Showing posts with label vocabulary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vocabulary. Show all posts

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Backdrop

Backdrop

Noun

“Against this backdrop of teenage angst, there would have to be a symbol, representation of the confidence that comes with eventual intellect and spiritual growth.” (Funny in Farsi, 140)

Definition: A painted cloth hung at the back of a stage set

Context clues: I used my prior knowledge knowing that in a gymnastic event, a backdrop is a curtain that holds the gymnast in case they fall, so I figured that a backdrop meant it had to do with a setting of some sort.

Original sentence: when my friend was doing his act in the gym, he used the backdrop to ease his fall so he didn’t hurt himself in case he fell.

Noxious

Noxious

Adjective


“Without taking a break, I scrubbed intensely, trying my best not to inhale the noxious fumes.” (Funny in Farsi, 127)

Definition: harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being.

Context clues: I used my prior knowledge to realize that when there is a bad smell in the air, that when it was described by the word noxious, that it must have meant that noxious was meant to mean something harmful or foul.

Original sentence: when I was trying to clean the mold off the walls, I could smell the noxious fumes coming off the walls.

vocab

Permutation

Noun

“Every once in a while, though, somebody comes up with a new permutation and I am once again reminded that I am an immigrant with a foreign name” (Funny in Farsi, 66)

Definition: The act of changing the order of elements arranged in a particular order.

Page: 66

Context clues: I used my prior knowledge and then rereading the word in the sentence to realize that permutation is when something tends to change.

Original sentence: I will be cheering on my teammates and telling them what position to be in then I realize a new permutation and I am reminded that I am no longer a soccer player anymore because I am physically unable to play.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

impelling

Impelling

Verb

Definition: to drive or urge forward; press on; incite or constrain to action.

Page: 153

Context clues: I used my prior knowledge knowing that my friends have helped compel me to do well in school.

Original sentence: “the single most significant factor, he realized, was a sense of future vision-the impelling conviction of those who were to survive that they had a mission to perform.”

constructive

Constructive

Adjective

Definition: helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement

Page: 153

Context clues: I used my prior knowledge by knowing that my dad is in construction and he helps develop advanced room additions to houses.

Original sentence: “some may seem constructive.”

capacity

Capacity

Noun

Definition: the maximum amount or number that can be received or contained

Page: 143

Context clues: use my prior knowledge to know that capacity is when u fill somrhting up or do something to the max.

Original sentence: “As he found within himself the capacity to rise above the humiliating circumstance, he became an observer as well as a participant in the experience.”

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Dote

Dote

“Now, whenever we visit my relatives, all of whom dote on my husband, I realized that he didn’t marry me despite my tribe, he married because of them.” (Funny in Farsi, 103)

Context clues: I used my logic realizing that the family still loves her husband despite the fact that he is different.

Definition: to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually (usually fol. by on or upon)

Original sentence: even though I may be a pain from time to time, my parents still dote on me regardless.

Strewn

Strewn

“To my delight, I found that the lawn had been strewn with the miniature Iranian flags.” (Funny in Farsi, 113)

Context clues: I used my logic to find know that a lawn can by strewn with flowers and plants.

Original sentence: my mom had strewn many different eggs and candy all over the lawn for the children to find during the Easter egg hunt.

Definition: to let fall in separate pieces or particles over a surface; scatter or sprinkle

Baklava

Baklava

“In Berkley, and only in Berkley, my name drew people like flies to baklava.” (Funny in Farsi, 64)

Part of Speech: noun

Context clues: used logic with flies attracting to sweet foods.

Definition: a Near Eastern pastry made of many layers of paper-thin dough with a filling of ground nuts, baked and then drenched in a syrup of honey and sometimes rosewater.

Original sentence: today in class, angela brought baklava to class for all of us to eat.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

monstrosity

mostrosity

noun

def: maul formation of a plant of an animal

pg 45

context clues: we could not make this any less busy

original sentence: despite my fathers reassuance there existed no bag in our house big enough to hold this mostrosity

dubious

dubious

adj

def: of doubtful promise or outcome

context clue: my logic was that she didnt want to be an interpreter

original sentence: "my brother farshid, with his schedule full of soccer, wrestling, and karate, was too busy to be recruited for this dubious award".

leisure

leisure time

noun

def: freedom provided by the sensation of activities

pg 41

context clues: dominated by television

original sentence: f"or most americans, leisure time is dominated by television".

Thursday, September 3, 2009

frenzied

Frenzied

Adjective

“Between frenzied shopping trips to sears to buy presents for the relatives back home, my mother spent her last few weeks giving gifts to our American friends.” Pg. 35

Shopping is an example of frenzied because when shopping, people go crazy, especially during sales and during Christmas shopping.

Feeling or showing of abnormal excitement.

The crowd was frenzied when the home team made a touchdown