Open Court U4L3 Vocabulary

Alejandro's small adobe house stood beside a lonely

desert road .What is the meaning of the word 'adobe'?

• A style of music

• A type of dessert

• A type of building

• A software company

What does the word companion mean in the sentence below?

Beside the house stood a well, and a windmill to pump water from the well. Water for Alejandro and for his only companion, a burro.

• a stranger

• a friend

• an animal

• an enemy

Beside the house stood a well, and a windmill to pump

water from the well. Water for Alejandro and for his only

companion, a burro. Which word means 'a small donkey'?

• mule

• pony

• elephant

• burro

What does the word 'warily' mean in the sentence below?

A ground squirrel crept from the underbrush. Moving warily over the sand, it hesitated and looked around. A

• recklessly

• cautiously

• heedlessly

• rashly

What does the word 'perch' mean in the sentence below?

Cactus wrens, sage sparrows, mourning doves, and others came in the evening to perch on the branches of a mesquite bush, or to rest on the arms of a lone saguaro, before dropping down for a quick drink before nightfall.

• to sit on a high area

• to fly around carefully

• to sleep in a nest

• to hunt for food

The peccaries, sometimes called javelinas, the short-tempered

wild pigs of the desert. What does the word 'short-tempered' mean?

• yelling so you can be heard in a crowd

• not very tall

• understanding with family

• quick to anger

What does the word 'ample' mean in the sentence below?

Finding enough water was not a problem. With his windmill and well, Alejandro could supply ample water for any and all.

• plentiful or abundant

• insufficient

• limited

• scarce

But the thought of giving water to so many thirsty desert dwellers more than made up for the drudgery. What are 'dwellers'?

• People or animals who travel frequently.

• People or animals who live in a particular place or region.

• Inanimate objects that are found in a particular place or region.

• A term used to describe individuals who are homeless.

What does the word 'drudgery' mean in the sentence below?

But the thought of giving water to so many thirsty desert dwellers more than made up for the drudgery. And when it was filled, Alejandro was pleased with the gift he had made for his desert friends.

• creativity, innovation, or inspiration

• hard, menial, or tedious work

• leisure, relaxation, or enjoyment

• excitement, adventure, or thrill

What does the word 'screened' mean in the sentence below?

Water hole number two was built far from the house and screened by heavy desert growth.

• To be given a special treatment

• To be separated from others

• Something that shelters, protects, or hides

• To be protected from harmful substances