Vocabulary Word:

1
Vocabulary Word

• Accolade (n)
• An expression of approval an award

2
Impromptu Topic 1

• Convince us to vote for you as President of the
  USA.

3
Vocabulary Word

• Acrimony (n)
• Bitter, sharp hostility, especially in speech

4
Impromptu Topic 2

• Explain three uses for a pencil besides for
  writing.

5
Vocabulary Word

• Angst (n)
• A feeling of anxiety or apprehension

6
Impromptu Topic 3

• Explain which letter of the alphabet is the best
  and why.

7
Vocabulary Word

• Boondoggle (n)
• An unnecessary or wasteful activity

8
Impromptu Topic 4

• If I could only eat three foods forever

9
Vocabulary Word

• Bravado (n)
• A show of bravery or defiance intended to impress

10
Impromptu Topic 5

• The animal that is closest to my personality is

11
Vocabulary Word

• Brusque (n)
• Abrupt and curt in manner or speech rudely blunt

12
Impromptu Topic 8

• You are an ant. Convince an anteater not to eat
  you.

13
Vocabulary Word

• Cabalistic (adj)
• Having a secret or hidden meaning

14
Impromptu Topic 6

• Convince us that homework is bad for your health.

15
Vocabulary Word

• Capricious(adj)
• Impulsive and unpredictable

16
Impromptu Topic 7

• 3 foods Ill never eat

17
Vocabulary Word

• Carte blanche (noun)
• Unrestricted, unconditional authority

18
Impromptu Topic 6

• The top three jobs I want

19
Vocabulary Word

• Catch-22 (noun)
• A set of contradictory rules that make it
  impossible to attain a desired outcome

20
Vocabulary Enrichment

• Catch-22 was invented by Joseph Heller in his
  1955 novel, Catch-22, which takes place in Italy
  during WWII. When the main character, a pilot,
  asks if it is possible to be grounded for
  insanity, here is the answer

21
Vocabulary Enrichment

• There was only one catch and that was Catch-22,
  which specified that a concern for ones own
  safety in the face of dangers that were real and
  immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr
  was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do
  was ask and as soon as he did, he would no
  longer be crazy and would have to fly more
  missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions
  and sane if he didnt, but if he was sane he had
  to fly them.

22
Impromptu Topic 11

• You are a salesperson trying to sell us the shoes
  you have on.

23
Vocabulary Word

• Caustic
• (adj)
• Critical or sarcastic cutting

24
Impromptu Topic 15

• If you could only wear one outfit of clothes for
  the rest of your life, what would you wear?

25
Impromptu Topic 13

• You are a mad scientist. Tell us about your
  latest invention.

26
Vocabulary Word

• Disheveled
• (adj)
• Marked by disorder untidy

27
Impromptu Topic 9

• If you could choose three other people to be
  stranded on a desert island with, who would they
  be and why?

28
Vocabulary Word

• Ennui (noun)
• Listlessness and boredom resulting from lack of
  interest

29
Impromptu Topic 20

• If I could design a high school building, it
  would have

30
Vocabulary Word

• Esoteric (adj)
• Intended for or understood by only a restricted
  number of people.

31
Impromptu Topic 18

• If I had a million dollars to give away

32
Vocabulary Word

• Fastidious (adj)
• Displaying meticulous attention to detail

33
Impromptu Topic 21

• If you could have dinner with any three people,
  dead or alive

34
Vocabulary Word

• Faus Pas (noun)
• A social blunder

35
Impromptu Topic 22

• If I could travel through time to two
  places/times

36
Vocabulary Word

• Freudian Slip (noun)
• A verbal mistake thought to reveal an unconscious
  belief, thought, or emotion

37
Impromptu Topic 24

• If I could be a certain age forever

38
Vocabulary Word

• Glib (adj)
• Performed with a natural, offhand ease

39
Impromptu Topic 25

• The worst chores to do at home are

40
Vocabulary Word

• Heresy (noun)
• An opinion or teaching in conflict with
  established beliefs and opinions

41
Impromptu Topic 27

• Make up a three-sentence story using the
  following items/people
• Cabbage
• A pencil
• Brad Pitt

42
Vocabulary Word

• Idyllic (adj)
• Tranquil, carefree, or picturesque

43
Impromptu Topic 19

• If dogs ruled the world, what three things would
  change?

44
Vocabulary Word

• Junket (noun)
• A trip taken by an official at public expense

45
Impromptu Topic 19

• What are three things that the man/woman of your
  dreams could do to win your heart?

46
Vocabulary Word

• Kitsch (noun)
• Art or other objects appealing to popular taste,
  usually gaudy or overly sentimental

47
Vocabulary Word

• Litany (noun)
• A repetitive recital or list

48
Impromptu Topic 24

• Three things that Id change if I ruled the world
  are

49
Vocabulary Word

• Lurid (adj)
• Vivid description or explicit details meant to
  shock

50
Vocabulary Word

• Machiavellian (adj)
• Characterized by cunning and deceit

51
Impromptu Topic 26

• Some situations in which lying is morally
  justified are

52
Vocabulary Word

• Machismo (adj)
• A strong sense of masculinity aggressiveness,
  domination of women

53
Impromptu Topic 23

• What Ive learned from cartoons

54
Vocabulary Word

• Malaise (n)
• A vague feeling of bodily discomfort depression
  unease

55
Vocabulary Word

• Moribund (adj)
• Approaching death about to die

56

• Reminders for Demonstration Speeches
• Audience members need to participate, but also
  not overwhelm the presenter with chatter and
  enthusiasm
• Remember that you should have a beginning, middle
  and end of the speech and should address all
  three.
• Look at your rubric sometime before you present
  so you know exactly what you are supposed to do!
  (or not do!)
• BE PREPARED!!!

57
Vocabulary Word

• Malinger (v)
• To fake illness in order to avoid work or duty

58
Impromptu Topic 26

• If you were an animal, what would you be? Why?

59
Impromptu Topic 27

• If I were invisible for a day, I would

60
Vocabulary Word

• Mantra (n)
• A word or phrase expressed repeatedly to motivate

61
Impromptu Topic 30

• Defend a position
• Homeschooling is/is not beneficial for children.

62
Vocabulary Enrichment

• In Hindusim and Buddhism, a mantra is a sacred
  verbal formula recited, often repeatedly, as a
  part of prayer, meditation, or incantation. A
  mantra can be an invocation of a god, a magic
  spell, a portion of scripture, or even a single
  syllable, like OM, that is believed to have
  mystical properties.

63
Vocabulary Word

• Maudlin (adj)
• Excessively sentimental

64
Impromptu Topic 27

• Name your top three favorite classes in high
  school (besides this one!).

65
Vocabulary Word

• Misnomer (n)
• A name wrongly or unsuitably applied to a person
  or an object

66
Impromptu Topic 30

• Think of a subject/event about which you are
  passionate and could rant about without much
  preparation. Write the topic down and be prepared
  to rant.

67
Impromptu Topic 27

• A law should be made that.

68
Impromptu Topic 29

• Defend a position Teachers should/should not
  give grades

69
Vocabulary Word

• Narcissist (n)
• One who is excessively preoccupied with oneself

70
Vocabulary Enrichment

• Narcissus was a beautiful young man, the son of a
  nymph and a river-god. He had many admirers but
  spurned them all, so he was cursed for his
  hardheartedness. He fell in love with his own
  reflection in a pool of water, even trying to
  kiss it and talked to his reflection. Eventually,
  he pined away and died of his unfulfilled love.
  When the nymphs came to give him a proper
  funeral, they found the narcissus flower nodding
  over the pool in place of his body.

71
Impromptu Topic 30

• Defend a position
• The assassination of a dictator by the American
  government can/cannot be justified.

72
Vocabulary Word

• Ogle (v)
• To stare at something, especially in a desirous
  or impertinent manner

73
Vocabulary Word

• Ostentatious (adj)
• Characterized by showiness meant to impress
  others pretentious in display

74
Impromptu Topic 30

• Think of a subject/event about which you are
  passionate and could rant about without much
  preparation.

75
Vocabulary Word

• Ostracize (v)
• To exclude or banish from a group

76
Impromptu Topic 17

• Convince our principal to give students their
  birthdays off of school.