afflict: trouble asset: valuable object; advantage preposterous: unthinkable, absurd splintering: splitting, breaking up the peer group: a group of people of the same age, class, position, etc; here, a group of children of the same age television-oriented interested in and influenced by TV equivocal: ambiguous sorcerer: person who performs magic by using the power of evil spiritsNew Words and Expressions afflict: trouble asset: valuable object; advantage preposterous: unthinkable, absurd splintering: splitting, breaking up the peer group: a group of people of the same age, class, position, etc; here, a group of children of the same age television-oriented: interested in and influenced by TV equivocal: ambiguous sorcerer: person who performs magic by using the power of evil spirits