Drinking Coffee Elsewhere — Vocabulary
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The New Yorker 6/19/2000
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Exemplary sample Uses ACT/SAT
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perilperil → perils:dangers
The mountaineers faced many perils on their ascent to the summit, including treacherous icefalls and avalanches.more
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Her response was to nod politely at the perilous elaborateness of it all; to nod in the knowledge that she would never be able to get where she wanted to go.†1 more
peril → perilous:dangerous
Show general definition danger
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reviseimprove (change)
How can you revise that paragraph to improve the expression of ideas?more
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In that future time, you always have a chance to catch the groceries before they fall, your words can always be rewound and erased, rewritten and revised.†
revise → revised:changed
Show general definition to change (and hopefully improve) -- most frequently to improve a written document, but it can be any intentional change such as a change in an estimated amount, a plan, or a series of procedures
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bacteriamicroorganisms (living creatures so small it takes a microscope to see them)
The infection is caused by a bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.more
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Each time you reheat it, you're killing good bacteria, which then can't keep the bad bacteria in check.†
Show general definition microorganisms (living creatures so small it takes a microscope to see them) that can both cause disease and be beneficial.

(Bacteria are different and larger than viruses.)
Show editor's word notes A single bacteria is called a bacterium and consists of a single cell that  reproduces by splitting. (This is unlike a virus that uses cells in the body to reproduce.)

Bacteria are found virtually everywhere. For example, there are typically 40 million bacterial cells in a gram of soil and a million bacterial cells in a milliliter of fresh water. Many bacteria reside on our skin and in our bodies. For example, bacteria in the stomach help animals digest food.
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haughtyarrogant or condescending (acting superior or self-important)
It is a story about a haughty princess who has a great fall.more
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Occasionally one would reach out to me with missionary zeal, but I'd rebuff that person with haughty silence.†
arrogant
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distortalter in an unnatural or untrue way
These sunglasses distort my vision.more
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Through the peephole I saw a white face, distorted and balloonish.†
distort → distorted:altered in an unnatural or untrue way
Show general definition to alter something in an unnatural or untrue way
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habitathabitat → habitats:the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives
They are endangered due to destruction of their rainforest habitats.more
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I'd come home from a school trip to an aquarium, and I was explaining the differences between baleen and sperm whales according to the size of their heads, the range of their habitats, their feeding patterns.†
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zealactive interest and enthusiasm
She attacks each challenge with zeal.more
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Occasionally one would reach out to me with missionary zeal, but I'd rebuff that person with haughty silence.†
Show general definition active interest and enthusiasm
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aspireaspire → aspiring:hoping to be successful
The aspiring scientist set her sights on curing cancer, a goal that would require years of hard work and dedication.more
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Dressed like an aspiring plumber.†
Show general definition to hope to be successful -- especially in a career
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jovialcheerful and friendly
She walked in with a jovial smile.more
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With this, she put a jovial arm around my neck.
friendly and cheerful
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persistpersist → persisted:continued
The child persisted in asking questions despite my obvious desire to be left alone.more
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The knocking persisted.†
Show general definition to continue -- often despite difficulty or to repeat a question
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tauntintentionally anger, challenge, or upset someone
She used Twitter to taunt the opposing candidate.more
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Sometimes she slept on the floor; sometimes we slept sardinelike, my feet at her head, until she complained that my feet were "taunting" her.†
taunt → taunting:intentionally angering, challenging, or upsetting
Show general definition to intentionally anger, challenge, or upset someone -- especially by mocking them or hurling insults

or (as a noun): an insult or other action intended to anger, challenge, or upset someone
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vigorenergy and strength
After a good night’s sleep, she woke up full of vigor and ready to tackle the day’s challenges.more
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Heidi looked at me with what seemed to be a renewed vigor.†
strength, energy, or good health
Show general definition strength, energy, or good health
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essencedefining quality
Her speech captured the essence of what the movement was really about.more
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Not in the God depicted in the Judeo-Christian Bible, but I do believe that nature's essence is a spirit that—†
the defining or most important quality of something…
Show general definition the defining or most important quality of something

or:

a extract that concentrates important qualities of something such as smell or taste
1
obesesignificantly overweight (due to the accumulation of body fat)
The doctor advised the patient that he was considered obese and needed to lose weight for his health.more
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She was large but not obese, and crying had turned her face the color of raw chicken.†
Show general definition significantly overweight (due to the accumulation of body fat)
Show editor's word notes Obese is also used figuratively to describe something with large or fat dimensions.
2
hepatitisdisease that causes inflammation of the liver
She is tired and looks a little yellow, so I want a doctor to test her for hepatitis.more
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There's also hepatitis.†1 more
Show general definition inflammation of the liver that can make it hard for the body to process wastes and other chemicals
Show editor's word notes There are several types of hepatitis viruses, including hepatitis A, B, and C. Type A spreads mainly through contaminated food or water. Types B & C spread through contact with infected blood or body fluids. Some infections go away, but others can become long-term and damage the liver.
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altercationfight
She got in a physical altercation and was expelled.more
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The store was well swept, and people quietly checked long grocery lists—no screaming kids, no loud cashier-customer altercations.†
altercation → altercations:a noisy argument, confrontation, or fight
Show general definition a noisy argument, confrontation, or fight
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stridentunpleasantly forceful
The strident tone of the politician’s speech upset half of the audience.more
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His speech was strident but still smooth, and peppered with jokes.†
unpleasantly forceful when expressing opinions; OR  loud and harsh
Show general definition unpleasantly forceful when expressing opinions; or loud and harsh
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Socratesancient Greek philosopher who did much to influence Western thinking (470-399 BC)
In his Dialogues, Plato quotes Socrates as saying, "The unexamined life is not worth living."more
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One guy said he'd like to be a gadfly, like Socrates.†
Show general definition ancient Athenian philosopher who did much to influence Western thinking; teacher of Plato and Xenophon (470-399 BC)
Show editor's word notes A memory trick to remember the relationships between Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and Alexander the Great is to put them in reverse alphabetical order: Socrates taught Plato who taught Aristotle, who taught Alexander the Great.
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Achillesmythical Greek hero of the Iliad
In the Iliad, Achilles is proud, arrogant, and too easily offended.more
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We spent the first ten minutes discussing the Iliad, and whether or not the text actually states that Achilles had been dipped in the River Styx.
mythical Greek hero of the Iliad; central character and foremost Greek warrior at the siege of Troy
Show general definition for Achilles (in Greek mythology) mythical Greek hero of the Iliad; central character and foremost Greek warrior at the siege of Troy
Show editor's word notes Achilles was seen as semi-divine. His mother tried to make him immortal by bathing him in a magical river when he was a baby, but the heel by which she held him remained vulnerable--his "Achilles' heel."
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Malcolm Xmilitant civil rights leader (1925-1965)
Members of the Nation of Islam were convicted for assassinating Malcolm X.more
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I got riled up by "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and "The Chomsky Reader";
Show general definition militant civil rights leader (1925-1965)
Show editor's word notes Malcolm X was one of the most influential African American leaders during the Civil Rights Movement. Born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, he experienced racism and violence from an early age—his father was killed when Malcolm was six, likely by white supremacists. After a difficult youth that included time in prison, he joined the Nation of Islam and became one of its most powerful speakers.

As a minister for the Nation of Islam in the 1950s and early 1960s, Malcolm X took a different approach than leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. While King emphasized nonviolence and integration, Malcolm X advocated for Black self-defense, self-determination, and separation from white society. His speeches were fiery and uncompromising, challenging Black Americans to stand up for themselves and stop patiently enduring injustice.

In 1964, Malcolm X broke with the Nation of Islam, and his views began to evolve. After traveling to Mecca and Africa, he softened some of his earlier positions and started to see possibilities for cooperation across racial lines, though he remained focused on Black empowerment. He was assassinated in February 1965 at age 39 by members of the Nation of Islam, which saw him as a traitor after he left and criticized the organization.

Malcolm X's legacy includes inspiring Black pride, self-reliance, and a more assertive approach to fighting injustice. His autobiography remains widely read, and his ideas continue to influence discussions about race and justice in America.