Skellig: Chapters 11–22

by David Almond
Michael's world is in flux: he's just moved into a new house, and his baby sister is suffering from a terrible illness. When he discovers a mysterious creature named Skellig near death in his garage, things only get stranger.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–22, Chapters 23–34, Chapters 35–46
30 words 278 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ancestor
    someone from whom you are descended
    He showed us a poster of our ancestors, of the endless shape-changing that had led to us.
  2. thrive
    grow vigorously
    “How can she thrive when it’s all so dirty and all in such a mess?”
  3. derelict
    worn and broken down by hard use
    We should never have come to this stinking derelict place.
  4. vandal
    someone who willfully destroys or defaces property
    “It’s just to keep the vandals out.”
  5. ascend
    travel up
    We ascended three stairways, passed three landings.
  6. jut
    extend out or project in space
    Light came in through an arched window that jutted out through the roof.
  7. scurry
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    Shiny black beetles scurried away from me.
  8. inhibit
    limit the range or extent of
    We believe that schools inhibit the natural curiosity, creativity, and intelligence of children.
  9. descend
    come from
    “Do you believe we’re descended from apes?”
  10. muddle
    mix up or confuse
    Truth and dreams are always getting muddled.
  11. figment
    a contrived or fantastic idea
    Maybe thought I was a figment.
  12. dismay
    the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
    The little ones spend the day in sighing and dismay.
  13. adapt
    make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
    It is adapted so that the bird can fly.
  14. enable
    provide the means to perform some task
    Over millions of years, the bird has developed an anatomy that enables it to fly.
  15. eerie
    suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
    There was an eerie light.
  16. absolutely
    totally and definitely; without question
    Absolutely exhausted!
  17. seize
    take hold of; grab
    Don’t let everything seize up.
  18. wince
    draw back, as with fear or pain
    Some lay in bed, smiling and knitting, wincing as they called across the ward to each other.
  19. cluster
    a grouping of a number of similar things
    At the far end, a cluster of doctors and students in white coats gathered around a man in black.
  20. slink
    move or walk stealthily
    “Sometimes it’s things that swim, sometimes it’s things that slink through the night, sometimes it’s things that creep and crawl, but just now it’s things that fly.”
  21. fierce
    marked by extreme and violent energy
    Then an owl, with its great round head, its pointed beak, its fierce claws.
  22. piercing
    very perceptive
    Her eyes were as piercing as Mina’s, but more gentle.
  23. clench
    squeeze together tightly
    She clenched her fists.
  24. timber
    a beam made of wood
    The ceiling creaked and dust fell from the rotten timbers.
  25. stifle
    smother or suppress
    I heard Mina stifle a cry.
  26. scrawny
    being very thin
    She lifted his filthy cuff and touched his scrawny twisted wrists.
  27. brink
    the edge of a steep place
    She teetered on the brink.
  28. whimper
    cry weakly or softly
    He whimpered in pain.
  29. totter
    move without being stable, as if threatening to fall
    He tottered and wobbled as he rose.
  30. hoarse
    deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness
    His breathing was hoarse, uneven.
Created on Thu Nov 14 20:03:20 EST 2013 (updated Tue Aug 07 15:45:46 EDT 2018)

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