Welcome to Vocabulary Year 3 of American English Lessons with Maestro Sersea. In this lesson we will study American English vocabulary compliments of the VOA Wordbook, a dictionary of over 1,500 highly-used words.  Please focus and do your best so that you can learn and improve your vocabulary, which will help your comprehension and communication skills. Don’t forget to use the comments section below to share your thoughts and what you’ve learned today.

Part 1 Directions:  Listen to the audio and read along the vocabulary words and definitions 2-3 times.  If needed, use the translation feature to translate the vocabulary words and definitions in your primary language.

• seek(ing) – to search for (“They are seeking a cure for cancer.”); to try to get (“She is seeking election to public office.”); to plan to do (“Electric power companies are seeking to reduce their use of coal.”)
• seem – to appear to be (“She seems to be in good health.”)
• seize – to take quickly by force; to take control of quickly; to arrest
• self – all that which makes one person different from others
• sell – to give something in exchange for money
• Senate – the smaller of the two groups in the governments of some countries, such as in the United States Congress
• send – to cause to go; to permit to go; to cause to be carried, taken or directed to or away from a place
• sense – to come to know about by feeling, believing or understanding; any of the abilities to see, hear, taste, smell or feel
• sentence – to declare the punishment for a crime; the punishment for a crime
• separate – to set or keep people, things or ideas away from or independent from others; not together or connected; different
• series – a number of similar things or events that follow one after another in time, position or order
• serious – important; needing careful consideration; dangerous
• serve – to work as an official; to be employed by the government; to assist or help
• service – an organization or system that provides something for the public (“Schools and roads are services paid for by taxes.”); a job that an organization or business can do for money; military organizations such as an army, navy or air force; a religious ceremony
• set – to put in place or position; to establish a time, price or limit
• settle – to end (a dispute); to agree about (a problem); to make a home in a new place
• several – three or more, but not many
• severe – not gentle; causing much pain, sadness or damage
• sex – either the male or female group into which all people and animals are divided because of their actions in producing young; the physical activity by which humans and animals can produce young
• shake – to move or cause to move in short, quick movements
• shape – to give form to; the form of something, especially how it looks
• share – to give part of something to another or others; a part belonging to, given to or owned by a single person or a group; any one of the equal parts of ownership of a business or company
• sharp – having a thin edge or small point that can cut or hurt; causing hurt or pain
• she – the girl or woman who is being spoken about
• sheep – a farm animal used for its meat and hair

Part 2 Directions:  Take out your notebook or a sheet of paper and a pen.  Watch the video below to take the vocabulary test for this lesson and check your level of understanding of this vocabulary lesson.

Part 3 Directions: Now that you’ve completed this vocabulary lesson, use the comments section below to share your thoughts about what you’ve learned.