Vocab Words 2/24/09

	Accessible (adj)	Easy to reach or to approach The introduction to the complex novel was, thankfully, written in clear accessible language. Synonyms: approachable, attainable
	Accommodate (verb)	To give consideration to The hospitable couple was happy to accommodate the needs of their finicky guest. Synonyms: oblige, abet
	Advantageous (adj)	Giving an advantage The house’s location in the best school district was advantageous to the seller. Synonyms: favorable, beneficial
	Adversary (noun)	One who opposes or resists Franklin hoped to defeat his adversary in the afternoon’s tennis match. Synonyms: opponent, enemy
	Absolve (verb)	To forgive; to free from guilt Marta felt greatly relieved after her mother absolved her for breaking the vase. Synonyms: exculpate, pardon
		To emphasize

Horror film draws unwanted visitors to Connecticut. house

( This is a rated R movie which is not suitable for children) A Hollywood horror film that depicts the alleged haunting of a former funeral parlor in central Connecticut is turning into a nightmare for the home’s current owners and their neighbors.

The movie, “A Haunting in Connecticut,” doesn’t open until Friday, but curious fans are already making a beeline for the Southington home that inspired the movie.

“It’s just been really, really stressful,” said Susan Trotta-Smith, who bought the home 10 years ago with her husband. “It’s been a total change from a very quiet house in a very quiet neighborhood to looking out the window and seeing cars stopping all the time. It’s been very, very stressful, and sometimes worrisome.”

The family has never seen anything unusual inside their five-bedroom, two-family white wood-frame house and does not believe the property was haunted.

“It’s got beautiful woodwork, and there is a nice warm feeling to the house,” Trotta-Smith said. “Because it was a funeral home , the upstairs apartment is much more spacious. It’s like two full houses , and it has a beautiful yard, too.”

The movie, starring Virginia Madsen and Kyle Gallner and released by Lionsgate, is loosely based on stories that revolved around the house in the 1980s.

Vocab Words 3/17/09

coherent

(adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (William could not figure out what Harold had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.)

complacency

(n.) self-satisfied ignorance of danger (Simon tried to shock his friends out of their complacency by painting a frightening picture of what might happen to them.)

confidant

(n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, he became my chief confidant.)

connive

(v.) to plot, scheme (She connived to get me to give up my plans to start up a new business.)

cumulative

(adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The cumulative effect of hours spent using the World English website was a vast improvement in his vocabulary and general level of English.)

Scholar Claims Dead Sea Scrolls ‘Authors’ Never Existed

A partial view of the Dead Sea Temple Scroll, which is nearly 4 yards long

Biblical scholars have long argued that the Dead Sea Scrolls were the work of an ascetic and celibate Jewish community known as the Essenes, which flourished in the 1st century A.D. in the scorching desert canyons near the Dead Sea. Now a prominent Israeli scholar, Rachel Elior, disputes that the Essenes ever existed at all — a claim that has shaken the bedrock of biblical scholarship.

Vocab Words 3/10/09 (Greek)

Kudos

Kudos means fame or glory, usually resulting from an important act or achievement. It is interesting to notice that in Greek and in the Standard British English, Kudos is a singular noun. Inside the United States, however, it is often used in a plural form (e.g., You deserve many kudos for this accomplishment!)

They deserve the kudos because they could be deemed responsible for the marked improvement in the commercials during Super Bowl XL last night.

Genesis Genesis means birth or origin. There are many synonyms for this word, including beginning, onset, start, spring, dawn and commencement. Genesis is also the name of the first book of the Bible.

And when Mr McCain headed to the safe shoals of policy wonkery, Mr Obama flayed his idea of calling for a commission to investigate the genesis of the financial crisis as the resort of politicians who don’t know what else to do.

EurekaThe exclamation Eureka is used to celebrate a discovery, and it can be translated to “I have found!”. It is attributed to the famous Greek mathematician Archimedes. While taking a bath, he suddenly realized that the water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had submerged. He got so excited with the discovery that he left his home and started to run and shout “Eureka!” through the streets of Syracuse.

Those eureka moments in the shower or on the bus when something suddenly starts to make sense only happen if you keep plugging away.

PhobiaMany people wrongly think that a phobia is a fear. In reality it is more than that. Phobia is an irrational and exaggerated fear of something. The fear can be associated with certain activities, situations, things or people.

Poorer communities have a phobia of undercooked food. Very advanced societies enjoy their fish and meat either raw or very close to it. To the French their idea of cooking a steak is so perfunctory one might as well hack the thing off the cow and tuck in.

DogmaDogma refers to the established belief or set of principles held by a religion, ideology or by any organization. Dogmas are also authoritative and undisputed. Outside of the religious context, therefore, the term tends to carry a negative connotation. Notice that the plural is either dogmata or dogmas.

It’s not a new type of web, it’s just where the web has got to – it’s also a terrific excuse for much chatter on the blogging circuit, and a huge amount of dogmatism

Stimulus may get small wind turbines spinning

The bill provides a 30 percent investment tax credit to consumers who buy these turbines, which are typically used to help power homes or small businesses.

Even amid a recession, this tax credit “is going to blow the top off the market,” said Ron Stimmel, a “small-wind” advocate with the American Wind Energy Association.

The association predicts the federal subsidy could help the small-turbine market grow by 40 to 50 percent annually, a boost that would parallel the growth of the U.S. solar photovoltaic industry after a similar 2005 initiative.

Unlike the towering windmills sprouting en masse from the Western Plains, small wind turbines have a capacity of 100 kilowatts or less and are designed to operate on the consumer side of the power grid, often in combination with solar panels.

Obama foreclosure fix open for business 01/28/2009

The multipronged fix calls for companies to help as many 4 million struggling borrowers by modifying loans so monthly housing payments are no more than 31% of monthly gross income. Separately, homeowners who haven’t missed a payment can refinance into lower-cost loans even if they have little or no equity. This is expected to help up to 5 million homeowners.

The $75 billion loan modification plan will provide incentives to borrowers and loan servicers and investors to spur mortgage modifications. The government will also subsidize interest rate reductions to get borrowers to affordable monthly payments.

01/29/2009 Vocab Words

brazen

(adj.) excessively bold, brash, clear and obvious (Critics condemned the writer’s brazen attempt to plagiarise Frankow-Czerwonko’s work.)

brusque

(adj.) short, abrupt, dismissive (Simon’s brusque manner sometimes offends his colleagues.)

cajole

(v.) to urge, coax (Magda’s friends cajoled her into drinking too much.)

callous

(adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling (The murderer’s callous lack of remorse shocked the jury.)

candor

(n.) honesty, frankness (We were surprised by the candor of the politician’s speech because she is usually rather evasive.)

02/05/2009 Vocab Words

abhor

(v.) to hate, detest (Because he always wound up getting hit in the head when he tried to play cricket, Marcin began to abhor the sport).

acquiesce

(v.) to agree without protesting (Though Mr. Pospieszny wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he acquiesced to her demands.)

alacrity

(n.) eagerness, speed (For some reason, Simon loved to help his girlfriend whenever he could, so when his girlfriend asked him to set the table he did so with alacrity.)

amiable

(adj.) friendly (An amiable fellow, Neil got along with just about everyone.)

appease

(v.) to calm, satisfy (When Jerry cries, his mother gives him chocolate to appease him.)

Vocab 3/3/09

avarice

(n.) excessive greed

callous

(adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling

diligent

(adj.) showing care in doing one’s work

incisive

(adj.) clear, sharp, direct

oblivious

(adj.) lacking consciousness or awareness of something