Vocabulary Warm-Up (Week 1)
Preclude (verb): to prevent; make impossible; exclude
Epiphany (noun): sudden understanding, insight, or revelation about an underlying truth
Fortuitous (adj.): occurring by chance, accidental; lucky, fortunate
Lament (verb): to mourn or express sorrow
Assimilate (verb): absorb or be absorbed (often by another culture); make similar
Ambivalence (noun): mixed or constricting feelings; simultaneous conflicting feelings
The following sentences will test your knowledge of contextual vocabulary. Based on
the definitions given above, please identify which word to use in order to best complete
the sentence.
1. With great ____________, the young student studied for his test rather than
hanging out with his friends.
2. The girl felt the need to __________ over her decision of what to wear for the
first dance of the year.
3. The football took a _____________ path as it landed in the hands of the receiver
who had fallen on his back in the end zone.
4. As a new student to a large high school, it is important to ____________ to the
spirited traditions that have been established by the previous student body.
5. Whether in a trial by judge or jury, the insufficiency of evidence always
__________ a conviction.
6. After years of eating junk food throughout the day, the woman had a(n)
__________ as to why she had no energy at the end of the day.
Sentence Pattern: Write one sentence for each vocabulary word following the
sentence pattern below. (Note: If printing this page, you may write on the back.)
IC, CC +IC
Independent clause followed by a comma followed by an independent clause.
Example: It was quite fortuitous for me to make it to school on time, yet I had
forgotten to bring my notebook.
Write two synonyms for each vocabulary word.
Synonyms:
Preclude:
Fortuitous:
Epiphany
Lament:
Assimilate:
Ambivalence:
Write two antonyms for each vocabulary word.
Antonyms:
1. Preclude:
2. Fortuitous:
3. Epiphany
4. Lament:
5. Assimilate:
6. Ambivalence: