Word of the Week: Embarrassing

“Did you know you have toilet paper stuck to your shoe?” “Oh no! How embarrassing! Thank you for telling me.” When something embarrassing happens, it embarrasses you and you feel embarrassed. This is a common pattern in words about feelings. For example, confusing...

Word of the Week: Appear

“Wow! The magician just appeared out of thin air!” “It’s a trick. He actually used a trap door or something. It only appears to be magic.” “Appear” has more than one meaning. It can mean “arrive”: “The classroom became quiet as soon as the teacher appeared.” It can...

Word of the Week: Rodent

“Want to see my new pet?” “Eek! A mouse!” “It’s not a mouse, it’s a hamster.” “Well, they’re both rodents!” “But you like rabbits…” The most well-known rodents are mice, but rabbits, hamsters, and many other animals are also rodents. The largest rodent is the...

Word of the Week: Icicle

Icicles are long pointed pieces of ice that hang downward. They form when dripping water freezes. If you live in a place that gets cold in winter, you might see them on the edge of your roof! Do you see icicles in winter? What places are too warm to form icicles even...

Word of the Week: Heartbreak

Last week was Valentine’s Day. Did you give anyone chocolate? Valentine’s is a romantic holiday, but romance always carries the risk of heartbreak. When someone is very sad after being rejected or breaking up, we say their heart is broken....