Like many poets of her day, Phillis Wheatley used elevated, formal language and classical references. To understand Wheatley's feelings and ideas, you'll need to become familiar with some of these words beforehand. Click each tab below the chart to learn and practice recalling the meaning of each word.
| importunity | effusions |  |
| perusal | main | |
| arduous | seraphic | |
| Phoebus | impetuous | |
| conspicuous | sable |
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 word below and guess what it means. (Say the meaning to yourself, or write it down.) Then, click the word to check your answer.
| importunity | urgent insistence |
| effusions | outpourings of feeling |
| perusal | careful reading, examination |
| main | the open ocean |
| arduous | demanding great effort |
| seraphic | belonging to or reminding of angels |
| Phoebus | Apollo, the god of the Sun |
| impetuous | having violent force |
| conspicuous | easily noticed |
| sable | dark, somber, black |
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.
Phillis Wheatley often refers to the Sun poetically as ________.
- perusal
- main
- Phoebus
- sable
careful reading, examination
the open ocean
Apollo, the god of the sun
dark, somber, black
Nice Job!
This was another name for the Greek god of light.
If you find the task of cleaning the garage too __________, you could mow the lawn instead.
- seraphic
- impetuous
- conspicuous
- arduous
belonging to or reminding of angels
having violent force
easily noticed
demanding great effort
Nice Job!
You might use this to describe a difficult test or a long, uphill climb.
Against a ________ background, the bouquet of daisies seemed to burst with vivid color.
- perusal
- main
- Phoebus
- sable
careful reading, examination
the open ocean
Apollo, the god of the sun
dark, somber, black
Nice Job!
This word may also refer to the dark fur of an animal of the same name.
With their ________ beauty and purity, the notes of the flute seemed to float down from heaven.
- seraphic
- impetuous
- conspicuous
- arduous
belonging to or reminding of angels
having violent force
easily noticed
demanding great effort
Nice Job!
This word is an example of Wheatley's use of elevated religious language.
Did your ________ of Bill's screenplay leave you with an opinion about its quality?
- importunity
- effusions
- Phoebus
- perusal
urgent insistence
outpourings of feeling
Apollo, the god of the sun
careful reading, examination
Nice Job!
This word comes from a Latin root meaning "to use."
One sudden, ________ gust of wind seized our beach umbrella and flung it forcefully across the sand.
- seraphic
- impetuous
- conspicuous
- arduous
belonging to or reminding of angels
having violent force
easily noticed
demanding great effort
Nice Job!
You might also use this word to mean "quickly, without much thought."
Finally, Shawna gave in to the _________ of her friends and agreed to sing in the talent show.
- importunity
- effusions
- Phoebus
- perusal
urgent insistence
outpourings of feeling
Apollo, the god of the sun
careful reading, examination
Nice Job!
Synonyms for this word include pleading and beseeching.
To reach London, the Wheatleys had to take a long voyage across the Atlantic _________.
- Phoebus
- perusal
- importunity
- main
Apollo, the god of the sun
careful reading, examination
urgent insistence
the open ocean
Nice Job!
This is a poetic usage of the word that you probably won't hear in everyday speech.
Good poetry is not only wild ________ of emotion; it also uses literary craft to express meaning.
- perusal
- conspicuous
- effusions
- sable
careful reading, examination
easily noticed
outpourings of feeling
dark, somber, black
Nice Job!
This word comes from a Latin verb meaning "to pour out."
Chen's absence from class was particularly ________ because her seat stood empty in the front row.
- impetuous
- conspicuous
- arduous
- main
having violent force
easily noticed
demanding great effort
the open ocean
Nice Job!
This is the opposite of unnoticeable.
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.
obvious
conspicuous
difficult
arduous
forceful
impetuous
strong pleading
importunity
the wide ocean
main
angelic
seraphic
examination
perusal
black
sable
expressions of feeling
effusions
the sun god
Phoebus
Summary
Correct:
Incorrect:
| importunity | effusions | perusal | main | arduous |
| seraphic | Phoebus | impetuous | conspicuous | sable |
