Study these words and use them within your discussions

and written compositions. You will be quizzed on your

understanding of these words periodically and within the

unit test for each novel.

VOCABULARY QUIZZES

Although IB English Literature is not a language course, it nevertheless provides an opportunity

for students to develop and refine their language skills. In particular students are expected to

develop the ability to express their ideas in clear, unambiguous language, paying attention to

appropriate style and register. Furthermore, they are expected to structure ideas coherently and

effectively, and to acquire vocabulary appropriate to formal expression and literary analysis.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Dogma (n.): 1. doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative as by a church: the dogma of the Assumption; 2. prescribed doctrine proclaimed as unquestionably true by a particular group; 3. a settled or established opinion, belief, or principle: the classic dogma of objectivity in scientific observation.

Pragmatic (adj.): of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations

Manifest (v.): to make clear or evident to the eye or the understanding; to show plainly

Lucid (adj.): 1. easily understood; completely intelligible or comprehensible: a lucid explanation. 2. characterized by clear perception or understanding; rational or sane: a lucid moment in his madness.

Prodigal (adj. or n.):  1.wastefully or recklessly extravagant: prodigal expenditure. 2. giving or yielding profusely; lavish (usually followed by of or with; prodigal with money. 3. lavishly abundant; profuse: nature's prodigal resources.

Antipathy (n.): a natural, basic, or habitual repugnance; aversion; intense dislike

Lucid (adj.): 1. easily understood; completely intelligible or comprehensible: a lucid explanation. 2. characterized by clear perception or understanding; rational or sane: a lucid moment in his madness.

Prodigal (adj. or n.):  1.wastefully or recklessly extravagant: prodigal expenditure. 2. giving or yielding profusely; lavish (usually followed by of or with; prodigal with money. 3. lavishly abundant; profuse: nature's prodigal resources.

Antipathy (n.): a natural, basic, or habitual repugnance; aversion; intense dislike

Surreptitious (adj.): 1. obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine: a surreptitious glance.2. acting in a stealthy way.

Sagacity (noun):acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of judgment.

Perfidious (adj.): deliberately faithless; treacherous; deceitful

abysmal adjective1. of or like an abyss; immeasurably deep or great.2. extremely or hopelessly bad or severe: abysmal ignorance; abysmal poverty.

Benevolentadjective1. characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings: a benevolent attitude; her benevolent smile.2.desiring to help others; charitable: gifts from several benevolent alumni.

hedonistnoun1. a person whose life is devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification.

cajole (v.): 1. to persuade by flattery or promises2. to urge, coax

candor (n.): 1. the state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere in speech or expression; candidness: The candor of the speech impressed the audience.

plethora (n.): overabundance; excess: a plethora of advice and a paucity of assistance.

banal (adj.): 1. boring, ordinary, lacks originality

nebulous (adj.): 1. shapeless, indistinct, vague

convoluted (adj.): 1. too complicated to understand easily, intricately involved

metamorphosis (noun): 1.a transformation, as by magic or sorcery. 2.a marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function. 3.Biology: a change in the form and often habits of an animal during normal development after the embryonic stage. Metamorphosis includes, in insects, the transformation of a maggot into an adult fly and a caterpillar into a butterfly and, in amphibians, the changing of a tadpole into a frog. 4.Pathology: a usually degenerative change in the structure of a particular body tissue.

prudent (adj.)1.Wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense. 2.Careful in regard to one's own interests; provident. 3.Careful about one's conduct; circumspect.

lethargic (adj.): 1.Lacking energy; drowsy, sluggish2.Of or pertaining to, or affected by, lethargy [leth-er-jee] 

egregious (adj.): extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant: an egregious mistake; an egregious liar

gregarious(adj.)1.fond of the company of others; sociable. Nonetheless, he is gregarious and well-liked in the town.2.living in flocks or herds, as animals.3.Botany: growing in open clusters or colonies; not matted together.4.pertaining to a flock or crowd.

loquacious (adj.): 1. talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling; garrulous: a loquacious dinner guest.2. characterized by excessive talk; wordy: easily the most loquacious play of the season.

kitschy (noun): something of tawdry design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste.

masochist (noun)a person who finds pleasure in self-denial, submissiveness, physical pain, humiliation, or degradation

obstinacy (noun)stubborn persistence

tenuous (adj): 1. Long and thin; slender: tenuous strands. 2. Having little substance; flimsy: a tenuous argument.3. Having a thin consistency; dilute.

Harbinger [hahr-bin-jer] (noun)event that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign: Frost is a harbinger of winter.

dispassionate (adj)Disinterested, detached, aloof