Vocabulary Word List 1 The Naked Mole Rat Letters by Mary Amato (part 1 of 3)
Use these words when writing about your experiences or when reflecting on this novel or other literature.
sordid (p. 2)adj. wretchedly poor and run-down; meanly selfish, self-seeking.
(Dad must have met her on the sordid streets of Washington, D.C.)
debilitating(p.5) v. to make weak or feeble; crippling
(He did talk about you and your brothers, although he failed to mention the debilitating condition of your brothers.)
aplomb (p.6)n. undisturbed self-possession, poise, or self-assurance.
n. the perpendicular or vertical position.
(I took care of the situation with speed and aplomb, as Ms. Young used to say.)
menacing(p.7)adj. annoying, dangerous, potentially harmful.
(The menacing cloud that is Skip’s personality settled over his face; and when Dad went into the kitchen for napkins, Skip gave one last kick.)
drastic (p.11)adj. acting with force or violence; extremely severe or extensive.
(Obviously drastic measures are required. Should I act now or wait for her next move?)
mogrified (p 16) v. to transform an image or sequence of images. (this is typically computer language and may come from transmogrify, which means to change in appearance or form.)
(My brothers are genetically mogrified to be cruel. They especially do not like adult females.)
chronicle (p.17) v. To record, log, write down. (I’d rather use my time to chronicle the horrible and fateful day I’ve had thus far.) n. a recorded record of events, history.
coma (p. 29)n. A state of prolonged unconsciousness, including a lack of response to stimuli. (Today is Friday. I’m going to fall into a coma over the weekend.)
dulcimer (p.38)n.. A modern folk instrument related to the guitar and plucked with the fingers.
(Dad tried to convince her to take up the hammer dulcimer, saying how easy it is to learn.)
pamphlet (p. 64) n. A brief publication stitched or staples together having a paper cover. (There were a bunch of pamphlets from the National Association of Musical Instrument Makers and a letter.)
desecrated (p. 72) v.To treat with disrespect. (After I desecrated the stupid book and poured my heart out in these pages, I heard a little scratch at the door.)
sympathy (p.75) n. the fact or power of sharing the feelings of another; especially in trouble or sorrow. (I expected – I don’t know – a little sympathy, perhaps, for not getting the part I wanted? But everybody just jumped on me for waking up late.)
correspondence (p. 78) n. Communication by exchange of letters or emails. (Correspondence between two people should be private.)
lacquered (p. 82) v. to coat with lacquer, which is a protective liquid or varnish used to produce a polished surface on something. (She lacquered old family photographs onto the dining room table so that we’d always be eating with the whole family.) TNMRL 1 of 3