The Pearl Vocabulary list

Context clues Check for meaning behind the words surrounding the unknown word. Look for clues in suffixes and prefixes. Does the word have a Latin base? What is the tone of the passage?

List #1 1 & 2 Plaintively Expressing sorrow. Covey “Outside the brush house in the tuna clump, a covey of little birds chattered and flurried with their wings” (Steinbeck 1). A small flock of birds Plaintively “. . .the Song of the Family cried plaintively” (Steinbeck 6). Expressing sorrow.

List #1 3 & 4 Consolation “They slept at their posts in the shadow of the church so that no one crept in for consolation without their knowledge” (Steinbeck 11). To comfort in time of grief or loss. Lymphatic “. . .the red swelling extended farther around it in a hard lymphatic mound” (Steinbeck 8). Of or pertaining to the lymph nodes.

List #1 5 & 6 Indigent “They followed to see what the fat lazy doctor would do about an indigent baby” (Steinbeck 12). A destitute or needy person. Avarice “They knew his ignorance, his cruelty, his avarice, his appetites, his sins” (Steinbeck 11). Greed

List #1 7 & 8 Estuary “The town lay on a broad estuary…It’s old yellow plaster buildings hugging the beach” (Steinbeck 17). An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river. Suppliant “. . .Kino stood in front of the gate with Juana beside him. Slowly he put his suppliant hat on his head” (Steinbeck 13). Expressing humble characteristics.

List #1 9 & 10 Unsubstantial “…the minds of the people are as unsubstantial as the mirage of the gulf” (Steinbeck 20). Lacking strength. Bulwark “It is the bulwark against starvation” (Steinbeck 19). Providing protection.

List #2 - 11 & 12 Undulate To move in a smooth wavelike motion. “Above, the surface of the water was an undulating error of brightness” (Steinbeck 22). To move in a smooth wavelike motion. Obscure “Kino moved cautiously so that the water would not be obscured with mud or sand” (Steinbeck 22). Indistinct. Not easy to see through.

List #2 - 13 & 14 Perceptible Capable of being noticed. Speculatively “There was a secret little inner song, hardly perceptible, but always there. . .” (Steinbeck 23). Capable of being noticed. Speculatively “He looked speculatively at the basket” (Steinbeck 25). Unsure, but thoughtful.

List #2 - 15 & 16 Illusion Deft(ly) Skillfully. “In this Gulf of uncertain light there were more illusions than realities” (Steinbeck 25). A mistaken perception of reality. Deft(ly) “Kino deftly slipped his knife into the edge of the shell” (Steinbeck 25). Skillfully.

List #2 - 17 & 18 Incandescent Light emitted by an object. Judicious “[The pearl] captured the light and refined it and gave it back in silver incandescence “(Steinbeck 25). Light emitted by an object. Judicious “. . .When it was made plain who Kino was, the doctor grew stern and judicious at the same time” (Steinbeck 28). Having judgment.

List #2 - 19 & 20 Almsgiver “. . .They knew that there was no almsgiver in the world like a poor man who is suddenly lucky” (Steinbeck 29). A person who gives money or goods to charity. Semblance “. . .There was only one, and he kept these agents in separate offices to give a semblance of competition” (Steinbeck 29). Closely resembling, or being like something else.

List #3 - 21 & 22 Precipitate To condense and fall as rain or snow. “The essence of pearl mixed with essence of men and a curious dark residue was precipitated” (Steinbeck 30). To condense and fall as rain or snow. Distillate “The news stirred up something infinitely black and evil in the town; the black distillate was like the scorpion. . .” (Steinbeck 32). The liquid condensed from vapor.

List #3 - 23 & 24 Disparage Prophecy “And this is said in disparagement whereas it is one of the greatest talents the [human] species has and one that has made it superior to animals” (Steinbeck 32). Making someone feel low -- like they are beneath you. Prophecy “But Kino’s face shone with prophecy” (Steinbeck 33). A prediction.

List #3 - 25 & 26 Subjugate Inaudible “Kino stood in the door, and hatred raged and flamed in back of his eyes, and fear too, for the hundreds of years of subjugation were cut deep in him” (Steinbeck 38). To bring under the domination of another. To enslave. Inaudible “There came a sound so soft, a touch of a foot on earth, the almost inaudible purr of controlled breathing” (Steinbeck 48). Not capable of being heard.

List #3 - 27 & 28 Consecrate Poultice “From a secret place, Juana brought a little piece of consecrated candle” (Steinbeck 49). To declare as holy. Poultice “It’s warm lucence (sic) promised a poultice against illness and a wall against insult” (Steinbeck 51). A thick paste used to heal a sore.

List #3 - 29 & 30 Diffuse Lucent To give off light. “[He saw] the tone of the diffused green light of the sea bottom” (Steinbeck 51). To scatter or spread out; to make less brilliant. Lucent “It’s warm lucence (sic) promised a poultice against illness and a wall against insult” (Steinbeck 51). To give off light.

List #4 - 31 & 32 Tithe “The beggars in front of the church spoke of it, for they would be there to take the tithe of the first fruits of the luck” (Steinbeck 54). A 10% gift of one’s salary given to charity. Countenance “This was extravagant and not to be countenanced” (Steinbeck 54). A look that shows a person’s feelings.

List #4 - 33 & 34 Stalwart “…an old man came to see, riding on the stalwart shoulders of his nephew” (Steinbeck 60). Having physical strength. Benign “His face was fatherly and benign, and his eyes twinkled with friendship” (Steinbeck 61). Good natured; kind.

List #4 - 35 & 36 Lethargy “Kino sat brooding on his sleeping mat. A lethargy had settled on him” (Steinbeck 71). The condition of being tired and sleepy. Preservation “Sometimes the quality of woman, the reason, the caution, the sense of preservation, could save them all” (Steinbeck 77). To maintain unchanged.

List #4 - 37 & 38 Exhilaration “Through the night there came a rush of exhilaration” (Steinbeck 90). To be happy. Wary “Some animal thing was moving in him so that he was cautious and wary” (Steinbeck 90). To be on guard; watchful.

List #4 - 39 & 40 Monotonously “The family went on monotonously hour after hour” (Steinbeck 90). Dull and repetitious. Triumphant “The music of the pearl was triumphant in Kino’s head” (Steinbeck 91). Victorious; conquering.

List #5 - 41 & 42 Monolithic “Ahead were the naked granite mountains, rising out of erosion rubble, and standing monolithic against the sky” (Steinbeck 99). Massive; solid and uniform. Freshet “The freshets had made a small sandy beach through which the pool flowed” (Steinbeck 104). A sudden overflow from a stream.

List #5 - 43 & 44 Petulant “The baby was weary and petulant, and he cried softly” (Steinbeck 104). Irritable. Erosion “He saw a series of erosion caves” (Steinbeck 106). Natural processes that wear away a substance.

List #5 - 45 & 46 Clamber “He slipped off his sandals, and clambered up to them, gripping the bare stone with his toes” (Steinbeck 106). To climb with difficulty using both hands and feet. Malignant “And the pearl was ugly; it was gray, like a malignant growth” (Steinbeck 117). Evil; bad.

Be a Team Choose a team leader Pick a team name Set up study groups/study partners Exchange e-mail addresses/phone numbers Work as a team. The leader should be someone who will unite and motivate the whole class. This person will be impartial and inclusive.