Of Mice and Men Vocabulary 2

Name ___________________________

Vocabulary for Of Mice and Men – Chapters 3 and 4

Define each of the following words on the back of the sheet and/or on a separate sheet of paper. Example sentences from the book are provided for context clues and to determine part of speech.

1. Derision      Through the open door came the thuds and occasional clangs of a horseshoe game, and now and then the sound of voices raised in approval or derision.

2. Nuisance     “’Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time,” said George.

3. Subdue       Slim gazed at him for a moment and then looked down at his hands; he subdued one hand with the other, and held it down.

4. Rapt                        He looked raptly at the wall over Lennie’s head.

5. Reprehensible        When Candy spoke they both jumped as though they had been caught doing something reprehensible.

6. Bemused     They all sat still, all bemused by the beauty of the thing, each mind was popped into the future when this lovely thing should come about.

7. Poised                     Curley was balanced and poised.

8. Maul                       And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905.

9. Meager       In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meager yellow light.

10. Sullen        Candy repeated sullenly, “Got it caught in a machine.”

11. Indignation          She was breathless with indignation.

12. Arouse      There was no personality, no ego—nothing to arouse either like or dislike.

13. Avert                   For a moment she stood over him as though waiting for him to move so that she could whip at him again; but Crooks sat perfectly still, his eyes averted, everything that might be hurt drawn in.

Questions for "Strong Horse Tea"

Name: ________________________________

Questions for “Strong Horse Tea”

1.      What is implied by Sarah when she says, "What time you reckon that doctor'll git here" Find evidence to support your answer.

2.      What words show us that the mailman is not interested in Rannie's sick child?

3.      What is implied by "He half believed with everybody else in the county that the old blue-eyed black woman possessed magic. Magic that if it didn't work on whites probably would on blacks."

4.      Give evidence that shows the mailman is racist. Explain your thinking.

5.      What is symbolic about the fact that her house is in a pasture "Animals lived in the pasture all around her house, and she and Snooks lived in it."

6.      What does it represent that Rannie doesn't want "nigger magic," that she wants the white doctor?

7.      What does it tell us about Rannie that she is certain the doctor will come?

8.      How does Walker make Rannie a heroic character? How is Rannie different from most heroes?

9.      What language does Walker use to describe Snooks that foreshadows his death? (Give quotes.)

Of Mice and Men Vocabulary 1

Name ___________________________

Vocabulary for Of Mice and Men

Define each of the following words on the back of the sheet and/or on a separate sheet of paper. Example sentences from the book are provided for context clues and to determine part of speech.

1.      scowl   The little man jerked down the brim of his hat and scowled over at Lennie.

2.      pantomime     But Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence.

3.      anguish           He looked across the fire at Lennie’s anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames.

4.      laden   At about ten o’clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust- laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars.

5.      peer     He stopped suddenly, stepped to the open front door and peered out.

6.      mollify            “Damn right he don’t,” said George, slightly mollified, “not if he wants to stay workin’ long.”

7.      pugnacious     His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious.

8.      gingerly          Curley stepped gingerly close to him.

9.      ominous          He said ominously, “Well, he better watch out for Lennie. Lennie ain’t no fighter, but Lennie’s strong and quick and Lennie don’t know no rules.”

10.  derogatory     He had drawn a derogatory statement from George.

11.  contort            His face contorted with thought.

12.  complacently  Lennie, who had been following the conversation back and forth with his eyes, smiled complacently at the compliment.

13.  muse “Ain’t many guys travel around together,” he mused.