Grade 11-12: Vocabulary Lesson for Thursday, Week 10

Word List 10

1. oligarchy: government by a few, especially by a small faction of persons or families; those making up such a government
2. parameter: one of a set of measurable factors, such as temperature and pressure, that define a system and determine its behavior and are varied in an experiment.
3. precipitous: resembling a precipice; extremely steep; having several precipices: a precipitous bluff; extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate
4. reparation: the act or process of repairing or the condition of being repaired; the act or process of making amends; expiation; something done or paid to compensate or make amends
5. sanguine: of the color of blood; red; of a healthy reddish color; ruddy; cheerfully confident; optimistic
6. supercilious: feeling or showing haughty disdain
7. vacuous: lacking intelligence; stupid; devoid of substance or meaning; inane; devoid of expression; vacant

Thursday Activities

1. Test yourself with this link, Easy TestMaker. You will have to create an account to save your tests. Read the directions and create your own test. You can choose from many formats. We suggest you try "Fill in the blank" and make up a sentence using your vocabulary word. You can download it into Word if you wish. Print out the test you created and complete it. Insert it into your notebook.
2. Word Scrambler - Click on the link and create your own word scrambler with your vocabulary words. Type in the number of words you wish to scramble and press the "next" buton. You will see a sheet that has the answers for you. Press next again and print out the page. Complete it and put it in your notebook.
3. Go to the Spelling City website. Type in your list of vocabulary words. Click on the button that says Play A Game. Select Which Word. Play the game and write down the fill-in-the-blank sentences in your notebook.

Other Help

If you need more information on your words, click on the link to use a on-line dictionary.

Use the daily activities to help you remember words that you learn each week. It is much easier to remember what the words mean if you do something with them and use them frequently in talking with your parents, family and friends.

Sample sentences:

Many Middle-Eastern countries are ruled by oligarchy.
Conspiracy enthusiasts often talk of a small oligarchy of hidden people who want to impose their agenda for world domination.

I prefer a job that specifies the exact parameters required for successful completion.
Weather forecasting is often complicated because of the large set of parameters involved.

The precipitous fall of the stock market caused problems around the world.
I picked my way down the precipitous slope with great care, not wanting to tumble to the bottom.

One issue facing Congress is how to aware reparation to wronged racial groups from our past.
Reparation to victims of crime is becoming more common.

My sanguine complexion told everyone in the office that I had spent more time on the beach than in conference meetings.
Financial analysts are becoming much more sanguine about their expectations for future growth.

He might be wealthy but few people like him because of his supercilious attitude.
"If you are planning to get out of that neighborhood alive," the training officer told me, "you had best lose that supercilious attitude.^

I approached someone for directions but the vacuous look on his face told me that I need not bother.
The committee had so many varied viewpoints that their final pronouncement was fairly vacuous.

 
 

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