semester 2 (2014-15)
( Base Tier, Top Tier )
Mastery Words:)
1) BAFFLED: Perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment.
Novel Sentence: “Life-bloated, baffled, long-suffering hag” (Gardner 11).
Stand-alone: I was completely baffled by the magician's disappearance trick.
In Writing: Which kind of seems like a reflection on how Grendel feels, often at times confused and baffled about human’s behavior.
2) CONTRADICT: Prove negative; show to be false.
Novel Sentence: “It was not unusual, of course, to hear them contradict themselves, but I would have liked it if he’d stuck to one single version, either that they would know and sing his tragedy or that they wouldn’t” (Gardner 88).
Stand-alone: Whenever my father and I get into an argument, he always contradicts himself.
In Writing: Another note on writing that I thought I’d just add is to make sure you don’t contradict how you describe your character with what they do and the choices they make throughout the story.
3) DRAB: A dull greyish to yellowish or light olive brown. (lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull.) 5-5
Novel Sentence: “I can see for miles from these rock walls: thick forest suddenly still at my coming-- cowering stags, wolves, hedgehogs, boars, submerged in their stifling, unmemorable fear; mute birds, pulsating, thoughtless clay in hushed old trees, thick lims interlocked to seal drab secrets in” (Gardner 11).
Stand-alone: The weather in my hometown is always quite drab.
In Writing: Grendel lives underground in a putrid, drab, unsightly pit-like cave with his mother.
In Writing 2: That drab cave and lifestyle are the only world he knows, and he believes being a monster is the only way of living.
4) GAZE: A long fixed look.
Novel Sentence: "Gazing with wonder upon the golden bough, charon cleared his boat and made way for Aeneas and the Sibyl to climb aboard" (Rosenberg 140).
Stand-alone: The man's gaze made me very uncomfortable, giving me chills.
5) GLOAT: Dwell on with satisfaction. 5/2
Novel Sentence: “Another one came at me, gloating in his blear eyed heroism, manically joyful because he had bragged that he would die for his king and he was doing it” (Gardner 81).
Stand-alone: I always look down on those who have a tendency to gloat.
In Writing: "He basically spends his days sitting upon his gold, gloating of his wealth and power to those less fortunate than himself."
6) IMPACT: The striking of one body against another. 5-6
Novel Sentence: “While no one was killed, the force of the impact overturned three double-decker Metrolink rail cars and derailed two others [...]” (Reuters).
Stand-alone: The movie "Centre stage" had a huge impact on my life, inspiring my love for dancing.
7) LIMP: Proceed slowly or with difficulty.
Novel Sentence: “Old men with ringworm in their beards limp dusty lanes to gather like bony dogs at the god-lined square where the king’s justice is dispensed ”(Gardener 113).
Stand-alone: The whole bottom half of my body felt limp after sprinting that 800k.
8) LITERALLY: In a literal sense.
Novel Sentence: “Because, he says, his site offers its members the possibility of living forever. Not literally, of course – that would be ridiculous (Forbes).
Stand-alone: I literally just fell off my chair by laughing too hard.
9) MAYHEM: Violent and needless disturbance.
Novel Sentence: "Murder and mayhem are the life and soul of revolution" (Gardner 118).
Stand-alone: The crowd breaks out in mayhem as he enters their sight.
10) MOURNFUL: Expressing sorrow.
Novel Sentence: "I cry, with another quick, nasty face at the sky, mournfully observing the way it is, bitterly remembering the way it was, and idiotically casting tommorow’s nets" (Gardner 7).
Stand-alone: Everyone was mournful as they payed their respects.
In Writing: Throughout the story, you hear Grendel’s mournful cries, showing his lonely and wretched existence.
11) PUTRID: In an advanced state of decomposition and having a foul odor. 5-5
Novel Sentence: “Why do we stand this putrid, stinking hole?” (Gardner 11).
Stand-alone: What is that horrible, putrid stench?
In Writing: Grendel lives underground in a putrid, drab, unsightly pit-like cave with his mother.
12) SPITEFUL: Showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite.
Novel Sentence: “Then old womanish, as if he were, though still spiteful, slightly embarrassed, he got up onto his treasure pile, stretched out his wings, and settled” (Gardner 60).
Stand-alone: The old man glared at me, spitefully, wishing upon me misery and ill-will.
In Writing: I believe this environment that he was born into is what made him the spiteful creature he is.
13) SURMOUNT: Get on top of; deal with successfully. 5-6
Novel Sentence: “The dogs fall silent at the edge of my spell, and where the king’s hall surmounts the town, the blind old Shaper, harp clutched tight to his fragile chest, stares futilely down, straight at me” (Gardner 13).
Stand-alone: I shall surmount all expectations and wow everyone with my performance.
14) TORMENTED: Experiencing intense pain especially mental pain. 5-5
Novel Sentence: "I listened, huddle in the darkness, tormented, mistrustful" (Gardner 47).
Stand-alone: I am tormented by the thought of failing my SAT.
In Writing: He lives in a world of darkness and disease, tormented by nightmares and old memories.
15) UNSIGHTLY: Unpleasant to look at. 5-5
Novel Sentence: "For many month, unsightly monster you've murdered men as you pleased in Hrothgar’s hall........Prepare to fall, foul thing!"
(Gardner 83).
Stand-alone: What is that unsightly creature you hold in your arms?
In Writing: Grendel lives underground in a putrid, drab, unsightly pit-like cave with his mother.
16) VAGUELY: In a vague way.
Novel Sentence: “He panted for a long time, then rolled his eyes up, vaguely in my direction” (Grander 87).
Stand-alone: I vaguely remember receiving my first ballet slippers as a birthday present when I was younger.
In Writing: The environment in which he’s in is a vague reflection of who he is.
17) WRETCH: Someone you feel sorry for. 5-6
Novel Sentence: "And beautiful: need not have withered her nights and wasted her cody on a bony, shivering wretch” (Gardner 122).
Stand-alone: The poor cold wretch, sitting at the bus stop, watching her future leave her on the greyhound.
In Writing: Throughout the story, you hear Grendel’s mournful cries, showing his lonely and wretched existence.
18) STAGNANT: Not growing or changing; without force or vitality. 5-5
Novel Sentence: “Theology does not thrive in the world of action and reaction, change: it grows on calm, like the scum on a stagnant pool” (Gardner 159).
Stand-alone: The feeling was stagnant, unchanging, like an anchor set in my heart.
In Writing: It’s located by a stagnant lake, shut off from all light and human civilization.
19) HURL: Throw forcefully.
Novel Sentence: “Space hurls outward, falconswift, mounting like an irreversible injustice, a final disease" (Gardner 9).
Stand-alone: I hurled my pillow at her, aiming for her face.
20) MUTTER: Talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice. 5-4, 5-6
Novel Sentence: "I shake my head, muttering darkly on shaded paths, holding conversation with the only friend and comfort this world affords, my shadow" (Gardner 8).
Stand-alone: I bottle up my feelings, muttering my thoughts under my breath.
That drab cave and lifestyle are the only world he knows, and he believes being a monster is the only way of living.
4) GAZE: A long fixed look.
Novel Sentence: "Gazing with wonder upon the golden bough, charon cleared his boat and made way for Aeneas and the Sibyl to climb aboard" (Rosenberg 140).
Stand-alone: The man's gaze made me very uncomfortable, giving me chills.
In Writing: You could smell, feel, and see his cave as if you were gazing upon it with your very own eyes.
5) GLOAT: Dwell on with satisfaction. 5/2
Novel Sentence: “Another one came at me, gloating in his blear eyed heroism, manically joyful because he had bragged that he would die for his king and he was doing it” (Gardner 81).
Stand-alone: I always look down on those who have a tendency to gloat.
In Writing: "He basically spends his days sitting upon his gold, gloating of his wealth and power to those less fortunate than himself."
6) IMPACT: The striking of one body against another. 5-6
Novel Sentence: “While no one was killed, the force of the impact overturned three double-decker Metrolink rail cars and derailed two others [...]” (Reuters).
Stand-alone: The movie "Centre stage" had a huge impact on my life, inspiring my love for dancing.
7) LIMP: Proceed slowly or with difficulty.
Novel Sentence: “Old men with ringworm in their beards limp dusty lanes to gather like bony dogs at the god-lined square where the king’s justice is dispensed ”(Gardener 113).
Stand-alone: The whole bottom half of my body felt limp after sprinting that 800k.
In Writing: I get the feeling he's always dragging himself around, in a limp fashion, living his life as if it's a chore.
8) LITERALLY: In a literal sense.
Novel Sentence: “Because, he says, his site offers its members the possibility of living forever. Not literally, of course – that would be ridiculous (Forbes).
Stand-alone: I literally just fell off my chair by laughing too hard.
9) MAYHEM: Violent and needless disturbance.
Novel Sentence: "Murder and mayhem are the life and soul of revolution" (Gardner 118).
Stand-alone: The crowd breaks out in mayhem as he enters their sight.
In Writing: It gives this feeling of a disturbed movement, one of disorder and slight mayhem.
10) MOURNFUL: Expressing sorrow.
Novel Sentence: "I cry, with another quick, nasty face at the sky, mournfully observing the way it is, bitterly remembering the way it was, and idiotically casting tommorow’s nets" (Gardner 7).
Stand-alone: Everyone was mournful as they payed their respects.
11) PUTRID: In an advanced state of decomposition and having a foul odor. 5-5
Novel Sentence: “Why do we stand this putrid, stinking hole?” (Gardner 11).
Stand-alone: What is that horrible, putrid stench?
In Writing: Grendel lives underground in a putrid, drab, unsightly pit-like cave with his mother.
12) SPITEFUL: Showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite.
Novel Sentence: “Then old womanish, as if he were, though still spiteful, slightly embarrassed, he got up onto his treasure pile, stretched out his wings, and settled” (Gardner 60).
Stand-alone: The old man glared at me, spitefully, wishing upon me misery and ill-will.
In Writing: I believe this environment that he was born into is what made him the spiteful creature he is.
13) SURMOUNT: Get on top of; deal with successfully. 5-6
Novel Sentence: “The dogs fall silent at the edge of my spell, and where the king’s hall surmounts the town, the blind old Shaper, harp clutched tight to his fragile chest, stares futilely down, straight at me” (Gardner 13).
Stand-alone: I shall surmount all expectations and wow everyone with my performance.
14) TORMENTED: Experiencing intense pain especially mental pain. 5-5
Novel Sentence: "I listened, huddle in the darkness, tormented, mistrustful" (Gardner 47).
Stand-alone: I am tormented by the thought of failing my SAT.
In Writing: He lives in a world of darkness and disease, tormented by nightmares and old memories.
15) UNSIGHTLY: Unpleasant to look at. 5-5
Novel Sentence: "For many month, unsightly monster you've murdered men as you pleased in Hrothgar’s hall........Prepare to fall, foul thing!"
(Gardner 83).
Stand-alone: What is that unsightly creature you hold in your arms?
In Writing: Grendel lives underground in a putrid, drab, unsightly pit-like cave with his mother.
16) VAGUELY: In a vague way.
Novel Sentence: “He panted for a long time, then rolled his eyes up, vaguely in my direction” (Grander 87).
Stand-alone: I vaguely remember receiving my first ballet slippers as a birthday present when I was younger.
In Writing: The environment in which he’s in is a vague reflection of who he is.
17) WRETCH: Someone you feel sorry for. 5-6
Novel Sentence: "And beautiful: need not have withered her nights and wasted her cody on a bony, shivering wretch” (Gardner 122).
Stand-alone: The poor cold wretch, sitting at the bus stop, watching her future leave her on the greyhound.
18) STAGNANT: Not growing or changing; without force or vitality. 5-5
Novel Sentence: “Theology does not thrive in the world of action and reaction, change: it grows on calm, like the scum on a stagnant pool” (Gardner 159).
Stand-alone: The feeling was stagnant, unchanging, like an anchor set in my heart.
In Writing: It’s located by a stagnant lake, shut off from all light and human civilization.
19) HURL: Throw forcefully.
Novel Sentence: “Space hurls outward, falconswift, mounting like an irreversible injustice, a final disease" (Gardner 9).
Stand-alone: I hurled my pillow at her, aiming for her face.
In Writing:
It’s especially important to have a good beginning that doesn’t hurl the reader into the story, but rather captures and intrigues them.
20) MUTTER: Talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice. 5-4, 5-6
Novel Sentence: "I shake my head, muttering darkly on shaded paths, holding conversation with the only friend and comfort this world affords, my shadow" (Gardner 8).
Stand-alone: I bottle up my feelings, muttering my thoughts under my breath.