Unit 1: Literature
“Stray” (p. 17)
1. timidly: in a way that shows fear or shyness
2. trudged: walked as if tired or with effort
3. grudgingly: in an unenthusiastic or resentful way
4. ignore: pay no attention to
5. exhausted: tired out
“from The Pigman and Me” (p. 181)
1. exact: take using force or authority
2. tactics: methods used for a particular purpose; tricks
3. undulating: moving in waves, like a snake
4. goading: pushing a person into acting, especially by using pain or insults
5. distorted: twisted out of the normal shape
6. groveled: lay or crawled about before someone in hope of mercy
“The King of Mazy May” (p. 51)
1. toil: hard word
2. endured: suffered through
3. prospectors: people who make their living searching for valuable ores, such as gold
4. liable: likely (to do something or have something happen to one)
5. poising: balancing
6. declined: refused
7. summit: highest part
“Lob’s Girl” / “Tiger Who Would Be King”/ “The Lion and the Bulls” (p. 269)
1. decisively: with determination
2. atone: make up for a wrong
3. resolutions: intentions; things decided
4. melancholy: sad; gloomy
5. intimated: hinted; made known
6. aggrieved: offended; wronged
7. prowled: crawled quietly and secretly
8. repulse: drive back; repel on attack
9. slanderous: untrue and damaging
Hatchet (Week 1)
1. initial: occurring at the beginning
2. grimacing: a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc
3. abated: to reduce in amount, degree, intensity, etc.; lesson; diminish
4. keening: sharp, piercing, or biting
5. hordes: a large group, multitude, number
6. interlaced:
7. crude: in a raw or unprepared state; unrefined or natural
8. rivulets: a small stream, streamlet, brook
9. seepage: something that leaks out
10. exasperation: frustrated annoyance
11. eddied: a small whirlpool; any current, as of air, dust, or fog
12. dormant: in a state of rest or inactivity, inoperative
Hatchet (Week 2)
1. infuriating: causing or tending to cause anger or outrage
2. rectify: to make, put, or set right; remedy, correct
3. refracts: to deflect (light, for example) from a straight path by refractions
4. devastating: to lay waste; render desolate
5. prospect: an apparent probability of advancement, success
6. unduly: in an appropriate, unjustifiable, or improper manner
7. incessant: continuing without interruption; ceaseless; unending
8. stymied: a situation or problem presenting such difficulties as to discourage or defeat any
attempts to deal with or resolve it
9. frenzied: wildly excited or enthusiastic
10. substantial: of ample or considerable amount, quantity, size
11. unwittingly: unintentional; accidental
12. furor: a general outburst or enthusiasm, excitement
Literary Genres
1. non-fiction: accounts of real people, places, events
2. biography: a true account of a person’s life written, composed, or produced by another person
3. autobiography: the biography of a person written by that person
4. informational text: provide facts about a variety of topics
5. fiction: prose writing that tells about imaginary characters and events
6. historical fiction: a story that takes place during a particular time period, or a character may
interact with actual historical characters
7. realistic fiction: the story usually presents a problem that could be from anybody’s life
8. science fiction: stories based on real or imagined inventions, space, travel, or life in other
worlds
9. mystery: stories that usually involve a crime that has been committed and the reader wants to
try to figure out “whodunit”
10. fantasy: stories involve a magical world where anything is possible
11. fairy tales: “Once upon a time…” beginning, “and they lived happily ever after” ending
usually feature a fight between good and evil
12. folktale: story told generation to generation, different versions in different cultures, and the
original storyteller is usually unknown
13. tall tales: the main character is better at things than ordinary person, using exaggeration, and
sometimes explains how things came to be.
14. fables: stories have a moral (lesson) that is being taught.
15. myths: a story or group of stories that form part of the traditional knowledge of a society,
usually involving gods and goddesses.
16. Legends: a story passed down as a “true” story, often contain a moral, or supernatural
elements
Unit 2: Informational Text
“The Circuit” / “Hard as Nails” (p. 65)
1. drone: continuous humming sound
2. instinctively: done by instinct, without thinking
3. savoring: enjoying with appreciation; tasting; relishing
4. embedded: firmly fixed in a material
5. exhaust: use up
6. sublime: majestic; causing awe
7. immense: huge
“The Loch Ness Monster” / Why The Tortoise’s Shell Is Not Smooth (p. 405)
1. elusive: always escaping
2. abundant: plentiful, more than enough
3. famine: shortage of food
4. orator: speaker
5. eloquent: persuasive and expressive
6. oral tradition: the passing along of songs, stories, and poems by word of mouth
7. nonfiction: literary work that is true
8. fiction: literary work that is not true
9. unsupported inferences: conclusions based on too few examples or facts
10. fallacious reasoning: false or incorrect interpretation of facts
“from Exploring the Titanic” (p. 379)
1. majestically: grandly
2. collision: coming together with a sudden violent force; a crash
3. novelty: something new or unusual
4. watertight: put together so that no water can get through
5. suspense: the feeling of anxious uncertainty about upcoming events
6. atmosphere: mood, the feeling created by a work or passage.
7. fact: information that can be proved true or false
8. opinion: expresses a belief that can be supported, but not proved
“Jackie Robinson: Justice at Last” (p. 315)
1. aptitude: natural ability
2. intrigued: fascinated
3. treacherous: dangerous
4. integrate: remove barriers and allow access to all
5. retaliated: harmed or did wrong to someone in return for an injury or wrong he or she has done
6. historical account: tells about real people and events of the past
7. main idea: the core to a piece of writing
”The Shutout” (p. 531)
1. anecdotes: short, entertaining tales
2. evolved: grew gradually; developed
3. diverse: various; with differing characteristics
4. composed: made up (of)
5. irrational: unreasonable; not making sense
6. historical essay: gives facts, explanations, and interpretations of historical events
7. author’s purpose: his or her reason for writing
“Restoring the Circle” / “How the Internet Works” / “Turkeys” (p. 571)
1. tolerance: respect for something different
2. detrimental: harmful
3. dilution: weakening by mixing with something else
4. vigilance: watchfulness
The Egypt Game (Week 1)
1. petrified: turned into stone
2. monolith: a single large block of stone, one made into an obelisk
3. papyrus: a writing material made from a tall water plant in Egypt
4. sinister: threatening harm, evil, etc.
5. deadpan: without expression; blank
6. hieroglyphics: pictures or symbols represented a word, syllable, or sound used by the ancient
Egyptians and others
7. incense: any substance burned to produce a pleasant odor
8. omen: a thing or happening supposed to foretell a future event
9. prostrated: lying face down
10. warily: cautiously
11. reincarnation: rebirth of the soul into another body
12. heir: one who inherits or is entitled to inherit another’s property, title, etc.
13. languishing: becoming weak or drooping
14. summoned: called together, ordered to meet
15. escapades: reckless adventures or pranks
16. processions: people or things moving forward, as in parade
17. pharaoh: the title of the kings of ancient Egypt
18. tunic: a loose, gown-like garment worn by men in ancient Greece or Rome
19. diplomacy: the conducting of relations between nations
20. philosophically: in a way that uses thought or reason
The Egypt Game (Week 2)
1. rendezvous: a meeting place
2. pilgrimage: any long journey
3. gypsies: members of a wandering Caucasoid people
4. brine: water full of salt
5. rasped: grated upon, irritated
6. solemn: serious or grave
7. consternation: terrify, great fear or shock
8. seclusion: retirement, isolation
9. grottoes: caves
10. primitive: of the earliest times, original
11. province: a district, or territory
12. alibi: the plea or fact that an accused person was elsewhere than at the scene of a crime
13. dahlia: a perennial plant with large showy flowers
14. anthropology: study of characteristics and customs of humanity
15. spectator: one who watches without taking an active part
16. gloat: to gaze or think with malicious pleasure
17. oracle: among the ancient Greeks and Romans, place where Messengers of the Gods were
consulted
18. bewildered: confused hopelessly
19. populace: the common people, the masses
20. alabaster: a translucent, whitish variety of gypsum used for statues
Vocabulary: Parts of a Newspaper
Unit 3: Persuasion and Argument Fictional Genres of Literature
“The Fun They Had” (p. 351)
1. calculated: determined by using math
2. loftily: in a superior way
3. dispute: argue; debate
4. nonchalantly: without concern or interest
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963
1. emulate: to strive to equal or excel
2. egghead: intellectual
3. cockeyed: having an eye that is turned or tilted to one side
4. punctual: acting or usually acting at an appointed time or at a regularly scheduled time
5. hypnotized: a trancelike state
6. juvenile: of, relating to, or characteristic of children or young people
7. welfare: aid in the form of money or necessities for people in need
8. generous: free in giving or sharing
9. conscience: knowledge of right and wrong and a feeling one should do what is right
10. conk: a procedure in which the hair of an African-American boy is straightened through the
use of potatoes, lye, Vaseline, and soap.
11. jive: a. Swing music or dancing performed to it
b. Slick, deceptive, or foolish talk: a special language of difficult or slang terms
12. temptations: to persuade or try to persuade to do wrong by promise of pleasure or gain
13. eavesdropped: to listen secretly to private conversation
14. whirlpool: water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center into which floating
objects are drawn
15. sonic boom: a sound like that of an explosion produced when a shock wave formed at the
nose of an aircraft traveling at supersonic speed reaches the ground
“Letter to Scottie” / “Olympic Diary” (p. 541)
1. documentation: supporting evidence
2. intrigued: fascinated
3. compulsory: must be done; having specific requirements
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Week 1)
1. rancid: spoiling and smelling bad
2. warily: carefully
3. authoritatively: with certainty
4. hypochondriac: person who imagines sickness
5. delirious: affected with a mental disorder
6. relentlessly: without stopping
7. respite: period of relief, a pause
8. vantage: favorable position
9. plummeted: fall straight down
10. primeval: of earliest times; primitive
11. agitated: disturbed
12. deference: respect
13. bewilderment: puzzled
14. recessed: a hollow place
15. glumly: gloomy, sad
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Week 2)
1. contritely: showing sincere remorse
2. converged: come together
3. futile: useless
4. compiled: put together in one book or work
5. frenzy: wild excitement
6. comradeship: friendship
7. astute: clever
8. consternation: dismay; dread
9. engrossed: to take the attention of
10. confer: to have a conference
11. pessimist: someone who always expects the worst
12. impasse: a situation offering no escape or resolution
13. baffled: to perplex, bewilder
14. inexorable: relentless
15. incredulously: unbelievingly
Unit 4: Poetry
Simile: Willow and Gingko, Fame is a Bee, April Rain Song (p. 739)
1. soprano: the highest singing voice of women, girls, or young boys
2. chorus: the part of a song sung by many voices at once
“The Sidewalk Racer”/ “Haiku”/ “Limerick” (p. 717)
1. flee: to run or escape from danger
2. flaw: break; crack
3. flue: a tube for the passage of smoke
4. skimming: gliding, moving swiftly and lightly over a surface
5. concrete poem: words arranged in a shape that reflects the subject of the poem
6. limerick: a short, funny poem with 5 lines
7. haiku: a Japanese verse form with 3 lines
“Adventures of Isabel” / “I’ll Stay, Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright”/ “Dream Dust” (p.
245)
1. ravenous: greedily hungry
2. cavernous: deep and empty
3. rancor: bitter hate
4. grant: admit
5. murmur: a low, indistinct, continuous sound
6. hideous: horrible; very ugly
“The Geese”/ “Jimmy Jet and His TV Set” / “The Walrus and the Carpenter” (p. 705)
1. lean: thin
2. antennae: metal rods that receive TV or radio signals
3. passage: migration
4. lure: anything that tempts or entices
5. billows: large waves
6. beseech: beg
7. briny: salty
8. frothy: foamy
“Dust of Snow”/ “My Picture Gallery”,/ “Saying Yes” (p. 29)
1. rued: regretted
2. tableaus: dramatic scenes or pictures
3. suspended: hung with a support from above
4. prodigal: very plentiful
5. cicerone: guide who explains the history and important facts to tourists
6. hemlock: poisonous European plant
“A Dream Within a Dream”/ “The Spring and the Fall”/ “Ankylosaurus” (p. 365)
1. deem: judge
2. bough: tree branch
3. raucous: loud and rowdy
4. inedible: not fit to be eaten
5. cudgel: short, thick stick or club
Extra Stories (as needed)
“Thunder Butte” (p. 193)
1. meanderings: aimless wanderings
2. diminutive: very small
3. variegated: marked with different colors in spots or streaks
4. heathen: uncivilized
5. adamant: not flexible; not willing to give in
6. ascent: an upward slope
7. uneasiness: a disturbed or uncomfortable feeling
“Old Ben and Feathered Friend” (p. 153)
1. scarce: few in number or in infrequent; not common
2. regulation: rule
3. fusing: joining permanently
4. ceased: stopped
5. mournfully: in a way that expresses deep sadness
6. abruptly: in a sudden, or unexpected way
7. ventilating: providing an enclosed space with a vent for air
8. smuggled: taken or brought in secretly
9. forked: divided
“Zlateh the Goat” (p. 127)
1. rapidly: quickly
2. expel: to force out
3. conclusion: a belief or decision reached by reasoning
4. exuded: gave off, oozed; radiated
5. trace: a mark left behind by something
6. extract: to take out
7. bound: tied
8. explode: to burst out or blow apart
9. extend: to reach out or away from
10. exile: to send away
11. exclude: to leave out
“Dragon, Dragon” (p. 433)
1. plagued:
2. craned: stretched out (one’s neck) for a better view
3. tyrant: cruel, unjust ruler
4. ravaged: violently destroyed; ruined
5. reflecting: thinking seriously
6. exposition: introduction to the problem
7. rising action: development of the problem
8. climax: turning point
9. falling action: after the problem is solved
10. resolution: how the problem turns out
“Names/Nombres”, “The Southpaw”, “Alone in the Nets” (p. 223)
1. transport: carry from one place to another
2. inevitably: unavoidably
3. chaotic: completely confused
4. inscribed: written on
5. opposition: the other team
6. evaporate: disappear like vapor
“Greyling” (p. 289)
1. grief: deep sadness
2. sheared: cut off sharply
3. slough: be cast off
4. wallowed: rolled and tilted
5. hearth: the stone or brick floor of a fireplace
6. stranded: run or driven aground to support sails
7. mast: tall vertical pole used to support sails
8. spyglasses: small telescope
“The Ant and the Dove”/ “He Lion, Bruh Bear, and Bruh Rabbit”/ “Senor Coyote and the
Tricked Trickster” ( p. 765)
1. indignantly: angrily
2. startled: surprised
3. lair: cave or den
4. ungrateful: not thankful
5. reproachfully: with blame
6. cordial: warm and friendly
“Breaker’s Bridge” (p. 391)
1. obstacle: something that stands in the way
2. writhing: twisting and turning
3. piers: heavy structures supporting the sections of a bridge
4. executioner: one who carries out a death penalty imposed by the courts or a ruler
5. immortals: beings who live forever
“Jeremiah’s Song” (p. 37)
1. diagnosis: explanation of or prediction about a person’s medical condition
2. disinfect: dialect, or regional language, for disinfectant, a substance that kills germs
3. distrust: to have a feeling that somebody or something is unreliable or not honest
4. disconnect: to detach one part from another
5. disinterested: indifferent, or no longer interested
6. disrespect:
7. disobey: to refuse to follow a rule or instruction
8. condition: a state of health or physical fitness
9. setback: a stopping of progress; a reversal
“The Lawyer and the Ghost” (p. 477)
1. sufficient: enough, satisfactory
2. expend: spend
3. countenance: face; also, the look on a person’s face
4. suit: lawsuit; a court case in which two or more persons or businesses argue over a matter
5. harpies: greedy people (originally the name of hideous mythological monsters with women’s
heads and birds’ wings and claws
6. inconsistent: contradictory; not making sense
7. chambers: a room, usually private, in a house or apartment, especially a bedroom
8. massive: huge; large and impressive
9. stoic: showing no reaction to good or bad events; calm and unaffected by hardship
10. gnashes: bites with grinding teeth
11. tenant: a person or group that rents and occupies land, a house, an office, or the like, from
another for a period of time
12. apparition: a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost; a specter or
phantom
13. setting: the time and place of a story’s events