Jacqueline Woodson: What reading slowly taught me about writing | TED

Important Vocabulary Words From The Video

untaught

Untaught means that someone has not had the opportunity to learn something. This can be because they were not born into a family that is educated or because they were not born in a place where education is available.

  • The untaught child will never be able to learn magic.
  • The untaught artist is able to create beautiful works of art without any guidance.
rereading

To reread something is to read it again, this time with a more critical eye. When you reread a book, you might look for different things to see how the author has interpreted the same story.

  • She reread the book for the third time this semester.
  • I reread the article again, this time with a more critical eye.
fictive

A fictitious person is someone who is not real. It is sometimes used to describe characters in novels, movies, or TV shows.

  • The movie was based on a fictitious story.
  • The characters in the story are all fictitious.
savored

Savored means to enjoy something very much. When you savor something, you take the time to enjoy it fully.

  • The cake was so delicious, I savored every bite.
  • The wine was so good, I savored every sip.
noisier

The noisier the environment, the more disturbed or uncomfortable people feel. Noise can be annoying, disruptive, and even harmful.

  • The library was much noisier than the museum, which made it harder to concentrate.
  • The party was much noisier than the bar, which made it difficult to have a conversation.
boomboxes

A boombox is a stereo system that is often used in the 1980s and 1990s. It is a small, portable system that you can carry around with you.

  • I remember playing my boombox all the time when I was a kid.
  • They're going to throw out all the old boomboxes because they no longer support them.
legitimized

Legitimized means that someone or something has been given the legal right to exist or to do something. When the government legitimizes a terrorist organization, they are giving it the legal authority to do what it does.

  • The government legitimized the terrorist organization by giving it a license to operate.
  • The company legitimized their product by getting a certificate of quality.
enslavement

Enslaving is taking control of someone so that they cannot free themselves. This can be done through physical slavery or through mental slavery.

  • The people were enslaved because they refused to work for the king.
  • The government is enslaving its citizens by forcing them to pay taxes.
stoops

To stoop is to bend down or to lower your body lower than your head. It's usually used to refer to the way that people lower their heads when they are praying or worshiping.

  • He was stooping down to pick up a rock, when he slipped and fell.
  • The workers were stooping down to clean the floor, when they fell down a hole.