Prepare to Read

Learn Key Vocabulary

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

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.

  • 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
agricultural (ag-ri-kul-chur-ul) adjective page 565
Photograph of farm equipment in use in a field
Something that is agricultural is related to farms or farming. Growing vegetables to sell as food is one kind of agricultural business.		gene (jēn) noun page 562
Photograpah of a family with light-colored hair
A gene is a physical unit that controls what a living cell is like. The color of your hair depends on your genes. Related Word: genetics		mission (mish-un) noun page 564
Photograph of a space shuttle launch
A mission is the goal of someone’s work. An astronaut’s mission is to explore space.
Synonyms: aim, purpose
modified (mod-u-fīd) adjective page 563
Photograph of a recipe card
Something that has been modified has been changed. We modified the recipe to feed more people.		technique (tek-nēk) noun page 563
Photograph of a group of children at a tennis lesson
Technique is a skilled way of doing something. My serving technique improved after taking tennis lessons.		technology (tek-nol-u-jē) noun page 563
Photograph of two people looking at a computer monitor
Technology is the use of knowledge to do a task or to improve how the task is done. Because of new technology, computers are faster and smaller than they once were.
viewpoint (vyü-point) noun page 563
Photograph of hikers in a woods. One hiker is pointing.
A viewpoint is the way a person thinks about things. My friends and I had different viewpoints about which way to go.		virus (vī-rus) noun page 562
Photograph of a boy laying on a couch with a thermometer in his mouth
A virus is a tiny particle that can cause disease in people, plants, and animals. My brother had a virus so he couldn’t go to school.		Practice the Words Make a Study Card for each Key Word. Then compare your cards with a partner’s.
agricultural
What it means: related to farming
Example: California has large areas of agricultural land.
Not an example: the beach
Study Card