Vocab Building

Perfunctory (adj) performed merely as routine duty, hasty and superficial

The ambitious man ignored the stresses of his perfunctory job and continued to work on his education.

Actually, I do not understand why perfunctory is an adjective and not an adverb since the meaning seems to imply that with it, we would describe an action.  But, of course, then, we would need to end the world with the affix, ily (as in He spoke perfunctorily).

Ah, here ya go.

The prostitute performed a perfunctory hand-job; clearly, she did not offer a girl-friend-experience.

That's it!

But, sadly, I feel like I will forget that because of sexual repression.

So, one more!

It was clear to the husband that his wife had cooked a perfunctory meal.

Boom, there it is.  The sad image of a wife joylessly serving her husband.  

Prevaricate (v) to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

The husband prevaricated at the dinner table when his wife asked about his day.

Ohhhh, now the story is getting good!

Prodigal (adj) a recklessly extravagant consumer

Instead of telling the truth, the husband told the story of the prodigal son.

Propitiate (v) make peace with

So as to propitiate his infidelity to himself, he would often preach bible stories to his family at the dinner table.

Stolid (adj) having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily excited

The reaction of his wife was predictably stolid.

Soporific (n) a drug that induces sleep (adj) sleep inducing

For, the husband had chosen a soporific wife to bear his children for him for this very reason.

Reticent (adj) tempermentally disinclined to talk

She was reticent and would never tell his children of his idolatry.

It was clear to the husband that his wife had cooked a perfunctory meal.  The husband prevaricated at the dinner table when his wife asked about his day.  Instead of telling the truth, the husband told the story of the prodigal son.  So as to propitiate his infidelity to himself, he would often preach bible stories to his family at the dinner table.  The reaction of his wife was predictably stolid.  For, the husband had chosen a soporific wife to bear his children for this very reason.  She was reticent and she would never tell his children of his idolatry.