2015 8th Grade Summer Assignment
1. Read novel Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings
2. Read 1 book from the following list:
Fever 1783 by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
3. For each novel you read –
Identify theme, climax, resolution, setting, conflict, and
main characters (with a brief description). This can be done
in list format with one or two sentence for each item. This
information will be used in a project during the first week of
school.
4. Write 4 vignettes (vignette is very brief short story that
focuses on one moment in time) about different times in your
life. These should be no more than one page each. You should
focus on an important event, memory, or special time in your
life. You must use at least 10 of the words from the attached
vocabulary list. Each vignette must have 10 different
vocabulary words. Please highlight the words you used. These
vignettes must be uploaded into Office 365, so that you have
access to the file during school. These vignettes will
eventually be turned in on Moodle.
This list contains some of the words you will need to know to excel on the ISEE test. Study these words.
Learn these words. Use these words in your writing this summer. They are loosely grouped around
certain themes, but they are not to be considered synonyms. Knowing the meanings of these words and
using them correctly will add color and sophistication to your writing style.
Love and Hate
1. allure (n): fascination, appeal
Synonyms: temptation, fascination, attraction
2. ardent (adj): characterized by passion or desire
Synonyms: passionate, enthusiastic, fervent
3. compassion (n): a deep feeling of pity or sympathy for others
Synonyms: pity, sympathy, mercy
4. despicable (adj): deserving contempt
Synonyms: hateful, contemptible, base, mean, vile, detestable, depraved
5. repugnant (adj): gross, repulsive, or revolting
Synonyms: distasteful, objectionable, offensive
6. spurn (v): reject with scorn, turn away
Synonyms: refuse, snub
7. vehement (adj): with deep feeling
Synonyms: passionate, earnest, fervent
8. vex (v): to irritate to a great degree, to annoy
Synonyms: tease, irritate, provoke, torment, pester, harass, bother
9. wrath (n): extreme anger
Synonyms: ire, fury, rage
Hot and Cold
10. arid (adj): very dry, lacking moisture; unproductive, unimaginative
Synonyms: dry, parched, barren, dull, uninteresting, insipid
11. dehydrate (v): to remove water from
Synonyms: dry out, parch
12. deluge (n): flood, large overflowing of water; too much of anything
Synonyms: (n) flood, overflow, inundation, torrent; (v) inundate, engulf, flood, overwhelm
13. humid (adj): moist or damp
Synonyms: muggy, sticky, sultry
14. scald (v): to burn with hot liquid or steam
Synonyms: burn, scorch, boil
15. temperate (adj): a mild climate; denying oneself too much pleasure; avoiding
extreme positions, moderate, sensible
Synonyms: mild, moderate; self-denying, sensible, level-headed, rational
16. tepid (adj): neither hot nor cold; lukewarm; lacking character or spirit, bland
Synonyms: mild, temperate; unenthusiastic, halfhearted, indifferent
17. torrid (adj): extremely hot, scorching
Synonyms: hot, parched, sizzling
Coming and Going
18. abduct (v): to carry, take, or lead away forcefully and wrongly
Synonyms: kidnap, carry off
19. adjourn (v): to postpone; to suspend (a meeting) for a period of time
Synonyms: suspend, recess, postpone
20. banish (v) to send away, condemn to exile; drive or put away
Synonyms: expel, exile, deport
21. caprice (n): sudden, unpredictable change
Synonyms: impulse, whim, fancy
22. compel (v): to force someone or something to act
Synonyms: force, coerce, goad, motivate
23. disseminate (v): to scatter or spread widely
Synonyms: spread, broadcast, disperse
24. divert (v): to change the course of; to draw someone’s attention by amusing them
Synonyms: deflect, reroute, turn; amuse, entertain, distract
25. evacuate (v): to empty out, remove, or withdraw
Synonyms: expel, empty, vacate, remove
26. extraction (v): the process of removal; (n): something removed
Synonyms: (v) removal
27. finale (n): the final part of some entertainment, often musical
Synonyms: end, finish, conclusion, wind-up
28. hasty (adv): done quickly (often too quickly); rushed, sloppy
Synonyms: rushed, sloppy, shoddy, careless
29. imminent (adj): about to happen
Synonyms: impending, approaching, near
30. kinetic (adj): related to motion
Synonyms: animated, energetic, spirited, moving
31. nimble (adj): quick and agile in movement or thought
Synonyms: agile, active, quick, clever
32. nomad (n): someone who has no permanent home and wanders
Synonyms: wanderer, vagrant
33. propel (v): to move, make something to forward
Synonyms: compel, project, drive
34. terminate (v): to stop, end
Synonyms: cease, finish, conclude
35.
vacate (v): leave
Synonyms: depart, go
Sublime and Ridiculous
36. altruistic (adj): concerned for the welfare of others
Synonyms: benevolent, charitable, compassionate, humane
37. articulate (adj): well spoken; (v) to pronounce clearly
Synonyms: eloquent; enunciate
38. astute (adj): shrewd and perceptive; able to understand clearly and quickly
Synonyms: keen, discerning, penetrating, incisive, perceptive, crafty, wily
39. banal (adj): boringly predictable
Synonyms: boring, dull, bland, insipid
40. benefactor (n): one who gives financial or general assistance
Synonyms: patron, backer, donor
41. beneficial (adj): advantageous, helpful; conferring benefit
Synonyms: advantageous, favorable
42. benevolence (n): inclination to do good deeds
Synonyms: largesse
43. devout (adj): deeply religious
Synonyms: pious, religious, reverent
44. eccentric (adj): deviating from accepted conduct; (n) an odd or peculiar person
Synonyms: odd, unorthodox, unconventional, offbeat; freak, oddball, weirdo, nonconformist
45. err (v): to make a mistake
Synonym: sin
46. erudite (adj): knowledgeable and learned
Synonyms: wise, informed
47. felicity (n): happiness, bliss
Synonym: contentment
48. magnanimous (adj): having a great or noble spirit; generous, patient, kind
Synonyms: big-hearted, noble, tolerant
49. obtuse (adj): not acute; not smart ; thick or dull
Synonyms: slow, stupid
50. ostentatious (adj): pretentious and flashy
Synonyms: conspicuous, flashy, flamboyant, showy
51. pompous (adj): characterized by stiff, unnatural formality; pretentious
Synonyms: stuffy, affected, mannered, self-important, conceited
52. profound (adj): deep, wise, serious
Synonym: sagacious
53. suave (adj): smooth, graceful, and confident is speech and behavior
Synonyms: gracious, worldly, sophisticated, urbane, cosmopolitan, cultured, refined
54. superb (adj): wonderful, superior, excellent
Synonyms: splendid, magnificent, grand
55. trite (adj): lacking originality, inspiration, and interest
Synonyms: tired, banal, unoriginal, common, stale, pedestrian
All or Nothing
56. dearth (n): scarcity, lack
Synonym: shortage
57. desolation (n): condition of being deserted and destroyed
Synonyms: barrenness, desertion, bleakness
58. dogmatic (adj): asserting without proof; forcefully stating opinion as fact
Synonyms: absolute, opinionated, dictatorial, authoritative, arrogant
59. residue (n): something that remains after a part is taken
Synonyms: remainder, remnant, leftover
60. squalid (adj): very dirty or foul; wretched
Synonyms: filthy, sordid, poor, foul
61. vacuous (adj): silly, empty-headed, not serious
Synonyms: shallow, vapid
Horrible
62. atrocity (n): horrible act
Synonyms: horror, barbarity, outrage
63. dismal (adj): gloomy; cheerless
Synonyms: miserable, dreary
64. ferocious (adj): savage and fierce
Synonym: furious, violent
65. grotesque (adj): odd or unnatural, monstrous
Synonyms: bizarre, outlandish, ugly
66. harbinger (n): omen, precursor, forerunner
Synonyms: herald, predecessor
67. horrid (adj): grossly offensive to decency or morality
Synonyms: hideous, horrific, outrageous, dreadful, shocking
68. murky (adj): dark, dim
Synonyms: obscure, gloomy
69. ominous (adj): threatening, menacing, having the character of an evil omen
Synonyms: foreboding
70. sinister (adj): threatening, evil, menacing
Synonyms: ominous, wicked
71. trepidation (n): fear, apprehension
Synonyms: fright, anxiety, trembling, hesitation
72. wretched (adj): miserable, pathetic
Synonyms: dejected, forlorn
Dramatic
73. bile (n): ill temper, irritability
Synonym: bitterness
74. bravado (n): a showy and pretentious display of courage
Synonyms: bluster, bombast, swagger
75. cantankerous (adj): quarrelsome or grouchy
Synonyms: argumentative, ill-tempered
76. choleric (adj): bad-tempered
Synonyms: hot-tempered, irascible, quick-tempered
77. contentious (adj) eager to quarrel
Synonyms: quarrelsome, feisty, combative, irascible, pugnacious
78. ebullient (adj): overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited
Synonyms: bubbly, enthusiastic, exuberant
79. ecstatic (adj): deliriously overjoyed
Synonyms: delighted, euphoric
80. extroverted (adj): outgoing or interested in people
Synonyms: gregarious
81. fanatic (n): someone with excessive enthusiasm, especially in politics or religion
Synonyms: zealot, enthusiast, fiend
82. rabid (adj): (figuratively) acting fanatically or madly, as if afflicted with rabies
Synonyms: fanatical, mad, irrational, maniacal, lunatic
83. saucy (adj): impudent, impertinent, flippant
Synonyms: pert, lively, rude, insolent
84. vivacious (adj): lively, full of spirit
Synonyms: animated, spritely, spirited
85. zealous (adj): enthusiastic, eager
Synonyms: fervent, fervid, intense, passionate
Lost and Found
86. aimless (adj): lacking purpose or goals
Synonyms: purposeless, haphazard, accidental
87. ascertain (v): to find out or discover by examination
Synonyms: determine, discover, unearth
88. demote (v): to reduce to a lower grade, position, or class
Synonym: downgrade
89. elusive (adj): hard to catch or find
Synonyms: slippery, evasive
90. ensnare (v): to capture
Synonym: trap
Lost and Found, continued
91. obscure (adj): hard to see; unknown, uncertain; (v) to hide or make difficult
Synonyms: vague, unclear, dubious; confuse, becloud
92. squander (v): to waste (often money) on some worthless purchase of practice
Synonyms: fritter away, consume, exhaust
93. usurp (v): to seize, take by force (used with abstract nouns like “power”)
Synonyms: seize, grab, steal
Hallowed
94. devotee (n): someone passionately devoted
Synonyms: enthusiast, fan, admirer
95. eminent (adj): distinguished, high in rank or station
Synonyms: prominent, famous, distinguished, noteworthy
96. hallowed (adj): regarded as holy; worthy of reverence
Synonym: sacred
97. immaculate (adj): spotless, free from error
synonyms: errorless, faultless, unblemished, impeccable
98. impious (adj): lacking piety or respect for religion
Synonyms: irreverent, sacrilegious
99. pious (adj): religiously devout or moral
Synonyms: religious, God-fearing, reverent, moral, righteous, upstanding
100. regal (adj): royal, splendid
Synonyms: kingly, majestic