VEX
(veks) v.
to annoy; to pester; to puzzle
Sounds like: PECKS
“Woodpeckers VEX trees with their PECKS.”
It was a VEXING situation when Marlene made dates with
two boys at the same time.
We were VEXED with fear when we entered the haunted
house.
Karen VEXED me by always being late.
156
MINISCULE
(MI nus kyool) adj.
very small
Sounds like: MINI
SCHOOL
“Roger’s MINISCULE MINI SCHOOL.”
It only takes a MINISCULE crack in a dam to start a flood.
Jane explained she had turned her back only for a
MINISCULE moment, but it was long enough for her baby
sister to stick her entire face into the lemon pie.
157
WADDLE
(WAH dul) v.
to walk with short steps swaying
from side to side
Sounds like: BOTTLE
“Babies with BOTTLES WADDLE.”
Ducks always WADDLE when they walk.
Sailors on ships WADDLE.
Larry WADDLED from the dinner table after eating his
third helping of apple pie.
158
DETEST
(dee TEST) v.
to dislike intensely; to hate
Sounds like: TEST
“Dave DETESTS taking TESTS.”
Many people DETEST spiders and snakes.
Alice has DETESTED swimming ever since she fell into
the pool.
Jack has a DETESTABLE habit of picking his nose during
lunch.
159
REFRAIN
(ree FRAIN) v.
to keep oneself from doing, saying, or thinking
something; a phrase that repeats itself in a
song or poem
Sounds like: RAIN
“Friendly clouds trying to REFRAIN
from dropping their RAIN.”
The sergeant could not REFRAIN from telling his new
recruits they were a bunch of nerds.
Some songs have a REFRAIN at the end of every stanza.
The police REFRAINED from making any arrests until
they had collected all the evidence.
160
WINDFALL
(WIN fall) n.
unexpected good fortune; something
blown down by the wind
Sounds like: FALLING
WIND
“A WINDFALL caused by the FALLING WIND.”
Helen’s aunt died and her inheritance was a WINDFALL.
A WINDFALL of apples blew down in the storm and
ruined the farmers crop.
The Smiths won a million dollar WINDFALL in the lottery.
161
FRUGAL
(FREW gul) adj.
saving; sparing
Sounds like: BUGLE
“What happens when a FRUGAL
bugler buys a cheap BUGLE”
The poor farmers could only afford a FRUGAL meal of
rabbit and sweet potatoes.
To be FRUGAL does not mean to be cheap. Sometimes
real FRUGALITY is to buy the best that will last the
longest.
“Save your pennies and the dollars will take care of
themselves” is an expression of FRUGALITY.
162
THROTTLE
(THRAH tul) v.
to strangle; a valve or peddle
that regulates the flow of a fluid (n.)
Sounds like: BOTTLE
“When you want to THROTTLE a BOTTLE.”
Phil’s mom threatened to THROTTLE him if he tracked
dirt into the house one more time.
The race car was speeding at full THROTTLE when it
crossed the finish line and won the race.
When we reached the fishing hole, the captain
THROTTLED back the engine.
163
IMPALE
(im PALE) v.
to pierce through with any sharp
pointed object
Sounds like: PAIL
“An IMPALED PAIL”
The sales clerk IMPALED his sales order on a nail.
Roger fell on a stick and IMPALED his hand.
Butterfly collections usually consist of dead butterflies that
have been IMPALED and placed in display cases.
164
GARBLE
(GAR bul) v.
to confuse, to jumble
Sounds like: GARGLE
“Henry, you sound GARBLED
when you GARGLE.”
In the hurricane, the sinking ship’s radio message was
GARBLED.
Suzy was so excited she GARBLED everything she
wanted to say.
We couldn’t finish building the dog house because the
instructions were GARBLED.
165
Name: __________________________________________
Date: ________________________
Vocabulary Cartoon Review # 14.1
Match the word with its definition.
1. ___ vex - (pecks)
A) a swaying walk
2. ___ miniscule - (mini school) B) saving; sparing
3. ___ waddle - (bottle)
C) to pester
4. ___ detest - (test)
D) unexpected fortune
5. ___ refrain - (rain)
E) tiny
6. ___ windfall - (wind fall)
F)
7. ___ frugal - (bugle)
G) not to do something
8. ___ throttle - (bottle)
H) to strangle
9. ___ impale - (pail)
I)
to jumble, confuse
10. ___ garble - (gargle)
J)
to pierce through
dislike a lot
Name: __________________________________________
Date: ________________________
Vocabulary Cartoon Review # 14.2
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.
A) vex
F) windfall
B) miniscule
G) frugal
C) waddle
H) throttle
D) detest
I) impaled
E) refrain
J) garbled
1. Woodpeckers ____________ trees with their pecks.
2. When Henry is angry he cannot ____________ from speaking his
mind.
3. Helen was very ____________ and rarely spent money on herself.
4. The sinking ship’s radio message was ____________.
5. Roger fell on a stick and ____________ his hand.
6. Jack’s unexpected ____________ was when he won the lottery.
7. It only takes a __________ leak in a dam to start a flood.
8. The race car was speeding at full ____________ when it crossed the
finish line.
9. Ducks ____________ when they walk.
10. Many people ____________ spiders and snakes.
Name: __________________________________________
Date: ________________________
Vocabulary Cartoon Review # 14.3
Multiple Choice: Circle the appropriate word for the provided definition.
1. to pierce through with any
sharp pointed object
a.) cram
b.) impale
c.) wrench
d.) throttle
6. to speak aloud before an audience;
to tell in detail
a.) windfall
b.) recite
c.) frugal
d.) garble
2. to fill completely or with more
than is normally held; to force
into a tight place
a.) wrench
b.) vex
c.) cram
d.) throttle
7. to confuse, to jumble
a.) compile
b.) impale
c.) frugal
d.) garble
8. to gather together facts from different sources into a report or a book
a.) compile
3. to strangle; a valve or peddle
b.) impale
that regulates the flow of a fluid
c.) turncoat
a.) turncoat
d.) shackle
b.) vex
c.) wrench
9. saving; sparing
d.) throttle
a.) compile
b.) garble
4. to annoy; to pester; to puzzle
c.) frugal
a.) detest
d.) futile
b.) vex
c.) explore
10. having no useful result; not sucd.) throttle
cessful; of no importance
a.) impale
5. to search for or travel for the
b.) novelty
purpose of discovery
c.) frugal
a.) windfall
d.) futile
b.) recite
c.) explore
d.) compile
VOCABULARY CARTOONS: Review Answers
Review #14
Review #14.1
Matching:
1-c
2-e
3-a
4-f
5-g
6-d
7-b
8-h
9-j
10-i
Review #14.2
Fill in the Blank:
1-vex
2-refrain
3-frugal
4-garbled
5-impaled
6-windfall
7-miniscule
8-throttle
9-waddle
10-detest
Review #14.3
Multiple Choice:
1. b.) impale
2. c.) cram
3. d.) throttle
4. b.) vex
5. c.) explore
6. b.) recite
7. d.) garble
8. a.) compile
9. c.) frugal
10. d.) futile