“American Anthropological Association Statement on "Race" and Intelligence” Vocabulary
1. Diminish, verb: to become or to cause (something) to become less in size, importance,
etc. The more video games he played, the more his grade diminished.
2. Phenotype, noun: the observable properties of an organism that are produced by the
interaction of the genotype and the environment. Skin and hair are a part of one’s
genotype.
3. Genotype, noun: the type and arrangement of genes that each living thing has.
4. Variation, noun: change in quality, amount, or level: the variation in burritos between
Novato and San Francisco is insane.
5. Stake, noun: a share in something, esp. a financial share in a business, or an emotional
investment in something: Every student has a stake in giving Mr. Swedlow ten thousand
dollars.
6. Vast, adj.: extremely large: The student’s ego was vast, but his abilities weren’t,
unfortunately.
7. Unambiguous, adj.: completely clear: it is unambiguous: Novato burritos suck.
8. Demarcated, adj.: clearly outlined or: San Marin High School is demarcated by two
roads.
9. Conventional, adj.: following the usual practices of the past: it is conventional wisdom
that to get a good burrito, you must go to San Francisco.
10. Abruptly, adj.: sudden and not expected, often with unpleasant results: The student
abruptly whacked the fly, causing a loud and irritating noise.
11. Indigenous, adj.: existing naturally or having always lived in a place; native: Nobody in
this classroom is indigenous to this area.
12. Render, verb: to cause someone or something to be in a particular state: The incredibly
offensive language by the student rendered the class silent.
13. Arbitrary, adj.: based on a desire or idea or chance rather than reason: Sometimes I
arbitrarily grade papers on a dartboard. Look for little holes next time.
14. Subjective, adj.: influenced by or based on personal beliefs or feelings, rather than based
on facts: Musical tastes are generally subjective and individual, though I’m pretty sure
that every band you listen to sucks.
15. Mechanism, noun: a way of doing something, esp. one that is planned or part of a system:
The mechanism by which students are admitted to college is not always clear, but it
seems to include grades, applications, and a whole lot of anxiety.
“The Degeneration of Races” Vocabulary
1. Degeneration (n): decline or deterioration: Many old people say that young people have
degenerated. Of course, old people said that about them when they were young.
2. Species (n): A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of
exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit,
ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g., Homo sapiens.
3. Debilitated (adj.): made weak and infirm: The fifty-page essay assignment debilitated the
entire class and made the teacher very happy.
4. Serene (adj.): calm, peaceful: The student looked a little too serene as she took the test.
5. Mediate (v): Bring about (a result such as a physiological effect): The students tried to
mediate the fight between Casper and Littlefield.
6. Propagate (v): Breed specimens of (a plant, animal, etc.) by natural processes from the
parent stock: you can propagate your own houseplants from cuttings
7. Conjecture (n): An opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information:
It is my conjecture that the people who see a rhino are crazy.
8. Enigmatical (adj.): Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious: Mr. Swedlow took the
money with an enigmatic smile
9. Deduce (v): Arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a logical conclusion:
If you give me ten thousand dollars, you can deduce that you will receive an A this year.
10. Allotted (v): Give or apportion (something) to someone as a share or task: You have been
allotted the task of memorizing these stupid words.
11. Primeval (adj.): Of or resembling the earliest ages in the history of the world: the
primeval forest was creepy.
12. Enumeration (n): Mention (a number of things) one by one: If I were to enumerate each
of the ten thousand dollars you could give me for an A, it would take a long time.
13. Oblique (adj.): Not explicit or direct in addressing a point: the student obliquely insulted
the other student, who didn’t realize it was happening.
14. Autochthones (n): An original or indigenous inhabitant of a place; an aborigine.
15. Gradations (n): A scale or a series of successive changes, stages, or degrees: there are
many gradations in the life of a butterfly
16. Humiliating (adj.): Causing someone to feel ashamed and foolish by injuring their dignity
and self-respect: a humiliating defeat
17. Countenance (n): A person’s face or facial expression: his countenance upon seeing the
essay prompt was one of disgust.
18. Intercourse (n): Communication or dealings between individuals or groups: the two had a
very unpleasant intercourse on the subject of race.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class:
Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order:
Primates
Suborder: Anthropoidea
Superfamily: Hominoidea
Family:
Hominidae
Genus:
Homo
Species:
sapiens
Race?