Life Is So Good: Chapters 19–24

by George Dawson, Richard Glaubman
George Dawson, who lived from 1898 to 2001 and learned to read at the age of 98, reflects on the life lessons he learned over the course of the 20th century.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–12, Chapters 13–18, Chapters 19–24
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. quench
    satisfy, as thirst
    The water was warm, but I used the hose to quench my thirst and kept on working.
  2. agitation
    a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance
    But the faster pace slowed the agitation in my brain. My mind let go of its anger and settled on other things.
  3. cavalcade
    a procession of people traveling by foot, horse, or vehicles
    The president has been shot as his cavalcade went through downtown.
  4. impeachment
    the act of charging an official with an offense committed while in office
    Faced with certain impeachment by the House of Representatives and likely conviction by the Senate, on August 8 Nixon announced to the nation in a televised speech that he would resign, becoming the first president in American history to do so.
  5. preemptive
    designed to prevent an anticipated situation or occurrence
    A pre-emptive pardon by his successor, Gerald R. Ford, spared him the further indignity of a possible criminal indictment.
  6. successor
    a person who inherits some title or office
    A pre-emptive pardon by his successor, Gerald R. Ford, spared him the further indignity of a possible criminal indictment.
  7. indictment
    a formal document charging a person with some offense
    A pre-emptive pardon by his successor, Gerald R. Ford, spared him the further indignity of a possible criminal indictment.
  8. hypocrisy
    pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not have
    Look at those people that do the accusing. I think the word for it is hypocrisy.
  9. munition
    weapons considered collectively
    They was doing a lot of hiring at a munitions plant in California and people was saying that the pay was supposed to be good.
  10. dwell
    think moodily or anxiously about something
    There ain’t no sense on dwelling on things.
  11. pension
    regular payment to allow a person to subsist without working
    I took care of each of them to the end and gave them a proper funeral too. That’s why I had no pension money left either.
  12. linoleum
    a floor covering made from linseed oil, cork, and resin
    There’s a room where the electricity don’t come on anymore, and in the kitchen the linoleum is crumbling, but it’s got everything I need.
  13. loom
    a textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile
    We moved a big desk and behind that was a loom. It was nicer wood than the loom my grandma used with the thread we had made.
  14. equivalence
    essential comparability and interchangeability
    “Well, a large number of them dropped out of school and are back to get their GED, General Equivalency Degree. That’s like a high school diploma.”
  15. credential
    a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts
    I wanted to work in adult education and agreed to fill in for a young man that was just one course shy of getting his teaching credential. He got the credential and a job, so I’m still here.
  16. ethic
    the principles of right and wrong for an individual or group
    His work ethic and commitment help our younger students.
  17. assume
    take to be the case or to be true
    “I assumed Roosevelt meant Franklin Roosevelt from World War Two,” Mr. Henry added. “But it was Theodore Roosevelt and the war
    was the Spanish-American War.”
  18. valet
    someone employed to park and retrieve cars
    We had valet parking. That means they take your car and do the parking for you!
  19. luxury
    the quality possessed by something excessively expensive
    But he said, “Follow me. I’m taking you to a luxury suite instead.”
  20. corporate
    of or belonging to a business firm
    We can’t treat you to a corporate box each time you come to the stadium.
  21. prospect
    someone who is considered for something
    Besides Norm, some other people dropped by for “a minute” and then stayed: a baseball prospect with a broken wrist and some people that worked there—all kinds of people.
  22. tonic
    a medicine that strengthens and invigorates
    He seen it as being like a tonic that’s good for the system.
  23. tumbler
    a glass with a flat bottom but no handle or stem
    It was only one small tumbler that we had, though my father would often do more than that for himself.
  24. cursive
    handwriting in which letters are connected within words
    While she was watching, I signed my name in cursive.
  25. outrage
    a feeling of righteous anger
    I was looking to give you the chance to voice your anger, to share your outrage about losing your childhood.
  26. gratitude
    a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
    I had come to record a life of hardship and was not prepared to hear of gratitude.
  27. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    The ankle started swelling right quick. I hobbled home.
  28. regret
    sadness associated with some wrong or disappointment
    “Do you have any regrets in life?”
  29. honorary
    given as an award without the normal duties
    “Because of the circumstances, maybe there might be a special degree, an honorary degree.”
  30. weary
    physically and mentally fatigued
    Every now and then, I do get a little weary of school, though. I’ve been going every day for three years now, even in the summer. The brain needs a rest.
Created on Mon Sep 19 18:32:59 EDT 2016 (updated Tue Jul 05 18:06:36 EDT 2022)

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