Vocabulary Midterm Study Strategies

Since these are words I have already seen, I will most likely just look at the definitions I have previously posted on this blog. I will make sure I can use words in context and compare and contrast words with similar meanings.

Vocabulary words thus far:

adumbrate - to outline; foreshadow

apotheosis - the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of God.

ascetic - simple life, denies material satisfaction.

bauble - a showy, cheap ornament, jester's scepter.

beguile - to influence by trickery, flattery

burgeon - to begin to grow or blossom

complement - something that completes, makes up a whole or brings to perfection.

contumacious - disobedient or rebellious

curmudgeon - an ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions.

didactic - intended to instruct

disingenuous - not straightforward or candid; insincere

exculpate - to clear of guilt or blame

faux pas - a social blunder or indiscretion

fulminate - to explode or detonate

fustian - pretentious speech or writing; pompous, bombastic

hauteur - arrogance, pride

inhibit - to hold back, restrain

jeremiad - a literary work or speech expressing a bitter lament or a righteous prophecy of doom.

opportunist - one who takes advantage of any opportunity to  achieve an end with no regard for consequences.

unconscionable - not restrained by conscience; excessive.

accolade - any award, honor or laudatory notice

acerbity - harshness or severity, as of temper or expression.

attrition - a reduction or decrease in numbers, size or strength

bromide - a platitude or trite saying

chauvinist - a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic.

chronic - constant, habitual

expound - to set forth or state in detail

factionalism - self-interested: partisan

immaculate - free from spot or stain; spotlessly clean; free from blemish

imprecation - a curse; malediction

ineluctable - incapable of being evaded, inescapable

mercurial - changeable, volatile, fickle, flighty, erratic

palliate - to relieve or lessen without curing

protocol - the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality

resplendent - shining brilliantly; gleaming

stigmatize - to mark with a stigma or brand

sub rosa - confidentially, secretly

vainglory - empty pomp or show

vestige - a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence.

volition - the power of willing; will

apostate: a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.

effusive: unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve.

impasse: a position or situation from which there is no escape.

euphoria: a state of intense happiness and self-confidence.

lugubrious: mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner.

bravado: a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.

consensus: majority of opinion

dichotomy: division into two parts

constrict: to slow or stop the natural course or to contract or shrink

gothic: noting or pertaining to a style of 
architecture, originating in France in the middle of the 12th century and existing in the western half of Europe through the middle of the 16th century, characterized by the use of the pointed arch and the ribbed vault, by the use of fine woodwork and stonework, by a progressive lightening of structure, and by the use of such features as flying buttresses, ornamental gables, crockets, and foils.

punctilio: a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure.

metamorphosis: a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation

raconteur: to tell

sine qua non: an indispensable condition, element, or factor; something essential

quixotic: extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.

vendetta: any prolonged and bitter feud, rivalry, contention

non sequitur: an inference or a conclusion that does not follow from the premises.

mystique: a framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs, or the like, constructed around a person or object, 
endowing the person or object with enhanced value or profound meaning

quagmire: anything soft or flabby

parlous: perilous; dangerous


acumen (noun)- keen insight.

adjudicate (verb)- to settle or determine.

anachronism (noun)- something or someone that is not in its correct historical time.

apocryphal (adj)- of doubtful authorship or authenticity.

disparity (noun)- inequalityThere will always be disparity of wealth within this society.

dissimulate (verb)- to disguise or conceal under a false appearance.

empirical (adj)- derived from or guided by experience or experiment.

flamboyant (adj)- strikingly bold or brilliant; showy

fulsome (adj)- offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive;overdone or gross

immolate (verb)- to sacrifice

imperceptible (adj)- very slight, gradual, or subtle.

lackey (noun)- a servile follower

liaison (noun)- a person who initiates and maintains such a contact or connection.

monolithic (adj)- consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken

mot juste (noun)- the exact, appropriate word

nihilism (noun)- total rejection of established laws and institutions.

patrician (noun)- a person of noble or high rank; aristocrat.

propitiate (verb)- to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate.

sic (verb)-to incite to attack

sublimate(adj)-to make nobler or purer

beatitude- Supreme blessedness

bete noire- a detested person (disliked or avoided)

bode- Be an omen of a particular outcome

dank- Disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold

ecumenical- Promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches

fervid- Intensely enthusiastic or passionate

fetid- Smelling extremely unpleasant

gargantuan- of great mass

heyday- The period of a person's or thing's greatest success or popularity

incubus- A cause of distress or anxiety like a nightmare

infrastructure- The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation

inveigle- Persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery

kudos- Praise and honor received for an achievement

lagniappe- Something given as a bonus or extra gift

prolix- Using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy

protege- a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protege's career

prototype- A first or preliminary model of something, esp. a machine, from which other forms are developed or copied

sycophant- A person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer

tautology- The saying of the same thing twice in different words

truckle- Submit or behave obsequiously

aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm

Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration

bane - (noun) something causes misery or death

bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos

cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate

casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality

depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action

empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings

harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage

hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality

malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted

mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear

nepotism - (noun) favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)

pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to

peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed

piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction. 

remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease

Outside Sources of Hamlet

Hamlet Blog:

itintegrationsg.blogspot.com/2009/01/hamlet-study-chart.html

Crestwood High School Act 4:

English Class studying Hamlet website:

libguides.mpsaz.net/mhsap

Pre-Will Questions

a)       What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"?  

My knowledge of Hamlet is very limited. But I had heard the famous quote from the play many times; “To be or not to be, that is a question.” I know Hamlet is one of four great tragedies wrote by Shakespeare. The play is very dramatic and gothic. The protagonist Hamlet who is the Prince of Denmark tries revenge for the murder of his father. And I know nothing about “Melancholy Dane”.

b)       What do you know about Shakespeare?

I know Shakespeare is been known as the greatest renaissance playwright, poet. He was born in Stratford, England; the exact date of his birth is still remain unknown. Shakespeare’s writing was been recognize by aristocrats. The famous works of Shakespeare are Roman Juliet, Hamlet, and Julius Caesar…etc.

c)     Why do so many students involuntarily frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare"?

I think the diction and syntax of Shakespeare makes really difficult to read. He used lots of literary element in his writing, which means that we need to read in between the lines and analyze it to get meaning behind it. I had read Julius Caesar and The Taming of Shrew by Shakespeare; I actually like both of them. I like the plot of the play, and the historical elements behind it.

d)       What can we do to make studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?

Since it is a play, I think we should watch the theater version of Hamlet. I remembered that I had seen the original performance in theater of the play The Taming of Shrew, it was hilarious. It was from many years ago, they don’t have any advance technologies/materials to decorate the background/stage. But, it is still fun to watch it.

News from Chicago

Click this link to get some of the latest news on the school strikes in Chicago.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/19/us/illinois-chicago-teachers-strike/index.html

Vocabulary Week 7

Starting off a great, new six week grading period early. :)

aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm

Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration

bane - (noun) something causes misery or death

bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos

cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate

casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality

depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action

empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings

harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage

hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality

malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted

mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
nepotism - noun favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)

pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to

peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed

piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction. 

remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease

Literature Analysis #1

The Catcher in the Rye

1. The Catcher in the Rye is told by Holden Caulfield reflecting on his past, as he is now in a mental institution.  After getting kicked out of three prep schools, he is then expelled from a fourth, Pencey Prep. He chooses to run off to Manhattan. It soon becomes evident that Holden doesn't have any close relations.  He is in awe with a girl named Jane, whom he casually dated but didn't keep much contact with. He meets with Sally Hayes, a girl he once dated.  Not long into their date, he asks her to run away and elope with him, where she refuses.  The night of Christmas Eve, Holden sneaks into his parents' apartment to see his little sister, telling her he was kicked out of Pencey Prep.  Confused on where he is going, Holden decides to leave home for good.  He ends the novel explaining that he got "sick," explaining why he is now in a mental institution.

2. The major theme of The Catcher in the Rye is separation from society.  Holden acts as if he is better than everyone else.  Due to this, he has had a hard time forming close with relationships with others. This in turn has led to the loneliness that Holden feels, and is often the reason behind his faulty reasoning.

3. The author's tone, as portrayed by Holden Caulfield, is very pessimistic.  He seems to feel as if there is no important meaning in life.

“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.” 

“Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it.” 

Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right—I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game.

“Like hell it is.” I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. “This is a people shooting hat,” I said. “I shoot people in this hat.”

“One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies. That's all. They were coming in the goddam window. For instance, they had this headmaster, Mr. Haas, that was the phoniest bastard I ever met in my life. Ten times worse than old Thurmer. On Sundays, for instance, old Haas went around shaking hands with everybody's parents when they drove up to school. He'd be charming as hell and all. Except if some boy had little old funny-looking parents. You should've seen the way he did with my roommate's parents. I mean if a boy's mother was sort of fat or corny-looking or something, and if somebody's father was one of those guys that wear those suits with very big shoulders and corny black-and-white shoes, then old Haas would just shake hands with them and give them a phony smile and then he'd go talk, for maybe a half an hour, with somebody else's parents. I can't stand that stuff. It drives me crazy. It makes me so depressed I go crazy. I hated that goddam Elkton Hills.”

4.

• Direct Characterization -- “But there was one nice thing. This family that you could tell just came out of some church were walking right in front of me – a father, a mother, and a little kid about six years old. They looked sort of poor. […] The kid was swell. […] He was making out like he was walking a very straight line, the way kids do, and the whole time he kept singing and humming. […] It made me feel better. It made me feel not so depressed anymore.”

• Holden describes in detail a family he sees on the street.  Observing others, as he did here, often helps him to not feel so depressed and alienated from the world.

• Flashback -- “Anyway, it was the Saturday of the football game. […] I remember around three o'clock that afternoon I was standing way the hell up on top of Thomsen Hill. […] You could see the whole field from there, and you could see the two teams bashing each other all over the place. […] You could hear them all yelling.”

• The entire novel is a flashback, as Holden is giving an account of his life from the mental institution he is now living in.  

• Symbolism -- [Ackley] took another look at my hat . . . “Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake,” he said. “That’s a deer shooting hat.”
  “Like hell it is.” I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. “This is a people shooting hat,” I said. “I shoot people in this hat.” 

• The hat in this case is symbolism to Holden’s deviation from the real world and the people in it.

• Imagery -- “I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff—I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all.”

• Here Holden connects to the title of the novel. He shows he wants to be the “Catcher in the Rye”, that helps children remain pure and unharmed.

• Foreshadowing -- “I have a feeling that you’re riding for some kind of terrible, terrible fall. . . . The whole arrangement’s designed for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn’t supply them with. . . . So they gave up looking.”

• Mr. Antolini warns Holden that he is afraid that he is riding a “terrible fall”, which in turn really translates to his deterioration of life, and ultimately his enrollment in the mental institution.

MIT's Integration of Technology into the Classroom

http://web.mit.edu/edtech/casestudies/teal.html