"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 12

Philip Geer's "Simon's Saga" includes 820 SAT-level words and gives students an entertaining glimpse into college life.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 22, Episode 23, Episode 24, Episode 25, Episode 26, Episode 27, Episode 28, Episode 29, Episode 30, Episode 31, Episode 32, Episode 33, Episode 34, Episode 35, Episode 36, Episode 37
25 words 846 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. repast
    the food served and eaten at one time
    Simon and Jaz were sitting in the kitchen, enjoying their usual late night repast.
  2. impute
    attribute or credit to
    “Hey, I am simply thinking about the welfare of my best buddy. I’m hurt that you could impute unfaithful thoughts to me, of all people."
  3. vivacious
    vigorous and animated
    Christine is charming and vivacious, studious, and interested in meeting Axel.
  4. succumb
    give in, as to overwhelming force, influence, or pressure
    That I might succumb to her charms.
  5. foible
    a minor weakness or peculiarity in someone's character
    “I know I have my little foibles ....”
  6. quibble
    argue over petty things
    “Now, where was I,” he said, “before you started quibbling about my language?”
  7. optimistic
    emphasizing or displaying the positive
    “So, anyway, what makes you feel so optimistic about Christine?”
  8. sanguine
    confidently optimistic and cheerful
    “May I ask what inspires such a sanguine outlook?”
  9. inveterate
    in a habitual and longstanding manner
    Boy, you are an inveterate optimist, aren’t you?
  10. indefatigable
    showing sustained enthusiasm with unflagging vitality
    “Yes. We’ve worked indefatigably at it.”
  11. enticing
    highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
    Out of those, let’s say 50 times, how many did Axel even come downstairs to meet the young woman we had so cleverly lured here to go out with what we so enticingly described as ‘our fascinating, convivial, adorable, total hunk of a roommate’?
  12. convivial
    occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
    Out of those, let’s say 50 times, how many did Axel even come downstairs to meet the young woman we had so cleverly lured here to go out with what we so enticingly described as ‘our fascinating, convivial, adorable, total hunk of a roommate’?
  13. connotation
    an idea that is implied or suggested
    In fact, she never used language that had the slightest possibility of being regarded as sexist in its connotations or in any way degrading to other people.
  14. embroil
    force into some kind of situation or course of action
    “And what,” Jaz said, “if you’re trying to embroil me in peripheral issues so you don’t have to face reality?”
  15. peripheral
    related to the key issue but not of central importance
    “And what,” Jaz said, “if you’re trying to embroil me in peripheral issues so you don’t have to face reality?”
  16. euphemism
    an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
    Simon hated euphemisms, but stating the truth directly would be cruel.
  17. dispassionate
    unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
    She needed a phrase that would be true but sort of dispassionate and scientific-sounding.
  18. impaired
    diminished in strength, quality, or utility
    A major problem. Like he’s girl impaired. He won’t go near a female under 70 years old.
  19. resolve
    the trait of being firm in purpose or belief
    She spoke softly but there was resolve in her voice.
  20. onerous
    burdensome or difficult to endure
    “I want you to tell me on how many of these occasions in the last year Axel has come down to meet the young woman we’ve asked over to meet him. Occasions, I don’t have to remind you, that he refers to as ‘my onerous social obligations.’”
  21. fracas
    a noisy, angry argument or fight between people
    She must have thought we were having some kind of fracas, with all that yelling and screaming.
  22. suave
    agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication
    “But the way he shook her hand. It was so suave. I mean it was like, “Welcome to Earth, Miss Martian Ambassador.”
  23. mirth
    great merriment
    “Simon, I do not consider Axel’s social situation a subject for mirth,” she said.
  24. neophyte
    a participant with no experience with an activity
    All that pulchritude at one time can be a little tough on a fellow, especially for a neophyte like Axel who’s had a rather circumscribed experience of the fair sex.
  25. circumscribe
    restrict or confine
    All that pulchritude at one time can be a little tough on a fellow, especially for a neophyte like Axel who’s had a rather circumscribed experience of the fair sex.
Created on Mon Aug 18 20:38:58 EDT 2014 (updated Tue Aug 19 14:22:47 EDT 2014)

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