altruistic

• (adj) – unselfish, concerned with the welfare of others

• In Divergent, the point of being in the Abnegation faction was to live an altruistic life.

assent

• (verb) to express agreement• Will you assent to giving blood today?• (noun) agreement• Mom gave her assent for me to borrow her

car!

benefactor

• (noun) – one who does good to others• Robin Hood was a benefactor to his fellow

citizens.

chivalrous• (adj) marked by honor,

courtesy, and courtesy; knightly

• Many women appreciate a chivalrous man!

• Chivalrous knights represented King Arthur and his Round Table.

clemency

• (noun) mercy, humaneness; mildness, moderateness

• The prisoner begged the judge for clemency; he did not want to spend his life in jail.

dearth• (noun) a lack, scarcity, inadequate supply; a

famine• Because he was a poor college student,

Freddie had a dearth of food in his kitchen.

diffident

• (adj) – shy, lacking self-confidence; modest, reserved

• Kevin’s diffident personality is going to make changing schools very difficult for him.

discrepancy

• (noun) a difference; a lack of agreement• There was a discrepancy among the referees

about whether or not a touchdown had occurred.

embark

• (verb) to go aboard; to make a start; to invest• The tourists were very excited to embark on

their Caribbean cruise!

facile

• (adj) easily done or attained; superficial; ready, fluent; easily shown but not sincerely felt

• For Julie, dancing is facile and effortless.

Practice

• 1. A generous __________ has given scholarship money to the school.

• 1. A generous benefactor has given scholarship money to the school.

• 2. After graduation, each student will ________ upon the next phase of life, college.

• 2. After graduation, each student will embark upon the next phase of life, college.

• 3. There seems to be a _________ between the story Johnny told his mother and the story Jimmy told her. Of course, each boy blamed the other for the broken vase.

• 3. There seems to be a discrepancy between the story Johnny told his mother and the story Jimmy told her. Of course, each boy blamed the other for the broken vase.

• 4. Because his parents speak it at home, speaking Spanish is _______ for Enrique.

• 4. Because his parents speak it at home, speaking Spanish is facile for Enrique.

• 5. During their first date, Tony was quite ______ to Kate; he opened doors, pulled out her chair at dinner, and walked her to her door at the end of the night.

• 5. During their first date, Tony was quite chivalrous to Kate; he opened doors, pulled out her chair at dinner, and walked her to her door at the end of the night.

• 6. Without your parents’ _______, you cannot come on the field trip.

• 6. Without your parents’ assent, you cannot come on the field trip.

• 7. We have a _______ of volunteers to help with the fundraiser; how can we get more people involved?

• 7. We have a dearth of volunteers to help with the fundraiser; how can we get more people involved?

• 8. Nursing, teaching, and counseling could be called _______ professions; in each, the focus is on taking care of other people.

• 8. Nursing, teaching, and counseling could be called altruistic professions; in each, the focus is on taking care of other people.

• 9. Because she is a freshman, the administrator showed Kelli ________ on her first dress code violation.

• 9. Because she is a freshman, the administrator showed Kelli clemency on her first dress code violation.

• 10. Sometimes the more ________ students are overshadowed in the classroom by the ones with more boisterous personalities.

• 10. Sometimes the more diffident students are overshadowed in the classroom by the ones with more boisterous personalities.