“Paragon” is a noun meaning the best, or the ideal, of something.

Example:  “Helen always has snacks and drinks ready for visitors, and is adept at making sure that everyone in her house is comfortable – she is the very paragon of hospitality.”

“Visionary” means someone who sees the possibilities of the future.

Example:  “The microcomputer revolution began with a few visionary thinkers who realized that small portable devices would eventually be more useful to everyday citizens than the large data processing machines required by business.”

“Renaissance” is a word from the French meaning “rebirth” or “revival”.

Example:  “The Italian Renaissance of the 14th century was a time in which art, philosophy, and literature blossomed, bringing the cultural life of Europe back after the devastation of the Black Death.”

A longing for things to be the way they were in the past is called “nostalgia”.

Example:  “In these days of instant messaging and cell phones, I find I’m prone to a bit of nostalgia for the written letters and postcards we used to send instead.”

“Idyllic” means peaceful, happy, and perfect. People often use this word to  describe imaginary states, the way they wish things were.

Example:  “It’s easy to dream of an idyllic society where no one is hungry or sick, but it’s harder to do the real work of providing food, shelter, and medical care for people in need.”

A “venue” is a place where events occur.

Example:  “Now that the new theatre building is completed, it’s quickly becoming the preferred venue for performances of all types, due to the quality and versatility of its stage and seating arrangements.”

“Viable” means “able to be done” or “possible”.

Example:  “We received many suggestions from our employees about ways to improve the workflow, but while most of the ideas were good, only a few were practical enough to be viable choices to present to the Board at next year’s Business Planning Meeting.”

A “vocation” is a job or occupation that you have chosen to work in because you feel called to do it, and that you are good at doing it.

Example:  “She is an excellent doctor, and her family always knew her vocation was medicine, since she spent much of her free time as a child helping to take care of the sick animals on the farm, and visiting the elderly at the local rest home.”

“Vapid” can refer either to the speech itself, or the person making it, and means dull, lifeless, and bland, without anything of real meaning or interest to the audience.

Example:  “I don’t understand why her books are so popular; to me, they’re nothing but vapid recitals of her memories of what seemed to be a completely unremarkable childhood.”

“Vehement” means being forceful, passionate, or intense when speaking, especially when speaking about something you have strong feelings about.

Example:  “During the meeting of the local council, Mark interrupted a presentation on proposed budget cuts with a vehement defense of spending increases for public transportation.”