The World According to Humphrey: Chapters 1–4

by Betty G. Birney
This first book in the series introduces a hamster named Humphrey, who comes up with plans to solve the problems facing him and the humans of Longfellow School's Room 26.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–9, Chapters 10–15
35 words 153 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. suspect
    imagine to be the case or true or probable
    So there we were: hamsters, gerbils, mice and guinea pigs—not nearly as popular as the fish, cats or dogs. I suspected that I’d be spinning my wheel at Pet-O-Rama forever.
  2. compliment
    a remark expressing praise and admiration
    “Aren’t you the bright-eyed one?” she asked.
    “And might I return the compliment?” I replied.
  3. respectable
    deserving of esteem
    Then Ms. Mac picked out a respectable cage—okay, not the three-story pagoda I’d had my eye on—but a nice cage.
  4. pagoda
    an Asian temple
    Then Ms. Mac picked out a respectable cage—okay, not the three-story pagoda I’d had my eye on—but a nice cage.
  5. lumber
    move heavily or clumsily
    And soon, amid squeals of encouragement from my friends in the Small Pet Department, from the teeniest white mouse to the lumbering chinchilla, I left Pet-O-Rama with high hopes.
  6. kibble
    pellets of coarsely ground grain used as animal feed
    Little did she know I could already make out some words from my long, boring days at Pet-O-Rama.
    Words like Chew Toys. Kibble. Pooper-Scoopers.
  7. suit
    be agreeable or acceptable to
    Yes, life in Room 26 suited me well during the day. My cage had all the comforts a hamster could ask for.
  8. groom
    give a neat appearance to
    My mirror came in handy to check my grooming (and to hide my notebook).
  9. convenient
    suited to your comfort or purpose or needs
    All my needs were taken care of in one convenient cage.
  10. content
    the state of being satisfied with your situation in life
    She made a tunnel on the floor so I could race and wiggle to my hamster heart’s content.
  11. inkling
    a slight suggestion or vague understanding
    I didn’t have an inkling—until this morning—of the unsqueakable thing she was about to do to me.
  12. glare
    look at with a fixed or angry gaze
    “The children know what to do. You won’t have to do a thing,” Ms. Mac said as Mrs. Brisbane glared at me.
  13. promptly
    with little or no delay
    “This will make you happy,” she said as she slipped me the special treat she’d brought from home: cauliflower. Naturally, Miranda had good taste. I promptly saved it in my cheek pouch until I could store it in my sleeping house.
  14. nocturnal
    belonging to or active during the night
    “You know. ’Turnal. He sleeps during the day,” said Heidi.
    I was wide-awake now. “Nocturnal,” I squeaked. “Hamsters are nocturnal.”
  15. technically
    according to the exact meaning; according to the facts
    “Her use of the word is correct,” she said. “Though, technically, humans are not nocturnal. Any others?”
  16. eventually
    after an unspecified period of time or a long delay
    Eventually, the class came up with more names of nocturnal animals, like bats and coyotes and opossums, and Mrs. Brisbane said that the class would be learning more about animal habits later in the year.
  17. quiver
    a shaky motion
    THUMP-THUMP-THUMP, the ghost came down the hall! Oh, I had shivers and quivers.
  18. skitter
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    I skittered across the table.
  19. gnaw
    bite or chew on with the teeth
    I chewed and chomped and gnawed and nibbled.
  20. scamper
    run or move about quickly or lightly
    I dropped what was left of the peanut and scampered back.
  21. hesitation
    the act of pausing uncertainly
    Without hesitation, I leaped up and grabbed the cord and began swinging back and forth.
  22. churn
    be agitated
    My stomach churned and I wished I’d never touched that peanut.
  23. peer
    look searchingly
    He bent down to peer in at me.
  24. dread
    be afraid or scared of
    “NO-NO-NO!” I squeaked, dreading the thought of being plunged into darkness again.
  25. bask
    expose oneself to warmth and light, as for relaxation
    After he turned off the lights and left, I chomped on the lettuce I’d saved and basked in the warm glow of the streetlight—and my new friendship with Aldo.
  26. behalf
    as the agent of or on someone's part
    So I was there when Mrs. Brisbane talked to Sayeh. And I was all ready to squeak up on her behalf, if necessary.
  27. impressed
    deeply or markedly affected or influenced
    I checked my notebook and I was pretty impressed. I only got an 85% on the last vocabulary test. This girl is smart!
  28. verge
    the limit beyond which something happens or changes
    “Try again, Richie,” said Mrs. Brisbane, who was on the verge of smiling herself.
  29. utterly
    completely and without qualification
    Would I be left alone...hungry, utterly forsaken for two whole days?
  30. forsake
    leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
    Would I be left alone...hungry, utterly forsaken for two whole days?
  31. apparently
    seemingly; as far as one can tell
    “Well, how’s your first week back, Sue?” he asked.
    “Sue” was apparently Mrs. Brisbane, although I’d never actually thought of her having a first name before.
  32. distract
    draw someone's attention away from something
    “Yes, but I’m afraid he’s a little distracting. I was going to see if Mr. Kim in Room 12 wants him.”
  33. instinct
    inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to stimuli
    He kept poking his fingers through the wires of the cage. I was about to bite him—pure instinct—but then I remembered: This is the son of the Most Important Person at Longfellow School.
  34. lurch
    move abruptly
    Willy lurched forward and swung open the cage door.
  35. slump
    fall or sink heavily
    He slumped down in the chair next to my cage and loosened his tie.
Created on Fri May 03 10:41:32 EDT 2024 (updated Fri May 03 15:38:38 EDT 2024)

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