vocab 1
A word that means very clear, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.
explicit
A conclusion or opinion that is formed because of known facts or evidence.
inference
This part of speech connects words, phrases, or clauses, like "and," "but," or "because."
conjunction
An exaggeration used for emphasis or effect, such as "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
hyperbole
These specialized cells act as the basic building blocks of the brain, sending and receiving electrical signals.
neurons
To read or look through something quickly or casually.
peruse or scan
To twist out of shape, or to misrepresent the truth or facts.
distort
compound sentence
A rhetorical appeal that targets the audience's emotions, pity, or sympathy
pathos
The type of memory used to hold a small amount of information in your mind actively for a short period, like a phone number you just read.
short-term memory (or working memory)
An adjective meaning lonely, miserable, or entirely abandoned and hopeless.
forlorn
Lacking excitement or variety; boringly monotonous.
tedious
This punctuation mark is used to introduce a list or to separate two independent clauses when the second explains the first.
colon
A literary device where an author drops subtle hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.
foreshadowing
This chemical messenger transmits signals across a chemical synapse from one neuron to another.
neurotransmitter
To calm someone down, pacify them, or satisfy a demand.
appease
Bold, disrespectful, or impudent behavior.
audacity
In active voice, the subject performs the action. In this voice, the subject receives the action instead.
passive voice
The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing to establish a specific style or tone.
diction
The scientific term for the brain's ability to grow, change, and rewire its connections when you practice a new skill.
neuroplasticity
Lacking flavor, interest, or excitement; completely dull
insipid
To clear someone from blame, or to prove that a choice or action was right.
justify or vindicate
This grammatical error happens when a modifier is placed so far from the word it describes that the sentence becomes confusing, like "Running down the street, the ice cream melted."
dangling modifier
A figure of speech that pairs two seemingly contradictory terms together, such as "deafening silence" or "seriously funny."
oxymoron
This almond-shaped set of neurons is the brain's emotional control center, processing feelings like fear, stress, and excitement during learning.
amygdala