I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964: Chapters 8–15

by Lauren Tarshis
In this twenty-third book of the historical fiction I Survived series, eleven-year-old Jackson Barrett, toughened by living in the Alaskan bush, suddenly starts to shake when he is in town.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–15
35 words 44 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. stall
    a small area set off for special use
    He pushed his way into a stall and stood there.
  2. queasy
    feeling nausea
    Jackson didn’t need a nurse for a queasy stomach.
  3. frazzle
    exhaust physically or emotionally
    The shouts of the frazzled-looking teacher trying to get the little kids to stop throwing food.
  4. talon
    a sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey
    The time he saw an eagle snatch a huge salmon from the river with its pointy talon toes.
  5. scamper
    run or move about quickly or lightly
    Moose calves, fox kits, bear cubs, and baby rabbits were scampering around the forest with their mothers.‌
  6. overlook
    have a view of something from above
    “On the way back to the cabin, I climbed up onto a high ridge that overlooked the valley.”
  7. predator
    any animal that lives by preying on other animals
    Wolves were fierce predators—fast and tough, with jaws strong enough to bite through bones.
  8. wince
    the facial expression of sudden pain
    “That’s gotta hurt!” Chris said with a wince.
  9. snarl
    make an angry, sharp, or abrupt noise
    They growled and snarled and snapped at the bear’s legs.
  10. eventually
    after an unspecified period of time or a long delay
    “The grizzly gave up eventually. It ran into the woods.”
  11. recess
    a break in the school day for play or relaxation
    He avoided the recess games of hide-and-seek.
  12. kerosene
    a flammable hydrocarbon oil used as fuel
    Even Mom and Dad and Jackson needed to buy things. Like their parkas and boots, the kerosene for their lamps, their fishing gear and woodstove.
  13. caribou
    Arctic deer with large antlers in both sexes
    They figured out how to build warm houses and fast boats from caribou hide or the bark of trees.
  14. bicker
    argue over petty things
    The kids bickered over when it would be best to meet at the waterfront.
  15. scrawl
    write carelessly
    Uncle Solly scrawled out a note and handed it to Jackson.
  16. bay
    an indentation of a shoreline smaller than a gulf
    Heading out of the harbor in Uncle Solly’s little boat, they’d explored the coves and bays tucked between the mountains.
  17. kelp
    large brown seaweeds having fluted leathery fronds
    There was always something to see—a walrus with dagger tusks, dolphins dancing in the waves, furry sea otters floating around on rafts they made from kelp.
  18. froth
    become bubbly or foaming
    The water in the harbor began to churn and froth, like an evil witch’s brew.
  19. strain
    become stretched or tense or taut
    Fishing boats in the harbor bounced around like toys. The Chena strained against its thick ropes.
  20. stumble
    walk unsteadily
    He managed to stumble to the street.
  21. thrash
    move or stir about violently
    The earth seemed to be alive—rising and falling, twisting and rolling. Jackson felt like he was trying to crawl across the back of a furious, thrashing monster.
  22. fissure
    a long narrow opening
    A fissure! Jackson had read about these giant splits in the earth.
  23. gag
    choke or retch
    The stench made him gag.
  24. jagged
    having a sharply uneven surface or outline
    He stretched out his arms, feeling the jagged sides.
  25. gush
    flow forth in a sudden stream or jet
    The water knocked the air from his lungs. It gushed into his mouth and up his nose.
  26. grit
    clench together
    Gritting his teeth against the pain in his leg, Jackson managed to sit himself up.
  27. scold
    censure severely or angrily
    Be tough! he scolded himself.
  28. matted
    tangled in a dense mass
    Her hair was matted with dirt.
  29. ooze
    pass gradually or leak or as if through small openings
    Blood oozed from a deep cut on his cheek.
  30. relief
    the condition of being comfortable or alleviated of distress
    But his relief quickly faded when he saw the look of fear on Leonor’s face.
  31. trickle
    run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
    Drops of sweat trickled down his back.
  32. tense
    become nervous or uneasy
    Jackson’s whole body tensed...but then he relaxed.
  33. flesh
    the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate
    The bear turned, and Jackson saw a patch of bare flesh on its back.
  34. aftershock
    a tremor following the main tremor of an earthquake
    People were terrified that other waves would strike. Or aftershocks—strong jolts that could destroy the buildings already weakened by the first quake.
  35. fierce
    marked by extreme and violent energy
    He didn’t want to be like a grizzly, a fierce creature living alone.
Created on Wed Nov 22 08:48:44 EST 2023 (updated Fri Dec 01 11:15:28 EST 2023)

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