If something is done on one’s behalf, it is done for that person by another.
The original speaker was sick, so his son gave the speech on his behalf.- To flap means to move quickly up and down or from side to side.
The tiny bird flapped its wings and ate from the flowers. - A glacier is a large piece of ice that moves very slowly.
The North Pole is covered by a huge glacier. - The globe refers to the Earth.
Water covers most of the globe. - When something is horizontal, it is flat and level with the ground.
The Russian flag has three horizontal stripes of white, blue, and red. - To hum means to make a low, continuous noise.
The man hummed his favorite song. - An inventory is a supply of something.
Gwen was checking the inventory to make sure we had what we needed. - If a thought or feeling is inward, it is not expressed or shown to others.
She had an inward feeling of guilt when she lied to her mother. - A loaf of bread is bread shaped and baked in one piece.
Could you please buy a loaf of bread for sandwiches? - An oracle is person who speaks with gods and gives advice about the future.
The king went to the oracle to ask if going to war was a good idea. - To orbit something means to move around it in a continuous, curving path.
The moon orbits the Earth. - An overview is a general description of a situation.
My brother gave me an overview of the important parts of the book. - A preview is an opportunity to see something before it is available to the public.
The band played us a preview of their new song. - If something is previous, then it happened earlier in time or order.
He turned back to the previous page to read the paragraph again. - To provide something means to supply it.
Each student was provided with a test and three sharp pencils. - To recur means to happen more than once.
Burglaries seem to recur over and over in our neighborhood. - When something is relevant, it is important to a certain person or situation.
The thirty-year-old book about politics is still relevant to our society today. - A rite is a traditional ceremony carried out by a particular group or society.
Special masks are worn during the rite when a new baby is born. - To stall means to stop a process and continue it at a later time.
If you give the car a push, it won’t stall. - If something is supernatural, it is not real or explainable by natural law.
The dragon had supernatural powers such as flying and breathing fire.
Cosmo’s Flight
When Cosmo woke up, he was crying. He had a dream that he was falling. This dream had recurred for the previous five nights. Cosmo was scared that his dreams were a preview of what was going to happen on his flight the next day. Cosmo was a supernatural being who was about to turn 15 years old. In his culture, boys of his age were required to participate in an important rite. They were given wings and instructed to orbit the Earth. After successful flights, the boys officially became men. Cosmo certainly wanted to be a man, but he was scared. He went to the oracle of a god named Dano. Cosmo said, “I’m not sure I can make such a long trip. What if I get tired? What if my strength stalls, and I can’t stay in the air. I’ll crash and die!”
Dano replied, “Don’t be afraid. You have all the relevant skills in your personal inventory that have been building up over the years. To ease your worry, let me tell you a little about what will happen tomorrow. You’ll begin over Africa. You’ll keep flying north until you come to the Himalayas. The mountaintops will look like small loaves of bread at such a high distance. The rivers of the world will look like pieces of blue string that cross the globe. Keep your body horizontal when flying against the winds of the Pacific Ocean. Keep your eyes open and enjoy the beauty of the Earth. You will be fine, you’ll see.”
Cosmo replied, “Thanks for the overview of my journey, I’ll do my best.” The next morning, Cosmo was provided with a divine set of wings and sent on his way. He flapped his wings and went high above the Earth. He flew over mountains, oceans, and glaciers. After a while, his inward thoughts were no longer about falling. He was actually having fun! He began to hum a song as he enjoyed the view. When he reached home, his tribe was there to greet him. The chief said, “On behalf of the tribe, I declare you a man. We’re proud of you, Cosmo!” Cosmo was proud of himself, too.