Zlata’s Diary: Monday, September 2, 1991–Saturday, July 18, 1992

by Zlata Filipović
In this diary, eleven-year-old Zlata Filipović describes her life in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Preface; Introduction; Monday, September 2, 1991–Saturday, July 18, 1992; Monday, July 20, 1992–Sunday, May 2, 1993; Monday, May 3, 1993–Epilogue
35 words 63 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abroad
    to or in a foreign country
    The week was spent getting my books and school supplies, describing how we spent our holidays on the seaside, in the mountains, in the countryside and abroad.
  2. caress
    touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner
    In Crnotina it smells good, it caresses me, it calls me into its embrace.
  3. console
    give moral or emotional strength to
    They all came to console us and to offer their help.
  4. quill
    pen made from a bird's feather
    It was there, in the Ducal Palace, that they picked up a quill and wrote “YES” to spending the rest of their lives together.
  5. cope
    come to terms with
    How are they coping with everything that’s happening over there?
  6. hoarse
    deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness
    I’ve just come back from choir practice. I’m hoarse!
  7. colleague
    an associate that one works with
    As usual, Zoka (Jaca’s husband) is making something special to eat, Daddy is talking politics with Boza (our friend and Daddy’s colleague).
  8. inflame
    become red, swollen, and sore
    My sinuses are inflamed and some kind of pus is trickling down my throat.
  9. antibiotic
    a substance used to kill microorganisms and cure infections
    Nothing hurts really, but I have to take an antibiotic—Penbritin, and some disgusting nose drops.
  10. pessimist
    a person who expects the worst
    Don’t be such a pessimist, Zlata, things aren’t so bad.
  11. persistent
    stubbornly unyielding
    Mommy managed (because she was persistent) to get him on the phone at eleven o’clock last night.
  12. parcel
    a wrapped package
    In Srdjan’s parcel we put a nice New Year’s present for him to give to some child in Dubrovnik.
  13. proverbial
    widely known and spoken of
    It was Christmas yesterday. We went to M&M’s (Martina and Matea’s). It was wonderful. A big Christmas tree. Christmas presents and the proverbial Christmas table.
  14. fiasco
    a complete failure or collapse
    The cinema was an absolute fiasco.
  15. epidemic
    a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease
    We came back from Jahorina yesterday. I’m fine, but now Mommy is sick. She has a temperature and a cough. Daddy has a temperature too. I just have a cough. It’s an epidemic.
  16. civilian
    a nonmilitary citizen
    On Sunday (March 1), a small group of armed civilians (as they say on TV) killed a Serbian wedding guest and wounded the priest.
  17. parliament
    a legislative assembly in certain countries
    It went past the parliament building and made its way through the entire city.
  18. barrack
    lodge in buildings used to house military personnel
    Several people were wounded at the Marshal Tito army barracks.
  19. beret
    a soft cap with no brim or bill
    The blue helmets (actually, they’re blue berets) have arrived in Sarajevo.
  20. hostage
    a prisoner held to insure that another party will meet terms
    Our teacher says we shouldn’t go because there will be 10,000 people, pardon me, children, there, and somebody might take us as hostages or plant a bomb in the concert hall.
  21. inhuman
    without compunction or compassion
    The people must be the ones to win, not the war, because war has nothing to do with humanity. War is something inhuman.
  22. intercom
    a communication system linking different rooms or areas
    We told him on the intercom to run quickly to the downstairs lobby where we’d meet him.
  23. depressed
    filled with melancholy and despondency
    Mommy cried. She’s depressed. All her years of work and effort—up in flames.
  24. amputate
    remove surgically
    They were going to amputate his leg, but his friend Dr. Adnan Dizdar (the surgeon) recognized him, canceled the amputation and took him into the operating room.
  25. dismember
    separate the limbs from the body
    Through her tears she told us how she had seen dismembered bodies.
  26. hysterical
    characterized by a state of violent mental agitation
    I began to cry hysterically.
  27. mourning
    state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
    Today in Vaso Miskin Street people signed the book of mourning and laid flowers.
  28. fascism
    a political theory advocating an authoritarian government
    The result of last night’s fascism is broken glass in Daddy’s office and at the Bobars’ shattered windows.
  29. barrage
    the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area
    We ran straight to the cellar, waiting for the barrage.
  30. servile
    submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
    I pity them for being so very, very stupid, so servile, for humiliating themselves so much in front of certain people.
  31. humiliate
    cause to feel shame
    I pity them for being so very, very stupid, so servile, for humiliating themselves so much in front of certain people.
  32. conscientious
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
    At eight, a conscientious music student, she plays the piano and sings.
  33. sniper
    a marksman who shoots from a concealed place
    It’s especially dangerous to cross our bridge, because snipers shoot at you.
  34. liberate
    grant freedom to
    Dobrinja has been liberated. They received UN packages there too.
  35. intervention
    the act of getting involved
    We’re waiting to hear what the Security Council has decided about military intervention in B-H.
Created on Mon Oct 08 20:09:45 EDT 2018 (updated Fri Oct 19 10:09:22 EDT 2018)

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