Vocabulary Part 4 of Sold

Vocabulary Part 4 of Sold

Multiple Choice

When you describe something as paltry, you are saying it is adequate and that there is plenty of it.

• True

• False

Paltry

Paltry is an adjective that we use to talk about amounts. According to the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, it means too small to be considered important or useful.

In Sold, Lakshmi, said, "Harish had taught me to say thank you in his language, but it seemed a paltry word for my debt to this man" (177). Here Laskhmi is saying that the word thank you was not enough to describe her gratitude for the hugging man.

Multiple Choice

If someone is described as feisty, this person is normally very quiet and afraid to share his opinion.

• True

• False

Feisty

Feisty is an adjective. We use it to describe people or animals who are strong, determined and not afraid of arguing with people. In these sentences Lakshmi is imagining how Monica's daughter is as spirited and determined as Monica and unafraid to boldly voice her opinion.

Multiple Choice

When something is very still, it is quivering.

• True

• False

Quiver

Quiver is a verb that means to tremble or shake with a slight rapid motion. When Lakshmi is describing how emotional she felt when she received Harish's gift, she says, "a tear is running down my cheek. It quivers a moment on the top of my nose." (182). She is describing how the tear shakes for a short moment at the top of her nose.

Multiple Choice

If someone is pretending to have a broken arm, they are feigning the injury.

• True

• False

Feign

Feign is a verb that means to pretend to do something or to have a particular feeling. When Monica comes by to say goodbye to Lakshmi, she hid under the blanket "feigning sleep" (186). This means she was pretended to be asleep but she really was awake. ,

Multiple Choice

You can describe a room that smells bad and is dirty as dank.

• True

• False

Dank

Dank is an adjective that means slightly wet, cold and unpleasant. Laskhmi describes her room in Happiness House as "a dank room with four beds, four dirty curtains hanging from the ceiling, iron bars on the window " (188). With dank, she is emphasizing how unpleasant the room is.

Multiple Choice

Typically people wince when they are in pain or embarrassed.

• True

• False

Wince

Wince is a verb. It means to make an expression on your face that shows that you are embarrassed or feeling pain. In the story Lakshmi winces when Monica explains how her father beat her with his cane. Lakshmi is expressing her embarrassment and pain for Monica on her face.

Multiple Choice

When you yearn for something, you want something really badly.

• True

• False

Yearn

Yearn is a verb that means to have a strong desire for something or crave something. In the story, Lakshmi says, "I am looking out the window, my whole being yearning toward that smell when Shahanna comes in" (207). Lakshmi here is describing how the smell of the onions is making her want to eat really badly.

Multiple Choice

When you scuff the heel of your shoe on a stone, it is likely that your heel will be completely undamaged.

• True

• False

Scuff

Scuff is a verb that means to make a mark on the smooth surface of something by rubbing it against something rough or dragging it along the ground. In Sold, Lakshmi describes how the street boy, who sells tea to the girls in the brothel, "lowers his head and scuffs one bare foot against the other" when Lakshmi refuses to buy a cup of tea.

Multiple Choice

In Arlington, insects are more copious than people.

• True

• False

Copious

Copious is an adjective that means abundant or in supply of quality. In the the story, Lakshmi says that Mumtaz "grabs her own ledger book with entries more copious than mine" (225). This means that Mumtaz's book of accounts has even more entries than Lakshmi's book.

Multiple Choice

Waiting for a long period of time without having any activities to do can feel tedious.

• True

• False

Tedious

Tedious is an adjective that means too long, slow or tiresome. Lakshmi comments that, "some days, the time between when I awake and the time when customers arrive is so long and dull and tedious." (232). In this sentence, Lakshmi is explaining how long and slow the time takes between waking up and when the customers arrive, it feels dull, slow, boring.

Multiple Choice

When someone is frantic, he is happy and calm.

• True

• False

Frantic

Frantic is an adjective that means unable to control your emotions because you are extremely frightened or worried about something. When the street boy was saying goodbye to the girls at Happiness House and explaining that he had to work somewhere else, Lakshmi looked at him with frantic eyes. She was feeling very frightened and emotional, worrying that she had played a part in his boss's decision by drinking the CocaCola with him.

Multiple Choice

When someone cackles, there is a very quiet sound, and you can barely hear it.

• True

• False

Cackle

Cackle is a very that means to make a loud unpleasant noise or to laugh in a loud unpleasant way. When Lakshmi throws her arms around the street boy, the other girls, "cackle and bray" (241). This means they are laughing obnoxiously at her display of affection for the street boy.

Multiple Choice

If the wind is formidable, it can feel as if you might get blown away.

• True

• False

Formidable

Formidable is an adjective. If people, things or situations are formidable, you feel fear and/or respect for them, because they are impressive or powerful, or because they seem very difficult. “ Lakshmi describes that "somehow, i am outside myself, marveling at this pain, a thing so formidable it has color and shape” (259). When Mumtaz grinds her foot onto Lakshmi's ear and she feels her earring punctures her ear, Lakshmi feels immense pain and it's almost as if she can see the color of the pain.

Multiple Choice

When someone describes your behavior as uncouth, this means it was very polite.

• True

• False

Uncouth

Uncouth is an adjective that means rude or socially unacceptable. Lakshmi describes the American's handshake as "uncouth" because she is not used to people shaking her hand and it seems very rude to her.