Great American Desert Quiz

mr Riley whyyyyyyyyy

acerbity (n.

sharpness and directness in speech

acerbic (adj.

especially of a comment or style of speaking, sharp and forthright

alight (v.

to come down from something

ammunition (n.

a supply or quantity of bullets and shells

anesthetic (n.

a substance that induces insensitivity to pain.

arid (adj.

of land or a climate, having little or no rain; excessively dry; having insufficient rainfall to support agriculture

assay kit (n.

a packaged set of materials and reagents designed to perform specific chemical, biological, or physical tests

Baja California (n.

north west mexican peninsula

bayonet (n.

a blade that may be fixed to the muzzle of a rifle and used to stab an opponent in hand-to-hand fighting.

bleaching (v./adv.

: being whitened by exposure to sunlight

cairn (n.

a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark

calcification (n.

the process where something becomes hard because there is a build up of calcium carbonate

Californication (n.

describes the haphazard, rapid expansion of California’s suburban sprawl and the cultural influence spreading from Hollywood to the rest of the world

carabiner (n.

a coupling link with a safety closure, used by rock climbers.

Chihuahuan Desert (n.

: a desert area covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States

circumambulate (v.

to walk all the way around something

C-rations (n.

United States military ration consisting of prepared, canned wet foods.

dank (adj.

disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold

dappled (adj.

marked with spots or rounded patches

Death Valley (n.

an arid valley in eastern California and southern Nevada

Dracula (n.

entrails (n.

a person’s or animal's intestines or internal organs

enumerate (v.

to mention a number of things one by one

etiquette (n.

the customary code of polite behavior in society

fetid (adj.

smelling extremely unpleasant

flora (n.

the plants of a particular region

flue/chimney flue (n.

a duct for smoke and waste gases produced by a fire, a gas heater, a power station, or other fuel-burning installation

formidable (adj.

inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable

forsaken (adj.

abandoned or deserted

Genghis Khan (n.

famous Mongolian warrior-ruler who consolidated tribes into a unified Mongolia and extended his empire across Asia

godforsaken (adj.

neglected and miserable in appearance or circumstances

gorged (v./adv.

glutted; stuffed to capacity

Grand Canyon (n.

gorge of the Colorado River in northwestern Arizona

Great American Desert (n.

a term used to describe the part of North America east of the Rocky Mountains: includes the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Great Basin Deserts.

Great Basin Desert (n.

One of the four biologically defined deserts in North America: a temperate desert with hot, dry summers and snowy winters, spanning large portions of Nevada and Utah, extending into eastern California.

gulch (n.

a narrow and steep-sided ravine marking the course of a fast stream

halazone (n.

a white powder chemical compound with a chlorine odor used to disinfect drinking water.

half-cocked (adv.

only partly ready; poorly prepared

hardcase (n.

a tough or intractable person

horned toad (n.

a North American lizard of the family Phrynosomatidae. Its common name refers directly to its horns, flattened, rounded bodies, and blunt snouts

hyperacute (adj.

super sensitive or highly receptive

immense (adj.

extremely large or great, especially in scale or degree

incarnation (n.

a visible representation of something abstract as a quality

indefatigable (adj.

of a person or creature or their efforts persisting tirelessly.

indolent (adj.

wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy

induce (v.

to succeed in persuading or influencing someone to do something; to bring about or give rise to

intoxicated (adj./adv.

drunk or under the influence of drugs

Jerusalem cricket (n.

a large-headed burrowing nocturnal insect

Jimson weed (n.

a poisonous tall annual plant of the nightshade family a.k.a thorn apple

Joshua Trees (n.

a tall branched arborescent yucca of arid regions that has clustered greenish-white flowers

juniper (n.

an evergreen shrub or small tree that bears berrylike cones

keening (v. pres. part.

prolonged and high-pitched sound

labyrinth (n.

a maze

larva (n.

the active immature form of an insect

mammalian (adj.

relating to or denoting a mammal

melancholy (adj.

having a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause

Mojave Desert (n.

desert in southern California southeast of the southern end of the Sierra Nevada

monotony (n.

lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine

mother lode (n.

an abundant source, as in a mine; the principal mineral vein of a region; a principal source or supply

mystic (n.

one who believes in the spiritual apprehension of truths that are beyond the intellect

Nasja Canyon (n.

Navajos (n.

a member of a North American people of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico

osprey (n.

a large fish-eating bird of prey

overexertion (n.

the use of too much mental or physical effort

packhorse (n.

a horse used to carry loads.

Panamint Range, Panamints (n.

a short rugged fault-block mountain range in the northern Mojave Desert, within Death Valley National Park in Inyo County, eastern California.

Panamint

Panamint City was once called the toughest, rawest, most hard-boiled little hellhole that ever passed for a civilized town.

pannier (n.

a basket often carried on the back of an animal or the shoulders of a person.

pig-iron (n.

a crude iron alloy of carbon and other elements that's used to make steel, wrought iron, and ingot iron

pissoir (n.

a public urinal

piton (n.

a peg or spike driven into a rock or crack to support a climber or a rope

plateau (n.

an area of relatively level high ground

prickly pear (n.

a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers

proboscis (n.

the nose of a mammal, especially when it is long and mobile such as the trunk of an elephant or the snout of a tapir

profusion (n.

an abundance or large quantity of something

quagmire (n.

a soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot

quicksand (n.

loose wet sand that easily traps and sucks in anything resting on or falling into it

ragweed (n.

flowering plants in the aster family

recluse (n.

a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people

sandstone (n.

sedimentary rock consisting of sand or quartz grains cemented together, typically red, yellow, or brown in color

satori (n

Buddhist term for understanding or enlightenment

seismic (adj.

relating to earthquakes or other vibrations of the earth and its crust.

Seldom Seen Slim (n.

nickname for one Charles Ferge 1889-1986 a prospector, and the sole resident of Ballarat, Inyo County, California

Sierra Club (n.

an American environmental organization with chapters in all 50 U.S. states

sinister (adj.

giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen

sledge (n.

a hammer with a large, flat, often metal head, attached to a long handle.

sleek (adj.

(of hair, fur, or skin) smooth and glossy.

slick-rock (n.

smooth, slippery rock that's often made of sandstone

solpugids (n.

an order of arachnids known variously as sun spiders, camel spiders, and wind scorpions

Sonora (n.

one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico

Sonoran Desert (n.

the hottest Mexican desert. Northwest Mexico and southwest USA

spangled (adj.

covered with small sparkling objects or lights

sullen (adj.

gloomily or resentfully silent or repressed; bad-tempered and sulky

surly (adj.

menacing or threatening in appearance; irritably sullen and churlish in mood or manner

sustenance (n.

food and drink regarded as a source of strength; nourishment

talons (n.

claws, esp. those belonging to a bird of prey.

tepid (adj.

(especially of a liquid) only slightly warm; lukewarm

Tucson (n.

a city in southeastern Arizona

tumbleweed (n.

a plant of dry regions that breaks off near the ground in late summer and is tumbled about by the wind, thereby dispersing its seeds.

unrequited (adj.

of a feeling, especially love not returned or rewarded.