I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011: Chapters 1–6

by Lauren Tarshis
In this eighth book of the historical fiction I Survived series, eleven-year-old Ben Kudo is visiting his uncle in the tiny fishing village of Shogahama, when he sees a huge wave coming toward him.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–13
30 words 263 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ripple
    a small wave on the surface of a liquid
    At first, the wave was tiny.
    It was just a ripple in the huge Pacific Ocean.
  2. blare
    make a loud noise
    But then a siren blared.
  3. tsunami
    a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave
    Tsunami!
    Seconds later, the huge, foaming black wave crashed into the shore.
  4. churning
    (of a liquid) agitated vigorously; in a state of turbulence
    The churning water twisted him, tore at him, spun him around like a bird caught in a tornado.
  5. dribble
    propel a ball by repeated taps or kicks
    Ben grabbed the ball and dribbled down the court.
  6. clammy
    unpleasantly cool and humid
    “Scary dream?” Harry asked, putting a little hand on Ben’s clammy back.
  7. base
    installation from which a military force begins operations
    He had died four months ago, in a car accident near the California air force base where they lived.
  8. scrawny
    being very thin
    She was small and scrawny with a crooked tail that looked like the letter z.
  9. sharply
    in a forceful or hostile manner
    “Harry,” he said sharply. “You know Dad is gone, and you can’t bring him back.”
  10. territory
    the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a state
    He had to eject from the plane over enemy territory.
  11. determined
    characterized by great firmness of purpose
    Ben could picture Dad, standing in the darkness with steely eyes, never once stopping to moan or cry.
    And that’s how Ben was determined to be.
  12. gash
    a wound made by cutting
    The little guy looked terrible—a blood-crusted nose and a big gash on his arm.
  13. craggy
    having a steep, rough, and rocky surface
    Out one window, Pacific waves crashed against a wall of craggy rocks.
  14. spatter
    spot, splash, or soil
    Mom helped him change out of his blood- spattered pajamas and tucked him into bed.
  15. tinge
    a slight but appreciable amount
    “How about a walk?” he said quietly.
    “No thanks, Ojisan,” Ben said with a tinge of guilt. “I’m kind of tired, too.”
  16. marina
    a fancy dock for small yachts and cabin cruisers
    Ben didn’t want to see the pine forest where Dad used to play hide-and-seek, or the marina where Dad learned to fish.
  17. slink
    move or walk stealthily
    Ben slinked out of the kitchen, avoiding Ojisan’s eyes.
  18. squadron
    an air force unit smaller than a group
    At first, Ben thought it was fighter jets passing overhead, like at home when a squadron returned to the base.
  19. dread
    fearful expectation or anticipation
    Dread rose up in Ben.
  20. practically
    almost; nearly
    Ben suddenly remembered that more earthquakes happen in Japan than practically anywhere else on Earth, even California.
  21. console
    a scientific instrument with displays and an input device
    He’d described what had happened when the engine exploded, when the lights on the cockpit console had flashed like a video game gone haywire.
  22. haywire
    not functioning properly
    He’d described what had happened when the engine exploded, when the lights on the cockpit console had flashed like a video game gone haywire.
  23. lever
    a rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum
    His only chance was to eject, to pull the big yellow lever that would explode him out of the plane and send him shooting through the endless sky.
  24. cockpit
    compartment where the pilot sits while flying an aircraft
    The roof of the cockpit—the canopy—was made of clear plastic, and was designed to pop off when the eject lever was pulled.
  25. upright
    in a vertical position; not sloping
    Two parachutes would open—the first to yank Dad upright, the second to float him down to Earth.
  26. ejection
    the act of forcing out someone or something
    What if the parachutes failed and he fell like a rock straight into the ground? Dad had heard stories about ejections that went horribly wrong.
  27. scramble
    move hurriedly
    Ben pushed Harry underneath, and then scrambled in after him.
  28. relief
    the condition of being comfortable or alleviated of distress
    And there was Mom, on her knees, peering under the bed at Ben and Harry. Her face was streaked with dirt and sweat, but her eyes were filled with relief.
  29. intently
    with strained or eager attention
    They were all looking intently at the ocean in the distance.
  30. jolt
    a sudden jarring impact
    And with a sudden jolt, Ben understood that it wasn’t a cloud.
Created on Tue Oct 17 09:15:12 EDT 2023 (updated Tue Oct 17 13:40:58 EDT 2023)

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