Blog — Page 8

Indigenous Sounds Inspire Us!

August 31, 2015 by Cool Word Club

If you love music, then chances are the sounds you appreciate have a rich and varied history.

Much of today’s popular music is influenced by instruments and musical sounds that were used in ancient cultures.

A lot of current pop music from South America, for example, is influenced by the musical styles of the Andean cultures.

In our global world, it is important to recognize and protect these indigenous (see definition and hear pronunciation below) sounds.

These musical influences have a lot to teach us about the culture and history of the people who came before us!

Cool word question of the day: Can you think of any ways that indigenous cultures have influenced popular culture?

Indigenous: Native; living naturally in a particular region or environment.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of indigenous.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/Indigenous.mp3

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: indigenous

Cool Word Challenge: Sacrosanct and Burnish

August 28, 2015 by Cool Word Club

Cool Word Challenge: Just for fun, come up with one sentence that uses both of the cool vocabulary words that you learned this week.

Here are the words again:

Sacrosanct: Sacred; inviolable.

Burnish: To make shiny by rubbing; polish.

Submit your sentence below. The most creative ones that we receive will be published on our site!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: burnish, cool word challenge, sacrosanct

The Beauty of a Burnished Treasure

August 27, 2015 by Cool Word Club

The practice of making pottery first originated within ancient civilizations as a means of storing and transporting food.

Made from clay, a natural product containing decomposed rock, pottery is created by using one’s hands to mold and shape the material. It is then dried and heated at high temperatures so that it will harden.

Some pieces of pottery have a polished coating, giving them a shiny and glazed appearance.

These beautiful burnished (see definition and hear pronunciation below) objects also serve as a form of artistic expression within Japanese, African, Native American and other cultures.

Cool word question of the day: Can you think of any items that are burnished?

Burnish: To make shiny by rubbing; polish.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of burnish.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/burnish.mp3

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: burnish

Vocab Practice: Egregious

August 26, 2015 by Cool Word Club

This word appeared on the Cool Word Club website on Aug. 13, 2015.

Let’s do a practice round!

Egregious means:

A) Conspicuously bad
B) Well-liked
C) Middle-aged
D) Frequently secretive

VIEW ANSWER HERE

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: egregious, vocab practice

Vocab Practice: Malevolent

August 25, 2015 by Cool Word Club

This word appeared on the Cool Word Club website on Aug. 10, 2015.

Let’s do a practice round!

Malevolent means:

A) Frugal
B) Malicious
C) Compassionate
D) Humorous

VIEW ANSWER HERE

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: malevolent, vocabulary practice test

The Sacrosanct Tombs of Ancient Egypt

August 24, 2015 by Cool Word Club

The burial tombs of ancient Egyptians have provided us with great insights into their way of life.

These tombs were filled with sacred objects that were believed to be necessary for the dead to use in the afterlife.

These sacrosanct (see definition and hear pronunciation below) objects demonstrate the ancient Egyptians’ strong belief and emphasis on life after death.

Many of these objects include household goods such as furniture, as well as ceramic pots to store food and drinks–all of which are intended to support the dead in their journey to the afterlife.

Cool word question of the day: Can you think of any sacrosanct items?

Sacrosanct: Sacred; inviolable.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of sacrosanct.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/sacrosanct.mp3

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: sacrosanct

Happy Summer!

August 17, 2015 by Cool Word Club

The Cool Word Club is on summer vacation this week.

We’ll resume our daily posts on Monday, Aug. 24.

Until then, keep your eye out for any cool new words you might come across!

Filed Under: Blog

Cool Word Challenge: Malevolent and Egregious

August 15, 2015 by Cool Word Club

Cool Word Challenge: Just for fun, come up with one sentence that uses both of the cool vocabulary words that you learned this week.

Here are the words again

Malevolent: Having or showing ill will; wishing harm to others; malicious.

Egregious: Conspicuously bad; flagrant.

Submit your sentence below. The most creative ones that we receive will be published on our site!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: cool word challenge, egregious, malevolent

Al Capone’s Egregious Crimes…

August 14, 2015 by Cool Word Club

The 1920s era, often referred to as the “Roaring Twenties,” is a particularly notable time period in American society.

While enormous changes were occurring in the cultural landscape and economy, organized crime also became widespread.

Al Capone, one of the most notorious criminal leaders of the time, was known for using violence to run a multimillion-dollar crime industry.

To the surprise of many, despite his egregious (see definition and hear pronunciation below) crimes, Capone served only six and a half years in prison on charges of tax evasion.

His life was cut short, however, when he died of cardiac arrest at the age of 48.

Cool word question of the day: Can you think of any egregious crimes that have been committed in modern times?

Egregious: Conspicuously bad; flagrant.

Click here to hear a pronunciation of egregious.

https://coolwordclub.com/wp-content/uploads/egregious.mp3

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: egregious