Vocabulary: The Conditions of Civilization

Vocabulary words with definitions for Durant's essay.

By Rick Reed

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Vocabulary – "The Conditions of Civilization"

Mr. Reed

Aesthetic: pertaining to the sense of the beautiful

Assimilation: the process by which a group gradually adopts the characteristics of another

Barbarism: a condition or act characterized by brutality or coarseness

Culture: the sum of social patterns characteristic of a given community or population

Embellish: to beautify; to add ornamentation to

Heterogeneous: having dissimilar parts; completely different

Millennium: a span of one thousand years

Nomads: wanderers (usually herders)

Prerequisite: required as a prior condition; a requirement

Subtlety: a fine distinction

Sublime: of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth; noble

Superfluous: beyond what is required, sufficient, or necessary

Transient: passing away with time; not lasting long

Utopian: excellent or ideal but only imaginary

Veracity: truthfulness

Great Books: Name _____________________

Quiz: “The Conditions of Civilization”

GREAT BOOKS

Quiz – Vocabulary – “The Conditions of Civilization”

Name

Date Per.

Mr. Reed

Answer	Term	Definition
	1. aesthetic	A. beyond what is required, sufficient, or necessary
	2. assimilation	B. passing away with time; not lasting long
	3. barbarism	C. truthfulness
	4. culture	D. of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth; noble
	5. embellish	E. pertaining to the sense of the beautiful
	6. heterogeneous	AB. a fine distinction
	7. millennium	AC. a span of one thousand years
	8. nomads	AD. excellent or ideal but only imaginary
	9. prerequisite	AE. required as a prior condition; a requirement
	10. subtlety	BC. having dissimilar parts; completely different
	11. sublime	BD. the process by which a group gradually adopts the characteristics of another
	12. superfluous	BE. wanderers (usually herders)
	13. transient	CD. a condition or act characterized by brutality or coarseness
	14. utopian	CE. to beautify; to add ornamentation to
	15. veracity	DE. the sum of social patterns characteristic of a given community or population

Vocabulary: The Epic of Gilgamesh

Altruistic: concerned for the welfare of others; selfless

Ambiguous: having more than one interpretation; uncertain

Anoint: to sanctify as in a religious ceremony

Antiquary: a student of ancient things

Beseech: to beg for

Contemporary: belonging to the same period of time

Courtesan: a prostitute; especially one associated with wealthy men

Desolate: devoid of inhabitants; laid waste; dreary, dismal, gloomy

Eminent: towering above others; outstanding

Endow: to provide with something (especially qualities or traits)

Exhortation: inciting by strong argument, advice or appeal

Exult: to rejoice greatly; to be triumphant

Foil: one who enhances the traits of another through contrast

Formidable: arousing fear, dread, or alarm

Genealogy: a record of a family from an ancestor or ancestors

Imminent: about to take place

Immolation: a sacrificial killing

Lamentation: expression of grief for; mourning over

Lapis Lazuli: an opaque, azure blue to deep blue gem stone

Metamorphosis: transformation

Mortality: the condition of being subject to death

Oblique: indirect or evasive; not straightforward

Ominous: being or pertaining to an evil omen

Pessimism: a tendency to take the gloomiest possible view of a situation

Precarious: dangerously insecure or unstable

Rancor: bitter, long-standing resentment

Secular: worldly rather than spiritual

Shaman: holy man

Succor: assistance or relief in time of distress

Supplicate: to ask for humbly or earnestly, as by praying

Vagary: an extravagant or erratic notion or action; a flight of fancy

Matching quiz

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Quiz – Vocabulary – “The Conditions of Civilization”

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Name

Date Per.

Mr. Reed

Answer	Term	Definition
	1. aesthetic	A. beyond what is required, sufficient, or necessary
	2. altruistic	B. arousing fear, dread, or alarm
	3. ambiguous	C. belonging to the same period of time
	4. anachronism	D. of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth; noble
	5. barbarism	E. pertaining to the sense of the beautiful
	6. contemporary	F. having more than one interpretation; uncertain
	7. desolate	G. anything out of its proper time or not historically authentic
	8. eminent	H. dangerously insecure or unstable
	9. exhortation	I. worldly rather than spiritual
	10. exult	J. one who enhances the traits of another through contrast
	11. foil	K. concerned for the welfare of others; selfless
	12. formidable	L. to rejoice greatly; to be triumphant
	13. metamorphosis	M. condition characterized by brutality or coarseness
	14. ominous	N. assistance or relief in time of distress
	15. precarious	O. bitter, longstanding resentment
	16. rancor	P. strong argument, advice or appeal
	17. secular	Q. devoid of inhabitants; laid waste; dreary, dismal
	18. sublime	R. towering above others; outstanding
	19. succor	S. being or pertaining to an evil omen
	20. superfluous	T. transformation

Sentence quiz

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Quiz – Vocabulary – “The Conditions of Civilization” and The Epic of Gilgamesh

Name

Date Per.

Mr. Reed

For each sentence below, place the letter of the word that has the correct denotation and connotation for the meaning of the sentence in the blank provided. No word is used twice.


A. aesthetic	F. contemporary	K. foil	P. rancor
B. altruistic	G. desolate	L. formidable	Q. secular
C. ambiguous	H. eminent	M. metamorphosis	R. sublime
D. anachronism	I. exhortation	N. ominous	S. succor
E. barbarism	J. exulted	O. precarious	T. superfluous

1.The sense determines a culture's taste in painting, sculpture, architecture, and even the human form.

2. in a culture may be evidenced by torture, infant sacrifice, or other such behavior.

3.Gilgamesh experienced a moment when he was able to obtain "the plant that restores youth."

4.The repetitions of long passages often seem to us moderns who feel once is enough.

5.Humbaba was a enemy because of the power of his "seven splendors."

6.Arming Gilgamesh with a machine-gun would exemplify .

7.The Sumerian attitude toward life probably arose from the nature of living with the threat of invasion, famine, drought, and flood.

8.As opposed to this worship at the temple, Gilgamesh's interests included building, adventuring, and carousing.

9.Enkidu served as Gilgamesh's , bringing out the king's strengths.

10.Gilgamesh's reason for not eating the plant that restores youth demonstrates his feelings toward the elders of his city.

11.Gilgamesh and Enkidu in the defeat of Humbaba, rejoicing in their victory.


A. aesthetic	F. contemporary	K. foil	P. secular
B. altruistic	G. desolate	L. formidable	Q. sublime
C. ambiguous	H. eminent	M. ominous	R. succor
D. anachronism	I. exhortation	N. precarious	S. superfluous
E. barbarism	J. exulted	O. rancor

12.Gilgamesh sought from Siduri, but she only sent him on, advising him to forsake his quest.

13.The achievements of Gilgamesh marked him as beyond any other man.

14.Not one man of his could equal Gilgamesh.

15.The death of Enkidu left Gilgamesh in a state of that drove him to a quest to end death.

16.Utnapishtim delivered an to Gilgamesh to persuade him of the futility of his quest.

17.The darkness through which Gilgamesh passed was as as the underworld itself.

18.Enkidu's dream of a council of gods preceding his death can only be described as .

20.Because many of the original tablets are in poor condition, the interpretation of certain passages is .