Kate Chopin is known as one of the country's first feminist writers. She explored in very realistic ways how the women of her time struggled, and often failed, to achieve the rights and freedoms easily available to men. Often in Chopin's stories, a character manages to free herself, briefly, from some aspect of oppression and to enjoy a taste of freedom. Chopin used expressive and sophisticated language to express her characters' joy and delight as well as their despair and regret—and the transition from one emotional state to another.
Use the activities below to learn some of the words you'll encounter in Chopin's short stories.
| repression | elixir |  |
| importunities | judicious | |
| retrospection | comparatively | |
| laborious | fastidious | |
| profusion |
Make a Guess
Pick and Choose
Flash Forward
First, see if you already know some of the words in this lesson's list. Read each of the words below and guess at what it means. (Say the meaning to yourself, or write it down.) Then click the word to check your answer.
| repression | suppressing a thought or desire |
| elixir | miraculous cure |
| importunities | tiresome persistence |
| judicious | sensible, wise |
| retrospection | recalling the past |
| comparatively | in comparison with something |
| laborious | difficult |
| fastidious | concerned about the smallest details |
| profusion | a large amount of something |
How is each of these words used in the context of a story? Read each passage below. Then select the word that belongs in the blank. Click the Lookup button if you're not sure what any word means.
The young girl sat in __________, thinking over the past week.
- repression
- retrospection
- fastidious
- profusion
suppressing a thought or desire
recalling the past
concerned about the smallest details
a large amount of something
Nice Job!
The prefix to this word means "relating to something in the past."
A man at the fair was touting a(n) __________ that he claimed would help everyone.
- importunities
- laborious
- elixir
- judicious
tiresome persistence
difficult
miraculous cure
sensible, wise
Nice Job!
This is something that would help a headache, an upset stomach, and asthma—if such a thing existed.
Cliff is a __________ dresser—he spends hours pressing his shirts.
- importunities
- comparatively
- fastidious
- repression
tiresome persistence
in comparison with something
concerned about the smallest details
suppressing a thought or desire
Nice Job!
A synonym for this is "demanding."
Playing soccer during a thunderstorm is not the most __________ decision.
- judicious
- laborious
- retrospection
- repression
sensible, wise
difficult
recalling the past
suppressing a thought or desire
Nice Job!
Maybe you can remember the meaning of this word by thinking of a wise judge.
Exhausted by her own attempts at __________, Aunt Sylvia finally realized—and then revealed to us—what she had been wanting all along.
- profusion
- elixir
- repression
- retrospection
a large amount of something
miraculous cure
suppressing a thought or desire
recalling the past
Nice Job!
This word means something that happens again and again.
The Switzer family had a __________ of peaches, so they began selling them at the farmer's market.
- fastidious
- importunities
- laborious
- profusion
concerned about the smallest details
tiresome persistence
difficult
a large amount of something
Nice Job!
Antonyms for this word are "shortage" and "scarcity."
The tires on Madeline's truck are __________ larger than those on Stephen's car.
- judicious
- comparatively
- repression
- importunities
sensible, wise
in comparison with something
suppressing a thought or desire
tiresome persistence
Nice Job!
This word means "to measure against."
After an hour of listening to her son's __________, the mother finally bought him a toy.
- elixir
- laborious
- retrospection
- importunities
miraculous cure
difficult
recalling the past
tiresome persistence
Nice Job!
This word carries a negative connotation of tediousness.
After a __________ day of cleaning the house, the kids decided to have some fun.
- laborious
- profusion
- comparatively
- elixir
difficult
a large amount of something
in comparison with something
miraculous cure
Nice Job!
The first part of this word should give you a clue to its meaning.
Summary
Questions answered correctly:
Questions answered incorrectly:
Think you have these words figured out? Try matching the description on each flashcard to one of the words in the box. Once you think you know the word that is described on each card, click the card to check your answer.
hindsight
retrospection
abundance
profusion
cautious
judicious
relatively
comparatively
unrelenting demands
importunities
fussy
fastidious
subconscious denial
repression
arduous
laborious
cure-all
elixir
Summary
Correct:
Incorrect:
| repression | elixir | importunities | judicious | retrospection |
| comparatively | laborious | fastidious | profusion | |
