| A | B |
| bravado | a false show of courage or defiance |
| chary | stingy or sparing |
| compassion | deep awareness of suffering of another with wish to relieve it |
| degradation | decline to lower condition with loss of dignity |
| futile | having no useful result; without effect |
| impoverished | poor |
| perverse | stubbornly contrary |
| poignantly | in a profoundly moving way |
| squalor | filthy or wretched condition |
| stoicism | indifference to pleasure or pain; not showing emotion |
| impotent | lacking strength; powerless |