Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Vocabulary this Week


Anthropomorphism is the attribution of uniquely human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, natural and supernatural phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts. Subjects for anthropomorphism commonly include animals and plants depicted as creatures with human motivation able to reason and converse, forces of nature such as winds or the sun, components in games, unseen or unknown sources of chance, etc. Almost anything can be subject to anthropomorphism.
(Taken from wikipedia)

Empathy is the capacity to recognize or understand another's state of mind or emotion. It is often characterized as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes", or to in some way experience the outlook or emotions of another being within oneself.

It is important to note that empathy does not necessarily imply compassion. Empathy can be 'used' for compassionate or cruel behavior.




Persuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means. It is strategy of problem-solving relying on "appeals" rather than strength.

Scav·enge (skvnj)
v. scav·enged, scav·eng·ing, scav·eng·es
v.tr.
1. To search through for salvageable material: scavenged the garbage cans for food scraps.
2. To collect and remove refuse from: The streets are periodically scavenged.
3. To collect (salvageable material) by searching.
4.
a. To expel (exhaust gases) from a cylinder of an internal-combustion engine.
b. To expel exhaust gases from (such a cylinder).
5. Metallurgy To clean (molten metal) by chemically removing impurities.
v.intr.
1. To search through refuse for useful material.
2. To feed on dead or decaying matter.

scar·ci·ty (skârs-t)
n. pl. scar·ci·ties
1. Insufficiency of amount or supply; shortage: a scarcity of food that was caused by drought.
2. Rarity of appearance or occurrence: antiques that are valued for their scarcity.

val·ue (vly)
n.
1. An amount, as of goods, services, or money, considered to be a fair and suitable equivalent for something else; a fair price or return.
2. Monetary or material worth: the fluctuating value of gold and silver.
3. Worth in usefulness or importance to the possessor; utility or merit: the value of an education.
4. A principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desirable: "The speech was a summons back to the patrician values of restraint and responsibility" Jonathan Alter.
5. Precise meaning or import, as of a word.
6. Mathematics An assigned or calculated numerical quantity.
7. Music The relative duration of a tone or rest.
8. The relative darkness or lightness of a color. See Table at color.
9. Linguistics The sound quality of a letter or diphthong.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Vocab Quiz Friday


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