"Time to Assert American Values"

In 1994, an American teenager living in Singapore was arrested for theft and vandalism. To save his son from a sentence of caning, the father publicized the case and set off an international controversy. Based on an editorial from The New York Times, this list highlights key words used to defend Michael Fay.

Here are all the word lists to support the reading of Grade 10 Unit 2's texts from SpringBoard's Common Core ELA series: Where I'm From, Funny in Farsi, Kaffir Boy, Pick One, If You Are What You Eat, Persepolis, poems about parents, Hunger of Memory, Thanksgiving: A Personal History, Time to Assert American Values, Rough Justice, On Civil Disobedience, On Surrender at Bear Paw Mountain, On Women's Right to Vote, Declaration of the Rights of the Child, School's Out for Summer, One Word of Truth, Hope, Despair, and Memory
10 words 178 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sophistry
    a deliberately invalid argument in the hope of deceiving
    This comfortable bit of sophistry helps governments from China to Indonesia rationalize abuses and marginalize courageous people who campaign for causes like due process and freedom from torture.
  2. oppressive
    marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior
    It assumes that dissidents, democrats and reformers in these countries are somehow less authentic representatives of their cultures than the members of the political elite who enforce oppressive punishments and suppress individual rights.
  3. dissident
    a person who objects to some established policy
    At times like this, Americans need to remember that this country was also founded by dissidents--by people who were misfits in their own society because they believed, among other things, that it was wrong to punish pilferage with hanging or crimes of any sort with torture.
  4. assert
    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
    These are values worth asserting around the world.
  5. propagation
    the spreading of something into new regions
    Americans concerned with the propagation of traditional values at home should be equally energetic in asserting constitutional principles in the international contest of ideas.
  6. exhort
    urge or force in an indicated direction
    While this country cannot dictate to the government of Singapore, no one should fail to exhort it to behave mercifully.
  7. pardon
    a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense
    President Clinton provided a sound example when he called for a pardon.
  8. principled
    based on or demonstrating morality or rightness
    Principled private citizens ought now to call for American companies doing business in Singapore to bring their influence to bear.
  9. legitimate
    in accordance with accepted standards or principles
    The Fay case provides a legitimate opening for American citizens and companies to bring political and economic pressure to bear in the propagation of freedom and basic rights.
  10. clemency
    leniency and compassion shown toward offenders
    Former President Bush can lead the effort by using his speech at a Citibank seminar in Singapore Thursday to call for clemency for Michael Fay.
Created on Sun Oct 12 15:46:11 EDT 2014 (updated Mon Oct 13 15:06:43 EDT 2014)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.