The Schwa Was Here Vocabulary 4
1. Cagey- adj- secretive and refusing to be open or direct page 157
2. Ballistic- adj- related to the movements of objects propelled through the air. “go ballistic”- to become extremely
angry page 200
3. Catechism- noun- religious questions and answers page 128
4. Quantify- verb- to determine the number or range of something page 23
5. Phenomenon-noun- something notable or extraordinary page 155
6. Anonymity-noun- freedom from identification or the state of being unnoticed. page 165
7. Prudence- noun- good judgment exercising caution- page 84
8. Immune- adj- safe from disease, resistant, and not affected. page 88
9. Singe- verb- to scorch or burn something slightly page 134
10. Threshold- noun- the starting point or entrance page 176
11. Action verbs- tell what the subject does; implies energy and activeness in writing.
12. Linking Verbs- express state of being (am, is, was, were, being, been); implies passiveness in writing.
Name ___________________________________________________ Date: _______________ Period: _____________
The Schwa Was Here Vocabulary Practice 4
Directions: Match the word with the definition.
_____
to become extremely angry
A. anonymity
_____ the starting point or entrance
B. cagey
_____ freedom from identification or the state of being unnoticed
C. catechism
_____ religious questions and answers
D. ballistic
_____ secretive and refusing to be open or direct
E. threshold
_____ good judgment exercising caution
A. phenomenon
_____ to determine the number or range of something
B. singe
_____ safe from disease, resistant, and not affected
C. prudence
_____ to scorch or burn something slightly
D. immune
_____ -something notable or extraordinary
E. quantify
Name ___________________________________________________ Date: _______________ Period: _____________
The Schwa Was Here Vocabulary Practice 4
Directions: Match the word with the definition.
_____
to become extremely angry
A. anonymity
_____ the starting point or entrance
B. cagey
_____ freedom from identification or the state of being unnoticed
C. catechism
_____ religious questions and answers
D. ballistic
_____ secretive and refusing to be open or direct
E. threshold
_____ good judgment exercising caution
A. phenomenon
_____ to determine the number or range of something
B. singe
_____ safe from disease, resistant, and not affected
C. prudence
_____ to scorch or burn something slightly
D. immune
_____ -something notable or extraordinary
E. quantify
Directions: complete the sentence with the vocabulary word.
11. “… Lexie charmingly insisted that the manger read every single one of [the burgers] on the menu, like it was his
__________________________.” (Shusterman, page 128) It was like he was the priest of a Catholic church reading
the rules.
12. He was standing at the _________________ of the apartment, but he felt as if he were standing on the edge of a
cliff.
13. Calvin was “borderline ______________________” when he found out why his mother left him.
14. Manny Bullpucky’s head was found in Mrs. Greenblatt’s yard, but his head was ________________ and dented from
the attempt to blow him up.
15. Lexie seemed to be _______________________ to the Schwa Effect. In fact, she could “feel” his presence.
Directions: Circle the vocabulary word and underline the context clues that show the word’s meaning.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
One should use prudence when making life changing decisions, for you would not want to rush into something!
Ansty and the others had to quantify the results of their experiments to determine if they were valid.
The Schwa Effect was a phenomenon that both Calvin and his mother shared, but it still seemed strange.
Anonymity provides a cover which lets people act covertly and secretly.
Suddenly the supermarket manager got a cagey look on his face because he was afraid to cause a controversy.
Directions: complete the sentence with the vocabulary word.
11.
“… Lexie charmingly insisted that the manger read every single one of [the burgers] on the menu, like it was his
__________________________.” (Shusterman, page 128) It was like he was the priest of a Catholic church reading the
rules.
12.
He was standing at the _________________ of the apartment, but he felt as if he were standing on the edge of a
cliff.
13.
Calvin was “borderline ______________________” when he found out why his mother left him.
14.
Manny Bullpucky’s head was found in Mrs. Greenblatt’s yard, but his head was ________________ and dented
from the attempt to blow him up.
15.
Lexie seemed to be _______________________ to the Schwa Effect. In fact, she could “feel” his presence.
Directions: Circle the vocabulary word and underline the context clues that show the word’s meaning.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
One should use prudence when making life changing decisions, for you would not want to rush into something!
Ansty and the others had to quantify the results of their experiments to determine if they were valid.
The Schwa Effect was a phenomenon that both Calvin and his mother shared, but it still seemed strange.
Anonymity provides a cover which lets people act covertly and secretly.
Suddenly the supermarket manager got a cagey look on his face because he was afraid to cause a controversy.
The Schwa Was Here, Vocab. #4: Active and Passive Verbs
Directions: Underline the main verb in the sentences.
1. Antsy is being cagey around the Schwa.
2. The Schwa is going to go ballistic when he finds out the truth.
3. My grandma is always reciting the catechism at church.
4. It is hard to quantify how much I love ice cream.
5. The Northern Lights are a beautiful phenomenon to watch.
Name: ____________________________________
NOTE: All of the above main verbs are linking verbs. Linking verbs link the subject of the sentence to a word in the predicate. The
most common linking verbs are forms of the verb be. Example: We are late.
Action verbs are less passive than linking verbs, and therefore they add energy and action to your writing. Action verbs tell what the
subject does, either physical or mental.
Directions: Rewrite the sentences to replace the linking verb with an action verb. It is okay if you have to change the wording or
add/delete words in order to create a new sentence. You are improving them!
1. The prisoner was released on parole.  The prison released the prisoner on parole.
2. In math class Ms. Bollin is teaching us how to quantify amounts.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. The curling iron is singeing you hair.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. I was practicing prudence during my driver’s ed course.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The threshold to my house is dirty with leaves.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. The catechism is memorized by devout Catholics.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Schwa Was Here, Vocab. #4: Active and Passive Verbs
Directions: Underline the main verb in the sentences.
1. Antsy is being cagey around the Schwa.
2. The Schwa is going to go ballistic when he finds out the truth.
3. My grandma is always reciting the catechism at church.
4. It is hard to quantify how much I love ice cream.
5. The Northern Lights are a beautiful phenomenon to watch.
Name: ____________________________________
NOTE: All of the above main verbs are linking verbs. Linking verbs link the subject of the sentence to a word in the predicate. The
most common linking verbs are forms of the verb be. Example: We are late.
Action verbs are less passive than linking verbs, and therefore they add energy and action to your writing. Action verbs tell what the
subject does, either physical or mental.
Directions: Rewrite the sentences to replace the linking verb with an action verb. It is okay if you have to change the wording or
add/delete words in order to create a new sentence. You are improving them!
1. The prisoner was released on parole.  The prison released the prisoner on parole.
2. In math class Ms. Bollin is teaching us how to quantify amounts.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. The curling iron is singeing you hair.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. I was practicing prudence during my driver’s ed course.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The threshold to my house is dirty with leaves.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. The catechism is memorized by devout Catholics.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Schwa Was Here Vocabulary Quiz 4
Give the definition for the following vocabulary words.
1. cagey
4. anonymity
2. catechism
5. prudence
3. quantify
Write sentences using each of the words below. Make sure
that your sentence shows your understanding of the word’s
meaning.
6. singe
9. ballistic
7. immune
10. threshold
8. phenomenon
Change the sentence wording from passive to active.
11. Josiah is working hard on his book report!
12. Mallory has told the class the right answer.