Glossary

C

capture

(kap-chur) 1 v. To capture means to take by force. The farmer captured a raccoon. 2 n. A capture is the act of catching something. Soon after the capture, he released the raccoon.

career

(ku-rear) n. A career is a job someone trains for and does full-time. This man went to veterinary school and now has a career working with animals.

carefully

(kair-foo-lē) adv. To act carefully means to act with care. You should carry the eggs carefully so they do not break.

carve

(karv) v. To carve means to cut shapes from a material like stone or wood. The artist used sharp tools to carve a sculpture.

• category

(ka-tu-gor-ē) n. A category is a group of items that are related in some way. Cheetahs and leopards belong to the same category of big cats.

change

(chānj) n. A change is something new and different. A sudden change in weather can surprise people!

character

(kair-ik-tur) n. A character is someone in a story. He acted out the role of the main character in the play.

civilization

(si-vu-lu-zā-shun) n. A civilization is the culture of a specific place, time, or group of people. Greece has a very old civilization.

• classic

(kla-sik) adj. Something that is classic is old but good. Classic cars are expensive if they are in good shape.

clue

(klü) n. A clue is a piece of information that leads to a solution. A police detective looks for clues to the crime.

• collapse

(ku-laps) v. To collapse means to fall down. The old building collapsed.

• collect

(ku-lekt) v. To collect means to gather things of interest. The boy collects postage stamps from around the world.

commercial

(ku-mur-shul) n. A commercial is an ad on TV or the radio. Most TV commercials show products that viewers can buy.

• communicate

(ku-myū-ni-kāt) v. When you communicate, you share information. The pilot used the loud speaker to communicate with the passengers.

• community

(ku-myū-ni-tē) n. A community is a place where people live, work, and carry out their daily lives. Some communities have outdoor markets.

• compare

(kum-pair) v. When you compare two things, you think about how they are alike and different. I would like to compare the apple pie to the blueberry pie to find out which one tastes better.

competition

(kom-pe-ti-shun) n. A competition is a contest. The runners are in competition to win the race or to improve their time.

complain

(kum-plān) v. To complain means to say that you are unhappy about something. I complained that it was not fair I had to take out the trash by myself.

concert

(kont-surt) n. A concert is an event where people play music for an audience. The orchestra is giving a concert.

confused

(kun-fyūzd) adj. To be confused means to be unsure or not clear. We could not follow the recipe because we were confused by the instructions.

• context

(kon-tekst) n. Context refers to the parts nearby that help explain the meaning. Paul knows to use the context to help him understand what a new word means.

continue

(kun-tin-yū) v. To continue means to keep going. The highway continues for miles.

costume

(kos-tüm) n. A costume is a set of clothes that someone wears to look like another person. You can dress up in a costume for a special occasion.

• create

(krē-āt) v. To create means to make something new. The artist creates a work of art in his studio.

creature

(krē-chur) n. A creature is a real or imaginary living thing. A dragon is an imaginary creature.

crop

(krop) n. Crops are plants that farmers grow. Corn, beans, and peaches are different crops.

• Academic Vocabulary