Vocabulary

Exploring words!

Below you will find vocabulary terms that appear in the chapters of Gooseberry Park. Discuss their meaning as a class, in a group, or with a partner! Try building your own sentences with these terms.

Chapter 1

  • tremendous (3) - huge, overwhelming

  • marvel (5) - a wonder

  • professor (6) - college teacher

  • noble (7) - dignified, excellent

  • harbor (7) - place for shelter for boats

Chapter 2

  • prey (9) - target of attack by animals

  • dashing (11) - energetically moving forward

  • instinct (12) - gut feeling, hunch

  • prospect (12) - outlook for the future, likelihood

Chapter 3

  • biology (13) – study of plants and animals

  • enchanting (14) – fascinating, delightful

  • companion (14) – friend, buddy

  • delicate (150 – dainty, fragile

  • antennae (15) – insect part used for sensing

  • overwhelmed (17) – overtaken, flustered

  • romped (18) – had fun, enjoyed oneself, played aggressively

  • elderly (22) – old age

Chapter 4

  • sarcasm (24) – mocking remark

  • nocturnal (26) – happening at night

  • palpitations (27) – throbbing, beating, pulsing

  • echolocation (27) – sonar system used by animals to locate objects

  • indigestion (29) – upset stomach

  • perched (29) – sit atop of

Chapter 5

  • mantel (31) – shelf above a fireplace

  • subtle (31) – slight, quiet

  • conviction (32) – confidence, determined belief

  • remarkable (32) – extraordinary, exceptional, rare

  • plucky (32) – brave, spunky, gutsy

  • pace (33) – to walk back and forth

  • devoted (34) – committed, loyal, dedicated

  • sacred (35) – cherished, revered

  • solemn (35) – quiet, serious, intense

  • profound (35) – thoughtful, deep, intellectual

  • sustenance (35) – necessities for life (food)

Chapter 6

  • heady (36) – thrilling, exciting

  • triplets (36) – set of three children

  • burrows (36) – animal holes

  • pungent (37) – smells strongly

  • delicacy (37) – delicious, gourmet food

  • cackled (37) – laughed loudly

  • hoisted (37) - lifted

Chapter 7

  • fate (40) – destiny, predetermined future

  • specter (40) – ghost

  • drought (40) – dryness, shortage of water

  • coated (41) – covered

  • weary (41) – tired, exhausted

  • encased (41) – covered or protected, wrapped

  • assault (42) – attack

  • hobbled (42) – limp, stumble

  • muttering (42) – grumble, mumble

  • burrowed (43) – dig a hole, tunnel

  • persistently (43) – not giving up

  • endured (43) – experienced a hardship, got through, withstood

  • agonizing (44) – difficult, painful suffering

  • deluge (44) – downpour, flood

  • whimperings (44) – small cries, sobs

Chapter 8

  • descended (46) – moved down

  • vigil (46) – a watch or guard

  • occupants (46) – people who live in a dwelling

  • floe (46) – glacier, chunk of ice

  • treacherous (47) – dangerous, hazardous, risky

  • naught (47) – zero, nothing

  • deft (49) – agile, skillful

  • mechanism (49) – machine, device

  • vigorous (49) – energetic, active, forceful

  • anxiously (50) – carefully, nervously

  • maneuvered (51) – operated, handled

  • hedge (51) – bushes, shrubbery

  • sour (52) – unpleasant

Chapter 9

  • remorse (53) – guilt, regret

  • stunned (53) – dazed, amazed, confused

  • debris (53) – litter, trash majesty (53) – greatness

  • mammoth (53) – huge, gigantic

  • desolation (54) – devastation, uninhabited, isolated

  • intently (55) – with concentration

  • woe (57) – suffering, hardship, tragedy

  • rattled (58) – confused, disturbed

  • grueling (60) – difficult

Chapter 10

  • unyielding (62) – rigid, unrelenting, not giving up, persistent

  • amateur (63) – beginner

  • colander (63) – kitchen strainer

  • abrasion (64) – scrape, injury

  • emerge (65) – come out, arrive

  • winced (68) – flinched, grimaced with pain

  • babbling (70) – chattering, blabbering

Chapter 11

  • impatient (74) – unwilling to wait

  • curd (75) – lump

  • domestic (77) – in a household

Chapter 12

  • senile (79) – failing mental abilities because of old age

  • hectic (80) – unsettled, chaotic, frenzied

  • bade (84) – offered

Chapter 13

  • devastation (85) – destruction, ruin

  • resumed (86) – continued

  • mightily (86) – greatly, very much

  • hibernation (86) – inactivity, sleep

  • groggy (86) – dazed, confused, stunned

  • acquainted (86) – aware, familiar

  • confidentially (88) – in secret

  • sneered (89) – mocked, made fun of

Chapter 14

  • exasperation (92) – annoyance, irritation

Chapter 15

  • muckraker (96) – critic, trouble-maker, spreader of rumors

  • mischievous (97) – naughty, sneaky

  • infamous (98) – said of someone with a bad reputation

  • identity (98) – name, personality

  • shrewdly (98) – cleverly, slyly

  • scruples (101) – morals, behavior standards

  • tedious (101) – dull, boring

  • barreling (101) – hurry, hustle, dash

  • delicate (102) – dainty, weak, fragile

  • disgrace (103) – to shame

  • tacky (103) – cheap, shabby

Chapter 16

  • plunked (106) – throw down, plop

  • tended (108) – took care of

  • foundation (111) – base, groundwork

  • bawling (111) – crying, sobbing

  • reunion (112) – homecoming, seeing someone you have been separated from

Chapter 17

  • contrived (113) – false, phony

  • schemes (113) – plots, plans

Chapter 18

  • acquaintance (121) – someone you know, friend

  • scout (121) – a person who is searching, detective

  • scarce (123) – rare

  • clobbered (125) – hit, beat

  • queries (126) – ask, question

  • careening (127) – lurch, tilt, lean

Chapter 19

  • recount (133) – retell a story

  • radiance (133) – brightness or light

Vocabulary provided by: https://readtothem.org/ for 'One School, One Book'