The Next New Syrian Girl: Chapters 1–5

by Ream Shukairy
Khadija Shami, a Syrian American high school senior, and Leene Tahir, a Syrian refugee, must unravel a secret that leads them back to Jordan and challenges who they are.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–11, Chapters 12–21, Chapters 22–32, Chapter 33–Epilogue
15 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. contemplate
    consider as a possibility
    I contemplate ghosting her, knowing I’d suffer an earful of it later.
  2. hijab
    a headscarf worn by Muslim women
    I pull the ends of my hijab to tighten it over my hair again and stretch my DRI-fit shirt to loosen it over my curves.
  3. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
    “You’re late,” she chides me in Arabic.
  4. exasperated
    greatly annoyed; out of patience
    Exasperated, I throw the contents of the bag into my car and cringe at the peach-colored flare skirt and ruffled red blouse debased by tiny black cherries.
  5. feng shui
    the practice of arranging spaces for harmony and balance
    We wander through the marbled hallways lined with classically Syrian white sheepskin rugs, gawking at the estate’s all but homey feng shui.
  6. tabbouleh
    a salad made with bulgur, parsley, and tomatoes
    “Whose house is this?” I ask, starting my plate off with tabbouleh.
  7. catty
    deliberately and often slyly spiteful or cruel
    The women of Rochester Heights get catty when it comes to my mother—their queen—and her favor.
  8. nuanced
    conveying a subtle difference in tone, meaning, or attitude
    Instead, in a voice as raspy as Khaleh Rana’s and with a winning grin, she greets them in her nuanced Arabic artistry, “Assalamu Alaikum, I’m Leene. T’sharrafna. What a happy opportunity to meet you all.”
  9. ruminate
    reflect deeply on a subject
    “And I…”—the American girl ruminates for a moment—“am done standing in the line of fire.”
  10. colloquial
    characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
    Inshallah (colloquial)—slang: we’ll see; probably.
  11. duvet
    a soft quilt usually filled with down
    Inside, the duvet and curtains have captured her scent, a mixture of jasmine and rosewater.
  12. digression
    a message that departs from the main subject
    “Uh…” Khadija stares at me in shock, and I realize too late that my digression didn’t translate well.
  13. semantics
    the study of language meaning
    I smile and catch up with her. “Do you know the word Semantik?”
    “Semantik? Semantics?”
  14. overbearing
    expecting unquestioning obedience
    Mama sent me angry texts ordering me back home since I’ve been sheltering here from her overbearing hosting.
  15. skew
    present with a bias
    Usually, the boxers invite as many people as they know because they try to skew the votes, but it’s a major attraction for boxing enthusiasts.
Created on Fri Oct 16 22:35:05 EDT 2026 (updated Tue Oct 27 11:47:14 EDT 2026)

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