Chapter 1. Unit 1 Humanities Flashcards
Humanities 1
- contemporary
adj. belonging to the same period or time as something else
concurrent, coexistent, modern
His work was a contemporary account of life in the nineteenth century.
- afford
1) v. to provide; to give
2) v. to be able to do something or to allow something to happen
1) provide, supply 2) be able, be rich enough
Wool blankets were used in the colder regions of the country because of the warmth they afforded.
- annually
adv. once a year; every year
yearly
One of the most notable rodeos in the country is held annually in Wyoming.
- ascribe
v. to believe something to be the result or work of
attribute, credit, assign
Tradition ascribes the epic poems to Homer, but little is known about him.
- imprint
n. a mark or impression made by pressure
mark, track, trace
Experts believe the origin of rice was in Asia due to the imprints that they found at the site in China.
- apace with
ph. keeping pace with
abreast with
The downtown business district did not grow apace with the city as a whole.
- cradle
n. a bed for a small baby, especially one that can be rocked; a place of origin
bassinet, cot, birthplace
The Nile River is the longest river in the world and the cradle of civilization.
- undoubtedly
adv. without any doubt; surely
certainly, doubtlessly, unquestionably
Undoubtedly, game animals were major components of human diets.
- cunning
adj. clever in deceiving
deceptive, shrewd, sly
Although they were cunning hunters, primitive humans were still threatened by certain animals.
- enigmatic
adj. mysterious and very hard to understand
obscure, ambiguous
The rise of Neanderthal man is somewhat enigmatic despite the relative abundance of fossils.
- abundant
adj. existing in large amounts
plentiful, profuse, ample
Some women specialized in the gathering of the abundant shellfish that lived closer to shore.
- account for
1) ph. to give a reason or explanation for something
2) ph. to constitute; to form
1) explain, clarify 2) make up
Various methods of spattering the glaze onto the ware account for the extremely wide variations in color.
- cast
v. to shape by pouring something into a mold and allowing it to set
form, mold, shape
Early civilizations used bronze, an alloy that could be cast in molds, to make tools and weapons.
- artifact
n. a handcrafted object, especially one that is of archaeological interest
remain, relic, antiquity
The archaeologists examined all of evidence from sites very closely and then determined the general age of the artifacts.
- accommodate
v. to provide someone with a place to stay
put up, house, lodge
The adjoining apartments could accommodate dozens of families.
- adorn
v. to make more beautiful, attractive, or interesting
decorate, ornament, embellish
In the past, men, women, and children adorned themselves with beads.
- abruptly
adv. in a sudden and unexpected manner; very quickly
unexpectedly, suddenly, instantly
They didn’t care for the play because it ended so abruptly.
- acclaim
v. to declare something with noisy enthusiasm
hail, applaud, cheer
The ballerina was acclaimed for her wonderful performance.
- bear
1) v. to have; to bring or take
2) v. to support a weight or load; to accept something without complaining
1) carry 2) sustain, endure
Alternative history bears some relation to historical fiction as well as to science fiction.
- by chance
ph. without cause or reason; by accident
accidentally, incidentally
The character gained his wealth by chance, not from hard work.
- abandon
v. to give something up completely
desert, cede, leave behind
Some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.
- abstraction cf. abstract
n. an idea of a quality considered separately from any particular object or case
conception, notion, representation
A number of sculptors have rejected the abstractions of minimalist artists.
- agile
adj. able to move or change quickly and easily
nimble, quick, swift
Acrobats must be extremely agile.
- surmount
v. to be above or on top of; to overcome
ascend, mount, defeat
She managed to surmount the obstacle.
- aesthetically cf. aesthetic
adv. in an aesthetic manner; in a highly developed sense of beauty
artistically, beautifully, tastefully
Satires are read because they are aesthetically satisfying works of art.
- akin (to)
adj. having the same appearance, character, or nature
similar, alike, related
Her fictitious world is strikingly akin to the real one people live in every day.
- diverse
adj. different from each other; showing variety
different, various, assorted
The artwork is diverse in form and includes sculptures, paintings and photographs.
- acquisition
n. the act of obtaining, developing, or acquiring something
gain, procurement, acquirement
Social-interactionists believe that adults play an important part in children’s language acquisition.
- outgoing
adj. eager to mix socially with others
friendly, sociable
Gregarious people are friendly and outgoing.
- nuisance
n. something or someone that causes trouble
annoyance, irritation, inconvenience
After the war, the robber became a small-scale rustler – it was more a nuisance than highway robbery.