3 • Lesson 9 Word List

(n) A way of thinking or feeling about certain things.
Unhappy and grouchy before lunch, Tina had quite a different attitude after she had eaten something.

(v) To say or admit that one has done something wrong.
When my sister accused me of getting spots on her best sweater, I confessed that I had, but by accident.

(v) 1. To keep from being attacked; to protect.
The mother goose defended her young by beating her wings as she ran toward us, hissing.

2. To speak for; to argue in favor of.
My cousin defended me when my brother complained that I never helped with the dishes.

(adj) Happening slowly; taking place little by little.
The rising sea level is caused by the gradual melting of the ice cap in Antarctica.

(n) Information given to help someone answer a question; a clue.
Mr. Wang said he would not give us any hints until we had tried to solve the puzzle.

(v) To suggest something without saying directly what one means.
Rosa had hinted so often about wanting a puppy for her birthday that her parents finally got her one.

(n) A single person, apart from others in a group.
When the teacher asked everyone in class who knew the answer to stand up, only one individual stood.

(adj) Meant for just one.
At the kennel, the dogs were kept in individual cages.

(n) The wish to hurt others on purpose.
Although Camilla feels no malice toward whoever stole her wallet, she is going to be angry if it is not returned.

malicious (adj) Done with a wish to harm or cause pain.
Everyone agreed that spray painting words on the side of the new store was a malicious thing to do.

(n) A feeling of great unhappiness.
The flash flood brought misery to hundreds of families whose homes were now standing in four feet of water.

miserable (adj) 1. Very unhappy or unpleasant.
The mosquitoes were so thick in the woods that I was miserable for the entire hike.

2. Very bad; of poor quality.
We discovered what a miserable job the roofer had done when we found a leak in the attic after the next rainstorm.

(n) 1. The answer to a problem or puzzle.
After filling in all but a few of the blanks in the crossword puzzle, Rico turned to the back of the newspaper for the solution.

2. A mixture formed when a liquid and some other materials are mixed together.
Brine, which is a solution of salt and water, keeps pickles crisp and fresh.

(v) To look over; to examine.
From a helicopter, the governor surveyed the damage caused by the tornado.

(n) A study designed to gather information about a subject.
Our class made a survey of all students to find out which lunches were most popular.