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| Fun Easy English Classroom August 12 |
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Classroom
Today
Learn American
English vocabulary
beginning with
letter S |
|
 American
English Vocabulary
Today in the classroom you are going to learn some
words you should know beginning with the letter S. |
 Hey
if you cannot understand something on this page,
then use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
(opens in a new window) |
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American English Vocabulary - Letter
S
The words on this page came from the VOA, Voice of
America, Special English Word Book.
Use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
for a more detailed explanation of each word. |
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sabotage - v. to damage or destroy as an act
against an organization or nation ("The rebels
sabotaged the railroad.")
-
sacrifice - v. to do without something or to
suffer a loss for a belief, idea, goal or another
person
- sad
- ad. not happy
- safe
- ad. away from harm or danger
- sail
- v. to travel by boat or ship
- sailor
- n. a person involved in sailing a boat or ship
- salt
- n. a white substance found in sea water and in the
ground, used to affect the taste of food
- same
- ad. not different; not changed; like another or
others
- sand
- n. extremely small pieces of crushed rock found in
large amounts in deserts and on coasts
-
satellite - n. a small object in space that
moves around a larger object; an object placed in
orbit around the earth
-
satisfy - v. to give or provide what is
desired, needed or demanded
- save
- v. to make safe; to remove from harm; to keep for
future use
- say
- v. to speak; to express in words
- school
- n. a place for education; a place where people go
to learn
-
science - n. the study of nature and the
actions of natural things, and the knowledge gained
about them
- sea
- n. a large area of salt water, usually part of an
ocean
- search
- v. to look for carefully
- season
- n. one of the four periods of the year that is
based on the earth's position toward the sun
(spring, summer, autumn, winter); a period of time
based on different weather conditions ("dry season",
"rainy season"); a period during the year when
something usually happens ("baseball season")
- seat
- n. a thing to sit on; a place to sit or the right
to sit there ("a seat in parliament")
- second
- ad. the one that comes after the first
- secret
- n. something known only to a few and kept from
general knowledge; ad. hidden from others; known
only to a few
-
security - n. freedom from danger or harm;
protection; measures necessary to protect a person
or place ("Security was increased in the city.")
- see
- v. to know or sense through the eyes; to
understand or know
- seed
- n. the part of a plant from which new plants grow
- seek(ing)
- v. to search for ("They are seeking a cure for
cancer."); to try to get ("She is seeking election
to public office."); to plan to do ("Electric power
companies are seeking to reduce their use of coal.")
- seem
- v. to appear to be ("She seems to be in good
health.")
- seize
- v. to take quickly by force; to take control of
quickly; to arrest
- self
- n. all that which makes one person different from
others
- sell
- v. to give something in exchange for money
- Senate
- n. the smaller of the two groups in the
governments of some countries, such as in the United
States Congress
- send
- v. to cause to go; to permit to go; to cause to be
carried, taken or directed to or away from a place
- sense
- v. to come to know about by feeling, believing or
understanding; n. any of the abilities to see, hear,
taste, smell or feel
-
sentence - v. to declare the punishment for a
crime; n. the punishment for a crime
-
separate - v. to set or keep people, things
or ideas away from or independent from others; ad.
not together or connected; different
- series
- n. a number of similar things or events that
follow one after another in time, position or order
-
serious - ad. important; needing careful
consideration; dangerous
- serve
- v. to work as an official; to be employed by the
government; to assist or help
-
service - n. an organization or system that
provides something for the public ("Schools and
roads are services paid for by taxes."); a job that
an organization or business can do for money;
military organizations such as an army, navy or air
force; a religious ceremony
- set
- v. to put in place or position; to establish a
time, price or limit
- settle
- v. to end (a dispute); to agree about (a problem);
to make a home in a new place
-
several - ad. three or more, but not many
- severe
- ad. not gentle; causing much pain, sadness or
damage
- sex
- n. either the male or female group into which all
people and animals are divided because of their
actions in producing young; the physical activity by
which humans and animals can produce young
- shake
- v. to move or cause to move in short, quick
movements
- shape
- v. to give form to; n. the form of something,
especially how it looks
- share
- v. to give part of something to another or others;
n. a part belonging to, given to or owned by a
single person or a group; any one of the equal parts
of ownership of a business or company
- sharp
- ad. having a thin edge or small point that can cut
or hurt; causing hurt or pain
- she
- pro. the girl or woman who is being spoken about
- sheep
- n. a farm animal used for its meat and hair
- shell
- v. to fire artillery; n. a metal container that is
fired from a large gun and explodes when it reaches
its target; a hard outside cover
-
shelter - v. to protect or give protection
to; n. something that gives protection; a place of
safety
- shine
- v. to aim a light; to give bright light; to be
bright; to clean to make bright
- ship
- v. to transport; n. a large boat
- shock
- v. to cause to feel sudden surprise or fear; n.
something that greatly affects the mind or emotions;
a powerful shake, as from an earthquake
- shoe
- n. a covering for the foot
- shoot
- v. to cause a gun or other weapon to send out an
object designed to kill; to use a gun
- short
- ad. lasting only for a small period of time; not
long; opposite tall
- should
- v. used with another verb (action word) to show
responsibility ("We should study."), probability
("The talks should begin soon."), or that something
is believed to be a good idea ("Criminals should be
punished.")
- shout
- v. to speak very loudly
- show
- v. to make something be seen; to make known; n. a
play or story presented in a theater, or broadcast
on radio or television, for enjoyment or education;
something organized to be seen by the public
- shrink
- v. to make or become less in size, weight or value
- sick
- ad. suffering physically or mentally with a
disease or other problem; not in good health
-
sickness - n. the condition of being in bad
health
- side
- n. the outer surfaces of an object that are not
the top or bottom; parts away from the middle;
either the right or left half of the body
- sign
- v. to write one's name; n. a mark or shape used to
mean something; evidence that something exists or
will happen; a flat piece of material with writing
that gives information
- signal
- v. to send a message by signs; n. an action or
movement that sends a message
-
silence - v. to make quiet; to stop from
speaking or making noise; n. a lack of noise or
sound
- silver
- n. a valued white metal
-
similar - ad. like something else but not
exactly the same
- simple
- ad. easy to understand or do; not difficult or
complex
- since
- prep. from a time in the past until now ("I have
known her since we went to school together.")
- sing
- v. to make music sounds with the voice
- single
- ad. one only
- sink
- v. to go down into water or other liquid
- sister
- n. a female with the same father or mother as
another person
- sit
- v. to rest on the lower part of the body without
the support of the legs; to become seated
-
situation - n. the way things are during a
period of time
- size
- n. the space occupied by something; how long, wide
or high something is
-
skeleton - n. all the bones of a human or
other animal together in their normal positions
- skill
- n. the ability gained from training or experience
- skin
- n. the outer covering of humans and most animals
- sky
- n. the space above the earth
- slave
- n. a person owned or controlled by another
- sleep
- v. to rest the body and mind with the eyes closed
- slide
- v. to move smoothly over a surface
- slow
- v. to reduce the speed of; ad. not fast in moving,
talking or other activities
- small
- ad. little in size or amount; few in number; not
important; opposite large
- smash
- v. to break or be broken into small pieces by
force; to hit or move with force
- smell
- v. to sense through the nose; n. something sensed
by the nose ("the smell of food cooking")
- smoke
- v. to use cigarettes or other tobacco products by
burning them and breathing in the smoke; n. that
which can be seen rising into the air like a cloud
from something burning
- smooth
- ad. having a level surface; opposite rough
- snow
- n. soft, white pieces of frozen water that fall
from the sky, usually in winter or when the air
temperature is very cold
- so
- ad. in such a way that ("He held the flag so all
could see it."); also; too ("She left early, and so
did we."); very ("I am so sick."); as a result
("They were sick, so they could not come."); conj.
in order that; for the purpose of ("Come early so we
can discuss the plans.")
- social
- ad. of or about people or a group
- soft
- ad. not hard; easily shaped; pleasing to touch;
not loud
- soil
- n. earth in which plants grow
-
soldier - n. a person in the army
- solid
- ad. having a hard shape with no empty spaces
inside; strong; not in the form of a liquid or gas
- solve
- v. to find an answer; to settle
- some
- ad. of an amount or number or part not stated; not
all
- son
- n. a person's male child
- soon
- ad. not long after the present time; quickly
- sort
- n. any group of people or things that are the same
or are similar in some way; a kind of something
- sound
- n. fast-moving waves of energy that affect the ear
and result in hearing; that which is heard
- south
- n. the direction to the right of a person facing
the rising sun
- space
- n. the area outside the earth's atmosphere where
the sun, moon, planets and stars are; the area
between or inside things
- speak
- v. to talk; to say words with the mouth; to
express one's thoughts to others and exchange ideas;
to give a speech to a group
-
special - ad. of a different or unusual kind;
not for general use; better or more important than
others of the same kind
- speech
- n. a talk given to a group of people
- speed
- v. to make something go or move faster; n. the
rate at which something moves or travels; the rate
at which something happens or is done
- spend
- v. to give as payment; to use ("He spends much
time studying.")
- spill
- v. to cause or permit liquid to flow out, usually
by accident
- spirit
- n. the part of a human that is not physical and is
connected to thoughts and emotions; the part of a
person that is believed to remain alive after death
- split
- v. to separate into two or more parts; to divide
or break into parts
- sport
- n. any game or activity of competition involving
physical effort or skill
- spread
- v. to become longer or wider; to make or become
widely known
- spring
- n. the time of the year between winter and summer
- spy
- v. to steal or get information secretly; n. one
who watches others secretly; a person employed by a
government to get secret information about another
country
- square
- n. a flat shape having four equal sides
- stab
- v. to cut or push into or through with a pointed
weapon
- stand
- v. to move into or be in a position in which only
the feet are on a surface; to be in one position or
place
- star
- n. a mass of gas that usually appears as a small
light in the sky at night, but is not a planet; a
famous person, usually an actor or singer
- start
- v. to begin; to make something begin
- starve
- v. to suffer or die from a lack of food
- state
- v. to say; to declare; n. a political part of a
nation
-
station - n. a place of special work or
purpose ("a police station"); a place where
passengers get on or off trains or buses; a place
for radio or television broadcasts
- statue
- n. a form of a human, animal or other creature
usually made of stone, wood or metal
- stay
- v. to continue to be where one is; to remain; to
not leave; to live for a time ("They stayed in New
York for two years.")
- steal
- v. to take without permission or paying
- steam
- n. the gas that comes from hot water
- steel
- n. iron made harder and stronger by mixing it with
other substances
- step
- v. to move by lifting one foot and placing it in a
new position; n. the act of stepping; one of a
series of actions designed to reach a goal
- stick
- v. to attach something to another thing using a
substance that will hold them together; to become
fixed in one position so that movement is difficult
("Something is making the door stick."); n. a thin
piece of wood
- still
- ad. not moving ("The man was standing still.");
until the present or a stated time ("Was he still
there?"); even so; although ("The job was difficult,
but she still wanted to do it.")
- stone
- n. a small piece of rock
- stop
- v. to prevent any more movement or action; to come
or bring to an end
- store
- v. to keep or put away for future use; n. a place
where people buy things
- storm
- n. violent weather, including strong winds and
rain or snow
- story
- n. the telling or writing of an event, either real
or imagined
- stove
- n. a heating device used for cooking
-
straight - ad. continuing in one direction
without turns
-
strange - ad. unusual; not normal; not known
- street
- n. a road in a city, town or village
-
stretch - v. to extend for a distance; to
pull on to make longer or wider
- strike
- v. to hit with force; to stop work as a way to
seek better conditions, more pay or to make other
demands
- strong
- ad. having much power; not easily broken, damaged
or destroyed
-
structure - n. the way something is built,
made or organized; a system that is formed or
organized in a special way; a building
-
struggle - v. to try with much effort; to
fight with; n. a great effort; a fight
- study
- v. to make an effort to gain knowledge by using
the mind; to examine carefully
- stupid
- ad. not able to learn much; not intelligent
-
subject - n. the person or thing being
discussed, studied or written about
-
submarine - n. an underwater ship
-
substance - n. the material of which
something is made (a solid, liquid or gas)
-
substitute - v. to put or use in place of
another; n. a person or thing put or used in place
of another
-
subversion - n. an attempt to weaken or
destroy a political system or government, usually
secretly
-
succeed - v. to reach a goal or thing
desired; to produce a planned result
- such
- ad. of this or that kind; of the same kind as;
similar to
- sudden
- ad. not expected; without warning; done or carried
out quickly or without preparation
- suffer
- v. to feel pain in the body or mind; to receive or
experience hurt or sadness
- sugar
- n. a sweet substance made from liquids taken from
plants
-
suggest - v. to offer or propose something to
think about or consider
-
suicide - n. the act of killing oneself
- summer
- n. the warmest time of the year, between spring
and autumn
- sun
- n. the huge star in the sky that provides heat and
light to earth
-
supervise - v. to direct and observe the work
of others
- supply
- v. to give; to provide; n. the amount of something
that can be given or sold to others
-
support - v. to carry the weight of; to hold
up or in position; to agree with others and help
them reach a goal; to approve
-
suppose - v. to believe, think or imagine ("I
suppose you are right."); to expect ("It is supposed
to rain tonight.")
-
suppress - v. to put down or to keep down by
force; to prevent information from being known
publicly
- sure
- ad. very probable; with good reason to believe;
true without question
-
surface - n. the outer side or top of
something ("The rocket landed on the surface of the
moon.")
-
surplus - n. an amount that is more than is
needed; extra; ("That country has a trade surplus.
It exports more than it imports.")
-
surprise - v. to cause a feeling of wonder
because something is not expected; n. something not
expected; the feeling caused by something not
expected
-
surrender - v. to give control of oneself or
one's property to another or others; to stop
fighting and admit defeat
-
surround - v. to form a circle around; to be
in positions all around someone or something
-
survive - v. to remain alive during or after
a dangerous situation
-
suspect - v. to imagine or believe that a
person is guilty of something bad or illegal; n. a
person believed to be guilty
-
suspend - v. to cause to stop for a period of
time
-
swallow - v. to take into the stomach through
the mouth
- swear
in - v. to put an official into office by
having him or her promise to carry out the duties of
that office ("The chief justice will swear in the
president.")
- sweet
- ad. tasting pleasant, like sugar
- swim
- v. to move through water by making motions with
the arms and legs
-
sympathy - n. a sharing of feelings or
emotions with another person, usually feelings of
sadness
- system
- n. a method of organizing or doing something by
following rules or a plan; a group of connected
things or parts working together for a common
purpose or goal
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|
 From
YOUR Teacher: Words You Should Know
Fun Easy English Words You Should Know comes from
the VOA, Voice of America, Special English Word Book
Vocabulary. Special English, now called Learning
English, consists of 1,500
essential words which anyone learning English should know. |
|
News
Words - Letter S
The videos on this page came from the VOA, Voice of
America, News Words program.
Use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
for a detailed explanation of words you do not understand.
Click the full screen button on the
video to make it easier to watch and to read the
video script. |
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Word |
Video |
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Sacred |
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Sanctions |
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Satire |
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Scope |
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Sectarian |
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| Secure |
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| Senate |
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Shun |
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Significant |
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Simulator |
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Smuggle |
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Solidarity |
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Solution |
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Sophisticated |
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Sovereign |
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Speculation |
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Sporadic |
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Stabilize |
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| Startup |
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Stereotype |
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| Stigma |
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| Stock
Market |
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Strategy |
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Summit |
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Superfood |
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Supreme Court |
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Surreal |
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Surveillance |
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Symptoms |
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Additional Lessons |
 About These
Lessons
The following classroom lessons are great for students
who want additional listening and reading practice. |
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Travel America -
Beginner
Level. Do you love America and American
English? Learn before you travel. Facts and other
cool stuff about your favorite U.S. state. Great
English reading practice.
|
 Travel
America - Vermont
(Beginner -
Reading)
Learn some interesting facts and read interesting
stories about Vermont. |
 Vermont
In 1609, French explorer Samuel de Champlain came
upon a large lake in the area we know today as
Vermont and named it after himself. The state's name
comes from two French words vert (green) and mont
(mountain), which explains Vermont's nickname, the
"Green Mountain State." Ethan Allen and the Green
Mountain Boys defended their homeland from the
British during the Revolutionary War. Vermont is one
of the six New England states and became the 14th
state in 1791. Some of Vermont's major industries
are dairy farming and tourism. One of the most
picturesque states, Vermont has millions of visitors
each year who come to see the leaves turn colors in
the fall and the snow-covered mountains in the
winter. The state flower is the red clover and the
tree is the sugar maple. Vermont maple syrup is one
of the state's most popular products. |
Vermont
State Flag
Vermont's state flag was authorized in 1919 and
features the state coat of arms (which includes the state
motto) against a field of blue.
From Vermont Statutes Online:
The Coat of Arms, Crest, Motto and Badge of the State shall
be and are described as follows
(1) Coat of Arms. Green, a landscape occupying half of the
shield; on the right and left, in the background, high
mountains, blue; the sky, yellow. From near the base and
reaching nearly to the top of the shield, arises a pine tree
of the natural color and between three erect sheaves,
yellow, placed diagonally on the right side and a red cow
standing on the left side of the field.
(2) Motto and Badge. On a scroll beneath the shield, the
motto: Vermont; Freedom and Unity. The Vermonter's badge:
two pine branches of natural color, crossed between the
shield and scroll.
(3) Crest. A buck's head, of natural color, placed on a
scroll, blue and yellow. |
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Source:
State Symbols USA |
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 Vermont
State Facts
Picture: state seal of Vermont |
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State Capital |
Montpelier |
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Nickname |
Green Mountain State |
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Motto |
Freedom and Unity |
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Statehood |
March 4, 1791 (14th) |
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Origin of Name |
Based on "verts monts," French for green mountains |
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Largest Cities |
Burlington |
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Border States |
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York |
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Area |
9,249 sq. mi., 43rd largest |
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State Bird |
Hermit Thrush |
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State Flower |
Red Clover (trifolium pratense) |
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State Tree |
Sugar Maple (acer saccharum) |
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State Song |
Hail, Vermont |
 Travel and tourism
site for Vermont - This state travel and territorial
tourism site provides ideas for your vacations, meetings, and more. |
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Vermont Stories |
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The Town Meeting
Have you ever been to a town meeting? Do you know
what goes on in one? Town meetings are a popular
form of local government in Vermont and elsewhere.
During these meetings, all citizens are welcome to
discuss local issues such as the cost of running the
schools and government. Taxes are almost always an
issue. Should they be raised or lowered? What type
of computers should be purchased? What to do about
overdue property taxes? These are just some of the
topics that could be discussed and voted on at a
town meeting.
University of Vermont political science professor
Frank Bryan calls the town meeting the "Secret Flame
of Democracy." But some people think the town
meeting has outgrown its usefulness. They say that
American society has grown too large and complex for
the town-meeting style of government. Others think
that town meetings are "alive, but troubled." They
say that town meetings are mostly attended by those
who are self-employed, retired, or otherwise not
working at regular daytime jobs, so they cannot
accurately reflect the views of the majority of the
town's citizens.
Do you think the town meeting will survive? |
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Vermont Maple Syrup
Do you like pancakes with maple syrup? Did you know
that Vermont produces more maple syrup than any
other state in the United States?
The process used to make maple syrup is essentially
the same one that Native Americans first used
hundreds of years ago.
For four to six weeks in the winter or early spring,
farmers collect the sweet-water sap of dormant sugar
maple or black maple trees. The sap is extracted
through tap holes, which are carefully drilled into
the trees and fitted with spouts and buckets or the
more modern and common method, plastic tubing. The
sweet-water sap is then boiled in pans to evaporate
the liquid. The sap only yields one-thirtieth to
one-fiftieth the amount of syrup as the original
quantity of sap.
Maple syrup can be used to improve a number of
dishes in many ways, but mostly it's used to turn
pancakes and waffles into delicious treats. |
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Source:
Library of Congress |
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 National
Forests of Vermont
The following is a description of national
forests in the state
of Vermont. There are no national parks or
monuments in this state. If you plan to visit or live in
Vermont for awhile then you should
definitely plan to visit some of these
fantastic places. |
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National Forests |
 Green
Mountain
In Vermont's Green Mountains, this forest
includes eight wilderness areas. Among the
900 mi (1,400 km) of trails in the forest
are the Appalachian Trail and two National
Recreation Trails: Long and Robert Frost. |
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Travel
America
Do you love America and American English? Learn before
you travel. Facts and other cool stuff about your
favorite U.S. state. Visit the Fun Easy English Travel
America pages. Read about the beautiful National
Forests, Parks, and Monuments. Great English reading practice. |
 Drive America
Planning to drive in America? Learn the rules and
regulations. Great English reading practice. |
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Hey Students,
Use this dictionary and reference to look up any words you do not
understand in Fun Easy English.
Note: search opens in a new tab. |
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Search Fun Easy English |
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