Unit 29

Unit 29 WORD LIST bomb n. A bomb is an object that explodes and destroys large areas. The bomb will destroy anything that is nearby. certificate n. A certificate is a document that says that something is true or happened. I was given a certificate for completing the computer course. circumstance n. A circumstance is an event that makes a situation what it is. There were many circumstances behind their success, like hard work. coffin n. A coffin is a box used to bury dead people. When people pass away, they are usually buried inside of a coffin. cope v. To cope with a difficult or stressful situation means to deal with it. He copes with work stress by exercising three or four times a week. criticism n. Criticism is the act of saying that something is not correct or good. She had a lot of criticism about their new plan. devastate v. To devastate something is to cause great damage or pain to that thing. The entire wall was devastated. frown v. To frown is to make an unhappy look with one's face. Melissa frowned when she found out that the party had been cancelled. gaze v. To gaze at something means to look at it for a long time. We used a telescope to gaze at the stars for over an hour. glance v. To glance at something means to look at it quickly. She glanced behind her to see if he was looking at her.

grief n. Grief is the feeling of deep sadness, usually when a person dies. The grief caused by losing her parents was very difficult for her. groom n. A groom is a man who is going to be married. The groom looked happy as he walked with his new wife. license n. A license is an official document that gives one permission to do something. In the United States, you need a driver's license to drive legally. microscope n. A microscope is a device that makes small objects look bigger. Germs cannot be seen without a microscope. nuclear adj. A nuclear thing relates to the division or joining of atoms. Nuclear power plants provide inexpensive energy to cities. portray v. To portray something means to describe it or show it in a picture. Her picture portrayed the house she grew up in when she was little. rotate v. To rotate something means to turn it around in a circle. An airplane's propellers rotate quickly to help it fly. souvenir n. A souvenir is something bought to remember of a place or event. I bought a Russian doll as a souvenir on my trip to Moscow. submarine n. A submarine is a boat that can go underwater for long periods of time. The submarine dove under the sea so the enemy couldn't see it. trace v. To trace something means to follow over it with the eyes or a finger. He traced over the graph with his finger.

An Interesting Life A man looked through some boxes with his grandson. They were filled with old photographs and objects that portrayed important events from the grandfather's life. He wished to share the circumstances behind each event with his grandson. The grandson, however, thought his grandfather's stories were boring. The grandfather coped with this. He ignored his grandson's criticism. He took a photo from the box. " That's the submarine I was on during the war, " he explained. The grandson gazed at it. The grandfather glanced at the next picture and frowned. It showed a row of coffins. His grandson noticed the grief in his grandfather's face. " What is it?" the boy inquired. " This was after a nuclear bomb was dropped, " the grandfather answered. " It devastated a city. " Next, the grandfather pulled a toy microscope from the box and rotated it in his hand. " Where did you get that?" the grandson asked. " This is a souvenir I bought at the science museum, " the grandfather said. Now, the boy was really interested. He started to understand that his grandfather was telling him a larger story. It was the story of his grandfather's life. The grandfather picked up another photo. It showed a young bride and groom. They were very happy. A certifcate was attached to the photo. The boy couldn't read it, but he traced his finger over the paper. " What's this from, Granddad?" he asked. " That's my marriage license from the day I married your grandmother, " the grandfather said. " Wow! " said the boy. " Granddad, now I know all about your life! "