Lesson Plan: America Pleads: President Obama, Rescue Us!
II. While Reading Activities
Word Inference
- tiki torch noun an outdoor light that burns gas or oil and is attached to the end of a long pole fixed into the ground.
- embodiment |əmˈbädimənt| noun-a tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or feeling: she seemed to be a living embodiment of vitality.
- fraught |frôt| adjective-2 causing or affected by great anxiety or stress: there was a fraught silence | she sounded a bit fraught.
- quotation |ˌkwōˈtāSH(ə)n| noun-a group of words taken from a text or speech and repeated by someone other than the original author or speaker: a quotation from Mark Twain | biblical quotations.
- baton |bəˈtän| noun-PHRASES: take up (or pick up) the baton-accept a duty or responsibility.
- repudiate |rəˈpyo͞odēˌāt| verb [ with obj. ]-refuse to accept or be associated with: she has repudiated policies associated with previous party leaders.
- apocalypse |əˈpäkəˌlips| noun-1 (often the Apocalypse)the complete final destruction of the world, especially as described in the biblical book of Revelation.
- mutter |ˈmədər| verb –say something in a low or barely audible voice, especially in dissatisfaction or irritation: he muttered something under his breath.
- heartbroken |ˈhärtˌbrōkən| adjective-(of a person) suffering from overwhelming distress; very upset: he was heartbroken at the thought of leaving the house.
- inquiry |ˈinkwərēinˈkwī(ə)rē| noun (pl. inquiries) an act of asking for information: the deluge of phone inquiries after a crash | they were following a definite line of inquiry. • an official investigation.
Source: New Oxford American Dictionary
Reading Comprehension: Fill-ins
I recognize and respect your deliberate approach to navigating these fraught times, but this relentless subtlety has become wearisome. Mr. Obama, now is not the time to follow the keep-quiet rules while the new administration plays moral equivocator to a much aghast nation. It’s time for you to come back.
Grammar Focus
As a rule, I do not speak back to the television when I am alone. Or I didn’t used to. And then, around the time of James Comey’s firing, I listened to Alan Dershowitz basically announce that the apocalypse we’ve been dreading is upon us. I started to feel actual panic. I found myself yelling at the screen, and into the universe: ‘Barack! Where are you?’
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