Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

by Toby Luria

Who and Where?

The vocabulary units easily lend themselves to both a home and a classroom experience. The poems can be read aloud by an adult, read individually silently or aloud by a child/student, or as classroom readers theater to then be followed by completion of the activities for each unit either individually, in partners, or in small groups.

What?
This Word Booster consists of 18 chapters. It includes most commonly used SAT words and definitions garnered from Burchers The Unofficial SAT Word Dictionary; Kaplans SAT Score-Raising Dictionary; Carnevales Hot Words for the SAT; The Oxford Thesaurus, American Edition; Barron's SAT, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary. Words were chosen for their frequency of use, the importance of possessing the knowledge of these words for presentation of oneself as a well-educated person, as well as the short-range goal of excelling on standardized tests for college and graduate schools. The author, Toby Luria, is a Cornell University graduate in Child Development and Family Relations and spent many years as a test coordinator and administrator for the Educational Testing Service. She brings the wisdom of her successful direct experience to the composition of this resource. The words selected were challenging, yet not beyond a childs development. Words with abstract definitions, or ones that have unclear meaning, were eliminated. An effort was made to include frequently-used words. Idiomatic expressions were also included to familiarize children with the meaning of words used in unexpected ways but that are part of our culture. These poems incorporate all words for a particular letter within a fascinating story. Each story is intended to contribute the added benefit of addressing the proper development of personal attitudeseach one covers a personality quirk. Issues include greed, pollution, egoism, fear of change, fear of growing up, bullying, overwork, overindulgence, work ethics etc. The exercises are varied, with the intent of incorporating the higher learning aspects of Blooms Taxonomy; are tailored to accommodate all types of learners; and build all aspects of critical thinking. While not the objective, because of the comprehensive inclusion of words, these are the building blocks for success on entrance exams for educational institutions. The units are geared toward junior high through high school students, and they are also for parents as an educational tool to build the vocabulary of younger children. Pieces of Learning ..........Introduction......1

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Three types of activities are presented after each poem: to promote understanding of the word through concepts given that will reinforce and further exemplify the meaning and usage, as well as form more associations with the word; using word games to further enhance word recognition and creative written use of several words in a cohesive idea to strengthen writing skills, to help make the words a more solid part of a students vocabulary; and to foster deeper thinking about values.

Why?
Is a child ever too young to be presented with the full complexity of the English language? One of the most valuable, yet often neglected, parts of a childs education is vocabulary. Vocabulary creates vital building blocks that contribute to impressive presentation throughout life. Understanding and learning to communicate with sophisticated language help build a strong foundation to take into the world. The ability to communicate well is a significant factor in academic success as well as in the attainment of higherquality employment opportunities. These vocabulary activities will prepare students so that they may excel not only on high-stakes standardized tests such as the PSAT, SAT, and ACT exams but also in life. Educators recognize the value of hearing language in context for accelerated development of the intellect. Acquiring an extensive vocabulary is not unlike learning a foreign language. There is no evidence that the language presented to children must be simplified. Reading not only subliminally patterns written presentation for a child but also can serve to build a greater comfort and skill level in expression that results from amassing a diversity of words.

When?
Within the classroom the units can stand alone or be offered as a strong addition to a traditional language arts program, as the activities are designed to focus on creative writing and critical thinking skills in addition to vocabulary. If every activity is completed, there is a full years worth of activities daily activities including time allotted to read reasonable sections of each poem. It is possible to modify the number of weeks to complete the activities. The activities presented can be alternated with, or added to, the teachers own preparation of more traditional retention-building assignments. Pieces of Learning Introduction................2

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

How?

Learning takes place most effectively while having fun. Do you remember the memorized facts, or the interesting facts that you learned in school? These vocabulary words are inserted into interesting rhyming poems. Rhymes slide down easily. The poems, when read out loud, catch the readers and listeners attention, so that the mind endeavors to fully understand them. With each rereading, the mind retains more. The vocabulary words in the Vocabulary That Matters are presented in a light, humorous, and engaging way. This creates the best learning environment. A child will absorb information unconsciously and more fully if they are involved with, and interested in, the material. Words will seep into the unconscious in much the same way that familiar songs and jingles become internalized. As an added bonus, the stories identify aspects of the personality which create challenges that are resolved within the story. There is an upbeat solution and positive lesson within each adventure. The verses are written so that the words embedded are both defined and understandable from context. In general, the vocabulary words are followed by a hyphen and then a simple definition. The concept Twenty Questions focuses on the more difficult words, likely standardized test words, and words that might need a realistic example to ensure that the concept is fully grasped. The answers require a well-constructed sentence. The puzzles Crosswords and Word Scrambles present another example of usage and are generally reiterating words that may be a little more familiar to the student. The Creative Written Expression activities offer prompts that will challenge the student to incorporate words in a creative story based on self exploration, analysis of moral values, or in critical thinking related to the protagonist of the poem. Suggestions for a more simplified writing response are offered where appropriate. When words are suggested for use within the creative writing activities, they were selected from those that should become a regular part of verbal expression. As the alphabet continues, the writing assignments encourage the student to refer to both earlier poems and the thesaurus. There is intentionally no length suggested for the writing assignments, as that will be left up to the discretion of the teacher. Access to a web-based thesaurus, and/or hard copy in the classroom, school or personal library, is highly recommended.

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Introduction................3

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

How to Use Vocabulary that Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Research tells us 1) the size of a students vocabulary is a predictor of the ability to comprehend what is written in all content areas, and that 2) students need specific vocabulary instruction in order to improve reading comprehension levels (Snow, Porche, Tabors & Harris, 2007). That instruction entails more than a list of words. It must involve content area words, knowledge of components of words (prefixes, suffixes, and root words), and cross-discipline words that can be applied to other content areas. In order to make a new word a part of a students permanent vocabulary, those words must be seen and used many times in different ways. They must be read, written, spoken, and used in conversation. Toby Luria offers a unique and engaging strategy to introduce new words storytelling through poetry. The new words are subtly defined within the poem, and when the students discuss the poems story they begin to use their newly acquired vocabulary. Activities that follow reinforce learning new words. If students read the poems aloud, in addition to hearing the definition of new words, the auditory strategy reinforces what the eyes see as students read along. The activities that accompany the poem are Twenty Questions, Crossword Puzzles and complementary Vocabulary in Context, Word Scrambles, and Creative Written Expression. Twenty Questions involves Blooms levels of thinking knowledge of the word, comprehension of its meaning, and application of the word in order to answer the questions. Often the student is called upon to analyze and evaluate the situation in order to provide an answer. This activity also requires correct grammar whether the questions are answered orally or in writing. None of the questions refer to the poem. Therefore, the poem does not have to be read to do the activity. The Crossword Puzzles and Vocabulary in Context use most of the same words. Therefore, students can do one or both activities to reinforce learning new words. The poem does not have to be read to do these two activities. Word Scrambles are easily unscrambled because the objective is not unscrambling, but to learn to spell and use the new words in context. Again, the poem does not have to be read to do the Scrambles. The Creative Written Expression often asks open-ended questions about the story poem involving characters values and actions before asking students to use new vocabulary words in their writing task. For use by teachers and parents: Poem Read independently silently or aloud, Read to classmates, partners, or parents, Readers theater in the classroom, Read in sections if the poem is long, and/or Record the poem orally for others to listen to.

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Introduction................4

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Twenty Questions Have each student take 1 or more questions and report answers back to the class, Work individually, Work in pairs one defines the word, one answers the question, and they discuss the answer, Use as homework, and/or Make a notebook with questions and answers for all to read. Word Scramble The objective is to learn the spelling and meaning in context of the words, not to make the unscrambling overshadow that objective, so words are easily unscrambled. Often students discover the authors patterns of scrambling. That is an unexpected bonus in this activity the critical thinking skill discovering patterns. For kinesthetic learners, use Scrabble letters to form the words.

Crossword and Vocabulary in Context One activity complements the other, so they can be done together to find answers, Work in pairs, with parents, or individually at whatever pace is appropriate, and/or Laminate the answer sheets so students can check their own work. Additional Activities for the Letters Successful Sagacity Using a new word each week. Card Activity Making flash cards with words and definitions. Win, Lose, Draw Team game that calls for illustrating the words. Charades - Team game that calls for acting out the word. Diurnal Dictionary Claiming ownership of 5 words per poem.

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Introduction................5

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Substitute Activities
1. Define the following word and use it in a sentence. Example: Burgeon: (answer: flourish, expand) Unfortunately, weeds seem to burgeon in my garden more easily than vegetables. 2. Underline the correct definition. Example: Belligerent: friendly, quarrelsome, sad, accommodating Sanguine: sad, cheerful, irritable, good-smelling 3. Underline the antonym. Spurious: genuine, angry, false, happy 4. In the following two columns of words, draw a line to the two matching words. a. exuberant a. high point b. extraneous b. joyful c. acme c. unneeded 5. In the following two columns of words, draw a line to the antonyms a. reprehensible a .extraordinary b. pompous b. honorable c. prosaic c. humble 6. Is the following underlined word a verb, an adjective, a noun, or an adverb? Write your answer and then define the word. Their voices were so mellifluous that I listened to their songs for hours. Mellifluous (adjective) Definition: flowing, musical, pleasing She obfuscated her answer, so they would not be able to know she was guilty. Obfuscate (verb) Definition: obscure; confuse; bewilder 7. Fill in the blank. Choose the definition for the following sentence, check your answer, and then rewrite the sentence with the vocabulary word. Example: He was so stingy and sparing (______________) that he would not even go to the movies. a. parsimonious b. perceptive c. pernicious d. pompous 8. Using a web-based thesaurus, find two relevant words (that fit in with the story) for the vocabulary word provided. Example: Inept: awkward, clumsy Pieces of Learning Introduction................6

The Adventures of Letter

Letter A is overwhelmed and overworked as a result of being the most highly utilized letter. When she rebels and escapes her duties, it creates total chaos. Once the other letters realize that she needs some assistance, they pledge to help her. Letter A accepts their offer and is determined to take more responsibility and deal with her feelings so shell remain a more balanced letter. Table of Contents Letter A The Adventures of Letters A ................................ 1 8 Diurnal Dictionary ................................................. 9 Activity One Twenty Questions ....................... 10 13 Activity Two Twenty Questions ........................ 14 17 Activity Three Crossword .................................. 18 Activity Four Vocabulary in Context .............. 19 - 21 Activity Five Twenty Questions........................ 22 24 Activity Six - Word Scramble .............................. 25 27 Activity Seven Twenty Questions..................... 28 - 30 Creative Written Expression ................................ 31 And Theres More .................................................... 32 Answers ..................................................................... 33 -34

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The Adventures of Letter

Letter is a letter whos always so busy; running here, running there, she gets very dizzy. Her job is so arduousstrenuous and hard it forces the A to be alert and on guard. Theres hardly a sentence, maybe not ever, in which you wont hear this abounding letter. There are so many letters with which A aligns they line upwith the A in a definite design. Her voice is so audiblecan clearly be heard in this alphabet stew into which she is stirred. She articulatespronounces her words very clearly knows all definitionswell, all of them, nearly. If a word is ambiguousunclearshes aware, that shed better look carefully and make others beware. Her acuityher sharp and keen understanding makes her so accurate when words are demanding. n appurtenance, an accessoryan additional feature is the fact that shes such an amenable creature agreeable, pleasantto all those around, one could argue that shes a most popular sound. lways in harmony, she agreesshe's in accord with every request, and this makes her adored. Readily accessibleavailable to all, so very accommodatingno job seems too tall. So affableso friendly, so easy-going her likable personality just keeps on growing. With an avidan eagerdesire to please, she satisfies everyonethey all feel appeased. Her actions apropos appropriate and right she just does her job with all of her might. Her supporters attestconfirm that it's true that little A is so good, right through and through. Without affectationfalse behavior to impress theres hardly a fault that shed need to confess. Shes never aloofdistant or cool. She even accepts those labeled as fools. So very astuteso clever and shrewd not a thing ever happens to affect her good mood. Shes acclaimedso approved, given great praise and never, not once, has she asked for a raise. Shes adulatedadmired to the utmost extreme yet, throughout all of this, shes one of the team. n amalgama blendof both strength and charm, she allaysshe relievesall fears with her calm. Her appeal and attractionher giant allure attracts followersadherentswho see her as pure. So extremely compatibleeveryone is her friend, whereas antipodaloppositesfight till the end. For instance, the B, never goes with the Z; or the D never thinks of being with G. Not true of the A, she likes them all well. No antipathydislikeshe thinks theyre all swell. She works with alacrityshes cheerfully ready, eager and prompther response is so steady. n ardentan eager, dedicatedworker, she never is lazy, shes never a shirker. Adroit, adeptso skillful, so clever she succeeds at her efforts, attemptsher endeavors. Shes assimilatedabsorbed, learnedso many words, some of which hardly anyones heard. Shes called on so much, shes athletically active. Shes also astoundinglyamazinglyattractive. To help her grow tall, slender, and slim, she works out every day in the alphabet gym.

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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Letter A

Page |2 As clothes are androgynousfor girls or for boys, claiming, Character, not clothes, gives one their joy. Her affinityattractionfor walking and biking keeps her quite fit, along with her hiking. Shes altruisticselflessly concerned for the others; she expects nothing backlike sisters and brothers. She advocatesstands for the rightsof all letters. She fights to make everyone's life so much better. Her words not archaicnever outdated. Other letters had words that were goneso illfated. Others seem secret, mysteriousarcane so ambiguous, so crypticnot at all plain. n academicso very interested in learning... so avidso eagerher curiosity burning. With archeology Astudies the long ago past by digging up things that just happened to last such as fossils, and bones, and pottery, and dishes, and things that a culture has valued as riches. When studying wateror all things aquatic A keeps it all orderly, arranged, not chaotic. Theres also astronomywhich studies the sky with its planets and starswhich daily glide by. Lets all applaud A and give a salute, shes steadfast, determinedso resolute. Lets give her accoladespraise, and applause buthold on just a moment, theres reason to pause. A moved all the timeshe was constantly astir but, was this quite frankly, what A did prefer? Were thinking that A must be a great sport. But, in truth, the fact is, Im obliged to report She felt antagonismhostilityshe just couldn't mend.
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that although our great A is usually there, to A this was feeling extremely unfair. In fact, the great A now felt hopeless despair. t the apexthe top of achieving, the peak her life began looking alarmingly bleak. The acmethe height, the successof her career should not have made A feel such humongous fear, but she couldnt keep up, and that was quite clear. ll thoughts of relaxing got so quickly dashed. If she ambledmoved slowlyeveryone was aghast, appalledthey were shockedthat shed arrived last. Her task astronomicaltremendous; extensive thorough and vigorousextremely intensive. Shed listen so closely for her letter, the A. Shed anticipateexpectbut then someone would say a word with a letter that sounded like A...neighbor, or weigh, or reindeer, and sleigh. Shed run to the word, so amicableso nice and abruptlyquite suddenlywas told, Be precise! This shocking and sudden turn of affairs made chaosconfusionthat ruffled her hair. lthough an anomalyirregular, not the norm shed been known for her superb, most perfect of forms. She wanted approbationapproval and praise not criticism or judgment about changing her ways. Her role felt ambiguousconfusing, unclear. The ambiancethe atmosphere increased her fear. She couldnt stick with itshe couldnt adhereto the rules which used to be so very clear. A words were an adversaryan enemy, not a friend.

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Letter A

Page |3 It seemed that her words daily accrued they greatly increasedand her anxiety grew. Her words so abstrusehard to understand the list grew so fast it was hard to withstand. The arraythe displayhad too many words. There began to be words that A never heard! Unevenly apportioneddistributed, and assignedjust seemed the way that words were designed. s her words just augmentedgrew ever greatershe was tempted to say, Bye, bye, see you later. To think Id keep up is just simply absurd, I'm allocated, allottedassignedtoo many words. Now, A was not bad, she was utterly true blue, but constant overuse would get to you, too. She wished to be more like the X, Y, or Z. She began to yell back, Youre calling on me? No, no, not again, please just let me be! Im agitatedshaken, disturbed, and upset. Im jumpy, and jittery, and I constantly fret. So apprehensivefilled with such dread, resentment increased with each A word they said. Feeling abysmalcompletely without hope it became very clear that she just could not cope. It was as if she were walking on a slippery slope. The situation acuteso severe and intense. Her responsibilities just seemed to grow more immense. ll this just aggravated her weakened condition it increased and worsenedher uncomfortable position. It ruined her attitudeher good disposition. Her anxiety accruedbuilt-up over time; the accretionthe increasetook a steep climb. It was as if she had fallen into an abyss a bottomless pitthat felt wrongso amiss.
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As life felt austereso harsh and so strict. She knew this was not the life she had picked. She felt apathya lack of excitement, emotion. Shed lost her old sense of focus, devotion. Others had avaricegreat desire for wealth but A always had valued the state of her health. Day-by-day she grew more nervous and pale, yet, her efforts to change were of no useno avail. Her power attenuatedweakened, reduced there were far fewer words that she could produce. Feeling anemicno vitality, no power, she was pale and so weaklike an old wilted flower. Her muscles had atrophiedwasted away from the hours, and hours in bed every day. ghost of herselflike a thin apparition how could she improve this horrible condition?! She felt very isolated as her life rearranged; she was alienateddistanced, detached, and estranged. How could she abolishremove and wipe out some of her words, which must go, without doubt? One afternoon her energy sapped. She dragged herself home to take a long nap. She was not even ambulatorycapable of walkingas she lay in her bed, not even talking. She cried and she thought, I can take it no more. My job I just hate, I detestI abhor. What would amelioratemake better, improve the way that I feel, so at least I could move? I used to be active, so nimbleso agile, but now all I feel is so frail and so fragile. I have an aversiondislikefor my sound. It seems that my spirit has just run aground. Aggrievedshe then felt such suffering and distress. She didn't know how to climb out of this mess. Would she be annihilatedcompletely destroyed? The thought of that really disturbed and annoyed.
Letter A

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Page |4 Sounds seemed so amplifiedenlarged and so loud. lthough no one was with her, there felt like a crowd. She thought very carefully about what she should do. She knew that she needed a huge change of view. Feeling adamantstubbornthat she'd no longer work, she questioned if she were going berserk. Ambivalenceindecision, conflicting emotions disappeared and a plan was set into motion. I need recreationI need a diversion. I must take a trip, an outingan excursion. That was a thought that did not augur well predicting the futurebecame easy to tell. Feeling audaciousso daring and bold a trip to the mountains for fresh air, felt like gold. round her frail shoulders warm clothing she draped. She abscondedsecretly took flight, she escaped. She bought some accouterments (uh Koo tur munts)needed equipment. She'd learn how to ski...A was done with commitments! She was feeling autonomousindependent and free. The surroundings were some that just seemed to agree. s A settled in to learn how to ski, words wasted awaythey just atrophied. The activity then proved too much for the A. She abraded her kneesscraped them upwhile at play. She packed up, she went home, and she called it a day. She returned to her abode her quaint little house, feeling puny, so small, like a quite tiny mouse.
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The aftermathconsequenceoutside was confusion; letters were bruised black and bluewith contusions. This dreadful event into which they were hurled, felt like the apocalypsethe end of the world. For a moment they thought, It's anarchy disorder. Has the government gone mad and run for the border? Had letter A been assailedtreated with violence? Perhaps, some mean letter, scared A into silence? Had she been kidnappedwas she abducted? Or just disappeared, or perhaps self-destructed? Perhaps, she was just being asininesilly? If that was the case, this stunt was a dilly. They wondered if artificetrickery or cunning played a role in this plight that truly was stunning. They wondered if A had a partner who aided an accomplicewho helped make this day so illfated. The happenings were anathemathey detested them so. Were they suitable, appropriateat all apropos (ap ruh POH)? The answer quite clearly was a resounding No! fter a while they felt much less stress; the situation abatedbecame so much less but, theyd need to determine the cause of this mess. They decided theyd immediately go find the A. By now she was home, tucked in bed where she lay. They amassed, accumulatedgathereda group. Then they marched to the A as one most-solid troop. Her actions seemed arbitrarynot according to law,

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Letter A

Page |5 random, just preferenceand this was the last straw. s they proceeded, their anger just grew. What truly was wrong they did not have a clue; but, they all were allegingcharging without proof her crime was quite seriousA clearly had goofed. Where was As allegianceher loyaltyher devotion? They were sure from her actions, she hadnt a notion. Did A have an alibian excuse to avoid blame? If not, theyd make sure the A would feel shame. Perhaps, shed aggrandizedexaggerated her power? Their thinking was really turning them sour. Affiliatinggetting closeto a crowd that was bad perhaps, made results that now seemed so sad. The antagonismhostility, and anger they felt grew, as they walked to the house where A dwelt. The aspersionsthe insultscontinued to form. It seemed that there was a fast-growing storm. They wanted to arraign heraccuse herof deserting. They said she was wrongthey were insisting asserting. They avowedthey declaredthat the A must complyshe must listen, obeyrequests not be denied. They gathered their facts to accuseto confront; they decided theyd be directtheyd be blunt. They prepared for an altercationa vigorous fight. They thought they would have to enforce with their might. Well accost letter Awell approach and address so very boldlyand then shell confess. Shell acquiescegive in, agree to our demands. Well assail herattack herwith all our commands. One of them said, Thats just too crude. Well refer indirectlywell vaguely allude we wont outright say it, well not be that rude. s they talked, and they argued, they attributed blame, they ascribedthey assigned, attachedbad things to As name. They finally arrived at little As home. They stood there a moment and heard the A groan. As door partially openit was sitting ajar this allowed her to hear them approach from afar. A was aghastfilled with shock and such fear. She shrunk back when she heard the letters draw near. A looked askancewith distrust and suspicion she knew they had entered without her permission. She averted her eyesshe turned them away as she saw that they now settled in there to stay. They expected an A who was strongso robust but, the A looked pathetic in her room filled with dust. They were appalledjust so horrified, full of dismay. They were really unsure of what they should say. They stood there dumbfoundedastounded, astonished. They let go of their plans to scold heradmonish. Shed been the apotheosisthe perfect example of a letter whose skill was much more than ample. Theyd seen A as shrewd, cleverastute. Seeing A as now weak, didnt make sense, didnt compute.

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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Letter A

Page |6 The accusations theyd formedall of their blame was arrantlycompletelynot what theyd claimed. They suddenly realized they should've been grateful A had served them so well; they should not have been hateful. Letter B, who was with them, an avuncular fellowfriendly and kindlywho made others feel mellow, now wanted to bolsterto give A support. He could see she was nervousso overwrought. He called for a meeting out there in the hall, and said, Lets acquit herdeclare her not guiltyat all. A's life has obviously gone so awry so far off coursethat it about makes me cry. Weve been much too acridour manner too bitter. We shouldnt have assumed that the A was a quitter. We must call an armisticelets call off the troops, make peacemake A feel shes a part of the group. B ascertaineddiscoveredthat A was living a life with all work and no play. The situation assessedjudged fullyright through, they returned to the room to express their new view. Weve adjourned our discussionwe stopped it, we pausedto meet with you now to perhaps change our laws. We attest toconfirmall that you do. We're sure you could proveyou've enough work for two...
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and youve rarely received a heartfelt thank you. We understand your afflictionillness and pain we see that you really were under great strain. You must be accountableresponsible for your deeds. You must express honestly your most vital needs. Right now youre opposite of what you should be the antithesisof what we thought we would see. We need to alleviatelessenyour pain, to help you reducediminishthe strain. They assuagedsoothed, relievedall her fears. B said, I now speak for everyone here. clear aberrationabnormalbehavior, will be forgiven with no trace of disfavor. We appealwe beseech, we beg, and we plead-that you go back to work, and we'll help you succeed. n antidotea remedywill make this all better; we always come through for our most-troubled letters. Were apprisedaware ofyour difficult plight, we understand why you werent feeling alright. Well assent, accedegive in torequests. We can see very plainly that you need time to rest. A felt hopeless, defeated, miserableabject but, she now heard a kindness that she could detect. They were amiable, amicable friendly it showed. Her feelings of self-pity definitely slowed. Shylyso meeklyA explained how shed felt. The explanation so touching, their hearts all did melt. She averred, asserted, affirmedsaid its true shed let her emotions make her feel blue.

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Letter A

Page |7 Shed abasedhumiliated, brought so much shame, degradedherself and destroyed her good name. There were favorable signsit felt quite auspiciousthe future looked promisingvery propitious. They said, Now we now know where we all stand; this occurrence was adventitiousnot expected, nor planned. What seemed sounfavorableso very adverse and what seemed to both sides to be just the worstcreated animositya feeling of ill will but we must get our needs completely fulfilled. Our rules anachronisticout of place, and outdated, too out of touch...too oldantiquated. Now, well ad libmake up on the spot rules to help overworked letters a lot. Auxiliaryadditional help and support will be given whenever the need you report. We'll always be ancillaryless than your A but, essential supportin our own special way. Well show you great amityfriendshipgood will. Now, please have some juicedrink to your fill! As asseta valuable qualitya skill was the ability to gather the strength of her will. She was clearly amenableagreeable, and willing. She suddenly saw her work as fulfilling. Youve allayeddiminished my pain and my fearIm ready to work, thats become clear. Im abashedso embarrassed, I feel so ashamed. It now seems so different with this all re-framed. Ill make up foratone for, make my amends for my behavior that clearly was wrong in the end. I can now apprehendI can now understand how I let this thing get so out of hand. This is anticlimacticthis now seems so small. It had seemed so important, and in the end, not at all. They wished to prevent any more pain. They said, Youre absolvedfreed of all blame. From all overwork you must now abstain refrain, give it upwithout any shame. They held in abeyancethey stopped for awhile all of the words that had made such a pile. They alliedunited togetherfor words. To be without A would have been quite absurd. They'd help her anonymouslywithout anyone knowing. They did it so well, her words just kept flowing. Antecedent to problemswhat came before was way too much work that A couldn't ignore. She'd felt so much angstunhappiness and dread; now she could feel much more joyful instead. She avowedshe declaredshe always would try to take a deep breath if things went awry. Shed acclimatedadjusted, adaptedquite well. If she felt very tense, shed just let out a yell. Her autonomy grewshe gained independence. Her life was so glorious, brilliantresplendent. Appraisingexamining the valueof her words she thought them some of the best she had heard. Her attitude so appositeso appropriate and fitting, suitable, well-chosenno thoughts left of quitting. Under the auspicesprotectionof friends, this hardship of A had a most pleasant end. Just like an umbrella when the weather gets rough, they protect her when storms are just way too tough. Her job had appreciatedits value increased. Her complaining and griping had stoppedhad ceased.
Letter A

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Page |8 She was not averseopposed to hard work. She was regretful that she had behaved like a jerk. She was animatedlivelyas if set ablaze she seemed set on firewith her words that amazed. She was very assiduousshe worked very hard; she was diligent, busyalways on guard. Her importance affirmedconsidered as true. She did everything that she could do. Shed been willing to abdicategive up her position. Shed lost all her willall her volition. Theyd avertedavoidedsuch great disaster; they were able to keep letter A as a master. n aphorisma principle, a widely-accepted belief work hard, but success should not cause you grief. Then theres an axioma self-evident truth that is so very obvious it requires no proof: ll letters are equal, and they all deserve rest. If given a chance, they will all do their best. n adagea proverb, a witty saying thats heard says seeing only the bad side is somewhat absurd: Every cloud, although dark, has a nice silver lining. So what is the use of crying and whining? A learned that all work without any play is something that leads to a feeling so gray. Her appellationher namebecame Most wesome A. She was asked for her autograph most every day. With charm and charismaso much allure the most popular letterthat much is for sure!

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Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Letter A

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Diurnal Dictionary
With this poem, start a dictionary in a notebook that will include five of the most challenging words for you to remember. Either jot them down as you read the poem to yourself, or record those words as you go through the activities. Write the word, the definition, and a sentence. Then try to think of a mnemonic device that will assist you in remembering this word. A mnemonic device is an association of some sort that will trigger your memory. For instance, atrophy is a word meaning to wither away. Muscles will atrophy from disuse. So you might write down, never win a trophy with shriveling muscles. Or, the word enervate means to gradually drain of strength. This might sound as if it means energize, but it is actually the opposite. So, you might make a special note in your mind: Remember, this is the opposite of what it sounds as if it means. The same logic might apply to the word peruse. Most people think that sounds as if it means to skim over material and not read carefully, when it actually means to read or study thoroughly. You might think about the word use within that word. If you are going to use something, you want to study it carefully first. Because those words have now been isolated for you, those will most likely be three words and definitions that you will always remember. At the end of all the poems, you should have at least 90 words in your dictionary. Periodically, peruse your dictionary and do a self-test to see which words have stuck in your memory and which ones you must, once again, reinforce in your memory. You may decide to choose one of those words that you did not remember, and use it in a sentence during the next week. You may even name your dictionary with a word that feels appropriate to you or is perhaps a challenging word for you to remember. Perhaps each letter could have a different name, such as Assiduous A, meaning hardworking, or Captious C, which means critical C, but is a challenging word to remember. You should do whatever you feel will be most beneficial to help you remember words. As with anything else, practicing and making it a part of your life will allow you to excel.

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Activity One

Twenty Questions

Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that you know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two questions to enable you to see how the word is used. 1. If someone describes the class you are about to attend as arduous, are you looking forward to the class? Why or why not?

2. If you answer a question, and someone says, You are not audible, what is he telling you?

3. If you were told to articulate better, what would you do?

4. If someone says that eye shadow accentuates your eyes, what does she mean? If somebody says, When you have a job interview, accentuate your strengths, what does he mean?

5. Would you prefer a rule that is ambiguous? Why or why not?

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6. Do you have acuity when it comes to understanding science? Justify your answer.

7. If getting room and board is an appurtenance to a salary for a job, what does that mean?

8. Would you choose to be around someone who is amenable to your desires? Why or why not?

9. Are you generally in accord with your parents? What does that mean?

10. If your teacher is not accessible when you have questions, is that a good thing? Why or why not?

11. If someone describes you as affable, is that a compliment? What does she mean?

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12. If someone suddenly begins speaking with a French accent, is that an affectation? Explain your answer.

13. If someone says you are aloof, is that a compliment or an insult?

14. If someone says that you are an astute problem solver, what does she mean?

15. If you were in a situation that could cause you fear, who might be a person who could allay your fears? Why that person? Does music ever help to allay some of your fears?

16. If you had antipathy for your coach, do you think you would feel close to that person? Why or why not?

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17. Do you do your homework with alacrity? Why or why not?

18. When you are asked to do a favor for someone, is your enthusiasm for helping described as ardent? Why or why not?

19. If you were a foreigner in another country and you assimilated into their culture, what does that mean? Do you find it difficult or easy to assimilate material for a math test?

20. If someone says to you, My goodness, you look so androgynous. I just was not sure what to think, what might he be saying to you?

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Activity Two

Twenty Questions

Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that you know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two questions to enable you to see how the word is used. 1. If someone says, I have a great affinity for you, what does she mean?

2. Many rich people get so wealthy that they become very altruistic. What does that mean?

3. If someone says Please use a computer. A typewriter is so archaic, what does he mean?

4. If someone says, Your handwriting looks arcane to me, what is she saying about your handwriting?

5. Where do aquatic animals live?

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6. If you receive accolades in front of the rest of the school, is that a good thing? Why or why not?

7. If you are at the apex of a mountain, are you at the top or the bottom?

8. If you are at the acme of your career, is that the best or worst time? If the sun is at its acme, about what time is it?

9. Are you generally amicable to newcomers in your class?

10. If you stole something and said, Thats really an anomaly, what would you mean?

11. If all you wanted from your teacher was approbation, what is it you hoped to get?

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12. If the ambiance at a sports game suddenly turned sour, what would that mean? What might be happening?

13. If your friends money was accruing monthly, what do you think she was doing with it?

14. If the rules of the game seem abstruse to you, are they clear or unclear?

15. If your parents anger seemed to augment every time you requested permission to go to your friends house, what is happening to their anger?

16. If youve been allocated three pencils for the year, what does that mean?

17. If you are apprehensive about going somewhere, are you dreading it or looking forward to it?

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18. If you are feeling abysmal about your performance in a play, how do you feel about your performance?

19. If an illness is acute, is the illness serious or not? Note: When referring to the senses, acute means keen, as in acute eyesight which would be very good. It can also mean shrewd and perceptive, as in an acute scientist.

20. If you feel as though you were in an abyss of unhappiness, what does that mean? Is it a small amount or a great deal of unhappiness?

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CROSSWORD A
1 2 3 4 6 7 8 5

10

11

12

13

14 16 17 18 19 20

15

21

22 www.CrosswordWeaver.com

ACROSS 1 Appropriate; to the point. He was careful to make all his remarks _______ to what the situation required; he did not mention any extraneous information. 2 Partner in crime. They thought that he must have had an _________, as no one could have created such a heinous scheme by themselves. 5 Having distress or grief (adj.); to cause to suffer (verb). He was ______d to find out that his son had committed a crime. The conditions for agricultural workers _______d the pregnant women as they knew that the chemicals were dangerous. 7 Ascribe to; to credit to; attach to a specific cause. She _______d her love of broccoli to the fact that her mother had served it to her every day. He _______d his honesty to his belief in the idea that what goes around comes around, or you get back what you give out. 8 A blend or mixture. She was an_______ of charm and wit. 9 Random, not according to law; preference or deciding by judgment; opinion. She claimed the grade she received on her essay was _________ and was not based on the quality of her work. 11 Allure(adj.); to beseech; plead. Make a formal request (verb). His ______ (adj.) was that he would do anything they requested. He _____ed (verb) to his employer to give him a raise. 13 Quick moving; nimble; active. She was so ______in her gymnastic skills that her teacher

suggested that she train for the Olympics. 14 Formal name or title. Many actors create an ___________ that they feel represents who they are more accurately than their name given at birth. 18 Exact opposite. Sometimes _________ personalities make the best match for a couple. They say opposites attract. 19 Given public approval and praise. He _________ her to be the best author he had ever read. 21 The increase; growing of separate things into one; addition. The _________ of a coral reef takes many thousands of years, yet it takes only a short time for humans to step on it and kill it. 22 Charm; appeal; attraction. Attract; charm (verb). The _______ of the job caused her to move to another state. He ______d him to the job with a huge bonus. DOWN 1 Shaken; disturbed. He ________ the container to stir up his milk shake. He felt ________ by her criticism of him. 2 Become less. Once the pain _____d, she was allowed to leave the doctor's office. After an hour, the storm ______d. 3 Extreme admiration or flattery. They had such great _________ for the basketball player that they never missed attending the games in which she played. 4 Adept; clever; skillful. He was ______ at handling all emergency situations.

5 Dislike or unwillingness. He had an ________ to doing anything that required too much effort. 6 To free from blame or obligation; to pardon. When she finally understood his actions, she _______d him of what she had thought was a crime. 9 Lacking vitality; pale. She was feeling so ______ that she decided to restructure her diet to include more leafy green vegetables. 10 Anxiety; guilt or remorse; dread. The _____ that she felt as she waited for the test results caused her to be unable to sleep. 11 Distribute a share. She _________ed her paycheck to pay all her bills. 12 United. They had wanted to make an ______ effort, but no one wanted to commit to the cause. 15 Eager; greedy. She was an ____ reader of mystery books. 16 A proverb. "Look before you leap" is an _____ which is difficult to follow because so many situations tempt us into trouble. 17 Charge without proof. They _____d that he committed the crime, however ultimately he proved it was actually his friend who was the perpetrator (person who commits a crime). 19 Self-evident truth. "All men are created equal" is an _____ that is often quoted, but is not always quite as evident in people's behavior. 20 Put in a straight line. She _____ed all the chairs for the meeting. Please note: This word can also refer to being in agreement with as in a cause, a policy, or a political party. She ______ed herself with the Republican party.

WORD BANK: abate, absolve, acclaimed, accomplice, accretion, adage, adroit, adulation, aggrieved, agile, agitated, align, allege, allied, allure, amalgam, anemic, angst, antipodal, appeal, appellation, apportion, apropos, arbitrary, attributed, aversion, avid, axiom.

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Activity Four

Vocabulary in Context

Select your answers to the following sentences using the following vocabulary words. The sentences allow you to see how to use the word and will help you to remember it.
angst amalgam allege align axiom adage arbitrary apportion agile aversion aggrieved apropos appellation agitated adulation appeal attribute anemic antipodal accretion absolve avid accomplice abate adroit allied acclaim

put in a straight line 1. She ______________________________ed all the chairs for the meeting. Note: This word can also refer to being in agreement with as in a cause, a policy, or a political party. She ______________________________ed herself with the Republican party. eager; greedy 2. She was an ___________________________________ reader of mystery books. appropriate; to the point 3. He was careful to make all his remarks _____________________________ to what the situation required; he did not mention any extraneous information. beseech, plead, make a formal request 4. He __________________________________ed (verb) to his employer to give him a raise. the increase; growing of separate things into one; addition 5. The ____________________________________ of a coral reef takes many thousands of years, yet it takes only a short time for humans to step on it and kill it. given public approval and praise 6. He was __________________________________ (ed) for his contributions to the field of genetic research. extreme admiration or flattery 7. They had such great _____________________________________ for the basketball player that they never missed attending the games in which she played. a blend or mixture 8. She was an ______________________________________________ of charm and wit. charm; appeal; attraction. Attract; charm (verb) 9. The _______________________________________of the job caused her to move to another state. He ________________________________________d him to the job with a huge bonus.

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P a g e | 20 distribute a share 10. She ___________________________________________ed her paycheck to pay all her bills. shaken; disturbed 11. He ____________________________________________the container to stir up his milkshake. He felt _________________________________________by her criticism of him. lacking vitality; pale 12. She was feeling so ______________________________ that she decided to restructure her diet to include more leafy green vegetables. partner in crime 13. They thought that he must have had an ____________________, as no one could have created such a heinous scheme by themselves. become less 14. Once the pain _____________________________________d, she was allowed to leave the doctors office. After an hour, the storm _________________________________________d. charge without proof 15. They _________________________________________d that he committed the crime, however ultimately he proved it was actually his friend who was the perpetrator (person who commits a crime). quick moving; nimble; active 16. She was so ____________________________________ in her gymnastic skills that her teacher suggested that she train for the Olympics. dislike or unwillingness 17. He had an ______________________________________ to doing anything that required too much effort. having distress or grief (adj.); to cause to suffer (verb) 18. He was _________________________________________ to find out that his son had committed a crime. The conditions for agricultural workers _______________________ the pregnant women as they knew that the chemicals were dangerous. united 19. They had wanted to make an ____________________ effort, but no one wanted to commit to the cause. anxiety; guilt or remorse; dread 20. The ________________________________________ that she felt as she waited for the test results caused her to be unable to sleep. self-evident truth 21. All men are created equal, is an _________________________________________ that is often quoted, but is not always quite as evident in peoples behavior.
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P a g e | 21 a proverb 22. Look before you leap, is an ____________________ which is difficult to follow because so many situations tempt us into trouble. formal name or title 23. Many actors create an ______________________________________ that they feel represents who they are more accurately than their name given at birth. ascribe to; to credit to; attach to a specific cause 24. She _____________________d her love of broccoli to the fact that her mother had served it to her every day. He ____________________d his honesty to his belief in the idea that what goes around comes around, or you get back what you give out. random, not according to law; preference or deciding by judgment; opinion 25. She claimed the grade she received on her essay was _________________________________________ and was not based on the quality of her work. to free from blame or obligation; to pardon 26. When she finally understood his actions, she _________________________________________d him of what she had thought was a crime. exact opposite 27. Sometimes _________________________________________ personalities make the best match for a couple. They say opposites attract. clever; skillful 28. He was _________________________________________ at handling all emergency situations.

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Activity Five

Twenty Questions

Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that you know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two questions to enable you to see how the word is used. 1. If someones house is very austere, does it have a lot of decorations?

2. If you feel apathetic about bowling, how do you feel about going to a bowling tournament?

3. If a very wealthy person contributed half her money to a charity, would you say she had great
avarice? Why or why not?

4. If you begged to be able to take piano lessons, but your enthusiasm attenuated after a month, what
happened? If the force of an earthquake attenuated by the time it reached your town, did it grow stronger or weaker? (adjective form) If your power as student body president was attenuated by the principal, what did he do? (verb form)

5. If you had been working out, and someone says, You look as if your muscles have atrophied," would
that be a good thing? Why or why not?

6. If you are the new person in the class, and you were feeling alienated after the first month, is
that good? Why or why not?

7. If you are feeling a little bit sick but are ambulatory, are you expected to go to school? Why
or why not?

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8. What could ameliorate your worries on the day before a big test?

9. If the visiting team annihilated all your teams dreams, what do you think was the outcome of the
game?

10. If someone feels ambivalent about being your friend, how does that make you feel?

11. If you are feeling audacious, are you more or less likely to stand up to your enemy?

12. If your friend says, Every time final exams come, I feel like absconding from the country, what does
that mean?

13. Some people theorize that if we dont stop mistreating the earth, an apocalypse will occur. What are
they thinking?

14. If a substitute teacher says, I will not tolerate anarchy in this classroom today, what might she be
thinking would happen?

15. If your friend says, Youre acting asinine, what does that mean?

16. If your parent says, Im not going to resort to artifice to get you to clean your room, what does he
mean?

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P a g e | 24 17. What might be an anathema to a person who is a vegetarian?

18. If a teacher says, Dont give me an alibi for your not getting your homework done, what does she
mean?

19. Dictators often aggrandize their power by treating others who disagree with them quite cruelly. What
does that mean?

20. If you are affiliated with a particular political party, what does that mean?

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Activity Six

Word Scramble

Select your answers to the Word Scramble from the following vocabulary words. Fill in the blank with your answer. The sentences allow you to see how to use the word and will help you to remember it.
antithesis attest apprentice abject antagonism abraded alleviate assert accost acquit amplified assailed armistice allay abstain absolve adamant aspersions ascertain accede allied archaic augur arraign ascribed arsenal abashed ambled accouterments admonish

declare; state clearly; say with force or confidence 1. She (teassr) ed that all her statements were true. demands recognition.

______ Note: An _ _ _ _ _ _ive person is a person who insists on their rights and opinions and _ _ _ _ _ _ed by her teammates, but it was just their way of getting her to
feel that she was one of the team; she was used to a more reserved approach.

approach and address boldly 2. She felt (tosacc)

assign; attach; attribute 3. He (bedirasc) his parents. supply (of weapons) 4. He had an (senalar) not guilty 5. He was (tiuqca)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ his talent at debating to the many arguments hed had with _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of arguments to persuade her.

_ _ _ _ _ _ed, but the general public thought he was guilty. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

stopping of hostilities; truce; to make peace 6. The violence between the gangs had gotten so out of control that the police knew they had to find a way to get them to declare an (ticeamirs) find out as fact; discover 7. She could not (tercainas)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ if there would be a final exam. They _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ed that she had never lived there. ______ _ _ _ _ _ _ s to the excellence of her ability

bear witness to; confirm; certify validity 8. He could (stetta) to the fact that he did not go, but he did not really know about anyone else. The fact that her parties always went well, to plan events.
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P a g e | 26 opposite 9. The outcome was the (theissitan) would come to pass, but he adjusted to the circumstances. lessen; make less severe 10. The medicine (teaivllae)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of all that he had hoped

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _d the symptoms almost immediately. The large donation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ d the severity of the situation. _ _ _ _ _ _ to their demands to raise their grades. _ _ _ _ _ _ circumstances still evident a year after the

assent; agree; give into; to yield 11. He refused to (eedacc)

miserable; wretched; defeated 12. We were shocked by the (tjecba)

tsunami had hit; it seemed the world had forgotten. a person learning a trade; a beginner or novice 13. Hiring an (cetinerppa)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to repair something can often be less

expensive than hiring a professional, but that is sometimes risky. diminish; relieve; calm, pacify 14. She tried to (yalla) embarrassed; ashamed 15. He was (ashedba)

_ _ _ _ _ the childs fears after the incident, but the child could not regain trust.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ when he was caught telling his friends secret. He was _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when she said she loved him. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from criticizing for a month before anyone would _ _ _ _ _ _ effort, but no one wanted to commit to the cause. _ _ _ _ _ _ _d him of what she had

restrain oneself; refrain from 16. She had to (naitsba) trust her again.

united 17. They wanted to make an (diella)

to free from blame or obligation; to pardon 18. When she finally understood his actions, she (velosba) thought was a crime.

urge; rebuke; criticize or scold mildly but firmly; to caution or warn 19. He (onismhda) ed his son for snacking too much before dinner.

________

antiquated 20. Although some might consider an abacus to be an (caichra) used in Japan. move at easy pace; move slowly 21. Although they were late, they just (bledma)
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ tool, it is still
along enjoying the weather.
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P a g e | 27 opposition; hostility 22. There was such (tagnoismna) they were placed into separate classes.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ between the two students that _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to the point of making him

increase in volume or strength; enlarge 23. As he grew exhausted, his fears (dieflimpa) irrational and unable to think clearly. stubbornly resolute 24. She was always so (damtana)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ about not letting her daughter go anywhere. _ _ _ _ _ a successful performance.

portend; foresee; predict 25. Spraining her ankle while warming up did not (rugau) equipment 26. Although he bought all the fanciest (treemtsuoaccn) with which to fish, he never caught anything.

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ her arms.

scraped 27. As she slid down the side of the trail, the sharp rocks (deadbra) attack 28. He was (sailsade) money for their families.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ by a group of robbers, who desperately needed __________

insults 29. Casting (persionssa) on the character of an opponent has become a common way for politicians to attempt to win their race. accuse; charge in court; indict 30. She was (raingar) providing the car.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ed on the charge that she assisted in the crime by

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Activity Seven

Twenty Questions

Answer the following questions with a complete sentence that in some way indicates that you know the meaning of the word. Some words that have more complex meanings have two questions to enable you to see how the word is used. 1. If someone afflicted his enemy, what did he do?
Note: In this example afflict is a verb. An affliction (noun) is a condition in which one is suffering pain, or distress. Despite her affliction, she participated in several different sports.

2. How does your teacher deal with any altercations that might arise?

3. If your friend will never acquiesce to any of your requests, would you like her? Why or why not?

4. If someone says, Youre assailing my ears with your music, what does she mean?

5. If someone alluded to the fact that he did not like your shoes, how would he make that clear to
you?

6. After the experience she had, she looked askance at going back there again. What did the experience
create in her? Note: Askance also means sideways or squinting. She looked askance at the teacher and displayed embarrassment.

7. At the last moment she averted her eyes, so no one would know what she actually wanted. What did
she do? Note: Avert can also mean prevent or avoid. They averted disaster by evacuating everyone from the town.

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8. Do you know anyone famous (or not famous) who is the apotheosis of dishonesty? Who?

9. If someone is an advocate for children, what is her job?

10. Do you know anyone who is arrantly rude? What does that mean?

11. Do you think Scrooge was an avuncular fellow? Why or why not?

12. If you thought a smell was acrid, how would you describe it?

13. If a meeting was adjourned, what happened to the meeting?

14. If someone says, Think before you act. You are accountable for your deeds, what does he mean?

15. During her fever, it seemed that nothing could assuage her thirst. What does that mean?

16. If you were arguing with another student, would you want to be the one to apprise the teacher of the
situation? Why or why not?

17. If someone says, I aver that it is true, is it true or not?

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18. If you were accused of doing something wrong, would you feel abased? Why or why not?

19. If someone says, This is an auspicious start for our trip, is something good or bad just happen?

20. If someone had an adventitious meeting with her friend, was it planned or unplanned?

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Creative Written Expression

Choose one of the following two prompts.

Prompt 1: After-school activities today take many forms. In addition to hours of homework, these include participating in clubs, competing on teams, caring for siblings, and working. Letter A felt overwhelmed with all her responsibilities in life. Although As appellation became Miss Awesome A, A felt awfully awful for quite a while. Incorporating three vocabulary words from the list below, briefly summarize A's feelings, how she reacted, and how others viewed her. Then relate her experience of doing too much, or feeling overwhelmed to something with which you have had to deal. You may choose to write about how society puts pressure on young people to over-achieve and to over-schedule activities. Or, perhaps you feel having many activities is exciting and beneficial, and someone like letter A just needs to be able to manage their time more effectively.

Prompt 2: Summarize the poem in your own words, incorporating five or more vocabulary words from the list below in original ways. Describe Letter A's behavior, how Letter A was viewed by others at the beginning of the poem, how she viewed herself, and what she could have done differently to avoid the desperation she felt in the middle of the poem. Describe what activities, if any, you have experienced, how you have felt about them, whether you were glad or sorry that you did them. Include your opinion concerning whether young people should participate in extracurricular activities, what type of activities they should seek, and the value, or negative aspects, of participating.

angst acclaimed amicable atypical aversion amenable accolades

aloof aptitude allied averted accelerated avid array

adept altruistic accrued ambivalent affliction aspire abscond

adulated acme alienated adamant accountable apotheosis allay

abashed arduous abate abeyance alacrity arrant apprehensive

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And Theres More.

Dont Forget Your Diurnal Dictionary entries. Check Your Progress with The Final Quiz

Successful Sagacity Find your favorite word (or words) from this poem and think of a sentence for it or a situation where it might come in handy. Make a mental note to use it at some point during the week. A situation will pop up in which you can use that word. After you use it, remember to record it in your dictionary as a success. You may notice that when you use this word, it makes you feel proud of yourselfperhaps it will make you feel that you are wise. Card Activity Using index cards, make five flash cards of the five words you found to be most challenging in each poem. Put the word on the front and the definition on the back. In groups, take turns testing each other. There may be repeats, but that will reinforce the meaning of the word that others found challenging as well. Win, Lose, or Draw Each team gets 10 vocabulary words as a list (or the teacher may write them on the board). Words are written on pieces of small paper along with a brief definition and placed into a container. The drawer gets one word along with the definition that he will attempt to draw on the board in the form of a picture that hints at the word. Whoever guesses the word first gets the point for their team. Charades Each team gets the same 10 vocabulary words as a list (or the teacher may write them on the board). The words are written on small pieces of paper and placed into a container.
The actor acts out the word. Whoever guesses the word first gets the point for their team

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Solution:

CROSSWORD A

A P R O P O S G I A T D A A T T R I B U T O S E I O D T L V A P P E A P L A P P E L L A O I D R E A N T I P O D G I E O A C C N A L L U

A C C O M B A A T V T E D E R S A R B I N O L E N M A T I O N C A A L A C C L X R E T I O N G O R E M

P L I C E G G R A I E V E D U L M A L G A M T R Y I O I L E N

A T R A N A G S T

A V I L A I M E D L I G N

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Vocabulary in Context

Activity Four

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

align avid appropos appeal accretion acclaim adulation amalgam allure apportion agitated anemic accomplice abate

15. allege 16. agile 17. aversion 18. aggrieved 19. allied 20. angst 21. axiom 22. adage 23. appellation 24. attribute 25. arbitrary 26. absolve 27. antipodal 28. adroit

Word Scramble A 1. assert 2. accost 3. ascribed 4. arsenal 5. acquit 6. armistice 7. ascertain 8. attest 9. antithesis 10. alleviate 11. accede 12. abject 13. apprentice 14. allay 15. abashed

Activity Six 16. abstain 17. allied 18. absolve 19. admonish 20. archaic 21. ambled 22. antagonism 23. amplified 24. adamant 25. augur 26. accouterments 27. abraded 28. assailed 29. aspersions 30. arraign

Pieces of Learning

Vocabulary That Matters: An SAT Word Booster

Letter A