BQ: First Steps

I think the best place to answer my big question would be Google.com. I have found Google to be a reliable source for me so far in my education. To start I will type in my question. Then I will check out a few different links and see which ones seem legit. If I get a couple of different sources that have the same answer to my question, then my big question will be answered.

Big Question

What causes people to go crazy?

the medium is the message

I definitely enjoyed watching "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" better than reading it. Reading it does induce people to use their imagination more, such as picturing how a person or town looks in their head. On the other hand watching it makes it easy to understand because some people, like me, benefit from visuals and also can't always understand whats going on in the story due to the authors diction and syntax.

Vocab: Fall List #10

pedagogue-a teacher, esp a strict or pedantic one.
My chemistry teacher is a pedagogue.

cavernous- like a cavern in size, shape, or atmosphere.
The atmosphere was cavernous.

coquettish- like a coquette. (woman who flirts)
She was acting coquettish

tete-a-tete- a private conversation between two people
I like the occasional tete-a-tete.

suffice- meet the needs of.
Did the party suffice your expectations?

amorous- showing, feeling, or relating to sexual desire.
The couple was amorous.

Vocab: Fall List #9

bosom- close to the heart
Money is bosom of the family.

prudently- acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
Teachers always act prudently.

inveterate- habitually
I inveterate crack my knuckles.

propensity- likelihood; tendency
What is the propensity that the Eagles win the Superbowl?

repose- temporary rest from activity, excitement, or exertion.
Some people repose from sports.

stripling- youth
Show off your stripling.

sequester- to isolate
You have to sequester the infection.

apparition- a vision of something supernatural.
I have had an apparition.

purport- to intend
I purport to get good grades.

imbibed- drink in
Romeo imbibed the poison.

incessant- on going; nonstop
When my cat is hungry its meowing is incessant.

cognomen- dream like state; trance
Have you ever been in a cognomen?

gambol- frolic or play
Kids love to gambol.

spectre- ghost that you can see
I have never seen a spectre in real life.

tarry- to linger
People have a tendency to tarry.

[Hessian]- German soldier in the Civil War

Legend of Sleepy Hollow Vocab

prudently
rural
inveterate
lull
stripling
reverberated
sequestered
reverie
gambols
anon
Spectre
purport
propensity
imbibed
laud
incessant
abode
cognomen
famine
potentates
onerous

Legend of Sleepy Hollow Beginning Note

The note, "FOUND AMONG THE PAPERS OF THE LATE DIEDRICH KNICKERBOCKER", brings a sense of realism to the story. It makes it seem as if the story was found and is actually real. This same technique was used in, "The Blair Witch Project" and it was the reason that the movie scared so many people.

Vocab: Fall List #8

flout- Openly disregard (a rule, law or convention)
 My dad flouts the law all the time.

caveat- A warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
 I sold my TV with the caveat that it wasn't going to last much longer.

filch- Pilfer or steal (something, esp. a thing of small value) in a casual way.
 The man filched the slurpee from Seven-Eleven.

fractious- Easily irritated; bad-tempered
 Some old people are fractious.

equitable- Fair and impartial.
 That's not equitable!

autonomy- A self-governing country or region.
 Are we an autonomy?

addendum- An item of additional material, typically omissions, added at the end of a book or other publication.
 Do I have to sign the addendum?

amnesty- An official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses.
 The congressman received an amnesty.

axiomatic- Self-evident or unquestionable.
 My statement was axiomatic.

extricate- Free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty.
 The policeman extricated the man from his handcuffs.

soporific- Tending to induce drowsiness or sleep.
 I become soporific when I start reading.

scathing- Witheringly scornful; severely critical
 The teacher was scathing.

unwieldy- Too big or badly organized to function efficiently.
 That sentence is unwieldy.

vapid- Offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging
 Dr. Preston isn't vapid.

prognosticate- Foretell or prophesy (an event in the future).
 I don't think anyone can prognosticate.

sepulchral- Gloomy; dismal
 Don't act sepulchral.

salutary- Producing good effects; beneficial.
 Vegetables are salutary.

straitlaced- priggish: exaggeratedly proper
 I don't like straitlaced people.

scourge- A whip used as an instrument of punishment.
 Some people use scourges on horses.

precept- A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought
 Parents set precepts. 

transient- Lasting only for a short time; impermanent
 The TV show was transient.

My Self Reliance Remix

Self Reliance

Discuss the meaning of the verse preceding the essay.
-It means that people have their own opinions and everyone has the choice to express them. These choices effect their fate.

Looking at the entire essay, what does Emerson mean by self reliance? Summarize the main parts.
-Self reliance means to believe in yourself as an individual and to have the right to your opinion. It also means to have the courage to believe in yourself.

Interpret the first sentence. What does every person realize at some point of his or her education?
-Envy is ignorance.

Interpret the following quote, "The i was placed where one ray shall fall, that it might testify of that particular ray."
-People are supposed to be comfortable with themselves.

What does Emerson mean by the divine idea that each of us represents?
-Everyone is divine in nature and everyone has something to offer with their ideas.

Explain the significance of the iron string. Why do you think Emerson used iron and not silken golden or silver string?
-Iron isn't going to break as the others may. Iron is strong and bonds your trust in yourself.

Define transcendentalism.
-A 19th century idealistic philosophical and social movement that taught that divinity pervades all nature and humanity. It also means to go above and beyond limits.

Interpret this quote; "Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of everyone of its members."
-People are judgmental to every person in their society.

Explain this quote, "The virtue in most requests in conformidy and self reliance is its aversion.
-People all look to be comfortable. Self reliance is the answer.

Interpret the metaphor, "A foolish consistency is the hob goblin of little minds adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."
-People who get results from something tend to stick with it and people with more power take advantage of that.

Discuss the use of the simile, "Words as hard as canon balls."
-Criticism is hard.

"Don't look outside."

By "self reliance", Emerson means the need for individuals to avoid conformidy and false consistency and follow his or her instincts and ideas.

Conformidy means to shape yourself around something.

Each persons voice can be as strong as the great man of history.

More Vocab

contemporary - A person or thing living or existing at the same time as another.

predominate- Be the strongest or main element; be greater in number or amount

transcendent- Beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience

benefactor- A person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.

conformity- Compliance with standards, rules, or laws

aversion- A strong dislike or disinclination

suffrage- The right to vote in political elections; A series of intercessory prayers or petitions

inaudible- Unable to be heard.

Vocab #7

ad infinitum- endless.
The questions seemed ad infinitum.

bona fide- authentic
The are was bona fide.

buoyant- not easily depressed; cheerful
My dad is buoyant.

clique- a small exclusive group of people
Wanna join my clique?

concede- to acknowledge as true
The witness conceded to the crime.

congenial- agreeable, suitable, or pleasing in nature or character
I enjoy congenial surroundings

 lofty- extending high in the air; of imposing height; towering 
Some people are lofty.

migration- the movement of persons from one country or locality to another.
Illegal migration is a problem in the US.

perceive- Become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.
I later perceived the situation.

 perverse- Showing a deliberate and obstinate desire to behave in a way that is unreasonable or unacceptable
Don't ever perverse again!

 prelude- An action or event serving as an introduction to something more important.
Don't forget to prelude before the show.

 rancid- Smelling or tasting unpleasant as a result of being old and stale.
That banana was rancid.

 rustic- Having a simplicity and charm that is considered typical of the countryside.
I am rustic.

sever- Divide by cutting or slicing, esp. suddenly and forcibly.
He severed the bolgna.

sordid- Involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt.
Politics are sordid.

untenable- Not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection
I am not untenable.

versatile- Able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities
Some baseball players are versatile.

vindicate- Show or prove to be right, reasonable, or justified.
Its hard to vindicate against parents.

wane- Have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size.
I don't know how to use wane in a sentence.

Midterm Reflection

I think the midterm went great. There was one thing I had trouble with. Some of the definitions on the test didn't match the definitions I had studied. I hope that most of the words stick with me and if they don't, then a quick look at the definition should refresh my memory. For next time I will make sure to compare my definitions with someone else to see if they are the same or not.

10 Blog Reviews

Carlos Serrano- Missing a lot of work from the beginning of this year, but lately has been doing the assignments. Keep up the good work.

Jasmine Beebe- Great blog! The design is nice and blog posts are well thought out.

Jose Farias- Blog is well organized and work is well done.

Scott Gould- Scott's blog isn't very organized.

Frank Limon- Hardly any assignments have been completed. Needs to put more effort into this class.

Patricia Tuttle- She is very involved in class and seems passionate about this class, but then I see her blog and wonder why it's so incomplete.

Teanna Silveira- Blog is very organized and nicely designed. Work is complete and interesting.

Shelbi Nunes- Posts were out of order and few assignments were completed.

Syerra Fox- Complete assignments and well organized.

Joe Ortiz- There's not much to say about this blog other then there is no effort put into it.

Vocabulary: Midterm Study Guide

adumbrate- foreshadow
apotheosis- the highest point of developement in something
ascetic- Characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
bauble- something of little value or worth
beguile- trick
burgeon- to grow rapidly or flourish
complement- something that completes or brings to perfection
contumacious- stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority 
curmudgeon- bad tempered person
didactic - intended to teach in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

Intercede: intervene on behalf of another
I intercede for people.

Hackneyed: lacking significance through having been overused
"Swag" is a hackneyed word

Approbation: approval or praise
The super bowl met with high approbation

Innuendo: an allusive or oblique remark or hint
He gave the innuendo that the kid was annoying.

Coalition: an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states.
The government formed a coalition.

Elicit: to bring or draw out (something latent); enduce
I couldn't elicit a response from anyone.

Hiatus: a pause or pause in a sentence, series or process
She couldn't talk without a hiatus.

Assuage: to make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
The letter assuaged the fears of most members.

Decadence: moral or cultural decline, esp. after a peek of achievement
The ancient castle was in a state of decadence.

Expostulate: express strong disapproval or disagreement
The teacher had an expostulate look on his face.

Simulate: imitate the appearance or character of
Baseball players simulate in game situations.

Jaded: tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having to much of something
The football player was jaded after eating too much pizza.

Umbrage: offence or annoyance
I took umbrage to the words of the speaker.

Prerogative: a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class
The king had prerogative to make all the decisions.

Lurid: very vivid in color, esp. so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect.
I hate lurid food coloring.

Transcend: be or go beyond the range or limits of something
Some people transcend physical abilities.

Provincial: of or concerning a province of a country or empire
It was a provincial college.

Petulant: childishly sulky or bad-tempered
My dad is petulant.

Unctuous: excessively or ingratiatingly flatterning
The food was unctuous.

Meritorious: deserving reward or prize
After the competition I felt meritorious.

encomium- speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly

The Bible is an encomium.

coherent- logical and consistent

Dr. Preston is coherent.

belabor- argue or elaborate in excessive detail

My sisters always belabor.

eschew- deliberately avoid using; abstain from

I try to eschew calculators.

acquisitive- excessively interested in collecting money or material things.

Mr. Krabs is acquisitive.

emulate- match or surpass, typically by imitation.

My friend tries to emulate my intelligence.

arrogate- take or claim for oneself, without justification.

The man tried to arrogate my wallet.

banal- so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

My cousin is banal.

excoriation- an abraded area where the skin is torn or worn off.

My shoe caused an excoriation on my foot.

congeal- solidify or coagulate esp. by cooling.

I congealed the water.

carping- difficult to please; critical

My teacher is carping.

substantiate- provide evidence to support or prove the truth of

The prosecutor couldn't substantiate that the gum was stolen.

temporize- avoid making a decision or committing oneself in order to gain time

Sometimes the president temporizes.

largesse- generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others

Dispensing his money was such largesse.

tenable- able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection

Talk like that is no longer tenable.

insatiable- impossible to satisfy

That teacher is insatiable.

reconnaissance- preliminary surveying or research

Continue your reconnaissance.

germane- relevant to a subject under consideration

That is not germane to what we are talking about.

ramify- spread or branch out

The canal began to ramify.

intransigent- unwilling or refusing to change one's view or to agree about something

My parents intransigent people.

taciturn- reserved or uncommunicative in speech

The boy is taciturn.

invidious- likely to arouse or incur resentment or anger in others

My brother is invidious.

melancholy- a deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness
Why do you look so melancholy?

exemplary- serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind
That's an exemplary example.

peculiar- strange or odd; unusual
You look peculiar today.

dread- anticipate with great apprehension or fear
I dread spiders.

bough- a main branch of a tree
The bough is creepy looking.

pious- devoutly religious
Some people show pious devotion.

communion- the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings
Communion of the saints.

auditor- a listener
The auditor stood still with a blank look on his face.

multitude- a large number
There's a multitude of baseball fans.

eloquence- fluent or persuasive speaking or writing.
Dr. Preston has eloquence.

despair- complete loss or absence of hope
Never despair anything.

hoary- grayish-white
The mans hair is hoary.

1. allude- refer to something the author thinks you should know
The author alludes to some much in the story.

2. clairvoyant- able to read minds
It was as if the man was clairvoyant.

3. conclusive- final, decisive
The new evidence made it conclusive the woman was guilty.

4. disreputable- of a poor reputation
Charles Bukowski was disreputable

5. endemic- natural to an environment
Aids is endemic in Africa.

6. exemplary- serving as a desirable model; best of its kind
The great white shark is exemplary to it's species.

7. fathom- to understand
Some concepts are hard to fathom.

8. guile- trick
It's hard to guile me.

9. integrity- integrating thought, speech, or action
Some people show large amounts of integrity.

10. itinerary- trip schedule, trip plan
Going to Las Vegas was itinerary.

11. misconstrue- misunderstood; misrepresenting
Don't misconstrue what I am saying.

12. obnoxious- rude, loud, abrasive
Some people are really obnoxious.

13. placate- to calm down; satisfy
Parents must placate their children.

14. placid- calm
Everybody remain placid.

15. plagiarism- to copy someone's work
You can get kicked out of college for plagiarism.

16. potent- powerful
The perfume is extremely potent.

17. pretext- reason for doing something; excuse
Please explain your pretext for your actions.

18. protrude- to stick out
The nail protruded the wood.

19. stark- obvious
It was stark that thing had sold.

20. superficial- shallow, surface
Superficial damage was done to the skin

adroit- expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body
Dancers are adroit.

amicable- characterized by or showing goodwill. friendly
I strive to be amicable.

averse- having a strong feeling of opposition
Some people averse with their parents rules.

belligerent - Hostile, aggresion
Don't be so belligerent!

benevolent- well meaning and kindly
I wish everyone was benevolent.

cursory- Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed.
Don't do cursory inspections.

duplicity- Deceitfulness; double- dealing
The man showed duplicity.

extol- Praise;enthusiasm
Extol the efforts of people.

feasible- Able to do easily or conveniently
I wish homework was feasible.

grimace- A twisted expression on a person's face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement.
The man always grimaces.

holocaust- a great or complete devastation or destruction, esp. by fire

impervious- not penetrable; unable to be affected by.
He was impervious to the virus.

impetus- the force, energy, or momentum with which the body moves.
Focus on the impetus.

jeopardy- danger of loss, harm, or failure
She was in jeopardy of her life.

meticulous- showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise
Nothings wrong with being meticulous.

nostalgia- a sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
He showed nostalgia for the past.

quintessence- the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class
That car is quintessence.

retrogress- to go back to an earlier state, typically a worse one
When suffering from depression, it's important not to retrogress.

scrutinize- examine or inspect closely and thoroughly
Health inspectors scrutinize the kitchen.

tepid- only slightly warm; lukewarm; showing little enthusiasm.
Make the shower tepid.