Chapter: Graffiti
📚 Vocabulary
English For Today Classes Nine and Ten
⭐ Most Important Exam Words
graffitiresistancedissentdefianceuprisingsolidarityoppressioncensorshipsurveillanceauthoritymarginalizedminorityinclusivecollective memoryliberationconsciousnessimmediacyanonymityguerrillasubversivespontaneityresilientdemocracyautocracyaccountability
📃 Word Formation Rules
► graffiti: noun; graffiti artist: compound noun; graffiti-covered: compound adjective.
► art: noun; artistic: adjective; artistically: adverb; artist: noun.
► resist: verb; resistance: noun; resistant: adjective.
► oppress: verb; oppression: noun; oppressive: adjective; oppressor: noun.
► repress: verb; repression: noun; repressive: adjective.
► censor: noun or verb; censorship: noun; censored: adjective or past participle.
► protest: noun or verb; protester: noun; protestation: noun.
► revolt: noun or verb; revolutionary: adjective or noun; revolution: noun.
► include: verb; inclusive: adjective; inclusion: noun; inclusively: adverb.
► marginalize: verb; marginalized: adjective or past participle; marginalization: noun.
► liberate: verb; liberation: noun; liberating: adjective.
► democracy: noun; democratic: adjective; democratically: adverb; democratize: verb.
1. Graffiti and Art (8 words)
graffiti[/ɡrəˈfiːti/]nounmedium
Meaning: দেয়াললিখন বা দেয়ালচিত্র
Alt: public writing or drawings on walls
Example: Graffiti can express the feelings of ordinary people.
Syn: wall writing, street artAnt: silence
💡 Exam tip: Use graffiti as an uncountable noun when referring to the art form in general.
mural[/ˈmjʊərəl/]nounmedium
Meaning: দেয়ালচিত্র
Alt: a large painting on a wall
Example: The mural showed the history of the July uprising.
Syn: wall painting, wall artAnt: blank wall
💡 Exam tip: Distinguish mural from graffiti: a mural is usually planned and authorized.
artistic[/ɑːrˈtɪstɪk/]adjeasy
Meaning: শৈল্পিক
Alt: related to art or showing creative skill
Example: The artistic design attracted many visitors.
Syn: creative, aestheticAnt: uncreative, ugly
💡 Exam tip: Artistic is an adjective; artistically is its adverbial form.
expression[/ɪkˈspreʃən/]nouneasy
Meaning: প্রকাশ বা অভিব্যক্তি
Alt: the act of showing thoughts or feelings
Example: Graffiti is a powerful expression of public anger.
Syn: communication, manifestationAnt: suppression, concealment
💡 Exam tip: Expression may mean both প্রকাশ and মুখভঙ্গি depending on context.
symbolism[/ˈsɪmbəlɪzəm/]nounhard
Meaning: প্রতীকধর্মিতা
Alt: the use of symbols to represent ideas
Example: The colours of the painting have strong symbolism.
Syn: representation, imageryAnt: literalness
💡 Exam tip: Use symbolism when explaining the deeper meaning of colours, images, or slogans.
spontaneous[/spɒnˈteɪniəs/]adjmedium
Meaning: স্বতঃস্ফূর্ত
Alt: done suddenly without prior planning
Example: The protestors made a spontaneous piece of graffiti.
Syn: unplanned, impulsiveAnt: planned, deliberate
💡 Exam tip: The noun form is spontaneity and the adverb form is spontaneously.
creative[/kriˈeɪtɪv/]adjeasy
Meaning: সৃজনশীল
Alt: able to produce original ideas or works
Example: The students used creative ideas in their wall art project.
Syn: imaginative, inventiveAnt: unimaginative, uncreative
💡 Exam tip: Creative commonly describes ideas, people, methods, and artistic work.
aesthetic[/iːsˈθetɪk/]adjhard
Meaning: নান্দনিক
Alt: concerned with beauty or artistic appearance
Example: The design has both political and aesthetic value.
Syn: beautiful, artisticAnt: unattractive, unaesthetic
💡 Exam tip: Aesthetic is often used before nouns such as value, quality, or appeal.
2. Resistance and Protest (8 words)
resistance[/rɪˈzɪstəns/]nounmedium
Meaning: প্রতিরোধ
Alt: opposition to control, force, or authority
Example: Graffiti became a symbol of resistance against oppression.
Syn: opposition, defianceAnt: obedience, submission
💡 Exam tip: Resistance may be physical, political, or social depending on the context.
dissent[/dɪˈsent/]nounhard
Meaning: ভিন্নমত বা প্রতিবাদ
Alt: strong disagreement with an official opinion or system
Example: The slogans expressed dissent against the regime.
Syn: disagreement, protestAnt: agreement, consent
💡 Exam tip: Dissent can also be used as a verb: citizens dissent from a policy.
defiance[/dɪˈfaɪəns/]nounmedium
Meaning: অবাধ্যতা বা অমান্যতা
Alt: open refusal to obey or accept authority
Example: The message was written in defiance of censorship.
Syn: resistance, rebellionAnt: obedience, compliance
💡 Exam tip: In defiance of means deliberately refusing to obey or respect something.
uprising[/ˈʌpraɪzɪŋ/]nounmedium
Meaning: গণঅভ্যুত্থান
Alt: an organized or widespread act of rebellion
Example: The July uprising created new forms of political graffiti.
Syn: revolt, rebellionAnt: peace, submission
💡 Exam tip: Uprising is a countable noun: an uprising, several uprisings.
revolutionary[/ˌrevəˈluːʃənəri/]adjhard
Meaning: বিপ্লবী
Alt: relating to or causing major political or social change
Example: The graffiti carried a revolutionary message.
Syn: radical, transformativeAnt: conservative, reactionary
💡 Exam tip: Revolutionary can also be a noun meaning a person who supports revolution.
protest[/ˈprəʊtest/]nouneasy
Meaning: প্রতিবাদ
Alt: an organized expression of opposition
Example: Students used graffiti during the protest.
Syn: demonstration, objectionAnt: approval, support
💡 Exam tip: The noun is pronounced PRO-test, while the verb is commonly pro-TEST.
slogan[/ˈsləʊɡən/]nouneasy
Meaning: স্লোগান
Alt: a short memorable phrase used by a group
Example: The slogan demanded justice for the victims.
Syn: motto, catchphraseAnt: silence
💡 Exam tip: Use quotation marks when writing an exact slogan in an exam answer.
solidarity[/ˌsɒlɪˈdærəti/]nounhard
Meaning: সংহতি
Alt: unity and mutual support among people
Example: The wall art represented solidarity among different communities.
Syn: unity, cooperationAnt: division, disunity
💡 Exam tip: The phrase in solidarity with means supporting a person or group.
3. Power, Censorship and Control (8 words)
oppression[/əˈpreʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: নিপীড়ন
Alt: cruel or unjust treatment by powerful people or systems
Example: People often create protest art under oppression.
Syn: persecution, tyrannyAnt: freedom, liberation
💡 Exam tip: Oppression is usually uncountable when referring to a general condition.
repressive[/rɪˈpresɪv/]adjhard
Meaning: দমনমূলক
Alt: using force to control people and prevent freedom
Example: The activists opposed the repressive regime.
Syn: authoritarian, tyrannicalAnt: liberal, democratic
💡 Exam tip: The noun is repression, not repressiveness in most exam contexts.
censorship[/ˈsensərʃɪp/]nounmedium
Meaning: নিয়ন্ত্রণমূলক নিষেধাজ্ঞা
Alt: official control over information, speech, or art
Example: Graffiti can resist censorship by appearing in public spaces.
Syn: suppression, restrictionAnt: freedom of speech, openness
💡 Exam tip: Censorship is commonly followed by of: censorship of newspapers.
surveillance[/sərˈveɪləns/]nounhard
Meaning: নজরদারি
Alt: careful observation of people or activities
Example: Anonymity helps artists avoid surveillance.
Syn: monitoring, observationAnt: privacy, neglect
💡 Exam tip: Remember the spelling: surveillance contains -eillance, not -illance.
authority[/ɔːˈθɒrəti/]nounmedium
Meaning: কর্তৃপক্ষ বা ক্ষমতা
Alt: the power or right to control people
Example: The graffiti challenged the authority of the ruling group.
Syn: power, controlAnt: powerlessness, subordination
💡 Exam tip: Authority may mean a powerful body, a right to act, or expert knowledge.
regime[/reɪˈʒiːm/]nounmedium
Meaning: শাসনব্যবস্থা
Alt: a government or system of rule
Example: Students wrote slogans against the military regime.
Syn: government, administrationAnt: anarchy
💡 Exam tip: Regime often has a negative meaning when describing an authoritarian government.
suppress[/səˈpres/]verbmedium
Meaning: দমন করা
Alt: to stop something from being expressed or known
Example: Authorities tried to suppress the protest messages.
Syn: repress, silenceAnt: encourage, release
💡 Exam tip: Suppress takes an object: suppress a voice, movement, feeling, or report.
persecution[/ˌpɜːrsɪˈkjuːʃən/]nounhard
Meaning: নির্যাতন
Alt: unfair and repeated mistreatment of a person or group
Example: The artist feared persecution for his political message.
Syn: harassment, oppressionAnt: protection, tolerance
💡 Exam tip: Do not confuse persecution with prosecution, which means legal action in court.
4. Memory, Justice and Inclusion (8 words)
justice[/ˈdʒʌstɪs/]nouneasy
Meaning: ন্যায়বিচার
Alt: fair treatment according to rights and law
Example: The protesters demanded justice for those who were killed.
Syn: fairness, equityAnt: injustice, unfairness
💡 Exam tip: The phrase demand justice for is useful in argumentative writing.
marginalized[/ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəlaɪzd/]adjhard
Meaning: প্রান্তিক
Alt: pushed to the edge of society and given less power
Example: The graffiti gave marginalized communities a public voice.
Syn: disadvantaged, excludedAnt: privileged, included
💡 Exam tip: Use marginalized people or marginalized communities in social-issue essays.
minority[/maɪˈnɒrəti/]nouneasy
Meaning: সংখ্যালঘু
Alt: a smaller group within a population
Example: The artwork highlighted the concerns of minority communities.
Syn: smaller group, underrepresented groupAnt: majority
💡 Exam tip: The plural is minorities; avoid writing minoritys.
inclusive[/ɪnˈkluːsɪv/]adjmedium
Meaning: অন্তর্ভুক্তিমূলক
Alt: including people of different backgrounds and identities
Example: The movement promoted an inclusive vision of Bangladesh.
Syn: broad, welcomingAnt: exclusive, discriminatory
💡 Exam tip: Inclusive is often paired with society, policy, movement, or message.
collective[/kəˈlektɪv/]adjmedium
Meaning: সম্মিলিত
Alt: shared by or involving a group
Example: Graffiti can preserve collective memories of a movement.
Syn: shared, jointAnt: individual, separate
💡 Exam tip: Collective may be followed by nouns such as memory, action, or consciousness.
memory[/ˈmeməri/]nouneasy
Meaning: স্মৃতি
Alt: the ability or record of remembering past events
Example: The wall preserves the memory of brave protesters.
Syn: recollection, remembranceAnt: forgetfulness, oblivion
💡 Exam tip: Collective memory means memories shared by a community or nation.
liberation[/ˌlɪbəˈreɪʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: মুক্তি
Alt: the act of gaining freedom from control or oppression
Example: The slogan called for liberation for all communities.
Syn: freedom, emancipationAnt: captivity, enslavement
💡 Exam tip: Liberation is an important abstract noun in essays about the Liberation War and social freedom.
consciousness[/ˈkɒnʃəsnəs/]nounhard
Meaning: সচেতনতা
Alt: awareness of an issue or condition
Example: Graffiti raises political consciousness among citizens.
Syn: awareness, understandingAnt: unawareness, ignorance
💡 Exam tip: Political consciousness and collective consciousness are useful collocations.
5. Methods and Characteristics of Graffiti (8 words)
immediacy[/ɪˈmiːdiəsi/]nounhard
Meaning: তাৎক্ষণিকতা
Alt: the quality of happening or being communicated at once
Example: The immediacy of graffiti makes it effective during protests.
Syn: promptness, instantaneityAnt: delay, slowness
💡 Exam tip: Immediacy is the noun form of immediate.
anonymity[/ˌænəˈnɪməti/]nounhard
Meaning: পরিচয় গোপন রাখা
Alt: the condition of having an unknown identity
Example: Anonymity protects graffiti artists from arrest.
Syn: namelessness, concealmentAnt: identification, recognition
💡 Exam tip: Anonymity is different from privacy; it specifically concerns identity.
guerrilla[/ɡəˈrɪlə/]adjhard
Meaning: গেরিলা ধরনের
Alt: using sudden, unofficial, and irregular methods
Example: Graffiti is a guerrilla form of political expression.
Syn: unofficial, irregularAnt: formal, official
💡 Exam tip: In the passage, guerrilla describes a method that is quick, secret, and difficult to control.
subversive[/səbˈvɜːrsɪv/]adjhard
Meaning: প্রচলিত ক্ষমতাকে চ্যালেঞ্জকারী
Alt: intended to weaken or challenge an established system
Example: The subversive slogan questioned the power of the authorities.
Syn: rebellious, revolutionaryAnt: supportive, conformist
💡 Exam tip: Subversive is a strong adjective for writing about anti-authoritarian art.
covert[/ˈkəʊvɜːrt/]adjhard
Meaning: গোপন
Alt: secret and hidden from public knowledge
Example: The activists used covert methods to write slogans.
Syn: secret, clandestineAnt: open, overt
💡 Exam tip: Covert is the opposite of overt; learn them as a pair.
spontaneity[/ˌspɒntəˈneɪəti/]nounmedium
Meaning: স্বতঃস্ফূর্ততা
Alt: the quality of being natural and unplanned
Example: The spontaneity of the writing reflected public anger.
Syn: impulsiveness, naturalnessAnt: planning, deliberation
💡 Exam tip: Spontaneity is the noun form of spontaneous.
persecution[/ˌpɜːrsɪˈkjuːʃən/]nounhard
Meaning: নির্যাতন বা শাস্তির ভয়
Alt: the act of punishing or harassing people for their beliefs
Example: Artists worked quickly because of the risk of persecution.
Syn: harassment, victimizationAnt: safety, protection
💡 Exam tip: Use due to the threat of persecution to explain why anonymity is important.
resilient[/rɪˈzɪliənt/]adjmedium
Meaning: দৃঢ় ও ঘুরে দাঁড়াতে সক্ষম
Alt: able to recover quickly from difficulty or damage
Example: Graffiti is resilient because its message can reappear after erasure.
Syn: strong, enduringAnt: fragile, weak
💡 Exam tip: Resilient describes people, communities, movements, or forms of expression.
6. Citizenship and Social Responsibility (8 words)
citizen[/ˈsɪtɪzən/]nouneasy
Meaning: নাগরিক
Alt: a legally recognized member of a country
Example: Every citizen has responsibilities toward society.
Syn: national, residentAnt: foreigner, non-citizen
💡 Exam tip: Citizen and citizenship are common words in questions about civic duties.
responsibility[/rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪləti/]nounmedium
Meaning: দায়িত্ব
Alt: a duty to deal with something properly
Example: Citizens have a responsibility to protect public property.
Syn: duty, obligationAnt: irresponsibility, negligence
💡 Exam tip: Responsibility is followed by to plus a verb or for plus a noun or gerund.
democracy[/dɪˈmɒkrəsi/]nouneasy
Meaning: গণতন্ত্র
Alt: a system in which people choose their government
Example: The protesters demanded democracy and accountability.
Syn: self-government, popular ruleAnt: dictatorship, autocracy
💡 Exam tip: Democracy is an abstract noun; democratic is its adjective form.
autocracy[/ɔːˈtɒkrəsi/]nounhard
Meaning: স্বৈরতন্ত্র
Alt: a system of government by one powerful ruler
Example: The slogan called for an end to autocracy.
Syn: dictatorship, despotismAnt: democracy, republic
💡 Exam tip: Remember the contrast: democracy versus autocracy.
accountability[/əˌkaʊntəˈbɪləti/]nounhard
Meaning: জবাবদিহিতা
Alt: the duty to explain actions and accept responsibility
Example: Citizens demanded accountability from those in power.
Syn: answerability, responsibilityAnt: irresponsibility, impunity
💡 Exam tip: Demand accountability from is a useful phrase for formal writing.
community[/kəˈmjuːnəti/]nouneasy
Meaning: সম্প্রদায়
Alt: a group of people sharing a place or identity
Example: The artwork celebrated the diversity of every community.
Syn: society, groupAnt: individual, isolation
💡 Exam tip: The plural is communities, with -ies instead of -ys.
diversity[/daɪˈvɜːrsəti/]nounmedium
Meaning: বৈচিত্র্য
Alt: the presence of different types of people or ideas
Example: The slogan reflected the cultural diversity of Bangladesh.
Syn: variety, pluralityAnt: uniformity, similarity
💡 Exam tip: Diversity is often used with cultural, social, or ethnic.
marginalize[/ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəlaɪz/]verbhard
Meaning: প্রান্তিক করে রাখা
Alt: to treat a group as unimportant or powerless
Example: Social movements challenge systems that marginalize minorities.
Syn: exclude, disempowerAnt: include, empower
💡 Exam tip: The British spelling marginalise is also acceptable, but use one spelling consistently.
💡 Exam Tips
• In a comparison answer, contrast graffiti with wall art using whereas, while, unlike, and in contrast.
• Mention the three key features of graffiti: immediacy, spontaneity, and anonymity.
• Use examples from the passage, such as Down with Ayub Khan, Down with Autocracy, and slogans from the July uprising.
• Explain that graffiti can challenge power and resist censorship by presenting messages in public spaces.
• For an essay, organize ideas into introduction, historical examples, comparison with wall art, and conclusion.
• Use abstract nouns such as resistance, solidarity, liberation, justice, and accountability to make formal writing stronger.
• Remember that graffiti is generally quick and unauthorized, whereas wall art is usually organized and sanctioned.
• When discussing marginalized communities, use respectful expressions such as give a voice to and highlight their struggles.
• Use the phrase collective memory to explain how public art preserves the history of social movements.
• Check spelling carefully: anonymity, surveillance, consciousness, accountability, persecution, and spontaneity.