Exploring vocabulary - Muschla Gary R. 2012

An animal scientist
Descriptive words, III

Speakers and writers use descriptive words to add details to their ideas.

1. mysterious (adj): hard to understand; puzzling

The mysterious package turned out to be a gift from my grandmother.

2. peculiar (adj): odd; strange; curious

The peculiar sound was coming from the attic.

3. frantic (adj): excited with fear; agitated; panicky

I was frantic as I searched for my social studies report.

4. energetic (adj): very active; lively; vigorous

Billy is energetic and never gets tired.

5. scarce (adj): hard to get; rare; uncommon

Replacement parts for the old car were scarce.

6. generous (adj): unselfish; willing to share or give

Mrs. Hollings made a generous donation to the library.

7. enough (adj): plenty; ample; sufficient

Mom always brings more than enough food for the family picnic.

8. ancient (adj): very old; of a long time ago; primitive

The ancient village offered details of how people lived thousands of years ago.

9. humble (adj): not proud; modest; not important

Juan was humble in accepting his award for community service.

10. splendid (adj): wonderful; dazzling; magnificent

The fifth-grade winter concert was a splendid event.

Vocabulary tip

When speaking or writing, choose descriptive words carefully. Use those that provide sharp details.

22.1 An animal scientist

A zoologist is a person who studies animals. Zoologists who study certain kinds of animals have special names. What is a zoologist who specializes in studying reptiles and amphibians called?

To answer the question, match each word on the left with its definition on the right. Write the letter of each answer in the space above the word’s number at the bottom of the page.