| A | B |
|---|
| abstract | adj: Theoretical, as opposed to practical; difficult to understand; separate from concrete reality; in art, nonrepresentational Many people find it difficult to appreciate _abstract_ art because they don't understand its depiction of objects in an unrecognizable form. |
| choreograph | verb: To plan and/or oversee the development and details of; to compose a series of dance steps Sarah was chosen to _choreograph_ the ballroom scene for the high school drama club's play. |
| contrived | adj: Obviously planned; not spontaneous; artificial Though he was trying to seem impromptu on stage, Quincy's routine had become so _contrived_ that audience members were yelling out the punch-lines to his old jokes. |
| culminate | verb: To reach the highest point; come to completion Many fans wondered whether the final Harry Potter novel would _culminate_ with Harry's death. |
| entourage | noun: A group of attendants or associates, especially of someone important We were all surprised when Luigi arrived at the party alone without his _entourage_. |
| evocative | Adj: Tending to call up or produce memories; causing to appear The smell of the ocean was _evocative_ of memories of childhood summers by the sea. The smell of the ocean was _evocative_ of memories of childhood summers by the sea. |
| flamboyant | adj: Highly elaborate; showy; ostentatious Liberace was known for his _flamboyant_ style in clothing and piano playing. |
| genre | noun: A class or category of art having a particular form, content, or technique Farquhar's first novel puzzled his agent because it combined the _genres_ of horror and fairly tale. |
| grandiose | adj: Unnecessarily large or complicated; pompous; affectedly showy What Sadie really wanted for her eighteenth birthday was a Volkswagen Beetle, not her brother's tricked-out El Camino with the _grandiose_ rims. |
| ornate | adj: Elaborately and often excessively ornamented; florid in style The tree was _ornately_ decorated for the holiday season. |
| personage | noun: A person; a person of importance; a character in a literary work Because North Korea remains under the rigid control of a communist regime, its leader, Kim Jong II, is a _personage_ who upsets many world leaders. |
| pulchritude | noun: Physical beauty _Pulchritude_ is in the eye of the perceiver. |
| repertoire | noun: The entire range of skills, aptitudes, or devices used in a particular field or occupation; the collection of works that an artist or company can perform. Troy's _repertoire_ of dances symbolizes different phases of Ukranian culture and history. |
| rhythmic | adj: Recurring with predictable or fixed regularity The _rhythmic_ movement of the pendulum on the grandfather clock was mesmerizing. |
| satire | noun: The use of irony, sarcasm or wit to expose or ridicule human vice or folly; a literary work which uses satire; the literary genre of such compositions Jonathan Swift framed his grisly _satire_ as "A Modest Proposal" to prevent poor Irish children from burdening their parents. |
| simulate | verb: To create a likeness or imitation of; to make a pretense of Though dead broke, Jean-Louis simulated the appearance of wealth to impress his old high-school buddies. |
| theatrical | adj: Marked by exaggerated self-display and unnatural behavior; affectedly dramatic; relating to the theater. _Theatrical_ backdrops, lighting, and scenery are necessary to enliven the drab, open space of a stage. |
| trite | adj: Lacking freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition; hackneyed, stale The article was rather _trite_, repeating the same old rumors and containing nothing new about the royal family. |
| variegated | adj: Varied in appearance; having markings of different colors; diversified The vet diplomatically described the motley mutt as having a _variegated_ appearance. |
| vulgar | adj: Crude; indecent; lacking breeding or good taste; conspicuously tasteless Skyler's _vulgar_ gestures embarrassed his sister in front of her friends. |
