Let me tell you a story, my young friends,
Of words that may seem hard to comprehend,
But fear not, for I'll make it fun and light,
And hopefully, by the end, you'll feel bright.

Now, first up, we have the word "boost,"
It means to make something bigger, like a roost,
Where birds can rest and take a break,
A boost can make something stronger, for goodness sake!

Next is "abridge," which means to shorten or cut,
Like a movie that's too long, and needs to be put
Into a version that's more compact,
So that you can enjoy it in a snap.

"Condense" is similar to abridge, you see,
It means to make something smaller, just like a bee
That collects nectar to make honey,
Which it condenses, to make it oh so yummy.

Then there's "accrue," which means to gather or collect,
Like a squirrel gathering nuts, to make sure it's all set
For the winter months when food is scarce,
Accruing is important, so make sure you take care!

"Add" is a word we use all the time,
It means to join something together, like a rhyme
That adds to the beauty of a song,
Or to a picture, which can never be wrong.

Lastly, there's "augment," which means to increase,
Like the growth of a plant, or the size of a feast,
It's important to augment our knowledge and skills,
So that we can tackle any challenges and hills.

So there you have it, my young friends,
Six words to learn and to comprehend,
Use them wisely and with delight,
And watch as your knowledge takes flight!

Reflections

1. What does the word "boost" mean, and can you think of an example of when you might want to boost something?
2. How are the words "abridge" and "condense" similar? Can you think of an example of something that might need to be abridged or condensed?
3. What does it mean to "accrue" something, and can you think of an example of something you might want to accrue?
4. What does the word "add" mean, and can you think of an example of when you might want to add something to something else?
5. What does it mean to "augment" something, and can you think of an example of when you might want to augment something?