The Sky at Our Feet: Chapters 16–21

by Nadia Hashimi
Believing that his mother has been deported to Afghanistan, twelve-year-old Jason runs away to New York City, where he meets Max, a mischievous girl with epilepsy.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–10, Chapters 11–15, Chapters 16–21, Chapters 22–34
35 words 12 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. amplify
    increase the volume of
    She asks again, her hands cupped around her mouth to amplify her voice.
  2. paramedic
    a person trained to give emergency medical treatment
    "We've got a runner down! Is there a doctor or a paramedic anywhere around here? This man needs help!"
  3. grumble
    make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath
    "Amber Alert," I hear the man grumble. He slips his phone back into his jacket pocket.
  4. cringe
    draw back, as with fear, pain, or embarrassment
    I cringe, ready for the second when these people will turn around and see my face flaming red.
  5. epilepsy
    a nervous disorder characterized by convulsions
    "I have...I have epilepsy, and I'm supposed to have surgery tomorrow."
  6. seizure
    a sudden attack characterized by spasms or convulsions
    It means I have seizures. I get them a lot. My brain gets way too excited and then it goes out of control and it takes over my body.
  7. incredulously
    in a disbelieving manner
    "She's picked out where you're going to college already?" Max asks incredulously.
  8. wry
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
    "My mom's kind of a warrior," I say with a wry smile, because I've just realized that's exactly what she is.
  9. tread
    stomp heavily or roughly
    We trod on, Max pausing every ten minutes or so to take a break (though she pretends to be checking her watch or retying her sneakers).
  10. billow
    rise and move, as in waves
    The man's cape billows behind in an invisible wind.
  11. garland
    a circular band of flowers or other foliage
    She's got a garland on her head and graceful angel wings.
  12. flare
    become widened, usually at one end
    I can almost see the horse's nostrils flare.
  13. captivated
    filled with wonder and delight
    "Victory," Max says, seeing how captivated I am.
  14. plaque
    a tablet that commemorates a person or achievement
    "She's Victory. That's what the plaque says."
  15. sanctuary
    a shelter from danger or hardship
    We cross the square quickly and duck into the green sanctuary.
  16. rustle
    make a dry crackling sound
    Dry grass crunches under the soles of our sneakers, and a light breeze rustles the leaves of the soaring trees.
  17. scamper
    run or move about quickly or lightly
    In a patch of bushes to my left, there's a snap, and my heart skips a beat guessing at what might have just scampered away.
  18. slosh
    spill or splash copiously or clumsily
    I can tell she's imagining an empty bucket drifting down into the dark well and coming back, water sloshing out of its sides like tears.
  19. sheepish
    showing a sense of shame
    "I don't think I could have told any of my friends back home about this stuff," I tell Max sheepishly.
  20. silhouette
    an outline of a solid object as cast by its shadow
    Standing against the bright sun, I see only her silhouette.
  21. loom
    hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing
    Max and I are tucked against the side of a looming archway, our backs to the traffic of people.
  22. nuzzle
    gently rub or push one's nose or face against something
    The mother yawns, baring her yellow teeth before she nuzzles her head against the baby on her chest.
  23. frantic
    marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
    I can hear her mother's voice and even make out a few frantic words.
  24. verge
    the limit beyond which something happens or changes
    Listening to the sound of her mom's voice has me on the verge of tears too.
  25. instinctive
    unthinking
    I lean forward and instinctively wrap my arms around Max's trunk.
  26. flutter
    move back and forth very rapidly
    Her half-closed eyelids are fluttering, and the muscles of her face look tight.
  27. thrash
    move or stir about violently
    I don't want to see my friend thrashing around, that lost look on her face.
  28. sable
    of a dark somewhat brownish black
    A few feet away there's a magnificent-looking horse with a shiny, sable coat.
  29. rove
    move about aimlessly or without any destination
    Her eyes rove upward and find the police officer.
  30. straddle
    sit or stand astride of
    I swing my leg around to straddle the horse.
  31. flank
    the side between ribs and hipbone
    When I fall back into the saddle, my leg slaps against her flank and she whinnies.
  32. whinny
    make a characteristic sound, of a horse
    When I fall back into the saddle, my leg slaps against her flank and she whinnies.
  33. veer
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
    She veers right and then left.
  34. gait
    an animal's manner of moving
    Friday eases her gait and my body starts to relax.
  35. perplexed
    full of difficulty or confusion or bewilderment
    They're not sure why this perplexed, panting officer is looking at all of them like they're in cahoots.
Created on Thu Oct 25 21:18:23 EDT 2018 (updated Tue Oct 30 14:18:45 EDT 2018)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.