from Into Thin Air vocab and concepts

effect

result of some event.

speculate

think; guess

traverse

cross

jeopardize

endanger

crucial

extremely important; decisive

notorious

famous, usually in an unfavorable sense

innocuous

harmless

benign

here, favorable or harmless

apex

highest point

contradictions and incongruities

instances in which people don't do what they will do or when things don't come together as they should.

cause

reason why something happens.

tenuous

weak; slight

situational irony

when the opposite of what's expected or appropriate occurs.

deteriorate

worsen