Tuesday, May 29, 2007

HELLO FROM UCONN!
I hope everything is going well at MVRHS. Good luck in your last few weeks!

~Miss S

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

C1 Final Exam Guide
Miss Simison
EXAM~ 24/25 May


A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Remember that discussion we had when you wrote all that fun stuff you knew or wanted to know about Shakespeare on the board? Here are a few things that might be on your test:

SHAKESPEARE, YAY!

Here's a snapshot of what we talked about in class today..........

Did you know the word 'housekeeping' was a Shakespeare invention?
Believe it or not, Shakespeare literally invented 1,700 words in the English language. He was the first person to use words like - aerial, critic, submerge, majestic, hurry, lonely, road, assassination, laughable, reliance, exposure...... 'Break the ice', 'All that glitters is not gold', 'Hot-blooded', 'In the mind’s eye', 'Housekeeping', 'It’s all Greek to me', 'The naked truth', 'One fell swoop', 'Method in his madness'..... Shakespeare is probably in all our lives in some way every day.

Box Office!
Ever hear of a box office? Of course you have! Know where the name comes from? Well...... In Elizabethan times many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed at The Globe Theatre in London. To get in, you put one penny in a box by the door. Then you could stand on the ground in front of the stage. To sit on the first balcony, you put another penny in the box held by a man in front of the stairs. To sit on the second balcony, you put another penny in the box held by the man by the second flight of stairs. Then when the show started, the men went and put the boxes in a room backstage - the box office.

'The Globe' The Globe Theatre didn’t just show plays. It ‘acted’ as a bear pit, brothel, and a gambling house.

No Copyright In Shakespeare’s time copyright didn’t exist, so the actors only got their lines as the play was in progress. They only got to know who else was playing what the day of the performance. They did "cue acting", which meant that there was a person backstage that whispered the lines to the person right before he was going to say them. Actors were not considered trustworthy people, and the market for good plays was large.

No women allowed, ewwww girls have cooties! The actors were all men in Shakespeare's day. The parts of women were played by boys who still had light voices.

Images of him There are only two authentic portraits of William Shakespeare. An engraving of him by Martin Droeshout first published on the title page of the 1623 First Folio, yes you're looking at it right there! And the monument of the great playwright in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. I've seen the engraving.....it's at the National Portrait Gallery in London. However, it is often traveling and can be found in places like Connecticut!

No BA Shakespeare, one of literature’s greatest figures, never went to university.

Nearly missed out William never published any of his plays. We read his plays today only because his fellow actors, posthumously recorded his work as a dedication to their fellow actor in 1623, publishing 36 of William’s plays.
This collection known as The First Folio is the source from which all published Shakespeare books are derived and is an important proof that he authored his plays.

Shakespeare since the 17th Century…..modern interpretations such as the one we saw in Boston or the movie we watched in class.

Brush up on your knowledge of A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
Characters, Conflicts, the four intertwined plots etc and BRING YOUR HANDOUTS!


SHORT STORIES
Make sure you know the elements of a short story:

SHORT STORY ELEMENTS!

SETTING -- The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting.
For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not.
There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider:

a) place - geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the character's like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?


PLOT –
The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea;
It is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.

b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).

e) Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.


CONFLICT-- Without conflict there is no plot.
It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.
Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character.
Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.
There are two types of conflict:
1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.
2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

1) Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals.

2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her.

3) Man vs. Society (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people.

4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) - The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.


CHARACTER -- There are two meanings for the word character:
1) The person in a work of fiction.
2) The characteristics of a person.

Persons in a work of fiction - Antagonist and Protagonist
Short stories use few characters. One character is clearly central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character - he/she is the PROTAGONIST. The opposer of the main character is called the ANTAGONIST.

The Characteristics of a Person -
In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real. Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. STARRD

Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people)

Characters are...
1. Individual - round, many sided and complex personalities.
2. Developing - dynamic, many sided personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story.
3. Static - Stereotype, have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc.

THEME -- The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight.
It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey.
The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature.
The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.

Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:
- things are not always as they appear to be
- Love is blind
- Believe in yourself
- People are afraid of change
- Don't judge a book by its cover

Short Stories you may have read:

“Santaland Diaries”
“A Convalescent Ego”
“Dr. Jack O’ Lantern”
“The Necklace”

CATCHER IN THE RYE

The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
Miss Simison
Handout I

Setting: Early 1950's. The beginning of the novel takes place at Pency prep school. Holden leaves Pency and goes to various places in New York City.

Background: The entire novel is written in flashback. Holden fails out of Pency. It is not the first school that has expelled him. Holden has a younger sister, Phoebe; an older brother, D.B. who is a screenplay writer in Hollywood; and a younger brother, Allie who died years ago of leukemia. After getting kicked out of Pency, Holden must go home and tell his parents. Instead of deciding to face them with his failure, he wanders around the streets of New York City, and comes into contact with some interesting characters.

Major Characters:
* Holden Caulfield- the narrator
* Robert Ackley- One of Holden's acquaintances at Pency.
* Stradlater- Holden's roommate whom he envies.
* Mr. Antolini- teacher who lets Holden stay at his apartment.
* Phoebe Caulfield- Holden's ten-year old sister.
* Jane- an old friend of Holden, who dates Stradlater.
* Mr. Spencer- teacher at Pency who informs Holden of his expulsion.

Possible Themes:
* innocence- Holden tries to protect the innocence of children.
* family- Holden's relationships with his parents and siblings have deteriorated.
* loss- Holden lost his brother, Allie.
* betrayal- Holden constantly feels betrayed throughout the novel.
* alienation- Holden feels alienated from society.
* adolescence- Holden is an adolescent in search for an identity.
* maturity- Holden is very immature, but believes that he is mature.
* failure- Holden is constantly being kicked out of schools.
* sexual experiences/frustration- Holden is a typical hormonal teenage male, yet he doesn't have
sex with the prostitute when she offers.

Key Issue so far:
Holden is alienated from society. He feels that no one understands him and that everyone is a "phony". He thinks that no one is honest, and everybody wants to be something else. He feels that the only person who understands him is Phoebe. He does not have relationships with girls, or anyone because he feels that he is the only genuine person in the world..


Life Applications:
Holden is an atypical teenager. He is alienated more than most adolescents. He also is in the midst of an identity crisis. All teenagers go through these phases, so everyone can relate to Holden to some extent. Holden is socially inept. Although he has many friends and acquaintances, he can not form lasting, meaningful friendships. Most teenagers, although they do have insecurities, are able to function in relationships.

Holden has to deal with loss. He loses his brother, Allie, to leukemia, and feels a tremendous loss. Allie wrote poems on an old baseball glove, and Holden cherishes this, and speaks about it in great detail. His brother D.B. lives in Hollywood, and is a screenwriter. Holden regards him as a "phony" and has little contact with him. He regards D.B. as a figurative prostitute, who writes only to make money, and not for intellectual redemption.

Another issue in Catcher is betrayal. Holden constantly feels betrayed, and that is a possible cause of his problems. Early in the novel, Mr. Spencer betrays him. He was one of the few teachers at Pency that Holden liked. Spencer broke the news of Holden's expulsion, and Holden felt betrayed. Stradlater betrays Holden by dating his best friend, Jane, whom Holden also had a crush on. When Holden returns home to see Phoebe, she is disappointed in him that he failed out of Pency. He thinks that she should accept him unconditionally, so he feels betrayed.

Holden does not mature through the novel. He actually regresses back to a child-like state of mind. He is constantly dwelling on the death of his younger brother, and avoids his parents, and feels like the only person he can talk to is his ten year old sister.

Holden holds Allie and Phoebe in such high esteem because they are innocent. Holden's goal is to protect innocence in the world. When he hears the "Catcher in the Rye" song being sung by a little boy, he decides that he wants to be the person that keeps children from falling off a cliff. That cliff symbolizes the transition from childhood to adulthood, and he wants to keep them as innocent children, not phony adults.

Symbols
Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

The “Catcher in the Rye”
As the source of the book’s title, this symbol merits close inspection. It first appears in Chapter 16, when a kid Holden admires for walking in the street rather than on the sidewalk is singing the Robert Burns song “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye.” In Chapter 22, when Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to do with his life, he replies with his image, from the song, of a “catcher in the rye.” Holden imagines a field of rye perched high on a cliff, full of children romping and playing. He says he would like to protect the children from falling off the edge of the cliff by “catching” them if they were on the verge of tumbling over. As Phoebe points out, Holden has misheard the lyric. He thinks the line is “If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye,” but the actual lyric is “If a body meet a body, coming through the rye.”
The song “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye” asks if it is wrong for two people to have a romantic encounter out in the fields, away from the public eye, even if they don’t plan to have a commitment to one another. It is highly ironic that the word “meet” refers to an encounter that leads to recreational sex, because the word that Holden substitutes—“catch”—takes on the exact opposite meaning in his mind. Holden wants to catch children before they fall out of innocence into knowledge of the adult world, including knowledge of sex.

Holden’s Red Hunting Hat
The red hunting hat is one of the most recognizable symbols from twentieth-century American literature. It is inseparable from our image of Holden, with good reason: it is a symbol of his uniqueness and individuality. The hat is outlandish, and it shows that Holden desires to be different from everyone around him. At the same time, he is very self-conscious about the hat—he always mentions when he is wearing it, and he often doesn’t wear it if he is going to be around people he knows. The presence of the hat, therefore, mirrors the central conflict in the book: Holden’s need for isolation versus his need for companionship.
It is worth noting that the hat’s color, red, is the same as that of Allie’s and Phoebe’s hair. Perhaps Holden associates it with the innocence and purity he believes these characters represent and wears it as a way to connect to them. He never explicitly comments on the hat’s significance other than to mention its unusual appearance.

The Museum of Natural History
Holden tells us the symbolic meaning of the museum’s displays: they appeal to him because they are frozen and unchanging. He also mentions that he is troubled by the fact that he has changed every time he returns to them. The museum represents the world Holden wishes he could live in: it’s the world of his “catcher in the rye” fantasy, a world where nothing ever changes, where everything is simple, understandable, and infinite. Holden is terrified by the unpredictable challenges of the world—he hates conflict, he is confused by Allie’s senseless death, and he fears interaction with other people.

The Ducks in the Central Park Lagoon
Holden’s curiosity about where the ducks go during the winter reveals a genuine, more youthful side to his character. For most of the book, he sounds like a grumpy old man who is angry at the world, but his search for the ducks represents the curiosity of youth and a joyful willingness to encounter the mysteries of the world. It is a memorable moment, because Holden clearly lacks such willingness in other aspects of his life.
The ducks and their pond are symbolic in several ways. Their mysterious perseverance in the face of an inhospitable environment resonates with Holden’s understanding of his own situation. In addition, the ducks prove that some vanishings are only temporary. Traumatized and made acutely aware of the fragility of life by his brother Allie’s death, Holden is terrified by the idea of change and disappearance. The ducks vanish every winter, but they return every spring, thus symbolizing change that isn’t permanent, but cyclical. Finally, the pond itself becomes a minor metaphor for the world as Holden sees it, because it is “partly frozen and partly not frozen.” The pond is in transition between two states, just as Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood.


GRAMMAR
There will be a short grammar section on the final, including a couple sentences and a paragraph edit



VOCABULARY!


VOCABULARY 26~

tangential~adj~ touching on a subject; diverging or digressing

trepidation~n~ apprehension, dread, fear

untenable~adj~ can't be defended or maintained

vindictive~adj~ revengeful, unforgiving, bitter

folderol~n~ foolishness, nonsense

aesthetic~adj~ artistic, showing appreciation of beatuty

analogous~adj~ comparable, similar

dodger~n~ a shifty, dishonest person, a trickster

buffoon~n~ a clown, a fool

caustic~adj~ stinging, biting

VOCABULARY 25

SNARKY~ADJ~ IRRITABLE, SHORT-TEMPERED

PAUCITY~N~ SCARCITY, SMALL AMOUNT

FIDDLE-FOOTED~ADJ~ EXCITABLE OR NERVOUS; INCLINED TO WANDER

FREEBOOTER~N~ A PERSON WHO PILLAGES AND PLUNDERS, ESPECIALLY A PIRATE

QUERULOUS~ADJ~ FAULT-FINDING, COMPLAINING

FLEER~ V/N ~ V~TO LAUGH OR SMIRK IN DERISION; N~ A TAUNTING LOOK OR GIBE

RETICENT~ADJ~ NOT SAYING MUCH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SELF

SCRUPULOUS~ADJ~ HONEST, CONSCIENTIONS, CAREFUL ABOUT DETAILS

SPURIOUS~ADJ~ COUNTERFEIT, FALSE

SUPERCILIOUS~ADJ~ PROUD AND SCORNFUL, HAUGHTY, LOOKING DOWN ON

VOCABULARY 24

EFFERVESCENT~adj~ bubbly, producing bubbles; full of energy

AGOG~adj~ highly excited by eagerness

CONTRABAND~n~ goods smuggled into or out of a place where they are illegal

PORCINE~adj~ resembling a pig, related to a pig

EBULLITION~n~ a sudden violent outburst

VERSLIBRIST~n~ a writer of free-verse

INCIPIENT~adj~ beginning

INSIPID~adj~ dull, bland

NEBBISH~n~ a timid, meek, or ineffectual person

RAPSCALLION~n~ rascal

VOCABULARY 23

IMPLACABLE~ADJ~ NOT ABLE TO BE SATISFIED OR PACIFIED; UNYEILDING, RELENTLESS

AMELIORATE~V~ TO MAKE BETTER, TO IMPROVE

BOMBASTIC~ADJ~ USE OF IMPRESSIVE SOUNDING LANGUAGE WITH LITTLE MEANING

CATHARSIS~N~ EMOTIONAL PURIFICATION OR RELIEF

ATROPHY~V~ TO WASTE AWAY

CLEMENCY~N~ MERCY, MILDNESS

PEJORATIVE~ADJ~ NEGATIVE, UNFAVORABLE

PROWESS~N~ BRAVERY; SKILL, ADEPTNESS

DEVOID~ADJ~ ENTIRELY WITHOUT; LACKING

TRUCULENT~ADJ~ FIERCE AND CRUEL, BRUTAL, SAVAGE

VOCABULARY 21

REFURBISH~V~ to make like new

RESPITE~N~ interval of rest, a break

SCOFF~V~ to mock or make fun of

SPORADIC~ADJ~ occuring irregulary

SUMPTUOUS~ADJ~ lavish, costly, extravagant

TALON~N~ claw

TIRADE~N~ long, angry scolding speech

UNSCATHED~adj~ unharmed

VILIFY~V~ to defame or slander

WITHER~V~ to dry up or shrivel

VOCABULARY 20

UNFEIGNED~ADJ~ GENUINE, REAL

INADVERTENT~ADJ~ ACCIDENTAL, UNINTENTIONAL

INSCRUTABLE~ADJ~ IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND

SEDULOUS~ADJ~ DILIGENT, HARD-WORKING

LUCID~ADJ~ CLEAR, UNDERSTANDABLE

VITUPERATIVE~ADJ~ ABUSIVE, SCOLDING

PARTISAN~ADJ~ ONE-SIDED, PREJUDICE; COMMITTED TO ONE PARTY

PLACATE~V~ TO SOOTHE OR PACIFY

ICHTHYOLOGY~N~ THE STUDY OF FISH

QUANDARY~N~ DILEMMA

VOCABULARY 19

CLANDESTINE -adj- secret

INVECTIVE -n- abuse (verbal)

DEFERENCE -n- great respect

INVEIGLE -v- to lead astray, OR..... to wheedle (which means cajole, or beg and beg and beg until you get what you want

DISPARITY -n- lack of equality, difference

EFFACE -v- to wipe out, to erase

EMENDATION -n- correction of errors, improvement

POTABLE -adj- suitable for drinking

TRUNCATE -v- to cut the top off

GRATUITOUS -adj- freely given; unnecessary, uncalled for, negative

VOCABULARY 18

TACTLESS -adj- having no skill in dealing with people; rude; insensitive

THWART -v- to stop something from happening; to hinder. oppose, or frustrate

UNOBTRUSIVE -adj- not noticeable; inconspicuous, seeming to belong

VICARIOUS adj- to experience through someone or something else

WHET -v- to increase, sharpen, stimulate

ADMONISH -v- to caution or warn, to criticize or warn midly but firmly

AMBIVALENCE -n- indecision, experiencing contradictory emotions

ASSUAGE -v- to soothe, make less severe, to satisfy, ease, lessen

BLITHE -adj- cheerful, carefree

CATALYST -n- something which causes reactions in other things without being affected itself

VOCABULARY 17

NONCHALANCE ~n~ carelessness, lack of interest or concern

PARSIMONIOUS ~adj~ too thrifty, stingy, cheap

PIQUE ~v~ to hurt feelings; to excite or arouse interest

TACIT ~adj~ unspoken, silent but implied

PUGNACIOUS ~adj~ eager to fight

REDUNDANT ~adj~ repetitive

LIMPID ~adj~ clear (like water), clear (easy to understand)

MARTINET ~n~ a strict disciplinarian

SOPOROFIC ~adj~ producing sleep

SAGACIOUS ~adj~ very wise


VOCABULARY 16

INSIDIOUS~adj~ sneaky, sly, meant to deceive or entrap, treacherous

ENGENDER~v~ to cause or exist or to develop; produce

EXACERBATE~v~ to make worse, to make more violent

GIBE~v~ to mock or ridicule
~n~ an expression of scorn or derision

GARRULOUS~adj~ tiresomely talkative, wordy and rambling

ALACRITY~n~ cheerful willlingness, eagerness

IMPLAUSIBLE~adj~ difficult to believe, provoking disbelief, not plausible

PHLEGMATIC~adj~ having or showing a slow and stolid temperament, having a sluggish temperament, unemotional

CONSECRATE~v~ to decleare or set apart as sacred, dedicated to a sacred purpose

LISTLESS~adj~ lack of interest, energy, or spirit, lethargic


BBQ: 25 May~ After School until whenever………..30 Bayes Hill Road, OB!
From the High School: Take left out of driveway. At stop sign turn right onto Barnes Road. Bayes Hill is about two miles down on the right….white gates and flowers. Take right onto Bayes Hill; when road straightens out, house is fourth on the left. It’s a white house with a pink wreath on the front door and there will be a dark blue VW Passat in the driveway. Bring whatever food you want! Yes, Miss Wallace will be there! And Hannah!
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE STRESSING AND THINK YOU MIGHT DIE BECAUSE YOUR FINAL IS IN A WEEK, my mobile number is 860-539-6688.
Honors Final Exam Review Guide
Miss Simison
EXAM: 24 May 2007

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Remember that discussion we had when you wrote all that fun stuff you knew or wanted to know about Shakespeare on the board? Here are a few things that might be on your test:

SHAKESPEARE, YAY!

Here's a snapshot of what we talked about in class today..........

Did you know the word 'housekeeping' was a Shakespeare invention?
Believe it or not, Shakespeare literally invented 1,700 words in the English language. He was the first person to use words like - aerial, critic, submerge, majestic, hurry, lonely, road, assassination, laughable, reliance, exposure...... 'Break the ice', 'All that glitters is not gold', 'Hot-blooded', 'In the mind’s eye', 'Housekeeping', 'It’s all Greek to me', 'The naked truth', 'One fell swoop', 'Method in his madness'..... Shakespeare is probably in all our lives in some way every day.

Box Office!
Ever hear of a box office? Of course you have! Know where the name comes from? Well...... In Elizabethan times many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed at The Globe Theatre in London. To get in, you put one penny in a box by the door. Then you could stand on the ground in front of the stage. To sit on the first balcony, you put another penny in the box held by a man in front of the stairs. To sit on the second balcony, you put another penny in the box held by the man by the second flight of stairs. Then when the show started, the men went and put the boxes in a room backstage - the box office.

'The Globe' The Globe Theatre didn’t just show plays. It ‘acted’ as a bear pit, brothel, and a gambling house.

No Copyright In Shakespeare’s time copyright didn’t exist, so the actors only got their lines as the play was in progress. They only got to know who else was playing what the day of the performance. They did "cue acting", which meant that there was a person backstage that whispered the lines to the person right before he was going to say them. Actors were not considered trustworthy people, and the market for good plays was large.

No women allowed, ewwww girls have cooties! The actors were all men in Shakespeare's day. The parts of women were played by boys who still had light voices.

Images of him There are only two authentic portraits of William Shakespeare. An engraving of him by Martin Droeshout first published on the title page of the 1623 First Folio, yes you're looking at it right there! And the monument of the great playwright in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. I've seen the engraving.....it's at the National Portrait Gallery in London. However, it is often traveling and can be found in places like Connecticut!

No BA Shakespeare, one of literature’s greatest figures, never went to university.

Nearly missed out William never published any of his plays. We read his plays today only because his fellow actors, posthumously recorded his work as a dedication to their fellow actor in 1623, publishing 36 of William’s plays.
This collection known as The First Folio is the source from which all published Shakespeare books are derived and is an important proof that he authored his plays.

Shakespeare since the 17th Century…..modern interpretations such as the one we saw in Boston or the movie we watched in class.

Brush up on your knowledge of A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
Characters, Conflicts, the four intertwined plots etc


Short Stories
Make sure you know the elements of a short story

SETTING -- The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting.
For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not.
There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider:

a) place - geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the character's like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?


PLOT –
The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea;
It is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.

b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).

e) Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.


CONFLICT-- Without conflict there is no plot.
It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.
Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character.
Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.
There are two types of conflict:
1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.
2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.


CHARACTER -- There are two meanings for the word character:
1) The person in a work of fiction.
2) The characteristics of a person.

Persons in a work of fiction - Antagonist and Protagonist
Short stories use few characters. One character is clearly central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character - he/she is the PROTAGONIST. The opposer of the main character is called the ANTAGONIST.

The Characteristics of a Person -
In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real. Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. STARRD

Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people)

Characters are...
1. Individual - round, many sided and complex personalities.
2. Developing - dynamic, many sided personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story.
3. Static - Stereotype, have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc.

THEME -- The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight.
It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey.
The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature.
The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.

Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:
- things are not always as they appear to be
- Love is blind
- Believe in yourself
- People are afraid of change
- Don't judge a book by its cover

“99”
“Santaland Diaries”
“A Convalescent Ego”
“Dr. Jack O’ Lantern”
“The Necklace”

Poetry
Origination of the word and background (notes from board)
Loaded Words
Concrete Poetry
Villanelle~ Middle Ages, Europe, Troubadors traveled and told stories. The Villanelle evolved from Italian folk song, formalized in the 1500s.
Form: 5- 3 line stanzas
1 4-line stanza

Based on two repeating lines; line 1 and line 3 of the first stanza alternate as last lines to succeeding stanzas
Last stanza uses line one and three as the final couplet

Rhyme Scheme
ABA
ABA
ABA
ABA
ABA

ABAA

Usually Iambic Pentameter

Requires a subject that is cyclical or has an urgent message because you are repeating so much
The repeating lines are carefully crafted to deepen in meaning with each verse and to be flexible

You will also be responsible for whatever we cover in class on 22 May.

Invictus

By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.


Essay
There will be one essay on the exam. It will be a standard essay (5 paragraphs etc) and the entire exam will be geared so you will have about 40 minutes to complete it. I would give yourself ten minutes to plan and 30 to do your writing. It will, MOST LIKELY, be Shakespeare related.

Grammar
There will be a couple sentences and a paragraph edit

VOCABULARY!
VOCABULARY 26~

tangential~adj~ touching on a subject; diverging or digressing

trepidation~n~ apprehension, dread, fear

untenable~adj~ can't be defended or maintained

vindictive~adj~ revengeful, unforgiving, bitter

folderol~n~ foolishness, nonsense

aesthetic~adj~ artistic, showing appreciation of beatuty

analogous~adj~ comparable, similar

dodger~n~ a shifty, dishonest person, a trickster

buffoon~n~ a clown, a fool

caustic~adj~ stinging, biting

virulent~adj~ extremely poisonous

wary~adj~ very cautious

protract~v~ to prolong

puerile~adj~ childish

maelstrom~n~ whirlpool

VOCABULARY 25

SNARKY~ADJ~ IRRITABLE, SHORT-TEMPERED

PAUCITY~N~ SCARCITY, SMALL AMOUNT

FIDDLE-FOOTED~ADJ~ EXCITABLE OR NERVOUS; INCLINED TO WANDER

FREEBOOTER~N~ A PERSON WHO PILLAGES AND PLUNDERS, ESPECIALLY A PIRATE

QUERULOUS~ADJ~ FAULT-FINDING, COMPLAINING

FLEER~ V/N ~ V~TO LAUGH OR SMIRK IN DERISION; N~ A TAUNTING LOOK OR GIBE

RETICENT~ADJ~ NOT SAYING MUCH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SELF

SCRUPULOUS~ADJ~ HONEST, CONSCIENTIONS, CAREFUL ABOUT DETAILS

SPURIOUS~ADJ~ COUNTERFEIT, FALSE

SUPERCILIOUS~ADJ~ PROUD AND SCORNFUL, HAUGHTY, LOOKING DOWN ON


ADULATION~N~ FLATTERY, ADMIRATION

AFFABLE~ADJ~ COURTEOUS, PLESANT

ANTIPATHY~N~ AVERSION, DISLIKE

CEREBRATION~N~ THOUGHT

PRATE~V~ TO SPEAK FOOLISHLY, TO BOAST IDLY

VOCABULARY 24

EFFERVESCENT~adj~ bubbly, producing bubbles; full of energy

AGOG~adj~ highly excited by eagerness

CONTRABAND~n~ goods smuggled into or out of a place where they are illegal

PORCINE~adj~ resembling a pig, related to a pig

EBULLITION~n~ a sudden violent outburst

VERSLIBRIST~n~ a writer of free-verse

INCIPIENT~adj~ beginning

INSIPID~adj~ dull, bland

NEBBISH~n~ a timid, meek, or ineffectual person

RAPSCALLION~n~ rascal

PRODIGIOUS~adj~ enormous in size or quantity; amazing

UNFLEDGED~adj~ not fully developed, immature

WARREN~n~ a place where rabbits live; a crowded tenement

BENIGHTED~adj~ being in a state of intellectual darkness, ignorant

TYRO~n~ a beginner, a novice

VOCABULARY 23

IMPLACABLE~ADJ~ NOT ABLE TO BE SATISFIED OR PACIFIED; UNYEILDING, RELENTLESS

AMELIORATE~V~ TO MAKE BETTER, TO IMPROVE

BOMBASTIC~ADJ~ USE OF IMPRESSIVE SOUNDING LANGUAGE WITH LITTLE MEANING

CATHARSIS~N~ EMOTIONAL PURIFICATION OR RELIEF

ATROPHY~V~ TO WASTE AWAY

CLEMENCY~N~ MERCY, MILDNESS

PEJORATIVE~ADJ~ NEGATIVE, UNFAVORABLE

PROWESS~N~ BRAVERY; SKILL, ADEPTNESS

DEVOID~ADJ~ ENTIRELY WITHOUT; LACKING

TRUCULENT~ADJ~ FIERCE AND CRUEL, BRUTAL, SAVAGE

QUAGMIRE~N~ BOG, MARSH

BADINAGE~N~ TEASING CONVERSATION

DESULTORY~ADJ~ AIMLESS, JUMPING AROUND

INIQUITOUS~ADJ~ UNJUST, WICKED

SMATTERING~N~ SMALL AMOUNT

VOCABULARY 21

REFURBISH~V~ to make like new

RESPITE~N~ interval of rest, a break

SCOFF~V~ to mock or make fun of

SPORADIC~ADJ~ occuring irregulary

SUMPTUOUS~ADJ~ lavish, costly, extravagant

TALON~N~ claw

TIRADE~N~ long, angry scolding speech

UNSCATHED~adj~ unharmed

VILIFY~V~ to defame or slander

WITHER~V~ to dry up or shrivel

POLEMIC~N~ controversy, argument supporting a point of view

MUTABLE~ADJ~changing in form

GLOWER~V~scowl

BANDY~V~discuss lightly

UNWITTING~ADJ~ unintentional

VOCABULARY 20

UNFEIGNED~ADJ~ GENUINE, REAL

INADVERTENT~ADJ~ ACCIDENTAL, UNINTENTIONAL

INSCRUTABLE~ADJ~ IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND

SEDULOUS~ADJ~ DILIGENT, HARD-WORKING

LUCID~ADJ~ CLEAR, UNDERSTANDABLE

VITUPERATIVE~ADJ~ ABUSIVE, SCOLDING

PARTISAN~ADJ~ ONE-SIDED, PREJUDICE; COMMITTED TO ONE PARTY

PLACATE~V~ TO SOOTHE OR PACIFY

ICHTHYOLOGY~N~ THE STUDY OF FISH

QUANDARY~N~ DILEMMA

BASTION~N~ FORTRESS, DEFENSE, STRONGHOLD

COMPLICITY~N~ PARTICIPATION, INVOLVEMENT

MALINGERER~N~ ONE WHO PRETENDS TO BE SICK TO GET OUT OF RESPONSIBLITY

TOADY~V~ TO FLATTER FOR FAVORS

VENTURESOME~ADJ~ BOLD, DARING

VOCABULARY 19

CLANDESTINE -adj- secret

INVECTIVE -n- abuse (verbal)

DEFERENCE -n- great respect

INVEIGLE -v- to lead astray, OR..... to wheedle (which means cajole, or beg and beg and beg until you get what you want

DISPARITY -n- lack of equality, difference

EFFACE -v- to wipe out, to erase

EMENDATION -n- correction of errors, improvement

POTABLE -adj- suitable for drinking

TRUNCATE -v- to cut the top off

GRATUITOUS -adj- freely given; unnecessary, uncalled for, negative

BENEFICENT -adj- kindly, good

IMPROVIDENT -adj- not thrifty

INVIDIOUS -adj- designed to create ill-will or envy

MEIN -n- demeanor, bearing, the way you carry yourself

RAMSHACKLE -adj- rickety, falling apart

VOCABULARY 18

TACTLESS -adj- having no skill in dealing with people; rude; insensitive

THWART -v- to stop something from happening; to hinder. oppose, or frustrate

UNOBTRUSIVE -adj- not noticeable; inconspicuous, seeming to belong

VICARIOUS adj- to experience through someone or something else

WHET -v- to increase, sharpen, stimulate

ADMONISH -v- to caution or warn, to criticize or warn midly but firmly

AMBIVALENCE -n- indecision, experiencing contradictory emotions

ASSUAGE -v- to soothe, make less severe, to satisfy, ease, lessen

BLITHE -adj- cheerful, carefree

CATALYST -n- something which causes reactions in other things without being affected itself

BLANDISHMENT -n- flattery, sweet talk

COEVAL -adj- of the same or equal age, or duration, originating or existing during the same period

MOLLIFY -v- appease, calm, to pacify

PRETEXT -n- a false reason put forth to hide the real one

RECTIFY -v- to correct, to straighten, amend, revise, set right

VOCABULARY 17

NONCHALANCE ~n~ carelessness, lack of interest or concern

PARSIMONIOUS ~adj~ too thrifty, stingy, cheap

PIQUE ~v~ to hurt feelings; to excite or arouse interest

TACIT ~adj~ unspoken, silent but implied

PUGNACIOUS ~adj~ eager to fight

REDUNDANT ~adj~ repetitive

LIMPID ~adj~ clear (like water), clear (easy to understand)

MARTINET ~n~ a strict disciplinarian

SOPOROFIC ~adj~ producing sleep

SAGACIOUS ~adj~ very wise

TITANIC ~adj~ gigantic

GADFLY ~n~ an animal biting fly, an irritating person

PURLOIN ~v~ steal

ARDOR ~n~ passion, heat, zeal

WAX ~v~ increase, grow

VOCABULARY 16

INSIDIOUS~adj~ sneaky, sly, meant to deceive or entrap, treacherous

ENGENDER~v~ to cause or exist or to develop; produce

EXACERBATE~v~ to make worse, to make more violent

GIBE~v~ to mock or ridicule
~n~ an expression of scorn or derision

GARRULOUS~adj~ tiresomely talkative, wordy and rambling

ALACRITY~n~ cheerful willlingness, eagerness

IMPLAUSIBLE~adj~ difficult to believe, provoking disbelief, not plausible

PHLEGMATIC~adj~ having or showing a slow and stolid temperament, having a sluggish temperament, unemotional

CONSECRATE~v~ to decleare or set apart as sacred, dedicated to a sacred purpose

LISTLESS~adj~ lack of interest, energy, or spirit, lethargic

PREVARICATE~v~ to lie, to stray from or evade the truth

EXTOL~v~ to praise highly, exalt, glorify or honor

BEFUDDLE~v~ to confuse, perplex

YEN~n~ strong desire or inclination, a yearning or craving

MUTINOUS~adj~ rebellious, unruly, turbulent, uncontrollable


LAST BUT NOT LEAST: THE BBQ
Friday, 25 May: After School until whenever
30 Bayes Hill Road, OB
From the High School:
Take left out of driveway. At stop sign turn right onto Barnes Road. Bayes Hill is about two miles down on the right….white gates and flowers. Take right onto Bayes Hill; when road straightens out, house is fourth on the left. It’s a white house with a pink wreath on the front door and there will be a dark blue VW Passat in the driveway. Bring whatever food you want! Yes, Miss Wallace will be there! And Hannah!
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE STRESSING AND THINK YOU MIGHT DIE BECAUSE YOUR FINAL IS IN A WEEK, my mobile number is 860-539-6688

Monday, May 14, 2007

HONORS!

Invictus
By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.












TO BE MOMORIZED BY 16 or 24 of MAY!!!

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

MND ACT III Scene ii
Miss Simison
8 February 2007
Handout IV

I know, I know, it was a long scene! But it was wonderful, right?

Puck tells Oberon about Bottom’s transformation and how the ass is the new object of Titania’s love.
“When in that moment, so it came to pass,
Titania wak’d and straightway loved an ass.” (lines 33-34)

Oberon is more than pleased with the result.

How do you think Puck feels when he is telling Oberon all the mischief he has been causing?


Who’s in the dark?
Demetrius: He left Helena before she woke Lysander up and was beloved of him because of the love-
charm. All he knows is that Helena told him of the planned elopement and he wants Hermia for himself and is searching for her.
Hermia: Lysander left her sleeping when he left to follow Helena. When she wakes up, she sees Demetrius, and we see Hermia begging Demetrius for information on Lysander’s location. Hermia says that Lysander would NEVER leave her side, and accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander.

As we know, Puck has made the mistake of applying the love-charm to Lysander instead of Demetrius.
“What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite,
And laid the love juice on some true-love’s sight.
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue
Some true love turn’d, and not a false turn’d true.” (lines 88-91)

Puck has turned a true love into a false one and has not turned any false love true.


Oberon and Puck realize the mistake and as a quick fix, Oberon enchants Demetrius and sends Puck to find Helena so Demetrius can fall in love with her.

What is the simile Oberon uses to describe how Demetrius will see Helena when he wakes up?

Uh oh: both men love Helena and this makes for an interesting scene when all four lovers are together.
When Lysander and Helena enter the spot where Demetrius is napping, the moment when Lysander argues that Demetrius loves Hermia and not Helena is the same moment when Demetrius wakes up and immediately declared his great love for Helena:
Lysander: Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you
Demetrius: (Awakening) O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! (lines 136-137)

Helena’s reaction?


How does Hermia think Helena has won Lysander?

Yes, even back in the 16th century, there were girl fights, and the argument that ensues between Hermia and Helena is priceless.

Oberon has an antidote for the love-charm and instructs Puck to apply it to Lysander. Oberon will apply it to Titania once he has the little Indian boy.

Puck and the voices:
Puck sees Lysander searching for Demetrius
Puck speaks in Demetrius’s voice and Lysander goes toward the voice
Demetrius enters after hearing Lysander’s voice.
Demetrius calls Lysander a coward.
Puck eggs Demetrius on by speaking like Lysander.
Puck leads Demetrius away.
Lysander comes back, is tired, and decides to rest
Puck tires Demetrius out and he, too, falls asleep.
Helena enters, also very tired, and asks for sleep in hopes that it will put her out of misery.
Hermia enters, exhausted and also falls asleep.

What are Hermia’s last words before she falls asleep?



Puck chants Lysander and gives him the antidote,



We leave the scene with all four lovers sleeping.
MND ACT III Scene i
Miss Simison
6 February 2007
Handout IV

Yep, we’re still in the woods. And we are re-visited by the Athenian Workmen Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling. In yet another comical scene, they rehearse their play.
Bottom alerts Quince to things in the play that may not please the audience:
1.

Solution:

2.

Solution:

There are two other production problems:

1.

Solution:

2.

Solution:

They way the Athenian tradesmen treat the play intensifies the relationship between ______________ and _______________. The men insist on differentiating between the two during their performance of ‘Pyramus and Thisbe.’ The result? Comedy, which is a contrast to all the confusions in the play.

Perhaps the most important part of this play with when Puck places the head of an ass on Bottom. The rest of the men flee the wood because they fear they are haunted and Bottom is alone. Keep in mind that this takes place right after the men have made sure the man playing the lion is recognized as a man, and not a lion, so as not to confuse the audience. What does this make them think about the seemingly solid world?

Bottom is very confused as to why his friends have left him and figures they are playing a practical joke on him.

Now that Bottom is an ass from the neck up, is there a better creature for Titania to fall in love with? Nope!
Bottom’s whistling wakes Titania and she’s in love!
How does Bottom respond?

We also meet four fairies……what is Bottom’s response the following two?

Cobweb:


Mustardseed:
MND ACT II Scene ii
Miss Simison
31 January 2007
Handout III

The way these Fairyland characters speak is very light and graceful, which Shakespeare did to express their spirit-like nature. The fairies use bat wings for elf coats:
“Some war with rere-mice (bats) for their leathern wings,
To make my small elves coats; and some keep back….” (lines4-5)

This reminds us that……..what?

We read both a lullaby by the fairies and an incantation by Oberon:
The lullaby tries to ward off spells and charms The incantation puts a charm on Titania.
The lullaby names eight small animals and The incantation adds six large animals to the list.
insects plus a nightengale.
The lullaby asks that nothing come near the queen. The incantation asks for something to come near, and that the viler it is, the better.

What is not covered by either song?

So what’s up with Hermia and Lysander? We haven’t seen very much of either of them but they’re supposed to be meeting in the woods and Helena and Demetrius are out there looking for them!

Does Lysander seem confident to you? Why?


What is his response to Hermia hoping he’ll love her till he dies?


This is a scene when things really pick up! When Oberon told Puck to go find the two mortals wearing Athenian clothes, what did he not take into account?

Convenient coincidence:
Hermia made a big issue over not sleeping too near Lysander:
“Nay good Lysander. For my sake, my dear
Lie further off yet; do not lie so near.” (lines 43-44)

So, to wrap things up:
Titania’s eyes have been enchanted! She awaits being awakened by her destined “beloved.”

Puck has mistaken Lysander for Demetrius, OOPS! Now Lysander will love Helena!


We have an even worse situation than we had at the beginning: neither man loves the woman who loves him.
Hermia‡ Lysander ‡ Helena ‡ Demetrius ‡ Hermia
Got it? Good! Everyone dance!
MND ACT II Scene i
Miss Simison
29 January 2007
Handout II

The clandestine meeting in the woods……..
As you all probably recall, the Duke’s wood is the designated meeting spot for the characters from the two preceding scenes. We finally meet Puck (Robin Goodfellow), when he and a fairy enter the scene. We learn from Puck that Oberon (King of Fairies) is angry at Titania (his queen). Why? She has stolen an Indian boy and Oberon wants the child for his own. Because Titania won’t give the boy up, she and the King get in the biggest fights every time they see each other and scare the elves into hiding in acorn cups:
“But they do square (quarrel), that all their elves for fear
Creep into acorn cups and hid them there.” (lines 30-31)

The King and Queen end up meeting by accident and greet each other as “proud Titania” and “jealous Oberon.” This is important because in just a few lines we learn their identities and how they feel about each other:
∑ Titania accuses Oberon of coming to for the wedding only because Hilppolyta is a former girlfriend.
∑ Oberon responds with saying Titania is in love with Theseus.
∑ Important: Titania has foresworn Oberon’s bed and company:
“What, jealous Oberon! Fairies skip hence,
I have foresworn his bed and company.” (lines 61-62)
Once again, the course of love is running less than smoothly, a theme we are already familiar with. This relates back to the first scene of the play:
* Hermia might have to foreswear forever what Titania chooses to give up
* Helena has already had to do so against her will

Ah, Cupid: Of course he has to play a part in this! HE tried to shoot and arrow and it missed its target, hitting a flower instead:
“Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
It fell upon a little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound,
And maidens call it love-in-idleness.” (lines 165-168)

Oberon sends Puck out to get the flower because the juice from it, when put on the sleeping eyelids of a man or woman, will cause the person to fall madly in love with the very first live creature that is seen when they wake up.

We then learn in a soliloquy that Oberon intends to put the juice on Titania’s eyelids in hopes that she will be distracted by whatever it is she sees when she wakes up. He will take that opportunity to steal the Indian boy from her.

Oberon then hears two people coming and makes himself invisible……….it’s Demetrius and Helena!
Helena is being really annoying and Demetrius just wants to be left alone! He’s looking for Hermia and Lysander….remember they are eloping! After they leave, Oberon sends Puck off with the flower to Titiania, but tells him to look for Lysander and Helena as well, and to use some juice on Demetrius.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch CHANGE: Such a focus on change!
1. Quarrel between Oberon and Titania is over a changeling
2. The cause and result of the quarrel concerns change
3. The solution to the quarrel is possible because of a change in a flower
4. The power of the changed flower is to transform (change) love-sight

Puck: He is the jester to the king and is one of, if not the most, memorable character of MND. From the fairy, we learn that Puck is responsible for all of the following and more:
1. Frightening village maidens
2. Skimming milk so it wont churn
3. Taking the kick out of liquor
4. Misleading people who travel at night
5. For those who treat him well, doing work and bringing luck
WHAT A RASCAL!
For years, Puck was featured at the top of many Sunday comics, with the banner "What fools these mortals be."
Fairies!!! The fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream are Shakespeare’s invention. There had been fairies in English folklore before, but Shakespeare’s differ in several important respects:
1. They are tiny! Miniscule, tiny, itsy bitsy!
2. They are associated with flowers
3. They are caring, compassionate, and generous
It is these fairies that have remained in the public’s imagination ever since the first production of MND.
MND inspired four hundred years of stories and pictures of tiny, butterfly-winged people living in the woods. Walt Disney's fairies are their descendants.

Monday, May 07, 2007

VOCABULARY 26~

tangential~adj~ touching on a subject; diverging or digressing

trepidation~n~ apprehension, dread, fear

untenable~adj~ can't be defended or maintained

vindictive~adj~ revengeful, unforgiving, bitter

folderol~n~ foolishness, nonsense

aesthetic~adj~ artistic, showing appreciation of beatuty

analogous~adj~ comparable, similar

dodger~n~ a shifty, dishonest person, a trickster

buffoon~n~ a clown, a fool

caustic~adj~ stinging, biting


ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS:

virulent~adj~ extremely poisonous

wary~adj~ very cautious

protract~v~ to prolong

puerile~adj~ childish

maelstrom~n~ whirlpool

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

VOCABULARY 25

SNARKY~ADJ~ IRRITABLE, SHORT-TEMPERED

PAUCITY~N~ SCARCITY, SMALL AMOUNT

FIDDLE-FOOTED~ADJ~ EXCITABLE OR NERVOUS; INCLINED TO WANDER

FREEBOOTER~N~ A PERSON WHO PILLAGES AND PLUNDERS, ESPECIALLY A PIRATE

QUERULOUS~ADJ~ FAULT-FINDING, COMPLAINING

FLEER~ V/N ~ V~TO LAUGH OR SMIRK IN DERISION; N~ A TAUNTING LOOK OR GIBE

RETICENT~ADJ~ NOT SAYING MUCH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SELF

SCRUPULOUS~ADJ~ HONEST, CONSCIENTIONS, CAREFUL ABOUT DETAILS

SPURIOUS~ADJ~ COUNTERFEIT, FALSE

SUPERCILIOUS~ADJ~ PROUD AND SCORNFUL, HAUGHTY, LOOKING DOWN ON

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS:

ADULATION~N~ FLATTERY, ADMIRATION

AFFABLE~ADJ~ COURTEOUS, PLESANT

ANTIPATHY~N~ AVERSION, DISLIKE

CEREBRATION~N~ THOUGHT

PRATE~V~ TO SPEAK FOOLISHLY, TO BOAST IDLY