The Wild Robot: Chapters 1-22

by Peter Brown
A robot named Roz attempts to make a home for herself on an island inhabited only by wild animals.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-22, Chapters 23-44, Chapters 45-67, Chapters 68-80
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. heave
    lift or elevate
    Soon, more waves were heaving it up out of the water.
  2. romp
    play boisterously
    A gang of sea otters was romping through the shallows when one of them noticed the sparkling objects.
  3. hatchling
    a young bird or animal that has just emerged from an egg
    Like a hatchling breaking from a shell, Roz climbed out into the world.
  4. skittish
    unpredictably excitable, especially of horses
    The robot’s voice was simply too much for the skittish creatures.
  5. etch
    carve or cut a design or letters into
    She leaned in and noticed the word ROZZUM lightly etched on the torso.
  6. engulf
    flow over or cover completely
    And then a gigantic wave crashed over the rocks and engulfed the entire gravesite.
  7. lush
    characterized by extravagance and profusion
    It looked lush and safe up there.
  8. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    And she was just about to get another ding when a crab scuttled out from under a piece of driftwood.
  9. methodical
    characterized by orderliness
    Up and up and up she went, methodically climbing past nests and ledges and tiny trees rooted in the cracks, and before long our robot felt the soft soil of the island beneath her feet.
  10. jut
    extend out or project in space
    Starting from the sandy southern point, the island grew wider and greener and hillier until it finally jutted up into the rocky cone of the mountain.
  11. sheer
    very steep; having a prominent and almost vertical front
    In some places the mountain fell away, leaving sheer cliffs.
  12. unison
    the act of occurring together or simultaneously
    A flock of sparrows turned in perfect unison above the trees.
  13. teeming
    abundantly filled with especially living things
    The island was teeming with life.
  14. runoff
    the occurrence of surplus liquid exceeding capacity
    So much rainwater was falling that rushing rivers of runoff started springing up everywhere.
  15. frantically
    in an uncontrolled manner
    Roz frantically clawed at the ground, grasping for anything she could hold on to, but the flow only carried her faster toward the edge.
  16. pelt
    attack and bombard with or as if with missiles
    The wind whipped across the mountainside and Roz heard the familiar thunk! of pinecones pelting her body.
  17. crest
    reach a high point
    The island’s central river had crested its banks and spilled into the nearby fields and forests.
  18. refuge
    a shelter from danger or hardship
    Lowland creatures, who had sought refuge on higher ground, were waiting patiently for the water to recede.
  19. recede
    pull back or move away or backward
    Lowland creatures, who had sought refuge on higher ground, were waiting patiently for the water to recede.
  20. trove
    a valuable collection or treasure found hidden
    Beavers were busily collecting a trove of fallen branches.
  21. toll
    value measured by what must be done to obtain something
    The wilderness was taking a toll on poor Roz.
  22. lob
    propel in a high arc
    So Roz plucked pinecones from the nearby branches and lobbed them down at the bears.
  23. resin
    a viscous substance obtained from plants or simple molecules
    The problem with sitting in a pine tree is that, eventually, the tree’s sticky resin will find you.
  24. rigorous
    demanding strict attention to rules and procedures
    She was about to get up and give herself a rigorous cleaning when she noticed a peculiar twig.
  25. camouflage
    exploit the natural surroundings to disguise something
    “Hello, stick insect, my name is Roz. You are very well camouflaged.”
  26. clearing
    a treeless tract of land in the middle of a wooded area
    She waited for darkness, and then she padded to the center of a clearing, nestled herself between some rocks, and became part of the landscape.
  27. slink
    move or walk stealthily
    A few hours later, the sky was brightening, the fog was lifting, the nighttime animals were slinking home, and the daytime animals were beginning to stir.
  28. beckon
    appear inviting
    Berries beckoned to hungry mouths.
  29. lark
    any of numerous birds noted for their singing
    She noticed a lark who swooped down to the same rock and sang the same song every afternoon.
  30. magpie
    long-tailed black-and-white crow that utters a raucous call
    She noticed the same two magpies singing to each other from across the same meadow every evening.
Created on Tue May 08 11:49:19 EDT 2018 (updated Tue May 08 11:58:15 EDT 2018)

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