The Partition Project: Chapters 31–39

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 8 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. futile
    unproductive of success
    I want to yell at the sky or do something equally ridiculous to show how futile all this is.
  2. detest
    dislike intensely
    I detested this person when she arrived in my house.
    And now I love her.
  3. concise
    expressing much in few words
    I watch the video she’s sent me five times. It’s very short and concise, and perfect for my documentary.
  4. ruefully
    in a manner expressing pain or sorrow
    Mr. Hawkins sighs. “I understand, Maha. It’s the chase of the story, like you said. It calls to your heart, and sometimes it takes you over.”
    I look up. “It’s happened to you too?”
    He nods ruefully. “More times than I can count. It’s the mark of a true journalist.”
  5. banter
    converse in a playful or teasing way
    I laugh because she’s obviously still in love with Abba’s dad, so Samir Uncle’s age doesn’t really matter. Still, she’s fun to banter with. “Whatever you say!”
  6. finery
    elaborate or showy attire and accessories
    We eat dinner at an Afghani restaurant. Then, Ammi drags us to a Pakistani clothing store, and we all pick out new Eid finery.
  7. dejected
    affected or marked by low spirits
    They were out all day, and when they came back they looked dejected.
  8. allocate
    distribute according to a plan or set apart for a purpose
    He said there were a lot of homes that had been abandoned by Hindus and Sikhs who had left for India, and the government was working to allocate those to refugees.
  9. chortle
    laugh quietly or with restraint
    Talha chortles like our father has made the joke of the decade.
  10. petty
    preoccupied with unimportant matters in a spiteful way
    The Partition Project has 260 views. Tiffany’s documentary, titled School Food Mishaps, has 200.
    I try not to be happy, but it’s no use. I tell myself it’s all because of Eid, and nothing as petty as sixty more views than Queen Bee Hawkins.
  11. regal
    belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
    Dadi sits on a plastic beach chair, looking regal in her black sari.
  12. sari
    a draped dress worn primarily by Hindu women
    Dadi sits on a plastic beach chair, looking regal in her black sari.
  13. halting
    proceeding in a fragmentary, hesitant, or ineffective way
    She nods shyly. “Please come to our house for Eid brunch,” she says in her halting English. “It will be our pleasure.”
  14. waistcoat
    a sleeveless garment worn under a jacket and over a shirt
    He’s wearing a crisp white shalwar kameez with a black waistcoat that makes him look like an elegant gentleman.
  15. lingo
    a characteristic language of a particular group
    Kim: Yes it was good. I’ve added that Inside Out book to my TBR.
    Ahmad: What’s TBR?
    Kim: Dude, get with the lingo.
Created on Wed Jul 01 15:37:30 EDT 2026 (updated Mon Aug 03 18:32:51 EDT 2026)

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