Scions of the Surge

1.Word - privations Pg.28
Magazine Sentence - "He became a squared-away soldier, demanding of his troops yet
sleeping and eating with them , and sharing their privations and dangers."
Context Clue - In this sentence what I was able to draw from the text was that it
was not a good thing. The word dangers is what lead me to believe that. Also if you are sharing your area with many other people than you are lacking the normal comforts of life that you once had.
Sentence - I recently donated money to help buy shoes for the privations that the children in Kenya are experiencing.
Defintion - Lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life.

2. Word - precipitously Pg.30
Magazine Sentence - "While it's too soon to say Iraq has turned the corner, the violence in Baghdad and most of the country has since declined precipitously."
Context Clue - The context clue within in this sentence is the antonym of percipitously which is declined.
Sentence - Mount Everest is extremely precipitously, some experienced climbers are not able to endure the incline.
Definition - extremely or impassably steep.

3. Word - ascendant Pg.32
Magazine Sentence - "In Bayaa, the Shiite Mahdi Army, loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, was ascendant."
Context Clue - The context clues within this sentence rely on the little baground information that I do have...and that would be that anyone one of a ranking from this area has a reputation to be nasty and forceful, but also is highly respected sometimes to the point of violence.
Sentence - Being ascentdant sounds as if these men in those seats of power have gotten there by enforcing their own beliefs and ways of conquering others.
Definiton - a position of dominance or controlling influence: possession of power, superiority, or preeminence.