ELA final (vocab only)

shrine – A place or object that is respected and honored.

communist – A person who supports a system where property and resources are owned by the community or government.

textiles – Fabrics or cloth materials used for clothing and other products.

dowry – Money, property, or gifts given by a bride’s family at marriage.

bunker – A reinforced underground shelter used for protection.

shlep – To carry or drag something with difficulty; to travel a long distance with effort.

bachelor – An unmarried man.

anti-Semitic – Showing prejudice or discrimination against Jewish people.

agency – The ability to act independently and make choices.

Unit 2

imperative – Extremely important or necessary; also a command.

ghetto – An area where a particular group is forced to live, often under poor conditions.

inducement – Something that persuades or motivates someone to do something.

prey – An animal hunted by another animal; a victim of exploitation.

naturalization – The process of becoming a citizen of a country.

Nisei – A person born in the United States or another country whose parents immigrated from Japan.

incalculable – Too great to be measured or estimated.

anguish – Severe mental or physical pain and suffering.

samurai – A member of the Japanese warrior class.

convulsive – Involving sudden, violent movements or strong emotion.

burden – A heavy load or responsibility.

flourish – To grow, develop, or succeed well.

Author’s Craft / Literary Terms

allusion – A reference to a famous person, place, event, or work.

tone – The author's attitude toward a subject.

theme – The main message or lesson of a work.

dialogue – Conversation between characters.

direct characterization – When the author directly tells the reader about a character.

indirect characterization – When a character is revealed through actions, thoughts, speech, appearance, or others' reactions.

verb mood – A verb form that shows the speaker’s attitude (indicative, imperative, subjunctive, etc.).

panel – A single box containing part of a graphic novel's story.

frame – The border around a panel.

caption – Text that provides narration or information.

tail – The pointed part of a speech bubble showing who is speaking.

speech bubble – A shape containing a character’s spoken words.

repetition – Repeating words, phrases, or ideas for emphasis.

personification – Giving human qualities to nonhuman things.

irony – A contrast between expectation and reality.

simile – A comparison using “like” or “as.”

metaphor – A direct comparison without using “like” or “as.”

Film Elements / Connections vs. Distinctions

connection – A similarity between two texts, ideas, or works.

distinction – A difference between two texts, ideas, or works.

anecdote – A short personal story.

categories – Groups organized by shared characteristics.

description – Details that help explain or illustrate something.

examples – Specific instances used to support an idea.

reflection – Thoughtful consideration of experiences or ideas.

narration – Storytelling or spoken commentary.

director – The person responsible for overseeing a film's production.

screenwriter – The person who writes a film's script.

actor – A person who performs a role in a film, play, or show.