Prepare to Read

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.

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.

Key Words
benefit (be-nu-fit) noun page 476
Photograph of hikers walking along a trail
A benefit is something that is helpful. Fresh air and exercise are two benefits of hiking.		environment (in-vī-run-munt) noun page 478
Photograph of a bird standing in tall grasses
An environment is the area where plants and animals live and grow. Plants grow well in a healthy environment.		migrate (mī-grāt) verb page 480
Photograph of birds flying in V-formation
To migrate means to move from one place to another. These birds migrate to a warm climate for the winter.
pollution (pu-lü-shun) noun page 476
Photograph of a bird standing with trash in it
Pollution is waste that harms nature. Trash is one form of pollution.		protect (pru-tekt) verb page 481
Photograph of a bird with its young in a nest
To protect means to keep safe. The mother bird protects her chicks from danger.
Synonym: save		reduce (ri-düs) verb page 483
Photograph of two people carrying a heavy box
To reduce means to have fewer or less of something. The box is too heavy for her to carry, so her friend helps reduce the heavy load.
Antonym: increase
release (ri-lēs) verb page 478
Photograph of a man letting a wild duck out of a cage
To release means to let out. When you release an animal into the wild, you let it go free.		wasted (wāst-ud) adjective page 478
Photograph of someone emptying a basket with garbage in it
Something that is wasted is not needed.Food that you throw away instead of eating is wasted.		Practice the Words Make a chart to tell how you feel about each word. Is your response positive, negative, or neither? Explain. Compare your chart with a partner’s and discuss.
WordPositive (+) Negative (−) Neither (=)Reason
release+I think it is good to release animals.

Connotation Chart