W14

Vocabulary

Let’s go over the new vocabulary for this week.

pile (n.)

• objects positioned one on top of another

1

The books were stacked in a big pile on the floor.

stump (n.)

• the part of something such as a tree, tooth, arm, or leg that is left after most of it has been removed

2

Only the stump of the old tree was left after it was cut down.

screen (v.)

• to protect or hide

3

He used his hands to screen his eyes from the bright sun.

hay (n.)

• grass that is cut and dried and used as animal food

4

The farmer fed hay to the horses in the barn.

engineering (n.)

• the work of an engineer, for example, designing or building machines, electrical equipment, roads, etc. using scientific principles

5

She wants to study engineering so she can design bridges.

concentrate (v.)

• to direct your attention or your efforts towards a particular activity, subject, or problem

6

Please be quiet so I can concentrate on my homework.

purely (adj.)

• only

7

The toy is made purely of wood, with no plastic parts.

aesthetically (adv.)

• in a way that relates to the enjoyment or study of beauty

8

The garden was designed aesthetically to look beautiful in every season.

pleasing (adj.)

• giving a feeling of satisfaction or enjoyment

9

The music was pleasing to everyone at the party.

practical (adj.)

• relating to experience, real situations, or actions rather than ideas or imagination

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10

He gave me some practical advice about saving money.

tame (v.)

• (especially of animals) not wild or dangerous, either naturally or because of training or long involvement with humans

11

The zookeeper can tame the lions so they are safe around people.

fairly (adv.)

• used to emphasize figurative expressions that describe what people or objects are doing

12

The new game is fairly easy to learn once you try it.

enthusiasm (n.)

• a feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and an eagerness to be involved in it

13

She showed great enthusiasm when she talked about soccer.

I bet. (phr.)

• I imagine or am fairly certain (that)

14

I bet it will rain tomorrow because of the dark clouds.

fade (v.)

• to lose color, brightness, or strength gradually

15

The paint on the wall will fade if it gets too much sun.

ponder (v.)

• to think carefully about something, especially for a noticeable length of time

16

He likes to ponder difficult questions before answering.

possibility (n.)

• a chance that something may happen or be true

17

There is a possibility that we will go on a field trip next week.

drag (v.)

• to move something by pulling it along a surface, usually the ground

18

The kids had to drag the heavy bag across the playground.

undergo (v.)

• to experience something that is unpleasant or something that involves a change

19

She will undergo surgery to fix her broken arm.

fit (n.)

• a sudden attack of illness when someone cannot control their movements and becomes unconscious

20

The boy had a fit during class and had to rest in the nurse’s office.

hysteria (n.)

• extreme fear, excitement, anger, etc. that cannot be controlled

21

There was mass hysteria when the fire alarm went off suddenly.

tedious (adj.)

• boring

22

Copying all those words by hand was a tedious job.

approach (v.)

• to come near or nearer to something or someone in space, time, quality, or amount

23

0:35

We must approach the wild dog carefully so it doesn’t get scared.

odor (n.)

• a particular smell, esp. a bad one

24

The odor from the garbage can was very strong.

nostril (n.)

• either of the two openings in the nose through which air moves when you breathe

25

He had a cold and couldn’t breathe well through his nostrils.

plummet (v.)

• to fall very quickly and suddenly

26

The rock will plummet to the ground if you drop it from the roof.

inclination (n.)

• a feeling that you want to do a particular thing, or the fact that you prefer or are more likely to do a particular thing

27

She had an inclination to read books instead of watching TV.

peek (v.)

• to look, especially for a short time or while trying to avoid being seen

28

The child tried to peek at his birthday presents before the party.

stride (v.)

• to walk somewhere quickly with long steps

29

He began to stride quickly across the field to join his team.

excavation (n.)

• the act of removing earth that is covering very old objects buried in the ground in order to discover things about the past

30

The scientists started an excavation to find ancient tools in the ground.