NAME:_____________________________ PERIOD:__________
Vocabulary for Fahrenheit 451
Review the vocabulary words for each section of Fahrenheit 451. In an effort to help you understand and retain the
vocabulary definitions, complete the activities following each set of words.
Part One: The Hearth and the Salamander
p3
4
4
4
7
11
11
11
17
venomous
minstrel
lubricate
waft
illuminate
refract
imperceptible
mausoleum
cataract
adj.
n.
v.
v.
v.
v.
adj.
n.
n.
22 inclined
25 olfactory
25 proboscis
adj.
adj.
n.
32 drone
n./v
33
39
41
42
45 centrifuge
n.
v.
adj.
n.
v.
n.
45
50
56
58
n.
v.
n.
v.
proclivity
condemn
ravenous
fathom
cacophony
feign
pratfall
breach
59 censor
n.
v.
poisonous; malicious or mean
a musician or entertainer often wearing blackface
to make slippery or smooth
to float easily and gently, as on the air
to provide or brighten with light; to make clear
to deflect light
impossible or difficult to perceive
tomb
large waterfall; disorder of the eye causing blindness or poor
vision
having a preference or tendency
relating to the sense of smell
long, narrow, feeding or sucking organ of insects or other
invertebrates
a continuous low humming or buzzing sound; to speak in that
manner
predisposition or inclination towards something
to express strong disapproval of
extremely hungry
unit of length of six feet, usually used in marine measurement; to
determine the meaning of or comprehend
an apparatus used to spin chemicals or other matter around in order
to separate out certain parts
jarring, discordant sound
to fake
humiliating error, defeat, or failure
a tear or rift, a violation or infraction, a breaking up or disruption
of friendly relations
person authorized to take out offensive material
to ban
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Part One Vocabulary Activity 1: Synonyms/Antonyms
Write a synonym and antonym for the following vocabulary words:
Vocabulary word
Synonym (similar meaning)
Antonym (opposite meaning)
venomous
minstrel
lubricate
waft
illuminate
refract
imperceptible
mausoleum
cataract
inclined
olfactory
proboscis
drone
proclivity
condemn
ravenous
fathom
centrifuge
cacophony
feign
pratfall
breach
censor
2
Part One Vocabulary Activity 2: Meaning in Context
As you come across the following vocabulary words in Part One, describe how Bradbury uses the
word in context.
Vocabulary
word and page
Minstrel
p. 4
Lubricate
Refract
Describe how the word is used in context
Montag is smiling, but he is hiding behind this dark and burnt mask-of-a-face. He is
not really happy.
4
11
Imperceptible 11
Mausoleum
11
Cataract
17
Inclined
22
Condemn
39
Centrifuge
45
3
Part One Vocabulary Activity 3: Use Vocabulary Daily/Sentence Completion
Complete the following sentences with the appropriate vocabulary word from the bank.
Feign
Fathom Drone Censored Wafted Cacophony Ravenous Olfactory
Inclined Breach Pratfall Proboscis Venomous Proclivity Illuminates
1. I cannot _________________________ how difficult it would be to move and enter a new school
in the middle of the year.
2. When he talked about me behind my back, it was a total ____________________________ of our
friendship.
3. “Thrift Shop” by Mackelmore is ________________________________ to be suitable for radio
airtime.
4. I thought she was perfect, but her __________________________________ comments about
people with Intellectual Disabilities transformed her into a hideous diva!
5. I woke up late this morning and missed breakfast. When the lunch bell rang, I was
___________________________________ thinking about Buffalo Mac-n-Cheese.
6. The scent of bacon ___________________________ up the stairwell forcing my
____________________________________ glands to send messages of hunger to my empty stomach.
7. The ________________________________ of computers in the back of the classroom was a
constant distraction to me.
8. Every time I see my ex I ____________________________ a smile so he thinks I am okay.
9. Missing the final serve
_______________________________.
of
our
championship
game
was
the
ultimate
10. My __________________________________ to taking risks often gets me in trouble.
11. The morning sun _______________________________ the sky with a bouquet of vibrant violets.
12. My old car’s engine chokes up a ____________________________ of miserable sounds before
turning over.
13. The butterfly used its ___________________________ to extract nectar from the daffodils.
14. I was _____________________________ to take classes in theater and photography because of
my passion for the arts.
4
Part Two: The Sieve and the Sand
73
75
75
76
79
79
81
81
82
83
83
83
83
84
86
86
86
103
teeming
cadence
monologue
suffused
retaliation
submission
strewn
saccharine
jowls
intuitive
profusion
mediocre
loam
skepticism
insidious
treason
linguist
filigree
adj.
n.
n.
v.
n.
n.
v.
adj.
n.
adj.
n.
adj.
n.
n.
adj.
n.
n.
n.
103
103
104
107
107
107
107
107
108
109
109
110
invigorate
distill
hone
torrent
oracle
discourse
moor
beatific
perfunctory
vantage
chaff
phosphorescent
v.
v.
v.
n.
n.
n.
n.
adj.
adj.
n.
n.
adj.
to be full of things, swarmed
balanced flow or beat as of poetry or music
a long speech made by one person
to spread through or over, as with liquid, color, or light
the act of fighting back
the act of surrendering to another’s will
to spread here and there, dispersed
sweet, usually to the point of being sickening
the jaw, especially the lower jaw
capable of knowing without deduction or reasoning
abundance
moderate to inferior in quality; ordinary
soil composed of a mixture of sand and clay
a doubting or questioning attitude
working or spreading in a harmful and hidden manner
violation of allegiance toward one’s country
one who studies languages and its roots and sources
delicate and intricate ornamental work made from gold, silver, or other
fine twisted wire
to energize or enliven
to separate or extract the essential elements of
to perfect or make more intense or effective
flood or overwhelming amount
a person considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinions
a formal, lengthy discussion of a subject, either written or spoken
a broad area of open land, often high but poorly drained
showing or producing great joy
done routinely and with little interest or care
place or situation affording some advantage
trivial or worthless matter (to separate the wheat from the chaff)
glows or is luminous without giving off heat
5
Part Two Vocabulary Activity 1: Visual Vocabulary
Choose 15 words from Part Two and sketch an image to help you trigger the definition.
Example: Invigorate
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Part Two Vocabulary Activity 2: Use vocabulary in your every day conversations.
Use the remaining 15 words from Part Two in a sentence using the word in context.
Example:
Invigorate
Monster drinks can be invigorating, but pediatricians are concerned
with long-term effects.
7
Part Two Vocabulary Activity 3: Analogies
Determine the relationship between the first set of words in order to complete the analogy.
The first analogy has been completed for you. It reads: Hurricane is to gale winds
as deluge is to torrent. Hurricanes and gales are fierce wind storms. Deluges and
torrents are floods or overwhelming amounts. These words are synonyms.
1. hurricane : gale winds : : deluge : torrent
2. philanthropist : donation : : criminal : __________________________
3. dialogue : many : : ____________________________ : one
4. vivacious : ______________________________ : : mediocre : lame
5. insidious : honest : : retaliation : _____________________________
6. skepticism : unsure : : ____________________________ : routine
7. chaff : important : : ___________________________ : empty
8. strategic position : vantage : : _______________________ : insight
9. beatific : awful : : scarcity : _____________________________
10.________________________ : wise : : firefighter : brave
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114
115
115
120
121
123
124
125
127
133
134
138
140
147
148
152
157
158
162
Part Three: Burning Bright
valise
n.
a small suitcase
perpetual
adj. constant or continuous
aesthetic
adj. concerned with qualities of beauty or good taste
anesthetized
adj. made unconscious with the use of drugs
penance
n.
remorse for past conduct or wrongdoing
excursion
n.
a short journey or outing
thoroughfare
n.
a main road or public highway
plummeting
v.
to fall straight down or plunge
trajectory
n.
the path of a projectile or other moving body through space
quarry
n.
a hunted animal or prey
objectively
adv. not influenced by emotions or personal prejudices
subjectively
adv. based on personal opinion
richochet
v.
to rebound at least once from a surface
juggernaut
n.
an overwhelming, advancing force that crushes or seems to crush
everything in its path
gingerly
adv. with great care or delicacy
converge
v.
to come together from different directions; meet
incriminate
v.
to accuse of a crime or other wrongful act
convoluted
n.
intricate or complicated
scythe
n.
an implement consisting of a long, curved single-edged blade with a
long bent handle, used for mowing or reaping.
incessantly
adv. continuing without interruption
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Part Three Vocabulary Activity 1: Use vocabulary in your every day conversations.
Choose 10 words from Part Three in a sentence using the word in context.
Example:
Thoroughfare
The busy thoroughfare into Philadelphia was gridlocked with traffic.
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Part Three Vocabulary Activity 2: Visual Vocabulary
Sketch an image for the remaining ten words to help you trigger the definition.
Example: Incriminate
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Part Three Vocabulary Activity 3: Everyday Dialogue
Identify ten words that you could use in everyday dialogue. Identify the word, who you
might be talking to, and the context of your conversation in the table below.
Word
Example: Ravenous
Who you might be talking to
My brothers
Context of the conversation
How hungry we are
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