Presentation Transcript

1. TortillaCurtain

   Vocabulary Review
2. Part One vocabulary
3. Everywhere he turned he saw those red-flecked eyes, the rictus of the mouth, the rotten teeth and the incongruous shock of gray in the heavy black brush of the mustache – they infested his dreams, cut through his waking hours like a window on another reality. - Page 3 Out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming; out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecomingIncongruous (adj.)
4. But it was more than a murmur – it was a deep aching guttural moan that made something catch in his throat, an expression of the most primitive and elemental experience we know: pain. - Page 7 Pertaining to or characterized by a sound articulated in the back of the mouth; of or pertaining to the throat; harsh; throaty Guttural (adj.)
5. A forklift had wheeled up beside him and the man driving it, his features inscrutable beneath the brim of his yellow hard hat, was gesturing to him. – Page 12 To be incapable of being investigated, analyzed, or scrutinized; impenetrable; not easily understood; mysterious; unfathomableInscrutable (adj.)
6. He’d been in Los Angeles nearly two years now, and he’d never really thought about it before, but they were everywhere, these men, ubiquitous, silently going about their business, whether it be mopping up the floors at McDonald’s, inverting trash cans in the alley out back of Emilio’s or moving purposively behind the rakes and blowers that combed the pristine lawns of Arroyo Blanco Estates twice a week. – Page 12 To be existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time; omnipresentUbiquitous (adj.)
7. “She checked the address twice, three times, and then she turned round to retrace her steps and found that the streets had shuffled themselves in the interim, and she knew she was lost” (18). Interim: n- an intervening time; interval; meantime Jennifer Russ & Natasha Habert
8. “ She was in her best dress and her crucifix hung limp at her throat” (21). Crucifix: n- a cross or image of a cross with a figure of Jesus upon it. Jennifer Russ & Natasha Habert
9. "The houses were all of the Spanish Mission style, painted in one of three prescribed shades of white, with orange tile roofs."(30). Prescribed: v- to lay down, in writing or otherwise, as a rule or a course of action to be followed; appoint, or ordain. Jennifer Russ & Natasha Habert
10. “There were days when he worked himself into such a state he could barely lift his fingers to the keys, but fortunately the good days outnumbered them, the days when he celebrated his afternoon hikes through the chaparral and into the ravines of the mist-hung mountains, and that was what people wanted—celebration, not lectures, not the strident call to ecologic arms, not the death knell and the weeping and gnashing of environmental teeth” (33). Strident: adj- making or having a harsh sound; grating; creaking Jennifer Russ & Natasha Habert
11. Perfidious Deliberately faithless, deceitful, treacherous Adjective “…Candido called him out, and he would have had his revenge too, and his honor if the son of a bitch hadn’t got the better of him with a perfidious wrestling move that left him stunned and bleeding in the dirt.” (Boyle, 52)
12. Incessant Continuing with out interruption, ceaseless, unending. Adjective “…The language that was like the incessant braying of a four-legged beast…” (Boyle, 55)
13. Furtively Done by stealth; sly, shifty Adjective “The men were staring at her, every one of them, some openly, some furtively, their eyes ducking for cover beneath the brims of their sombreros and baseball caps…” (Boyle, 55)
14. Braying (noun) 1. Loud harsh cry of a donkey 2. Any similar sort of loud, harsh cry (verb) To make such a loud, harsh cry Noun and Verb “…the gringos with their superior ways and their almighty dollar and their new clothes and fancy hairdos, the strange customs, the language that was like the incessant braying of a four-legged beast.” (Boyle, 55)
15. Litany (noun) A prolonged or tedious account “He thought of the solemn fat man at the meeting and his litany of woes…” Synonym: account, catalogue, enumeration
16. Anathema(noun) A person or thing detested or loathed “Cooking odors were anathema.” Synonym: abomination, loathed, detestation, enemy Antonym: love, delight, enjoyment
17. Truncated(adjective) Shortened by or as if by having a part cut off; cut short. “His words were truncated, clipped off as if he couldn’t spare the breath for him…” Synonym: abbreviate, abridge, clip Antonym: expand, elongate, increase
18. Assimilate (verb) To bring into conformity with the customs, attitudes, etc. of a group, nation, or the like; adapt or adjust “The Mexicans would assimilate just like the Poles, Italians, Germans, Irish, and Chinese…” Synonym: acculturate, adapt, become like Antonym: reject, misunderstand
19. Context “He found America poised in front of one of the refrigerated displays, her back to him, and he felt shy suddenly, mortified, the unwanted guest sitting down at the starving man's table." (Boyle 123)

    Mortified (verb)

    Stephanie and Kelsey Definition to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or humiliated, by injury to one's pride or self respect
20. Context “He tried to look nonchalant as he passed by the checkers and entered the vast cornucopia of the place." (Boyle 123) Definition Feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed. 

    Nonchalant (adj)

    Stephanie and Kelsey
21. Part Two Vocabulary

22. Emanating

    -To emit from a source or origin -Verb “It was then that they heard the dog barking, a muffled hoarse percussive sound that seemed to be emanating from everywhere and nowhere…” (p150)
23. Furtively -An expression of hidden and sneaky motives -Adjective “Now the looks were different-all the men stared at her, some boldly, some furtively.” (p158)
24. Coruscating -Flashing; sparkly -Brilliant or striking in content or style -Adjective “The cart seemed new, bright in its coat of coruscating metal, barely used.” (p162)
25. Patrician -Of high rank or good education -Adjetive “That was a good smell for a house to have, a clean patrician smell…” (p162)
26. Acquiescence -Agreement or consent without objection -The act of giving assent -Noun “Cándido was listening to the woman cry softly beside him and thinking about that fatalism, that acquiescence, the inability of his people to act in the face of authority…” (p172)
27. Emily Bonner and Mimi Hibben Infestingnoun-"The wine infesting his veins" (Boyle 182).1. To inhabit or overrun in numbers or quantities large enough to be harmful, threatening, or obnoxious.
28. Emily Bonner and Mimi Hibben

    Querulousadjective-"Jim Shirley was a querulous fat man" (Boyle 188).1.Expressing a complaint or grievance; grumbling.

29. Mimi Hibben and Emily Bonner Vehemence Definition:  The quality or state of being intensely deep or emotional. Part of Speech: Noun In the book: "'I'll say,' Bill Vogel put in with real vehemence,'the more you give them, the more they want, and the more of them there are.' but the professional boom of Jack Cherrystone's voice absorbed and flattened his words, and Jack went on without missing a beat"(Boyle 192).
30. Sullied Mimi Hibben and Emily Bonner Definition:  Made unclean or impure. Part of Speech: Verb In the book: "He couldn't go back to his aunt, couldn't live off her again, butt of the entire village, couldn't face America's parents when he gave her back to them like some precious heirloom he'd borrowed and sullied"(Boyle 200).
31. Talisman (Zach M) Part of speech: noun Definition: Anything whose presence exercises a remarkable or powerful influence on human feelings or actions. Example: “She held the words in her head like a talisman, Sherman way, and then they were moving again, along the black swatch of the road that chased its own tail down the side of the hill.” (206)
32. Eradicate (Zach M) Part of speech: verb Definition: To remove or destroy utterly Example: “We cannot eradicate the coyote, nor can we fence him out, not even with eight feet of chain link, as this sad but wise pilgrim can attest.” (214)
33. Candor (Kieren B) Part of speech: noun Definition: The state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere. Freedom from bias, impartiality. Example: "It was a look Delaney knew well, a California look, composed in equal parts of candor, awe and dazzlement, and it usually presaged the asking of a small favor or a tiny little loan" (227).
34. Earnest (Kieren B) Part of speech: 1. adjective, 2. noun Definitions: 1. Serious in intention, purpose or effort. Showing sincerity of feeling. seriously important. 2. Full seriousness as of intention or purpose. Example: "He looked both earnest and hip, a jazz musician crossed with a Bible salesman" (226). (Definition and Part of Speech one.)
35. Covertly (Jacy W) Part of speech: adverb Definition: to do something in a secretive or discreet manner Example: “She watched them covertly, women her own age and maybe a little older” (230).
36. Sanctity (Jacy W) Part of speech: noun Definition: sacred or hallowed character, a sacred thing Example: “Working cheek by jowl to with Jack and Erna to ensure that the sanctity of the community was preserved” (242).
37. Formidable (Jacy W) Part of speech: adjective Definition: causing fear, apprehension or dread Example: “The list was formidable. They whipping cream, baby carrots, heavy syrup, ground mace, five pounds of confectioner’s sugar, balsamic vinegar, celery sticks and capers, among other things” (247).
38. Part Three Vocabulary
39. Constituted Definition: To Establish. Part of Speech: Verb Ex: ”Delany didn't drink hard liquor and the two beers he'd had at Dominick's would of constuted his limit under normal circumstances...” (286).-By Jack and Lucas (Drawing the line)
40. Exultant Definition: Triumphantly Happy. Part of Speech: Adjective. Ex: ”He felt exultant, infused with a strength and joy that made a mockery of his poverty...” (297). By Jack and Lucas
41. Infused Definition: To imbue or inspire Part of Speech: Verb Ex: “He felt exultant, infused with a strength and joy that made a mockery of his poverty...” (297). By Jack and Lucas (Infused with happiness)
42. Culpability Definition: Deserving blame or censure; blameworthy Part of Speech: Noun Ex: “It was beyond irony, beyond questions of sin and culpability, beyond superstition…” (322). By Jack and Lucas