Due today: having finished the novel
In class: vocabulary quiz material handed out last Tuesday.
quick write on the accident
Homework: vocabulary 12 DUE FRIDAY, May 17 class handout / copy below
Vocabulary 12
definitions
aesthetic (adj)-
pertaining to beauty; sensitive or responsive to beauty; artistic
defunct (adj)- no
longer in existence or functioning, dead; extinct, nonexistent
discomfit (verb)- to frustrate, thwart or defeat; to
confuse, perplex or embarrass
espouse (verb)- to take up and support; to become attached
to, adopt, to marry; embrace, wed
fetish (noun)- an object believed to have magical powers, an
object of unreasoning devotion or reverence; charm, talisman or obsession
gregarious (adj) living together in a herd or group,
sociable, seeking the company of others
hapless (adj)- marked by a persistent absence of good luck;
unlucky, ill-starred, unfortunate
impeccable (adj)- faultless, spotless, immaculate, beyond
criticism or blame
importune (verb)- to trouble with demands; to beg for
insistently; implore, entreat, to tax
interpolate (verb) to insert between other parts or things;
to present as an addition or correction; to inject, interpose,
to introduce.
irreparable (adj) incapable of being repaired or rectified;
irremediable
laconic (adj) concise; using few words; terse, succinct,
pithy, compact
languish (verb) to become weak, feeble or dull; to droop; to
be depressed or dispirited; to suffer neglect;flag, wilt, fade or pine.
mendacious (adj)- given to lying or deception; untrue; false
nadir (noun)- the lowest point, rock bottom, perigee
omnipresent (adj) present in all places at all times;
ubiquitous, ever-present
perfunctory (adj) done in superficial or halfhearted manner,
without interest or enthusiasm; slapdash, cursory
plaintive (adj)- expressive or sorrow or woe, melancholy;
sad, doleful, lugubrious
requite (verb)- to make suitable, repayment, as for a
kindness, service or favor; to make retaliation, as far an injury or wrong; to reciprocate; reimburse,
recompense, average
tantamount (adj)- equivalent, having the same meaning, value
or effect, indistinguishable from
Vocabulary 12
exercise 1 Use the correct form.
1. No matter
where candidates for high political office go these days, the
_______________________ eye of the TV
camera seems focused on them.
2. As his
irrepressible flow of reminiscences continued without a letup. I tried in vain
to _________________________ a few observations of my own.
3. To say
that he is ______________________________ does not even begin to convey just
how alienated he is from any regard for the truth.
4. One wall
of the museum was filled with charms and ______________________________
designed to ward off everything from a hangnail to the evil eye.
5. They
claim to have made a thorough search of the premises, but I suspect that their
efforts were no more than ____________________________.
6. Last
night, Central High’s Netnicks captured the basketball championship by
_________________________ the South High Slammers, 61 to 44.
7. I thought
our state legislators would consider the proposal at the earliest opportunity,
but they let it _____________________________ in committee for months.
8. Responding
to the melancholy note in the song of the nightingale, Keats wrote of its
“_______________________ anthem.”
9. Suddenly
I was surrounded by a mob of street urchins loudly
______________________________ me for a handout.
10. I was
greatly relieved to learn that the accident I had with my car last week didn’t
do any _____________________________ damage to the motor.
11. The _________________________
creature had somehow gotten its foot caught in the grate and could not
extricate it without help.
12. When asked
what terms he would offer the Confederate army, General Grant made the
______________________ reply, “Unconditional surrender.”
13. I felt a
little foolish when the librarian told me that I was asking for the current
issue of a magazine that had long been _____________________________.
14. Every
general seems to have one defeat that marks the ________________________ of his
military fortunes—for example, Lee at Gettysburg, or Grant at Cold Harbor.
15. It’s easy
enough to back a popular program, but it takes real courage to __________________________
a cause that most people oppose.
16. Since
extroverts are __________________________ by nature, they usually prefer not to
live alone.
17. Never once
has the least whiff of a scandal or impropriety tainted the man’s
_______________________ reputation as an upstanding member of this agency.
18. “Don’t you
think it’s a little foolish to pursue the young lady when your warm feelings
for her are clearly not ___________________________?” I asked.
19. From a(n)
_____________________________ point of view, the painting didn’t appeal to me,
but I kept it because it was a memento of my childhood.
20. When you
get more experience on the job, you will learn that a “request’ from your
employer is _____________________________ to an order.
Vocabulary 12, exercise 2
1. The
husband believed that the surgeon did _____________________________ harm to his
wife and sued the doctor and the hospital.
2. Without
the Constitutional guarantee of a speedy trial, the accused could
__________________________ in jail for
years.
3. Our armed
invasion of their territory was ____________________________ to a declaration
of war.
4. We made
sure to ____________________________ the neighbors for looking after our house
while we were away.
5. The
recently widowed man spoke of his loneliness in a _______________________ tone
of voice.
6. The
senator issued a _____________________________ statement declaring her
innocence after the accusations of fraud were made public.
7. Since the
structure had no practical purpose, keeping it in place could only be justified
on _______________________________ grounds.
8. I could
find no forwarding address or phone number for the ___________________________
organization.
9. The
general tried to ____________________________ his enemies by repeatedly
beginning an advance and then pulling back.
10. The police
made a ________________________________ search for the missing handbag, but
they really did not expect to find it.
11. They
believed in an
__________________________ deity that existed in all things.
12. At the
director’s request, the screenwriter ______________________________some new
lines into the script.
13. I would
expect the recreation director of a cruise ship to be a
______________________________ person.
14. The
rabbit’s foot, once a very popular __________________________ seems to have
lost its hold on the public imagination.
15. My
bankrupt uncle______________________________ my father for a loan.
16. At the
____________________________ of his popularity, the prime minister decided to
resign his office and call for new elections.
17. The deputy
gave a _____________________________ account of his employer’s actions on the
day of the alleged crime.
18. To appeal
to the large number of dissatisfied voters, the candidate ______________________ a strong program of reform.
19. Once
again, my younger brother has become the _________________________victim of a
silly practical joke.
20. We always
consulted my grandmother about what to wear because she had
_____________________________ taste in clothing.
Vocabulary 12
exercise 3 Synonyms
1. recompensed them for their hospitality
___________________________________
2. entreated the governor for a pardon
___________________________________
3. clinging to a talisman
__________________________________
4. disconcerted the conservative audiences
__________________________________
5. kept repeating that doleful melody
___________________________________
6. tried to interject a different opinion __________________________________
7. wilt under the hot sun
_____________________________________
8. the ubiquitous sound of cell phone chatter
__________________________________
9. no more than a cursory note of apology
__________________________________
10. the unfortunate recipient of bad advice
_________________________________
11. embraced the values of democracy _________________________________
12. expressed some artistic objections
__________________________________
13. equivalent to betraying a friend
__________________________________
14. an irremediable act of perfidy
_____________________________________
Antonyms
16. an extant species of sea turtles
_____________________________________
17. the apex of her fame ____________________________________
18. a truthful account of the events
_____________________________________
19. gave a verbose tribute to his partner ____________________________________
20. a sullied reputation
____________________________________
Vocabulary 12, exercise 4
1. Though I left the house feeling “as fit as a fiddle, “my
spirits began to (requite / languish) after only five minutes in the withering
heat.
2. Though few of us today stand on ceremony to quite the
extent that our ancestors did, common courtesy is my no means (plaintive /
defunct).
3. It is one thing to be concerned about discipline, it is
quite another to make a (perfunctory / fetish) of it.
4. A diplomat must always proceed on the assumption that no
rupture between nations, no matter how serious, is (irreparable / perfunctory).
5. Although fate had decreed that he made his living as a
stockbroker, his main interests and talents are definitely (irreparable /
aesthetic).
6. Prehistoric peoples banded together into tribes, not only
for protection, but also to satisfy their (gregarious/ mendacious) instincts.
7. The sternness of my boss’s expression so (discomfited /
languished) me that at first I had difficulty responding to the question.
8. In our desire to improve the quality of life in America,
we should not be too quick to (importune / espouse) an idea simply because it
is new.
9. The (omnipresent / gregarious) threat of a nuclear
holocaust that characterized the Cold War era changed many people’s attitudes
toward war in profound ways.
10. When the scandal broke, the man found himself the
(hapless / impeccable) victim of other people’s misdeeds.
11. One of the best-known figures of American folklore is
the lean, tough (laconic / hapless) cowboy.
12. Perhaps we should be overjoyed that the great man condescended
to give us a(n) (aesthetic / perfunctory) nod as we passed by.
13. I don’t know which is more painful—to have to ask
someone for a favor, or to have some unfortunate (importune /discomfit) one for
help.
14. Her sense of tact is so (hapless /impeccable) and
unerring that she can’t handle the most trying situation as if it were mere
child’s play.
15. Fortunately, our lawyer was able to produce the document
that disproved the (mendacious / omnipresent) assertions of our former.
16. I hope to (espouse / requite) my parents for all the
care they have shown to me.
17. The legal adage “silence implies consent” means that not
objecting to an action that concerns you is (perfunctory / tantamount) to
approving it.
18. One of the comforting things about reaching the (fetish
/ nadir) of one’s career is that the only place to go from there is up.
19. She sang a (laconic /plaintive) little ditty about a man
who yearns wistfully for the girl he left behind many years before.
20. Many scholars believe that Beaumont or Fletcher
(interpolated / requited) a scene or two into the present text of Shakespeare’s
Macbeth.
The Great Gatsby: ThemeTracker, Timeline-style rundown of all the important plot points
Back-story
Jay Gatz is born on a farm in North Dakota.
Gatsby charms and becomes an assistant to Dan Cody, a multimillionaire.
Gatsby and Daisy fall in love in Louisville while Gatsby trains as a soldier.
Gatsby is a hero in the war and attends Oxford. Daisy marries Tom Buchanan
Gatsby returns to America penniless. He meets and goes into business with Meyer Wolfsheim.
1
In the summer of 1922, Nick Carraway moves to New York. He rents a house in new money West Egg, across the bay from old money East Egg.,
Nick goes to dinner at his cousin Daisy Buchanan’s house in East Egg. He also knows Daisy’s husband Tom, vaguely, from their time together at Yale.
At dinner, he meets Jordan Baker, endures Tom’s racist rants, and learns that Tom is having an affair.
Nick spots his neighbor Gatsby gazing across Long Island Sound at a tiny green light.
2
Nick meets Tom’s mistress, Myrtle Wilson, who is the wife of George Wilson, a mechanic in the Valley of Ashes.
Myrtle goes with Tom and Nick to the apartment Tom keeps in New York City. The gathering becomes a drunken party at which guests swaps rumors about Gatsby. At one point, Myrtle teases Tom by repeating Daisy’s name. Tom breaks Myrtle’s nose.
3
Nick attends one of the extravagant Saturday night parties Gatsby throws at his mansion. Nick runs into Jordan at the party.
As Nick and Jordan explore the mansion, they meet Owl Eyes in Gatsby’s library. Owl Eyes admires the “realism” of Gatsby’s unread book collection.
Nick meets Gatsby at the party and the two realize that they knew each other in the army. Later, Gatsby tells Jordan a secret, remarkable story about his past.
Nick and Jordan start to date.
4
Nick travels into the city with Gatsby. Gatsby gets pulled over for speeding, but shows a little card to the policeman and is not given a ticket.
Nick meets Gatsby’s business partner Meyer Wolfsheim. Later they run into Tom Buchanan. Gatsby appears embarrassed and leaves without saying goodbye.
Jordan tells Nick the story of how Gatsby and Daisy fell in love but did not marry, and explains that Gatsby bought his mansion because it is directly across from Daisy’ house in East Egg. Nick realizes the green light must be on Daisy’s dock. Finally, Jordan relays Gatsby’s request that Nick engineer a meeting between him and Daisy.
5
Nick arranges the meeting between Daisy and Gatsby. Though at first it is awkward, soon Daisy and Gatsby are blissfully happy.
Gatsby gives them a tour of his mansion. Daisy cries over Gatsby’s beautiful English shirts. Nick leaves the two of them alone.
6
Tom and Daisy attend a party at Gatsby’s mansion, but Daisy seems to have a bad time. After the party, Gatsby suspects Daisy doesn’t understand the depth of his feelings for her.
Nick reminds Gatsby that the past is impossible to repeat. Gatsby disagrees.
7
Gatsby ceases throwing parties now that he has Daisy. He fires his servants, so they can’t gossip about Daisy’s afternoon visits to the mansion.
Daisy invites Nick and Gatsby to lunch with Jordan and Tom. Before lunch, Daisy kisses Gatsby when Tom is out of the room. A moment later, Gatsby sees Daisy’s daughter, and seems surprised.
During lunch, Tom can tell from Daisy’s behavior that she and Gatsby are having an affair. Gatsby and Nick agree that Daisy is indiscreet. Gatsby comments that Daisy’s voice is “full of money.”
The group goes to New York City. Tom drives Gatsby’s car, while Gatsby drives Tom’s coupe. They stop at Wilson’s garage to get gas, and Tom learns of Wilson’s plans to move west with Myrtle.
At Tom’s apartment, Gatsby and Tom argue over Daisy. Daisy says she loves only Gatsby. But a moment later, Daisy takes it back. Gatsby is shocked. Tom, victorious, tells the defeated Gatsby to drive Daisy home.
On the ride home, Gatsby’s car hits and kills Myrtle (who thought that the car was Tom’s, since Tom had been driving it earlier). Daisy is secretly at the wheel.
Nick remembers that it’s his thirtieth birthday. Gatsby hides outside of the Buchanans’ house out of concern for Daisy, though it’s clear that she’s fine.
8
Nick advises Gatsby to forget about Daisy, but he dismisses the advice. Then he tells Nick about how he first fell in love with Daisy.
Nick and Jordan have a fight over the phone. Nick finds that he doesn’t care.
George Wilson thinks the driver of the car is Myrtle’s lover, and somehow figures out that the car was Gatsby’s. Wilson shoots Gatsby, then kills himself.
9
Besides Nick and Gatsby’s father, only Owl Eyes attends Gatsby’s funeral.
Nick and Jordan end their relationship. Jordan accuses Nick of being dishonest with her.
Nick learns that Tom told Wilson that Gatsby had run over Myrtle, and describes Tom and Daisy as careless people who destroy things.
On his last night in West Egg before returning to Minnesota for good, Nick compares how the first settlers to America must have felt looking out at the great forests of the New World to how Gatsby must have felt when he realized that the green light was on Daisy’s dock.
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