First Week (Aug. 11-15):

So far there have been a number of grades. Some have been simply housekeeping items, such as returning the rules and proceedure sheet signed and the book slip signed. We've had several journal assignments. Seniors have worked on a map of the United Kingdom and a worksheet covering the Anglo-Saxon background information. Freshmen have read two short stories, "The Sniper" and "The Most Dangerous Game." I'm learning how to enter assignments in the new online gradebook.

I believe students and parents will be able to check on line grades beginning September 2nd.

Don't forget the deadline to order novels through the English department is August 21.

Freshmen need to get a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird as soon as possible. The deadline to show me the book is August 25. The test will be Oct. 2nd.

Week Two (Aug. 18-22):

Seniors and Frosh, you will not need your literature book Monday.

Seniors:

1 abject hopelessly low; wretched; miserable; without self-respect
2 admonish to reprove mildly and kindly, but seriously; to caution or warn; to urge
3 banal commonplace; trite; stale from overuse
4 bellicose quarrelsome; hostile; inclined to fighting
5 commensurate in proper proportion; having the same scale, measure, or size
6 distraught in a state of mental conflict; agitated; crazed
7 euphemism a mild expression used in place of a harsh, crude, or distasteful expression
8 finesse delicate skill; subtlety; (verb) to bring about with skill; to evade
9 glib done in a smooth, offhand manner; speaking too smoothly to be sincere
10 lampoon strongly satirical writing; (verb) to ridicule or satirize
11 lugubrious sad or mournful, often to an exaggerated degree
12 nebulous hazy; vague; not clearly defined
13 nefarious villainous; infamous; having a bad reputation
14 nemesis an avenger; an unbeatable rival; one who punishes another for evil deeds
15 phlegmatic sluggish; indifferent; calm
16 propriety acceptable behavior; conformity with conventional standards
17 prosaic matter-of-fact; ordinary; commonplace
18 pseudonym a fictitious name assumed by an author; a pen name
19 purloin to steal
20 revile to attack with abusive language; to call insulting names

Freshmen:

1 baker's dozen thirteen (for fair measure)
2 bicentennial 200th anniversary
3 brace two of a kind; pair; couple
4 centenarian one who is 100 or older
5 decade period of ten years
6 decathlon track-and -field contest consisting of ten events
7 decimate destroy ten or more percent, or a large portion of
8 dichotomy division in two; split
9 fathom measure of water depth equaling six feet
10 millennium period of 1,000 years
11 pentagon plane figure of five sides and five angles
12 plurality number of votes by which a winning candidate exceed the runner-up
13 quadrennial occurring or being done every four years
14 quadruped four-footed animal
15 score group of twenty; twenty
16 sesquicentennial 150th anniversary
17 sexagenarian one who is at least sixty but less than seventy
18 tithe one tenth, or tenth part, of something paid as a contribution or tax
19 treble multiply by three; triple
20 triumvirate ruling body of three

Week 3 ( August 25-29)

Seniors:

1 ameliorate (v) become better; make better; improve
2 conservation (n) preservation from loss, injury, or waste
3 detrimental (adj) harmfull; damaging
4 exotic (adj) introduced from another country; strikingly unusual; strange
5 folly (n) lack of good sense; foolish action or undertaking
6 formerly (adv) in an earlier period; previously
7 harmony (n) peaceable or friendly relations; agreement; tranquillity
8 ignoramus (n) stupid person; dunce
9 impede (v) interfere with or slow the progress of; hinder; obstruct
10 indolence (n) idleness; laziness
11 intact (adj) untouched by anything that damages or diminishes; left complete
12 invalid (adj) having no force or effect; void
13 noncarcinogenic (adj) not producing, or tending to produce, cancer
14 parsimonious (adj) unduly sparing in the spending of money; stingy
15 raze (v) destroy utterly by tearing down; demolish; level to the ground
16 reticent (adj) inclined to be silent or secretive; uncommunicative
17 retire (v) withdraw from active duty or business; go to bed
18 retort (n) quick, witty, or sharp reply; answer
19 subversion (n) sabotage; undermining
20 tractable (adj) easily led, taught, or controlled; yielding; docile

Freshmen:

Phobia, mania, phile words

1 acrophobia abnormal fear of being in high places
2 agoraphobia fear of crowded, open spaces or public places
3 aichmophobia fear of sharp pointed objects
4 amaxophobia fear of riding in a car
5 audiophile one especially interested in high-fidelity sound reproduction
6 bibliophile lover of books
7 bibliophobia strong dislike of books
8 clinophobia fear of going to bed
9 dipsomaniac person with an uncontrollable craving for alcoholic beverages
10 Germanophobe person who intensely fears or dislikes Germany or the Germans
11 kleptomaniac one who has a persistent neurotic impulse to steal, though not in need
12 megalomania mental disorder characterized by fantasies of grandeur, power, wealth, etc.
13 monomania derangement of the mind able to focus on one subject only
14 mysophobia fear of dirt and germs and contamination
15 photophilic light-loving; requiring abundant light
16 photophobia painful sensitivity to light
17 pogonophobia fear of beards
18 pyromaniac person having an insane impulse to start fires
19 triskaidekaphobia fear of the number 13
20 xenophobia fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers
** hippopotomonstrosequippedaliophobia --- fear of long words

Week of Sept 2-5

Freshmen:

One and Many Vocabulary KEY
1 monograph scholarly article or book about a particular subject
2 monologue lengthy talk by one person
3 monorail railway whose cars are supported on a single rail
4 monosyllabic having only one syllable
5 monotonous tiresome because of lack of variety
6 multifaceted having many sides or aspects or appearances
7 multilateral having many sides or participated in by more than two parties
8 multimedia involving the use of two or more films, tapes, lights, slides, etc
9 multinational having business or operations in several countries
10 polygamist person married to two or more mates at the same time
11 polyglot person who speaks or writes several languages
12 polymath person of great and diversified learning
13 polytechnic skilled in many technical arts and applied sciences
14 polytheistic believing in more than one god
15 unanimous being of one and the same opinion; showing complete agreement
16 uniform always the same; not varying in form, degree, or manner
17 unify to combine into one; consolidate
18 unilateral involving or affecting one side only; one-sided
19 unique being the only one of its kind; highly unusual
20 unisex not distinguishable as male or female; designed for both genders

Seniors:

Your final copy of the five paragraph language essay is due Wed. Sept. 3.

1 baffling frustrating; bewildering
2 cinematography art of making motion pictures
3 despicable worthy of contempt; contemptible
4 ebullient overflowing with enthusiasm; exuberant
5 exaggerate overstate; go beyond the limits of the actual truth
6 exhort aroused by words; advise strongly; urge
7 expertise specialized skill or technical knowledge; know-how; expertness
8 finicky excessively conerned with trifles or details; hard to please; fussy
9 gall make sore; irritate mentally, annoy; vex
10 inanity foolishness; shallowness
11 indemnify conpensate for loss, damage, or injury; reimburse; repay
12 occidental western
13 peruse read; look at fairly attentively; study
14 scuffle brawl; fight
15 spurn thrust aside with disdain or contempt; reject
16 stipend fixed pay for services; salary; regular allowance awarded
17 surveillance close watch over a person, group, or area; supervision
18 tepidly unenthusiastically; lukewarmly
19 wager bet
20 wane decrese in power or size; dwindle; decline; sink