CAFE_2014_2 Flashcards
gangster
(CAFE #457)
“In the opera, the main character, who is a gangster named Nick Macheath, marries a woman named Polly Peachum.”
a person who is a member of a group of criminals; a person who is involved in crime organizations or gangs
- In the 1920s, many gangsters in the United States were involved in making and selling alcohol, which was illegal at that time.
moritat
CAFE #457
“Brecht and Weill wrote the song called “Moritat” for the opera.”
a special kind of song sung in the Middle Ages written about murder or criminal acts, usually sung by traveling musicians
- The minstrel sang a moritat that told the tale of a man who killed his wives.
up-tempo
(CAFE #457)
“Despite being a very what we would describe as “up-tempo” song, the lyrics are actually quite dark and unhappy.”
fast, cheerful, and/or happy, usually used to describe music
- We played up-tempo songs that everyone could tap their feet and clap their hands to.
jackknife
CAFE #457
“Just a jackknife has old Macheath, babe
And he keeps it out of sight”
a small knife with a blade that folds into the handle so that it becomes small and can be easily stored or carried
- The hiker took a jackknife out of his pocket and used it to cut open the bag that held his tent.
billow
CAFE #457
“You know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread”
a large amount of something, usually a cloud, smoke, or steam; a mass of something that moves like a wave
- Billows of smoke came out of the building that had caught on fire.
to ooze
(CAFE #457)
“We meet, if you will, one of the bodies of someone that Mack has killed. It talks about a body “oozing life.””
to slowly release a liquid; to have liquid come out slowly from something, such as a container
- The honey oozed out of the bottle and slowly mixed into the yoghurt.
cement
CAFE #457
“One thing you could do is use a bag of cement.”
a material often used for building that is made from lime, clay, sand, and water that begins as a liquid but becomes hard and heavy when dry
- Be careful! The cement sidewalks are still wet.
serial killer
(CAFE #457)
“As the song ends, we’re reminded that Mack is not just a killer – he’s what we might describe as a “serial killer.””
a person who murders many people, often using similar methods in each killing
- One of the most famous serial killers in history is Jack the Ripper, who killed several women in London in 1888.
reservation
CAFE #457
“This particular park is located in Utah and Arizona. It is on what we call a “reservation.””
an area of land that the United States government set aside to be used for groups of Native Americans to live on
- Visitors to our Native American reservation can watch a demonstration of how to make bread and weave rugs in traditional ways.
petroglyph
CAFE #457
“Many of these rock formations contain what are called “petroglyphs.””
a picture that was drawn thousands of years ago, usually found on the sides of rocks or inside caves
- The oldest petroglyphs were found in caves in France and showed images of horses and people.
prehistoric
(CAFE #457)
““Petroglyphs” (petroglyphs) are basically pictures that were drawn in what we would describe as “prehistoric times.””
referring to a time period thousands of years ago before people could write and when they lived in caves
- The wooly mammoth is an ancestor of the modern day elephant and lived in prehistoric times.
stem
CAFE #457
the main body of a plant that usually grows out of the ground and that leaves grow from
- It’s surprising that a thin stem can have so many leaves and flowers growing out of it.
stalk
CAFE #457
the thin section or support that a leaf, flower, or fruit is attached to
- Before cooking, remove the stalks, which are tough and difficult to eat.
shoot
CAFE #457
a young branch that grows out from the main part of a tree or other plant
- It’s important to remove some of the shoots before they grow too long.
indeed
CAFE #457
used to emphasize a statement or response confirming something already suggested
- It is indeed a pleasure to meet someone who is also a fan of early American architecture.
scarlet
CAFE #457
a kind of red, the color red; bright red
“You know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread”
discontinuous
CAFE #469
“Grover Cleveland is the only U.S. president to have been elected president in two discontinuous terms.”
when two things happen, one after the other, but there is a break or period of time between the two
- Both sisters attended the same university, but graduated in discontinuous years: 2000 and 2004.
to be drafted
CAFE #469
“During the Civil War, Grover Cleveland was drafted into the military.”
to be required by the government to serve in the military in a time of war
- The last time any Americans were drafted was during the Vietnam War.
to nominate
(CAFE #469)
“In 1881, several years after the Civil War, Grover Cleveland was nominated by the Democratic Party to run for the office of mayor of Buffalo, the city in which he
lived.”
to be chosen by a political party to be its representative in a political office; to be selected by a group of people to represent them
- Yentzu was nominated by her fellow students to speak to the university president about their concerns.
mayor
CAFE #469
“This was an election for the “mayor” (mayor) of
Buffalo.”
an elected official who is in charge of a town or city
- The mayor organized a citywide parade to congratulate the winning sports team.
to veto
CAFE #469
“Cleveland was elected mayor of Buffalo. He became known as the “veto mayor.””
when an elected official says that he or she will not sign a bill (proposal for a law) that has already been approved by another branch (part) of government; when someone refuses to approve of something other people have
already decided on
- Masha, Natalie, and Sven agreed that they should all go to Guy’s Pizza for dinner but Olaf vetoed that idea because he said Vito’s had better pizza.
commerce
(CAFE #469)
“He also passed a law called the “Interstate Commerce Act of 1887.” This turned out to be one of the most important laws in the history of commerce – that is,
business – in the United States.”
trade; the business of buying and selling
- Commerce between the two countries was at its highest in 50 years, which benefited both of their economies.
tariff
(CAFE #469)
“In 1888, when Cleveland was running for his second term for re-election as president, the big issue in the country was something called “protective tariffs.””
a tax that is put on a particular good or item, especially when brought to sell from another country
- Many countries have tariffs on rice, wheat, and flour to protect its own farmers.
to oppose
CAFE #469
“He was opposed to these tariffs.”
to not support; to be against something or someone
- Alec wanted to sell their family company, but his sister, Nicolette, opposed the idea because she wanted to lead the company herself.
depression
CAFE #469
“In 1893, the United States began one of the worst economic depressions in its history.”
when a country’s economy has serious problems and many people lose their jobs and often, their savings
- During the Great Depression of 1929, many people were forced to leave their homes because they had no money to pay the rent.
to repeal
CAFE #469
“He tried to repeal some of these laws.”
to reverse a law; to make something that was once a law not a law anymore
- In 1933, Congress repealed the laws making the sale and manufacture of alcohol illegal.
to go on strike
CAFE #469
“In May of 1894, the men who worked on the railroads went on strike.”
when a group of people refuses to do something because they want an organization or another group of people to change
- When the subway workers went on strike, everyone who lived in the city was forced to walk to work.
trustee
CAFE #469
“Cleveland gave lectures at the university and was also a trustee of the university.”
a person who helps an organization or an individual manage their money and decide how the money should be used
- The trustees met and decided that it would be appropriate for Amir to use some of the money in his trust to buy a house.
to understand
CAFE #469
for one’s mind to perceive and comprehend the intended
meaning of something, such as words, a language, or a speaker
- Meli didn’t really understand the math assignment and had to get Sarah’s help.
to grab
CAFE #469
to grasp; to seize; to take in one’s hand suddenly and roughly
- I know you’re scared, but stop grabbing my sweater. You’ll ruin it!
to grasp
CAFE #469
to understand; to comprehend; to hold tightly in one’s hand
- It’s difficult to grasp these difficult new ideas when the professor speaks so quickly.
to get (it)
CAFE #469
to understand; to comprehend
- I get it. You’re trying to tell me you don’t want to go without hurting my feelings.
-hood
CAFE #469
suffix used for forming nouns to indicate a condition or quality, or a collection or group
- How are Dina and Hamid enjoying parenthood as first-time parents?
massacre
CAFE #468
“The Jonestown Massacre took place, or happened, on
November 18, 1978.”
a killing of a large number of people in a very violent and terrible way
- The barnyard looked like the scene of a massacre after the foxes got into the chicken pen and killed all of the chickens.
to be affiliated with
(CAFE #468)
“He was the head of a church even though he had no training in church leadership and was not affiliated with any religious group.”
to be officially attached or connected to another person or organization
- Smaller airlines are often affiliated with larger ones so that they can offer more flights to customers.
temple
CAFE #468
“He called his church the “People’s Temple.””
a building built for religious worship and used by people to gather and to perform ceremonies
- The temple was open to the public on Saturday morning for Passover services.
charismatic
CAFE #468
“One of the reasons he was so successful is that he was a very charismatic man.”
having a personality that attracts other people and makes them want to follow that person and do what he or she says to do
- Many people loved John F. Kennedy not only because he was good looking and smart but because he was charismatic.
to owe (someone) (something)
CAFE #468
“Instead, he wanted the politicians – especially those in the local government – to owe him something.”
to be required or obligated to help someone because that person helped you
- Yvette paid for Hiro’s coffee when he forgot his wallet so he said that he owed her a coffee the next time they went out.
to be blackmailed
CAFE #468
“Some people were beaten, some people were blackmailed.”
for a person to know a secret about another person and to promise not to tell anyone in return for money or favors
- Senator Jones was being blackmailed $1,200 a month to keep photographs of him doing illegal drugs hidden.
commune
CAFE #468
“He started his own little commune in Guyana.”
a place where a large group of people live together and share their belongings and possessions, working together for the benefit of the group
- There were no locks on any of the doors in the commune so that everyone had access to whatever they needed, whenever they needed it.
to be held against (one’s) will
(CAFE #468)
“The reason he wanted to investigate is because he had received information that some people living in Jonestown were being held against their will.”
for a person who does not want to stay in a place to not be allowed to leave; to be kept prisoner
- The rebels held the reporters against their will until the government sent in the military to rescue them.
to be disbanded
CAFE #468
“After the Jonestown Massacre, as it was called, the People’s Temple was disbanded.”
when a group or an organization stops operating or working and is no longer working as a group
- The chess club disbanded when they couldn’t find enough people to participate.
bankruptcy
CAFE #468
“The Temple also declared bankruptcy.”
a legal status indicating that a person or organization has no money to pay what it owes and cannot continue to operate
- The company declared bankruptcy and over 200 people lost their jobs.
caller
CAFE #468
“Also in the room there is a group of musicians or some music and what is called a “caller”.”
at a square dance, the person who calls out loud which dance moves should be done next
- The dancers listened closely as the caller shouted the moves over the music.
revival
(CAFE #468)
“Some people say that younger people are now getting interested in square dancing, that there has been a revival in the popularity of square dancing.”
when something that has stopped happening or gone out of fashion becomes popular again
- The theater performed a revival of one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known plays.
perspective
CAFE #468
a particular attitude toward something; a way of thinking about something; a point of view
- It’s hard for the very rich to see life from the perspective of someone struggling to earn enough money to live from one day to the next.
prospective
CAFE #468
regarding a person, expected or expecting him or her to be something in the future; likely to happen at a future date
- The real estate agent will be showing the prospective buyers our house today.
prospect
CAFE #468
the possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring
- Juno isn’t looking forward to the prospect of visiting her in-laws.