A. Definitions (5 points): Explain the following words/phrases in your own words in English.
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Executive summary
This brief explains five English words/phrases using contemporary dictionary and media reporting from 2025. Definitions draw on dictionary entries and year‑in‑language coverage: “rage bait” as online content meant to provoke outrage (Oxford reporting) [1]; “vibe coding” as using natural‑language prompts to generate code with AI [1]; “AI slop” as low‑quality generative‑AI output, often unsolicited [1]; “parasocial” in the sense of one‑sided media relationships (Cambridge’s Word of the Year context) [2]; and “December” as the twelfth and final month of the year (Cambridge/Collins/Merriam‑Webster) (p1_s2 [5] p1_s9).
1. Rage bait — anger as traffic‑engine
“Rage bait” names online material deliberately designed to provoke anger, outrage or frustration so that users click, comment or share, boosting engagement and traffic; Oxford’s Word of the Year coverage says usage of the term tripled amid debates about online content regulation and social‑media driven unrest [1]. Journalistic coverage frames it as a symptom of attention economies that monetize emotional reactivity [3].
2. Vibe coding — telling AI what you want, not writing every line
“Vibe coding” describes using natural‑language prompts to get an AI to write computer code for you — essentially describing the developer intent to a model rather than manually composing every line. Collins picked it as its 2025 Word of the Year and defined it as using AI prompted by natural language to assist with writing code [1]. Commentary emphasizes this reflects a shift in software workflows toward higher‑level instruction [1].
3. AI slop — the low end of generative output
“AI slop” is a colloquial term for poor‑quality content produced by generative AI: outputs that contain errors, hallucinations, or are irrelevant, and which users did not request. Macquarie Dictionary flagged “AI slop” as its 2025 selection, explicitly calling it “low‑quality content created by generative AI, often containing errors, and not requested by the user” [1]. The choice signals lexicographers’ attention to the public frustration with imperfect AI outputs [1].
4. Parasocial — one‑sided relationship with media figures or AI companions
“Parasocial” (as used by Cambridge’s Word of the Year) refers to one‑sided relationships in which a person feels bonded to a media figure, influencer, fandom object or AI companion that cannot reciprocate equally. Cambridge highlighted “parasocial relationships” in discussions of social media, celebrity fandom and AI companions when naming the word of the year [2]. Reporting situates the term in debates about mental health, fandom culture and how algorithmic platforms encourage emotional investment [2].
5. December — the calendar month
“December” is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, following November and preceding January. This conventional calendar definition appears in major dictionary entries and quick references (Cambridge, Collins, Merriam‑Webster) (p1_s2 [5] p1_s9). Etymological notes in OED link the English form to Latin and Old French roots [4].
Limitations, disagreements and context
Lexicographers’ “words of the year” reflect usage trends and editorial judgments rather than single authoritative truth; Oxford’s pick “rage bait” and Cambridge’s choice “parasocial” show different framings of 2025’s cultural concerns (p1_s1 [1]0). Dictionaries cited here — Oxford, Collins, Cambridge, Macquarie and Merriam‑Webster — use distinct selection criteria and data sources, so definitions vary in tone and emphasis (p1_s1 [5] p1_s9). Available sources do not mention classroom‑level pedagogical examples for each term beyond the cited definitions (not found in current reporting).
Alternative viewpoints and implicit agendas
Media outlets report these lexical choices as cultural signals: some emphasize platform regulation and emotional harm (coverage of “rage bait”) while others highlight technological workflow change (“vibe coding”) or consumer frustration with AI (“AI slop”) (p1_s1 p1_s5). Lexicographers and newsrooms have implicit agendas — promoting relevance of their brand, shaping public discussion about technology and culture — which can influence which words are highlighted (p1_s1 [1]0).
Bottom line
These five entries capture distinct 2025 preoccupations: emotional manipulation online, AI’s effect on work and content quality, shifting social bonds with media, and the perennial calendar term. Each definition above is anchored to contemporary dictionary and news reporting cited from 2025 (p1_s1 [6] [5] [7] [1]0).