Vocab List #5: Puritan Poems, Speeches, & Transcendentalist Texts

1. Improvisation (n)- the act of doing or performing something without prior practice

2. Martyr (n)- a person who willingly suffers death or some type of severe consequence in order to uphold a principle or belief (religious martyrs are the most common)

3. Omnipotent (adj)- all-powerful4. Ineffable (adj)- indescribable5. Dolorous (adj) – sad; sorrowful6. Blithe (adj)- carefree or casual to the point where it’s

improper7. Aversion (n)- extreme dislike (to)8. Suffrage (n)- right to vote9. Dilapidated (adj)- run-down; in a state of disrepair10. Sublime (adj)- majestic; awe-inspiring11. Superfluous (adj) – extra; unnecessary12. Posterity (n) – future generations

Vocab Activity 5.1

Using all the words on List 5, write sentences that relate to literature read this year or in previous years.

Suggestions: Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo & Juliet, Lord of the Flies, Antigone, 12 Angry Men, anything else you can think of.

Or you can use The Crucible or Catcher!

Vocab Activity 5.2 (HW)

Using all the words from List 5, complete one of the following creative options:

-An article about a crime that was committed

-A story about anything you want. (Suggestion: Halloween)

-A letter of any kind: love, hate, break-up, complaint, resignation, etc.

-A song or a poem

Vocab List #5: Parts of Speech

1. Improvisation (n) improvise (v)2. Martyr (n) martyr-like (adj), martyrdom (n)3. Omnipotent (adj) omnipotence (n)4. Ineffable (adj) ineffably (adv); ineffability

(n)5. Dolorous (adj) dolorously (adv),

dolorousness (n)6. Blithe (adj) blithely (adv), blitheness (n)7. Aversion (n) averse (adj), avert (v)8. Suffrage (n) suffragette (n)9. Dilapidated (adj) dilapidate (v)10.Sublime (adj) sublimely (adv); sublimity (n)11.Superfluous (adj) superfluously (adv);

superfluity (n)12.Posterity (n)

Dancing with the Star PanthersBefore I went to Dancing with the Star Panthers one

Saturday night last year, I felt like I was going to be a martyr, suffering through horrible dancing for the sake of supporting my students. I soon had the omnipotent realization that the show was actually good. Some couples were so talented they were ineffable , while others improvised at certain points (but they were not so bad that I had to avert my eyes). I thought that 20 dances was a bit superfluous, as I got bored after about 15, but it was not so bad that I became dolorous or anything like that. At the end of the night, I utilized my suffrage to text in a vote in support of one of my students. This Dancing with the Star Panthers is one that will remain legendary for all posterity.

PS. I am always amazed at events like this that the dilapidated NPHS gym is transformed into a place of great sublimity.

PPS. I tried to sit far away from students so that I would not overhear any blithe comments.

Vocab Activity 5.3 (HW)

Using all the words from List 5, write sentences describing something from our reading these past couple of weeks – Puritan poetry (“Half-Hanged Mary” for example), speeches (“Sinners” or modern political ones), and/or the transcendentalist texts we just finished.