THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH
Name:_______________________Period:____
Ahoy, matey! As you EMBARK on this VICARIOUS voyage through the HISTORY OF
ENGLISH, think of yourself as a word pirate -- a VERITABLE BUCANEER, a PICAROON, a
FREEBOOTER!
_____________________(search thoroughly or vigorously through as for plunder or
pillage) the video. ESCHEW the "rape" portion of the common phrase, "rape and
___________________(plunder, take "booty" or spoils). The PROVERBIAL "FILTHY
_______________" -- BOOTY you hope to "free," is LEXICAL. _____________(steal) as
many new words as possible as you PERUSE and PONDER!
In PSAT, it's _____________________ (prescribed or required by fashion, etiquette, or
custom, and absolute "must" do or wear) that all PERSPICACIOUS PSATers PERUSE every
passage or presentation ______________________ (to a disgusting or ridiculous degree; to the
point of nausea) in service of the EXPONENTIAL expansion of his or her personal LEXICON.
We want you to be brilliant!
We'd like you to demonstrate your SCINTILLATING intellect -- no
_________________(dull, lacking shine) minds here! The meaning of NO term on the
upcoming PSAT should be _________________________ (incapable of being
comprehended or understood) based on context!
And... we'd like to have a little fun in the process; we'd like you to DECIPHER each "sixtyfour thousand dollar" word with ______________ (a pleasant and affable disposition; geniality)!
Be INTREPID and _________________________(without fear or intimidation in the face of danger or
difficulty). Let no "SUCKER BAIT" DELUDE you or ______________________ (tarnish or soil) your
score! When you MATRICULATE in our PSAT SKILLS COURSE, we prepare you to
____________(associate on friendly terms) with the most SUPERCILIOUS vocabulary snob ever to make
an ABSTRUSE remark!
IT'S IDIOMATIC! For us, PSAT is "a labor or _________________." Once we "break the __________"
and get to know you, you're like family! We'll "go the extra___________________! We'll not give your
vocabulary development "short ______________________! We'll "lay it on with a ______________" so
that on test day, you won't be "hoist with your own_______________."
AD NAUSEUM
BESMIRCH
BONHOMME
DAUNTLESS
DE RIGUEUR
HOBNOB
INDECIPHERABLE
LACKLUSTER
LUCRE
PILFER
PILLAGE
RANSACK
FIND THE ALLUSION: Best-selling writer ___________________________, author of
__________________________________________