English 10, Periods 6 and 8

Today, we wrote journals.  The topics were as follows:

1. People sometimes surprise us.
2. Most people are basically good.
3. Most people are basically bad.

We read "The Possiblilty of Evil" by Shirley Jackson.  You can find a copy of the story here.
There are no questions assigned for this evening.  Instead, review your vocabulary words for the test on Friday, October 30th.  In addition, make sure your journal is finished.   Finally, complete a study sheet on "Lamb to the Slaughter".  If you forget how to do this, see today's blog posting for  English 10, Period 5.

English 10, Period 5

Today, we answered the final questions on "Lamb to the Slaughter" and then watched a video of the story.  For homework, students should study for the vocabulary test that will be on Friday, October 30th.  Also, students need to complete a study sheet for "Lamb to the Slaughter".  The sheet layout should look like this:

"Lamb to the Slaughter"

by Roald Dahl

Characters:                                                        Conflict:

Point of View:                                                    Symbol and Irony:




Setting and Mood:                                              Theme:

English 12

Today, we wrote a journal and read the short story "The Lottery".  The journal topics were as follows:

1. If I won the lottery...
2. An important ritual for me...

For next class, answer question #s 1-4 on the short story handout that I gave you.  If you do not have the handout, email me for a PDF copy.

The vocabulary quiz will be on Friday, Oct. 30th.

English 12

On Tuesday, you will write a paragraph explaining whether you think the barber in "Just Lather, That's All" is heroic or unheroic.  Also, here is a completed list of your vocabulary words:

1. coddle: to overprotect
2. erudite: sophisticated; worldly
3. saxicolous: one who is unaware; one who "lives under a rock"
4. boisterous: rough and noisy
5. nefarious: wicked
6. comprehensive: including all elements or aspects of a thing
7. impavid: fearless; intrepid
8. etiquette: manners; customary codes of polite behaviour
9. feign: to pretend
10. noxious: harmful or corrupt
11. obtuse:  stupid or dense; annoyingly insensitive
12. dwale: to wander deliriously or as if one were asleep; a sleeping draught made from the plant known as the deadly nightshade
13. bias: prejudice in favour or against a thing
14. beset:  threaten persistently
15. obsolete:  outdated; no longer of use
16. banal:  repeated often; boring; ordinary
17. apprise: to give notice; to inform
18. irenic: to promote peace
19. repertoire: a stock of pieces used for performance
20. stoic:  emotionless; strong in the face of adversity; uncomplaining during adversity
21. innocuous: harmless
22. trepidation: fearfulness; anxiety
23. nonchalant: unconcerned; elegantly casual
24. prosaic: lacking imagination; ordinary
25. malevolent: evil
26. benevolent: kindly; good
27. amoral: lacking a sense of right and wrong
28. vex: to frustrate; to annoy
29. candor: honesty; frankness
30. arcane: secret; obscure; known only by a few people
31. temperate:  moderate; restrained behaviour
32. aberration:  something which differs from the norm
33. morose:  gloomy; sullen
34. flummox:  to perplex or to be perplexed by
35. zenith:  the highest point
36. nadir:  the lowest point
37. maudlin:  foolishly or tearfully affectionate
38. censure:  to blame or criticize something or someone
39. transpire:  to occur; to happen
40. ambiguous:  open to more than one interpretation 

English 10, Period 8

Please complete the question sheet on "Lamb for the Slaughter" for Tuesday.  You can find a copy of the story at this link.  If you have not finished the vocabulary assignment, do so for Tuesday as well.  Remember, you must choose 10 of the following words and use them all in a cohesive paragraph.

Completed vocabulary list--English 10, Period 8:

1. loquacious:  chatty; very talkative
2. adequate:  enough; satisfactory for a purpose
3. abrogate:  to cancel
4. inquisitive:  curious; questioning
5. conundrum:  a confusing or difficult situation
6. epoch:  a particular time in history or a person's life
7. theology:  the study of religion
8. vindicate:  to show to be right by providing justification
9. cynosure:  an object at the focal point of attention
10. boondoggle:  work of little value that is done simply to look busy
11. constraint:  something which restricts one's actions or power
12. toady:  one who tries to gain an advantage through pleasing someone (or through flattery)
13. insipid:  weak
14. intrepid:  fearless
15. insolent:  boldly rude or disrespectful
16. abiotic:  of or characterized by the absence of living things; a non-living part of the environment
17. fiend:  a wicked or cruel being
18. camaraderie:  friendship based on trust
19. existential:  concerned with existence, especially human existence; affirming or implying the existence of a thing
20. insidious: sinister or menacing
21. innocuous:  harmless
22. trepidation:  fearfulness; anxiety
23. nonchalant:  unconcerned; elegantly casual
24. prosaic:  lacking imagination; ordinary
25. malevolent:  evil
26. benevolent:  kindly; good
27. amoral:  lacking a sense of morality (lacking a sense of right and wrong)
28. vex:  to frustrate; to annoy
29. candor:  honesty; frankness
30. arcane:  secret; obscure; known only by a few people
31. temperate:  moderate; restrained behaviour
32. aberration:  something which differs from the norm
33. morose:  gloomy; sullen
34. flummox:  to perplex or to be perplexed by
35. zenith:  the highest point
36. nadir:  the lowest point
37. maudlin:  foolishly or tearfully affectionate
38. censure:  to blame or criticize something or someone
39. transpire:  to occur; to happen
40. ambiguous:  open to more than one interpretation

English 10, Period 6

Please complete the question sheet on "Lamb for the Slaughter" for Tuesday.  You can find a copy of the story at this link.  If you have not finished the vocabulary assignment, do so for Tuesday as well.  Remember, you must choose 10 of the following words and use them all in a cohesive paragraph.

Completed vocabulary list--English 10, Period 6

1. bias:  leaning towards or against an idea, issue, person, or group
2. fallacious:  based on a mistaken belief
3. anthropomorphic:  attribution of human qualities to animals
4. hiatus:  a pause in a process
5. belligerent:  to be hostile and aggressive
6. vigil:  a state of wakefulness during sleeping hours; keeping watch at night
7. epigram:  a short, humorous or satirical saying
8. intercede:  to act on another's behalf or to smooth out troubles between two parties
9. omnipotent:  all-powerful
10. murmuration:  the act of murmuring (speaking indistinctly)
11. tomfoolery:  foolish or silly behaviour; shenanigans
12. cogitate:  to think deeply or meditate on something
13. ranivorous: frog-eating
14. redamancy:  to return an act of love
15. jocularity: playfulness; intended joking
16. uproarious:  loud laughter; very funny; hilarious
17. goofy: silly
18. abomination: something which is totally detestable
19. galumph: to move heavily or clumsily
20. penurious: extreme poverty; or extreme miserliness (penny-pinching)
21. innocuous:  harmless
22. trepidation:  fearfulness; anxiety
23. nonchalant:  unconcerned; elegantly casual
24. prosaic:  lacking imagination; ordinary
25. malevolent:  evil
26. benevolent:  kindly; good
27. amoral:  lacking a sense of morality (lacking a sense of right and wrong)
28. vex:  to frustrate; to annoy
29. candor:  honesty; frankness
30. arcane:  secret; obscure; known only by a few people
31. temperate:  moderate; restrained behaviour
32. aberration:  something which differs from the norm
33. morose:  gloomy; sullen
34. flummox:  to perplex or to be perplexed by
35. zenith:  the highest point
36. nadir:  the lowest point
37. maudlin:  foolishly or tearfully affectionate
38. censure:  to blame or criticize something or someone
39. transpire:  to occur; to happen
40. ambiguous:  open to more than one interpretation

English 10 Period 5

Please complete the question sheet on "Lamb for the Slaughter" for Tuesday.  You can find a copy of the story at this link.  If you have not finished the vocabulary assignment, do so for Tuesday as well.  Remember, you must choose 10 of the following words and use them all in a cohesive paragraph.

Completed vocabulary list -- English 10, Period 5:

1. mahout:  an elephant-driver
2. fractious:  cranky; irritable
3. penitent:  feeling sorrow/guilt after committing a sin
4. epiphany:  a sudden realization of a life truth that changes the person in some way
5. constituency:  a district that elects its own representative to parliament
6. irreverent:  an attitude showing a lack of due respect
7. covenant:  a legal agreement/contract or a binding contract between man and God
8. ostentatious:  a pretentious (flashy) or vulgar display (usually of wealth)
9. conjure:  to make something appear by magic
10. eloquent:  fluency or persuasiveness in speech or writing
11. theanthropic:  possessing both god-like and human qualities; a god in a human form
12. umbrage: anger caused by being offended
13. acquiesce: to accept reluctantly; to give in
14. girn or gurn:  to make a grotesque face; to bare one's teeth in anger or dispair
15. abattoir: a slaughterhouse; where animals are slaughtered for food
16. earnest: sincere and intense conviction; not being distracted by things unrelated to a goal
17. pelagic:  of the sea
18. wamfle: to walk around in clothing that flaps about (this is a very archaic word)
19. agastopia: admiration of a particular part of another person's body
20. stasis:  inactivity because of being stuck between two balanced forces
21. innocuous:  harmless
22. trepidation:  fearfulness; anxiety
23. nonchalant:  unconcerned; elegantly casual
24. prosaic:  lacking imagination; ordinary
25. malevolent:  evil
26. benevolent:  kindly; good
27. amoral:  lacking a sense of morality (lacking a sense of right and wrong)
28. vex:  to frustrate; to annoy
29. candor:  honesty; frankness
30. arcane:  secret; obscure; known only by a few people
31. temperate:  moderate; restrained behaviour
32. aberration:  something which differs from the norm
33. morose:  gloomy; sullen
34. flummox:  to perplex or to be perplexed by
35. zenith:  the highest point
36. nadir:  the lowest point
37. maudlin:  foolishly or tearfully affectionate
38. censure:  to blame or criticize something or someone
39. transpire:  to occur; to happen
40. ambiguous:  open to more than one interpretation

English 10, Period 8

Your 31 vocabulary words to date are as follows:

1. loquacious:  chatty; very talkative
2. adequate:  enough; satisfactory for a purpose
3. abrogate:  to cancel
4. inquisitive:  curious; questioning
5. conundrum:  a confusing or difficult situation
6. epoch:  a particular time in history or a person's life
7. theology:  the study of religion
8. vindicate:  to show to be right by providing justification
9. cynosure:  an object at the focal point of attention
10. boondoggle:  work of little value that is done simply to look busy
11. constraint:  something which restricts one's actions or power
12. toady:  one who tries to gain an advantage through pleasing someone (or through flattery)
13. insipid:  weak
14. intrepid:  fearless
15. insolent:  boldly rude or disrespectful
16. abiotic:  of or characterized by the absence of living things; a non-living part of the environment
17. fiend:  a wicked or cruel being
18. camaraderie:  friendship based on trust
19. existential:  concerned with existence, especially human existence; affirming or implying the existence of a thing
20. insidious: sinister or menacing
21. egotastic: being into yourself so much that it becomes annoying
22. innocuous:  harmless
23. trepidation:  fearfulness; anxiety
24. nonchalant:  unconcerned; elegantly casual
25. prosaic:  lacking imagination; ordinary
26. malevolent:  evil
27. benevolent:  kindly; good
28. amoral:  lacking a sense of morality (lacking a sense of right and wrong)
29. vex:  to frustrate; to annoy
30. candor:  honesty; frankness
31. arcane:  secret; obscure; known only by a few people

English 10, Period 6

Your 30 vocabulary words to date are as follows:

1. bias:  leaning towards or against an idea, issue, person, or group
2. fallacious:  based on a mistaken belief
3. anthropomorphic:  attribution of human qualities to animals
4. hiatus:  a pause in a process
5. belligerent:  to be hostile and aggressive
6. vigil:  a state of wakefulness during sleeping hours; keeping watch at night
7. epigram:  a short, humorous or satirical saying
8. intercede:  to act on another's behalf or to smooth out troubles between two parties
9. omnipotent:  all-powerful
10. murmuration:  the act of murmuring (speaking indistinctly)
11. tomfoolery:  foolish or silly behaviour; shenanigans
12. cogitate:  to think deeply or meditate on something
13. ranivorous: frog-eating
14. redamancy:  to return an act of love
15. jocularity: playfulness; intended joking
16. uproarious:  loud laughter; very funny; hilarious
17. goofy: silly
18. abomination: something which is totally detestable
19. galumph: to move heavily or clumsily
20. penurious: extreme poverty; or extreme miserliness (penny-pinching)
21. innocuous:  harmless
22. trepidation:  fearfulness; anxiety
23. nonchalant:  unconcerned; elegantly casual
24. prosaic:  lacking imagination; ordinary
25. malevolent:  evil
26. benevolent:  kindly; good
27. amoral:  lacking a sense of morality (lacking a sense of right and wrong)
28. vex:  to frustrate; to annoy
29. candor:  honesty; frankness
30. arcane:  secret; obscure; known only by a few people

English 10, Period 5

Your vocabulary word to date are as follows:

1. mahout:  an elephant-driver
2. fractious:  cranky; irritable
3. penitent:  feeling sorrow/guilt after committing a sin
4. epiphany:  a sudden realization of a life truth that changes the person in some way
5. constituency:  a district that elects its own representative to parliament
6. irreverent:  an attitude showing a lack of due respect
7. covenant:  a legal agreement/contract or a binding contract between man and God
8. ostentatious:  a pretentious (flashy) or vulgar display (usually of wealth)
9. conjure:  to make something appear by magic
10. eloquent:  fluency or persuasiveness in speech or writing
11. theanthropic:  possessing both god-like and human qualities; a god in a human form
12. umbrage: anger caused by being offended
13. acquiesce: to accept reluctantly; to give in
14. girn or gurn:  to make a grotesque face; to bare one's teeth in anger or dispair
15. abattoir: a slaughterhouse; where animals are slaughtered for food
16. earnest: sincere and intense conviction; not being distracted by things unrelated to a goal
17. pelagic:  of the sea
18. wamfle: to walk around in clothing that flaps about (this is a very archaic word)
19. agastopia: admiration of a particular part of another person's body
20. stasis:  inactivity because of being stuck between two balanced forces
21. innocuous:  harmless
22. trepidation:  fearfulness; anxiety
23. nonchalant:  unconcerned; elegantly casual
24. prosaic:  lacking imagination; ordinary
25. malevolent:  evil
26. benevolent:  kindly; good
27. amoral:  lacking a sense of morality (lacking a sense of right and wrong)
28. vex:  to frustrate; to annoy
29. candor:  honesty; frankness
30. arcane:  secret; obscure; known only by a few people

English 12

 Complete all questions  on the sheet for "Just Lather, That's All".
Also, here are you 30 vocabulary words to date:

1. coddle: to overprotect
2. erudite: sophisticated; worldly
3. saxicolous: one who is unaware; one who "lives under a rock"
4. boisterous: rough and noisy
5. nefarious: wicked
6. comprehensive: including all elements or aspects of a thing
7. impavid: fearless; intrepid
8. etiquette: manners; customary codes of polite behaviour
9. feign: to pretend
10. noxious: harmful or corrupt
11. obtuse:  stupid or dense; annoyingly insensitive
12. dwale: to wander deliriously or as if one were asleep; a sleeping draught made from the plant known as the deadly nightshade
13. bias: prejudice in favour or against a thing
14. beset:  threaten persistently
15. obsolete:  outdated; no longer of use
16. banal:  repeated often; boring; ordinary
17. apprise: to give notice; to inform
18. irenic: to promote peace
19. repertoire: a stock of pieces used for performance
20. stoic:  emotionless; strong in the face of adversity; uncomplaining during adversity
21. innocuous: harmless
22. trepidation: fearfulness; anxiety
23. nonchalant: unconcerned; elegantly casual
24. prosaic: lacking imagination; ordinary
25. malevolent: evil
26. benevolent: kindly; good
27. amoral: lacking a sense of right and wrong
28. vex: to frustrate; to annoy
29. candor: honesty; frankness
30. arcane: secret; obscure; known only by a few people

English 12

For Thursday, please complete questions 2, 3, 5, and 6 for "Just Lather, That's All". Also, your ten new vocabulary words this week are the same as in all my classes:

Innocuous -- harmless
Trepidation -- fearfulness; anxiety
Nonchalant -- unconcerned; elegantly casual
Prosaic--lacking imagination; ordinary
Malevolent -- evil
Benevolent -- kindly; good
Amoral -- lacking a sense of right and wrong
Vex -- to frustrate; to annoy
Candor -- honesty; frankness
Arcane -- secret; obscure; known only by a few people

Finally, in class on Tuesday we wrote the second journal of the short story unit (Journal #2: October 6th) .  The prompt is as follows:

If you had life or death power over someone (living or dead) who you despised, would you use it? Describe the situation in which you and the the other person find yourselves.  Then, explain the choice you make.

English 10

Everyone's paragraph on whether "The Doll's House" is optimistic or pessimistic is due on Thursday. Your ten new vocabulary words for the week are the same in all my classes:

Innocuous -- harmless
Trepidation -- fearfulness; anxiety
Nonchalant -- unconcerned; elegantly casual
Prosaic--lacking imagination; ordinary
Malevolent -- evil
Benevolent -- kindly; good
Amoral -- lacking a sense of morality (lacking a sense of right and wrong)
Vex -- to frustrate; to annoy
Candor -- honesty; frankness
Arcane -- secret; obscure; known only by a few people