“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
Vocabulary
Rakishly (adv.) with a trim, casual look;
dashingly; confident in a casual way
James Bond rakishly walked into the room as if he
belonged and was not a spy on a secret mission.
The old sea captain rakishly took the helm after his first mate
commented on the rough waters ahead.
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
rakishly.
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Hurtling (adj.) moving swiftly and with great force
The baseball come hurtling into home plate from the infield
and hit the runner.
 Which of the following are antonyms and which are synonyms
of hurtling?
racing, crashing, plunging, creeping, slinking

Write an original sentence of your own using the word
hurtling.
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Distraught (adj.) extremely troubled; confused;
distracted
At the funeral of the young child, many mourners were
distraught with grief.
Alex was so distraught about his failed test that he did not notice
that homework had been assigned.
 Which of the following is NOT a synonym of distraught?
troubled
worried
relieved
flustered
agitated
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
distraught.
3
Haggard (adj.) having a worn look, as from
sleeplessness
It was hard for Sara not to look haggard on Monday
morning after a long weekend of studying for her finals.
 Write 2 antonyms of haggard.
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
haggard.
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Insolent (adj.) boldly disrespectful
After making a rude comment to his mother, Brad was
punished for his insolent behavior.
 Which of the following are NOT synonyms of insolent?
polite
audacious
courteous
respectful
rude
impertinent
cheeky
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
insolent.
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Insinuatingly (adv.) suggesting indirectly;
implying something
The lawyer insinuatingly accused the defendant of
being a careless driver by brining up his past
speeding tickets.
 Is the word slyly a synonym of antonym or insinuatingly?
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
insinuatingly or the any of the following forms of the word.
Insinuate (v.)
Insinuation (n.)
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Cur (n) mean, contemptible person; mean, ugly dog
Mike was called a cur after making a nasty comment to
a reporter about the scandal.
Many people think that pit bulls are curs because they sometimes
attack small children.
 Which of the following words are NOT synonyms of cur?
disgraceful
despicable
distasteful
decent
dignified
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word cur.
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Cannonading (n.) continuous firing of artillery
After the cannonading was finished, the soldiers looked
around to see what damage was done to the fort.
 Read the following sentence and then decide if the word
barrage is a synonym or anonym of cannonading.
The barrage of bullets scared the civilians and they all ran to
their homes.
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
cannonading.
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Derisive (adj.) showing contempt (disdain or
disapproval) or ridicule
The young man’s derisive comments to the teacher
caused him to be sent to the office.
 When is it wise to not make derisive comments?
 Which of the following is a synonym for derisive?
admiration
respect
condescension
appreciation
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
derisive.
9
Inscrutable (adj.) baffling, mysterious; not
readily investigated, interpreted, or understood
After pleading guilty to the crime, the police noticed
the young girl had an inscrutable calm about her as she left the
courthouse.
Many people feel that my handwriting is inscrutable because it is
not easily understood.
 If something is described as sphinx-like and enigmatic could
you also describe it as inscrutable? Explain.
 Write an original sentence of your own using the word
inscrutable.
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