Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 39 - Day 1

Word List
  • saga [sä´ ga]
    heroic story
    → “The saga of the Kennedy family has enthralled and saddened us.” Barbara Walters, quoted in New York Times, 7/10/99
  • belated [bi lāt´ tid]
    late, delayed
    → “When he made his belated entrance into the political campaign, he was told he had no chance.” Jewell Bellush and Dick Netzer, Urban Politics
  • decrepit [di krep´ it]
    broken down, worn out
    → “Some schools are in such decrepit condition that students will be transferred to safer schools until repairs can be made.” NYC Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew, Newsday, 7/6/99
  • imperturbable [im´ pər tėr´ bə bəl]
    calm, steady, serene
    → “The Prince de Ligne had given the Empress Catherine the name of imperturbable, or immoveable.” Walter Tooke, The Life of Catherine
  • vacillate [vas´ ə lāt]
    hesitate, fluctuate
    → “In planning for the book I vacillated between a selective, but deeper approach or a general, more limited approach.” Milton Konvitz, editor, Bill of Rights Reader

An unforgettable saga of World War II has to do with the small French coastal town of Dunkirk. There, in 1940, thousands of British troops made a belated escape from the awesome* power of the German army and air force. They were removed by an array* of private boats, from huge yachts to decrepit fishing boats. At their own volition,* the skippers came close to the shore, while German planes bombed implacably.* They remained imperturbable under heavy fire. When their vessels were loaded, they dashed back to England. Once unloaded, they did not vacillate, but returned with equanimity* to their vigil* in the danger zone. The British proved once again that they are paragons* of comradeship in times of jeopardy.*

Sample Sentences Use the new words in these sentences.

  1. The __________ of a lone man confronting* the turbulent* oceans in a small boat is an exploit* we find laudable.*
  2. The speaker remained __________ while his audience shouted caustic* comments about his mendacious* activities.
  3. The ingrate refused to accept Cindy’s __________ gift.
  4. When released from incarceration,* he was gaunt* and __________.
  5. We are all familiar with the cliché* that he who __________ is lost.

Definitions Match the new words with their definitions.

  1. a. hesitate, fluctuate
  2. b. heroic story
  3. c. broken down, worn out
  4. d. late, delayed
  5. e. calm, steady, serene
  1. saga __________
  2. belated __________
  3. decrepit __________
  4. imperturbable __________
  5. vacillate __________

Answer Key
a sacred cow—a person or thing that cannot be criticized (From India, where cows may not be harmed because of religious rules)
I decided to throw down the gauntlet* by exposing the boss’s son who had been ruling the roost* as the sacred cow of the business.

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