The Partition Project: Chapters 1–4

by Saadia Faruqi
Growing up in America, middle-schooler Mahnoor knows little of her Pakistani heritage. Dadi, her Pakistani grandmother, comes to visit and shares with Mahnoor her own childhood, passing on her lived experience of the Partition of India and Pakistan.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–12, Chapters 13–23, Chapters 24–30, Chapters 31–39
15 words 17 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. subtext
    a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
    Saying one thing and meaning another—it’s all totally stupid.
    Talha calls it subtext. I have no clue what that means, but it seems awful. I’m all about the text. No subtext allowed, thank you very much.
  2. kiosk
    small area set off by walls for special use
    There’s a snack kiosk in the corner, and another kiosk selling flowers just like the ones I’m clutching in a death grip.
  3. sassy
    improperly forward or bold
    If I wasn’t so against her living with us, I’d be a big fan of her sassy attitude.
  4. titter
    laugh nervously
    “Oh, it’s probably just the airport smells,” Ammi titters.
  5. stealthily
    in a manner marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
    Talha moves stealthily to his left. He’s almost six inches taller than me, so I’m basically hidden behind him. Rude! I push back until he moves again.
  6. kameez
    a long tunic worn by people from South Asia
    She’s small and very wrinkled—as I remembered, ha!—and wears a gray cotton shalwar kameez with a red dupatta.
  7. tram
    a vehicle that runs on rails and is often propelled by electricity
    “I should have come by train,” Dadi grumbles. “The airport is too far away.”
    “They’re not actual trains,” Ammi says hastily. “Just a local tram that takes tourists around the city.”
  8. hyperbole
    extravagant exaggeration
    “It’s literally tinier than an airplane toilet,” I say grumpily.
    “Again, hyperbole!” Kim pauses. “Wait, are you sure you’re not secretly a fiction writer?”
  9. hoodwink
    influence by slyness
    “Shut it,” I tell her. Fiction is falsehood and misinformation in my opinion. Created to hoodwink the gullible public.
  10. gullible
    easily tricked because of being too trusting
    “Shut it,” I tell her. Fiction is falsehood and misinformation in my opinion. Created to hoodwink the gullible public.
  11. inertia
    the tendency of something to stay in rest or motion
    I, like a normal, factual person, know it’s actually a combination of gravity and inertia and all the laws of physics that makes the earth rotate on its axis.
  12. rubric
    an authoritative rule of conduct or procedure
    “There’s a list of books to choose from, as well as a rubric.” Ms. Turner continues.
  13. snooty
    overly conceited or arrogant
    “Excuse you. Do you doubt my reading abilities?” I say in my snootiest voice.
  14. halal
    conforming to dietary laws
    “That’s a sloppy joe,” I call out cheerfully. “It’s not too bad, for cafeteria food.”
    He looks up at me. “Is it halal?” he asks.
  15. forte
    an asset of special worth or utility
    “My sister’s name is Noor. She’s two years old.”
    “Cool,” I reply. Baby siblings are not really my forte.
Created on Wed Jul 01 15:33:35 EDT 2026 (updated Mon Aug 03 17:37:31 EDT 2026)

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