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Borders: unit vocabulary

This is a list of some noteworthy vocabulary you'll find in this unit! Some are related to the unit topic, and others are generally useful academic words.
You'll know some of the words already, and some may be new. Take some time to familiarize yourself with them all before you get started on the passages and exercises in the unit.
Word: advocate
(verb)
  • Definition: to support an idea
  • Sample Sentence: Monique was the only mayor to advocate for taking down the border wall.
Word: barrier
(noun)
  • Definition: obstruction; something that makes it difficult to get something done.
  • Sample Sentence: Senator Garvey wanted to remove international trade barriers so that it was easier to import goods from Cuba.
Word: checkpoint
(noun)
  • Definition: a place where vehicles and people are searched by an authority figure before they are allowed to move on
  • Sample Sentence: We had to stop at a security checkpoint before we could enter the academy.
Word: restriction
(noun)
  • Definition: a controlling rule or law; regulation
  • Sample Sentence: During the outbreak, the government started to dictate new travel restrictions.
Word: impose
(verb)
  • Definition: inflict, dictate
  • Sample Sentence: I hope that the principal doesn’t impose a cell phone ban.
Word: imprint
(noun)
  • Definition: impression
  • Sample Sentence: The president's speech about tearing down the Berlin Wall left quite an imprint on his audience.
Word: lament
(verb)
  • Definition: to express sadness or regret
  • Sample Sentence: Ernesto lamented the fact that his mom put up a fence to keep wildlife out because he loved watching the rabbits hop across the lawn.
Word: abundance
(noun)
  • Definition: a great amount
  • Sample Sentence: There was an abundance of rocks in the field, so it was easy for Mrs. Chen to build a stone wall.
Word: prosperity
(noun)
  • Definition: wealth
  • Sample Sentence: “Hard work is the key to prosperity,” My uncle said. “You cannot expect to make any money without working hard.”
Word: unprecedented
(adjective)
  • Definition: not experienced before
  • Sample Sentence: Officials didn’t comment on the new border wall, except to say that “we live in unprecedented times where what was normal yesterday is not normal today.”
Word: profound
(adjective)
  • Definition: intense, serious
  • Sample Sentence: Ms. Mousawi asked her class, “Does anything make more of a profound statement than a barbed wire fence?”
Word: afflict
(verb)
  • Definition: to cause suffering; torment, burden
  • Sample Sentence: Horatio worried that the longer working hours would especially afflict the already exhausted security guards.
Word: deterrence
(noun)
  • Definition: the act of keeping people from behaving in a particular way or from doing something you don’t want them to do
  • Sample Sentence: China’s Great Wall provided a deterrence against enemy invaders.
Word: fundamental
(noun)
  • Definition: basic, essential
  • Sample Sentence: Some argue that border walls are fundamental to maintaining national security.

Want to join the conversation?

  • blobby green style avatar for user Orlando E
    What my favorite color ?
    (13 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
    • blobby green style avatar for user Paul
      Well, according to your question there are a number of factors to consider. You can consider your name, grade, and age. Other factors could include your hobbies, likes and dislikes, and your favorite courses in school. However, after lots of consideration and review, I have come to the conclusion that your favorite color is 6.
      Have a good day.
      (130 votes)
  • duskpin tree style avatar for user Grace E. Greenwood
    I have been using these words since I was 12, and I'm now 15. They are all super easy. Maybe it's because I'm homeschooled and I read 3 or 4 books every 14 days.
    (19 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • blobby green style avatar for user Ezequiel Aparicio
    if the government were to listen to the people how would the economy be at this very moment?
    (8 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
    • leafers tree style avatar for user L. E.
      Depends on the people.
      I'd say that the United States government is already listening to the most vocal (and possible majority) of people.

      I love free stuff. You love free stuff. We all love free stuff.
      But no one seems to understand the concept that you can't keep borrowing money forever, and TANSTAAFL-- an economists' acronym that means "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." Nothing is free. And here's a big shocker:

      THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO MONEY.

      It doesn't. All its money comes from borrowing and taxes. And all that debt just means we're putting more taxes on future generations-- if we ever plan to pay it back.

      Why does inflation happen? Because the government tries to pretend it has money. It keeps printing it, which may appear to be a good thing, but it just devalues our money-- the more there is of something, the less valuable it is. (If diamonds were as common as dirt, they'd be as cheap.) Another thing:

      If the government never printed any money (except to replace the worn-out bills), we could still exchange our dollar bills for real gold bars.

      Now the current price of an ounce of gold is over $1,800.

      But I digress into a whole economy lesson.

      Long story short, our economy depends on the people the government listens to. And honestly, the majority (which is who the government listens to) is uninformed. We all just want free stuff and don't understand that the government has no money with which to buy our "free" stuff. Therefore, until the majority becomes informed, our economy will remain as it is.

      Hope that helped!
      (12 votes)
  • blobby green style avatar for user JosephT
    Who wins John Cena or the Rock?
    (11 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • piceratops tree style avatar for user Cadmium Antimony
    Is the imprint in the vocabulary list the say as the imprint word that we use for birds?
    (6 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
    • starky seedling style avatar for user Ms. Chaos
      Essentially, yes. But to a lesser degree. With birds, imprinting is leaving an impression on a fledgling that makes them think you are their mother. In this regard to imprint is to leave an impression. You can imprint in many ways: Pressing a quarter into play-doh; giving a heart-felt speech that leaves an impression on the listeners. Anything that leaves an impression (physical or otherwise) has been imprinted. I'm sorry you got such a late response, but I hope this helps.
      (7 votes)
  • aqualine ultimate style avatar for user Timothy Persaud
    borders are good its better so people cant illegally enter
    (8 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • starky seed style avatar for user angel.francocosio
    why is john cena invisible
    (5 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • blobby green style avatar for user 26rhoadps
    Its good to have national security
    (5 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
  • blobby green style avatar for user IndiaF
    if the government were to listen to the people how would the economy be at this very moment?
    (6 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
    • leafers tree style avatar for user L. E.
      Depends on the people.
      I'd say that the United States government is already listening to the most vocal (and possible majority) of people.

      I love free stuff. You love free stuff. We all love free stuff.
      But no one seems to understand the concept that you can't keep borrowing money forever, and TANSTAAFL-- an economists' acronym that means "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." Nothing is free. And here's a big shocker:

      THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO MONEY.

      It doesn't. All its money comes from borrowing and taxes. And all that debt just means we're putting more taxes on future generations-- if we ever plan to pay it back.

      Why does inflation happen? Because the government tries to pretend it has money. It keeps printing it, which may appear to be a good thing, but it just devalues our money-- the more there is of something, the less valuable it is. (If diamonds were as common as dirt, they'd be as cheap.) Another thing:

      If the government never printed any money (except to replace the worn-out bills), we could still exchange our dollar bills for real gold bars.

      Now the current price of an ounce of gold is over $1,800.

      But I digress into a whole economy lesson.

      Long story short, our economy depends on the people the government listens to. And honestly, the majority (which is who the government listens to) is uninformed. We all just want free stuff and don't understand that the government has no money with which to buy our "free" stuff. Therefore, until the majority becomes informed, our economy will remain as it is.

      Hope that helped!
      (2 votes)
  • duskpin ultimate style avatar for user Andrea
    Question, is there a 10th-grade reading & ELA course? I haven't found one yet...
    (4 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user