Vocabulary for the Unit

Conductor - a railroad worker in charge of a train and its crew. On a passenger train, the conductor may collect tickets and act as a guide.

Express - traveling fast and making few stops.

Polar - of or near the North or South Pole.

Asphalt - a dark substance similar to tar, found in various parts of the world or obtained by refining petroleum. It is used to seal roofs and make them waterproof. Thetar beach in the painting is on a rooftop of an apartment.

Harlem - a part of New York City in northern Manhattan. The majority of the population is African-American.

Quilt - a cover for a bed, usually made of two pieces of cloth with a soft pad between, held in place by stitching.

Chicana/Chicano - an American of Hispanic, Latin, or Mexican American descent.
Fair--the display and selling of farm or other products and goods by the sellers to a gathering of buyers. These are often held at the same location and time each year.

Gouache - an opaque water-based paint.

Papel picado - perforated paper banners.

Reynosa - a city in Mexico just across the Rio Grande River from McAllen, Texas. The Rio Grande forms the border between the United States and Mexico.

Salsa - a sauce made from peppers, tomatoes, vegetables, and spices. Usually hot to the taste.

Soda (pop) - a nonalcoholic carbonated drink flavored with fruit juice or syrup.

Taco - a crispy corn tortilla folded in half and filled with cooked chopped beef or chicken and lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa and served hot; also can be made with a soft flour tortilla.

Vaquero - Mexican ranch worker who was the model for the "American cowboy."