Vocabulary for
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Printable Version (opens in new window).
Sniffy Says: "Ahhh, sagacity. Yes, yes, yes, I know that word. I am sagacious. I'm also hyper which is why I bounce around my cage like I've been shot out of sling shot, but I'm also a hamster of keen intelligence. Hey, I'm just smart. If you have sagacity then you are sagacious. I observe and listen carefully. I know if someone is trying to trick me. Last week a hawk told me if I came out of my cage he would take me to a blueberry muffin, but I knew all he wanted was a hamster snack because I could hear his stomach growling (it sounded like a train) and I was watching his eyes. He looked at me like I was a juicy hamburger. My sagacity saved me that day."
Sniffy Says: "Lolloping, lolloping, galloping, galloping, walloping, walloping, lolloping. I'm a great lolloping hamster!" Sniffy bounces around his cage yelling as loud as he can. He bounds from the floor of his cage to his platform, then into his wheel and out again. As if he has springs in his legs he jumps so high he whacks his head on the top of the cage. "Ouchy wow-wow!" he yells as he falls into his soft cotton bed. "No more lolloping, no more walloping, no more galloping," he says sadly while rubbing his little head. He pauses for a moment, shakes his body from head to toe, then he jumps up and begins hopping around the cage saying, "Lolloping, lolloping, galloping, galloping, walloping, walloping, lolloping. I'm a great lolloping hamster!"
Sniffy Says: "Fauna, flora—flora, fauna! What's the difference? Do you know? Well, I'll tell you. If you're in your backyard and you see a bird, a lizard and a mouse that's the fauna of your backyard—the animals that live in your backyard. If you see a flower, a tree and a philodendron that's the flora of your backyard—the plants that live in your backyard. The fauna of Africa includes lions and giraffes. The fauna of the Arctic includes polar bears and seals. The fauna in my cage, there's no flora, includes 27 fleas, 3 ticks, 4 flies and one, roly-poly hamster—that's me!"
Sniffy Says: "Whooooahhhhh." Sniffy is standing on his back legs with his front legs spread apart like airplane wings. "Aughhhhhhhhhh." He moves his front paws up and down quickly trying to maintain his balance.
Mr. Draeger Says: "Sniffy, what are you doing?"
Sniffy Says: "I'm trying—whooooahhhhhh—to learn to—whooa, wha, whoa—walk on a tight rope—"
Mr. Draeger Says: "I can see that. Why?"
Sniffy Says: "I'm demonstrating—whooahhhh, ohhhhh—floundering—" Sniffy starts wiggling his body and legs in every direction possible in order to keep his balance on the string strung across his cage. After he regains his balance he continues, "and I—whooahhhh—want to join the cir—aughhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!" Sniffy falls off the string into a big pile of cotton balls. He lays on his back like a dog wanting his tummy scratched and says, "cus. I want to join the circus." He falls asleep.
On-Line Dictionaries
The Free Dictionary: This is now my favorite on-line dictionary (the box above links to this dictionary). Not only does it provide you with audios to pronounce the word, but it also gives you examples of the word used in context. They also have a "References in classic literature" section which provides entire sentences from classic literature in which the word is used. Also includes a thesaurus, encyclopedia and more.
Answers.com: This is not just a dictionary, but it has a dictionary and the reason I list it is because the dictionary has an audio pronunciation feature which is very helpful when one comes across words that are difficult to pronounce or have never been seen before. Access is free.
The Dictionary of Difficult Words: Good resource for those words that your dictionary doesn't have or that other on-line dictionaries do not have.
A Latin Dictionary: This is great resource for Latin. There is even a downloadable version for your computer that will do both Latin/English and English/Latin.
Dictionary.com Free Access. You can purchase additional features.
Merriam-Webster Free Access.
WordSmyth A children's dictionary is also available. This dictionary requires registration. Free Access.
Oxford English Dictionary The best English dictionary in the world! This dictionary requires paid subscription. $29.95 per month or $295.00 per year.
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