The House of the Scorpion: Chapters 6–14

by Nancy Farmer
This award-winning dystopian novel tells the story of Matt Alacrán, clone and captive of a powerful feudal lord. Follow Matt as he tries to escape the sinister forces at work in the country of Opium.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–14, Chapters 15–22, Chapters 23–30, Chapters 31–38
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. revulsion
    intense aversion
    The doctor’s hand was damp. Matt felt a revulsion to him, but he allowed himself to be led around the porch.
  2. misbegotten
    deserving of scorn or disrespect
    “This is my clone. He’s the most important person in my life. If you thought it was any of you sorry, misbegotten swine, think again.”
  3. guileless
    innocent and free of deceit
    His eyes became clear and guileless. It was hard to believe it was the same boy who had been kicking and screaming only a minute ago.
  4. wheedle
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
    “Everyone says you’re too stupid, but I don’t believe it. Please, Matt,” she wheedled. “Say you’ll miss me. Or hug me. I’ll understand that. Furball howls when I leave home.”
  5. momentous
    of very great significance
    Matt was so startled, he stopped crying. He realized something momentous had just happened.
  6. ecstatic
    feeling great rapture or delight
    Tam Lin interrupted Matt’s ecstatic thoughts.
  7. shoal
    a large group of fish
    In the water itself, Matt saw shoals of little brown fish that darted away from his shadow.
  8. skulk
    move stealthily
    He skulked behind curtains and furniture, and he hid if he saw one of the Alacráns in the distance.
  9. fervor
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
    She attacked the piano with a fervor completely different from her usual, sluggish self, and Matt liked to hide behind the potted plants to listen.
  10. enrapture
    hold spellbound
    And when Matt played really, really well, he was too enraptured to care what the music teacher thought.
  11. harangue
    address forcefully
    He harangued the others in a braying voice and punctuated his statements by poking them in the chest with a finger.
  12. ensconce
    fix firmly
    “You pig!” cried María, who had Furball ensconced in a bag slung over her shoulder.
  13. ashen
    pale from illness or emotion
    Senator Mendoza turned ashen, and he put his hands protectively on María's shoulders.
  14. permeate
    spread or diffuse through
    The hospital was like a prison with a strange, alarming smell inside that permeated everything.
  15. servile
    submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
    Alone of all the servants, Celia could and did insult the Alacráns whenever she felt like it. Not to their faces, of course, but she was less servile in their presence than the others.
Created on Wed Jun 28 08:18:50 EDT 2017 (updated Mon Aug 04 10:17:17 EDT 2025)

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