Reading Vocabulary


Theme 1 - Off to Adventure!


"Cliff Hanger"
belay
being tied to a person or a rock with a rope for safety
descent
a trip down into or from something, such as a mountain
harness
a set of straps that can attach to a safety rope
ledge
a shelf of rock
rappel
to come down a cliff by sliding down a rope
trekked
made a slow and difficult journey on foot

"The Ballad of Mulan"
armor
body covering, often of metal, worn for protection in battle
comrades
companions who share one's activities
endured
put up with or lasted through
farewell
goodbye
triumphant
successful
troops
soldiers
victorious
having won by defeating another

"The Lost and Found"
directions
lines or paths along which someone or something goes, lies, or points
rumpled
wrinkled or creased
situations
sets of conditions at certain moments in time
unusual
not usual, common, or ordinary
visible
able to be seen
worried
concerned or anxious

Theme 2 - Celebrating Traditions
"The Keeping Quilt"

border
a part that forms the outside edge of something
gathering
a coming together of people
needles
small, thin tools used for sewing
scraps
leftover bits of cloth
sewn
fastened with stitches, using a needle and thread
threaded
passed thread through the eye of a needle

"Grandma's Records"
conga
a tall, narrow drum with one head that is played by beating with the hands
percussion
the striking together of two things to create sound; a family of musical instruments played by being struck or shaken
performing
presenting something, such as music or acting, before an audience
record
a grooved disc that can be played on a phonograph
salsa
a style of Latin American dance music that mixes African, Cuban, jazz, and rock music
theater
a building where plays, movies, or concerts are presented

"The Talking Cloth"
collector
a person who gathers things or has a collection
collection
a group of objects with something in common
flourish
a dramatic waving motion; a showy way of doing something
royalty
members of a royal family, such as kings, queens, princesses, or princes
embroidered
decorated by sewing designs with thread or yarn
symbols
designs that stand for other things or ideas
wealth
plenty of money or other valuable things

"Dancing Rainbows"
ancestors
people one's family comes from
elders
people who are older and often wise, respected leaders in a group
honor
to show special respect for
imitating
copying what someone does
respect
admiration or consideration

Theme 3 - Incredible Stories
"Dogzilla"

colossal
very big; enormous
creature
a living being, especially an animal
heroic
very brave or daring
horrifying
causing much fear
monstrous
extremely large; enormous
terrifying
causing much fear
tremendous
very great, large, or powerful

"The Mysterious Giant of Barletta"
giant
a huge, strong, imaginary creature that looks like a human being
mysterious
very hard to explain or understand
pedestal
a base or support for a column or a statue
square
a rectangle having four equal sides; an open area where two or more streets come together, often in the center of a town
statue
an image, often of a person or an animal, usually made of stone, metal, or wood
weakling
a person lacking strength or character

"Raising Dragons"
appetite
the desire for food; hunger
chores
small jobs usually done on a regular schedule
harvested
picked or gathered
hitched
tied on or fastened by a knot, ring, or hook
plow
to break up and turn over dirt so that seeds can be planted
sown
scattered or planted
tended
looked after; took care of

"The Garden of Abdul Gasazi"
awesome
causing a feeling of wonder, fear, and respect
convinced
made to do, believe, or feel certain about something
disappeared
passed out of sight; vanished
discovered
found; learned
incredible
too unlikely to be believed; astonishing or amazing
impossible
not able to happen or exist

Theme 4 - Animal Habitats
"Nights of the Pufflings"

ashore
on or to the shore (from the water)
burrows
holes or tunnels dug in the ground by small animals
instinctively
acting on an inner feeling; doing without thinking
launching
throwing; sending forcefully upward
stranded
left in a helpless or difficult position
uninhabited
having no people living there
venture
to set out to do something even though it might be dangerous

"Seal Surfer"
basked
rested in pleasant warmth
buffeted
struck powerfully, blown about
horizon
the line where the sky seems to meet the sea or Earth
quay
a dock where ships are loaded and unloaded
surf
to ride on waves, often on a surfboard
swell
a long wave that moves without breaking
swooped
moved with a sudden, sweeping motion

"Two Days in May"
appreciate
to enjoy and understand
grazing
eating growing plants
population
relating to the number of people or animals living in a certain place
starve
to suffer or die from not having enough food
surrounding
on all sides of
territory
an area of land
wander
to move from place to place without having a special destination

Theme 5 - Voyages
"Across the Wide Dark Sea"

anchor
a heavy metal hook attached to a ship and dropped overboard to hold the ship in place
cramped
crowded; not enough room to move about
journey
a trip from one place to another
seeping
slowly leaking; oozing
settlement
a small community in a new place
survive
to stay alive; to hold up or withstand
weary
tired; needing rest

"Yunmi and Halmoni's Trip"
bustling
full of activity; busy
custom
a tradition; a way of doing something that many people follow
foreigners
people who come from another country or place
passport
a government document that allows a person to travel in foreign countries
sightseeing
visiting interesting places; touring
skyscrapers
very tall buildings
vendor
someone who sells something

"Trapped by the Ice!"
barren
having little plant or animal life
crevasse
deep hole or crack
deserted
empty; not lived in, or having few or no people
floes
large sheets of floating ice
grueling
very tiring
impassable
not able to be crossed or traveled through
perilous
very dangerous
terrain
land, ground, or earth

Theme 6 - Smart Solutions
"Pepita Talks Twice"

language
spoken or written human speech
Spanish
a language
enchiladas
tortillas rolled aroung a filling, then covered with spicy sauce
salsa
a spicy sauce usually made with tomatoes, onions, and peppers
tortilla
a round, flat bread made of corn, from Mexico and Central America
tamales
cornmeal dough wrapped in a corn husk or leaf around a filling and steamed
tacos
tortillas folded around a filling such as ground meat or cheese

"Poppa's New Pants"
draped
hung loosely in folds
fabric
cloth
hem
to fold back and sew down the edges
mended
repaired by sewing
pattern
a repeated design or decoration
plaid
a pattern of stripes that cross each other
rustling
quick, soft, fluttering sound

"Ramona Quimby, Age 8"
ceaseless
not stopping; constant
companionable
friendly
discouraged
having little hope or enthusiasm
dismal
gloomy; miserable
dreary
gloomy; bleak; dull
exhausted
very tired
pelting
beating against again and again
sullenly
in a bad-humored way; not happily; gloomily