ENGLISH 11
October 28, 2013
AGENDA – 10/28/2013

Improving Vocabulary – Unit One: Chapter 5

Packet
Journal/Vocab/SSR
 Watch “The Crucible”


Study Guide and Character Sheet
Homework: Make sure to bring your Crucible
Study Guide and Character Sheet next time. We
will finish them and you will turn them in for a
test grade!
 Don’t forget: all late work is due with a late
pass no later than 10/30 (Next Time!) or it
will be a zero!

UNIT ONE: CHAPTER 5
• allusion
• banal
• altruistic
• euphemism
• appease
• mercenary
• arbitrary
• syndrome
• assail
• taint
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 allusion
– noun
• After I suggested that Monty have fruit for dessert instead of chocolate
cake, he responded, “Is that an allusion to my weight?”
• Ramon didn’t have the courage to come right out and ask Lia to marry
him. Instead, he made only an allusion to marriage by asking, “Wouldn’t
it be easier if we had to fill out just one tax return?”
Allusion means
A. a contrast to.
B. a hint about.
C. an answer for.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
1 allusion
– noun – noun
• After I suggested that Monty have fruit for dessert instead of chocolate
cake, he responded, “Is that an allusion to my weight?”
• Ramon didn’t have the courage to come right out and ask Lia to marry
him. Instead, he made only an allusion to marriage by asking, “Wouldn’t
it be easier if we had to fill out just one tax return?”
Allusion means
A. a contrast to.
B. a hint about.
C. an answer for.
The suggestion that Monty have fruit for dessert makes Monty
think the person dropping a hint about his weight. Ramon’s
question about filling out one tax return is a hint about getting
married.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 altruistic
– adjective
• When an enemy approaches, ground squirrels show altruistic behavior.
They risk their own lives to give alarm calls to nearby relatives.
• “I’m not often altruistic,” Brett admitted. “I usually put my own welfare
first.”
Altruistic means
A. unselfish.
B. cheerful.
C. greedy.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
2 altruistic
– adjective
• When an enemy approaches, ground squirrels show altruistic behavior.
They risk their own lives to give alarm calls to nearby relatives.
• “I’m not often altruistic,” Brett admitted. “I usually put my own welfare
first.”
Altruistic means
A. unselfish.
B. cheerful.
C. greedy.
If the squirrels risk their own lives to protect relatives, they are
being unselfish. If Brett puts her own welfare first, she is being
selfish, not unselfish.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 appease
– verb
• My sister was so outraged when I accidentally dropped and broke her
cell phone that nothing I could say or do would appease her.
• Roger was furious when he saw me out with another guy, but I quickly
appeased him by explaining that the “date” was my cousin.
Appease means
A. to annoy.
B. to heal.
C. to calm.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
3 appease
– verb
• My sister was so outraged when I accidentally dropped and broke her
cell phone that nothing I could say or do would appease her.
• Roger was furious when he saw me out with another guy, but I quickly
appeased him by explaining that the “date” was my cousin.
Appease means
A. to annoy.
B. to heal.
C. to calm.
If the sister was extremely outraged, no words or actions would
be able to calm her. In the second item, the news that her
“date” is her cousin would calm Roger’s fury.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 arbitrary
– adjective
• Professor Miller’s students were angry that he graded essays in an
arbitrary way, rather than using clear-cut standards.
• Parents should not enforce rules according to their moods. Such arbitrary
discipline only confuses children.
Arbitrary means
A. steady.
B. slow.
C. impulsive.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
4 arbitrary
– adjective
• Professor Miller’s students were angry that he graded essays in an
arbitrary way, rather than using clear-cut standards.
• Parents should not enforce rules according to their moods. Such arbitrary
discipline only confuses children.
Arbitrary means
A. steady.
B. slow.
C. impulsive.
If Professor Miller doesn’t use clear-cut standards to grade the
essays, he must grade them in an impulsive way. If parents
enforce rules according to their moods, the discipline is impulsive
rather than consistent.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 assail
– verb
• The storm assailed us with hail and heavy rain.
• The two candidates continuously assailed each other with accusations of
dishonesty.
Assail means
A. to attack.
B. to confuse.
C. to support.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
5 assail
– verb
• The storm assailed us with hail and heavy rain.
• The two candidates continuously assailed each other with accusations of
dishonesty.
Assail means
A. to attack.
B. to confuse.
C. to support.
The hail and heavy rain of the storm attacked them. If the
candidates are making accusations of dishonesty against one
another, they are attacking each other.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 banal
– adjective
• The film, with its overused expressions and unimaginative plot, was the
most banal I had ever seen.
• “Nice to see you” may be a banal comment, but what it lacks in
originality it makes up for in friendliness.
Banal means
A. greedy.
B. unoriginal.
C. clever.
“If my paper seems banal, that’s
because my dad wrote it, and he
hasn’t had an original idea in years!”
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
6 banal
– adjective
• The film, with its overused expressions and unimaginative plot, was the
most banal I had ever seen.
• “Nice to see you” may be a banal comment, but what it lacks in
originality it makes up for in friendliness.
Banal means
A. greedy.
B. unoriginal.
C. clever.
“If my paper seems banal, that’s
because my dad wrote it, and he
hasn’t had an original idea in years!”
If the film had overused expressions
and an unimaginative plot, it must
have been unoriginal. If the
comment lacks originality, it is
unoriginal.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 euphemism
– noun
• Common euphemisms include “final resting place” (for grave),
“Intoxicated” (for drunk), and “Powder room” (for toilet).
• The Central Intelligence Agency is on record as having referred to
assassination with the euphemism “change of health.”
Euphemism means
A. a harsh term.
B. a term that doesn’t offend.
C. a foreign term.
A euphemism for toilet
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
7 euphemism
– noun
• Common euphemisms include “final resting place” (for grave),
“Intoxicated” (for drunk), and “Powder room” (for toilet).
• The Central Intelligence Agency is on record as having referred to
assassination with the euphemism “change of health.”
Euphemism means
A. a harsh term.
B. a term that doesn’t offend.
C. a foreign term.
A euphemism for toilet
The first item gives three examples of
terms that don’t offend. In the second
item, “change of health” is a term that
doesn’t offend, while the term
assassination would be offensive to some.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 mercenary
– adjective
• Ed is totally mercenary. His philosophy is, “Pay me enough, and I’ll do
anything.”
• The con man pretended to love the wealthy widow, but he actually
married her for mercenary reasons.
Mercenary means
A. jealous.
B. angry.
C. greedy.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
8 mercenary
– adjective
• Ed is totally mercenary. His philosophy is, “Pay me enough, and I’ll do
anything.”
• The con man pretended to love the wealthy widow, but he actually
married her for mercenary reasons.
Mercenary means
A. jealous.
B. angry.
C. greedy.
If Ed’s philosophy is that he’ll do anything if he gets enough money,
he must be greedy. If the con man only pretended to love the
wealthy widow, he must have married her for greedy reasons
rather than for love.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 syndrome
– noun
• Headaches are usually harmless, but as part of a syndrome including
fever and a stiff neck, they may be a sign of a serious illness.
• Jet lag is a syndrome resulting from flying long distances; it often
includes exhaustion, headache, and loss of appetite.
Syndrome means
A. a group of symptoms.
B. a cause.
C. something required.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
9 syndrome
– noun
• Headaches are usually harmless, but as part of a syndrome including
fever and a stiff neck, they may be a sign of a serious illness.
• Jet lag is a syndrome resulting from flying long distances; it often
includes exhaustion, headache, and loss of appetite.
Syndrome means
A. a group of symptoms.
B. a cause.
C. something required.
Taken together, headache, fever, and stiff neck is a group of
symptoms. In the second item, exhaustion, headache, and loss
of appetite is another a group of symptoms.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 taint
– verb
• The involvement of organized crime has tainted many sports, including
boxing and horse racing.
• The government scandal tainted the reputations of everyone involved.
Taint means
A. to benefit.
B. to damage.
C. to start.
TEN WORDS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.
10 taint
– verb
• The involvement of organized crime has tainted many sports, including
boxing and horse racing.
• The government scandal tainted the reputations of everyone involved.
Taint means
A. to benefit.
B. to damage.
C. to start.
The involvement of organized crime has damaged boxing and horse
racing. A scandal would damage the reputations of those involved.
WRITING PROMPT –
NO TV - 10/28/2013
 Before
the age of television, people entertained
themselves by reading, telling stories, playing
music, chatting, and doing things outside. If you
had to stop watching TV for one month, how
would you fill your time? Would you miss TV
terribly, or would you welcome the break?