1. cogent /ˈkoʊ·dʒənt/ adj.
persuasive and well expressed:
He makes a cogent argument for improving early childhood education.

2. rationalize /ˈræʃ·ə·nəlˌɑɪz/ v.
to create a reason, explanation, or excuse for something:
You can rationalize your way out of anything.

3. sordid /ˈsɔrd·əd/ adj.
morally ugly, so that being involved makes you feel dirty:
a sordid story

4. eclectic /ɪˈklek·tɪk/ adj.
consisting of different types, methods, styles, etc.:
It was an eclectic mix of our ethnic foods and traditional Thanksgiving food.

5. usurp /jʊˈsɜrp/v.
to take power or control of something by force or without the right to do so:
Some senators fear the organization will usurp congressional power.

6. inundate /ˈɪn·ʌnˌdeɪt/ v.
to bring to a place or person too much of something, so that it cannot be dealt with: After appearing on TV they were inundated with telephone calls for a week.

7. germane /dʒɜːˈmeɪn/ adj.
describes ideas or information connected with and important to a particular subject or situation:
Her remarks could not have been more germane to the discussion.

8. perfunctory /pərˈfʌŋk·tə·ri/ adj.
done quickly and without showing that you care or have much interest:
She asked a few perfunctory questions about my family and then ended the conversation.

9. acquiesce /ˌæk·wiˈes/ v.
to accept or agree to something, often without really wanting to:
The bank acquiesced to an extension of the loan.

10. nemesis /ˈnem.ə.sɪs/ n.
Someone's nemesis is a person or thing that is very difficult for them to defeat.
(a cause of) punishment or defeat that is deserved and cannot be avoided:
The tax increases proved to be the president's political nemesis at the following election.

11. overwhelm /ˌoʊ·vərˈhwelm/ v.
to be too much to deal with:
The number of refugees overwhelmed the relief agencies in the area.

12. pertinent /ˈpɜr·tən·ənt/ adj.
relating directly to the subject being considered; relevant:
a pertinent question

13. simile /ˈsɪm·ə·li/ n.
English an expression including the words "like" or "as" to compare one thing with another:
She was good at capturing a passing figure with an apt simile or comparison.

14. frisky /ˈfrɪs·ki/ adj
(of a person or an animal) playful or very active:
a frisky puppy

15. slink /slɪŋk/ v.
to walk or leave quietly, esp. because you do not want to be noticed or are ashamed of something:
I was so embarrassed that I tried to slink away.

16. analogy /əˈnæl·ə·dʒi/ n.
a comparison of the features or qualities of two different things to show their similarities:
He was explaining that the mind has no form and is invisible, and that a useful analogy is of the mind being like the sky.

17. gladiator /ˈglæd·iˌeɪt̬·ər/ n.
in ancient Rome, a man who fought another man or an animal as a public entertainment

18. personification /pərˌsɑn·ə·fɪˈkeɪ·ʃən/ n.
the description of an object or an idea as if it had human characteristics:
They paid tribute to the artist as "the personification of excellence."

19. hyperbole /hɑɪˈpɜr·bə·li/ n.
a way of speaking or writing that makes someone or something sound much bigger, better, smaller, worse, more unusual, etc., than they are:
Although he’s not given to hyperbole, Ron says we are light-years ahead of our time

20. genre /ˈʒɑn·rə/ n.
a particular subject or style of literature, art, or music: the genre of landscape painting

21. notation /noʊˈteɪ·ʃən/ n.
the system of written symbols used esp. in mathematics

22. connotation /ˌkɑn·əˈteɪ·ʃən/ n.
a feeling or idea that is suggested by a word in addition to its basic meaning, or something suggested by an object or situation:
"Resolute" means stubborn, but with a more positive connotation.

23. alliteration /ə·lɪt̬·əˈreɪ·ʃən/ n.
the repetition of consonants at the beginning of two or more words, as in "live and learn"

24. flashback /ˈflæʃˌbæk/ n.
a memory, or a short part of a movie, story, or play describing past events:
This party is like a ’70s flashback.

25.foreshadowing /fɔrˈʃæd·oʊ·ɪŋ/ n.
the use of details, description, and mood that will take on more meaning later in a written work