As you studied the passages from Jane Eyre on the previous page, you probably noticed that some of its words are not commonly used today--except perhaps in very advanced texts that are more likely to be read by college students or literary scholars who study classic literature. Unfortunately, too many unknown words can change the way you comprehend text, causing you to misunderstand key ideas or to miss important details.

In this course, when you are asked to read text that may contain advanced vocabulary, you’ll see a page like this one first. It will always have the title Words to Know, and it will look similar to this page in its design. It’s important that you spend time on this page--not just to ensure you understand the story you’re about to read but also to help you gradually expand your vocabulary. Just think--when you encounter the same words in future readings, you will already know what the words mean!

Let's Practice

See how well and how quickly you can learn the meanings of the words on this page. First, make a guess about what each word meant as it was used by Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre. Then click the word to see how close you are to the correct answer.

Now use the activity below to learn more about the context in which these words are often used. Read the sentence on each flashcard. Which vocabulary word is described by each sentence? See the back of the card to check your answers.