Vocabulary #4

accede- verb
assent or agree to a demand, request, or treatyEx: They had to accede to the budget proposal.
brandish- verbwave or flourish (something, esp. a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitementEx: He would brandish his hands every time they fought. 

comprise- verbconsist of; be made up ofEx: The recipe comprised of eggs, onion and tomato. 
deft- adjectiveneatly skillful and quick in one's movementsEx: He had a very deft manner while he was working. 
destitute- adjectivewithout the basic necessities of life Ex: It's sad when people ending up destitute and living on the streets.
explicit- adjectivestated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubtEx: I knew she was telling the truth by the explicit explanations she responded with. 
extirpate- verbroot out and destroy completelyEx: Hitler tried to extirpate The Jews. 
inopportune- adjectiveoccurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate timeEx: My sister came home at a very inopportune time during the night. 
ironic- adjectiveusing or characterized by ironyEx: It was ironic that his middle name is the same as my grandfathers. 
musty- adjectivehaving a stale, moldy, or damp smellEx: The cheese smelled very musty, so I threw it away.  
officious- adjectiveassertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, esp. with regard to petty or trivial mattersEx: She tried to officiously run the group, but the members voted her out. 
ominous- adjectivegiving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspiciousEx: The fog ominously rolled in over the ocean and mountain tops. 
pinnacle-  nouna high, pointed piece of rockverbset on or as if on a pinnacleEx: My life feels as if I'm balancing on a pinnacle. 
premeditated- verbthink out or plan (an action, esp. a crime) beforehandEx: The robber was now being charged with premeditated murder. 
rampant- adjective(esp. of something unwelcome or unpleasant) flourishing or spreading uncheckedEx: There was a rampant rumor going around the school. 
solace- nouncomfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadnessEx: My boyfriend knows I'm upset when he wraps his arms around me with solace.  
stately- adjectivehaving a dignified, unhurried, and grand manner; majestic in manner and appearanceEx: She walks around stately with confidence. 
supple- adjective
bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexibleEx: My agenda is very supple this week. 
suppress- verbforcibly put an end toEx: I just had to suppress our friendship because of her actions. 
venal- adjective
showing or motivated by susceptibility to briberyEx: She venally accepted the challenge when she heard about the reward. 

Vocabulary List #3

Accomplice: a person who knowingly helps another in a crime or wrongdoing 

Ex. The robber had an accomplice to complete the bank robbery successfully.

Annihilate: to utterly destroy

Ex. The Twin Towers were annihilated on September 11, 2001.

Arbitrary: based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system: 

Ex. We made an arbitrary decision to go out to dinner before the game.

Brazen: shameless or impudent 

Ex. Miley Cyrus had a very brazen attitude at the VMA's.

Catalyst: a person or thing that quickly causes change 

Ex. The dropping of the bomb was a major catalyst during the war. 

Exodus: a going out, a departure

Ex. We went on a foreign exodus during the summer. 

Facilitate: to make easier or less difficult 

Ex. My mom helps facilitate my problems.

Incorrigible: bad beyond correction or reform

Ex. The car was incorrigible after the accident. 

Latent: present but not visible, hidden, concealed 

Ex. The spirit around the campus has been latent for too many years. 

Militant: vigorously active and aggressive

Ex. The employees militantly protested in front of the company. 

Morose: gloomily or sullenly ill-humored 

Ex. They morosely looked at all of the assignments they had to accomplish. 

Opaque: not transparent or translucent

Ex. She wouldn't drink the water because it was nearly opaque.   

Paramount: above others in rank or authority, very important 

Ex. It is paramount to remember all of these vocabulary words. 

Prattle: talk in a foolish or simple-minded way 

Ex. I don't like associating with those who prattle.

Rebut: claim or prove that (evidence or an accusation) is false

Ex. The reckless driver tried to rebut the ticket he received.

Reprimand: severe reproof or rebuke 

Ex. My parents will reprimand me if I get caught doing something I shouldn't be doing. 

Servitude: slavery or bondage of any kind

Ex. All forms or servitude in America are illegal.

Slapdash: hurriedly and carelessly

Ex. It was noticeable that student was very slapdash with his work. 

Stagnant: not flowing or running

Ex. The riverbed is dry because the river is stagnant.  

Succumb: to give way to superior force

Ex. She was trying to lose weight, but she would always succumb to sweets and soda. 

Essay Idea

Vocabulary #2

Vocabulary Definitions 

obesity- the condition of being grossly fat or overweight

accumulate- gather together or acquire an increasing number or quantity of

mass- a coherent, typically large body of matter with no definite shape; the majority of

disease- a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, esp. one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury

diet-  the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats

prevalence- the fact or condition of being prevalent; commonness

stigma- a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person

prevent- keep (something) from happening or arising

adolescent- in the process of developing from a child into an adult

cardiovascular- of or relating to the heart and blood vessels

excessive- more than is necessary, normal, or desirable; immoderate

mechanism- a system of parts working together in a machine; a piece of machinery

sedentary- tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive

predispose- make someone liable or inclined to a specified attitude, action, or condition

syndrome- a group of symptoms that consistently occur together or a condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms

Vocabulary Sentences

Obesity is becoming a bigger problem each and every day in America
Unhealthy body weight will accumulate from eating fattening food 
Woman have a higher body mass than men 
There are many ways to prevent diseases 
It's important to have a balanced diet
The lack of knowledge on food nutrition is very prevalent today in America 
There is some social stigma amongst peers 
There's a lot of knowledge behind preventing obesity 
Most adolescents don't know nor care about their long term health 
Exercises like running and bike riding are good for the cardiovascular system 
Excessive amounts of fast food can be very dangerous for your health and body 
There are several defense mechanisms that help to keep you emotionally healthy
My injury has cause me to live a more sedentary lifestyle 
Cigarette smokers are predisposed towards lung cancer and risk for heart disease
Down's Syndrome is a serious genetic disease 

Prose & Cons: Obesity

         Weight-loss is becoming more popular as time goes on. Gym memberships are purchased, fitness programs are practiced and yet, no one stops to think about how unhealthy food is really affecting them. All this talk about weight-loss has just recently started because, “In the last three decades, obesity has doubled among adults and tripled among children.”(Lohan) Of course, there are many factors contributing to the drastic weight gain, but the most obvious are diet and exercise.

         On Debate.org, a simple question was asked, “Is fast food to blame for obesity?” and a pole was open to discussion on the Internet. This gives anyone the opportunity to vote based on their opinion and briefly explain their justification, 23% felt that fast food is to blame for obesity and 77% felt that the blame is solely on the consumers.

Someone anonymously voted against fast food being at fault for obesity and stated, “As it takes lots of fast food for one to get obese, its not one sitting of fast food. People need to smarten up about their food intake choices, as it could kill them in the end.” There is a loss for limitation amongst all of this. Since fast food is so accessible, people are taking advantage of the easy access, which is causing all of these health issues. Another anonymous voter commented, “McDonald's doesn't put a gun to your head and tell you to eat a big mac 3 times a week. You're responsible for yourself and I laugh at anyone who says they're addicted to fast food or say they're overweight because of it. No, you're overweight because you have no self-control.” People are loosing respect for themselves and should be completely at fault for self inflicted issues.

An anonymous voter that voted yes to fast food being the blame for obesity said,

Fast food might taste better than what we might cook at home but it is ruining our cooking skills and make us a lazy. Having a busy lifestyle like working long hours but fast food is still to blame for the high risk of health problems and high risk of heart disease no matter on the lifestyle.

But their comment sounds a lot like a consumer problem more than anything. It’s not the fast food company’s fault for a lack of cooking skills and desirable laziness. Another voter that voted yes commented,

I'm not saying it's the stores fault for cooking unhealthy food, but that it is because of fast food that people are obese. Even though no one forces you to eat fast food, it is fast food itself that is to blame for obesity because it's not like healthy meals are making us fat.

That comment sounds very contradicting and illiterate. If healthy meals aren’t making us fat, then make people should start considering those options.

         In conclusion, Americans should stop trying to point fingers and name a blame for obesity. There are simple precautious for obesity that all start with self-discipline. The choices people make, determine the life they live in the long run. There are many contributors to the cause of obesity, but diet and exercise are the main two. This issue is all a matter of choices, choices that need to be changed. 

http://www.alternet.org/story/143036/what_if_being_fat_is_not_your_fault_america%27s_obesity_epidemic_may_be_fueled_by_chemicals_in_everyday_products?page=0%2C2

http://www.debate.org/opinions/is-fast-food-to-blame-for-obesity