Slaughterhouse Five (Vonnegut)

soliloquize (v.): talk to oneself

irony (n.): incongruity between what might be expected and what occurs

covetous (adj.): immoderately desirous of acquiring something

sordid (adj.): morally degraded

unmitigated (adj.): not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity

piety (n.): righteousness by virtue of being religiously devout

putrid (adj.): morally corrupt or evil

addle (v.): mix up or confuse

pretext (n.): a fictitious reason that conceals the real reason

ghastly (adj.): gruesomely indicative of death or the dead

decrepit (adj.): lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality

resolute (adj.): characterized by quickness and firmness

clemency (n.): leniency and compassion shown toward offenders

vertigo (n.): a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall

balderdash (n.): trivial nonsense

mosaic (n.): design made of small pieces of colored stone or glass

extrapolate (v.): draw from specific cases for more general cases

acrimonious (adj.): marked by strong resentment or cynicism

rarefied (adj.): of high moral or intellectual value

feign (v.): give a false appearance of