English Test Revision: Witches, Civilisation, and Grammar

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering terms, historical facts, and grammar concepts from the English revision sheet on witches.

A witch

A woman believed to have magic powers, translated in French as 'une sorcière'.

Hooked

Curved or bent like a hook, translated in French as 'crochu' (often describing a witch's nose).

The brim

The projecting edge of a hat, translated in French as 'le bord (d'un chapeau)'.

Toothless

Having no teeth, translated in French as 'sans dents'.

A cauldron

A large metal pot used for boiling over an open fire, translated in French as 'un chaudron'.

A broomstick

A cleaning tool traditionally depicted as flown by witches, translated in French as 'un balai'.

Evidence

Information or objects presented in a legal trial to establish facts, translated in French as 'une preuve'.

A confession

A formal admission of guilt, translated in French as 'un aveu'.

Persecution

Hostility and ill-treatment of people, translated in French as 'une persécution'.

An outsider

A person who does not belong to or fit into mainstream society, translated in French as 'une personne marginalisée'.

Prejudice

An unfair preconceived opinion not based on reason or experience, translated in French as 'un préjugé'.

To stand up to

To confront, resist, or oppose someone boldly, translated in French as 'tenir tête à'.

To challenge

To dispute, contest, or call something into question, translated in French as 'remettre en question'.

Scottish witch hunts

Historical hunts in Scotland between $1563$ and $1736$ where approximately $84\,\%$ of accused individuals were poor women.

King James VI

Scottish monarch who participated in witch trials, interrogated the accused, and believed women were easier to influence by Satan.

Salem witch trials

Witch trials in Massachusetts ($1692$-$1693$) where more than $150$ people were accused and $19$ were executed by hanging amid collective hysteria.

Salem prisoner's dilemma

A legal paradox where innocent defendants faced execution if they maintained innocence, while those who confessed and named others could hope to be released.

Synonymous with paranoia and injustice

The historical description associated with the Salem witch trials, representing social hysteria and wrongful accusation.

Witch threat archetype

The societal view of witches as dangerous because they were independent, had no husbands or children, lived in remote areas, and defied social norms.

"Said to be" construction

A passive grammatical pattern ($\text{Subject} + \text{be} + \text{said} + \text{to} + \text{verb}$) used to report beliefs or claims indirectly (e.g., 'Witches are said to be evil').

"The more…, the more…" structure

A proportional comparative construction ($\text{The} + \text{comparative}, \text{the} + \text{comparative}$) showing correlated changes (e.g., 'The more you practice, the easier it becomes').

Fewer vs. Less

Comparative quantifiers for 'moins': 'fewer' is used exclusively with countable nouns, whereas 'less' applies to uncountable nouns or adjectives.

"To what extent…?"

An evaluative question phrase ('Dans quelle mesure…?') that prompts nuanced reflection and takes affirmative word order ($\text{subject} + \text{verb}$) in indirect clauses.

The First Amendment

A $1791$ amendment to the United States Constitution that safeguards freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.

Kevin Rudd's 2008 apology

An official apology by the Australian Prime Minister to Aboriginal peoples for past policies involving the forced removal of children from their families.

The Witches Among Us

A pitch for a novel by a famous novelist and essayist exploring misunderstood witches living secretly in modern society, focusing on themes of prejudice, power, and freedom.