For some reason, my first year of school had wrought a great change in our relationship: Calpurnia’s tyranny, unfairness, and meddling in my business had faded to gentle grumblings of general disapproval.?
tutorial system
a system,?mainly?in universities, in which?students?receive?guidance?in?academic?or?personal?matters from?tutors
tinfoil
Tinfoil?consists of?shiny?metal?in the form of a thin?sheet?which is used for wrapping?food.
knot-hole
a?hole?in a piece of wood where a?knot?has been
loot
goods stolen or taken by force, as from a?captured?enemy?city in wartime or by a?corrupt?official?or by rioters; plunder;?spoils
cram
to?eat?or cause to eat more than?necessary
lick
When people or animals?lick?something, they move their tongue across its surface.
go gargle?
If you?gargle, you?wash?your mouth and throat by?filling?your mouth with a liquid,?tipping?your?head?back?and using your throat to?blow?bubbles through the liquid, and?finally?spitting?it out.
grumble?
If someone?grumbles, they?complain?about something in a?bad-temperedway.
nauseate; nauseated;nauseating;nausea
If something?nauseates?you, it makes you feel as if you are?going?to?vomit.
dash?
If you?dash?somewhere, you run or go there quickly and?suddenly.
tread water
If you?say?that someone?is treading water, you mean that they are in an?unsatisfactory?situation where they are not?progressing, but are just?continuing?doing the same things.
good grace?
willingly or cheerfully
pitcher
A?pitcher?is a large?container?made of?clay. Pitchers are usually round in?shapeand have a narrow neck and two?handles?shaped?like?ears.
scowl;scowling
When someone?scowls, an angry or?hostile?expression?appears?on their?face.
whittle away?
To?whittle?away?something or?whittle away?at?it?means?to gradually make it smaller,?weaker, or less?effective.
melancholy
very sad
assorted
various different types
townsfolk
people who lived in a town
quell
to reduce or stop unpleasant feelings such as fear, doubt, or worry?
bumpy
uneven
tangle with
argue or fight
wreak
1\Something or someone that?wreaks?havoc?or?destruction?causes a great amount of?disorder?or?damage.
2\If you?wreak?revenge?or vengeance on someone, you do something that will?harmthem very much to?punish?them for the harm they have done to you.
