I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916: Chapters 8–15

by Lauren Tarshis
In this second book of the historical fiction I Survived series, ten-year-old Chet Roscow does not believe that swimming in a little New Jersey creek would be dangerous, until he sees a gray fin.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–15
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. guffaw
    a burst of loud and hearty laughter
    His laughter exploded through the air. He pounded his chest a few times. “Sorry,” he said through his guffaws.
  2. blubber
    cry or whine with snuffling
    He waited for Chet to stop crying.
    What a fool he was, blubbering like this! Over a stupid prank.
  3. scorch
    make very hot and dry
    It was another scorching day, the hottest yet.
  4. curdle
    go bad or sour
    All the ice in the restaurant had melted. The milk had curdled.
  5. flapjack
    a flat cake of thin batter fried on both sides on a griddle
    You could just about cook a flapjack on the kitchen floor.
  6. splotch
    an irregularly shaped spot or patch
    While he was waiting, he noticed that there were still splotches of ketchup on the dock.
  7. gruesome
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    They looked even more like blood now, like evidence of a gruesome crime.
  8. jagged
    having an irregularly notched or toothed margin
    The teeth, jagged and needle sharp, were bigger than Chet’s fingers, lined up in rows and curving inward.
  9. thrash
    move or stir about violently
    The shark thrashed, as if it was trying to push itself up onto the bank.
  10. stagger
    walk with great difficulty
    When he could stand, he staggered over to his clothes.
  11. swerve
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
    He crossed the street, ignoring the honking motorcar that swerved around him.
  12. whinny
    make a characteristic sound, of a horse
    A man in a buggy shouted at him to watch out. The horse whinnied.
  13. clatter
    make a rattling sound
    He staggered into Mr. Colton’s hardware store, tripping across the doorway and knocking over a display of watering cans. The clattering brought three customers to the front of the store.
  14. sympathetic
    showing or motivated by understanding and generosity
    Mr. Colton offered a sympathetic smile and a hand on his shoulder. “It’s the heat, my boy. It’s driving us all a little mad.”
  15. scowl
    a facial expression of dislike or displeasure
    The Captain stood there with a scowl on his crumpled-up face.
  16. current
    a steady flow of a fluid or gas
    “If the tides are high, and the currents are strong, a shark could get swept right up into the creek.”
  17. hoist
    raise
    Sid hoisted himself up onto the dock, and Monty and Dewey followed.
  18. hypnotize
    induce a state that resembles sleep in
    But Sid seemed stuck, hypnotized.
  19. loom
    appear very large or occupy a commanding position
    The shark was closer to the surface now, its black eyes almost glowing. Its massive body looming.
  20. bore
    make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
    Then it felt like hot nails were boring into his calf.
  21. gape
    be wide open
    Its gaping mouth was coming right for Chet.
  22. muffled
    being or made softer or less loud or clear
    Everything looked foggy, and people seemed to be moving in slow motion. He heard muffled noises—men’s voices, a boat’s motor.
  23. encounter
    be beset by
    Farther up the creek, Chet Roscow, 10, encountered the shark as he swam by himself.
  24. dismiss
    bar from attention or consideration
    His cries of warning were ignored, with most residents dismissing his story as a prank.
  25. musket
    a muzzle-loading shoulder gun with a long barrel
    He was rescued moments later when Captain Thomas A. Wilson shot at the shark with a Civil War musket, scaring the beast away.
  26. grave
    causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
    The brave youth was rushed to St. Peter’s Hospital in New Brunswick. Injuries to his leg are described as extremely grave.
  27. lurk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    But somehow that shark was always lurking. Its black killer eyes watching him, its bloody teeth glistening.
  28. jostle
    make one's way by pushing or shoving
    Chet raised
 his hand and gave the briefest, tiniest wave. And just like that, the guys came barreling across the room, fighting each other for a spot on his little bed. Their jostling hurt his leg, but Chet couldn’t have cared less.
  29. truce
    a state of peace agreed to between opponents
    It was a while before Sid said, “We're calling a truce. No more pranks.”
  30. linger
    be about
    The guys lingered until Uncle Jerry shooed them out the door.
Created on Mon Oct 09 15:24:57 EDT 2023 (updated Tue Oct 10 10:30:58 EDT 2023)

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