| conceive | [kuhn-'seev] verb - to form (a notion, opinion, purpose, etc.). Patricia conceived the bank heist while watching a James Bond film. She figured after watching one movie she had learned enough to start a career of her own. |
| confront |  [kuhn-'fruhnt] verb - to stand or come in front of; stand or meet facing. Faith's parents had to confront her about her messy bedroom, because she would not clean it herself. The parents regretted that they did not raise her up paying attention to nurturing her good living habits. |
| prominent | ['prom-uh-nuhnt] adj - leading, important, or well-known. Leon was a prominent member of his local community. He was a business leader and a large contributor to social programs. |
| mogul | ['moh-guhl] noun - an important, powerful, or influential person. Ted Turner is a media mogul who founded CNN and has helped transform news programming into a 24-hour industry. |
| morality | [muh-'ral-i-tee] noun - conformity to the rules of right conduct; virtuous conduct. Jenn never questioned the morality of her grandfather's decisions. He was a fair man who never tried to cheat others. |
| counterpart | ['koun-ter-pahrt] noun - a person or thing closely resembling another, especially in function. In some countries, the president is the counterpart of the prime minister. They function virtually the same. |
| ambiguous |  [am-'big-yoo-uhs] adj - open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal. Sean's professor discussed different ways a family could be comprised. His explanation was ambiguous though and Sean did not understand exactly what he meant. |
| trenchant | ['tren-chuhnt] adj - incisive, keen, or effective. The new president's first speech was full of trenchant wit. |
Mr. Bloom began painting when he was seven and every summer went to camp for painting and drawing. He always knew he wanted to be an artist, so he took the steps necessary to become one. He studied the great Renaissance artists, and traveled to New York and London to get the scoop on trends in modern art. After a couple exhibitions, he gained popularity and became a ____________ member in the art community.
In the nineteenth century, financiers in industries were known as robber barons and captains of industry. The jargon changed in the twentieth century. A modern captain of industry is known as a ____________. Bill Gates is probably the most recognizable one. Rupert Murdoch is another, owning FOX news, multiple newspapers in America and Britain, and stakes in many other companies.
The Medieval Ages was a period of strong convictions and tradition. Stage plays during this time were allegories designed to illustrate religious teachings. They are known conventionally as ____________ plays, because they lacked the range of conflict that modern plays possess and focused on a few subject matters. Shakespeare referenced them, but today morality plays are only rarely performed.
Writing instruction manuals is seen by most people as tedious. The difficulty is in providing all the information in simple clarity. If the language is at all ____________ then people will become frustrated and perhaps not buy products from that company in the future. Although reading them is not usually fun, there are reasons they are bland and flavorless.
Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company in Saudi Arabia, sent a representative to the U.S. to do business. The representative they sent tried to convey the interests of Aramco, while keeping in mind that he might have to compromise with his American _____________. After intense dealings, a deal was struck and everybody was satisfied with the outcome.
At the beginning of the year, Mrs. Jones presented her students with a _____________ argument about the importance of studying their vocabulary words, so the class studies them religiously.
Jesse was preparing for finals. She had put off her work and realized too late how much work she actually had. Jesse immediately created a list of what she had to do versus what she could put-off until later. Math was her highest ___________. She had to study trigonometry before anything else, because the test was tomorrow. Jesse worked diligently that week, and her time management skills saved her.
Looking back, Jules Verne predicted many advances in modern science. He prophesied air conditioning, television, automobiles and possibly even the internet. The accuracy of some of his predictions was truly ____________. Some even compare him to Nostradamus, a famous seer, except Verne lived in modern times.
Veronica had a fear of surfing since she was six, ever since she had an accident off the coast of Hawaii. After reading G. Gordon Liddy’s book about ____________ fears, she realized she had to face her fears or forever be controlled by them. She booked a flight and surfed the entire week. Her cure was direct. She never feared surfing again.
Colonel Saunders and his army were positioned by the Mulberry River. The opposing army was in a ravine about a mile away. If Saunders could surround the ravine, he could crush them. Early one morning he had an epiphany. He ___________ of a plan where he would use his cavalry on the flanks and use his infantry as a spear to pierce through. His plan worked beautifully and won him many accolades after the battle.
