Name______________________________ Period______________

“The Masque of the Red Death”

Pre-Reading Vocabulary

Directions : Use context clues to try to define these vocabulary words. Use a dictionary if you are not sure of the meaning.

1) The flu with aches and fever and dizziness can be a terrible pestilence. Pestilence means

________________________________.

2) When the man rubbed against poison ivy, he got a hideous rash of white and red sores

over his arms. Hideous means _____________________________.

3) When the dam broke, the released water was so profuse that it flooded the valley below.

Profuse means ________________________________.

4) The store manager put a ban on large shopping bags when he thought shoppers were

hiding stolen goods in them. Ban means ____________________________.

5) The king ruled over all his lands and dominions with kindness and patience. Dominion

means _____________________________.

6) If you take your vitamins and eat healthy foods, you will probably be quite hale and have

few illnesses. Hale means _____________________________.

7) The fans were in a frenzy when their favorite group sang their favorite song. Frenzy

means _______________________.

8) Flora thought it was sheer folly to try to get money from the selfish landlord. Folly

means _____________________________.

9) Children dress up in different costumes to masquerade for Halloween. Masquerade

means ___________________________.

10) The presidential chambers are the rooms where the President and his family live in the

White House. Chamber means ____________________________.

11) Because of their color, the keys on a piano are also known as the ebonies and ivories.

Ebony means ___________________.

12) The slow drip of the leaking faucet went on and on and on and became quite monotonous.

Monotonous means __________________________.

13) The teacher expected the students to use their ears and to hearken to her directions.

Hearken means _________________________.

14) Not knowing the day or where he was, Jan felt very confused and disconcerted with his

surroundings. Disconcerted means __________________________.

15) When the team made the winning touchdown, the crowd went wild, and the noise was

tumultuous. Tumultuous means ____________________________.

16) All the guests had a wonderful time joining in the party’s revelry. Revelry means

_____________________.

17) Acting like a savage beast is considered barbaric behavior. Barbaric means

____________________.

18) The murdered ranted and raved, and his absurd behavior made him seem quite mad. Mad

means _______________________.

19) For her parents’ fiftieth anniversary, Robin ordered a caterer, invited many guests, and

planned a grand fete. Fete means _____________________________.

20) When Larry could not sleep, he tossed and turned and writhed in sleeplessness. Writhe

means ___________________________.

21) The teacher ordered a cessation of all talking, and the room became silent. Cessation

means _________________________________.

22) Matt dressed as a terrible demon for Halloween, and his phantasm scared everyone at the

party. Phantasm means _____________________________.

23) When Delia went on a crash diet, she lost too much weight and her gaunt face looked like

a skeleton. Gaunt means ______________________________.

24) You could tell my Sarah’s happy visage that she was delighted to win the award. Visage

means __________________________.

25) The fans stood in awe of the rock star who was standing in their presence. Awe means

___________________________.