Week 19 (public-domain text, Project Gutenberg).
Theme of the week: The psalmist calls his song “the things which I have made”: a poem is a made thing, worth making well. "My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer." (Psalm 45:1).
Rhythm: 4 words a day, Monday to Friday. Each day: read the entry aloud, copy the quoted sentence into the writing notebook, and write one sentence of your own. Friday: learn the last 4 words, then take the quiz.
Sources: ★ = quoted exactly from this week's reading (the lesson or the literature book) · ✝ = KJV (1769 text), quoted exactly · ◆ = quoted exactly from another work on the approved booklists (public-domain text) · ✎ = original example sentence
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A play of shifting, rainbow-like colors, as on a soap bubble or a peacock's feather.
Context (original sentence): The iridescence of the beetle's shell changed from green to violet as it turned in the sun.
Root:. (Webster, 1913)
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions (originally, one who destroyed religious images).
Context (original sentence): As a young critic he was an iconoclast who mocked every famous poet of his day.
Root:Greek eikonoklastes, image-breaker (eikon, image + klan, to break).
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Providing support to a primary activity; subordinate or auxiliary.
Context (original sentence): The hospital's ancillary staff—cooks, porters, and laundry workers—kept the wards running.
Root:Latin ancilla, a maidservant.
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Harmless; not likely to offend or injure.
Context (original sentence): The snake looked fearsome but was entirely innocuous.
Root:Latin innocuus; in- not + nocuus hurtful, from nocere to hurt. (Webster, 1913)
Part of speech: noun
Definition: An image or representation of something; often an unsatisfactory imitation.
Context (original sentence): The plastic garden was a poor simulacrum of the real meadow it replaced.
Root:Latin simulacrum, likeness (from simulare, to copy).
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A person who collects or has a great love of books.
Context (original sentence): The old bibliophile kept his first editions wrapped in linen and never lent them out.
Root:Greek biblion, book + philos, loving.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A division or contrast between two things that are opposed or entirely different.
Context (original sentence): The essay explores the dichotomy between duty and desire in the hero's choices.
Root:Greek dichotomia, a cutting in two (dicha, in two + temnein, to cut).
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A subtle difference in meaning, expression, or sound.
Context (original sentence): A good translator catches every nuance of the original.
Root:French nuance, shade of color (from nuer, to shade, from nue, cloud).
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Expressing praise.
Context (original sentence): The newspaper printed a laudatory notice of the firemen's courage.
Root:Latin laudare, to praise.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A calculated opening move designed to gain an advantage, as in chess.
Context (original sentence): Her opening gambit in the debate—a question about the facts—caught her opponent unprepared.
Root:Italian gambetto, a tripping up (gamba, leg).
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Relating to the sense of touch; perceptible by touch.
Context (original sentence): Blind readers rely on the tactile dots of Braille.
Root:Latin tactilis, from tangere, to touch.
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Having the quality of softening or soothing; calming in manner.
Context (original sentence): The minister's emollient words calmed the angry farmers.
Root:Latin emollire, to soften (e- + mollis, soft).
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Relating to an episodic style of fiction about the adventures of a roguish but appealing hero.
Context (original sentence): Don Quixote and Tom Jones are often read as picaresque novels.
Root:Spanish picaresco, from picaro, a rogue.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: Courtesy and mutual respect, especially between nations or groups.
Context (original sentence): The two neighboring towns lived in comity for a century, sharing a fire company and a school.
Root:Latin comitas, courtesy (comis, friendly).
Part of speech: noun (also a adjective)
Definition: An independent-minded person who refuses to follow the group.
Context (original sentence): A maverick among painters, he worked outdoors long before it was fashionable.
Root:named for Samuel Maverick, a Texas rancher who left his calves unbranded.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A person's social environment or surroundings.
Context (original sentence): Dickens knew the milieu of the London poor from his own childhood.
Root:French milieu, middle (mi, mid + lieu, place).
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A small quantity of something, especially something good.
Context (original sentence): With a modicum of patience, the puzzle can be solved in an evening.
Root:Latin modicus, moderate (modus, measure).
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: At the point of death; in terminal decline and lacking vitality.
From the reading: "These moribund shapes were free as air—and nearly as thin." (Heart of Darkness)
Root:Latin moribundus, dying (mori, to die).
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: Just beginning to exist and showing signs of future promise.
From the reading: "Not through Typhoeus, but through nascent sulphur, Would have awaited her own monarchs still, Through me from Charles descended and from Rudolph," (The Divine Comedy)
Root:Latin nasci, to be born.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief; a beginner.
From the reading: "“You have no right to preach to me, you neophyte, that have not passed the porch of life, and are absolutely unacquainted with its mysteries.”" (Jane Eyre)
Root:Greek neophytos, newly planted (neos, new + phyton, plant).
Part A. Words in context (2 points each). Choose the meaning of the word as used in the sentence.
1. "The newspaper printed a laudatory notice of the firemen's courage." Here laudatory most nearly means
A) A play of shifting, rainbow-like colors, as on a soap bubble or a peacock's feather B) An independent-minded person who refuses to follow the group C) Expressing praise D) Relating to the sense of touch
2. "The two neighboring towns lived in comity for a century, sharing a fire company and a school." Here comity most nearly means
A) Courtesy and mutual respect, especially between nations or groups B) Harmless C) Providing support to a primary activity D) Relating to an episodic style of fiction about the adventures of a roguish but appealing hero
3. "The hospital's ancillary staff—cooks, porters, and laundry workers—kept the wards running." Here ancillary most nearly means
A) A subtle difference in meaning, expression, or sound B) Just beginning to exist and showing signs of future promise C) Providing support to a primary activity D) A calculated opening move designed to gain an advantage, as in chess
4. "With a modicum of patience, the puzzle can be solved in an evening." Here modicum most nearly means
A) A play of shifting, rainbow-like colors, as on a soap bubble or a peacock's feather B) A small quantity of something, especially something good C) A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions D) A person's social environment or surroundings
Part B. Sentence completion (1 point each). Each sentence comes from this week's entries; supply the word in the form used there. Word bank: picaresque, maverick, innocuous, emollient, tactile, simulacrum, nuance, nascent, bibliophile, dichotomy
5. The essay explores the ______ between duty and desire in the hero's choices.
6. The minister's ______ words calmed the angry farmers.
7. A ______ among painters, he worked outdoors long before it was fashionable.
8. The plastic garden was a poor ______ of the real meadow it replaced.
9. Blind readers rely on the ______ dots of Braille.
10. The snake looked fearsome but was entirely ______.
11. "Not through Typhoeus, but through ______ sulphur, Would have awaited her own monarchs still, Through me from Charles descended and from Rudolph,"
12. The old ______ kept his first editions wrapped in linen and never lent them out.
Part C. Synonyms and antonyms (1 point each).
13. Synonym of milieu: (dichotomy / environment / iridescence)
14. Antonym of neophyte: (modicum / expert / dichotomy)
15. Synonym of gambit: (tactile / stratagem / emollient)
16. Antonym of iridescence: (comity / gambit / dullness)
Part D. Analytical sentence (6 points). In two or three sentences, make a claim about this week's reading, quote it once, and use at least three of these words correctly: picaresque, nuance, moribund.
1. C 2. A 3. C 4. B
5. dichotomy 6. emollient 7. maverick 8. simulacrum 9. tactile 10. innocuous 11. nascent 12. bibliophile (distractors: picaresque, nuance)
13. environment 14. expert 15. stratagem 16. dullness
Part D scoring: 2 for a clear claim, 2 for an accurate quotation, 2 for three week words used correctly. (8 + 8 + 4 + 6 = 26.)