aberration adjudge frankness corroborate dearth herculean retrospect diurnal ludicrous salient

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1 Name Date English 12 Vocabulary Lesson 11 CONTEXT -- History and Society: The First British Artists The history of art in Great Britain began long before the first paintings were hung in London's Tate Gallery. Some fifteen thousand years ago, artists of the Old Stone Age made bone engravings. In the New Stone Age, or Neolithic period, which began around 2000 B.C., artists carved great stone tombs. Stonehenge could be considered the greatest artistic monument of the Neolithic and Early Bronze ages. Neolithic artists also made pots, jewelry, and woodcarvings. The Celts, who invaded Britain in the fifth century B.C., used bronze and gold for works of art such as mirrors, helmets, and necklaces. In the following exercises, you will have the opportunity to expand your vocabulary by reading about prehistoric art in Great Britain. Below are ten vocabulary words that will be used in these exercises. aberration adjudge frankness corroborate dearth herculean retrospect diurnal ludicrous salient Exercise 1 Directions: Use a dictionary to look up each word. Highlight the context clues in each sentence. Then go to Exercise 2 and complete by adding the words to the correct blanks and adding the forms. I. My parents say that my decision to become an art historian is an aberration, for there have been five generations of medical doctors in my family. I am departing from that tradition to stud prehistoric British art. 2. If the law had any jurisdiction over my career, I think my parents would take my decision to court and let the court adjudge what I should do. Mom and Dad aren't too impressed with Irish tomb carvings! 3. If I may speak frankly," I told them, "I much prefer examining the gold shields of Celtic warriors or even the bronze masks of their horses to examining patients." I don't think my parents appreciated my frankness. 4. You see, I'm really good in art history, and I'm lousy in science," I said. To corroborate the truth of this, I reminded them of my poor grades in science and my excellent grades in art history. Surely that evidence would confirm my position. 5. I had thought about studying Old Stone Age art in Britain, but there really a dearth of artifacts from that time period. It wouldn't be very interesting to study just a few bone engravings. 6. I've been a doctor for forty years, and I'm still interested in my diurnal rounds at the hospital, Dad said. I replied, I'm glad you enjoy your daily rounds, but if I had to do the same thing every day, I would rather take a daily walk through a museum!"

2 7. I want to study the tomb carvings at New Grange, Ireland. It must have en a demanding, herculean task to move those stones that form the tombs because the stones are so massive and heavy. 8. "The image of you hiking all over Ireland and peering at old tombs is ludicrous," Mom said, laughing to herself over the ridiculous picture in her mind. 9. In retrospect, I know that I should not have told both my parents at once about my career decision. In looking back on the scene, I also see that I should have told them more about the value of studying prehistoric art. 10. Most people can comment on the salient features of an artwork, even something as old as a wooden figure from the sixth century B.C. But I am fascinated by the features that aren't so noticeable, for they may help unlock the secrets of prehistoric cultures. Exercise 2--Directions. Use the dictionary to write the correct word above the part of speech and meaning. Then, find forms of the word, along with part of speech for each form. 1. v. to support or strengthen an idea or a statement; to attest to the truth of; to confirm 2. n. a departure from the usual course; a deviation; an abnormal development 3. adj. extremely demanding or difficult; requiring or having great courage or strength, like that possessed by Hercules 4. n. a contemplation or survey of things that happened in the past 5. n. a scarcity, as of food; a lack; too small a supply of something

3 6. adj. standing out; easily seen or noticed; conspicuous; noticeable; prominent 7. v. to decree or decide by law; to pass sentence 8. adj. occurring every day; daily; occurring during the daytime 9. n. plainness of speech; openness 10. adj. amusingly absurd; ridiculous Exercise 3--Complete each sentence with a list word (or a form of the word). 1. I once had a weird dream that I was sent to court in order for a jury to decide whether I was worthy of being sent to England to study Stonehenge. In the dream, the court that I was indeed qualified to research ancient British art. 2. I don't think about my own past a lot, but in, I decided to study prehistoric British art because of that dream. 3. I actually ended up going to Stonehenge the summer after I graduated from high school. Stonehenge is a gigantic, an abnormal grouping of stones on the Salisbury Plain that is totally different from anything else around it. 4. Can you imagine the effort required to drag the fifty-ton sandstone blocks into place? 5. There are many theories about the meaning and purpose of Stonehenge, but there is little physical evidence to, or confirm, these theories. 6. Stonehenge may have been a temple to which Neolithic people made visits, perhaps to watch the sun rise every morning. 7. There is a of artistic markings on the stones, but a few still remaincarvings of a dagger and depictions of bronze axe heads, for example.

4 8. These markings are difficult to see; they are not among Stonehenge's most features. 9. Do you think it is that people come from all over the world to see Stonehenge? I certainly do not--there is nothing absurd about admiring a work of art! 10. As an art historian, what do I really think of Stonehenge? With complete I can say that it is magnificent. Exercise 4: Directions: Highlight the correct choice to complete the sentences. Then, write the correct letter in the blank at left. 1. The Neolithic potter noticed that his village had a _ of bowls and drinking mugs. This shortage concerned him. (A) frankness (B) salience (C) retrospect (D) dearth (E) corroboration 2. As he made his pots, he thought about his past. He realized that, in _, he had enjoyed learning from the old potters. (A) aberration (B) dearth (C) retrospect (D) salience (E) corroboration 3. Some people say it is _ to decorate the cups, but I don't think it is ridiculous, the potter thought to himself. (A) diurnal (B) herculean (C) salient (D) aberrational (E) ludicrous 4. The potter felt that if he ever had to stand before the village lawmakers and defend himself, he would be _ a good and useful member of the community. (A) capitulated (B) adjudged (C) emanated (D) corroborated (E) engendered 5. The potter didn't like any _ from his routine. But, although the potter would not tolerate any departure from his normal course, many thought it was _ to be so absurdly serious about a schedule. (A) retrospect... salient (B) frankness... diurnal (C) dearth... ludicrous (D) corroboration... salient (E) aberration... ludicrous 6. Digging the clay sometimes took a superhuman, _, effort. Also, sometimes there was a scarcity, or _, of good clay. (A) diurnal...retrospect (B) salient...frankness (C) retrospective... aberration (D) herculean...dearth (E) ludicrous... frankness 7. His son _, or supported, his father's claim that digging clay is hard work. The boy was glad the chore was weekly and not _; he would hate to have to perform the task each day. (A) corroborated... aberrational (B) adjudged... herculean (C) corroborated... diurnal (D) nettled '" ludicrous (E) adjudged... salient 8. The potter toiled _, never missing a day of work. He exhibited almost superhuman abilities, working with _ diligence. (A) diurnally...retrospective (B) ludicrously...diurnal (C) saliently...aberrational (D) ludicrously...corroborative (E) diurnally...herculean

5 9. The potter liked his work to have _characteristics: prominent markings that would make it possible for people to tell it was his work. (A) salient (B) ludicrous (C) herculean (D) diurnal (E) retrospective 10. The potter and his son were frank and open with each other. This _, the son would realize one day in _, benefited their relationship. (A) retrospect... frankness (B) frankness... retrospect (C) dearth... aberration (D) aberration... dearth (E) retrospect...dearth Exercise 5. Create ten sentences, each sentence containing a vocabulary word. Each sentence is worth three points: one for spelling, one for the appropriate part of speech, and one for sufficient context clues. Be careful not to create run-on sentences!

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