Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Bonus Week B - Day 2

Word List
  • prescient [pre´ shē ənt]
    able to predict
    → “The Spanish Republic fell in April 1939, and World War II began soon after because those prescient fighters had not been heeded.” Edward Rothstein, Spanish Civil War
  • verbatim [vər bā´ tim]
    word for word
    → “Court reporters have to be able to take 250 words a minute in their verbatim accounts.” Court Reporters’ Association Guide
  • reverie [rev´ ər ē]
    dream
    → “All through the ages, people have regarded their reveries as sources of wisdom.” Rollo May
  • thespian [thes pē ən]
    actor
    → “I regard Liev Schreiber as the outstanding thespian of our times.” Ben Brantley, Theatre Critic, The New York Times
  • despot [des´ pət]
    tyrant
    → “The universe is not freindly to despots, and they all perish sooner or later.” Don Marquis, The Almost Perfect State

Lincoln’s family and friends remembered that the President had a prescient dream in March, several weeks before the fatal day, and provided them with a verbatim account. He told of entering the East Room in the White House where a throng* of people were gathered around an open coffin. In his reverie, Lincoln asked a soldier, “Who is dead in the White House?” “The President,” was the reply. “He was killed by an assassin.”

Mrs. Lincoln said, “I’m glad I don’t believe in dreams or I should be in terror from this time forth.” Lincoln’s was the calming voice, “Let’s try to forget it. I think the Lord in His own good time and way will work this out all right.”

Of course, all who loved Abe Lincoln would have been deeply agitated if they had known what John Wilkes Booth was planning. As a Southern secessionist, he despised the President. As a thespian, he romanticized the action that he could take to rid the nation of a cruel warmonger. Although he had not taken an active part in the Civil War, he was convinced that he could contribute to the Confederate cause by kidnapping the bearded despot. It wasn’t exactly clear in his mind whether he would “capture” Lincoln and take him to Richmond where he could be exchanged for Confederate prisoners of war—or whether he would just put a bullet in the President’s head.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

  1. Yearning to be a __________, Roger took lessons from a dramatic coach.
  2. When he lost control of the militia, the __________ was forced to flee.
  3. Claiming to be __________, the fortune teller took advantage of the gullible* woman.
  4. With remarkable talent, the reporter was able to quote speeches __________.
  5. In her __________, Ellen saw herself as the next U.S. President.

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

  1. a. dream
  2. b. actor
  3. c. able to predict
  4. d. word for word
  5. e. tyrant
  1. prescient __________
  2. verbatim __________
  3. reverie __________
  4. thespian __________
  5. despot __________

Answer Key
to carry coals to Newcastle—a waste of time (since Newcastle had a great deal of coal)
Telling the racing car driver how to drive is like carrying coals to Newcastle.

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