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.

• sky – the space above the earth
• slave – a person owned or controlled by another
• sleep – to rest the body and mind with the eyes closed
• slide – to move smoothly over a surface
• slow – to reduce the speed of; not fast in moving, talking or other activities
• small – little in size or amount; few in number; not important; opposite large
• smash – to break or be broken into small pieces by force; to hit or move with force
• smell – to sense through the nose; something sensed by the nose (“the smell of food cooking”)
• smoke – to use cigarettes or other tobacco products by burning them and breathing in the smoke; that which can be seen rising into the air like a cloud from something burning
• smooth – having a level surface; opposite rough
• snow – soft, white pieces of frozen water that fall from the sky, usually in winter or when the air temperature is very cold
• so – in such a way that (“He held the flag so all could see it.”); also; too (“She left early, and so did we.”); very (“I am so sick.”); as a result (“They were sick, so they could not come.”); in order that; for the purpose of (“Come early so we can discuss the plans.”)
• social – of or about people or a group
• soft – not hard; easily shaped; pleasing to touch; not loud
• soil – earth in which plants grow
• soldier – a person in the army
• solid – having a hard shape with no empty spaces inside; strong; not in the form of a liquid or gas
• solve – to find an answer; to settle
• some – of an amount or number or part not stated; not all
• son – a person’s male child
• soon – not long after the present time; quickly
• sort – any group of people or things that are the same or are similar in some way; a kind of something
• sound – fast-moving waves of energy that affect the ear and result in hearing; that which is heard
• south – the direction to the right of a person facing the rising sun
• space – the area outside the earth’s atmosphere where the sun, moon, planets and stars are; the area between or inside things
• speak – to talk; to say words with the mouth; to express one’s thoughts to others and exchange ideas; to give a speech to a group
• special – of a different or unusual kind; not for general use; better or more important than others of the same kind
• speech – a talk given to a group of people
• speed – to make something go or move faster; the rate at which something moves or travels; the rate at which something happens or is done
• spend – to give as payment; to use (“He spends much time studying.”)

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.