Prepare to Read

Rating Scale

  • 1 = I have never seen this word before.

  • 2 = I am not sure of the word’s meaning.

  • 3 = I know this word and can teach the word’s meaning to someone else.

Learn Key Vocabulary

Rate and Study the Words Rate how well you know each word. Then:

  • 1. Pronounce the word. Say it aloud several times. Spell it.

  • 2. Study the example.

  • 3. Tell more about the word.

  • 4. Practice it. Make the word your own.

Key Words
battle (bat-ul) noun page 626
Illustration of Union and Confederate soldiers fighting
A battle is a fight. During the American Civil War, the North was in a battle with the South.		council (kown-sul) noun page 625
Photograph of students at a student council meeting
A council is a group of people who gather together to make decisions. The student council decides where to go for the class trip.		creature (krē-chur) noun page 622
Photograph of a platypus underwater
A creature is an animal. This interesting creature can be found in Australia.
destroy (di-stroi) verb page 625
Photograph of a dog tearing apart a newspaper with its mouth
When you destroy something, it cannot be repaired. Our puppy destroyed the newpapers. Synonyms: ruin, wreck Antonym: fix		gather (gath-ur) verb page 625
To gather means to bring together. All my relatives gather at our house on holidays.		monster (mahn-stur) noun page 622
Photograph of movie scene of Godzilla attacking a city
A monster is a scary creature. Godzilla is a terrifying monster in the movies.
Related Word: monstrous
human (hyū-man) adjective, noun page 622
1 adjective To be human means to have the qualities of a person. The gorillas at the zoo look almost human. 2 noun People are also called humans.
powerful (pau-ur-ful) adjective page 626
Photograph of a man lifting very heavy weights
People are powerful when they are strong. This man shows off his powerful strength in a competition. Related Words: power, powerless		Practice the Words Make an Idea Web for each Key Word. Write four things the word makes you think of. Share your finished webs with a partner.
Idea Web

Idea Web