Adjective.

Definition: present in all places at all times.

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/omnipresent?show=0&t=1387315292

I came across this word while reading “The Brooklyn Bridge” by Philip Lopate.

I now understand that the author is explaining how something is present at all times in our imaginations.

Arbiter – a person who is considered to be an authority on what is good

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arbiters

One of the arbiters of the international use of English, seems to be giving round. ‘It’s saying that a good person was going around and was using English worldwide.

Adjective

Definition: not able or willing to believe something

I found this word in the tenth paragraph of the reading “City Limits.” It said, “It saw the bewilderment  on your face as you stepped out of the stolen matinee, incredulous that there was still daylight after such a long movie.”

I didn’t know what Whitehead was talking about until I looked up the word.

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incredulous?show=0&t=1387163694

Verb

Definition: to change (a place, such as an old neighborhood) by improving it and making it more appealing to people who have money

This is a word that I found in the reading “Who Knows Brooklyn?”

In the reading, I didn’t know what Merlis said by he doesn’t “do neighborhoods that aren’t, like, all gentrified…” I didn’t know what he meant until now.

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentrify

Noun

Definition: an angry and usually long speech or piece of writing that strongly criticizes someone or something

This word is found in the first sentence of the reading “A Literary Visitor Strolls in From the Airport.”

When the author of this reading mentioned a diatribe, I had no idea what that was, so I looked it up and found out that he was referring to a piece of writing.

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diatribe