Vocabulary ladder
War and Peace
Book One, XII
1,382 words. Everyday vocabulary (band A) covers 62% of the text; the hard 5% is 47 entries — all of them below.
A 61.8% (274 types) B 6.6% (64 types) C 5.1% (47 entries) D 0.7% (9 entries) E 0.9% (11 entries) N 3.4% (27 entries)
Band B — common reading vocabulary
A sample of 24 of 64 — you will meet these often; they are explained only at the fullest help level.
- unpleasant
- accord
- spoil
- niece
- utters
- midst
- thirteen
- confidential
- stabbed
- glance · glanced, glancing ×4
- impose
- sleeves
- dull
- distressed ×2
- feasting
- pity
- behaved
- clerk
- pause
- visitor · visitors ×11
- flexibility
- enhance
- spite
- exceptional
Band C — recognition checklist
All 47 upper-intermediate words in this chapter. Tick the ones you know; the rest are explained at the fullest help level.
- grownup
- unnaturally
- splendidly
- playfully
- softness
- chime
- vocation
- tint
- flattered
- ensign
- impulsive
- restrain
- complexion
- shrug
- passionately
- involuntary
- mischief
- inquire
- plainly
- graceful
- brunette
- sly
- lash
- rejoice
- unnatural
- wink
- countess
- blush
- brightness
- shameful
- youngster
- slender
- evidently
- sarcastic
- flare
- kitten
- forbid
- remark
- veil
- muscular
- diplomat
- eld
- vanish
- coil
- limb
- splendid
- volcano
Band D — advanced (9 entries)
- cousinage
- explained by the text itself
- half-grown
- partly grown
- kittenish
- playful as a kitten
- good-looking
- handsome
- girlish
- like a young girl
- confidante
- a woman trusted with secrets
- tawny
- warm golden brown
- perplexing
- puzzling; hard to make out
- adoration
- love that worships
Band E — rare & archaic (11 entries)
- voisinage
- explained by the text itself
- flirtatiousness
- flirting manner
- dangereux
- explained by the text itself
- aspersion
- a damaging remark; a slur
- coyness
- shy reserve
- gambols
- playful leaping about
- coquettish
- flirting; playfully teasing
- hussar · hussars ×3
- a light-cavalry soldier
- weren
- were — weren't: were not
- approbation
- approval
- plaits
- a braid of hair
False friends — common words wearing old senses (2)
- interest
- the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here
- use
- habit; custom — the old sense here
Names (16)
- arkhárovs
- a Moscow family
- borís ×4
- Borís Drubetskóy, the ambitious young officer
- karágina
- Julie Karágina's family name
- mikháylovna
- a patronymic — daughter of Michael
- natásha
- Natásha Rostóva, the novel's radiant heroine
- pávlograd
- Rostóv's hussar regiment
- rostóv
- the family name of Nicholas, Natásha, and Pétya
- salomoni
- an Italian singer
- sónya ×5
- Sónya, the Rostóvs' gentle, devoted cousin
- véra ×5
- the eldest, coldly correct Rostóv daughter
- buonaparte
- Bonaparte — the scornful Italian spelling
- bonaparte
- Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French
- nicholas ×7
- Nicholas Rostóv, the eldest Rostóv son
- julie ×2
- Julie Karágina, the wealthy heiress Borís marries
- anna
- a woman's name — Anna Pávlovna Schérer and others
- in spite of
- despite