1. calamity
1
It is an understatement to call the earthquake in Chile a
tragic event; it is nothing short of a complete calamity.
an event causing great and o:en sudden
damage or distress;
disaster

2. servile
2
Immediately a:er calami<es, as countries suffer from the shocks of
inadequate resources, they are more likely to succumb to servility
as other countries come to their aid.
excessive willingness to please or
serve others;
overly submissive

3. assiduous
3
“Beyonce dances very assiduously in the ‘bootylicious’
video” (wiki.answers.com).
showing great care and perseverance;
diligent, persistent, hard-working

4. benign
4
The stranger was far less malignant than he appeared, and
turned out to be rather benign.
gentle, harmless

5. temerity
5
With temerity, she swaggered up to the man on the bench,
whispered in his ear, “Could you please stop staring at me,” and
walked off.
excessive confidence or boldness;
audacity, recklessness, fearlessness

6. sagacious
6
A lack of beauty and a shortage of sagacious mentors oppressed
Pecola in The Bluest Eye.
showing good judgment;
wise, shrewd

7. contemptuous
7
Our illness is treated with contempt; we are made to feel guilty for
inconveniencing others with our sickness.
showing a lack of respect;
scornful, disdainful

8. abhor
8
Being despised by the masses makes it difficult not to succumb to
self‐abhorrence; in Pecola’s case, it was nearly impossible.
regard with disgust and hatred;
loathe, detest

9. bemuse
9
I try to understand the plot, but each new page bemuses me more
than the last.
puzzle; confuse; bewilder

10. embittered
10
Pecola could have been embittered by her fatherʼs
seduction--this would be expected--but she only longed to
feel beautiful and desired.
resentful; scornful

11. surreptitiously
11
Like a child sneaking out of the house, he left the hotel
surreptitiously, knowing what he had done was wrong.
doing something secretly because it
would be not be approved of