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ALACRITY (noun) - brisk and cheerful readiness.

[…] But when it comes to a child,—at an age too, when such creatures have irresistible charm—it is quite certain that she will welcome it with alacrity and henceforward devote all her time to its care.

Source: A Wreath of Cloud, Ch. 01 - part of The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu.

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TRUANT (adjective) - wandering, straying.

"Princess Senshi and her ladies," Murasaki writes, "are always going off to see the sunset or the fading of the moon at dawn, or pursuing some truant nightingale amid the flowering trees."

Murasaki Shikibu, in A Wreath of Cloud.

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ECCLESIASTICAL (adjective) - relating to the Christian Church or its clergy.

[…] I can well imagine that some of our senior ladies, with their air of almost ecclesiastical severity, must make a rather forbidding impression upon the world at large. In dress and matters of that kind we certainly cut a wretched figure, for it is well known that to show the slightest sign of caring for such things ranks with our Mistress as an unpardonable fault.

Source: Murasaki Shikibu, in A Wreath of Cloud.

(Note: I'm not entirely sure the context really meant 'relating to the Christian Church' as 10-11th century Japan hadn't known Christianity yet. But perhaps it's related to deity, spirituality, or religion more commonly known there [like Buddhism]. I think it's most probable that it refers to holy-like attitude of senior ladies in Japanese court, which were more conservative about their attire etc.)

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INTERLOCUTOR (noun) - a person who takes part in a dialogue or conversation.

Last week, we saw Socrates arguing with Thrasymachus about the nature of justice. It was not a particularly insightful discussion, because Thrasymachus is not a particularly insightful interlocutor. (In the dialogues, Socrates is at his best when his interlocutors are themselves excellent.) But this week, we hear from Glaucon (and to a lesser extent his brother Adeimantus).

Source: https://jaredhenderson.substack.com/p/we-are-the-founders-of-a-city-platos.

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IMMUTABLE (adjective) - unchanging over time or unable to be changed.

My avid reader identity, previously as immutable as the fact that I have blue eyes and hate coriander, had been eroded over time until there was nothing left but the perfunctory paragraph or two I managed before bed. It wounds me to admit, but both I and so many formerly bibliophile friends are the 35 per cent defined by the “Reading State of the Nation” report as “adults who used to read but have now stopped”. And I put the blame squarely on technology.

Source: https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/books/features/reading-books-adults-novels-children-b2585606.html

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TRUISM (noun) - a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting.

It’s an anecdote that gets at one of the truisms of reading comprehension: Just as a skilled hitter spends time at the batting cages and a skilled pianist must tickle the ivories, a skilled reader needs to read.

Source: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/how-to-build-students-reading-stamina/2024/01

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JUBILANT (adjective) - feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.

That student ended up being one of Kalenze’s best readers—hence his jubilant visit back to the classroom. But, teacher and student reminisced, it took some hard work to build his reading muscles to the place where he was routinely able to make it through nightly reading assignments.

Source: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/how-to-build-students-reading-stamina/2024/01

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Vocabulary teaching

Advice from Doug Lemov:

Teach different forms, e.g. tyrant together with tyrannical

When students are asked to write a sentence using a new word, make sure the sentence is expanded enough to show understanding of the word, e.g.; ‘I detest broccoli because it is bitter and doesn’t taste good.’ not just ‘I detest broccoli.’

Don’t only ask students to use the word to describe their own experiences or they are likely to use the word in a way that doesn’t match the context, e.g. ‘I adore my teddy bear.’ without understanding the word’s connotations. It’s better to ask a question like ‘Why might Inspector Goole despise the Mr Birling?’

Comment by Ray:

Research shows it’s better to teach students to infer the meaning of a word from the context than give a definition.

http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/active-practice-key-vocabulary/

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WANE (verb) - (of a state or feeling) decrease in vigour or extent, become weaker.

The new data on book reading reinforce that the popularity of reading is waning, with Americans reading an average of three fewer books last year than they did five years ago and had typically read for the past three decades. The decline is not because fewer Americans are reading at all -- a percentage that has held steady at 17% -- but because Americans who do read are reading fewer books. The changes are especially pronounced among the most voracious book readers, namely, college graduates, women and older Americans.

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/388541/americans-reading-fewer-books-past.aspx#:~:text=Reading%20appears%20to%20be%20in,down%20from%2012%25%20in%202016

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animals

どうぶつ　動物　(do•u•bu•tsu)

ペット　(pe•tto) - pets

いぬ　犬　(i•nu) - dog

ねこ　猫　(ne•ko) - cat

さかな　魚　(sa•ka•na) - fish

とり　鳥　(to•ri) - bird

うま　馬　(u•ma) - horse

ヘビ　(he•bi) - snake

カメ　(ka•me) - turtle/tortoise

ウサギ　(u•sa•gi) - rabbit

ハムスター　(ha•mu•su•ta) - hamster

家畜　(ka•chi•ku) - farm animals

うし　牛　(u•shi) - cow

にわとり　鶏　(ni•wa•to•ri) - chicken

ぶた　豚　(bu•ta) - pig

ひつじ　羊　(hi•tsu•ji) - sheep

うま　馬　(u•ma) - horse

ロバ　(ro•ba) - donkey

ヤギ　(ya•gi) - goat

動物園動物　(do•u•bu•tsu•e•n•do•u•bu•tsu) - zoo animals

ぞう　象　(zo•u) - elephant

さる　猿　(sa•ru) - monkey

とら　虎　(to•ra) - tiger

キリン　(ki•ri•n) - giraffe

シマウマ　(shi•ma•u•ma) - zebra

チータ　(chi•i•ta) - cheetah

ライオン　(ra•i•o•n) - lion

パンダ　(pa•n•da) - panda

サイ　(sa•i) - rhinoceros

オーカミ　(o•o•ka•mi) - wolf

ゴリラ　(go•ri•ra) - gorilla

some expressions relating to animals

好きな動物はなんですか。= What is your favorite animal?

好きな動物は．．．です。= My favorite animal is … .

ペットがいますか。= Do you have any pets?

わたしは．．．がいます。= I have… .

to count small animals (i.e. dogs, cats, reptiles), use the counter 匹 (hi•ki)

there are some exceptions for this counter

一匹 - (i•ppi•ki)

三匹 - (sa•n•bi•ki)

六匹 - (ro•ppi•ki)

八匹 - (ha•ppi•ki)

十匹 - (ju•u•ppi•ki)

other than these, just add ~hiki to the number!

to count large animals, use the counter 頭 (to•u)

exceptions:

一頭 - (i•tto•u)

八頭 - (ha•tto•u)

十頭 - (ju•tto•u)

to count birds and rabbits, use the counter 羽 (wa)

there are no exceptions for this counter!

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MACAQUE (noun) - a medium-sized, chiefly forest-dwelling Old World monkey which has a long face and cheek pouches for holding food.

I tried picturing the Fressy Zoological Garden spreading out in front of me. And it was very difficult to imagine, with plenty of space, a pond, a little hill, shade trees—all sorts of places that animals might like. The children could laugh and shout to their hearts’ content, the macaques scream as loud as they could, and still the trees on the hillside would easily absorb all the noise.

Source: Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa.

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FORAY (noun) - a brief but spirited attempt to become involved in a new activity or sphere.

With this intentional assault on African practices and beliefs, it's no wonder that many Black people today might feel a sense of fear or shame around even thinking about exploring African wellness and spirituality. […] As a Christian, you might feel that any kind of foray into African traditional practices makes you a defector. As an atheist, you might dismiss African practices as supernatural. But as an African, it is your birthright to access the knowledge and healing practices left for you by your Ancestors, without fear or guilt.

Source: Araba Ofori-Acquah, in Return to Source: Unlock the Power of African-Centered Wellness.

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ATROCITY (noun) - an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury.

This idea of a largely unexplored mass of land filled with strange people served to erase centuries of African history pre-slavery, an atrocity that has stayed with us even to this day.

Source: Araba Ofori-Acquah, in Return to Source: Unlock the Power of African-Centered Wellness.

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TROUSSEAU (noun) - the clothes, linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage.

Grandmother Rosa, seated before the makeup mirror she brought from Germany as part of her trousseau, carefully rubbing her face with beauty cream.

Source: Yoko Ogawa, in Mina's Matchbox.

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EIDERDOWN (noun) - a quilt filled with down (originally from the eider) or some other soft material.

The first vehicle I ever rode in was a baby carriage that had been brought across the sea, all the way from Germany. It was fitted out in brass and draped all around with bunting. The body of the carriage was elegantly designed, and the interior was lined with handmade lace, soft as eiderdown. The metal handle, the frame for the sunshade, and even the spokes of the wheels all glittered brilliantly. The pillow was embroidered in pale pink with the characters for my name: Tomoko.

Source: Yoko Ogawa, in Mina's Matchbox.

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"Our brains like to be proud, we like achievement, we like to be best, and this [understanding a new word] is the best kind of achievement because it's not competitive. The only person you are trying to out-best is you, and each new word, phrase, and sentence brings you victory."

Source: Daria Zaikovskaia, in her TEDxOulu talk, The Health Benefits Of Learning a Foreign Language.

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RENAISSANCE (noun) - a revival of or renewed interest in something.

There is a spiritual renaissance sweeping the world. Most people feel it, some deride it, many embrace it and no one can stop it. It is a revolution in the way we think.

Source: Illuminata: A Return to Prayer by Marianne Williamson.