Hatchet: Chapters 13–16

by Gary Paulsen
The sole survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson will need resourcefulness, courage, and strength in order to stay alive.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–12, Chapters 13–16, Chapters 17–Epilogue

Here is a link to our lists for The Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulsen.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. tension
    the physical condition of being stretched or strained
    But the fear moved then, moved away, and Brian knew the wolf for what it was — another part of the woods, another part of all of it. Brian relaxed the tension on the spear in his hand, settled the bow in his other hand from where it had started to come up.
  2. hummock
    a small natural mound
    He put an arrow to the string, pulled it back to his cheek, pointed it at a dirt hummock, and at that precise instant the bow wood exploded in his hands sending splinters and chips of wood into his face.
  3. precise
    sharply exact or accurate or delimited
    He put an arrow to the string, pulled it back to his cheek, pointed it at a dirt hummock, and at that precise instant the bow wood exploded in his hands sending splinters and chips of wood into his face.
  4. virtual
    existing in essence or effect though not in actual fact
    He had made a new bow, with slender limbs and a more fluid, gentle pull, but could not hit the fish though he sat in the water and was, in the end, surrounded by a virtual cloud of small fish.
  5. exult
    feel extreme happiness or elation
    The bow had given him this way and he exulted in it, in the bow, in the arrow, in the fish, in the hatchet, in the sky.
  6. rectify
    make right or correct
    In the city if he made a mistake usually there was a way to rectify it, make it all right. If he fell on his bike and sprained a leg he could wait for it to heal; if he forgot something at the store he could find other food in the refrigerator.
  7. vital
    urgently needed; absolutely necessary
    Early in the new time he had learned the most important thing, the truly vital knowledge that drives all creatures in the forest — food is all.
  8. confines
    a bounded scope
    In the tiny confines of the shelter the effect was devastating.
  9. devastating
    wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction
    In the tiny confines of the shelter the effect was devastating.
  10. corrosive
    capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
    The corrosive spray that hit his face seared into his lungs and eyes, blinding him.
  11. impaired
    diminished in strength, quality, or utility
    He thought that he might be permanently blind, or at least impaired — and that would have been the end.
  12. sarcasm
    witty language used to convey insults or scorn
    Fine — sarcasm came into his thoughts — I know that, thank you.
  13. stabilize
    keep from fluctuating or put into an equilibrium
    Even when a bird was seven or eight feet away the arrow would turn without feathers to stabilize it and hit brush or a twig.
  14. emphasize
    give extra weight to
    As if to emphasize his thoughts the mosquitos — with the fire gone and protective smoke no longer saving him — came back in thick, nostril-clogging swarms.
  15. unduly
    to an unnecessary degree
    He slowed his movements and stood slowly, without stretching unduly, and went to the lake for a drink.
Created on Fri Feb 22 06:13:23 EST 2013 (updated Fri Jun 13 14:34:19 EDT 2025)

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