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What does the word 'desperate' mean?
Feeling like there’s no hope and willing to do anything to change the situation.
What is the meaning of 'misery'?
Great unhappiness or suffering.
What does penury mean?
Extreme poverty or being very poor.
What does the word 'meager' mean?
Something very small in amount or not enough.
Extremely thin.
What does melancholy mean?
A quiet, deep sadness or feeling depressed.
What are some signs that a person is feeling distressed, even if they don’t say anything?
They might look nervous, upset, or overwhelmed. They could be shaking, crying, or avoiding eye contact.
What makes a situation lamentable instead of just “sad”?
A lamentable situation usually involves regret or something that could have been avoided.
Why is being exiled often seen as a severe punishment? What does it take away from a person?
It takes away their home, friends, and normal life because they are forced to leave permanently.
Why is banishment a serious punishment?
Because the person is forced to leave and not allowed to come back.
What does it mean when someone gets a pardon?
They are forgiven and don’t have to face the punishment.
Use the word 'banishment' in a sentence about breaking school rules.
After breaking the dress code three times, she faced banishment from the student council.
Use the word 'misery' in a sentence about how someone might feel after losing a friend.
She sat in misery after her best friend stopped talking to her.
Use the word 'exile' in a sentence about someone being removed from a group or place.
The town elders exiled the criminal so he could no longer harm the community.
Use the word 'distressed' in a sentence about something that happens in school.
She looked distressed after realizing she had left her entire science project at home.
Use the word desperate in a sentence about someone trying to get Wi-Fi.
Desperate for Wi-Fi, she walked around the house holding her phone in the air like a satellite.
The apothecary agrees to sell poison to Romeo, even though it’s illegal. What does this show about his life and the meaning of penury?
It shows he is extremely poor and needs money badly. Penury means being so poor that you’ll do anything to survive.
A student brings a meager lunch—just a few crackers and water—because there was nothing else at home. What does the word meager mean?
Meager means very small or not enough.
After breaking a rule, a student apologizes and asks the teacher for a pardon. What does this tell you about what the student wants?
The student wants to be forgiven. Pardon means asking not to be punished.
A girl looks distressed during a test—her hands are shaking and she keeps looking at the clock. What does this tell you about how she feels?
She feels nervous, worried, and under pressure. Distressed means full of stress or anxiety.
After cleaning out his locker on the last day of school, he walked away with a melancholy smile. What does this tell us about him?
He’s sad about school ending, even though he’s trying to stay calm.
A student finds out their best friend has moved away without saying goodbye. They quietly walk home, feeling heavy inside.
Which vocabulary word best describes their emotional state? Explain why.
Melancholy
Why: The student’s reaction is quiet, reflective, and deeply sad — not panicked or loud. Melancholy captures that soft, emotional heaviness.
After breaking the school rules for the third time, a student is removed from all extracurricular activities and told they cannot return for the semester.
What word best describes this punishment? Justify your choice.
Banishment
Why: The student is officially removed and not allowed to return — this reflects the meaning of banishment, a formal and enforced separation.
Juliet is told she must marry someone she doesn't love, while the person she truly loves has been sent away. She cries alone in her room, unable to speak to anyone.
What word best fits her overall emotional experience in this situation? Explain your answer.
Distressed
Why: The girl is crying, isolated, and overwhelmed by pressure and fear — this fits distressed, which means full of anxiety and suffering.
After a tragic event, two families stand together in silence, realizing that all their fighting led to a terrible loss.
Which word best captures the feeling of this moment? Justify your choice.
Lamentable
Why: The moment is filled with deep sorrow and regret over something that cannot be undone — lamentable perfectly captures that tragic weight.
After hearing that Juliet is dead, Romeo travels back to Verona. He buys poison from an apothecary even though it's illegal, and says he'd rather die than live without her. He acts quickly, with no plan or hope for the future — only a strong need to end his pain.
Which vocabulary word best describes Romeo’s emotional state in this moment? Explain why it fits better than other words from the list.
Desperate
Why:
Romeo’s actions—rushing back to Verona, illegally buying poison, and choosing death over life without Juliet—show that he’s acting out of total hopelessness. He isn’t calmly grieving or thoughtfully making decisions. He’s being driven by a loss of hope, which perfectly fits the definition of desperate. He sees no other option and is willing to risk everything to escape his emotional pain.
This word fits better than others like distressed or melancholy, because those describe sadness or worry—but not the urgent, reckless intensity that desperate captures.