Lamb to the Slaughterby Roald DahlVocabulary Preview

Anxiety (noun)State of being worried or uneasy.

Mrs. McCarty’s anxiety over riding the donkey was increased when the donkey seemed to tip forward.

Luxuriate (verb)Take great pleasure

During the summer, Matt luxuriated in playing his ukulele on his front porch.

Placid (adjective)

Calm; tranquil After a busy first week of school, Molly had a placid look on her face as her family drove to the cabin for a relaxing weekend.

Premises (noun)House or building and its surrounding property

There is not smoking on school premises.

Consoling (verb, used as adjective in this story)• comforting• Her mother offered a consoling hug when

she heard the bad news.

Administered (verb)

• Given, applied• The nurse administered cough syrup to the

ill children.

Hospitality (noun)

• Friendly, caring treatment of guests• The generous

man’s hospitality was famous among his neighbors.

Dramatic ironyThe audience knows something important that some or all of the characters do not knowEven though I know the writers create dramatic irony on purpose, I still always want to yell, “turn around!” at the screen during a scary movie.

Situational ironyOccurs when something that happens is the opposite of what we would normally expect to happen or would find appropriate.