W11
Vocabulary
Let’s go over the new vocabulary for this week.
country (n.)
the land of a person’s birth, residence, or citizenship
1
She moved to a new country in search of a better life for her family.
interpret (v.)
to explain or tell the meaning of
2
I had to interpret the picture to figure out what the artist was trying to show.
imagine (v.)
to form a mental image of (something not present)
3
Imagine living in a place where you didn’t know the language.
homeland (n.)
native land
4
He always felt a deep connection to his homeland, even after years abroad.
immigrant (n.)
a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence
5
“permanent residence” means to live somewhere for a long time
As an immigrant, she faced many challenges but remained determined to succeed.
freedom (n.)
the quality or state of being free
6
They came to this land seeking freedom and safety.
religion (n.)
a personal set or institutionalized system of religion attitudes, beliefs, and practices
7
People around the world believe in many different types of religion.
escape (v.)
to get free of; break away from
8
The rabbit tried to escape from the cage by squeezing through a small hole.
famine (n.)
an extreme scarcity of food
9
The famine forced thousands to leave in search of food and shelter.
opportunities (n.)
a good chance for advancement or progress
10
This city offers more opportunities for work and education.
foreman (n.)
a person in charge of a group of workers, a particular operation, or a section of a plant
11
The foreman supervised the crew and ensured everyone followed safety rules.
accomplish (v.)
to bring to completion
12
With hard work and dedication, you can accomplish anything.
foundation (n.)
an underlying base or support
13
The builders poured cement to make a strong foundation for the new house.
bulldozer (n.)
a tractor-driven machine usually having a broad horizontal blade for moving earth
14
The bulldozer cleared the land to make way for the new park.
jackhammers (n.)
a tool that drills through rock by hitting it very hard and quickly
15
The sound of jackhammers echoed through the street during construction.
lumber (v.)
to move ponderously
16
to move slowly and awkwardly
The tired bear lumbered through the forest, looking for a place to sleep.
volunteers (n./v.)
(n.) a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses willingness to undertake a service
17
(v.) to offer to do something that you do not have to do, often without having been asked to do it and/or without expecting payment
(n.) The volunteers worked tirelessly to clear debris from the tracks.
(v.) She volunteers every weekend to help out at the animal shelter.
flatcars (n.)
a railroad freight car without permanent raised sides, ends, or covering
18
The flatcars carried massive steel beams to the construction site.
whistle (n./v.)
a small wind instrument in which sound is produced by the forcible passage of breath through slit in a short tube; a shrill, high sound
19
(n.) The train’s whistle echoed through the valley as it approached the station.
(v.) He whistled a tune while walking along the tracks.
shrill (adj.)
to utter or emit an acute piercing sound
20
A shrill scream rang out as the metal scraped against the stone.
blast (v.)
a violent gust of wind
21
A cold blast of wind hit us as soon as we opened the door.
pierced (v.)
having holes
22
BASE WORD: pierce
to go into or through something, making a hole in it using a sharp point
She pierced the paper with a pencil by accident.
sledgehammers (n.)
a large heavy hammer that is wielded with both hands
23
The crew used heavy sledgehammers to break apart the old concrete ties.
gandy-dancer (n.)
a laborer in a railroad section gang
24
The old-timer stories about being a gandy-dancer and laying track by hand.
wrenches (v.)
to twist violently
25
BASE WORD: wrench
He wrenches the rusty bolt loose with all his strength.
aligning (v.)
to bring into line or alignment
26
BASE WORD: align
He is aligning the puzzle pieces so they fit together perfectly.
tamper (v.)
to interfere so as to weaken or change for the worse
27
Don’t tamper with the wires; it could be dangerous.
gravel (n.)
loose rounded fragments of rock
28
Fresh gravel was poured along the track bed to improve drainage.
ballast (n.)
something that gives stability (as in character or conduct)
29
The ballast helps keep the railroad ties in place and supports the tracks.
mammoth (n./adj.)
(n.) a type of large elephant, now extinct, that was covered in hair and had tusks
30
(adj.) of very great size
(n.) Wooly mammoths once roamed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.
(adj.) Building the bridge was a mammoth task that took months to complete.