A Raisin in the Sun Act 1: Vocabulary

bastion

(n.) stronghold into which people seek shelter during a battle; a place of protection; a fortified place, stronghold

beseechingly

(adv.) to ask for something urgently and fervently; to implore in a begging or pleading manner

doggedly

(adv.) tenaciously or with strong determination; stubbornly

Forlornly

(adv) looking pitiful, desperate or hopeless

Furtively

adv. - secretively; sneakily, stealthily; expressive of hidden motives

Futile

(adj.) incapable of producing any useful result; pointless; useless

assimiliationist

Noun: : a person who advocates a policy of adoping the cultures and customs of differing racial or cultural groups

Graft

the acquisition of money in dishonest ways, as in bribing a politician, to pay off someone to gain something

Incredulity

(n.) the state of being in doubt about the truth of something; unwilling or unable to believe something

quizzical

(adj.) perplexed; indicating mild or amused puzzlement

Pretenses

(n) A false show of something; a facade; a claim, especially a false or ambitious one not supported by facts

Raucous

adjective

making or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise.

Stupor

(n.) a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility; half-awake, unaware, or unresponsive

Unobtrusive

(adj.) not conspicuous or attracting attention

Vain

(adj.) 1. having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth;

2. Producing no result; useless

The __________________ encouraged immigrants to give up their native language, traditions, and customs so they could blend into the dominant culture and be accepted by society.

Assimilationist

The teacher's desk became a(n) __________where stolen snacks were guarded fiercely against hungry students during sixth period.

bastion

The dog stared _________________, with wide eyes and a slow tail wag, clearly begging for just one bite of pizza.

beseechingly

The student worked __________________, continuing to revise the essay without giving up, even after the Wi-Fi crashed and the printer jammed.

doggedly

The forgotten lunch sat ___________ on the counter, lonely and sad, while its owner realized it was still at home halfway to school.

forlornly

The student checked their phone ______________, sneaking quick glances around the room to make sure the teacher wasn't watching.

furtively

Trying to keep a white shirt clean while eating spaghetti was _____________, a hopeless effort that ended with sauce everywhere.

futile

The politician was accused of __________ for taking illegal money and favors in exchange for special treatment.

graft

She stared at the empty cookie jar in _________________, unable to believe her brother's claim that "the cookies just vanished."

incredulity

With a(n) ______________ tilt of his head and one eyebrow raised, he reread the instructions, clearly confused by the command to assemble the item without opening the box.

quizzical

Under the _________________of needing help, he stopped by the café, when in reality he just wanted the free cookies and a coffee.

pretense

From across the street came a(n) _______________burst of laughter, loud, wild, and impossible to ignore, as the party spilled onto the sidewalk.

raucous

After staying up all night, he wandered through the day in a(n) _____________, barely awake and slow to react to anything around him

stupor

Wanting to be ________________________, she stood quietly in the corner, careful not to draw attention to herself.

unobstrusive

____________ and constantly checking his reflection, he adjusted his hair for the fifth time, clearly overly concerned with his appearance.

vain

Still learning (6)

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