Preface of The picture of Dorian Gray

Why is this a manifesto about the purpose of Art, the role of the artist, and the value of beauty?
Wilde expresses his opinion about art saying that the artist's role is to create beautiful things and keep people interested enough to discuss their work. The purpose of art is art itself and eveerything is art- it all depends on the interpretation of the spectator.

How does he define both artist and critic?
The artist creates the piece of art with their meaning and it is the artist's job to keep the critic guessing because that is the intial intent of the work of art.

What do you think he meant by saying "a book can be moral or immoral?"
Wilde believes that there is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. People have different morals or beliefs. There is no morality in art, only beauty or an absence of beauty. A book is either well written or badly written.

Interpret: "Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril." Is this a warning of some kind?
I think this just means that the people who fail, and feel down do so because they want to. If you want to succeed you can, because you can make it happen. You can be optimistic.

Interpret: "It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors."
I think this quote means that art really tries to interpret people and their actions rather than life itself and what is believed life should be and the way people should act.

Explain whimsical last line: "All art is quite useless."
He means that art is useless because you cannot do anything more than just admire it or own it or question it. Art is just art.

The picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Aestheticism: the acceptance of, artistic beauty and taste as a fundamental standard, ethical and other standards being secondary.

Decadents: Marked by or providing unrestrained gratification; self-indulgent.

Victorianism: the distinctive character, thought, tendencies, etc., of the Victorian period.

Biography on Oscar Wilde:
Born: October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland
Wilde's education: Royal school scholar at Trinity College, Magdalen College
Married: Constance Lloyd on May 29, 1884
Children: 2 Sons, Cyril (1885) and Vyvyan (1886)
Lovers: Frank Miles, Constance Lloyd (Wilde's wife), Robert Baldwin Ross, and Lord Alfred Douglas
Crimes/Arrests:
Tragedies:
Death of wife: Died of spinal surgery in 1898
Literary Works: -A Florentine Tragedy
-A Woman of No Importance
-An Ideal Husband, Salome
His Death:Died of cerebral meningitis, November 30, 1900 in Paris France.
Any particular quotes that you like:
"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."
"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal."
"Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing."
"Illusion is the first of all pleasures."
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."

Act I of Othello

SCENE I:
[Enter Roderigo to speak to Iago on the streets of New York]

Iago: I got a problem with the way Othello's runnin' ---- around here. I hate him.

Roderigo: Word, yo me too son. I've been tryna get with Desdemona for the ill while and now I found out that she's married to Othello. That's some bull----.

Iago: Well, my problem with him is that I've been tryna move up to the position of lieutenant, but that ---hole promoted Michael Cassio instead.

Roderigo: Damn man, He's takin away everything we want. Let's make him pay.

Iago: I was hoping you would say that. (Laughs) I have a plan. First, we'll go to Brabantio's house and tell him of Othello and Desdemona's marriage. Her pops will be so tight when he finds out.

Roderigo: And he's got madd political connections. He'll get the Duke to annul the marriage in no time.

Iago: And when that happens, I'll be there to support him. (Laughs) You know what they say; "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

[Fades Out]

[Enter Iago and Roderigo at Brabantio's house]

Roderigo: Yo Brabantio! Where you at son?

Iago: "Awake! What ho, Brabantio! Thieves! Thieves! Thieves! Look to your home, your daughter and your bags! Thieves! Thieves!"

[Enter Brabantio at the balcony]

Brabantio: What the hell is going on? What do you two want?

Iago: "Get dressed and come down here because and old black ram is tupping your white ewe."

Brabantio: What the ---- is that supposed to mean?

Roderigo: Son, word on the street is ya daughters been kickin' it wit that old dude Othello.

[Brabantio rushes to Desdemona's room. It's empty. Brabantio then runs down stairs without changing into his day clothes]

Brabantio: Roderigo, Are they married?

Roderigo: Yes.

Brabantio: TREASON!

Roderigo: You know, you can find Othello at 42nd Street and Times Square.

[Brabantio hurries off in a rage]

[Fades Out]

SCENE II:

[Enter Othello joined by Iago]

Iago: "Othello, while speaking to Roderigo, he prated and spoke such scurvy and provoking terms against your honor that with little godliness I have, I did full hard forbear him."

[Enter Cassio]

Cassio: Othello, the Duke wants to see you A.S.A.P. It's madd urgent.

[Enter Brabantio and Roderigo]

Brabantio: Who the ---- do you think you are screwing around with my precious daughter?

Othello:With all do respect sir, I love ya daughter. I’d neva do anything to hurt her.

Brabantio: Whatever. You’re a bad--- liar and a no good son of a … I demand that you go to prison.

Othello: I’m sorry sir but that cannot and will not happen because the Duke needs me.

Brabantio: Yeah right. Let’s see what the Duke has to say. He’ll surely name you a criminal.

[Fades Out]

SCENE III:

[Open in the Court Chamber where Othello is being spoken to privately]

Duke: What are we going to do about the attack on the Texas fleet Othello?

Othello: I will do whatever you tell me sir.

Senator 1: We are sending you immediately. Get ready.

Senator 2: Yes and you’ll also be assigned soldiers to go along with you.

[Enter Brabantio]

Brabantio: You -----. “You corrupted my daughter with spells and medicines bought of montebanks.”

Othello: Excuse me senators. Brabantio, to prove our love is true, lets call her here. Her testimony is the only defense I need.

Duke: Quick, someone summon Desdemona.

Othello: Duke, Brabantio. Desdemona and I fell in love about one year ago. I saw her walking on the Upper East Side. She had a lot of shopping bags. It was raining, I offered her my umbrella and we caught each other’s eyes. She thanked me and asked if I wanted to have lunch. Of course I accepted. From then on, we were inseparable.

[Enter Desdemona and Iago]

Desdemona: Daddy, I’m sorry I’ve betrayed you but I am madly in love with Othello.

Barbantio: My child, he’s a dirty Moor. You deserve better than that. (Points to Othello)

[Desdemona walks toward the Duke]

Desdemona: Duke, please allow me to accompany my husband to Florida. I cannot bear to be without my love.

Duke: Yes, you may go. But Othello must leave immediately. You will meet him there at a later time.

[Othello smiles at Desdemona and turns to Iago]

Othello: “Honest Iago, my Desdemona must I leave to thee.”

[Exits Othello, Desdemona, Brabantio, The Duke and his Senators]

Iago: Don’t worry Roderigo. Her love is fading. If you join me in Florida, I’ll continue my plan to ---- up their lives.

Roderigo: Iight son. No Prob.

[Roderigo agrees and exits]

Iago: [Aside] My plan is slowly coming together. Now for phase two, I will continue to make Othello believe I am his “true friend.” He’ll confide in me and trust me to the fullest. Little does he know however, my “friendship” will destroy him. (Laughs) The title of General will soon be mine. Oh My God! I am a genius. I'm gonna destroy both of my enemies with the same lie. That stupid Moor. Destroyed. That job stealing Cassio. Destroyed. Me? Reaping all the benefits. Ah! Life is great.

[Fades Out]

Persona

What tragedies have you experienced? Do you have any tragic flaws or know of someone who has?

One tragedy that I experienced in my life was the death of my step sister Natalie. It was a tragedy all right. She was 18 years old and she got killed. Hit-and-run by 3 cars. It was a very difficult time for everyone. I love her so much and we were so close that it was kind of unbelievable. Sometimes you can get some closure but in this case the pain is still there and the wound still open because even after almost 4 years of her death, nobody has been charged with her murder.

I would say my tragic flaw is that sometimes I am too naive and I believe that everyone else is like me. I trust people that do not deserve to be trusted. I try to help everyone and I always give more than I receive because I believe that you do not have to wait to get, you should just give, and in the end I turn out to be too good in my friendships and relationships.

Elements of Drama

What is a play?
A play is a drama that is performed on a stage.

What is involved in a play?
In a play you have drama, conflict, characters, a setting, props, play writes, music, lighting, etc.

Where did Shakespeare’s plays staged?
English Renaissance theatre.

Who did he write his plays for?
The Queen.

Who was his audience?
His audience was more the people of the courts, because he was afraid of losing the royal favors, which is why he performed here more than in any other place.

Who were the actors/actresses?
His actors were those from the Chamberlain’s and Kings Men.

How were the characters dressed?
Very uptight. Puffy dresses

How did they speak?
Their way of speaking is in the way Shakespeare write his plays, meaning that Shakespeare made his writing and the way it was spoken.

Can we plot a play? Yes. Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution.

What do you think was the cultural background of the actors/actresses? Any people of color?
I would say there might have been because in one of Shakespeare’s plays, Othello, the main character was a man of color.

How many of Shakespeare’s plays have you read or know about?
I haven’t read any but I have heard of Romeo and Juliet.

Have you ever seen an On/Off Broadway play?
No.

Do you like plays? Why or Why not?
I like plays because it is a different kind of literature and it is fun if you actually want to put the play together.

Group Work:
Okay from what you already know, and learned now tell me if you had to put on a play what kind of play would it be, and what would be involved in putting on your play?
Well, I would say a dramatic play of things that happen in our everyday lives like family and love problems. I would involve both men and women, different ethnic backgrounds and a lot of the important events going on at the time.

Here is a topic that you can work on: “if you see something, say something”. Now if this was the name of your play what monologue/dialogue would you expect or write for this play?
I would make it a monologue, maybe when a person sees a suspicious package and wonders what the package contains and then debates with himself whether he should take action and speak up or just assume everything is alright.

The Moors

Who were the Moors?
Who was the most famous Moor?

-Dark skin people from Africa, Spain and Morocco.
-During the 13th century
-Helped advance the culture and education
-They tolerated Christians and Jews
-Known as barbarians
-Known as Muslims

-The most famous Moor was Othello.

SAT Vocabulary List 10

List #10

Affinity n. a liking, fondness, or similarity.
I have an affinity for baseball.

Amenity n. a luxury; an attractive or comfortable feature.
The house has a swimming pool, two fireplaces, and other amenities.

Antithesis n. the direct opposite.
Her behavior was the very antithesis of cowardly.

Covert adj. secret; hidden.
Covert military operations are dangerous.

Domestic adj. having to do with the household or family; not foreign.
There are animals which are domestic and some that are wild.

Emulate v. to imitate or follow a model; to strive to equal or excel in.
Emulating someone’s strength can make you a smarter individual.

Inept adj. clumsy; awkward; incompetent.
I hate when Mayra calls her cousin an inept.

Integral adj. essential; necessary and important.
Dave was integral to the baseball team, he was the best pitcher.

Inundate v. to overwhelm; to flood.
My friend’s basement inundated twice with all the rain this year.

Nepotism n. showing favoritism to friends or family in business or politics.
She was accused of nepotism when she made her son officer of the firm.

Notorious adj. famous for something bad; infamous.
Tony is a notorious gambler.

Pacify v. to calm someone down; to placate.
To pacify people, the news said that the drought wasn’t that serious.

Philanthropy n. love of mankind, especially by doing good deeds.
People who volunteer for church activities are engaging in philanthropy.

Propriety n. proper behavior; good manners.
It is considered propriety to look people in the eyes when you are speaking to them.

Reciprocal adj. mutual, shared, interchangeable.
We should have reciprocal respect.

Succinct adj. brief and to the point; concise.
We were given so little time to give our speeches that we had to keep them succinct.

Transient adj. not staying for a long time; temporary.
We knew the snow in December wasn’t transient, so we just get used to it.

Trepidation n. fear; apprehension; nervous trembling.
The first day of school for children is always filled with trepidation.

Usurp v. to seize wrongfully.
To usurp somebody’s identity is a crime.

Versatile adj. adaptable; flexible; resourceful.
Photoshop is a versatile tool for young photo masters.

Viable adj. capable of working, functioning, or developing adequately.
Psychology was a viable career alternative.

Voluminous adj. large in number, quantity or bulk.
The volcano had a voluminous flow of lava.

Waive v. to give up a claim to; to forgo.
The application fee can be waived if you provide proof of income.

Wont adj. accustomed or apt; used to (as in habit).
It was her wont to eat breakfast very morning.

Zenith n. the highest point; the culminating point.
I was happy that Jose had hit the zenith of his life.

SAT Vocabulary List 9

List #9

Accentuate v. to stress or highlight.
The color red really accentuates your skin tone.

Animosity n. hatred, hostility or enmity.
John’s animosity toward its neighbor was evident in their fights.

Appraise v. To estimate the monetary value of.
The antique painting was appraised at $5,000.

Cacophony n. harsh-sounding mixture of words voices or sounds.
I hate the cacophony produced by city traffic in New York.

Cognizant adj. aware; knowledgeable.
Alan was cognizant of the dangers of playing with fire.

Copious adj. abundant; plentiful.
The body needs a copious amount of water each day.

Dubious adj. doubtful; uncertain.
I was dubious about passing the math test, and I was right, I didn’t pass it.

Enigma n. mystery.
I am an enigma; I always seem to get myself into trouble.

Instigate v. to serve as the inciting cause of; to provoke or stir up.
Instigating fights can get you into trouble.

Impeccable adj. flawless; entirely without sin or fault.
George’s writing is impeccable.

Loquacious adj. talking a lot or too much.
Manuel is so loquacious that people avoid him on the phone sometimes.

Ostentatious adj. showing off; pretentious.
I hate the type of people that just do things to be ostentatious.

Perturb v. to disturb or annoy greatly.
Mr. Smith was perturbed because he couldn’t sleep due to a party next door.

Precedent n. an earlier example or model of something.
September 11 set a precedent on how united we are in times of crisis.

Rigorous adj. strict, harsh or severe.
Sometimes the best way to learn is not in a rigorous way but in a gentle one.

Tantamount adj. equivalent to.
His angry speech was tantamount to a fight.

Tentative adj. temporary; uncertain.
The plans for the weekend are still tentative.

Ubiquitous adj. being everywhere at the same time.
We had a day of ubiquitous fog.

Unwitting adj. unintentional; unaware.
I didn’t know that by giving him money I was unwittingly helping him to buy drugs.

Vacillate v. to be undecided; to waver.
School and college aren’t good things to vacillate with.

Vindictive adj. seeking revenge; spiteful; malicious.
When someone hurts you, don’t waste your time being vindictive, just move on.

Vociferous adj. vocal; expressive in a loud manner.
Julia can sometimes have a vociferous manner of expression.

Volition n. will; conscious choice.
People act on impulses or volition.

Whet v. to stimulate; arouse; entice.
The smell of the garlic whets my appetite.

Zealous adj. enthusiastically devoted to something; fervent.
Some mothers are so zealous to their newborns that they would stay home from work.

SAT Vocabulary List 8

List #8

Anachronism n. something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, esp. a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time.
To assign Shakespeare to the 21st century is an anachronism.

Blatant adj. conspicuous; without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious.
He says he loves me but it is a blatant lie.

Capricious adj. changeable; whimsical; impulsive.
Today we had a capricious summer breeze.

Clairvoyant adj. foreseeing the future; perceiving things beyond the natural range of the senses.
I don’t like that show on lifetime with the clairvoyant lady.

Concise adj. expressing much in few words; succinct; to the point
I love when people are concise and still don’t leave any important details out.

Connoisseur n. a person with expert knowledge or training, especially in the fine arts.
She was a connoisseur of fine paintings from all over the world.

Debilitate v. to make weak.
The extreme heat debilitated him in the race.

Deplore v. to express strong disapproval of.
Many people deplore the war in Iraq.

Digression n. wandering from the main path of a journey; a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern).
The digression from his career makes him upset.

Diminutive adj. very small.
The essay had some diminutive mistakes, but overall it was good.

Endearing adj. Inspiring affection or warm sympathy.
David has an endearing smile.

Eradicate v. to kill or destroy in large numbers.
The holocaust was an act that eradicated people.

Erudite adj. characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly.
Her erudite comments earned her extra points in the class.

Extricate v. to release from entanglement of difficulty.
I wish I can extricate myself from this heartbreaking situation.

Fidelity n. loyalty; faithfulness to promises, duties, etc.
You promised fidelity but it seems as if you forgot.

Foster v. to help develop or promote the growth of.
I am never ready to foster new ideas.

Inadvertently adv. without knowledge or intention.
I inadvertently threw out the piece of paper with your number on it.

Pandemonium n. a state of extreme confusion and disorder.
You just create pandemonium when you speak.

Plethora n. overabundance; excess.
America is a country with a plethora of cultures.

Portend v. to foreshadow; indicate by signs.
It was so cloudy that I portended it was going to rain.

Precocious adj. characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude).
Laritza was a precocious child.

Scrutinize v. to look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail.
She scrutinized his English assignment.

Sequester v. to keep away from others; take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority.
He sequestered himself after his family problem.

Spurn v. to reject with contempt.
She spurned my gift even after I begged her to take it.

Unkempt adj. not properly cared for or maintained.
Unkempt hair and clothes give an impression of you on other people.

SAT Vocabulary List 7

List #7

Abject adj. most unfortunate or miserable.
The most abject people are those without a home.

Acquiesce v. to agree or express agreement.
My father acquiesced to my decision of going to college.

Agile adj. moving quickly and lightly.
Melanie’s agile mind was able to learn half the dictionary in a week.

Allot v. to give out; to administer or bestow, as in small portions.
The students were allotted new identification cards.

Commemorate v. to call to remembrance; keep alive the memory of someone or something, as in a ceremony.
The family gathered to commemorate the 25th anniversary of my parent’s marriage.

Comprehensive adj. including all or everything.
The news did not have a comprehensive coverage on the issue of school safety.

Conducive adj. tending to bring about; being partly responsible for.

Good eating habits are conducive to good health.

Deference n. respect, reverence; a yielding to the will of others by word or deed.
Many children do not show deference to their teachers.

Degrade v. to reduce in worth or character, usually verbally.
You can critic someone without degrading them.

Disseminate v. to become widely known; to give out (as in information).
The teacher disseminated the fact that not many students passed the regents.

Divulge v. to make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret.
The news divulged the previous condition of the site where our school now stands.

Dwindle v. to become smaller or lose substance.
Her expenses dwindled due to her new resolution of not wasting unnecessary money.

Eloquent adj. expressing oneself readily, clearly, effectively.
The way he answered the question was in a very eloquent manner.

Enmity n. the feeling of hatred or deep-seated ill-will.
Enmity is a feeling that you should try to abstain from.

Incongruous adj. lacking in harmony, compatibility or appropriateness.
Cursing is incongruous if you do so in school.

Lucrative adj. producing a good profit.
A lucrative business is everyone’s dream.

Penchant n. a strong liking.
I have a penchant for outdoor activities.

Pervasive adj. spreading throughout.
The pervasive odor of garlic opens my appetite.

Plausible adj. believable, possible, or accepting.
She didn’t come to school because it was raining and the teacher didn’t think it was a plausible excuse.

Prolific adj. abundant, productive.
There is a prolific tomato tree in my grandmother’s backyard.

Relinquish v. to yield to the control of another; to release, as from one's grip.
The king didn’t want to relinquish the throne.

Respite n. a pause from doing something (as work); an interruption; a temporary relief .
Sometimes you can get work done better when you take a couple of respites.

Subsequent adj. following in time or order.
Subsequent to their arrival in Chicago, they bought house.

Sycophant n. a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage.
There are mad sycophants at ITHS.

Tremulous adj. quivering as from weakness or fear.
During the performance, his tremulous voice revealed he was very nervous.

SAT Vocabulary List 6

List #6

Affiliate v. to join, as in an organization; to keep company with or hang out.
I affiliate myself with very few people.

Astute adj. clever; intelligent in a shrewd manner.
He is considered a very astute businessman.

Chagrin n. strong feelings of embarrassment or shame.
His chagrin was evident when he was ridiculed in front of the entire school.

Countenance n. facial expression.
His countenance showed a great deal of pain.

Demeanor n. behavioral attributes; the way a person behaves toward other people.
Her demeanor showed her great sense of respect for others.

Evade v. to avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues).
Sometimes it is best to evade things if they are going to make you upset.

Expeditious adj. Speedy; hasty.
I don’t like to work in an expeditious manner.

Extol v. praise; pay tribute to.
She was extolled for the way she managed to do everything so diligently.

Fortify v. to make strong or stronger.
Speaking about your true feelings can fortify your relationship.

Fraternal adj. like or characteristic of a brother.
They are fraternal twins.

Futile adj. Unproductive; producing no result or effect.
Her efforts were futile because he really didn’t want to try.

Immutable adj. unchangeable in form, quality or nature.
My love for you is immutable and forever it will be.

Impulsive adj. characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation.
Being impulsive can get you into trouble.

Incessant adj. occurring so frequently as to seem ceaseless or uninterrupted.
The people upstairs are making an incessant noise.

Incoherent adj. unable to express clearly or fluently.
She was so nervous that she was talking incoherently.

Indict v. to accuse formally of a crime.
O.J. Simpson wasn’t indicted for the crime.

Inexplicable adj. incapable of being explained or accounted for.
It was inexplicable the reasons why she dropped out of school.

Juxtapose v. to place side by side.
I was juxtaposed with Emily in the race.

Listless adj. lacking vivacity; having low spirits.
Staying indoors makes me listless and bored.

Premonition n. an early warning about a future event; a feeling of evil to come; omen.
I hate when my mom has premonition dreams.

Rectify v. to make right or correct.
I think everyone has the right to be given a chance to rectify mistakes.

Reiterate v. to say, state, or perform again.
She kept reiterating the fact that she wanted to move.

Stagnate v. to be idle; exist in a changeless situation; to stand without moving.
He stagnated in his house all morning.

Vex v. annoy or irritate.
His noisy neighbors often vexed him.

Voracious adj. Ravenous or excessively greedy.
She is a voracious collector of dolls.

SAT Vocabulary List 5

List #5

Affirmative adj. in support of, affirming or giving assent.
When she was asked if she understood, she gave an affirmative nod.

Alleviate v. provide physical relief, as from pain; make easier.
Tylenol alleviates pains.

Augment v. to add to, enlarge.
The eye doctor said that he needs to augment the dose of his medication.

Corpulent adj. excessively fat.
She gets offended when they call her a corplent woman.

Correlate v. bring into a mutual, complementary, or reciprocal relation.
We need to correlate expenses and income.

Docile adj. willing to be taught, led, supervised or directed.
Maria was happy that she bought a docile dog.

Emanate v. proceed or issue forth, as from a source.
Water emanates from the ceiling into the house.

Embark v. set out on (an enterprise, subject of study, etc.), to go on board, or to proceed despite danger risk.
They need to understand that it is time for me to embark on the journey of life.

Epitome adj. a standard or ideal example.
He is the epitome of goodness.

Exorbitant adj. greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation.
Having 10 cars is just exorbitant luxury.

Fallible adj. likely to fail or be inaccurate.
When you search in the web you are likely to find fallible information.

Imperative adj. essential and urgent; requiring attention or action
It is imperative that you start your treatment now.

Indigence n. a state of extreme poverty or destitution.
Indigence is not crime, just a condition.

Inevitable adj. predictable, unavoidable, expected.
The inevitable end of human life is death.

Irate adj. feeling or showing extreme anger.
I hate attending to an irate customer.

Mediate v. to act between parties with a view to reconcile differences.
He mediated the dispute between the sexes.

Nonchalant adj. casual, causing no concern.
His nonchalant manner infuriated me.

Ostracize v. avoid speaking to or dealing with; to make an outcast.
His friends ostracized him after his father's arrest.

Preclude v. to keep from happening or arising; to prevent.
Te insufficiency of the evidence precluded a conviction.

Proclamation n. a formal public statement.
Every time the president makes a proclamation, the country is outraged.

Punitive adj. inflicting punishment.
Some people are against punitive laws.

Querulous adj. habitually complaining.
Constant querulous annoys anybody.

Revert v. go back to a previous state.
Once something comes out of your mouth, they can never be reverted.

Spurious adj. false or fake.
The diamond was considered spurious because it was man made.

Vicarious adj. experienced at secondhand.
I heard her speak of her vacation and I felt vicarious excitement.

SAT Vocabulary List 4

List #4

Apprise v. to inform, explain or impart.
I just want you to apprise me of any changes.

Ardent adj. passionate, enthusiastic, or fervent.
Certain scenes in the movie were considered too ardent for children under 17.

Assiduous adj. working diligently at a task; persevering.
Jael was found in the middle of some assiduous reading.

Conform v. to do what's expected; to follow the rules and be conventional.
You shouldn’t conform to just a high school diploma.

Consign v. to hand over or deliver formally or officially; commit.
She decided to consign two afternoons a week to the charity group.

Constitute v. to represent or comprise.
He was constituted treasurer.

Contrive v. to arrange, plan or scheme.
She contrived a party for his return home.

Delineate v. to describe or portray.
In her speech she delineated the city plan.

Desultory adj. disconnected; random.
After the speech she let out such a desultory remark.

Diligence n. constant and earnest effort; hard work.
Diligence is one of the keys to success in school.

Embalm v. to preserve; mummify.
Embalming was used a lot in the time of the mummies.

Eminent adj. well-known, famous, reputable.
At the end of her term, she was considered an eminent spokesperson.

Employ v. to use or provide work for.
Home depot is looking to employ at least 200 people.

Exhort v. to urge on strongly.
The general exhorted the troops to hold the line.

Extrinsic adj. not essential or inherent; outward or external.
Try to leave all extrinsic details out of the essay.

Facility n. capability or competence.
The art of writing poetry came to him with great facility.

Felicity n. a state of happiness or well-being.
At times it is very hard for me to find felicity with all the other problems in my life.

Furnish v. to supply or provide.
The delay furnished me with the time I needed.

Haste n. swiftness of motion; speed; thoughtless quick action.
Do nothing in haste, always think of each step.

Innate adj. natural, instinctive, or inherent.
He has an innate musical talent.

Precept n. teaching, guideline, or principle.
She provided us with precepts to do our essays.

Profound adj. having deep insight or understanding; reflective.
I have a profound desire to see him again.

Vigor n. energy, drive or vitality.
The economic recovery has given the country a new vigor.

Virtue n. a good, admirable quality; asset.
Being honest is one of her good virtues.

Vivacity n. liveliness; cheerful energy.
People noticed my vivacity after spending a weekend with him.

SAT Vocabulary List 3

List #3

Antiquated adj. old; outdated.
My siblings believe that our father can be antiquated at times.

Austere adj. severely simple; unadorned.
The special right triangles are austere to remember.

Avaricious adj. greedy.
Children can be avaricious at times.

Bestial adj. animal-like.
The way he punched that man was bestial.

Bibliophile n. one who loves books.
My brother is a bibliophile.

Clandestine adj. sneaky; surreptitious.
I don’t like going to clandestine neighborhoods.

Clemency n. leniency; mercy.
When he asked for forgiveness he asked with lots of clemency.

Defame v. to slander, as in hurting one's reputation.
You can get sued if you defame someone.

Enfeeble v. to weaken; debilitate.
Do not let people’s opinions enfeeble your dreams.

Germane adj. relevant.
I didn’t know whether or not the paragraph was germane to the rest of the essay.

Hinder v. to prevent; obstruct.
Do not try to hinder me from leaving the state.

Illicit adj. unlawful or illegal.
I do not take part in any illicit activity.

Implicate v. To show or prove to be involved in or concerned.
He tried to implicate the witness in the murder.

Loathe v. to hate; to feel malice for.
You should not hurt or loathe others around you.

Misnomer n. A name wrongly or mistakenly used.
It is a misnomer to call her a doctor when she is just a nurse.

Neophyte n. a novice or a beginner.
When she asked how long she had been a lawyer she said she was a neophyte.

Noxious adj. harmful; toxic.
In the hospital, they have a special garbage can for noxious substances.

Omnipotent adj. having unlimited and universal power.
God is believed to be an omnipotent.

Omniscient adj. having unlimited or infinite knowledge.
I wish I was an omniscient.

Pious adj. religious.
My mom is a very pious person.

Requisite adj. Necessary; required.
It is a requisite to have 44 credits to graduate high school.

Subservient adj. obedient; compliant, in a servile manner.
My mom says that I am not very subservient with her.

Theology n. The study of God and religious teachings.
My sister hated having to take theology class in college.

Valor n. courage; bravery.
It takes a lot of valor to join the army.

Veracity n. truthfulness.
The way she explained her mistakes was full of veracity and really admirable.

SAT Vocabulary List 2

List #2

Abhorrent adj. Very repugnant; hateful.
I have a very abhorrent sibling.

Affluence n. great wealth or an abundant supply of riches.
My aunt is happy with her affluence.

Assess v. To evaluate or measure.
Teachers like to assess their students.

Brevity n. Shortness of duration.
There was brevity in the singer’s performance.

Commendable adj. Praiseworthy; admirable.
The way Jennifer handled the problem was commendable.

Condemn v. To express disapproval of; to criticize or denounce.
He condemned his daughter’s decisions.

Culpable adj. Blame-worthy or guilty.
I am not culpable of the outcome.

Decipher v. To find out the true words or meaning of, as something hardly legible.
It is hard to decipher whether he’s serious or joking.

Fiery adj. Burning or flaming hot.
The wings were fiery hot.

Fundamental adj. Basic or essential.
Fundamental math is the easiest.

Humane adj. Compassionate or charitable.
I consider myself a very humane person.

Hypnotic adj. Mesmerizing or spellbinding.
The look in his eyes is hypnotic.

Infuriate v. To enrage or madden.
You shouldn’t let stupidities infuriate you.

Intermingle vs. To mix together or interact.
Oil and water don’t intermingle.

Malicious adj. Malevolent or hateful.
The man is so malicious.

Manifest v. To reveal or exhibit.
We should manifest on the war.

Merciless adj. Cruel or unpitying.
The doctor was merciless.

Poignant adj. Moving; affecting.
Angelina is a poignant woman.

Pretentious adj. Conceited or showy.
Pretentious women get on my nerves.

Realm n. Area or territory.
The realm was 20,000 square feet.

Sentiment n. A response; feeling.
The sentiment on the greeting was touching.

Tangible adj. Perceptible by touch.
Ipods are tangible.

Transcendent adj. Uplifting; awe-inspiring.
Her reaction was transcendent.

Vital adj. Necessary; essential.
It was vital for her to pass the class.

Yearning n. A desire or longing.
I am still yearning for his return.

SAT Vocabulary List 1

List #1

Abase v. To lower in position, estimation, or the like; degrade.
Since I didn’t keep my grades up, I was abased to a regular English class.

Abdicate v. To give up (royal power or the like).
King George had to get ready to abdicate as king in two months.

Abduction n. A carrying away of a person against his will or illegally.
Kidnapping and abduction are crimes in the U.S.

Belittle v. To disparage; to put down.
It is wrong to belittle yourself.

Belligerent adj. Manifesting a warlike spirit.
Bush was belligerent towards Kerry.

Beneficial adj. Helpful.
Eating healthy foods is beneficial for the heart.

Benevolent adj. Kind, generous, doing good for others.
Volunteering for charity is a benevolent decision.

Benign adj. Good, unharmful.
Jane was happy that her tumor was benign.

Cajole v. To persuade; to impose on or dupe by flattering speech.
Don’t think you can cajole me into doing something I don’t want.

Candid adj. Honest and straightforward.
I love people who are fun and candid.

Capitulate v. To surrender or stipulate terms.
He knew it was best to capitulate himself when he found out about the consequences.

Captivate v. To fascinate, as by excellence, eloquence, or beauty.
David seems to always captivate me.

Dearth n. Scarcity, as of something essential or desirable.
In the party there was dearth of good looking men and I was upset.

Debase v. To lower in character or virtue.
I don’t think that tattoos would debase me as a person.

Decorum n. Propriety, properness.
My mother tells me to always show a sense of decorum even when there is nobody around.

Ebullient adj. Showing enthusiasm or exhilaration.
I was ebullient when she came out safe out of the surgery.

Efface v. To obliterate or destroy.
By cleaning up the kitchen I effaced all evidence of what I had cooked.

Effeminate adj. Having womanish traits or qualities.
The girl appeared effeminate even when she joined the soccer team.

Fabricate v. To invent falsely; lie.
It is said that when you take long to answer, you are fabricating.

Facsimile n. An exact copy or reproduction.
My printer is known to make facsimiles in a timely fashion.

Gamut n. The whole range or sequence.
There’s a wide gamut of flats for the summer.

Gluttonous adj. Greedy or given to excess in eating.
Being gluttonous is considered a compulsion.

Habitual adj. According to usual practice.
Do not make drinking alcohol a habitual activity.

Ignominious adj. Shameful or contemptible.
Stealing is an ignominious activity.

Inherent adj. Within one's nature; firmly established; natural.
She acts in a very inherent manner.

Jovial adj. Cheerful or merry.
My mother is a jovial woman and always makes me laugh.

Laudable adj. Praiseworthy.
Reorganizing the files was a laudable idea.

Longevity n. Long life; prolonged existence.
Longevity is desired by many people in the world.

Magnanimous adj. Generous in treating or judging others.
You don’t have to give away money to be a magnanimous person.

Malevolent adj. Wishing evil to others; mean-spirited.
There are malevolent people in the world, who wish you the worst.

SAT Vocabulary Poem

You belittled me to the point you made me unhappy.
You’re a candidate for evil.
I thought your love was benign.
You used to be hypnotic.
You used to be something I yearned for.
Condemned me for the things I did.
You fabricated your stories to make me believe you were never laudable.
It was hard to decipher if your feelings were true.
Your actions were malicious.
I can’t believe how you can infuriate me and at the same time make my heart fiery.
All this time I thought you were vital and beneficial but it turns out you were merciless.
You abased my love for you.
You captivated my attention with you pretentious ways.
You made me feel like I was culpable for everything that went wrong but all along I was humane to your selfish ways.
I think about the brevity of our relationship and it makes no sense.
You should feel ignominious for what you did to me.
It’s unbelievable that through it all I am still here writing you this poem to manifest my love,
This sentiment of love is so transcendent.
I can’t believe I’m still in love with you.